What do Tottenham fans expect?

The issue of fans booing their own team and showing how unbelievably fickle they can be raised it’s head again on Tuesday evening at White Hart Lane.

Displeasure

Tottenham drew their Premier League fixture with Sunderland 1-1 and some fans showed their displeasure by booing off the team. Maybe you could understand the frustration if you simply looked at their last few league games in which they have drawn at home to Everton and lost at Bolton and Manchester United. After all, that makes it four games without a win.

I’ve seen some Tottenham fans on internet forums saying that they are not happy with the team and that Harry Redknapp needs to start backing up his claims that this is the best Tottenham side for years.

Incredible

I have to say that I find this quite incredible and I am sure that a majority of genuine Tottenham fans would be equally shocked by this reaction.

Let’s get things in perspective. In the game against Sunderland, Tottenham had 55% of the possession. They had twenty attempts on goal against eight from Sunderland and they had seventeen corners to Sunderland’s three. Tottenham just had one of those nights when they played well but couldn’t get the win. Even Sunderland boss Steve Bruce admitted, “we rode our luck.”

Picture

The bigger picture shows that prior to the Sunderland game, Tottenham were lying in seventh place in the Premier League. Their run of four games without a win in the league was around a 3-1 Champions League win against the European Champions Inter Milan. Yes, that’s right, Tottenham in the Champions League!

Tottenham have only ever finished higher than seventh place in the Premier League on three occasions, including last season. Their fourth placed finish last season was their highest ever Premier League finish. Their participation in this season’s Champions League is their first foray into Europe’s premier competition since 1962.

Finish

Tottenham fans haven’t seen their team finish in the top three for twenty years and they haven’t seen their team win the top flight for forty years.

I think it is fair to say that this is the best Tottenham side for several years.

After the game, Harry Redknapp understandably questioned just what the fans’ problem was.

Moan

“What have they got to moan about? They’ve seen some of the best football in recent times here, I don’t think anyone can be disappointed with us. Anyone who enjoys watching football has to enjoy how we’re playing. I do for sure. We’re a really good team and we’ll go on to be fantastic one. We couldn’t have done any more. We couldn’t have tried any harder.”

With scarcely disguised sarcasm Redknapp pointed out that expectations of the fans may be unrealistic.

“The supporters had it so good over the years, you see. When you keep winning league championships every year, you get upset when you don’t win.”

Stress

You have to wonder whether Premier League managers sometimes question if it is worth all the stress and hassle when fans react in this way.

I would say to the Tottenham fans that they should maybe recognise that they have a great manager, a great team and have got it pretty good.