Tottenham Hotspur Blog News - (THBN)

De Zerbi said Spurs don't need to sign many players

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Why De Zerbi Thinks Spurs Need Fewer Signings Than Fans Believe

Mentality changes teams faster than tactics

Yesterday I backed Spurs to finish in the Top 4 next season at 8/1.

Not because Tottenham suddenly became a great side overnight.

Because Roberto De Zerbi appears to understand the one thing modern football fans still underestimate:

Mentality changes teams faster than tactics do.

De Zerbi seems to have the right mentality.

He said, talking to Spurs TV, that mentality was more important than skill.

Skill is a given, mentality is not.

Spurs' mentality: De Zerbi's vision

A set of players already seems to have bought into Roberto De Zerbi.

That matters more than most fans realise.

People still think elite football is mainly about skill.

It isn't.

At the elite level, players have to psychologically buy into what a manager is asking them to do.

You can already see signs of that happening at Spurs.

The passing is quicker.

The movement looks more deliberate.

There is far more willingness to play first-time football out from the back instead of taking extra touches and slowing everything down.

That only happens when players trust the structure around them.

Look at Pedro Porro.

Man City target Spurs' Pedro Porro

Manchester City are interested in him because top clubs recognise elite-level attacking quality when they see it.

Yet Spurs are fighting to keep him.

That tells you something.

The club clearly believe he fits where this project is heading.

If Porro stays, and Djed Spence develops into genuine competition and cover, suddenly the right side of the defence looks stable.

Then you look at the recruitment profile.

Roberto De Zerbi keeps saying Spurs do not need too many players.

Nobody seems to want to hear it.

They hear "10 or 12 players" and assume a mass clear-out.

I don't think that is what he means at all.

I don't think it is the literal way the media has interpreted it.

I think he has excluded some players he will have agreed to develop.

I think he sees a core group already capable of playing his football.

What he wants are reinforcements that improve the structure around them.

That is why the links are increasingly towards players who understand positional football, pressure football and quick passing football.

Not just athletes.

Not just potential.

Players who understand how to control games.

That is the biggest change I can see already.

For the first time in years, Tottenham do not look like a club randomly collecting footballers.

They look like a club trying to build a football identity.

De Zerbi is telling you exactly what I have been telling you for years.

De Zerbi's mentality Spurs vision in focus

This season has proved that the issue was not Daniel Levy.

He had to work within the constraints set by Joe Lewis and, latterly, the Lewis family.

Joe Lewis signed off on everything.

He was not a sleeping owner.

Take the buffer of Daniel Levy out and things have fallen apart.

Here we go with the start of another project.

We will play better next season.

We will move up the Premier League.

We will be back in Europe at the end of it.

It's just a question of which European trophy.

Our build-up play will be better.

But will the final ball be better?

Xavi Simmons final ball, for instance, is appalling.

Without the final ball, goals dry up.

Goals win games.

Do we have strikers who can make something out of nothing regularly?

I don't think so.

Will we bring in a top-notch striker to bang in goals?

The question is, why would a top-level striker come to Spurs with no European football?

Why join Spurs: The striker's decision

The Lewis family and Peter Charrington statements are fine, but fans read them and put their own interpretation on them.

The only interpretation is the club interpretation.

And do we really know what that is?

There is intent.

But Spurs are down the food chain, so can intent turn into actuality?

We spend £150 million each summer.

Yes, we raise money from sales, as every club does.

The summer will reveal all.

First through the door, two free transfers

Football is a business after all.

Football stopped being a chairman’s hobby a long time ago.

COYS

For the interesting articles from a winning mindset that you simply don't find anywhere else, follow the Spurs views of THBN: Tottenham Hotspur Blog News.

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Tottenham’s Transfer Moves Reveal De Zerbi’s Ruthless Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 27 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

De Zerbi wants top-level players, not potential

For years Tottenham collected “potential.”

Plenty of other clubs around the world are doing the same thing.

But others have been more successful than Tottenham at it, mainly because these players stayed on the training ground.

They weren't trusted in games, often by coaches who didn't want to develop them anyway.

There was a discord in the club.

The coaches weren't doing what they had been brought in to do.

Because this would all have been discussed with them prior to appointment.

And they would have agreed to it.

But, only Mauriccio Pochettino put it into practice.

Despite the nice words and assurances, managers gave the board.

Now Spurs appear to be collecting certainty.

That is the major shift supporters may be underestimating.

The growing links to experienced elite-level players such as Andrew Robertson, alongside the reported agreement for Marcos Senesi, suggest Roberto De Zerbi is pushing Spurs towards immediate reliability rather than endless long-term projects.

And honestly, the squad already contains plenty of potential.

Mathys Tel
Lucas Bergvall
Archie Gray
Luka Vušković
Antonin Kinsky
Souza

That is already a huge developmental core.

De Zerbi appears to want something different now.

He wants players who already understand elite football.

Financially, Spurs are now in a better position to do so with the new stadium.

Daniel Levy was used to build it and steer the financial waters of Covid-19 recovery.

The Full-Back Situation Suddenly Makes Sense

Tottenham’s defensive structure is quietly becoming one of the most tactically interesting parts of the squad.

On paper Spurs already have:

Destiny Udogie at left-back
Pedro Porro at right-back
Djed Spence capable of covering both

Spurs have stopped there for 2 seasons.

But De Zerbi systems are not built around surviving a season.

They are built around controlling one.

That changes recruitment.

Because once you ask full-backs to:

invert into midfield
create overloads
rotate under pressure
trigger build-up patterns
press aggressively after turnovers

…you need far more than athleticism.

You need tactical intelligence and repeatability.

Why Robertson Fits The Pattern

The reported Tottenham interest in 32-year-old Andrew (Andy) Robertson is fascinating precisely because of his age and profile.

This is not a “future signing.”

This is a proven elite-level competitor.

A player who understands intensity, leadership, pressure and positional responsibility.

And perhaps most importantly:
He already thinks quickly.

That matters massively in De Zerbi football.

People often mistake possession football for “slow football.”

De Zerbi’s positional systems actually demand extremely fast decision-making.

Especially from defenders.

First-time passes.
Immediate angles.
Breaking pressure instantly.

Tottenham supporters are already seeing hints of it.

The build-up patterns are becoming more deliberate.
The defenders are releasing the ball earlier.
The structure looks coached rather than improvised.

Ben Davies Leaving Quietly Opens The Door

Ben Davies being out of contract matters here too.

Davies gave Tottenham professionalism and reliability for years.

But De Zerbi appears to want another level technically.

Not just defenders who are safe.

Defenders who can actively control matches with the ball.

That may explain why Spurs are suddenly targeting players with elite-level positional experience rather than simply stockpiling prospects.

And of course, Robertson has years of experience and trophies to his name.

That can be passed onto youngsters.

So Spurs lose nothing from that side of Davies role.

Spurs Are Finally Acting Like A Serious Squad-Building Club

One of Tottenham’s long-running problems has been imbalance.

Too many developing players at the same time.
Too many “maybe” signings.
Too many seasons waiting for improvement.

That is all fine.
If you have the right coach in place to develop them as a team.
And as I say, Pochettino was the only coach capable of that.

De Zerbi appears unwilling to accept that cycle.

The message emerging from Italy is very clear:
Tottenham are working immediately to accommodate him.

And that makes sense.

Because managers like De Zerbi do not usually compromise heavily on structure.

He does not merely want talented footballers.

He wants players capable of executing a very specific tactical idea at speed.

This May Be The Biggest Difference Between De Zerbi And Frank

This is where the contrast becomes impossible to ignore.

Thomas Frank often looked reactive at Premier League level.

Pragmatic.
Flexible.
Competitive.

But De Zerbi is ideological.

Everything links together:

centre-backs
full-backs
spacing
build-up
passing angles
pressing triggers

The recruitment now reflects that.

This no longer looks like Tottenham buying players individually.

It looks like Tottenham building a system.

COYS

The first brick in De Zerbi Tottenham plan

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 May 2026 05:30:00 +0000

Spurs CB plan under De Zerbi

Tottenham’s Centre-Back Puzzle Is Starting To Reveal De Zerbi’s Real Plan

One transfer rarely tells the full story.

But when you combine the reported move for Marcos Senesi with Roberto De Zerbi’s tactical history, Tottenham’s defensive rebuild suddenly starts to make far more sense.

Is it just paper talk?

Well AFC Bournemouth have already announced to their fans that he is leaving.

The key point?

This does not automatically signal the end for Micky van de Ven.

In fact, it may suggest the exact opposite.

De Zerbi’s System Demands Specialists

De Zerbi has already publicly described Van de Ven as the best left-sided centre-back in the Premier League.

That matters.

Managers reveal their tactical thinking through praise.
Not sentiment.
Not headlines.
Not social media noise.

De Zerbi builds from the back through structure, angles and passing rhythm.

That means he wants specialists.

Not “players who can fill in there.”
Not utility defenders.
Not patched-up systems.

He wants balance.

A left-footer on the left.
A right-footer on the right.
Natural passing lanes.
First-time progression.
Cleaner exits under pressure.

This is something I have discussed before because it adds a tiny percent to an overall team performance.
It opens up diagonal passing.
If a striker closes that avenue, it opens passing down the line or into a channel with a centre-back's stronger foot.

A right-footed left-sided centre-back changes things.
It is easier to stop the more controlled line passing down the left.
That forces cross-field passing or passing into the centre of the pitch.
That gives the opposition more chances of winning the ball.

Tottenham supporters are already seeing the early signs of De Zerbi's passing out from the back system.

The quicker release passes.
The confidence playing through pressure.
The one-touch angled short passing.
The attempt to manipulate the opposition press rather than simply survive it.

This is not random.

It is coached.

And if you want to be able to do that on both sides...
To make life tough for the opposition...
Then you need left and right-footed centre-backs starting it off.

Why Senesi Makes Tactical Sense

If the reports are accurate, Senesi fits the De Zerbi profile almost perfectly.

Left-footed.
Calm in possession.
Aggressive stepping into midfield.
Comfortable receiving under pressure.

Most importantly, he already understands many of the positional demands De Zerbi values.

That does not mean Van de Ven leaves.

It likely means De Zerbi wants genuine depth.

He has repeatedly preferred having two high-level options per position rather than overplaying starters into exhaustion.

Indeed, he stated to the assembled journalists he wants two players in each position.

Senesi will know whether he in competing with Micky van de Ven or not.
Game time, etc., will have been discussed in meeting and the player given assurances of playing time.
Particularly with no European football next season.

Senesi was linked with Liverpool, Barcelona and the latest reports in Italy suggest Juventus are disappointed to have missed out on the 29 year old Argentinian.

Tottenham have lacked two specialists per position for years.

One injury and the entire structure collapses.

That cannot happen in a De Zerbi positional system because the centre-backs are not just defenders.

They are phase-one playmakers.

The Luka Vušković Question Is Fascinating

Then there is Luka Vušković.

Nineteen years old.
Right-footed.
Huge potential.
Calm beyond his age.

The interesting part is how De Zerbi views him developmentally.

Because Vušković may actually suit the right-sided role beautifully long term.

De Zerbi’s systems often require one centre-back to be more progressive and one slightly more stabilising depending on build structure.

Vušković has the composure and technical confidence to grow into that role.

The danger for young defenders under possession managers is mental overload.

You are not simply defending.

You are being asked to:

receive while pressed
break lines first time
manipulate pressing traps
understand spacing constantly
trigger rotations

That is elite-level tactical education.

But if De Zerbi believes Vušković can absorb it, Spurs may see him as a major long-term project rather than simply “one for the future.”

Romero’s Situation Changes Everything

The major uncertainty remains Cristian Romero.

If Romero stays, Tottenham suddenly have:

Van de Ven
Romero
Senesi
Danso
Vušković

That is serious depth.

If Romero leaves, the picture changes entirely.

Then Senesi becomes less “rotation” and more structural necessity.

The expectation remains that Kevin Danso stays, which also fits the idea of De Zerbi wanting multiple profiles available depending on opponent and game state.

Ben Davies Quietly Matters Here Too

Ben Davies being out of contract matters more than many realise.

For years, Davies effectively acted as Tottenham’s emergency tactical glue.

Reliable.
Positionally disciplined.
Comfortable enough on the ball.

But De Zerbi’s football demands more than “comfortable enough.”

It demands precision.

The passing sequences already appearing from the back suggest Spurs are moving towards a far more technical defensive structure than under Thomas Frank.

This Is The Biggest Tactical Shift Spurs Fans Must Understand

This is not simply about buying defenders.

It is about changing the function of defenders.

Under more reactive systems, centre-backs primarily survive pressure.

Under De Zerbi, centre-backs attract pressure deliberately.

That is a completely different mentality.

And it explains why Tottenham’s recruitment suddenly appears highly specific rather than opportunistic.

The real story may not be who starts.

The real story may be that Spurs are finally building a defence designed to control matches rather than merely endure them.

The future's bright, the future's Lilywhite.

COYS

Tottenham vs Everton: Its not football, it's a psychological exam

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 22 May 2026 05:42:00 +0000

This is not a football match. It's a psychology exam

Tottenham vs Everton Final-Day Mentality: Pressure, What It Does To Players, And How Winners Handle It

“The final day is not mainly about quality. It is about which team interprets pressure correctly.”

One game to go.

One point needed.

One stadium full of nerves.

And one brutal truth that many fans still do not fully understand:

This is not a football match. It's a psychology exam.

Tottenham Hotspur go into the final Premier League game at home to Everton needing just one point to survive. West Ham United are at home to Leeds United and must win while hoping Spurs lose.

For one of these clubs, the Championship is coming.

For the other, survival.

The table gives us the mathematics. But mathematics does not decide how a player’s first touch feels in the sixth minute.

Mathematics does not explain why one player demands the ball under pressure while another hides from it.

Mathematics does not tell you why some teams become tight, slow and fearful when all they need is one result, while others become calm, ruthless and clear.

That is mentality.

And this is exactly the kind of game where mentality does not sit in the background. It comes to the front. It grabs the wheel.

Fans talk about effort, commitment, desire and passion as if they are the same thing as a winning mentality.

They are not.

Effort is the minimum.

Passion is emotional.

Desire is common.

A winning mentality is different.

It is the ability to keep your football intact when fear is loud, consequences are huge, and the mind is screaming at the body to protect itself.

The brain naturally protects you from pain.

It looks for the easy route.

The weak succumb to it.

They look at the danger.

The strong look at the opportunity.

That is what Tottenham will be fighting on Sunday.

Not just Everton.

Not just the league table.

But the human instinct to shrink.

Research into elite performance under pressure keeps coming back to the same themes. Athletes cope best when they see pressure as a challenge rather than a threat, trust their habits, believe in themselves and keep their mind on the next job rather than the consequence of failure [Source].

Studies in professional football also point to mental toughness, self-confidence and the ability to calm yourself in key moments as major factors in performance [Source].

BBC Sport on home pressure and challenge vs threat

Source: BBC Sport

The Final-Day Situation In One Table

Club	Final Match	What They Need	Mental Pressure
Tottenham	Everton (home)	1 point to survive	Fear of throwing it away
West Ham	Leeds (home)	Must win and hope Spurs lose	Desperation mixed with hope
Everton	Tottenham (away)	Freedom to spoil the day	Less fear, more freedom
Leeds	West Ham (away)	Exploit a tense opponent	Opportunity if nerves kick in

This matters because pressure is not equal.

Tottenham are the side with control.

On paper, that sounds like an advantage.

Psychologically, it can be a trap.

Why?

Because “we only need a point” can be heard in two very different ways.

A strong mind hears that and thinks:

Stay composed
Stay organised
Trust the game
Do your job properly

A weak mind hears that and thinks:

Do not make the mistake
Do not be the one
Do not get caught
Do not lose

Those are not the same message.

The first creates control.

The second creates fear.

And supporters will already have their own list of moments this season where small errors became dropped points, and dropped points became this final-day mess.

Why A Must-Not-Lose Match Is Often Harder Than A Must-Win Match

Fans usually assume a must-win game is the hardest kind of match.

In some ways it is.

But psychologically, a must-not-lose game can be even more difficult.

A must-win game gives the mind a clear message: go and take it.

A must-not-lose game can fill the mind with the wrong sort of language:

Do not overcommit
Do not gamble
Do not get caught
Do not mess this up

There are too many “do nots” in there.

And that is the problem.

The brain does not perform best when it is full of warning signs. It performs best when it is fixed on the job in front of it.

That is one of the central truths of pressure.

"When players freeze, it is often because their attention shifts away from the game and toward the fear of what happens if they get it wrong. The mind becomes cluttered with consequence, and that is when decisions slow down, touches get heavy and simple things stop being simple" [Source].

I have mentioned this before from my own sporting life.

I played a cricket match against Gravesend when I was captaining the 3rd XI. The 2nd XI captain had insisted to the selection committee that I had to play.

I looked around and we only had three bowlers.

We really needed four or five.

If I did not perform, we were in big, big trouble.

Standing at my bowling mark, ready to deliver the first ball of the game...

I had butterflies. Plenty of them.

But I turned that to my advantage.

I rose to it.

On a batsman’s paradise, I bowled 50% more overs than usual.

Took double the wickets I usually took.

And went for fewer runs per over than usual.

I did not see fear.

I saw a challenge.

And I rose to it.

That is how a winning mentality responds.

It does not pretend the pressure is not there.

It just refuses to bow to it.

That is the test for Spurs. Not whether they feel nervous. They will. Of course they will. The test is whether they see the day as something to survive or something to rise to.

What Pressure Actually Does To Footballers

This is where fans often oversimplify things.

They say a player “bottled it” as if that explains everything.

It does not.

Pressure changes behaviour in football in ways supporters can actually see if they know what to look for.

It shows up when a midfielder stops showing for the ball and starts standing behind opponents.

It shows up when a full-back who normally steps into space suddenly knocks it back inside every time.

It shows up when centre-halves take an extra touch because they no longer trust the pass they normally play in one.

It shows up when forwards stop making the brave run because they are already worrying about what happens if the move breaks down.

It shows up when one mistake turns into three because the player carries the first error into the next action.

That is how fear spreads through a side. Not always with dramatic collapse. Often with hesitation.

And hesitation is enough.

Especially in a game where the crowd will react to every loose touch, every backward pass, every Everton break and every score update from elsewhere.

Professional football research highlights three things in particular: mental toughness, self-confidence and the ability to settle yourself when emotion starts running too high. In plain football language, that means staying in the game, trusting yourself and keeping your head when the nerves start flying about [Source].

How The Home Crowd Can Help Spurs — And Hurt Them

Playing at home should be an advantage.

Sometimes it is.

The crowd can give players a lift. It can sharpen intensity, increase belief and drag the side through difficult spells.

But there is another side to it.

Expectation.

At home, every mistake can feel bigger.

Every misplaced pass gets a louder groan.

Every sign of fear spreads faster.

And if players start hearing that anxiety as judgement rather than support, the atmosphere becomes heavier instead of helpful.

That is why sports psychologists talk about the difference between seeing pressure as a challenge and seeing it as a threat. When players feel they can cope, they play quicker and clearer. When they feel the consequences are too big, they tighten up and overthink [Source].

So what Spurs need from the crowd is not blind panic disguised as noise.

They need backing.

They need energy.

They need the sort of atmosphere that tells the players to keep playing rather than reminding them what is at stake every time a pass goes astray.

What A Winning Mentality Looks Like Against Everton

A winning mentality is not chest-beating, unless it's for a dopamine hit..

It is not slogans.

It is not players telling each other to “want it more” as if that solves anything.

On a day like this, a winning mentality looks much more ordinary than that.

But it is far more important.

