Tottenham are consistently European contenders in the Premier League, and, in fact, the 2023/24 season was the first time since 2010 that Spurs didn’t qualify for any sort of European contention.
Despite being a quality side that has contended for Champions League and Premier League titles, Tottenham struggle to actually win the big one, which new manager Ange Postecoglou is hoping to change after taking over from two failed big-name managers in Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.
So far, the early returns have been strong, with Postecoglou nearly getting Tottenham back to the Champions League last season despite not having Harry Kane and playing in a more competitive league with the breakout of Aston Villa as an elite side.
The main shot taken at Tottenham is that they can’t make it over the line or win the big one, largely because they get in their own way when the chips are on the table.
This phenomenon has become known as being “Spursy”, an adjective used to describe the plight of Tottenham, which Postecoglou is striving his best to tear down in 2024 and beyond.
When asked about the “Spursy” refrain before a big match against Aston Villa in the Premier League, Postecoglou had a fantastic response that shows his accountability, level-headedness, and ambition as a leader:
“You have to accept that it will be there until you can prove it doesn’t belong there.”
That’s all Big Ange and Tottenham’s current crop of players can do. They have to keep improving and, most of all, winning consistently in order to grab the gold and change the image of Spurs to mainstream fans around the world.
Key to that is beating quality opponents in direct competition with Tottenham, just as they did at mid-week against Manchester City. Sunday’s battle against Aston Villa will be another big test for Postecoglou and his men.
