Tottenham Hotspur: From Champions League runners-up to the brink of relegation, what exactly happened?

When it comes to Tottenham Hotspur, many people’s first reaction is “ups and downs.” A few years ago, they were still in the Champions League final, enjoying unlimited glory, but what about now? Their performance has plummeted, and they are even hovering on the brink of relegation.
Such dramatic changes inevitably lead people to ask: What has happened to Tottenham?

Today, we will talk about the story of Tottenham over the past few years. It is not as simple as losing games or changing coaches, but rather the result of a series of poor decisions, management chaos, and changes in the external environment.

1. The glory days

Let’s first revisit Tottenham’s former glory days. In 2019, under the leadership of Mauricio Pochettino, they reached the Champions League final, though they ultimately lost to Liverpool. Still, it marked the best performance in the club’s history. That year, their new stadium also officially opened—a state-of-the-art facility with advanced amenities and an excellent fan experience. Meanwhile, the club’s revenue had entered the global top ten, and the future seemed bright.

At that time, Tottenham Hotspur not only performed well, but also had a relatively stable tactical system. They relied on their youth training system to develop new players, such as Kane, Alli, and Eriksen, who were all brought up by the club. Coupled with their good performance in European competitions, most people believed that Tottenham Hotspur had transformed from the second-best team in North London into a genuine contender for the title.

2. The Pochettino Era: Potential, but Lacking the Finishing Touch

When discussing Tottenham’s golden era, one cannot overlook the role of their then-manager, Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine coach was highly skilled at developing young players, maximizing the potential of limited resources. Under his leadership, Tottenham consistently finished in the top four and made deep runs in the Champions League.

However, the issue lies here: while Pochettino could elevate the team to a high level, he often fell short in crucial moments. For instance, the Champions League final loss to Liverpool and multiple missed opportunities to challenge for the league title. His coaching style leaned toward a technical approach, emphasizing ball possession and teamwork, but this made the team vulnerable to counterattacks from stronger opponents.

To put it bluntly, he was more of a “coach with potential,” who could give you hope but not necessarily help you achieve your dreams. Later, due to declining results and dressing room conflicts, he was sacked at the end of 2019, which marked the beginning of Tottenham’s decline.

3. Mourinho arrived, but the results were not as expected

After Pochettino’s departure, Tottenham brought in Jose Mourinho, known for his “win-at-all-costs” mentality. This Portuguese coach has won numerous titles, so it was expected that he could stabilize the team and push for higher goals.

However, reality fell short of expectations. After taking charge, Mourinho failed to improve the team’s performance, and instead made some puzzling decisions. For instance, he suddenly replaced the coach just days before the League Cup final, which left many fans and observers baffled. Many believed that Tottenham’s management acted impulsively and lacked long-term planning.

Another key issue is money. Tottenham’s owner, Levy, is known for being very careful with money and unwilling to invest too much in new players. Mourinho wanted to strengthen the squad, but found that he had very little money to spend and couldn’t buy the right players. As a result, the team’s fighting spirit did not improve, and internal conflicts increased.

4. Conte takes over, but still can’t escape the vicious circle

After Mourinho’s departure, Tottenham brought in Italian star coach Conte. Known for his tough style and pragmatic approach, Conte had enjoyed success at Juventus and Chelsea.

Unfortunately, Conte was also unable to break the spell. He originally wanted to strengthen the squad through the transfer market, but the management remained stingy and unwilling to provide sufficient budget.Furthermore, Conte has a strong personality and often clashed with the club’s senior management. In the end, both sides parted ways on bad terms, and Conte left the club early.

At this point, Tottenham’s problems were no longer as simple as frequent coaching changes. The real problem was that the entire club lacked a unified strategic direction, and there was a lack of trust between the management and the coach, which meant that every coaching change was like trial and error rather than a solution to the problem.

5. The pandemic made matters worse, and failed signings proved fatal

Just as Tottenham was in turmoil, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, causing a huge shock to the entire football industry. For a new stadium that relies on matchday revenue, this was undoubtedly a heavy blow. Without spectators in the stands, ticket and catering revenues fell sharply, and the club’s financial pressure increased dramatically.

To make matters worse, some of the foreign players who had been signed at high prices were performing poorly. For example, Ndombele and Lo Celso were both expensive signings, but their performances fell far short of expectations. Spending a lot of money without getting the expected return further weakened the team’s overall strength.

6. Returning to the youth training route, but with little effect

In this situation, Tottenham decided to adjust its strategic direction from short-term competition for the championship to long-term development.They began to focus on youth training and hired Australian coach Postecoglou, who is known for his ability to develop young players.

The new coach brought a brand-new tactical philosophy, such as high pressing, center backs carrying the ball forward, and wingbacks tucking inside to control the midfield. These tactics sound modern and eye-catching, but in practice, there are still many issues.

Firstly, the defense was plagued by injuries, leading to frequent defensive lapses. Secondly, against opponents who adopted a compact defensive setup, the attack often struggled to break through. While the matches were entertaining to watch, the results were far from satisfactory. Fans joked, “It’s fun to watch, but we’re still losing.”

Currently, Tottenham are near the bottom of the Premier League table, with only a few points separating them from the relegation zone. If this continues, they may really have to fight to stay up. It’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, they were considered one of the six giants of the Premier League, and now they’re worried about relegation.

7. What is the way forward?

The biggest problem facing Tottenham right now is not a particular coach or player, but rather the club’s overall operational model. The management is too frugal and unwilling to invest in key positions; coaches are replaced frequently, lacking continuity; and player signings have been riddled with mistakes, wasting a significant amount of funds.

To break out of this rut, Tottenham must make changes. For example:

• The management needs to establish a clear long-term strategy and stop changing course on a whim;
• Player recruitment must be targeted and not blindly spend money;
• The coaching team must have sufficient support and not be replaced at the drop of a hat;
• The youth training system must continue to be invested in, but existing competitiveness must not be completely abandoned.

In summary, Tottenham’s problems are complex and typical. They were once close to success, but now they are mired in a quagmire. To rise again, they will need not only time, but also wisdom and patience.

Conclusion: Don’t forget your original intention, don’t lose your faith

Although Tottenham Hotspur is currently breaking the hearts of its fans, as a club with a long history, it still has a huge fan base and supporters. As long as it stays on the right track, it will return to the top one day.

But before that, we may need to prepare a few extra tissues—after all, watching Tottenham Hotspur play may bring more tears than goals.