It looks like this:

The midfielder who still wants the ball when the ground gets nervous
The defender who wins his challenge and gets Spurs up the pitch again
The senior player who settles team-mates after a sloppy moment instead of letting panic spread
The forward who keeps making the run even after the last move broke down
The whole side refusing to let one bad minute become five

That is leadership in proper football terms.

Not waving arms for the cameras.

Not shouting slogans.

But helping the side keep its shape, nerve and belief when the game starts wobbling.

Research into performing well under pressure also points to routines, confidence cues and simple mental habits that stop players drifting into fear. In football terms, that means doing the familiar things properly when the occasion gets loud [Source].

Taylor & Francis meta-study on performing under pressure: Taylor & Francis Online

Winning Mentality vs Ordinary Pressure Mentality

Moment	Winning Mentality	Ordinary Pressure Mentality
Before kick-off	Feels nerves but uses them	Feels nerves and starts fearing the game
First mistake	Moves on quickly	Carries it into the next action
Crowd gets edgy	Stays brave and keeps showing	Starts hiding and playing safe
West Ham score	Focus stays on the next phase of play	Starts playing the league table in his head
Everton have a spell	Settles the game and regains territory	Drops deeper and invites more pressure
Late on at 0-0	Manages the game calmly	Protects the draw fearfully
Concede first	Keeps head and responds properly	Panics and starts forcing everything

That is the difference.

The winning player is not some emotionless machine.

He feels the pressure.

He just does not let the pressure tell him how to play.

The Mental Battle Spurs Will Face Against Everton

The danger for Tottenham is not only nerves.

It is drift.

A side that needs one point can begin sensibly enough and then slowly slide into the wrong sort of football.

The full-backs stop pushing on.

The midfield starts receiving square rather than on the turn.

The front players become isolated.

The clearances come back too quickly.

The crowd senses it.

Everton sense it.

And suddenly Spurs are not controlling the game. They are enduring it.

That is what ordinary pressure mentality does. It mistakes safety for control.

A winning mentality is different.

It says:

Respect the scoreline
Respect the stakes
But do not hand the game away through fear

That means Spurs still have to do proper football things properly.

Compete for second balls
Win first contact
Keep the midfield involved
Play forward when it is on
Stop Everton building confidence
Do not let the game become a siege

That is not recklessness.

That is maturity.

The Four Moments That Will Reveal Spurs’ Mentality

1. The First 15 Minutes

This is where you will know a lot.

If Spurs come out sharp, tidy and willing to play, that is a side that has accepted the occasion.

If touches are loose, passes are hesitant and nobody wants to receive in tight spaces, then the nerves are already on top.

2. The First Big Error

It will come. Football always has one.

The question is what happens next.

Do Spurs brush it off and carry on?

Or does one sloppy moment infect the next five minutes?

3. The Score From West Ham

Everybody will know. The crowd will know. The bench will know. The players will know.

This is where weak minds leave the game in front of them and start living in possible futures.

Strong minds drag themselves back to the next ball, the next duel, the next phase.

4. The Final 20 Minutes

This is where the match becomes less about legs and more about nerve.

If it is level, Spurs must manage the game without sinking into fear. There is a huge difference between seeing a game out properly and simply retreating because you are scared.

One is control.

The other is panic in slow motion.

Will Spurs choke under pressure?

Source: Harvard Business Review

What Spurs Fans Should Watch For

If you want to know what is going on in the players’ heads, watch for these things:

Are midfielders showing for the ball or standing behind markers?
Are defenders stepping in and getting Spurs up the pitch, or just dropping and dropping?
After a mistake, do heads go down or does someone calm it?
Are Spurs playing passes with conviction or just getting rid?
When Everton have a spell, do Spurs settle it or look rattled?
Do the senior players keep the side composed, or do they start looking anxious as well?

Those things tell you more than running stats or empty talk about passion.

They tell you whether Tottenham are still playing football or whether they have started playing the fear.

The Message To The Players — And The Fans

Spurs do not need to pretend this is just another match.

It is not.

Everybody knows what is on it.

The supporters know.

The players know.

The staff know.

The whole stadium will feel it.

So the answer is not denial.

The answer is to meet the day properly.

Feel the pressure.

Then play anyway.

Keep your football.

Keep your head.

Keep showing for it.

Do not let one bad moment become three.

Do not let the crowd’s nerves become your nerves.

Do not let “we only need a point” turn into frightened football.

Because that is the biggest danger of all.
Not Everton’s shape.
Not some tactical wrinkle.
But Tottenham forgetting how to play because the consequences feel too large.

If Spurs can keep their nerve, keep their shape and keep enough belief to play the game instead of the occasion, they should have enough.

If they cannot, then the Championship will not just have claimed a side short on points.

It will have claimed a side beaten by its own fear.

The very barrier I have been exposing for 10 years.

The club, you, shouldn't have ignored me.

Had people listened, we wouldn't be in this predicament.

Proactive, not reactive.

Sunday is about more than survival.

It is about whether Tottenham can think clearly when fear is loudest.

The ordinary player hears “do not lose” and shrinks.

He plays safe, hides from risk and hopes somebody else takes responsibility.

The winner hears the same words and translates them differently.

Stay clear.

Stay brave.

Trust your game.

Do the next thing properly.

That is the difference between surviving the occasion and being swallowed by it.

COYS

Extra Q&A Spurs Fans May Be Asking

Can a team really play worse because it only needs a draw?

Yes. Needing only a point can make players more cautious, and too much caution often hands momentum to the opposition. That is when teams stop playing to win moments and start playing not to lose them.

Why do players suddenly start hiding in big matches?

Because pressure changes behaviour. A player who normally wants the ball can start worrying about the consequences of losing it. That is when he stops showing in the same areas and starts taking the safer option.

Does the crowd actually affect what players do?

Yes. A crowd can lift a team, but if anxiety takes over it can also make mistakes feel bigger and pressure heavier [Source].

What is the simplest sign of a strong mentality on the pitch?

A player who still wants the ball, still keeps his head and still does simple things properly when the game gets tense.

Is trying hard the same as having a winning mentality?

No. Trying hard is the bare minimum. A winning mentality is about handling pressure, setbacks and consequence without letting them wreck your performance.

What should Tottenham avoid most against Everton?

They must avoid turning the match into 90 minutes of fearful protection. Game management is one thing. Sinking into survival panic is another.

Related Reading: 5 more from THBN

Recent events expose who really runs Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are on the Premier League Penalty Blacklist

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

Van de Ven Is Spurs’ Barometer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 May 2026 07:23:56 +0000

Van de Ven shows the difference in desire under different managers at Spurs

What Spurs Fans Still Don’t Understand About Ange, Frank And De Zerbi

Micky Van de Ven may just have revealed the real problem at Tottenham Hotspur.

Not tactically.

Mentally.

For months now, we Spurs supporters have watched reports linking Van de Ven with moves away from the club.

His performances have been average to be honest, with a few moments.
No consistent high quality.

His heart wasn't in it.

He admitted in a very recent interview that this hasn't been his best season.

Yet suddenly, with Roberto De Zerbi now in charge and Spurs needing just one point from two games to survive in the Premier League, the noise has changed.

Now the word is Van de Ven is happy to stay if Spurs stay up.

So what changed?

The stadium didn't change.
The wages didn't change.
The club didn't change.

The mentality around the squad changed.

And that matters more than supporters realise.

This is not really about Van de Ven specifically.

He is the barometer.

He is reflecting what appears to have happened across the entire squad over the past three managerial periods at Tottenham Hotspur.

Belief under Ange Postecoglou.

A visible drop in emotional intensity under Thomas Frank.

And now signs of emotional buy-in returning under Roberto De Zerbi.

That is not coincidence.

And it is another original THBN article trying to explain the psychological side of football that many supporters still dismiss because they only look at tactics, formations and substitutions.

Well, once again, let me take you into the trenches.

Read on.

Postecoglou Created Belief, Not Just Tactics

One thing many Tottenham supporters still misunderstand about Aussie Ange Postecoglou is where his real strength actually was.

Fans talk about tactics.

High lines.
Attacking football.
Risk taking.
Full backs inverting.

But that was not his greatest strength.

His real power was collective belief creation.

He made players feel they were part of something bold and important.

That matters enormously in elite sport.

He empowered them.

I explained previously in another THBN article about Tottenham’s mentality problem that football is played in the head first, not just on the pitch.

Under Postecoglou, the squad emotionally bought into the mission.

And once a squad emotionally buys in:

intensity rises,
bravery rises,
aggression rises,
recovery rises,
sacrifice rises.

That is exactly what Spurs supporters witnessed during the UEFA Europa League run.

This is the extra level that the brain releases.

Our own fans forget the circumstances.

Spurs had huge injuries.
Major players missing.
Fatigue set in
Kulusevski announced he only had 40-50% energy levels per game.
Constant criticism from a hostile media and even out own fans.
League form collapsing.

Yet the group was psychologically locked onto one singular objective.

Win the UEFA Europa League.

That collective obsession changed the emotional chemistry inside the squad.

Players suffer more willingly when they believe.

They recover faster when they believe.

They run harder when they believe.

And crucially, they stop fearing pressure because the vision becomes bigger than the fear.

That was Ange’s real achievement.

Not simply tactics.

Belief.

And once that collective belief disappeared, the emotional intensity levels around the squad visibly changed.

The Emotional Drop Under Thomas Frank

Now compare the emotional atmosphere around the squad under Thomas Frank.

This is where supporters instantly become defensive because they think criticism automatically means players stopped trying.

Well, that's not exactly right.

The intensity levels suggested a group lacking total belief in Thomas Frank.

That is different from not trying.

There is a massive psychological difference between effort and emotional buy-in.

And the signs were there all season.

frustration became visible,
emotionally flat performances appeared,
tunnel incidents emerged,
apology stories emerged,
transfer rumours increased,
reports of unhappiness surfaced,
body language changed,
emotional intensity dropped.

Again, that does not mean players did not care.

It means belief levels appeared fractured.

And once belief fractures, intensity drops with it.

That is where supporters misunderstand elite football.

I'll say it once more, the difference between winning and losing at the highest level is often tiny percentages.

A slightly delayed sprint.
A slightly weaker press.
A slightly slower recovery run.
A slightly safer pass.
A slightly reduced aggression level.

Those small psychological drops completely change football matches.

Now compare that to the emotional energy under Ange Postecoglou during the Europa League run.

The squad looked connected to the mission.

Under Frank, too often they looked emotionally disconnected from it.

And now look at the early emotional response to Roberto De Zerbi.

The body language already looks different again.

That is not coincidence.

It is psychology.

Why The Language Of Managers Matters

Football fans, in general, completely underestimate the importance of language.

But words reveal mentality.

And mentality affects behaviour.

Listen carefully to the language used by Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi and the psychological differences become obvious.

Postecoglou constantly spoke with certainty.

He spoke about bravery.
Attacking football.
Fearlessness.
Taking risks.
Being aggressive.

Even when Spurs were losing matches, he still projected belief.

Every Spurs fan can recall his iconic statement to Sky Sports in September 2024.

"I'll correct myself. I don't usually win things, I always win things in my second year."

That matters to players.

Then came Thomas Frank.

One word immediately stood out to me.

“Hope.”

That word matters far more than supporters realise.

Winning mentalities do not emotionally respond to “hope” in the same way they respond to certainty.

Hope contains doubt.

Targets contain intent.

That is why phrases like:

“We will,”
“Our aim is,”
“We are going after,”
“Our goal is,”

feel psychologically stronger than:

“We hope.”

Some supporters will roll their eyes at this.

But elite sport is psychological.

Words create emotional environments.

And emotional environments affect intensity.

Now look at Roberto De Zerbi.

His language immediately returned to:

courage,
personality,
aggression,
identity,
belief.

He speaks emotionally.

He told the media that mentality will get Spurs out of this situation.

He has consistently spoken about having the right mentality.

All music to my ears of course.

layers emotionally respond to emotional conviction.

That is the key point.

Postecoglou and De Zerbi transmit emotional certainty.

Frank often sounded more process-driven and cautious.

That may work at some clubs.

But this Spurs squad appears to respond far better to emotionally aggressive leadership.

And Van de Ven may just be the clearest visible sign of that.

Football Is Played In The Head First

This is the part many Spurs supporters still refuse to accept.

Football is not just tactical.

Or skill.

It is neurological.

The brain controls performance.

And the brain responds to belief, emotion and intensity.

“The brain can be reprogrammed, BUT the only language it responds to is intensity.”

That is the entire point.

When players totally buy into a vision, the brain changes how it operates.

Intensity rises.

And once intensity rises:

aggression rises,
concentration rises,
bravery rises,
sacrifice rises,
recovery rises.

That is why football teams can suddenly look transformed under certain managers despite largely having the same players.

The emotional chemistry changes.

The collective belief changes.

The intensity changes.

And once that happens, performance levels rise with it.

This is also why negativity matters more than supporters realise.

Modern footballers live inside social media culture.

They see criticism constantly.

They see abuse constantly.

They see supporters tearing apart players, managers and performances every single week.

People pretend that does not affect elite athletes mentally.

Of course it does.

Footballers are human beings, not robots.

Once doubt enters the brain, intensity drops.

And once intensity drops, performances suffer.

That is why sports psychology should not be an optional extra at football clubs.

It should be central to training.

Football is played in the head first and on the pitch second.

And if supporters want proof of that, they only need to look at the emotional shifts at Tottenham Hotspur across Ange Postecoglou, Thomas Frank and Roberto De Zerbi.

The same squad.

Very different emotional responses.

Very different intensity levels.

Very different football.

Van de Ven May Have Revealed Spurs’ Real Problem

This is why the Van de Ven situation matters.

Not because one player potentially wanted to leave.

Players come and go all the time.

What matters is what his changing attitude may reveal about the emotional state of the squad itself.

Under Ange Postecoglou, the group looked emotionally connected to the mission.

Under Thomas Frank, the emotional intensity visibly dropped.

Now under Roberto De Zerbi, there are already signs of emotional buy-in returning.

That should matter enormously to Spurs supporters because football squads are emotional ecosystems.

Belief spreads.

Doubt spreads.

Intensity spreads.

And once enough players emotionally connect to a manager’s vision, performances often rise rapidly because the collective mentality shifts together.

That is why supporters who reduce football purely to tactics or skill miss the deeper battle taking place underneath performances.

Managers are not just coaching systems.

They are managing belief.

And perhaps that is what Micky Van de Ven has unknowingly revealed to Spurs supporters over the past year.

Not all managers create the same emotional response inside a dressing room.

Postecoglou clearly did.

De Zerbi appears to.

Frank never truly seemed to.

And in elite football, that difference changes everything.

COYS

Further Reading: 5 more from THBN

Recent events expose who really runs Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are on the Premier League Penalty Blacklist

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

Spurs Lost More Than A Manager - De Zerbi Understands That

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 17 May 2026 07:49:12 +0000

Ange Got It, Frank Didn’t, De Zerbi Does

Spurs' mental brain game

"The brain can be reprogrammed, BUT the only language it responds to is intensity."

That is the whole point.

And it explains what has happened at Tottenham Hotspur.

Modern footballers live in the online world.

They see the abuse.
They see the negativity.
They see supporters tearing them apart all week on social media.

Like it or not, that affects mentality.

And once doubt enters the brain, performance drops.

The brain controls everything.

If there are doubts in a player's head, then the brain physically does not allow maximum performance levels.

That is why I have been telling you for years that mentality controls football.

Now Roberto De Zerbi is saying the same thing publicly and suddenly the mainstream media have jumped on board, even though they don't really know what they are talking about.

De Zerbi understands something many football people still do not. and journalists certainly don't.

Football is a brain game first.

He can coach players all day long.

But every player has to buy into the vision.

They have to totally believe in what they are doing.

Otherwise, intensity levels drop.

And intensity is everything.

Do you put the same effort into something you totally believe in compared to something you have doubts about?

Of course not.

That extra few percent disappears.

And elite sport is decided by tiny percentages.

That is why I argued Spurs lost more than just a manager when Ange Postecoglou left.

People misunderstand what happened last season.

The Premier League became secondary because of the injury crisis.

The focus became singular.

Win the Europa League.

That was the target.

That is what a winning mentality does.

And the players bought into it.

That collective obsession created intensity.

That is a narrowly focused mindset.

Winning the European trophy was the ONLY thing that mattered.

That is winning mentality focus.

That intensity carried Spurs through difficult moments despite losing major players and despite the chaos around the squad.

Ange protected the players he needed for the UEFA Europa League.

Spurs would not have won that trophy if Ange had put intensity into getting three points each week (after the end of January).

Then Ange left.

And this is where the mentality shift started.

Ange had the side mentally where they needed to be.

Then along comes Thomas Frank, a guy who had never won anything.

Thomas Frank immediately used wording that sent alarm bells ringing for me.

He spoke about what Spurs “hope” to achieve.

That matters.

Winning mentalities do not operate through hope.

They operate through targets.

Winning mentalities don't hope

“We will.”
“Our aim is.”
“Our goal is.”
“We strive to.”

Those phrases carry certainty.

Hope carries doubt.

Ange didn't say he hopes to win a trophy did he?

"I ALWAYS win a trophy in my second year."

That is winning mentality speak.

No ambiguity at all.

And he pissed off the press by doing it.

Especially Ian Ladyman was it, who had a disgraceful pop at him.

Some supporters will laugh at that distinction.

But mentality people understand it immediately.

Words reveal belief systems.

And the brain responds differently to certainty than it does to uncertainty.

The players intensity levels suggested a group lacking total belief in Thomas Frank.

That is not about effort.

Players were still running around.
Still training.
Still trying.

But intensity is different from effort.

Intensity is the mental buy-in beyond effort.

It is the extra edge.
The extra concentration.
The extra aggression.
The extra sprint.
The extra willingness to suffer.

That comes from total belief.

From what I have seen, Roberto De Zerbi understands this.

That is why he has spent so much time talking about mentality publicly.

He is trying to rebuild belief.

The scenes after the Aston Villa game showed you the emotional buy-in from some of the players.

Pundits call it wearing your heart on your sleeve.

Wearing your head on your sleeve would be more accurate.

Wearing your head on your sleeve

Now, let us move into the deeper psychological side of this.

The brain rewires itself through intensity.

Not moderate effort.

Intensity.

That is where people fail to understand elite mentality.

The brain only upgrades itself through high emotional commitment.

Anything less is moderate effort as far as the brain is concerned.

That affects physical output.
Decision making.
Aggression.
Concentration.
Recovery.
Everything.

And remember, there are 25 different brains inside a football squad.

A manager's job is to get as many of them fully bought into the vision as possible.

The team with the strongest collective buy-in usually wins.

It is a brain battle.

That is why I keep saying sports psychology should not be an optional extra at football clubs.

It should be central to training.

Players are constantly exposed to negativity from social media, pundits and football culture.

The brain absorbs all of it.

Dismiss that at your peril.

This stuff matters.

Let me give you another example.

Dopamine.

Most people think dopamine is simply about feeling good.

Wrong.

For winning mentalities, dopamine becomes fuel.

Dopamine: the fuel of winning mentalities

Watch Pedro Porro celebrate a tackle.

Watch Palhinha roaring fists clenched after a challenge.

That emotional intensity energises the brain.

Now compare that to body language filled with doubt and frustration.

The chemistry changes completely.

One mentality sharpens itself through challenge.

The other drains itself through uncertainty.

Different mentalities literally run on different energy systems.

Then there is focus.

Your brain processes millions of pieces of information constantly.

But it only allows you to consciously focus on a tiny amount.

The filter is controlled by obsession.

By vision.

By belief.

