Can the identity crisis be a real issue holding back Tottenham Hotspur at the moment?
Tottenham have gone from a club that used to have a dressing room that boasted English culture into something that often feels like a FIFA super-team, who have lots of interesting pieces but not much identity. But when you look at the table top and successful teams, most of them tend to boast a domestic spine.
Tottenham’s cultural problem: Can they be inspired by other successful teams?
And that is what Tottenham need to build again at Hotspur Way. Bring in players like James Trafford and Kobbie Mainoo, and actually trust the academy to make it a core unit of English players.
And I am not saying “sign English players for the sake of it”. I am basically saying that most successful teams have a core of players who get the league, the culture and the club. And right now, when you look at the roster, you don’t really get that feeling. Let’s look at some good teams that have dominated.
Man City had Stones, Walker, Foden, and Grealish; A spine of English wrapped in world-class imports.
Liverpool under peak Klopp had Trent, Henderson, Milner, and Gomez setting the standard.
Even Arsenal, who are leading the race to the Premier League title this season, have Saka, Rice, Eze, Madueke, White, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
And Tottenham, back when the Lilywhites were genuinely on the rise, had lads that set the tone in Kane, Rose, Walker, and Dier (pre-decline) and a bit of homegrown depth around them.
But then, when you look at Tottenham right now, the “leaders” are mostly foreign signings dropped into a club that hasn’t worked out what it wants to be.
Author Opinion
Tottenham need a proper spine again. And this has to be defined by a complement of quality of players and the kind of culture that the club is boasting top-down. It needs to feel English again. Tottenham needs to be Tottenham again.
Do you think that the current roster at Hotspur Way needs an English spine? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
