thfcsteff
Terry Dyson
And so it was on Wednesday (actually, Thursday as was pointed out to me) April 3rd 2013 that the doom squad came screaming out from their dark caves, screeching about the problems, roaring about the stupidities, enraged about the failures of Tottenham Hotspur FC in their Europa League Cup Quarter-Final against FC Basle.
The game had ended 2-2 after a rather curious first-half which saw Basle (who played excellently) race into a donated lead and get pegged back before applying more pressure before Bale departed the pitch on a stretcher with an injury that (at that moment) seemed season-ending.
It was as though some couldn't wait to put their kicking boots on. AVB was, of course, a total and utter tosser with the tactical acumen of Helen Keller, Adebayor was to blame for most of it (he scored) and it was the end of our season because we were quite obviously already beaten in Basle next week and we would not win a football match without Bale and Lennon in the side. This all could've been avoided had we spunked a whole shedload of dosh on 'wide back-ups' in January (you know, spunked it on the plethora of talented wide players who were available at something around 10-15 million) and suddenly, the loaning of Andros Townshend has become one of the most stupid moves of the season. As for loaning out that match-winner Falque? Heinous! Heinous! Burn them at the stake! Burn someone! Anyone! It has to be someone's fault! It had to be avoidable! Is it AVB? Is it Levy? Burn them both, bastards, it's their faults! After all, we had just witnessed 'The End (tm)' of our season. Bale was obviously going to lose his leg below the knee. It was all over. We were brick. We ARE brick.
As midnight approached on Wed April 3rd, BTW, we were heading into Sunday's game against Everton at home in 3rd place, and would head to Basle with a 2-2 draw knowing we needed to win. Not ideal. But not really a disaster.
Not for those who have supported this wonderful football club for longer than a minute. And not for those who know a season ends in May. And not for those who view situations with perspective. And not for those who believe that however the cookie crumbles, you must push on with positives whenever possible.
I understand the whole 'post-match frustration' argument, and emotion is fine. I was asked by someone if I ever took off my rose-tinted sanctimonious specs, and I got it. Frustration and anger at a less than stunning night can often see people get tinkled off by those who try to balance out the venom.
But what I personally cannot abide, are the 'chippers'...those who repeatedly wait in the shadows to bash specific targets (whether that be the manager or specific individuals). No-one is beyond criticism and mistakes have been made. But we are 3rd. With what, 7 games to go? In the Q/Fs of a European competition? With all to play for? It stands to reason that this is because more GOOD had occurred than HARM during a first-season for the manager.
Personally, I think there are some spoilt 'instant gratification' fans among us who are quite simply part of this 'nu-instant gratification' society. Every single moment must be debated wildly, every single moment must have rights and wrongs, nothing contains context anymore, you're only as good as your last 5 minutes not your previous 31 games. Context? What's that?! No, I think there's a fine difference between expecting us to challenge for honours and the CL (as I do) and expecting it to be a GHod-given right despite the fact we have 36,000 seats to sell week in week out, and we do not have a sugar daddy who's prepared to get his wonga out at any slight invitation.
Tottenham Hotspur have 7 games left in the Premier League. We are 3rd. We have some tough games, but then if they were all easy, we'd hear people say that those are tough because those sides 'park the bus' and 'we cannot break them down'. Anyone who does not think, at this moment in time, that we stand a chance of making the Champions League next season, is a stone-cold pessimist who's glass is obviously always half-empty.
And right now, in my not-very-humble opinion, your glass needs to be at the very least half-full and at the very most brimming. This is football! This is YOUR team! This is MY team! This is OUR team! And however much money they get paid, players need the supporters more than EVER at times like these.
Come the end of the season, fine. Judge away. Discussion of problems and mistakes during games? Good Lord we've all enjoyed such things with our friends since the dawn of footballing time.
But stepping up for a big fat moan only when the going gets tough, slipping away when it gets good and popping back in when it's tough again? I'm sorry. That's poor. And if you want to live that sort of agenda, I'm sure we can find you a box with others of your ilk, complete with prawn sandwiches for your instant-gratification life.