When a group has a clear target and total buy-in, focus sharpens.

Noise gets filtered out.

When doubt enters, distractions enter.

Negative emotions enter.

Fear enters.

And performance levels fall.

This is why mentality is everything in elite football.

Supporters need to understand something uncomfortable.

Negativity is not neutral.

It affects atmosphere.
It affects belief.
It affects intensity.
It affects performance.

Roberto De Zerbi understands that.

The question is whether enough Spurs supporters do.

COYS

Further Reading: The Latest 5 from THBN

Recent events expose who really runs Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs are on the Premier League Penalty Blacklist

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

Recent events expose who really runs Tottenham Hotspur

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 May 2026 04:20:17 +0000

The Last 12 Months Have Exposed The Real Power Structure At Spurs

The story the negative Spurs fan simply can't see

Welcome, and today we will discuss The Tottenham Hotspur Civil War Spurs fans don't understand.

Spurs is not a one-man plastering business.

It is a major business, run how major businesses are run.

It is a totally different world.

A totally different business model.

For years, fans have assumed Daniel Levy ran everything at Tottenham Hotspur.

According to large sections of the fanbase, Daniel Levy controlled every football decision at Spurs.
Managers.
Transfers.
Recruitment.
Club strategy.
Everything.

But recent events have actually exposed how simplistic that argument always was.

Because that is not how big business works.

At companies worth billions, the controlling ownership decides direction.
Executives carry it out.

That distinction matters.

It is that distinction I have been telling you about for over 10 years now.

What is that advert "Expand your palette."

Spurs fans need to expand their mind.

They need to release their hatred and look at things in a new light of understanding.

The last 12 months at Tottenham Hotspur have made it clearer than ever before.

The biggest mistake many Spurs supporters make is confusing the public face of a football club with the ultimate power structure behind it.

Daniel Levy was the executive chairman.
ENIC owned the club.
Joe Lewis and now the Lewis family controlled the ownership position.

Those are not the same thing.

Levy became the lightning rod because he was visible.
He spoke publicly.
He negotiated deals.
He fronted difficult decisions.
He became the symbol of Tottenham's operating model.

But visible does not mean absolute power.

Daniel Levy was powerful.
Nobody sensible would deny that.

But powerful is not the same as all-powerful.

He did not personally own Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
He did not control ENIC.
He worked inside an ownership structure and within the financial and strategic boundaries set above him.

That is how billion-pound businesses operate.

The chairman executes strategy.
The majority ownership decides the overall direction and risk appetite.

That is why the “Levy controlled everything” argument was always too simplistic.

And recent events have now exposed that reality more clearly than ever.

Look at what actually happened.

If Daniel Levy truly controlled Tottenham absolutely:

Ange Postecoglou would almost certainly have gone earlier.
Thomas Frank may never have been appointed.
Football operations would not suddenly have been restructured around Vinai Venkatesham and Johan Lange.
And perhaps most revealingly of all, Daniel Levy himself would not have been removed.

Because let’s be blunt.

Levy was sacked.

Supporters can dress it up however they like, but the controlling ownership removed the club’s long-serving executive figurehead and replaced the football structure around him.

That is ownership deciding direction.

And the timing matters enormously.

Levy’s removal came immediately after the transfer window.

That strongly suggests the ownership still valued his negotiating ability and executive experience during a critical period, while simultaneously preparing the next phase of the club behind the scenes.

These kinds of transitions are planned months in advance.
Executives do not suddenly appear overnight.

Which means something important becomes obvious:

Major structural decisions at Tottenham Hotspur were being made above Daniel Levy long before many supporters realised it.

ENIC have always been the power at Tottenham Hotspur

It seems, reading comments, some still haven't grasped that, or rather don't want to as it undermines their whole 10 year argument.

That alone destroys the childish argument that he personally controlled every aspect of the football club.

Then there is the Ange Postecoglou situation itself.

This is where emotion completely overtook logic among sections of the fanbase.

None of this means the Premier League form was acceptable.
Clearly it was not.

But context matters.

For months, Tottenham suffered injuries to key players, particularly defensively.
Centre-backs were missing repeatedly.
We had no centre-backs and had to play players out of position.
Players were rushed back.
Others were protected.
Fatigue became obvious.
Dejan Kulusevski stated he was playing at 40-50% energy levels.

That was against players with 100% energy levels!

And eventually the Tottenham fanbase itself became divided over mentality.
Or as they saw it, whether we shou;d bother with the Premier League or not.

I'm sure many of you think a winning mentality would mean caring about Premier League points.

But, that would be wrong.

One side wanted balance.
Respectable league position.
Steady progress.
Reduced embarrassment in the Premier League.

The other side only cared about one thing:
Winning the UEFA Europa League.

I was firmly in that second group.

Why?

Because that is how winning mentality works.

Winning mentality is not:
“Let’s try to be reasonably good at everything.”

Winning mentality is identifying the biggest available prize and focusing relentlessly on achieving it.

If that means other things go by the wayside, so be it.

There is only one objective, not two, at that point.

That is what Ange Postecoglou eventually did.

Once the Premier League route into the Champions League realistically disappeared due to injuries, fatigue and league damage, he made a choice.

He targeted the Europa League.

And unlike many modern managers who protect themselves politically, Ange accepted the domestic criticism and doubled down on the trophy pursuit.

That was not weakness.
That was conviction.

In sport, there is a massive psychological difference between:

trying not to fail,
and
trying to win.

Most people do not understand the difference.

Safety mentality spreads focus everywhere because it fears criticism.
Winning mentality often narrows focus completely onto the biggest achievable objective.

Ange clearly believed winning the Europa League would change the club psychologically, culturally and financially more than finishing 7th, 8th or 9th in the Premier League.

And he was right.

Tottenham won a European trophy.
Qualified for the Champions League.
And finally broke a major psychological barrier hanging over the club.

Yet remarkably, some supporters still judged the season almost entirely through league position.

That tells you how divided modern football thinking has become.

Some supporters prioritise stability.
Others prioritise silverware.

Ange had those players in the palm of his hand, as he says.

Tottenham would have returned to their place near the top of the table with the full squad back.

I have no doubt about that at all.

Why?

Because I know the thoughts and actions of a winning mentality.

Frightened that that's where we deserve to be, at the bottom of the Premier League is not a winning mentality.

To bring in someone who had never won anything was inept.

The Lewis children knew they were sacking Daniel Levy, so Frank was clearly their appointment.

And given Vinai Venkakesham didn't want to sack him shows he was never Daniel Levy's choice.

He was the Lewis children's choice.

History remembers trophies and once Champions League qualification through the league became unrealistic, Ange Postecoglou increasingly prioritised the Europa League.

That was visible.

Weakened league sides were selected.
Players were managed differently.
Certain risks were avoided domestically.
The Europa League became the total focus.

And Spurs won it.
Ange was right.

Yeah, but it could have gone wrong.
That's not how winners think.
That's a negative.
Winners see a challenge to achieve.
And plot the best route to achieve it.
That's what Ange did.

It has no relation to the following season.
A winning mentality wipes the slate and plans a campaign again, maybe with different focuses.

That trophy win does not erase poor league form.
But it completely changes the interpretation of it.

Two mentalities, two very different outcomes

The irony is that Ange Postecoglou may actually have displayed the strongest winning mentality Tottenham Hotspur has seen in years.

He risked criticism.
He risked league humiliation.
He risked his own job.

All to win a trophy.

And he succeeded.

The uncomfortable question is whether large sections of the fanbase...
... and perhaps even elements within the club hierarchy itself...
... truly recognised the mentality required to achieve that success in the first place.

I state they don't.
I have stated it for over 10 years.

It is Ange Postecoglou's mentality that we need in the club.
Hence why I have been shouting for a mentality department for over 10 years.
Shouting for the use of sports psychologists as a compulsory part of training for over 10 years.

Sorry, but normal folk, who don't have a winning mentality, don't see these things.
Because they don't know how to think like a winner.
Only someone trying to win.
And that is totally different.

Daniel Levy had a winning mentality in his field of expertise.

Then came the next revealing stage.

Vinai had already entered the football structure before Daniel Levy was removed.

That matters.

Because it suggests the restructuring process had already begun behind the scenes while Levy was still officially in position.

Then Ange Postecoglou went.

Thomas Frank arrived.

Levy was removed.

And supporters were told Tottenham had entered a “new era.”

Yet what happened?

The same caution remained.

No huge statement investment.
No major ownership-backed football gamble.
No dramatic shift in operating behaviour.

That matters.

Because for years supporters claimed Daniel Levy himself was the reason Spurs operated cautiously.

But once Levy was gone from power, the same cautious behaviour still existed.

Why?

Because the ownership philosophy never changed.

The faces changed.
The football structure changed.
The executive leadership changed.

But the core operating model remained familiar.

New Executive, new structure, same direction

That strongly suggests Tottenham’s cautious approach was never solely “a Levy problem.”

It was an ownership approach.

And the increasing visibility of the Lewis family at matches only strengthens that argument.

This is not conspiracy theory.
It is simple observation.

When ownership visibility rises while major structural changes happen inside the football club, it becomes increasingly difficult to pretend the ownership group is uninvolved in major football direction.

But there is another factor modern football fans constantly underestimate.

Psychology.

Football supporters still behave as though endless negativity exists in a vacuum.
It does not.

Players read social media.
Players hear narratives.
Confidence affects decision-making.
Fear affects execution.
Hesitation affects performance.

The brain tells the feet what to do.

Damage belief often enough and eventually performances deteriorate.

Modern elite sport is massively psychological.
Far more than most supporters realise.

Yet sections of the fanbase spend entire seasons calling players useless, bottlers, frauds, etc., while simultaneously pretending that the environment has no effect whatsoever on performance.

That is simply not how human beings work.

And this is where the wider Tottenham Hotspur debate became distorted.

Too many supporters reduced an incredibly complex ownership and football structure into one man.

Everything became:
“Levy out.”

But recent events have exposed something important.

Daniel Levy was never operating in isolation because that is not how billion-pound organisations function.

Ownership sets direction.
Executives execute it.
Structures evolve.
Authority shifts internally.

And the last 18 months at Tottenham Hotspur have exposed that reality more clearly than ever.

The irony is extraordinary.

Many supporters spent years insisting Daniel Levy controlled absolutely everything.

Recent events have actually provided some of the strongest evidence yet that he did not.

Note:
Read the comments for the ownership structure

COYS

Further Reading:

Spurs are on the Premier League Penalty Blacklist

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

Spurs are on the Premier League Penalty Blacklist

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 13 May 2026 13:30:04 +0000

The statistically impossible looks like it is going to happen to Tottenham Hotspur yet again!

The anti-Spurs bias - stats referees simply can't ignore

Spurs are clearly on the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) blacklist.

I'm going to show you some original stats that you'll find incredible, but prove ab anti-Spurs bias.

Referees have cost us a League Cup win, a UEFA Champions League place and handed an advantage to Liverpool 30 seconds into a Champions League Final.

Read on.

It's statistically impossible, yet it'll happen to Spurs for a third time!

36 games gone, np penalties received.

That means the referees are saying that no Spurs player has been fouled in the opposition area in 36 games.

Utter horse manure.

That's statistically impossible.

Which means the referees are not being fair.

Is this for the Liverpool VAR fiasco?

Are Spurs being punished through no fault of their own.

Now, three years later, the same club is staring at a third zero-penalty season — the only club in 34 years of Premier League football to be robbed more than once!

Yes, this is Spurs third season with no penalties in a season, 3rd.

No other club has been unfairly treated like that more than once!

Here are the clubs who went an entire Premier League season without being awarded a penalty:

Queens Park Rangers — 1994-95 Wimbledon — 1998-99 Southampton — 2000-01 Blackburn Rovers — 2003-04 Tottenham Hotspur — 2004-05 Charlton Athletic — 2004-05 Portsmouth — 2005-06 Tottenham Hotspur — 2012-13 Swansea City — 2012-13 Burnley — 2017-18 AFC Bournemouth — 2022-23 Wolverhampton Wanderers — 2024-25 Tottenham Hotspur — 2025-26 (after 36 games) Tottenham already appear twice on that list.

Will Spurs appear for a third time?

West Ham captain Jarrad Bowen pointed out that there is pushing, shoving, holding at every corner in every game.

He's right.

This season is absurd.

Newcastle were awarded a penalty against Tottenham Hotspur for holding, when Dan Burn had Bentancur in a head-lock.

Even Dan Burn didn't think for one moment it was a penalty, but that cost Spurs.

If you are going to give a free-kick for holding, then you must give it the other way too.

Also against Newcastle, Djed Spence was not allowed to get back into position, thus handing Newcastle an advantage, which the referee is not allowed to do.

The result, Spurs go out of the League Cup.

I still remember the 2009 League Cup final against Manchester United when John O'Shea should have been sent-off within the first 20 minutes.

That cost Spurs a League Cup final win.

This season Spurs have recorded
198 corners
865 touches in the opposition penalty area
Yet still no penalty.
The referee bias against Spurs exposed by stats

Think about what that actually means.
Every corner sends bodies crashing into each other inside the box.
Players wrestle for position.
Shirts are pulled.
Arms are wrapped around attackers.
There is pushing, pulling, blocking, holding, hands or arms on shoulders
Defenders panic under pressure.
Now multiply that by 198 corners.
Then add 865 opposition-box touches across 36 games so far.
A pattern of referees' bias against Tottenham Hotspur

The Premier League is not non-contact football.
It is arguably the most physical league in the world.
So the real question is not:
“Why haven’t Spurs been awarded a penalty?”
The real question is:
“How is it statistically possible that no Spurs player has been fouled in the penalty area all season?”
Because those are two very different things.
Referees missing fouls is common.
Referees ignoring shirt-pulling at corners is common.
Former referees openly discuss how much grappling and holding goes unpunished inside the box every single weekend.
But an entire season?
That stretches belief.
Even using ultra-conservative assumptions, the numbers become ridiculous very quickly.
A typical corner can involve six attackers and six defenders.
That creates dozens of physical interactions from a single set piece.
Across a season, Spurs are involved in thousands of attacker-versus-defender contacts inside opposition penalty areas.
If just 1% of those interactions contained foul-worthy contact, Tottenham Hotspur would statistically expect dozens of penalties or penalty-worthy incidents across a season.
I asked AI the maths, listen to this:

The statistical impossibilityIf we absurdly assume that only 1% of all attacker-defender interactions in the box involve contact that constitutes a foul, a team would still expect to suffer 60+ fouls in the opposition penalty area over a season. Under a Poisson model, the probability of observing zero when you expect 60+ is roughly 1 in 3×10²⁷ — a number so small it is effectively zero.
The probability of what is happening to Spurs is greater than the number of atome in the observable universe!
Are you still going to tell us we are imagining things?
Even if we bend the assumptions to breaking point and assume only 5% of box entries involve any contested contact at all, and only 5% of that contact is foul-worthy, the expected number of fouls is still 40 per season. 
The chance of zero is then roughly 1 in 200 trillion.
Two times!
You have more chance of winning the lottery!
And that is about to happen to Spurs for a third time.

The statistically impossible is about to happen to Spurs for the third time!
This just proves that referees have a bias against Tottenham.
It's a clear pattern.
You know me, I have pointed out biased refereeing before, many times in fact over the years.

It happens to every club, well, that table proves otherwise.
And here is the deeper problem for football itself.
In the Arsenal game the Gunners centre-back did a swan dive to the merest touch.

He looked like Tom Daley!

Yet a Spurs player gets shoved in the back hard to take him out of the game so the opposition can score and that's fine apparently.

Clear bias shown in a very short space of time this season.

Penalty statistics are often used as proof that a team does or does not attack enough. But that logic completely collapses when you separate “being fouled” from “being awarded a penalty.”

Those are not the same thing.

A referee can miss a foul. VAR can ignore contact. Officials can decide a shirt pull is “not enough.”

The foul can still exist.

The Numbers That Referees Cannot Argue With

You already know the baseline.

1 in 3×10²⁷

Now that number will mean nothing to anyone who isn't a mathematician, but...

It is roughly equal to the number of atoms in the human body. It is the point at which probability stops being probability and becomes physical impossibility.

The mathematical impossibility Spurs are suffering for a 3rd time

Either Tottenham Hotspur are producing one of the most statistically improbable seasons in Premier League history...

...or something in the system is badly broken.

For Spurs supporters, that debate stopped being theoretical a long time ago.

Post that graphic on social media (with a link back to this article) and let's hear the arguments online.

This should be public discussion #1.

COYS

Further Articles:

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

The Mentality Problem Tottenham Fans Don’t Want to Hear

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 14:56:00 +0000

Spurs Mentality Problem

You can look at tactics.

You can look at injuries.

But if you listen carefully to Bill Beswick (top sports psychologist), there’s a deeper layer most fans miss.

It is this layer I have been bringing to your attention for over 10 years.

And it explains exactly why Tottenham Hotspur are where we are, in the relegation places with 4 games to go..

1. The 4 Levels of Athlete – Where Spurs Are Stuck

Beswick breaks players into four types:

Turn up
Compete
Train to win
Train to dominate (very, very few)

This is not theory.
This is the separation inside every squad.

Now apply real-world percentages from elite environments:

Turn up — 40%
Compete — 35%
Train to win — 20%
Train to dominate — 5%

In a 25-man squad:

10 are just turning up
9 are competing
5 are training to win
1 or 2 are training to dominate

That is the hidden structure of most teams.

And it explains everything.

Most teams in trouble sit between turn up and compete.
They do the work, but only to the required level.

Winning teams train to win.
Elite teams train to dominate.

That gap is everything.

If Spurs are honest, too many players are operating in the middle band.
Effort is there.
But intention is not ruthless enough.

I challenge you to conduct a serious exercise.

Assess our squad and place each player in one of the 4 mentality brackets.

Be ruthless about it, not kind.

Leave your answers in the comments.

Share this exercise on social media and link to the THBN article for background referencing so everyone knows what they are doing. You should get engagement with this exercise.

Share on social media with a link to the THBN article

2. “What Do You Want?” – The Question Nobody Answers

Beswick’s first question is simple:

What do you want?

Not “avoid relegation.”
Not “have a decent season.”

Clarity drives behaviour.

A team that truly wants to dominate trains differently.
Speaks differently.
Handles pressure differently.

A team without that clarity drifts.

Right now, Spurs look like a team reacting, not deciding.

3. “How Badly Do You Want It?” – The Price Problem

The second question is harder:

How badly do you want it?

Because now there is a cost.

Extra work
More responsibility
More pressure
Less comfort

Beswick is clear:
The best players suffer daily.

Not in matches.
In preparation.

When a team drops into a relegation fight late in the season, it often means this price hasn’t been paid consistently over months.

You don’t fake intensity in April.
You build it in August.

Do you see the problem now.

They are trying to turn on something they couldn't be bothered to do all season.

Do you remember David Bentley?

He preferred partying to playing.

He was out the game for a year and couldn't get back in.

He couldn't get back to the required level.

He couldn't cut it back in the Championship or in Russia.

He was forced to retire at the age of 29 admitting he had fallen out of love with the game because it was too robotic, which is another way of saying he couldn't be bothered to do what it takes to be a top footballer.

Yves Bissouma rgularly arrives late for training and posts videos of himself inhailing nitrous oxide.

Does that sound like someone training to dominate?

Does that sound like someone training to win?

That is the sort of mentality we have to rely on to get us out of this mess.

As fans, we can only hope it kicks enough of them to actually try and achieve something notable.

It's not impossible, but think about it.

To achieve it, hey have got to train at a level they haven't trained at all year.

They have to suddenly turn that on and get up to the required level.

It is not easy.

