Tottenham’s end to the Premier League campaign could define the success of the club over the next five to 10 years, with their future hinging on a late surge to secure a Champions League spot.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s disastrous appointment and sacking put the pressure on at the start of the season as Spurs dwelled over a permanent replacement for Jose Mourinho and eventually settled on the Portuguese manager after failing to convince a number of other targets.
However, he proved to be completely the wrong man for the job and lasted until November and a 3-0 home defeat to Manchester United. Antonio Conte, their top choice in the summer, eventually agreed to take his place in the Tottenham dugout.
After an excellent start featuring an unbeaten run of nine matches which gave hope of a push towards a top-four finish, momentum has been stymied by a run of three straight defeats to Chelsea, Southampton and Wolves. Spurs are now considered outsiders behind Manchester United, West Ham and Arsenal to finish among the Champions League places, and even being backed at 4/5 odds in the outright Premier League betting markets to finish in the top six.
Given the way the club is trending both on and off the field, placing in the top four has never been more important to Spurs’ hopes of remaining a presence among the elite sides in the Premier League. They now have the best manager they have had in their history in the Premier League since it was formed in 1992.
Conte’s CV speaks for itself in terms of his success in England by winning the top-flight crown with Chelsea, but also in Italy with multiple Scudettos with Juventus and one with Inter Milan to break the Bianconeri’s stranglehold of Serie A. However, he will only remain if Tottenham continues to match his ambitions, and will not be short of suitors for the prominent managerial position if they were to become available such as Paris Saint-Germain.
Harry Kane requested to leave the club last summer, with Manchester City circling for his signature. Kane will be 29 in July and the window to get maximum value for their star man is closing as he approaches the age of 30. Given that the England captain has not been at the peak of his powers this term, there’s every implication that he is not content at Tottenham.
At this stage of his career, Kane will be want to be playing Champions League football, not only to prove himself at the highest level but also to hone his skills ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Unless Spurs can make a push for the top four, they may have seen the last of the forward in the same vein as Gareth Bale left for Real Madrid.
Spurs do have the advantage of boasting games in hand over their rival, which could give them a massive boost should they regain momentum towards the end of the season. Failure is not an option for the club as the consequences both short and long term look perilous given the look of the squad, with top quality outside of Kane and Son Heung-Min thin to say the least. Unless Tottenham seizes their chance now, their future could emulate Everton’s struggles in the bottom half of the table.
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