FA, Redknapp and unlucky Spurs

Perhaps it was my own naivety that led me to believe, even for an instant that Tottenham Hotspur finally had a chance to push for the Premier League title. Maybe it was just the excitement of a new challenger, or the fact that they were playing some of the best football in the Premier League at the time. Whatever grounds those feelings were based on, they have ultimately been proven false.

From supposed dark horses looking at Premier League glory with renewed optimism, Tottenham’s Champions League hopes for next season are now in serious threat with Newcastle now level on points and Chelsea lurking only two points behind. Two wins at home to Bolton and Swansea have been sandwiched by weeks and weeks of poor form, and have proven the difference between taking third spot at a canter and desperately holding onto fourth. The win against Bolton was preceded by a five match winless streak in the Premier League, whilst the Swansea win has been followed by another two Premier League games without a win, as well as a crushing, if somewhat controversial, 5-1 loss at Wembley against London rivals and Champions League qualifying hopefuls Chelsea.

With five games to play, Tottenham’s run in looks reasonably favourable. Queens Park Rangers, Blackburn Rovers, Bolton Wanderers, Aston Villa and Fulham are the five sides that Tottenham will have to perform against to secure Champions League qualification. There is no doubting that at their best, these are five fixtures that Tottenham are more than capable of picking up maximum points, but the biggest questions of Tottenham are not of their playing ability, it is of their mentality.

Since the 5-2 mauling at the hands of Arsenal, Tottenham have looked an increasingly fragile team. That result signalled the start of Arsenal’s fantastic revival, which has since resulted in the Gunners catching up with what many believed to be an untenable lead that Tottenham had built in the preceding weeks. They were aided in that cause by Tottenham’s own implosion, losing to Everton, Norwich as well as dropping points at home to Stoke City.

Perhaps there is no coincidence that such fragility has become so prevalent since the resignation of Fabio Capello. The vacancy in the England senior managerial position ahead of the upcoming European Championships has undoubtedly tempted Harry Redknapp and, without jumping to rash conclusions, one must wonder what role the incessant speculation has had on Redknapp and in turn his side.

At 65 years of age, Harry Redknapp knows that this could be his last chance at the top job, and the temptation might prove just too much for a man whose fairytale managerial career, which started in 1983 at lowly Bournemouth, could be set for its greatest calling yet.

I wrote in February that perhaps the best solution for Tottenham, The FA and Redknapp himself would be the appointment of Redknapp to the England manager’s job on a strictly short term basis, ending with the conclusion of England’s campaign at the European Championships. Doing so would have ended the incessant speculation about the job, allowing Redknapp peace of mind for the remainder of the Premier League season, as well as giving him a chance to get a feel for the job in the friendly against the Netherlands, which was eventually handed to the interim manager, Stuart Pierce who is hardly the most likely candidate to be England’s man heading into the Euros.

As it has panned out, the biggest losers in the whole ordeal has probably been Tottenham. With Redknapp seemingly left in the lurch over the England position, Tottenham’s league form has dropped and the usually outspoken manager has gone uncharacteristically quiet.

England may still go with Redknapp come the conclusion of the Premier League season, but at what cost to Tottenham?

One should not underestimate the importance of Champions League qualification this season to Tottenham’s aspirations to cement a place in the Premier League elite over the coming seasons. Scott Parker summed it up best, suggesting it was “fourth or bust” for the North London outfit, and one cannot help but feel that it is the services of Luka Modric, Rafael Van der Vaart and Gareth Bale beyond this season that Tottenham are playing for, as well as Champions League football next campaign.

With Newcastle United breathing down their necks, and top four regulars Chelsea hitting fine form themselves, it would be a little tragic to watch Tottenham throw away a brilliant season that offered so much promise so despondently. After a crushing semi-final loss at Wembley, Tottenham’s backs are well and truly against the wall, and even with a seemingly straightforward fixture list to navigate, they will need to find a renewed spirit within them to secure the all important fourth spot.