No One Looking Good: The Tottenham-Sherwood Relationship

Article by Nathan Durec

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Yes, too much has been written on Tim Sherwood and his brief reign in land Hotspur. But the reason perhaps is because he won’t shut up about it. Whether referring to himself as a “supply teacher” (which I had to look up as that term doesn’t exist here) or appearing on various television programs to tout himself for new jobs, Sherwood has remained ever-visible. It also means that he remains fair game for others to comment on his antics.

There was a lot of mis-communication during the past couple of months of Sherwood’s managerial spell. Did Tottenham talk to van Gaal before the ink had even dried on Sherwood’s contract in December? Did they talk to de Boer in the past few months to replace their manager even though he was not even a third of the way through his contract and posting a winning record?

And what of Sherwood? Did he help his case for remaining with the club with much-discussed press conferences, questionable player management, and quirky nods to his ever-growing comical situation?

First, let’s dispel with the obvious question: should Sherwood have remained as manager of Tottenham? If the rumours are to be believed, several players had threatened a move out if he remained. Not one. Not two. Several. It’s known that Sandro, Vertonghen, Chadli, and Paulinho were not necessarily happy with the manager. Lloris is a question mark; it’s likely he is unhappy about missing out on Champions League football more than anything else. Growing fan favourite Holtby was shown the door in January with a loan to Fulham, which poisoned the well early on.

Whether you liked the style of play on the pitch or not, if the players are revolting, your chances of staying are slim to none.

Second, there is how Tottenham handled the entire managerial situation this year. With AVB gone, Sherwood always felt a like a temporary solution. We all felt it and if we did, the players did as well. That doesn’t inspire confidence for anyone. The addition of a clause in Sherwood’s contract to terminate in the summer only served to highlight Sherwood’s position as the walking dead.

Finally, as it got closer to the end of the season, there was the increasing chatter of who would take over. This was happening while the then-current manager was still trying to do a job. A bit tough to line up behind the man who is in the process of being buried alive.

And now, damage control. There is a brand image problem for Tottenham. Levy has hired and fired nine managers during his time. Does a manager want to come in knowing that his predecessor was in the process of being replaced before the job was even given? Will any manager be given the opportunity to create a winning culture, which—let’s be honest—takes time? And if a manager is hired for the long term, how long before the players actually believe it and stop treating the new boss as only temporary?

Us fans love our club and will continue to do so. However, there should be genuine worry whether players will want to play at a club that has such a managerial turnaround.

While there is a need to fill the vacancy quickly, it is my hope that due diligence is taken in getting the right person for the job. The World Cup will take some of the pressure off the club as the media focuses itself there and not on domestic issues. Here’s hoping that Tottenham suits take this welcome respite and do a proper search this time.

So far, it does look as though they are doing exactly that. It may only be one step in the process of getting the club to where we all want it to be, but it’s a big one. With the right man in the job, we can all truly put our past managerial issues behind us.

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