Disagree with this blog? Write one yourself! glory-glory wants more blog posts! Please fire away...THFCSteff
The game had ended 2-2 after a rather curious first-half which saw Basle (who played excellently) race into a donated lead and get pegged back before applying more pressure before Bale departed the pitch on a stretcher with an injury that (at that moment) seemed season-ending.
It was as though some couldn't wait to put their kicking boots on. AVB was, of course, a total and utter tosser with the tactical acumen of Helen Keller, Adebayor was to blame for most of it (he scored) and it was the end of our season because we were quite obviously already beaten in Basle next week and we would not win a football match without Bale and Lennon in the side. This all could've been avoided had we spunked a whole shedload of dosh on 'wide back-ups' in January (you know, spunked it on the plethora of talented wide players who were available at something around 10-15 million) and suddenly, the loaning of Andros Townshend has become one of the most stupid moves of the season. As for loaning out that match-winner Falque? Heinous! Heinous! Burn them at the stake! Burn someone! Anyone! It has to be someone's fault! It had to be avoidable! Is it AVB? Is it Levy? Burn them both, bastards, it's their faults! After all, we had just witnessed 'The End (tm)' of our season. Bale was obviously going to lose his leg below the knee. It was all over. We were brick. We ARE brick.
As midnight approached on Wed April 3rd, BTW, we were heading into Sunday's game against Everton at home in 3rd place, and would head to Basle with a 2-2 draw knowing we needed to win. Not ideal. But not really a disaster.
Not for those who have supported this wonderful football club for longer than a minute. And not for those who know a season ends in May. And not for those who view situations with perspective. And not for those who believe that however the cookie crumbles, you must push on with positives whenever possible.
I understand the whole 'post-match frustration' argument, and emotion is fine. I was asked by someone if I ever took off my rose-tinted sanctimonious specs, and I got it. Frustration and anger at a less than stunning night can often see people get tinkled off by those who try to balance out the venom.
But what I personally cannot abide, are the 'chippers'...those who repeatedly wait in the shadows to bash specific targets (whether that be the manager or specific individuals). No-one is beyond criticism and mistakes have been made. But we are 3rd. With what, 7 games to go? In the Q/Fs of a European competition? With all to play for? It stands to reason that this is because more GOOD had occurred than HARM during a first-season for the manager.
Personally, I think there are some spoilt 'instant gratification' fans among us who are quite simply part of this 'nu-instant gratification' society. Every single moment must be debated wildly, every single moment must have rights and wrongs, nothing contains context anymore, you're only as good as your last 5 minutes not your previous 31 games. Context? What's that?! No, I think there's a fine difference between expecting us to challenge for honours and the CL (as I do) and expecting it to be a GHod-given right despite the fact we have 36,000 seats to sell week in week out, and we do not have a sugar daddy who's prepared to get his wonga out at any slight invitation.
Tottenham Hotspur have 7 games left in the Premier League. We are 3rd. We have some tough games, but then if they were all easy, we'd hear people say that those are tough because those sides 'park the bus' and 'we cannot break them down'. Anyone who does not think, at this moment in time, that we stand a chance of making the Champions League next season, is a stone-cold pessimist who's glass is obviously always half-empty.
And right now, in my not-very-humble opinion, your glass needs to be at the very least half-full and at the very most brimming. This is football! This is YOUR team! This is MY team! This is OUR team! And however much money they get paid, players need the supporters more than EVER at times like these.
Come the end of the season, fine. Judge away. Discussion of problems and mistakes during games? Good Lord we've all enjoyed such things with our friends since the dawn of footballing time.
But stepping up for a big fat moan only when the going gets tough, slipping away when it gets good and popping back in when it's tough again? I'm sorry. That's poor. And if you want to live that sort of agenda, I'm sure we can find you a box with others of your ilk, complete with prawn sandwiches for your instant-gratification life.
Disagree with this blog? Write one yourself! glory-glory wants more blog posts! Please fire away...THFCSteff
