The Sad Story of Tottenham Hotspur

In Greek mythology there is the myth of Sisyphus, the man who was tasked with rolling a large boulder up an also large hill. However, every time the boulder would get near the top it would roll back down the hill without fail. It is such a story that relates to the woe of Tottenham Hotspur, that wee little club in North London that so desperately wants to get that boulder to the top of the hill but will fail every time. Yesterday, Tottenham watched the boulder come crashing down yet again this season as they were felled by their hated rivals, Arsenal. With the team now out of the race for Champions League and reeling in the race for Europa League, it's time for them to face some facts.

Arsenal and Spurs had their first match in 1887 but weren't considered rivals until 1913. It was then that Arsenal made the bold decision to move into North London, just four miles away from White Hart Lane, the home of Spurs. Since then each match between the two is known as a North London Derby, one of Europe's fiercest rivalries. The rivalry has continued on and off the pitch with one theme persisting throughout the years: Arsenal's ability to always beat them. For example, in 1919 the English First Division expanded by two teams and there was a vote to elect which teams would get those spots. The first spot was awarded to Chelsea, who despite being in a relegation zone were allowed to stay. This left one spot open and both Arsenal and Spurs bid on the spot. Spurs had finished in 20th and were confident of their chances. Arsenal however had finished 6th in the Second Division. Arsenal won the spot with 18 votes going in their favor while Tottenham was snubbed. Incidents like this have given Tottenham somewhat of a spurned younger brother feeling in that they have been without fail second to Arsenal throughout their existence. The statistics tell a similar story as Tottenham claim 49 league wins against Arsenal compared to Arsenal's 66. Tottenham's trophy cabinet displays 14 domestic trophies while Arsenal have claimed 25 (also Arsenal has 13 league titles while Tottenham can only claim 2. Their last one coming in 1961).

Spurs have had their share of great players over the years, like Gareth Bale. However, rarely has that turned into the success they desire.

Tottenham, despite this second rate status, have been trying for years to elevate themselves not only into England's elite circle but Europe's as well. They are a rather popular worldwide, the 12th most supported team in the world with numbers estimated at around 11m. However, every time that Spurs believe that they have elevated themselves to that level, they soon learn otherwise. Their rivalry with Arsenal has always been viewed as a benchmark game, one that would signify that they are ready to compete in Europe. This isn't exactly an ill-concieved notion, Arsenal have proved over the years that they can compete on an even level with any team in Europe even in recent years where they have lost many of their best players. Spurs have claimed victories against Arsenal over the years which are then followed up by crushing blows in the next game between the two. In the past two seasons, Tottenham has been locked in a race with Arsenal for a spot in the top 4. Last season in particular, Spurs enjoyed a 7 point lead in the standings at one point, which they then quickly bottled and found themselves out of Europe's top competition yet again. Driven by this failure, Tottenham then recommitted themselves to their European dream, which is how we come to the present.

Spurs success during the 2012-2013 season was entirely driven by superstar Gareth Bale. A typical Spurs match would have them play mediocrely for about an hour before getting a highlight reel goal from Gareth Bale to literally steal away the three points. Despite Bale's best efforts, Tottenham still found themselves behind Arsenal and out of a spot in the top 4 at the end of the season. Rumours swirled about Gareth Bale being courted by Real Madrid. Knowing that keeping Bale away from Madrid would be impossible, Tottenham then went on a spending spree to rebuild. The idea was that Tottenham would lose their star but would make the team as a whole better. The spending spree yielded Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Christian Eriksen, Vlad Chiriches, Etienne Capoue, and Erik Lamela. Spurs fans were ecstatic, their team had the financial muscles and seemingly the talent to compete with England's elite. There was even belief that maybe Spurs could win the league. Flash forward to the present: Spurs currently sit in 5th place, 7 points behind 4th place Manchester City who have three games in hand. Spurs goal differential is -1 and they can't claim a single win against any of the teams in the top 4. The seven summer signings have been abysmal, only Eriksen and Chiriches have made positive contributions. Soldado has struggled to find the net from anywhere except the penalty spot, Chadli and Paulinho have been ineffective on the field, and Lamela (a record signing by the way) has struggled with form, injuries, and just about everything since joining Spurs. The fact that Emmanuel Adebayor, an ostracized man at the start of the season, has been Spurs best player has been telling.