And if it is not easy, can they be bothered to do it?

Watch them ruthlessly, do they each have it mentally?

I warned you last season about certain players, showed you specific examples.

These are the things you have to look out for.

4. The Biggest Divider – Fighter vs Victim

This is where it becomes uncomfortable.

Beswick’s line:

“There are a thousand excuses, but not one reason.”

In a struggling team, excuses multiply:

Injuries
Referees
Confidence
Schedule

All real.
None decisive.

The shift is simple:

Victim mentality: “Why is this happening to us?”
Fighter mentality: “What do we do now?”

Watch body language late in games.
That tells you everything.

5. The Moment That Reveals Mentality

One of the most telling examples is:

Half the team arguing with the referee.
The other half focused on the next play.

That’s not tactics.
That’s control.

Top teams protect their mental energy.
Struggling teams waste it.

If Spurs are losing focus in key moments, that is not bad luck.
That is trained behaviour.

You have heard me discuss the brain training we have to undertake to deal with in-game situations.

How many times have you seen Richarlison bang the floor with his fist because he isn't getting what he wants?

How often are our players slow to get off the floor?

Telltale signs.

Like I have said before, our mentality department, the one we should have, but don't, should include a body language expert to reveal the real mentality of players.

6. The Hidden Work Fans Never See

Beswick, who has worked with England teams in various sports, makes one point that matters more than all others:

Champions are built at 6am, alone, when nobody is watching.

This is where seasons are decided.

Extra recovery work
Extra tactical study
Extra accountability

If that standard drops across a squad, results follow.

Not immediately.
But inevitably.

Can you start to see that if you know about psychology, Spurs situation is predictable.

They fought for a winner last season, forgetting about the Premier League where we weren't even picking Van de Ven, Romero, Bergvall etc.

We replaced that manager with the man the Lewis family children wanted, a guy who had never won anything.

It was a disaster waiting to happen.

The players look at the new guy and they can see the difference in mentality and therefore know, this guy hasn't got what it takes so levels drop into the wrong zones.

We all know Daniel Levy would have sacked Thomas Frank a hell of a lot sooner than the Arsenal guy Vinai Venkatesham, who didn't want to sack him.

Sheer incompetence from the Lewis children.

A total lack of psychology knowledge.

7. Talent Is Not the Issue

Beswick is blunt:

Attitude is available to everyone.

You don’t need elite genetics to fight.
You don’t need world-class ability to stay disciplined.

A team can lack talent and still compete.
A team with talent and weak mentality collapses.

That’s the danger zone.

Sound familiar?

We have the talent.

We don't have the right mentality in enough of them.

That includes the club staff and coaches.

I'd suggest they have become lazy, blase, in the bottom two groups, not the top two.

These are symptoms of underlying issues like burnout, exhaustion, depression, or lack of motivation, lack of purpose.

A sports psychologist's job is to align the real goals and motivation of an individual with the coaches/clubs goals.

They show how achieving a club or coach goal, actually works towards their own goals.

They will do that if a player asks them to do so.

But they don't because they don't know they need it.

Hence why it should be a compulsory part of training.

And why we need a department to oversee it.

The THBN Wrap Up

This is not about blaming individuals.
It’s about understanding cause.

Relegation battles are rarely just tactical failures.
They are accumulated mental decisions over a season.

Lack of clarity
Inconsistent standards
Drift into comfort
Slow acceptance of excuses

That’s how a squad ends up here.

The uncomfortable truth for Spurs fans:

This situation wasn’t created in the last four games.
It’s been building all season.

And the only way out is not just better football.

It’s a shift in mentality from competing…
to training to dominate.

COYS

Check out my otherb recent articles for coach insight you don't get elsewhere.

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

The Spurs Solution

Spurs Relegation: Fans Must Face The Harsh Reality

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 25 Apr 2026 10:06:00 +0000

Trying to Win Is Not a Winning Mentality. And That’s Spurs’ Problem

Before we get into the article, here is everything Roberto De Zerbi said in his pre-embargo press conference for the Wolverhampton Wanderers game today, related to mindset, mentality, confidence, attitude, belief, pressure, and personality:

On Pressure & Mental Approach

"We have to be able to play, not too much pressure. And my work from now until tomorrow is to prepare the game to my best, to prepare in the best way. But to play a game, to play football. Because these players are very good players. They have important qualities and they play without too many problems in their head."

"I don't want to put too much pressure, but we have to know the situation. We can't forget the table. We can't forget we need a win. We can't forget maybe what we have done until now. No, maybe, for sure, what we have done until now is not enough."

"We were unlucky, but we have to be stronger and to keep playing, to keep going."

On Attitude, Personality & Character

"I consider the attitude. I consider the behaviour on the pitch, the quality with which he played that game, the personality while he played that game."
(On Kevin Danso after his error and racist abuse)

"I want to see nice people and positive people. And he's important also for his team-mates."
(On James Maddison's presence in the dressing room)

On Confidence & Self-Belief

"I think maybe can improve in the confidence, not in the attitude, because he's a good guy and he worked a lot in defensive phase, especially in defensive phase."

"I think it's not a problem about the position of the pitch, but I think the confidence and the players can change completely performance depending on the confidence. If they feel totally confident from the coach, from the environment, from the fans, and we want to help them both to play following their qualities."
(On Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel)

On Belief in His Work & The Team's Mindset

"They believe in my work because I am able to recognise the eyes of the players. We are suffering. They are suffering because it's not easy to play in Tottenham in this condition of the table. But I said they have to be stronger and they have to live to win a game. We have to live every part of the day waiting for a win, preparing a win, because I think with a win we can change this part of the season."

"They are following me. They are good guys... In this case, I found good players, good guys, serious players. They follow me."

Roberto De Zerbi said something in his press conference this week that most football fans—and, if we’re honest, most footballers don’t actually understand.

“We have to live every part of the day waiting for a win, preparing a win.”

Not hoping for one. Not trying to get one. Living for one.

There’s a difference. A massive one. And it’s the difference between the team that stays up and the team that goes down.

Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: every player in the Premier League tries to win. The lads at the bottom of League Two try to win. Your mate in five-a-side on a Monday night tries to win. “Trying” is the baseline. It’s the minimum requirement to be a professional athlete. It is not a mentality. It’s just a job description.

A winning mentality is something else entirely. It’s a state of being. It’s waking up on a Wednesday when there’s no game for four days and your body is aching and your timeline is full of abuse, and still deciding that today is about three points on Saturday. It’s the ability to play, as De Zerbi put it, “without too many problems in their head.”

And this season, Spurs have not demonstrated that. Not consistently. Not when it mattered.

But here’s the part that should make every Spurs fan stop and think. De Zerbi was asked how he’s trying to boost confidence in a squad that hasn’t won a game in 2026. His answer was revealing:
“I want to show them what they are very good at doing on the pitch because they have incredible qualities. I think you have to put the focus on the qualities and not just the faults, you know, the faults. Because their qualities are enough to win the game and to stay up.”
And then the killer line:
“If we speak every day about the faults, the faults, the head of the players stays on the faults and it’s not good. We have to be positive, and to be positive we have to remember what we are good at, no?”
Read that again.
“If we speak every day about the faults, the head of the players stays on the faults.”
Sound familiar?
Because that is exactly what happens on Spurs Twitter, Spurs Facebook, Spurs Reddit, and every social media timeline every day of the year. The faults are picked apart, dissected, magnified, and weaponised. One bad pass becomes a thread. One substitution becomes a meltdown. One result becomes a referendum on character, recruitment, and the entire future of the club.
And the players are on there. They see it. De Zerbi knows it. He knows these lads are human.
“Can you think the players can suffer these things or not? For sure. And to win a game can give us, can give them, more energy, more confidence, more positive. But they are human.”
Human.
That’s the word that gets lost in all of this. These are young men, many of them new to the club, new to the league, playing out of position, carrying the weight of a season that has gone wrong. De Zerbi talked about confidence being the key to unlocking players like Kolo Muani and Mathys Tel: “players can change completely performance depending on the confidence. If they feel totally confident from the coach, from the environment, from the fans.”
We can’t control the coach. We can’t control the players. But we can control the environment.
Right now, that environment is broken. The fans are brilliant in the ground - loud, loyal, willing the team over the line. Being honest, they haven't been all season. But the other six days? Social media is a toxic wasteland. And De Zerbi’s entire methodology is being undermined by the very people who want the team to succeed.
He’s in there showing them YouTube clips of Kolo Muani scoring goals for Eintracht Frankfurt as a right winger. He’s sitting down with players over red wine or a beer, trying to reach them as individuals. He’s reminding them what they’re good at. And then they open their phones and see thousands of people telling them what they’re bad at.
How is that a winning mentality?
Which brings us to Kevin Danso.
Danso played a fantastic game against Brighton. De Zerbi said it. Anyone with eyes said it. One mistake in the 97th minute, and yes, it was costly and suddenly, he’s getting racist abuse hurled at him online. Not criticism. Abuse.
De Zerbi was crystal clear: “I consider the attitude. I consider the behaviour on the pitch, the quality with which he played that game, the personality while he played that game.”
That’s a manager looking at the process, not the outcome. Because a winning mentality understands that you can do everything right and still lose. You can dominate Brighton, create the better chances, control the game, and walk away with nothing because of one split-second error. A team with a losing mentality folds after that. A team with a winning mentality says: same again next week, and the week after, until the results turn.
But mentality isn’t just what happens on the pitch between 3pm and 5pm. It’s what happens at 11pm on a Tuesday when a player opens Instagram. It’s what happens in the replies. It’s what happens when fans spend six days tearing the team apart and then turn up at Molineux expecting to see fighters.
Wolves today is not just important. It’s everything.

They’re below us. They’re already down. They have nothing to lose, which makes them dangerous. But we have everything to lose. Relegation is unthinkable. And yet, thinkable it absolutely is if we approach this like a team that is trying to win rather than a team that expects to win.
De Zerbi said another thing that should stick with every single person connected to this club:
“We can’t forget we need a win.”
Not a draw. Not a “good performance.” Not a “moral victory.” A win. And then another. And another.
Five games left. That’s fifteen points. That’s a lifetime and a heartbeat. But it starts with mentality. It starts with the players walking onto that pitch believing they are better than their league position says they are. It starts with them playing without the fear of making a mistake, because Danso proved one mistake doesn’t define you, unless you let it. It starts with us, the fans, deciding whether we’re going to be part of the solution from Monday to Friday, or part of the problem.
De Zerbi is doing his bit. He’s finding the balance. He’s using videos, words, wine, beer—whatever it takes to reach these players and remind them of their qualities. He’s trying to build a culture where the focus is on what they can do, not what they didn’t do.
“I try to find the best solution to reach every player… I think football 24 hours per day, and for sure my words are not enough.”
If his words aren’t enough, what chance do they have when thousands of voices are saying the opposite?
A winning mentality is not about being positive all the time. It’s not about blind faith. It’s about discipline. It’s about controlling what you can control. It’s about preparing for victory like it’s inevitable, not like it’s a lottery ticket you’re hoping pays out.
De Zerbi is trying to build that. He can see it in their eyes, he said. He knows they’re following him. He knows they believe in his work.
But belief is not enough. Belief without action is just hope. And hope is what fans do. Players need more.
They need to live every part of the day waiting for a win.
So do we.
Because if Spurs go down, it won’t be because of one bad referee decision, or one Danso mistake, or one bad signing. It will be because, over nine months, the gap between trying to win and being a winner was never closed.
Five games. Start living like every one of them is all that matters.
Because it is.
COYS
Previous Article You May Have Missed
The Spurs Solution

The Spurs Solution

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:54:00 +0000

The Spurs Solution remains the same

Relegation looks large because club and fans have blindly walked into it.

Roberto De Zerbi is saying in press conferences that the only thing that will save Spurs from relegation is improving the mentality of the players... and staff.

There isn't time to do much else, he says.

I have been the lone voice shouting about mentality for over 10 years.

Spurs are advertising for a 1st XI Psychologist on LinkedIn.

I have been the lone voice for over 10 years, shouting for players to see a sports psychologist as a compulsory part of training.

I have been the lone voice for over 10 years, shouting for professional mental assessment of potential signings, to avoid signing players with poor mentalities.

I have been the lone voice for over 10 years, shouting for a mentality department, that includes things like body language.

What have we got?

What everyone now acknowledges is a squad full of poor mentalities who have put us in real danger of being relegated.

You now all see that Daniel Levy was not the problem, that he had to operate within the confines dictated by Joe Lewis... and now the Lewis family, who have never worked outside the family fiorm and never built anything.

Tottenham Hotspur is the toy that has been given toi them to practice on, a toy for them to play with.

I told you all that Thomas Frank was the wrong appointment, that he didn't have a winning mentality, that the players wouldn't follow him, wouldn't buy into him.

De Zerbi is all potential.

He has achieved nothing in the game and Spurs are paying him a ridiculous amount of money, the third-highest-paid manager in the Premier League.

I have remained positive that we will stay up.

De Zerbi has told everyone to be positive.

Are they on social media all week?

I don't know, I avoid the toxicity of it where possible, but I doubt it because our fans don't know how to behave like winners, like people with a winning mentality.

I repeat, Spurs need a serious performance-psychology operation embedded at every level. That means staff should have to go through mentality training as well.

A "compulsory mentality training" regime includes cognitive training, decision-making under pressure, structured mentality work, improving game intelligence and adaptability.

Currently, Tottenham Hotspur treat mentality as a remedial service, a player goes to the sports psychologist when "he" feels there is something wrong, BUT, he doesn't know!

The opposite has to happen.

Spurs have to be proactive about this, not reactive.

It should be a permanent department, with specialists in performance psychology, pressure management, resilience, leadership, and decision-making, integrated into recruitment and daily training.

That would do three things:

Help attract ambitious young players who want total development, not just coaching.
Improve the club’s ability to keep talent stable through bad runs.
Reduce the pattern where Spurs look technically capable but psychologically fragile when the stakes rise.

So, in my opinion, the real fix for Spurs is not just a better manager or more expensive players. It is a club-wide performance system built around mentality, where emotional robustness is treated as seriously as passing, pressing, shooting, defending or scouting.

That is the level at which Spurs should be thinking if they want to become a world leader rather than a club that keeps rediscovering the same problems.

Why Constructive Criticism Builds Winners — And Destructive Critics Prove They’re Not One

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 20 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0000

“Winners take responsibility, losers don't.” — Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

Good morning to the winning mentalities and thank you.

To the rest, I'm laughing at you.

It's all way over your head as yesterday's article demonstrated the Yves Bissouma Situation, and oh, by the way, I have been talking with the club, yes.

Most recently the Head of Football Communication.

If I have criticisms of players, it's only right that the club have a private contact for me.

I'll explain all in today's article, but before we do, let's hear from Thomas Frank and take an excerpt from his first press conference:

"It is better to be positive than negative because it is very difficult to achieve anything or achieve anything big or do things that were not possible before if you're not optimistic."

🧠 Mentality Assessment: Anonymous Abuse

❌ The Mentality of Anonymous Abuse

Abusing someone anonymously is not just an act of cowardice — it reveals a deeper psychological profile that stands in direct opposition to a winning mindset.

Here’s what it shows:

1. Lack of Accountability = Losing Mentality

Winners step forward and own their views.
Even if they disagree, they sign their name to it.
They’re proud to stand for something.

Anonymous abusers?
They hide in the shadows because even they know their comments wouldn’t survive scrutiny.
They want to cause harm — without risking any of the consequences.

That’s the very definition of weakness.

2. Jealousy Disguised as Criticism

When someone targets your work — not with reasoned disagreement, but with personal abuse — it usually means your work is effective.

They see the momentum.
They feel your insight.
They sense that your voice is being heard.

And rather than compete with that by improving themselves, they try to tear you down.

That’s not disagreement.
That’s insecurity.

3. They Want Power Without Effort

Anonymous abusers crave influence, but they don't want to do the work to earn it.

They don’t create content.
They don’t build audiences.
They don’t sign their names.

Yet they think they’re entitled to criticise those who do.

That’s the mark of someone who resents ambition — not someone who’s trying to achieve anything.

🕳️ What Hiding Says About Them

Let’s get to the psychology of being anonymous:

It removes the need for courage
It strips away any risk
It emboldens the worst in people — because they know they won’t be held to their words

This is anti-leadership behaviour.
True leaders are transparent.
They’re willing to be challenged.
They don’t need masks.

💡 Winning Mentality vs. Anonymous Cowardice

Winning Mentality	Anonymous Cowardice
Owns their voice	Hides behind a screen
Critiques ideas	Attacks people
Builds something	Tears others down
Competes with respect	Tries to sabotage
Uses failure to grow	Uses abuse to feel big

🧨 Final Thought

The abuse I'm receiving isn’t about me — it’s about what I represent:

Progress
Conviction
Vision
Courage to put my name to my thoughts

People who lack those traits often feel threatened by those who have them.
So they lash out.

But remember: nobody anonymous ever changed the world.

And nobody with a losing mentality ever won anything — except maybe a comment war they didn’t even have the courage to sign.

Anonymous people are proving they have losing mentalities by hiding and thus their opinion is worthless.

And I haven't delved into the world of constructive criticism over negative criticism.

There’s a world of difference between constructive and destructive criticism.

One seeks to build — the other to belittle.

Constructive criticism challenges ideas, offers perspective, and respects the process of improvement.

It’s rooted in a desire to see something — or someone — get better.

Destructive criticism, by contrast, is cowardly and corrosive.

It hides behind anonymity, offers no solutions, and thrives on negativity.

It’s the voice of someone who’s never built anything — and never will.

To me, that’s a losing mentality.

And a losing mentality offers nothing worth listening to.

🙏 To Those Who Put Their Name to It…

Not everyone hides.

Some of you take the time to think.
To ask insightful questions.
To challenge ideas respectfully.
To add value — not venom.

You don’t always agree with me — and that’s the point.
Debate builds understanding. Criticism sharpens thinking.

But you put your name to it.

That alone sets you apart.

It shows courage.
Conviction.
And above all — a mentality worth respecting.

Winners take responsibility, losers don't.

This blog is for you.

Thanks for raising the level.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Part 3: The Hidden Reason Spurs Fell Short — And It Wasn’t Skill ➤ Kane-era players looked like winners, but the club never taught them how to cross the line. Who’s responsible? Both the chairman and manager.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Part 4: Can You Build a Winning Team Without Any Winners in It? ➤ Spurs proved in 2025 that mentality wins trophies. But now the manager has no silverware. Can you build belief without experience — and who teaches it?

Part 5: How Can You Tell If a Player Has a Winning Mentality? ➤ Most fans can’t — and neither can clubs. Spurs need to scout mentality, not just ability. Winning mindset isn’t loud or flashy — it’s consistent under pressure.

Part 6: Fans Say We Need Better Players — But What If We’ve Been Wasting the Ones We’ve Got? ➤ The problem isn't the squad. It's the environment. Spurs don’t develop winners — they hope they've signed one. Postecoglou proved coaching can change that.

The Yves Bissouma Situation

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 06:00:00 +0000

You don’t fix a losing culture by protecting players who helped create it.

Spurs Transfer Speculation

Morning folks, the obvious stories you can get elsewhere with everyone fighting over a piece of gristle to say they bought it to you first, as if that means you are always going to read, listen, qatch to them.

So I'll leave the dogs fighting over a bone on their own and continue to offer something different from the perspective that matters, a winning mentality one.

It's off to Italy today to discuss our stubborn midfielder, who needs to be told he won't be picked in the UEFA Champions League squad.

Spurs need to be ruthless, winners are.

If people don't like that attitude, they are probably not winners, more interested in image and being someones friend, that's not a winning mentality.

