Better the devil you know?

 

Everyone agree that it's time we get back to the football? It's ENIC this and Levy that all across social media and forums/blogs/this blog/websites. It's mostly thanks to the disillusionment with the football allowing us to deflect and scapegoat to control our disgruntlement and frustration by taking it out on the most obvious of all targets.

The likes of StubHub, the y word, stewarding, the stadium and so on giving us several options to aim our punches at whilst we all come to terms with another season where European qualification is probable as we compete for a top four place. This is the new mid-table. Underachieving just a little further up the league.

Although, to be serious and honest for a moment, if you wish to abide by the ethos of Nicholson then aiming high is the true Tottenham way. It's something that has been consumed by delusion for most decades post-1960s because we were never in a position to challenge. Now that we do so the annoyance is that we keep allowing momentum to escape us even though the past two seasons could have played out very differently if luck had decided to look our way. Nobody is ever quite sure if we are being overly ambitious whilst others throw money at their own objectives. Or perhaps to accept ourselves as a club that won't be able to keep up with the billionaires, even finishing just outside 4th, is deemed failure with no echo of glory to be found. Why? Because there isn't a roll of a dice, a gamble. That something extra to make a difference when it matters most is always MIA.

Tottenham can't possibly compete for the title when Manchester City or Chelsea flex their muscles. Or can we? Had Jermain Defoe scored that goal up at the Eastlands in the infamous 3-2 the momentum that so often falls back and out of our reach might have seen us push forward, fuelled by belief that would have swept us to the heavens where no doubt Bill himself will have been there to applaud. Perhaps fate is protecting us, retaining us in this constant battle to get there because the harsh reality is once we're there the expectations will be even more uncomfortable and unnerving - as witnessed since our single Champions League adventure. Or we might just relax and be so fulfilled we won't bay for blood all of the time.

Those thin lines don't often present themselves. Even so, there is something fragile about the Premier League that suggests it's going to keep its state of competitiveness that can not be ignored by those that wish to achieve. Some would say we're ignoring it by not giving it the respect it deserves, far too obsessed with short term gain and not patient enough to work towards longevity. Others would say we're doing the best we can with what we've got and patience is for the weak.

It's that perplexing contradiction that is the life of any given football supporter. We wouldn't be complaining about any of the evils of modern football and the ambiguous and non-transparent leadership in the clubs boardroom if we were winning with style although that's not to suggest any of the controversy that follows Spurs off the pitch are not valid discussion points.

Below is a Twitter rant (although hardly ranty, more of the same philosophical emotive driven calmness that allows me to saviour the remaining remnants of sanity I possess). Hopefully with this, I can draw a line under it. Until the next time we get thrashed.

In the mean time ask yourselves; is it the football that grates on you? Is it intrinsically connected to management that oversees each appointment to the point where it stagnates any potential for progression? Or is that money that is so free-flowing with super rich clubs a gulf that can only be conquered if we had some of the same wealth thrown our way? If we achieved thanks to an injection of money that witnessed players joining us thanks to the wages on offer would that soil the success? Would you care? How about the detachment between club and its clients? Are ENIC simply caring for the investment as well as they possibly can, constrained and unable to immerse themselves with the plaything element a football club can become when it's not an investment but simply an extension of an ego?

 

The tweets:

 

If the football is great, if there's success or the suggestion of it - these other problems get pushed back and forgotten about.

Well done to ENIC for running the business side of the club like a business. The football side has to be run with some measure of emotion.

It's like taking your clothes off before sex, folding them up, but keeping your socks on. Dive in ffs, its about time we slapped some arse.

Better the devil you know? That's just accepting what we've got and running scared from wanting for more.

I don't have the answer. That's the worst thing about this. ENIC probably want to make Spurs a project for someone to buy. Until then, we can ask for more transparency. probably won't get any.

At least we all care. its just that if we were top 4, not getting thrashed, we'd ignore most of it.

Loads talking about falling out of love with the game. Kids of today will no doubt say same thing in 30 years time. Matchday experience and detachment of club with fans doesn't help. however, it's not all doom and gloom. football and THFC is still the same at purest level.

if the fiscal bubble isn't going to bust then regardless of everything else, we should always voice opinions and fight on.

as long as we don't completely forget about the football bit.

I sound like a broken record. been spouting the same emotive bullsh*t all season long.

Just as a reminder, in the summer, all of us lauding it up over them lot, them lot screaming sack the board/manager. Perspective alters.

Football is the one arena where we all lose the plot and re-write personal history of opinions from one week to the next.

We probably deserve each other. That's me done. Back to snapchatting food because that's where all the real glory is.