Two issues had dominated the build up to the last game of a season that has undoubtedly been among the most memorable in the history of the premier league. The inevitable speculation over who would be the next Spurs manager, and whether it is worth qualifying for the Europa league. Some fans, having bought into the idea that the Europa league campaign would jeopardise the chance of a top four or title challenge. I will come back to both issues later. First there was a game of football to enjoy and Spurs players no doubt wanted to end a difficult season on a high.
It turned out that Aston Villa were just the kind of opponents Spurs needed for a day like this. Pacy enough to keep the back four honest, but weak enough in midfield (despite the best efforts of their best player, Fabian Delph) to make Spurs look quite good. Paulinho, showing the kind of form that will please his national coach ahead of the world cup could have had a hat trick instead of the solitary one he scored during a first half in which Spurs played with a freedom that had been absent for much of the campaign. Christian Eriksson, the fans player of the year was as usual at the heart of Spurs best moves and Emmanuel Adebayor, who has had a big impact on Spurs season both when he has played and even when he hasn’t ensured that the famous ‘salute’ celebration will be seen at the lane one more time, scoring the penalty that finished the game as contest before the half time.
The second half had all the intensity of a pre season kick about but was memorable for three moments, all of which reflects rather well on Tim Sherwood. By extending a congratulatory hug to Sandro when he was substituted, he was showed no damage had been done following the twitter spat a few weeks ago. Secondly, with Sherwood, seemingly resigned to his fate, he seemed able to relax and enjoy the occasion and nothing illustrated this more that his invitation to season ticket holder and armchair expert Danny Grimsdale to have his gilet and sit in the dugout. While I have sat in the dugout during a stadium tour and imagined barking orders at players and making all sorts of tactical signs, like a hyperactive orchestra conductor, to experience that during a live competitive match with a full house must have been surreal. Lastly the second half was memorable for the fact that it ended with four players from the youth team on the pitch.
Nabil Bentaleb and Harry Kane have already made an impact on the first team and both have great potential. Seeing Alex Pritchard and Milos Veljkovic gave a glimpse of the future and with Andros Townsend already a first team regular, the footballing future of Spurs appears in good hands. Tim Sherwood deserves some credit for that given his previous role as Academy Director.
Speculation will no doubt turn to Sherwood’s Spurs future. Sherwood has had a lot to say for himself during the six months he has been in charge. This was not the most dignified way to go about auditioning for a big job like Spurs. The stats may say he has the best win percentage of any Spurs manager in the premier league; however, he has not managed for long enough to be judged properly. He has merely shown that given a long time, he may turn out to be decent top flight manager. He did a respectable job in the circumstances, not least in bringing Adebayor back into the team and getting something close to his best out of him.
However, Spurs under Daniel Levy has evolved into a side that expects to fight regularly for the top four positions. This means getting between 75 – 80 points. Saying Spurs should wake up (translation; not a realistic prospect) when Liverpool and Everton, spending less money make it their season’s ambition betrays a lack of belief that was always going to grate with Levy. While no one expects it to be a cake walk, his Keeganesque unravelling when the pressure intensified during the season defining period in March showed that for all his qualities, the Spurs job has come too soon in his career.
In addition to his occasional tactical naivety, he also failed to instil any discernable identity into Spurs play. To this day, I have no sense of what a Spurs team under Sherwood will play like. Proven coaches like Pochettino at Southampton and even Tony Pulis at Crystal Palace have shown a willingness and ability to adapt and create a discernable system based on the players they find at a new club. Given, the outlay on players at Spurs right now, it is likely that Levy will be looking for coaches and tacticians rather than someone to uproot an entire team and bring even new players in.
Sherwood jokingly quipped in his first press conference that if he does well, he would be off to Real Madrid! Right now, there is more chance of him going to Reading. However, if Tim Sherwood is as good a manager as he thinks he is, cream rises to the top as Roberto Martinez and Brendan Rodgers have shown and he will get his chance at the big time again. For now, I can only say, Thanks Tim. It is never dull at Spurs and your antics throughout the season ensured that at least one tradition was maintained in this topsy turvy season.
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