Winning comes first, popularity comes second.

I'll grant you, you could argue Bissouma is, under those terms, demonstrating a winning mentality, but there is plenty of evidence to prove otherwise and I suspect his motives are more about him being in a comfortable, friendly environment.

Anyway, onto the Yves Bissouma section.

Yves Bissouma

The new coming out of Italy regarding Yves Bissouma, yet another player digging his heels in and refusing to leave after only giving about 7 decent performances all season.

It shows that these players have the wrong mentality, something I have pointed out about Bissouma before because clearly he thinks he has performed well or is he here for the money?

I wouldn't call Juventus a step down and he is more likely to win trophies with them. Their plan is to rotate him in midfield so he gets plenty of game time so does he see Spurs as a cushy number, somewhere where he can continue to inhale nitrous oxide on the quiet?

The question has to be asked, is he simply running down his contract so he can get a signing on fee and demand bigger wages at his next club?

Is the desire to stay at Spurs a smokescreen for that desire because he can't be expecting a new contract offer when he hasn't produced the goods on the field on a consistent basis.

Those two screenshots are from TuttoMercato Web and Italian aggregator.of Italian news. In Italy and Spain, clubs talk to the press more.

They come out of meetings and immediately talk to any waiting reporters so you often get more and more accurate news from them.

Comfort is the enemy of greatness. And the ally of underperformers.

Mentality Profile: Yves Bissouma

Key Evidence:

Performance inconsistency:
- "Only giving about 7 decent performances all season."
- Indicates a lack of professional pride or failure to maintain high standards over time.
- Consistency is a hallmark of elite mentality — especially in midfield, where rhythm and reliability define winning teams.
Resistance to move:
- “Refusing to leave” despite underperformance.
- Suggests comfort > challenge, or entitlement > accountability.
- A true winner looks for the right environment to thrive, not the easiest one to coast.
Juventus opportunity rejected:
- Juventus isn’t a “step down.”
- Juventus offer more chance of trophies, with a rotational role (which could suit his erratic form).
- Turning this down would hint at deeper motivations — possibly:
  - Fear of competition?
  - Prioritising lifestyle/security over trophies?
  - Hidden strategy to run down the contract?
Discipline and off-field attitude:
- Reference to "inhaling nitrous oxide" (even if done privately).
- Not just about legality — this reflects carelessness with public image, club representation, and personal development.
- Mentality includes self-regulation off the pitch.
Perceived self-worth vs. actual output:
- “Clearly he thinks he has performed well” — but he hasn’t.
- Delusion or denial like this is dangerous to dressing room culture.
- Winners crave feedback, adapt, and fight for a place. They don’t ignore the mirror.

🔍 Overall Assessment

Bissouma’s current attitude and actions — both on and off the pitch — do not align with a winning mentality.

He lacks the humility to admit he hasn't delivered.
He rejects the challenge of earning a role elsewhere.
He may be choosing personal comfort over career ambition.
There’s no public hunger, no messaging from his camp about fighting back or proving himself.

If anything, this resembles the “participation mentality”: being satisfied with being part of a big club, rather than being a big player at the club.

THBN The Final Word:

“You don’t fix a losing culture by protecting players who helped create it.”

Once again, I'm delighted to have challenged your thinking, challenged your mentality because plenty of you are Yves Bissouma in disguise, particularly on social media.

Social media has moved the world on, it is everything now, it is where opinions are formed, where the news comes from.

Just like Yves Bissouma, you have a responsibility in the way you act on social media, but too many of you are a total disgrace and your actions prove you don't actually want trophies, you just want your ego to be right.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Part 6: Fans Say We Need Better Players — But What If We’ve Been Wasting the Ones We’ve Got?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 07:19:00 +0000

“If you don’t teach players to win, don’t be surprised when they don’t.” — Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

Good morning folks, welcome to Part 6 of 8 of The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series.

Spurs fans love a big name.

Especially in the transfer window.

It's the limit of some people's vision.

When things go wrong, the default answer is: spend more. Sign someone proven. Splash £60 million.

But what if the problem isn’t the player?

What if it’s what happens to him after he gets here?

Because we’ve spent the money.

We’ve brought in names.

We've made names.

We’ve had Champions League finalists, World Cup winners, Premier League standouts.

And it hasn’t worked.

Not because they weren’t good enough.
But because Spurs didn’t know how to make the most of them.

“We’re Not a Club That Elevates Players — We Absorb Them”

Watch what happens when top players join Spurs.

They don’t elevate the squad — the squad dilutes them.

You can feel it:

Cristian Romero walks in with a trophy-winning pedigree.
He plays like a warrior. Wins duels, lifts the back line.
But over time, even he starts to show signs of… regression.

Why?

Because he’s surrounded by players who haven’t felt winning.
Who haven’t lived it.
And if the culture isn’t strong enough, it doesn’t pull them up — it brings him down.

That’s how elite players lose their edge at Spurs.
And it’s been happening for years.

We Thought the Problem Was the Squad — But It Was the Environment

Think back to the players fans said weren’t good enough.

Ndombele. Lo Celso. Bergwijn.
Doherty. Emerson. Reguilón.

Some left and looked better.
Some were clearly miscast.
But the core truth is this:

Spurs never gave them the mental training, expectation, or environment to thrive.

And when they failed to shine?
We didn’t ask: What did we do wrong?
We said: Get better players.

It’s not just lazy — it’s expensive.

And worse… it hides the real issue.

“If you don’t teach players to win, don’t be surprised when they don’t.” — Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

Postecoglou Proved It — Coaching Can Turn Players Into Winners

Look at the leap under Ange.

Same players.
New manager.
New belief.

Spurs won the Europa League in 2025 not by buying a new squad — but by getting more out of the one they had.

Postecoglou didn’t wave a wand.

He created an environment of belief, standards, and conviction.
That changes how a player walks. Talks. Thinks. Leads.

Romero was always elite.
But Romero with belief is a leader. A force. A winner.

And now — he might be sold.

The Cycle Will Repeat Until the Club Changes Its Mindset

Let’s say Son and Romero leave.
Let’s say we reinvest £90 million.

If we don’t change the environment — we’ll break the next batch too.

The fans will say they weren’t good enough.
But we’ll know the truth:

The club wastes players.

Not deliberately.
Not maliciously.
But by failing to teach what winning looks like, feels like, demands.

The Fans Want a £60M Signing — What We Actually Need Is a £60M Culture

Until Spurs become a place that creates winners…
Not just signs them…

We’ll stay in the nearly zone.

Because winners don’t thrive in chaos.
They thrive in systems. In cultures. In clubs that expect them to lead — and equip them to do so.

That’s what Klopp did.
That’s what Ange started.
That’s what Frank must continue — or risk falling back to square one.

🔚 THBN The Final Word

Tottenham fans think the problem is personnel.

But personnel are only half the picture.

The truth is simpler — and more brutal:

Spurs don’t develop mentalities.

They recruit ability, then hope.

It’s time to stop hoping.

It’s time to train players to win — not just hope they arrive that way.

Because we’re not losing finals anymore due to bad luck.

We’re losing them because we didn’t create enough leaders.

And if Thomas Frank can’t change that — Spurs will keep replacing players.

But never changing the outcome.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Part 3: The Hidden Reason Spurs Fell Short — And It Wasn’t Skill ➤ Kane-era players looked like winners, but the club never taught them how to cross the line. Who’s responsible? Both the chairman and manager.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Part 4: Can You Build a Winning Team Without Any Winners in It?

Part 5: How Can You Tell If a Player Has a Winning Mentality?

A transfer roundup

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 08:56:00 +0000

Tottenham Hotspur Transfer Talk with THBN

Good morning, a quick transfer roundup from foreign sources. I'm sure there are a few bits others haven't reported.

As you know, Tottenham Hotspur are interested in Belgian international centre-back Koni De Winter, who is available for €20-25 million (£17.39-£21.73m, but Italian reports say the player's preference is to stay in Italy.

Croatian international and former Lilywhites midfielder Luka Modrić, who is 40 in September, has signed a one-year deal with a one-year extension option with AC Milan after leaving Real Madrid.

Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner, is the most decorated player in the Spanish club's history: 6 UEFA Champions Leagues, 5 FIFA Club World Cups, 1 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, 5 UEFA European Super Cups, 4 LaLiga titles, 2 Copa del Rey, and 5 Spanish Super Cups.

Liverpool want £60 million (€69.02m) for England U-21 midfielder Harvey Elliott and West Ham United seem to be the club most interested in him. The Hammers are said to be about to make a £40 million (€46.01m) bid with a buy-back clause for Liverpool.

A buy-back clause is not something Spurs would consider having in a contract because it doesn't give you control over a player.

Manchester United outcast Jadon Sancho, linked with Spurs, is likely off to Juventus. The Serie A side have submitted a bid of €10 million (£8.69m) and the winger would be happy to sign for The Old Lady (La Vecchia Signora).

Juventus want to sell former Aston Villa central midfielder Douglas Luiz and the 27-year-old Brazilian international has indicated that he wants to join Tottenham Hotspur, having disappointed after his move valued at €51.50 million (£44.7m) move last summer,

That was made up of €28 million(£24.34m), plus the signings of Samuel Iling-Junior and Enzo Barrenechea.

From what I hear, West Ham United are the club most interested in him at this stage, than can of course change in an instant when another club moves into gear.

Juventus are interested in Yves Bissouma, but Bissouma doesn't want to leave Spurs, which is blocking squad improvement. In Italy they report he is valued at €25 million (£21.73m).

Half a dozen good games at the end of the season and one during it, doesn't make the Nitrous Oxide inhaling African a player to keep.

Local paper La Repubblico di Torino report that Juvuntus must sell before they can buy, hence why they are actively persuing all enquiries for Luiz.

Juventus are considering terminating the contract of Dušan Vlahović, whose €315,000 a week wages they want off the books.

Everything is at a standstill regarding him at the moment, which will of course all centre around the wages he wants.

No club wants to pay a transfer fee if they have to stump up high wages, thus fees have to be reduced so more can be available to up his wages.

I have seen talk of €15 million for him, but at £200,00 a week, that's a year and a half's wages. At £150,000 a week, it's 2 years wages.

I'd be looking to pay him £150,000 a week which, with our bonus payments (some of the best in the Premier League) would nearly double that amount.

He and Dominic Solanke fighting for the centre-forward role looks good on paper.

A termination of his contract financially helps whichever club he moves to. Spurs would need to revive his Fiorentina goalscoring exploits in the Premier League, but he would be value if successful.

You are taking a chance on that, though, but Fiorentina showed there is an out-and-out goalscorer there.

Juventus want to replace him with Kolo Muani of UEFA Champions League winners PSG, but they need the French club to shift their position and allow a loan with option to buy deal.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Part 4: Can You Build a Winning Team Without Any Winners in It?

Part 5: How Can You Tell If a Player Has a Winning Mentality?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

“Spurs have been scouting wrong for years.” — Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

How Do You Spot a Winning Mentality — Before It’s Too Late?

Good morning.

Winning mentalities (positive people) say Spurs won the 2025 UEFA Europa League, while losing mentalities (negative people) say Spurs finished 17th.

That's it in a nutshell.

Morgan Gibbs-White has a release clause. Spurs said we'll pay it, end of story.

That's it in a nutshell.

Putting league position over trophies is exactly what the very same people have been complaining about, hypocrites.

When I have finished laughing, we can move on.

No wonder this blog goes over their heads.

But enough of the nutshells, onto today's offering.

Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League in 2025.
We proved we could win.
But now, with Son and Romero likely to be sold… and a manager with no trophies to his name…
We’re back at a crossroads.

And here’s the uncomfortable truth:

If we don’t know how to spot winners — we won’t build another winning team.
And if we don’t know what a winning mentality actually looks like, we’ll keep buying the wrong players.

Most Fans and Clubs Get This Wrong

Ask most fans what a winning mentality looks like and they’ll say things like:

“He never stops running.”
“He wore the armband.”
“He claps the fans even after a loss.”
“He plays through pain.”

They’re describing effort.
Emotion.
Grit.

And they’re not wrong.

But they’re not right either.

Because here’s the truth:

Trying hard isn’t a winning mentality. It’s the minimum.

Real Winners Behave Differently

If you want to spot a winning mentality, don’t look for veins popping in the tunnel.
Look for this:

A refusal to hide when things go wrong.
An ability to lift teammates — not just themselves.
Total clarity in pressure moments.
An internal standard that never drops, no matter the scoreline.
The ability to influence results without needing the ball.

Cristian Romero didn’t win all his finals by chance.
He won because he played the same way every game — aggressive, accountable, unapologetic.

He doesn’t play the occasion.
He is the occasion.

Spurs Must Change How They Scout Mentality

We’ve scouted wrong for years.

We look at:

Goals
Assists
National team caps
Whether they’ve “played in Europe”

But do we ever ask:

“What does he do when we’re 1–0 down?”
“Is he a leader when it’s quiet?”
“Can he raise the players around him?”

Those things don’t show up on a stat sheet.
You don’t see them in YouTube compilations.
But they win trophies.

With Leaders Like Son and Romero Potentially Leaving…

We don’t just lose skill.
We lose standards.

We lose players who:

Trained like it was a final
Set the tone without needing a manager
Carried belief into the dressing room
Made others believe this club could win

If we don’t replace that mentality, then we don’t replace those players — no matter who we buy.

The Risk with a Manager Who Hasn’t Won

Thomas Frank now walks into a dressing room full of Europa League winners.

And he has to convince them that he can take them further.
Without ever having done it himself.

That’s hard.

So the club must support him by identifying players with inner drive — not just outer polish.
We need hunger.
Ambition.
Fire.

Not names. Not reputations. Not resale value.

We’ve Seen What Happens Without It

Since 2008, we’ve had squads that tried.
Squads that were almost good enough.
But not quite.

4 finals.
No trophies.

Until 2025.

7 finals under Daniel Levy

2 trophies.

Why?
Because Ange Postecoglou didn’t just coach football.
He coached belief.
And he signed players who had it — or could be shaped to have it.

🔚 THBN The Final Word

If you go back to the FA Cup finals of the 70's and 80's the rhetoric from Brian Moore and studio experts was:

How the youngsters in each team handle the occasion will decide the game.

It was about mentality back then, it's nothing new.

Tottenham Hotspur’s new era can’t be built on guesswork.
We can’t afford to keep finding out whether a player has the right mentality after they sign.

We need to know before they pull on the shirt.

That means building a new scouting layer — for personality, not just passing.
Mentality, not just metrics.

Because if we don’t learn how to spot winners…

We’ll go back to just signing names.
And wondering why nothing changes.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Part 4: Can You Build a Winning Team Without Any Winners in It?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

“Buying winners is not the solution at Spurs.” — Tottenham Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

Tottenham Hotspur won the Europa League in 2025.

The narrative changed.

For the first time in 17 years, Spurs crossed the line. They lifted a trophy.
Players like Son and Romero — already elite — became winners.
They’d felt it. Lived it. Delivered it.

But now?

Son is likely to be sold.
Romero too — a combined £90 million heading out the door.
And the new manager?
Highly rated. Respected. But no silverware on his CV.

So now we’re asking the question all over again…

Can you build a winning team if nobody in the dressing room has done it before?

❌ You Can’t Just Buy Winners

Let’s get one thing clear:
Most clubs don’t build a winning mentality — they buy it.

They sign players from Bayern, Real Madrid, Man City.
They appoint managers with six league titles and a Champions League.

But that’s not an option for Spurs.
We don’t have oil money.
We don’t offer Premier League-ready squads full of stars.
And as history shows — even when we brought in proven winners like Mourinho and Conte — they didn’t build a winning team here.

Because they didn’t teach mentality.
They demanded it.

And when they didn’t get it — they collapsed.
So no — buying winners is not the solution at Spurs.

🧠 What Real Winners Actually Do Differently

If we’re serious about building a winning culture, we need to understand what winners actually do.

Not just in finals. Not just in May.
Every day.

Here’s what they bring that others don’t:

They hold teammates accountable — even when it’s awkward
They stay calm under pressure — and calm others too
They train with the same intensity they play with
They speak about winning like it’s inevitable
They act when others panic — they don’t wait for someone else

These aren’t slogans. They’re habits.

You don’t learn them from YouTube clips or matchday motivation.
You learn them by living them.

💡 Can You Build a Winning Team Without Winners?

Yes.
But it’s the hardest route possible.

You need:

A manager who knows what mentality looks like, even if he hasn’t lifted trophies
Senior players willing to buy into the standard and enforce it internally
A club willing to back the process — not the headline signings

Postecoglou built that for a while.
He got players believing, fighting, owning the moment.
Romero responded. Son stepped up. Maddison embraced his mentoring role. The squad transformed.

But if Son and Romero leave this summer?

The mentality they helped create goes with them — unless someone carries it forward.

That’s the risk.
And the challenge.

🛠 Stop Buying Names. Start Building Men.

Spurs fans want names.
They want transfers. Ambition. “Back the manager.”

But history is clear:
That’s not what makes Spurs win.
We’ve spent before. We’ve bought stars. We’ve appointed “proven winners.”

It didn’t work.

Because character > CV.

Mentality > marketing.

We need to stop thinking we can sign our way to trophies.
We need to sign players hungry enough to build it with us.

And we need a manager who can develop more than tactics.

He has to develop men.

🔚 THBN The Final Word

Spurs proved in 2025 they could become winners.
But with Son and Romero potentially leaving — and a new manager with no silverware — the cycle could restart.

The only way out?

Make winning mentality a club-wide standard — not something a few players bring with them.
Not something we buy in waves.
But something we train, live, and demand — every week.

You can build a winning team without winners…
But only if you create the conditions for winning to exist.
And only if you have the courage to commit to it.

The new manager has to convince 25 players that he can teach them what winners like Cristian Romero already know.

Without ever having done it himself.

That's not just a tactical challenge — it's a credibility crisis.

Because when the pressure mounts, when the moment arrives, when players are looking for leadership — they're not looking at Thomas Frank's Wikipedia page.

They're looking for someone who's been there.

Someone who's felt the weight of expectation and delivered anyway.

Someone who can say: "I've done this before. Follow me."

Every manager talks about process.

Every manager talks about culture.

Every manager talks about "building something special."

But when you're 2-1 down in a cup final with 20 minutes left, players don't remember your team talk from Tuesday.

They remember whether you've been in this situation before.

Whether you've found a way when others couldn't.

Whether you've actually delivered when it mattered.

And the new manager has to replace that presence with... what exactly?

Hope?

Tactics?

Motivational quotes?

None of that works when you're in the trenches.

Make no mistake, Frank has a massive job on his hands, far bigger than you realise.

Can you build on the mentality, that's his biggest role and the one that will define whether he is a success or not.

My worry is that the club don't know that job exists!

It's not impossible though, Jurgen Klopp did it at Liverpool.

PLayers follow conviction, not tactics.

Postecoglou's conviction won us the 2025 UEFA Europa League.

And finally, let me throw in something losing mentalities won't agree with.

Frank's job is to create new winners.

That means:

Finding players who are hungry to prove themselves, not players who are already proven.

Creating an environment where standards are set by the group, not just the manager.

Making every training session, every team meeting, every decision about building character first, talent second.

And most importantly — accepting that he might not be the one who gets the credit when it works.

Because the best managers don't create followers. They create leaders.

And leaders don't need their manager to have won trophies.

They need their manager to believe they can win trophies.

That's what Ange Postecoglou did.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction ➤ Broad intro, failure analysis, foundation for the series

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win? ➤ Spurs had the skill, lacked the mentality. Mentality is the missing ingredient.