The summer signings were meant to signify a new era at Tottenham. Instead, they've led to greater regression

The signs were there from the beginning. In August, Arsenal, who hadn't yet made a single move that transfer window, beat Spurs team which had just had 100 million invested in it. Tottenham's losses to Arsenal have only been by one goal however. Their losses against Manchester City and Liverpool have been even more of a reminder that Spurs still can't compete with England's elite. A 3-1 loss to Benfica at home in the Europa League should be a reminder that they aren't ready for Europe either. All of this have made one thing abundantly clear: Spurs have no identity. Or perhaps they do, as second fiddle to Arsenal. All jokes aside however, this season has brought Tottenham's lack of a history and identity to the forefront. They lack the trophy cabinets of Arsenal, Liverpool, and Manchester United and they lack the cash reserves of Manchester City and Chelsea. The biggest part of their identity is their rivalry with Arsenal. However, results like the one yesterday prove that Spurs still lag behind Arsenal in not just talent but mental toughness as well. There isn't even a defined Spurs style of play. Arsenal is known for their fluid passing, Chelsea for their defensive discipline, City and Liverpool with their attacking flair. There is no pride in a player wearing the Spurs shirt, no loyalty to the club. Rather, Spurs represents a stepping stone towards bigger things. Spurs have rarely had a player like Tony Adams, Frank Lampard, or Steven Gerrard; a player who lives and breathes the spirit of the club. The players lack a pride for the shirt which could come from the fact the team is made up mostly of internationals. Manchester City makes that work because they have the money to afford any player they want and the collective individual talent seems to work out. Arsenal make it work because of international exposure, international players grew up supporting Arsenal and want to play for them. Spurs have no such cash reserves and no such international reputation. Spurs manager Tim Sherwood said after the Arsenal loss that perhaps Spurs need to sink to dark depths in order to come out well on the other side, using Liverpool's resurgence this season as an example. However, Liverpool will always be able to lean on their history and reputation even in dark times. There will always be players who will want to play for Liverpool because they grew up supporting them, even if they're not English. Liverpool also have a strong leader with a vision in Brendan Rodgers. Tottenham have yet to find a manager of that caliber.

(Here comes the part that is more difficult. I, an Arsenal fan, have to try and say nice things about Spurs)

Spurs need to build around players like Eriksen

What we have here is a matter of a small football club trying to be something it's not. Football is very much a traditionalist and elitist sport and it can be very difficult to break into that elite circle without huge financial backing or a once in a generation manager like Alex Ferguson or Arsene Wenger. So what exactly should Tottenham do? The first thing would be an acceptance from around the club that this team isn't Chelsea, Arsenal, or Manchester United. I'm not saying that Tottenham should just resign themselves to being a team that can't compete for silverware. The idea is to create their own identity, something that distinguishes themselves from the rest of English football. What they need is an innovator; someone who can bring something new to the table. It's not as if Tottenham doesn't have a talented side. They have a great goalkeeper in Hugo Lloris, a good rock in the defense with Jan Vertonghen, a creative genius in Christian Eriksen, and, as much as I hate to say it, a striker who can be brilliant when on-form, Emmanel Adebayor. What this team needs is a strong leader who can rally the troops and end this perennial culture of losing. Spurs do have some people they can lean on. Current Holland manager Louis van Gaal is a club legend and would be a great choice for Spurs. For one, he understands what it means to play for Spurs and could instill some pride in the shirt. Second, he's just a good manager.

(Now here's the part where I explain why that won't happen)

Unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your viewpoint, it is unlikely that Spurs' misfortune is going to end any time soon. After all, if Spurs do have a tradition it is one of falling short of expectations and finding some way to mess things up. I understand that I am an Arsenal fan and my viewpoint will be perceived as biased. However, there is truth to what I am saying. It depends on what Spurs do this summer. The first temptation, in classic Spurs fashion, will be to clean house and move the underachievers out. While this is a classic tactic and works at most clubs, it would only set Spurs back. Arsenal showed this season what continuity can do for a side and while some players in this Spurs side should definitely be sent packing, there are some who should stay. A clearinghouse would only upset the balance of the team more. The second temptation will be to spend again; after this past summer I shouldn't have to explain why that would be a bad idea. All of this obviously comes back to chairman Daniel Levy who was responsible for the summer spending spree. While most of the blame can (and should) be placed on the on-field performance; one can't ignore the fact that Levy wasted the Gareth Bale money and has only held back the team rather than advanced them forward. Until Spurs are able to shake off this legacy of failure and avoid such tragic boardroom errors, it is unlikely the team will ever move forward.