Thanks to my friend THFC Steff for this article:-
TIME TO DIG DEEP AND SEE IF THERE'S ANYTHING THERE
In the heat of a big football defeat, tempers fray, words are screamed, fingers point and action is taken. The most obvious targets when a football team loses matches are the players; they're the ones who look for the ball, they're the ones charged with the responsibility of keeping the bloody thing for 90 minutes, and they're the ones who should occasionally let go of it in the other team's net, say, four or five times.
We can point the fingers at Keller (keepers have bad days, and I only hold Kasey as boob-worthy for the third), Thatcher (simply awful again), the entire midfield bar Freund, Teddy (the legs aren't there), I could go on and on of course, but the point is that it's missing the point. Were this the first time this season we've been out-played, that would be a different story; a one-off; a blip from which we could learn.
But it isn't. Boro and the arse away stick out as comparatively shite performances, and the idea is that you learn from such dire efforts and make sure they do not happen again. I say 'you', I really mean 'them'...the management.
Before I am accused of starting an anti-Glenn bandwagon (nothing could be further from the truth as I believe he will need one more season at least to get it working) I would like to make a few things clear.
1) Leadership starts at the top, and the leadership you show trickles through to others.
2) Great leaders are the ones who can, in times of crisis, evaluate themselves, criticise their own efforts and constructively change and accomodate some new ideas and approaches before going to their playing staff and demanding more.
3) Great leaders never shirk the truth.
I think Glenn needs to wake up. Wake up to the fact that somewhere, Spurs are suffering from a personality crisis, a lack of confidence, a lack of belief and therefore a lack of deep spirit. The players on Saturday were shambolic; unfit (IMO), lethargic, slow to everything and completely lacking in proper shape. Now I know Glenn can be good, I (hope) Glenn will be the man who brings us back to glory, but in order to do so, Glenn has to be able to look at a day like this, look at what didn't happen, take in the previous 3 defeats and take it on his shoulders. We are lacking guile and a killer instinct, and it's hard to believe that this is NOT down to Glenn.
We can pontificate all we want on 3-5-2, 4-4-2, Ziege's injury and so on, but the fact remains that we supposedly have a squad he's fairly happy with yet we lack the desire to finish, punish or attack situations.
This goes right through to the top. It's fine to say that the board must give him money, but Glenn must step up and demand it, must be prepared to say (for the good of the club) 'give me what I need or I quit!'
I personally hope Glenn sits down, thinks about what he could do and starts to really learn from such setbacks. Could he not be tougher in team situations and replace the aging starters, giving them bench space when necessary, otherwise utilizing their talents and knowledge elsewhere? Could he not settle on a formation and stick with it? Ed: Hear, hear to that!Could he not demand more of the players, insist on the type of spirit and resolve simpler chaps like Ferguson and Moyes demand? I think he could. And I hope he does. I hope the dark whispers of Glenn being 'unable' to man-manage, of being 'aloof' and of being somewhat untouchable are just that, whispers.
But make no mistake about it, this is a crunch time. We got the wholesale changes most of us demanded two years ago, we got the legend back and now we need to deliver. Yes, the football has been much better, but the attitude and spirit of this club is what needs the most work, especially now, and we will soon find out if Glenn can be the master motivator we really need him to be right now, or is he will merely tinker some more and continue to put his trust in the old boys network which right now isn't doing anything for anyone.
I love Glenn, I want him to succeed, but if we are to state that Saturday's performance was shit, then we must accept that shit rolls downhill. And therefore if, as has been said before, Glenn really does have the final say at the club, then he must be ready to stand up, be counted and re-load.
Make no mistake about it, Glenn Hoddle is the man who can change things. But he must be willing to make changes to himself first...
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