Bonus Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem ➤ Excellent standalone piece that breaks the common fan misconception.

Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 06:07:00 +0000

Why Spurs Fans Miss the Real Problem — And Why Managers Like Mourinho and Conte Couldn’t Fix It

Morning folks, I told you Spurs would want to pay £50-55m for Mohammed Kudus and a deal for £55m has been agreed with West Ham United, as have personal terms.

He has his medical today and signs a 6-year deal.

At Tottenham Hotspur we’ve had some good squads.

Spurs have been in seven finals since 2008.

Finished second in the Premier League under Pochettino.

Had Kane, Son, Eriksen, Vertonghen, Alderweireld, Lloris in their prime.

So why didn’t we win?

Ask most fans and they’ll say bad luck. Injuries. Referees. Daniel Levy. The usual.

But here’s the uncomfortable truth:

Trying hard isn’t a winning mentality.

It’s the minimum.

Most Fans Don’t Understand What a Winning Mentality Actually Is

They confuse effort with expectation.

They think if a player runs a lot, screams in the tunnel, or cries after a final — they’ve got the right mentality.

But true winners don’t just try.

They expect to win. They refuse to lose. They drag others over the line.

That’s not something you switch on in May.

It’s who you are every week, every training session, every half-time team talk.

And here’s the problem:

The club never taught them how to cross the finish line.

Because the club didn’t know it needed to.

Because the “teachers” — managers, coaches, even board members — hadn’t lived that mentality themselves.

So they built squads with talent… but no belief system.

And fans, watching talented players trying hard, never saw the deeper issue.

I have been revealing the problem for over 10 years.

The same problem.

Mourinho and Conte Proved It

You might say: “We brought in proven winners.”

True. But they weren’t mentality builders.

They were chequebook managers.

“Give me the best players and I’ll win things.”

Sure. So will most managers.

But at Tottenham Hotspur, Mourinho and Conte didn’t inherit a ready-made squad of proven winners.

They didn’t teach the players how to win — because they couldn’t.

They’d always bought it. Not built it.

And when the players couldn’t match the standards they barked at them — they collapsed.

That’s not a winning culture.

It’s a shortcut. And shortcuts fail at Spurs.

Postecoglou vs. Frank: One Had It. One Theorises About It.

Ange Postecoglou won the Europa League in 2025.

He adapted. He motivated. He created belief.

Players like Cristian Romero — who has won every final he’s played in — responded to Ange’s mentality.

Because they recognised it.

Winners know winners. They feel it. Like heat.

And that brings us to the biggest truth of all:

You can’t teach what you haven’t lived.

Thomas Frank is a brilliant developer of players. But he’s never lifted a trophy at this level.

So everything he’s selling — belief, ambition, mentality — is theory.

Players can smell that.

It is a genuine concern.

Most People Don’t Have It — And That’s Why They Dismiss It

This is the bit fans hate.

They think “mentality” is some motivational slogan.

They don’t realise it’s the difference between getting over the line and folding in the final.

And when you try to explain it to them?

“It’s like trying to describe the colour red to someone born blind.”

Go ahead.

Try it.

You’ll say: “It’s the colour of fire… of anger… of danger.”

They’ll say: “What does that mean?”

That’s what it’s like explaining winning mentality to people who’ve never felt it.

They say it’s poppycock because they can’t picture it.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not real.

Spurs Had the Skill to Win. They Just Didn’t Know How.

This is the tragedy.

We had enough talent to win multiple trophies over the last 15 years.

But talent doesn’t teach you how to cope with 1–0 down in a final.

Or how to demand more from teammates who aren’t at it.

Or how to keep your head when 60,000 fans panic.

That’s not technique.

That’s mentality.

And until the club learns how to build that — not just buy it — Spurs will stay nearly men.

No matter how hard we try.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction

Part 2: Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win?

Part 3: The Hidden Reason Spurs Fell Short — And It Wasn’t Skill

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

“Whose Job Is It to Build a Winning Mentality?” — Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series Part 3: They Thought They Were Winners — But They’d Never Been Taught to Win

Welcome to Part 3 of the Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series.

Part 1 was just the Intro to let you know what's coming.

Part 2 relates to Daniel Levy's words that we want to win the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, which isn't anything new. I have been reminding you of Daniel Levy's words that the vision (in other words, the long-term plan) is to rival Barcelona and Real Madrid both on and off the field.

Two things come out of that, Levy didn't say win them this season and you have to build the off field infrastructure to pay for the on field, just as Sir A;ex Ferguson explained right after he had retired in a program about him.

What is the core purpose of this article?

To prove that Spurs' historical trophy failures weren't down to lack of skill…
But due to a lack of taught winning mentality.

It explains why world-class players like Kane, Modric, Son, and Eriksen kept falling short…
…and how you can’t blame them when no one at the club actually knew how to win.

This sets up Article 4, which will likely be about what a winning mentality really is.

But first:

Tottenham Transfer News

Yves Bissouma

Quick bit of transfer news: Serie A giants Juventus are looking at Yves Bissouma, who has only a year left on his contract and is therefore available for around £13 million to £17 million (€15-20m).

Cristian Romero

Spanish newspaper AS reports that LaLiga side Atlético Madrid have made a new £60.30 million (€70m) bid for our World Cup-winning Argentinian centre-back Cristian Romero.

Their proposal is worth an initial £47.38 million (€55m), with a potential further £12.92 million (€15m) in add-ons.

That'll do with that for now, the regurgitation sites can Chinese Whisper all the transfer news to you.

Admittedly, they all just change the terminology, so a player we might have only scouted becomes someone we have tried to sign and failed, when nothing has even happened!

So, onto the Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series Part 3.

We just explained in Part 2 that infrastructure has been built, and now it’s about mentality.
This article explains why the players weren’t the problem — the culture was.

They Thought They Were Winners — But They’d Never Been Taught to Win

Tottenham Trophy Series — Part 3 of 8

Tottenham Hotspur have had world-class players.

Some of the very best.

Harry Kane. Luka Modric. Christian Eriksen. Hugo Lloris.

Talented. Professional. Loved.

But not winners.

At least — not while they were at Spurs.

The Myth of the Winning Squad

Spurs fans haven’t been told this squad was good enough to win — in fact, many believe the opposite.

They still demand bigger names. More spending. Superstar signings.

But here’s the truth:

Spurs didn’t fail because they lacked talent.
They failed because they lacked mentality.

That’s a harder sell.
It doesn’t come with a transfer fee.

But it’s the real reason the club spent years nearly winning everything — and actually winning nothing.

Until 2025.

That’s when it finally clicked.

Spurs won the UEFA Europa League.

And players like Son finally got the medals their talent deserved.

But the lesson remains:

Without mentality, talent alone will never be enough.

Modric Had to Leave to Learn

Luka Modric is one of the greatest midfielders of his generation.

But even he had to leave Spurs to become a serial winner.

The moment he stepped into Real Madrid, he entered a different reality.

He didn’t just see how winners played. He saw how they trained, how they spoke, how they thought.

And he adapted.

He became one of them.

But that never happened at Spurs — because the environment wasn’t there.

Whose Job Is It to Build a Winning Mentality?

It’s the question that defines the last 20 years:

Is building a winning mentality the job of the chairman — or the manager?

The answer?
Both. But in different ways.

🏗 The Chairman’s Role — Architect of the Environment:

Sets the culture: What’s valued — money, style, or legacy?
Hires the builders: Appoints staff who can actually develop a mentality.
Allocates tools: Infrastructure, budget, time.
Protects or breaks the cycle: Sack the builder too soon? Start from zero again.

“The chairman doesn’t train the players — he trains the culture.”

⚽ The Manager’s Role — Builder of the Mindset:

Instils daily behaviours: What winners do, not just what they say.
Maintains standards: Benches talent if it harms culture.
Models the mindset: Shows resilience in action.
Needs time: Mentality systems take 2+ years, not 2 months.

“The manager doesn’t just pick the team — he programs their operating system.”

Where Spurs Went Wrong:

Levy hired short-term winners (Mourinho, Conte)… not long-term builders.
When Ange Postecoglou arrived — the first builder in years — he wasn’t backed long enough to finish the job.
The club tried to buy a mentality through individuals… not build it into the system.

“Building a winning mentality is like constructing a house: the chairman lays the foundation — but only the manager can build the walls.”

Winning Mentality Isn’t Natural. It’s Taught.

Here’s the lie football keeps selling fans:

That winning mentality is something you’re born with.

Wrong.

It’s something you’re taught.

By leaders who’ve lived it. By teammates who hold you to it. By clubs who design it into every part of their system.

Spurs had effort.
Spurs had pride.
Spurs had elite skill.

But they never had the environment to build winners.

Because no one at the top had built them before.

And you can’t teach what you’ve never known.

“You can’t lead others to glory when you’ve never been there yourself.”

The Painter Analogy — And the Mental Block at Spurs

Try explaining the colour red to someone who’s been blind from birth.

That’s what explaining winning mentality feels like to those who’ve never lived it.

At Spurs, it’s been misunderstood for decades.

We thought it was about passion. Or effort. Or going the extra mile.

But winning isn’t emotional. It’s strategic.

It’s knowing how to handle setbacks. It’s preparing for pressure before it arrives. It’s staying ruthless when others panic.

That isn’t instinct.
That’s trained response.

And Spurs never trained it.

A Squad That Looked the Part — But Lacked the Programming

The Kane-era squad looked like winners.

The skill was there.

Runners-up in the Champions Lrague and the Premier League prove that.

To the untrained eye — they were winners.

But inside?

The hard truth: They’d never been taught how to win under pressure.

That’s why we saw:

Nervy finals
Capitulations from winning positions
Brilliant seasons with no finishing line

And fans blamed the players.

But the players weren’t broken. They were just undercooked.

“Effort looks like progress — but it’s not the same as winning mentality.”

THBN The Final Word

Tottenham Hotspur’s golden generation had the tools.

But they never had the toolbox.

Because no one at the club ever built one.

And until that changes — we’ll keep mistaking quality for mentality.

One is obvious.
The other is hidden.

One gets you to a final.
The other wins it.

Fans still call for big names.
But what Spurs really need… is winners.

And winners aren’t bought. They’re built.

In the next article, we’ll go even deeper:

What is winning mentality — and how do you know if a player has it?

See you in Part 4.

COYS.

Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 05 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

“The right infrastructure has been built. Now let’s build the winners to go inside it” — Tottenham Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

From Blueprints to Belief: Why Spurs Must Now Build a Winning Mentality

Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series — Part 2 of 8

Daniel Levy wants to win the Premier League.

He’s said it.

He’s said he wants to win the Champions League too.

Big words. Big vision.

So why has one Europa League win in 2025 been the only breakthrough?

Why do we keep finishing almost there… but never build on it to become serial winners?

Infrastructure First — And That Was the Right Call

Let’s get something straight: Daniel Levy did the hard part first.

The stadium.
The training ground.
The revenue foundations that will help Spurs compete for the next 50 years.

He took a club flirting with relegation in 2001 and turned it into a global force.

The infrastructure needed to come first — and Levy delivered it.

But here’s the problem:

We’re not in the infrastructure phase anymore.

We’re in the winning phase.

And that’s where Levy has to prove he understands that what comes next is not corporate.
It’s cultural.

The Skill Has Always Been There. The Mentality Hasn’t.

Let’s stop pretending Spurs have been unlucky.

Seven finals.
Second in the Premier League.
Regular top-four finishes.

We had world-class players.
Kane. Son. Lloris. Modric. Bale. Eriksen. Vertonghen. Alderweireld.

But we didn’t build a squad of winners.
We didn’t create a system that taught players how to win.

Because no one inside the club knew how.

“We’ve had the skill to win.
We just never learned how to cross the finish line.”

And that’s not something you fix with slogans.

You fix it with conviction.

Saying You Want to Win Isn’t the Same as Building to Win

When Levy says, “We want to win the Premier League,” what does he mean?

Because building to win isn’t about ambition.
It’s about alignment.

The board.
The manager.
The recruitment team.
The backroom staff.
The culture.

They all need to believe in the same vision.

And too often at Spurs, we’ve had none of that.

We’ve had world-class talent with average beliefs.
We’ve had rebuilds started — and abandoned.
We’ve had short-term panic buys and big-name managers brought in to ‘fix it.’

All while telling fans that the next phase is about winning.

But the evidence says otherwise.

“You don’t win the Champions League with soundbites.”

Ange Showed the Way — And Levy Needs to Learn from Him

Ange Postecoglou wasn’t just a good coach.
He was a culture builder.

He understood that if you want to create a winning team, you have to first create winning behaviours.

You train like a winner. You prepare like a winner. You think like a winner.

That’s what Levy needs to embrace.

Not just facilities.
Not just finances.
Not just phrases.

He needs a structure that breeds winners.

From recruitment… to psychology… to captaincy… to academy pathway.

Winning has to be designed in.

Not hoped for.

The Next Phase: Staff, Culture, and Mentality

The buildings are done.
Now it’s about what happens inside them.

Do we hire staff who have lived the winning mentality?

Do we hire coaches who can build it in others?

Do we create an environment that demands more than effort — it demands outcome?

This is what Levy has to master next.

He doesn’t need to step aside.
He needs to evolve.

He’s always been a long-term thinker.
Now the long-term needs mindset, not bricks.

Can We Spot Winners by Name? No. We’ll Have to Wait and See.

Here’s the tough part.

Fans want instant verdicts on new signings.

But mentality isn’t printed on a transfer fee.
It’s not in the YouTube compilations.
It’s not something you can scout from a sofa, without knowing what you are looking for.

So every player we sign now… we won’t know if they’re the right ones until we see:

How they react to setbacks

How they train when injured

How they lift others when heads drop

How they perform in finals — not just semi-finals

And that’s why we need a club structure that detects mentality.
That develops it.
That demands it.

Because otherwise, we’ll keep asking the same question in 2030:

“Why haven’t we won anything yet?”

THBN The Final Word

Daniel Levy’s vision got us here.

But vision alone won’t win us regular trophies.

Now is the time for action.
For alignment.
For mentality.

The right infrastructure has been built.

Now we need to build the winners to go inside it.

COYS

The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Part 1: The Introduction

Transfer Rumour Report: Tottenham Hotspur’s Interest in Kees Smit

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 06:09:00 +0000

Tottenham Hotspur are monitoring Dutch wonderkid Kees Smit… but can we outbid Europe’s elite

Inside Tottenham Hotspur’s Pursuit of Europe’s Most Wanted Teen Midfielder

Good morning folks, this one doesn't seem to be general knowledge, it's not in the mainstream media yet.
Tottenham Hotspur, under the new management of Thomas Frank, are reportedly in the race to sign AZ Alkmaar’s 19-year-old Dutch midfielder Kees Smit, who has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising young talents.
This report examines Tottenham’s interest in Smit, his background, the competition for his signature, and the potential implications for Spurs’ squad.
The information is based on recent reports from reputable sources and social media discussions, including a tweet from

@Bovaboutfootie

highlighting the transfer rumour.

Player Profile: Kees Smit

Kees Smit, born in 2006, is a 19-year-old attacking midfielder currently playing for AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie.
Smit rose to prominence after an outstanding performance at the UEFA Under-19 European Championship in 2025, where he was named Player of the Tournament for his role in helping the Netherlands secure the title.
Known for his technical ability, elegant dribbling, and eye for goal, Smit has also been a top scorer in the tournament, showcasing his versatility and potential.
He joined AZ Alkmaar’s senior squad in the summer of 2024 after progressing through their youth system and has a contract with the club until June 2028.

Smart players win the Euro U-19 Golden Player Awards

Tottenham Hotspur’s Interest

According to multiple sources, Tottenham Hotspur have been closely monitoring Smit for months, with technical director Johan Lange playing a key role in scouting the young midfielder.
Reports indicate that Spurs had representatives in Romania to observe Smit’s performances at the U19 Euros, where he impressed with his composure and creativity.
The club’s interest is part of a broader strategy under Thomas Frank to bolster the squad with young, dynamic talents suited to his high-energy, attacking style of play, especially as Tottenham Hotspur prepare for our return to the Champions League in the 2025/26 season.
A tweet from

@Bovaboutfootie

on July 4, 2025, stated, “Tottenham and Chelsea in the race for AZ Alkmaar’s 19-year-old Dutch star Kees Smit! The next big thing in midfield? #THFC #CFC #TransferRumor,” reflecting the growing buzz around Smit’s potential move to the Premier League.

Competition for Smit

Tottenham Hotspur face stiff competition for Smit’s signature. Chelsea are also heavily linked, with sources confirming their long-term interest in the midfielder, having scouted him alongside Spurs at the U19 Euros.
Other Premier League clubs, including Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Leeds United, are reportedly keeping tabs on Smit’s situation.
Beyond England, European giants such as Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Marseille, and Barcelona have also shown interest, with Barcelona scouts closely following his recent performances.
This widespread attention underscores Smit’s status as a highly coveted prospect, often described as AZ Alkmaar’s “crown jewel.”
Here is a Spanish tweet, but I think the figure is way off the mark:

Kees Smith gives you legs, vision, and hunger. You can mold him right away under Xabi, and if it doesn't work out, the loss is minimal. For €5M, he's a must-sign.

Transfer Context and Challenges

Smit’s contract with AZ Alkmaar, which runs until 2028, gives the Dutch club a strong negotiating position.
While no specific transfer fee has been confirmed, AZ are reportedly demanding a “towering” sum for their starlet, which could disrupt the transfer market if a deal is agreed upon.
Tottenham Hotspur’s financial situation, with a reported net transfer debt of £279 million, may complicate our ability to secure Smit, especially given the competition from wealthier clubs like Real Madrid and Chelsea.
This £279 figure is what we owe other clubs in instalment payments for players we have bought over the last 5 years.
You ask where the money goes, that's where it goes, in transfer fees!
Thus selling players helps the situation.
One cup run, or one Champions League season doesn't wipe out that debt, only the end of individual instalment payments for individual players does.
An initial loan fee for a player, delays annual instalment payments to pay fo them.
Negotiating a transfer fee is not always just about the fee, it's about how the fee is paid, over what period yo suit each clubs accounting situation requirements, with PSR in mind.
However, Spurs’ Champions League qualification for the 2025/26 season could be a significant factor in attracting Smit, offering him a platform to compete at the highest level.

Potential Fit at Tottenham Hotspur

Smit’s skill set aligns well with Thomas Frank’s tactical vision, which emphasizes fluid attacking play and dynamic midfielders.
His ability to dribble, create chances, and contribute goals would complement Tottenham Hotspur’s current midfield options, including players like James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall.
At 19, Smit represents a long-term investment with the potential to develop into a key player, addressing Spurs’ need for depth and creativity in midfield.
However, his integration into a competitive Premier League squad would require careful management, given his relative inexperience at the senior level.
🔎 Who is Spurs target Kees Smit? (19, CM, 🇳🇱, 6’0”)🔹 Player of the Tournament at the U19 Euros🔹 Creative playmaker with elite vision🔹 Controls tempo and dictates play🔹 Excels in vertical passing and dribbling🔹 Strong spatial awareness and composure

Critical Analysis

While the excitement around Smit is justified, given his performances at youth international level, there are risks associated with his potential transfer.
His limited senior experience at AZ Alkmaar raises questions about his immediate readiness for the Premier League’s intensity.
Additionally, the high transfer fee and competition from multiple elite clubs could inflate costs, potentially making the deal less viable for Tottenham Hotspur unless we prioritise him over other targets.
The club’s recent history of investing in young talents, such as Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich, suggests we are willing to take calculated risks, but financial constraints may force us to be strategic.

THBN The Final Word

Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Kees Smit reflects our ambition to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League and Champions League under Thomas Frank.
Smit’s technical prowess and standout performances make him a highly sought-after prospect, but Tottenham Hotspur face fierce competition from Chelsea, Real Madrid, and other top clubs.
While social media buzz, such as the tweet from

@Bovaboutfootie

, highlights the growing hype around Smit, Spurs must navigate financial and strategic challenges to secure his signature.
If successful, Smit could be a transformative addition to Tottenham Hotspur’s midfield, offering long-term potential and aligning with Frank’s vision for the club.
For the latest updates on this transfer rumour, fans can follow developments on platforms like X or visit trusted sources.

Sources

TBR Football, July 3, 2025
Soccernews.nl, July 3, 2025
Tribuna.com, June 27, 2025
FootballTransfers.com, June 23, 2025
Football.London, July 3, 2025
@Bovaboutfootie
on X, July 4, 2025
Additional X posts from
@GraemeBailey
,
@Blue_Footy
,
@Bergvallisking
,
@okoh0255
,
@ouggi
,
@Jp51Nieuws

COYS

Tomorrow, Part 2 of The Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series

Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series: Part 1 Intro

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 06:30:00 +0000

You don’t win trophies by luck. You win them by design” — Tottenham Trophy Series | Tottenham Hotspur Blog News

What Needs to Change at Tottenham Hotspur to Win Trophies Regularly?

Introducing the Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series — A Candid Look at What’s Holding Spurs Back

Tottenham Hotspur have just ended a 17-year trophy drought with the 2025 UEFA Europa League triumph.

But for many fans, it’s not enough.

I have always maintained Spurs have to build to win multiple trophies, not buy to win one.

The UEL trophy needs to be a launching pad, not a nostalgic moment in another barren decade.

So, what needs to change for Spurs to win regularly?

Not just the odd cup — but compete seriously for Premier League and Champions League honours, like Daniel Levy has publicly stated.

That’s the question this series tackles.

Not with public relations (PR) spin.

Not with recycled headlines.

But with critical thought, brutal honesty, and an unwavering focus on mentality.

What Is the Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series?

This is an 8-part investigative and mindset-led series from Tottenham Hotspur Blog News that explores the real structural, cultural, and psychological reasons Spurs haven’t become serial winners — and how we could.

It’s not just a checklist of what to fix.

It’s a blueprint for changing the DNA of the club.

Across the series, I’ll ask the uncomfortable questions:

Are Daniel Levy’s words hollow or simply misaligned with his actions?
Can a manager who’s never won trophies instil a winning mentality?
Does Tottenham Hotspur’s conveyor belt of youth development actually help or hinder title ambitions?
Why do most players and staff think they have a winning mentality… but don’t?

I’ll examine everything from recruitment strategy to loan systems… from culture-building to tactical identity… from Maddison’s growing leadership to the ghost of Postecoglou’s Europa League win.

And I’ll compare it all to clubs like Manchester United — now in disarray — to see what Spurs can learn by watching others implode.

What To Expect

Each article will deep-dive into one topic. This isn’t filler. It’s forensic.

Every claim will be backed with logic, context, or comparison.

Every solution will be practical — not utopian.

And everything will be seen through the lens of a winning mentality — what it is, who has it, and how you build it from top to bottom.

This is Tottenham Hotspur’s most important conversation.

I hope it sparks the debate the club needs.

The Trophy Series Articles:

What Needs to Change at Tottenham to Win Trophies Regularly? (You’re reading it)
Daniel Levy Talks a Big Game — But Is He Playing to Win?
Why Spurs Keep Falling Short: Recruitment, Depth, and the Wrong Profiles
>Extra Article: Trying Hard Isn’t a Winning Mentality — And That’s Why Spurs Fans Don’t See the Problem
Can a Manager Without Silverware Create a Team That Wins It?
The Youth Conundrum: Building for the Future or Sacrificing the Present?
Tottenham Hotspur’s Culture of Nearly: Can That Be Unlearned?
Money, Mentality, and the Myth of Spurs’ Poor Spending
This Squad Needs a Milner or Silva — Not Just Another Talent

If Spurs want to win regularly, the excuses must stop.

So must the short-termism.

This series is for fans who want better.

Building the off-field infrastructure was essential, the material element of that has been done.

Next comes the hard part, the culture shift.

From serial nearly men to serial winners.

Ange Postecoglou showed the club the mentality it needs.

Time will tell if we learnt the lesson the Aussie taught us.

See you in the next article.

COYS

Spurs’ Champions League Dilemma: One Club-Trained Player and the Race for Academy Output

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 05:35:00 +0000

Tottenham have just one club-trained player for the Champions League—this graphic shows why that’s a serious problem

Good morning to all those who don't go around with hatred in their hearts, spewing it out on social media all day like a treatment works full of sewage.

Tottenham Hotspur are back in the UEFA Champions League.

But we are walking into Europe with a problem…

We have only got one club-trained player eligible for the UEFA squad.

One.

And unless something changes this summer, Spurs won’t be allowed to register a full 25-man squad.

Not because we lack talent…

But becausewe lack homegrown depth in exactly the place a sustainable club is supposed to be strongest - its own academy.

This isn’t just a squad issue.

It’s a mirror.

A mirror reflecting the years Spurs have spent chasing transfers… while failing to produce enough elite-level players from within.

It has been a perennial problem that simply has to be solved.

And with UEFA rules tightening around club-trained quotas, Tottenham Hotspur face a simple choice:

Start fixing the pipeline - or start leaving players at home on European nights.

So today, we'll delve into the world plenty a fan moans about, even though it's vital.

Where are the gaps, what do the rules demand, and which solutions could save Spurs from a self-inflicted Champions League headache?

The UEFA Rule Spurs Can’t Afford to Ignore

You don’t need to be a lawyer to understand this.

UEFA’s squad rules are simple.

To register a full 25-man squad in the Champions League, every club must meet two homegrown quotas:

4 Club-Trained Players
(Players who were at the club for three years between ages 15–21)
4 Association-Trained Players
(Players developed in any English club’s academy, including Spurs)

No exceptions.

LOL, except Ben Davies, trained at a Welsh club playing in the English association. Spurs had to ger special dispensation for him.

If you don’t have enough club-trained players, you don’t get to replace them with others.

You just register fewer players.

So if Tottenham only have 1 club-trained player, we can only submit a 22-man List A squad.

That’s three fewer senior options available on Champions League nights.

Three missing names from the team sheet.

Three lost opportunities for squad rotation or game-changing substitutions.

In a tournament that demands depth, composure, and flexibility… that’s a huge competitive disadvantage.

And it’s not just about the one gap.

It’s the pattern.

Because right now, Spurs are nowhere near hitting the quota.

Let’s look at who qualifies and what the real shortfall looks like.

Who Actually Qualifies? Spurs’ UEFA Registration Breakdown

Let’s strip it back for you.

Here’s how Tottenham Hotspur’s current squad looks through UEFA’s eyes:

🧠 Club-Trained Players (Need 4 — Have 1)

These are players who spent at least three years at Tottenham Hotspur between the ages of 15 and 21.

✅ Brandon Austin — Backup 3rd choice goalkeeper and wasn't it great to see him get some game time last season. A nice reward for his loyalty.
And that’s it.

❌ No Harry Kane.
❌ No Oliver Skipp.
❌ No Alfie Devine, Jamie Donley, or other U21s who’ve not yet qualified by age or registration timing.

Shortfall: –3 players
And no easy internal fix unless someone graduates mid-season or is recalled early.

🏴 Association-Trained Players (Need 4 — Have 6)

These are players trained at any English club for three years between ages 15–21.

✅ James Maddison
✅ Brennan Johnson
✅ Dominic Solanke (expected signing)
✅ Ben Davies (trained at Swansea)
✅ Djed Spence
✅ Archie Gray (but may not yet qualify by UEFA’s age/timeline definition)

Problem? You can only register 4 of them as AT.
The rest are treated like foreigners — they take up precious non-locally trained slots.

🌍 Non-Locally Trained (Max 17 Players)

This is everyone else — foreign signings, international stars, academy players from abroad.

Tottenham Hotspur already exceed 17 when all senior pros are included.
Which means: somebody has to be cut.

The result?

Either you drop a key player from your Champions League squad…
Or you waste a slot on a backup keeper like Austin just to fill a homegrown quota.

It’s not a talent issue.
It’s a structural failure.

A club like Spurs — elite facilities, a massive stadium, a world-class training ground — should never have a shortfall of academy-developed players.

But right now, they’ve built a squad that’s brilliant on paper…

And broken in UEFA’s system.

Remember, we have two extra association-trained players who, if selected, would take up two of the 17 foreigner places, leaving only 15 we can select.

Do you start to see now why sell to buy raises it's head, it's not about money as Spurs accounts say we have more cash reserves than most, if not all, Premier League clubs, some £72 million I believe.

🔥 The Stakes: What Happens If Spurs Don’t Act?

1. Reduced Squad Size = Competitive Weakness

UEFA rules clearly state:

If a club has fewer than eight locally trained players, the maximum number of players on List A is reduced accordingly. talksport.com

Tottenham Hotspur currently fall three club-trained players short, and are overcapacity on association‑trained players.

Result?

If nothing changes, Spurs are locked into a 22-man Champions League List A - losing three spots.

That’s:

Fewer cover options (e.g., no backup right-back or extra midfielder).
Less flexibility for rotation, tactical adjustments, or injury cover.
A direct hit to squad depth in a gruelling competition.

2. Association‑Trained Overload = Over‑Quota Cuts

On top of the club-trained shortfall, Spurs have at least six association-trained candidates vying for just four spots uefa.com.
That means at least two association-trained players will be treated as foreign in UEFA terms—costing valuable non‑locally trained slots or forcing them off List A altogether.

Bottom line?

Even good players like Archie Gray or Djed Spence may lose squad status - not for ability, but because of registration rules.

3. Structural Symptoms of a Bigger Problem

This isn’t a one-off blip - it’s a symptom.

Tottenham Hotspur have:

One club-trained senior player (Brandon Austin),
Rely heavily on foreign imports to build our core,
And consistently sell away academy talents (losing club-trained slots).

They now face a paradox:

Great squad - but
Uefa-ineligible depth.

💡 Immediate Solutions: The Only Way Forward

Sign or Recall Club-Trained Talent
- Bringing in club-trained players like Kyle Walker-Peters or Dennis Cirkin would instantly fill the quota.
- Even if not first-team starts, they free up registration space for other key players.
Capitalize on Club-Trained Exodus
- Spurs could negotiate to buy back former club-trained academy players now playing elsewhere, solidifying their UEFA squad.
- It’s not nostalgia; it’s a necessity under current regulations.

This is the core of Tottenham Hotspur’s challenge:

A broken academy-to-first-team pipeline, combined with overreliance on imports, has created a UCL registration bottleneck.

If Spurs want full-strength squads, strategy has to shift now:

Academy delivery + club-trained signings = UEFA squad compliance & competitive depth.

🌟 Key Club-Trained Targets to Boost Tottenham’s UCL Squad

🛡️ Kyle Walker‑Peters (Right Back) – currently at Southampton

Genuine Spurs academy graduate, left in 2020. Fully qualifies as Club‑Trained.
Out of contract this summer; Spurs have shown clear interest to bring him back spurs-web.com.
Provides experience, positional need, and lets Tottenham Hotspur help the club-trained quota without overloading flexibility.

🟩 Dennis Cirkin (Left Back) – Sunderland

Developed at Spurs - club‑trained - before leaving in 2021.
Sunderland are open to a new contract or departure; Spurs are “interested” in re-signing him talksport.com.
Solid young defender who adds defensive depth and checks the UEFA box.

🧱 Cameron Carter‑Vickers (Centre-Back) – Celtic

Academy graduate - now proven in senior football; fully club-trained
Offers defensive backup with experience in European competition.

⚽ Other Viable Club‑Trained Options

Troy Parrott (Striker, AZ Alkmaar) – Spurs academy product reddit.com.
Japhet Tanganga (Defender, Millwall) – provides CB/RB versatility, homegrown-qualified.
Marcus Edwards (Winger, Burnley) – forward option from academy ranks.
Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp – club‑trained with senior experience.

🧩 How These Signings Solve the UCL Puzzle

Meeting UEFA’s 4‑player Club‑Trained requirement: Adding just two of Walker‑Peters, Cirkin or Carter‑Vickers would elevate Spurs from 1 to 3–4 club-trained players - immediately unlocking a full 25-man List A.
Boosting squad depth: These players aren’t just numbers - they fill positions where Spurs currently lack cover (e.g. left-back, right-back, centre-back, striker). But they aren't really good enough to be honest.
Financially prudent and strategic: Targets like Walker‑Peters and Cirkin are attainable. Walker‑Peters is a free agent and Cirkin’s buy-back window adds leverage.
Long-term academy signalling: Reinvesting in former academy talents sends a public message - Tottenham Hotspur values homegrown development, both in and out of the club.

If Spurs land two of these, the UCL registration crisis is solved on paper - but also in practice: we can field a deeper, more flexible squad in Europe while rebalancing registration categories.

🧬 Fixing the Pipeline: Why Spurs Must Rethink Academy Strategy

Tottenham Hotspur don’t just have a short-term Champions League problem.

We have a long-term identity crisis.

Because a club that can only name one club-trained player in its UEFA squad…

Is a club that has neglected the most sustainable source of squad depth, registration compliance, and cultural continuity - its own academy.

The Brutal Truth

Tottenham Hotspur’s academy isn’t broken.

But it isn’t elite either.

Yes, it has produced Kane, Winks, Skipp, Edwards, and Walker-Peters over the past decade…

But there’s been no consistent conveyor belt of top-level players pushing into the first team—year after year, season after season.

Other top clubs are now investing heavily in their youth infrastructure - not just to produce stars, but to meet UEFA registration rules without compromise.

Meanwhile, Spurs are buying foreign U21s and watching our own academy graduates get sold off or loaned out permanently.

That might balance the books.

But it doesn’t build a future.

I appreciate they are not good enough, and that is part of the problem, but I have to ask, would they have become better players had they received compulsory mind-traaining from a sports psychologist.

It is so frustrating that it is not a proactive role but a reactive role.

They seem to be problem solvers, not ability enhancers.

Venai Venkatesham needs to look at their role, we are missing an opportunity.

The Kaiser Approach, improve every aspect!

What Needs to Happen

This summer must be the turning point.

Tottenham Hotspur’s board, recruitment staff, and football operations team must treat club-trained depth as a strategic priority - not just a bonus.

That means:

Identifying which U17–U19 players can genuinely become List A options in 3 years.
Retaining more of the brightest talents, instead of cashing in at 18 or 19.
Recruiting domestically when signing U21s, so they qualify as association-trained at minimum.
Building a first-team culture that welcomes academy players, rather than burying them beneath £20m backups.

Because when you look at the numbers…

Spurs don’t just need talent.

They need four club-trained players every season.

And that only happens when an academy isn’t just good…

It’s ruthlessly aligned with the first team’s needs and UEFA’s demands.

🚪 The Exit Trap: Why Spurs Keep Losing Their Own Talent

There’s a reason Tottenham Hotspur keep falling short on club-trained players.

And it’s not just because the academy isn’t producing.

It’s because young talent doesn’t want to wait anymore.

Modern Talent Doesn’t Queue — It Moves

The best 18-year-olds don’t see development as a 5-year plan.

They want minutes.

Responsibility.

Relevance.

And if they don’t get that at Tottenham, they leave - chasing senior football wherever they can find it.

Spurs’ academy isn’t leaking talent because it lacks quality…

It’s leaking because it lacks opportunity.

The Loan Model Needs Reinvention

Tottenham’s current loan strategy is reactive.

Too many prospects get sent out to clubs with seemingly no long-term plan - no tactical fit, no development guarantee, no control over their evolution.

Others leave permanently with no safety net.

Clubs like Real Madrid, meanwhile, insist on buy-back clauses.
If a player explodes, they don’t miss out - they re-sign them.

✅ It’s structured.
✅ It’s flexible.
✅ And it keeps control of talent that may just need one or two seasons to grow into a Champions League squad player.

Tottenham Hotspur?
More often than not, we lose that second-chance window.

💡 What Spurs Must Do Next

If Spurs are serious about fixing the club-trained crisis, we can’t rely on sentimental re-signings or hoping the next crop magically breaks through.

We need a multi-pronged strategy, including:

1. Mandatory Buy-Back Clauses for All Academy Sales

Not optional — standard practice.
Set intelligent price tiers based on appearances, promotion clauses, or European qualification.
Learn from Real Madrid’s model and build a return path before the talent leaves the club.

2. Intelligent, Purposeful Loans

Send players to clubs with aligned styles and clear first-team opportunities.
Build relationships with 3–5 “strategic partner clubs” who prioritise our loanees.
Assign internal staff to monitor, feedback, and guide each loanee with a tactical reintegration plan.

3. Truthful Talent Evaluation

Many of the players recently linked as club-trained options - Tanganga, Carter-Vickers, Parrott - aren’t good enough to raise the standard; indeed, they all aren't.
Nostalgia should never override meritocracy.
Tottenham Hotspur must create a pipeline that produces players good enough to improve the squad, not just fill UEFA quotas.

4. Reward-Linked First-Team Pathways

Create a published roadmap from U18s to senior squad.
Offer performance-triggered first-team contracts and rotation opportunities.
Make staying at Tottenham Hotspur the best chance for a young player to reach European football - without needing to leave first.

I'll bang the drum again; wouldn't being world leaders in mentality training give every top player a reason to stay?

This is a no-brainer for me.

Because if the club keeps losing its own players…

Only to buy back lesser versions, three years older, at five times the cost…

Then we’re not running a development system.

We’re running a football orphanage.

🧠 THBN: The Final Word

OK, so you have read this far, now the brains in the room will conclude it for you.

This isn’t about registration quotas.

It’s about identity.

A club that can only name one club-trained player in Europe isn’t short on talent…

It’s short on direction.

Tottenham Hotspur have built a stunning stadium, a world-class training ground, and a squad full of international stars—

But we’ve failed to build a club where top young players stay, develop, and thrive.

We’ve failed to plan for UEFA squad rules.

We’ve failed to extract maximum value from our own academy.

And worst of all?

We’ve failed to build a culture that produces Champions League-level mentalities - not just skillsets.

This has to change.

Tottenham Hotspur must become world leaders in mentality training.

Not reactive sports psychology for players in crisis.

But proactive mental development - daily, embedded, and compulsory.

Because what’s the point of producing technical players if they crumble under pressure?

Or buying back academy players who never learned how to win?

UEFA Champions League football demands more than quality - it demands resilience, composure, and the kind of ruthless edge that doesn’t show up on spreadsheets.

You don’t fix that in the transfer market.

You fix it in the mind.

Spurs can’t afford to be passive anymore.

We need a loan system that develops winners.
A buy-back model that protects late bloomers.
And an academy pipeline that doesn’t just produce players—
…it produces mentality monsters.

If we’re going to win in Europe (again), this is the price of admission.

Club-trained…
Mentally trained…
Tottenham Hotspur-trained.

COYS

Next Article: The start of the Tottenham Hotspur Trophy Series - an 8-part series looking at what Spurs need to do to win trophies regularly

Tottenham Transfer Bits and Bobs - OK over 17 players

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 29 Jun 2025 05:07:00 +0000

Tottenham Transfer Talk: A mixed bag of rumours, valuations, and future prospects — just a few bits & bobs from the summer window.

Good morning folks.

I'm just publishing notes today, rather than full write-ups. I'm sure you can search the web for those.

Yes, I'm being lazy today.

There are plenty on social media who slag off Desting Udogie, even some who think Djed "I only play when I'm motivated" Spence, a right-back, is better when he steps in for Udogie.

CIES Football Observatory, a rather accurate world renowned company have named the top defenders in the world, which is all based on their own valuations.

Their valuations are far more accurate than Transfermarkt, which has been statistically proven.

At number 10 on their list is Destiny Udogie, whom they currently value at €51 million.

Brennan Johnson is the highest valued Spurs player at €52-67m

Tottenham Hotspur finished 17th for shots on target in the Top 5 leagues of Europe, the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

Spurs recorded 4.9 per game.

Liverpool 6.0
Chelsea 5.7
Manchester City 5.5
Bournemouth 5.1
Tottenham Hotspur 4.9

Which all rather proves that if Tottenham have fit defenders, wanting to perform in the Premier League that we would be challenging for a Top 4 place.

We had a vision, we had a tough time and the fans bottled it, leaving the chairman with no real option but to appease the fans by trying to keep the club together.

PR therefore dictated Ange Postecoglou had to go, he, like me, knew what was just around the corner next season.

But the fans we referred to at the top of the piece lack the ability to look past their nose.

Kota Takai

New signing Kota Takai was included in the CIES Under-20 Top 100 after impressive performances in the 2024 Olympics and the 2024 Under-23 Asian Cup.

Tottenham Transfer Talk

Koni De Winter

Koni De Winter is a sought after defender who Spurs are interested in. Italian Serie A side Genoa have set a value of €30 million on him.

Corriere dello Sport reported this week that Tottenham Hotspur are at the forefront of a transfer scramble, having monitored the Belgian closely throughout the season.

Yves Bissouma and Richarlison look like they are going to join José Mourinho at Fenerbahçe SK although there are reports that the Turkish side are growing tired of the Portuguese manager.

Deal for Richarlison will probably be an initial loan deal worth £6.41 million (€7.5m) with an obligation to buy next summer for £21.35 million (€25m). Total deal value £27.76 million (€32.5m).

His contract runs until 2027 but we have been trying to shift him for two years.

I understand the Bissouma fee would be around £17.08 million (€20m) in a loan with an obligation to buy deal. The 28-year-old has been offered a €5 million salary.

Galatasaray are an option.

We have also agreed that the much-maligned striker who helped us win the UEFA Europa League, could join Galatasaray too, so there could be more twists.

Turkey is a financially attractive option for financial reasons as their tax system.

Tax implications: Turkey has relatively favourable tax structures for high earners compared to some European countries.

For established players, the combination of decent wages and lower living costs can make it financially attractive.

Heung-min Son is unlikely to leave before the Asian tour given his commercial importance and when he is sold, any fee will have to reflect that.

Son is contractually obligated to be on the Asian tour and Tottenham Hotspur will have to pay a fine if he does not participate.

Son said his goodbye's to staff and players after the season having achieved his dream of listing a trophy for the club.

OK, what else is going on?

Well, Aston Villa have to sell so Spurs are very interested in taking Jacob Ramsey and I am sure you have probably seen the reports that West Ham United are not going to try for him as they think we have already secured him and that we are just haggling over a fee.

Obviously, Villa want to get as much as possible to address their Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) concerns, with a key deadline approaching on June 30, 2025

Villa are asking £40 million and Newcastle United have mooted a deal involving a swap with Harvey Barnes.

Ramsey is a player Tottenham tried to buy last summer, offering £20 million plus Argentinian international midfielder Giovanni Lo Celso.

The Lilywhites have reached an agreement with Leeds United for 16-year-old striker Oliver Boast who has been playing in their U-18 Premier League side. It's all a part of trying to create a conveyor belt of talent.

The Tottenham Hotspur Academy is there to create professional footballers, to be self-sustainable by selling players and for the cream to force their way into the 1st XI squad.

Hoovering up young talent is a part of that process; we must always be building for the future.

Tottenham Hotspur Targets

Below is a table summarising the key transfer targets, including their current clubs, positions, ages, and approximate fees where available: The top 4 have already signed of course.

Player	Current Club	Position	Age	Approximate Fee
Kota Takai	Kawasaki Frontale	Centre-back	20	£5 million
Luka Vuskovic	Hajduk Split	Centre-back	18	£12 million
Kevin Danso	Lens	Centre-back	26	£21 million
Mathys Tel	Bayern Munich	Forward	20	£29.8 million
Marc Guehi	Crystal Palace	Centre-back	24	Not specified
Morten Hjulmand	Sporting CP	Central Midfielder	24	Around £50 million
Antoine Semenyo	Bournemouth	Right Winger/Forward	25	Not specified
Jack Grealish	Manchester City	Left Winger	29	Not specified (potential loan)
Bryan Mbeumo	Brentford	Forward/Winger	25	£70 million
Yoane Wissa	Brentford	Centre-forward	28	Not specified
Eberechi Eze	Crystal Palace	Midfielder/Winger	25	Not specified
Adem Zorgane	Sporting Charleroi	Midfielder	20	Not specified

This list reflects Tottenham's strategy to enhance their defensive and attacking options, with a mix of young talents and experienced players. Fees for some targets, like Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, remain unclear, indicating ongoing discussions.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with several Serie A players in recent transfer weeks, reflecting our interest in bolstering the squad with talent from Italy.

Here are the key players mentioned in recent reports:

Timothy Weah (Juventus): The Lilywhites are among the clubs showing strong interest in the Juventus forward, with inquiries made about his availability. Weah’s versatility and pace make him an attractive option for Spurs.
Yann Bisseck (Inter Milan): Tottenham are pressing hard to sign the Inter Milan centre-back, with reports indicating that Inter’s chief executive was in London for talks recently. There’s also mention of potential leverage involving our centre-back Radu Dragusin, who Inter have an interest in.
Niccolò Pisilli (AS Roma): Reports suggest Tottenham have agreed a deal in principle to sign the AS Roma midfielder after the U21 European Championship. While his entourage confirmed Spurs’ interest, they denied any formal bid has been made to Roma yet.
Mario Gila (Lazio): Tottenham are among several high-profile clubs, including Chelsea, PSG, and Real Madrid, targeting the 24-year-old Lazio centre-back. His development over recent seasons and versatility make him a potential replacement for Cristian Romero, who has been linked with a move away. A bid around €50 million (£42.5m) could tempt Lazio.
Giovanni Leoni (Parma): Tottenham are considering an opening offer of around €25 million for the 18-year-old Parma central defender, viewed as a wonderkid with significant potential.
Michael Kayode (Fiorentina): Spurs are reportedly in the race for the Fiorentina defender, with a potential deal now closer to £17 million, down from an initial £25 million valuation. Tottenham face competition from Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

These links indicate Tottenham’s active pursuit of Serie A talent, particularly in defensive and attacking roles, as we aim to strengthen our squad under Thomas Frank’s management for the 2025/26 season.

However, none of these deals are confirmed, and negotiations could depend on factors like player contracts, transfer fees, and competition from other clubs.

Lukas Ullrich (Borussia Mönchengladbach): Reports in Germany say we are interested in the 21-year-old left-back from Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Ullrich, who has been compared to Alphonso Davies for his attacking flair, is seen as a potential long-term option for Spurs’ left-back position.

Willian Pacho (Eintracht Frankfurt, Bundesliga, Ecuadorian): A 22-year-old Ecuadorian centre-back, Pacho, was mentioned as a possibility during the 2024 Copa America. Valued at around £60 million by Frankfurt, his progressive passing and aerial presence align with our needs. No recent reports confirm active negotiations, but he remains on Spurs’ radar

Javi Puado (Free Agent, formerly Espanyol): Tottenham have reportedly shown interest in the 26-year-old Spanish winger Javi Puado, who is currently a free agent after his contract with Espanyol expired.

His versatility and availability without a transfer fee make him an appealing option, though no concrete developments have been confirmed.

Miguel Gutierrez (Girona): Tottenham expressed interest in Girona’s left-back Miguel Gutierrez as early as February 2024, with the player reportedly turning down other clubs due to his dream of returning to Real Madrid, who hold a buyback clause.

Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and Chelsea are also monitoring the situation, but no recent updates confirm Tottenham’s pursuit in the 2025 window.

Georges Mikautadze (Lyon): We are reportedly keeping a close watch on Lyon’s 24-year-old Georgian forward, who had an impressive 2024/25 season with 17 goals and 11 assists. Spurs are said to be preparing a concrete offer, with Juventus also in the race. Lyon’s off-field financial issues could accelerate a potential move, making Mikautadze a key target to replace Richarlison.

Malick Fofana (Lyon): According to reports, Tottenham have shown interest in Lyon’s winger Malick Fofana. The 20-year-old’s pace and versatility make him an attractive option for Spurs. No formal bid has been confirmed, but his profile aligns with Thomas Frank’s preference for fast, direct players.

Randal Kolo Muani (PSG, on loan at Juventus): We have retained interest in the French striker, who is currently on loan at Juventus from PSG. Reports indicate Spurs were interested in January 2025, and our pursuit continues into the summer window. It remains unclear whether Juventus or PSG will keep Kolo Muani, but our interest suggests we see him as a potential addition to their forward line.

Outside the big 5 leagues, there are rumours about:

Aleksandar Mitrovic (Al-Hilal, Saudi Pro League): Tottenham are reportedly interested in the 30-year-old Serbian striker, who is considering a return to European football. Mitrovic’s Premier League experience with Fulham and his goal-scoring form in Saudi Arabia make him a potential target to replace Richarlison. Everton are very keen on signing him..
Hamza Igamane (Rangers, Scottish Premiership): The young Moroccan forward has been linked with Tottenham Hotspur among other Premier League clubs. His performances in Scotland have caught attention, but no concrete negotiations have been reported, and his transfer remains speculative at this stage.
Yankuba Minteh (Feyenoord, Eredivisie): We are monitoring the young Gambian winger, who has also attracted interest from other clubs. Minteh’s pace and potential make him a fit for Frank’s attacking system, though no formal bid has been confirmed.

Transfer Strategy

Tottenham’s transfer activity demonstrates our focus on young, high-potential players who can develop into first-team regulars or provide long-term value.

The signing of Takai reflects technical director Johan Lange’s data-driven approach, targeting players who score highly on metrics and fit Thomas Frank’s tactical setup. However, I suspect the Japanese player was found by Ange Postecoglou.

The interest in players like Mitrovic and Minteh suggests Spurs are also exploring established talent from emerging or secondary leagues to add depth and experience, particularly in attack.

That will do as a very basic roundup for today.

COYS

A New Dawn at Hotspur Way: Is a Winning Mentality Finally Taking Root?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 06:30:00 +0000

A new dawn at Hotspur Way: fresh light, fresh mentality — the winning edge Spurs fans crave.

📌The Culture Shift Spurs Fans Have Been Waiting For

As a passionate Spurs fan, who, like Glenn Hoddle, has a heart condition, well, two actually, I've seen my fair share of ups and downs.

We've had moments of brilliance, periods of frustration, and a consistent yearning for that elusive winning edge.

I repeat, many fans, indeed, most people do not have a winning mentality; they have a normal mentality, a mentality of someone who tries to win.

But a winning mentality is much more than that.

Harry Kane employed his own chef to work on his nutrition, for instance.

I have deliberately taken some time to let the dust settle and think about the bigger corporate vision after the tremendous work Ange Postecoglou did.

So I had to look at the situation in a different way to fans and it drew me to ask this:

Is a seismic shift underway at Tottenham Hotspur?

Because it feels like the club is finally embracing a true winning mentality – a culture that goes beyond just wanting to win, but truly believing in it, and acting accordingly,

I have my initial reservations about Thomas Frank, as you know, but I'm interested to hear a few press conferences to see what can be gleaned.

I'm hoping these press conferences are better than his initial PR interview.

This isn't just about results on the pitch; it's about a fundamental change in the club's DNA, from the boardroom to the training ground.

I think Ange Postecoglou was the most important head coach we have had since Bill Nicholson, and that he has shown the club the difference between a winning mentality and the common or garden mentality virtually all of the population has.

He has kick started a culture change and we are seeing it being played out.

Since when does Daniel Levy come out and say we want to win the Premier League, we want to win the UEFA Champions League?

He didn't pre-Ange!

Let's delve into the recent developments that suggest we're on the cusp of something special.

The Winds of Change: Departures and Arrivals

The recent news of Scott Munn being placed on gardening leave [1] and the retirement of long-serving executive director Donna Cullen [2] are more than just personnel changes; they signal a clear intent from the club to reshape its leadership structure.

Donna Cullen, a significant figure at Spurs for over two decades, including nearly two decades on the board, has been a constant presence.

Her departure, alongside Munn's, suggests a deliberate move to bring in fresh perspectives and align the club's administrative side with its ambitious on-field goals.

Into this evolving landscape steps Vinai Venkatesham as the new Chief Executive Officer [3].

Venkatesham's arrival is particularly noteworthy given his background at Arsenal, where he held various key roles, including CEO.

This appointment, coupled with Daniel Levy's explicit declaration of aiming to win the Premier League and Champions League [4], paints a vivid picture of a club no longer content with merely competing, but truly striving for the pinnacle of European football.

Ange Postecoglou: The Catalyst for a New Mindset

While the sacking of Ange Postecoglou [5] might seem contradictory to a narrative of positive change, it's crucial to understand the context.

Postecoglou, a self-proclaimed 'serial winner,' brought a refreshing honesty and a clear philosophy to the club.

He consistently spoke about the importance of a winning mentality, often stating that simply wanting to win isn't enough, as every team wants to win.

A true winning mentality, he argued, is something deeper, something ingrained in the very fabric of the club.

His comments before the UEFA Europa League final, where he revealed that even some club staff expected Spurs to fail [6], were incredibly telling.

This highlighted a deep-seated issue within the club – a culture of pessimism and a lack of belief, even among those working behind the scenes.

That comes about because of the mass of negativity on social media. The fans on there have a lot to answer for.

They don't know it, but they are and have been a noose around the club's neck.

Postecoglou was actively trying to dismantle this ingrained negativity, pushing for a mindset where success is not just hoped for, but expected and worked towards relentlessly.

Vision, Belief, and Positivity: The Pillars of a Winning Mentality

As a long-time observer of the club, I wholeheartedly agree that vision, belief, and positivity are the cornerstones of a genuine winning mentality.

It's not enough to simply have talent; you need a clear vision of where you're going, an unwavering belief in your ability to get there, and a positive outlook that fuels resilience in the face of adversity.

For too long, perhaps, Spurs have lacked this collective conviction.

We've seen flashes of brilliance, but often, when the pressure mounted, the belief seemed to waver.

Seven finals under Daniel Levy, but only two trophies testify to that.

Postecoglou, despite his short tenure, started to instill this.

He challenged the status quo, demanding a higher standard of thought and action.

His emphasis on playing a certain way, regardless of the opponent, was a manifestation of this vision and belief.

He wanted players and staff to embrace the challenge, to believe in their system, and to approach every game with a positive, attacking mindset.

It wasn't the skill level that needed changing, it wasn't the system that needed changing, it was the mentality and that is how he set about it.

Winners don't shy away from all or nothing, they welcome it.

The safety-first mentality was what was keeping Spurs back.

My fervent hope is that Daniel Levy and the board have had a lightbulb moment and are now looking to improve the league position, but from a winning mentality perspective.

It's a part of a bigger picture, a bigger mental picture, because if that is the case, then we are in business.

Are Spurs Finally Getting It?

The recent executive changes, coupled with Daniel Levy’s significant, bold declarations, suggest a concerted effort to align the entire club with a winning philosophy.

The appointment of Vinai Venkatesham, a proven operator from a rival club, signifies a desire for fresh, results-driven leadership off the pitch.

This, combined with the clear statement of intent from Levy regarding Premier League and Champions League aspirations, indicates a departure from past perceived hesitations or a focus solely on financial stability.

While the departure of Ange Postecoglou was a shock to many, it can be viewed through the lens of this evolving mentality.

Perhaps the club felt that to truly reach the next level, an even more radical shift was required, or that a different approach was needed to complement the newfound ambition.

It’s a ruthless decision, but winning mentality often demands ruthlessness. It’s about making the tough calls that serve the ultimate goal, even if they are unpopular in the short term.

The key question for us, the fans, is whether these changes will translate into sustained success and a tangible shift in the team’s on-field performance and resilience.

A winning mentality isn't just about hiring the right people or making bold statements; it's about fostering an environment where every individual, from the players to the tea lady, believes in the collective vision and is empowered to contribute to it.

This is the bit fans don't get. The business has to have a winning mentality, too.

They must buy into the vision and believe, they will perform better if they do.

It’s about building a culture where failure is a learning opportunity, not a confirmation of inherent weakness.

For too long, the narrative around Spurs has been one of 'Spursy' moments – moments where we snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, or fail to capitalise on opportunities.

This is precisely what a true winning mentality seeks to eradicate, yet our fans try to perpetuate it on social media.

It’s about developing the mental fortitude to see out games, to overcome setbacks, and to consistently perform at the highest level.

The Road Ahead

The signs are certainly promising.

The clear ambition from the top, the strategic changes in key personnel, and the foundational work laid by individuals like Ange Postecoglou in challenging the old guard, all point towards a club that is serious about shedding its past inhibitions.

As fans, our role is to embrace this shift, to maintain our belief, and to support the team with the positivity that a winning mentality demands.

It won't be easy, and there will undoubtedly be bumps along the road.

But I feel a genuine sense of optimism that Tottenham Hotspur is not just talking about winning, but actively building the infrastructure and fostering the mindset required to achieve it.

The journey to becoming consistent winners is long, but with vision, belief, and unwavering positivity, I believe we are finally on the right track.

THBN The Final Word

It is my view that Daniel Levy has a great vision for this club, he can see it in his mind's eye.

Building the infrastructure to be able to support on-field success had to be put in place first.

I think he has a vision for the playing side too.

That area may not be his forte, but he knows what he wants: a conveyor belt of high-quality quality coming out of the Academy to provide the club with players capable of winning the Premier League and Champions League consistently.

Now, the problem with this is, it's his vision, he can see it clearly.

The problem arises when you bring other people into help build that vision because they probably see a different version of it, achieved in a slightly different way.

Maybe, just maybe, Daniel Levy is no, that's not what I see, I want it done like this.

I can explain a vision to you and you can tell me you understand it, but you don't understand it like I do and there is the problem.

The people Daniel Levy has brought in, clearly feel they see his vision, but they haven't been able to deliver it, therefore, they get changed.

Make no mistake, Spurs are building a youthful side to be supplemented by youth from the Academy and eventually, replaced by youth from the Academy.

Everything is being built towards that vision and should be judged against that vision.

Do you see!

References

[1] [Alasdair Gold] Tottenham Hotspur's chief football officer Scott Munn ... - Reddit. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.reddit.com/r/coys/comments/1lik2aq/alasdair_gold_tottenham_hotspurs_chief_football/ [2] Long-serving Tottenham executive Donna-Maria Cullen announces ... - The Athletic. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6396969/2025/06/02/tottenham-donna-maria-cullen-exit/ [3] Tottenham Hotspur appoints Vinai Venkatesham as Chief Executive ... - Tottenham Hotspur. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2025/april/tottenham-hotspur-appoints-vinai-venkatesham-as-chief-executive-officer/ [4] Levy wants Spurs to be Premier League winners - Yahoo Sports. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sports.yahoo.com/article/levy-wants-spurs-premier-league-205257070.html [5] Club statement - Ange Postecoglou departs - Tottenham Hotspur. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/2025/june/club-statement-ange-postecoglou-departs/ [6] Ange Postecoglou challenges his Tottenham players to BREAK the ... - Daily Mail. (n.d.). Retrieved from Daily Mail

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