The Whiteness of the Shirt

White, it is a strange colour for a football shirt, lessvivid than the blues and reds of our London neighbours, yet equally as distinctive. A shade thatis at once an absence of colour and all colours combined, the ‘colourless all-colour of athiesm’ as Ishmael describes it when trying to explain what makes Moby Dick so damn terrifying. He attempts to single out some elusive quality in a hue that can resemble anything from purity to death. In Spurs terms, take the name lilywhite that recalls both an innocent wild flower and a funereal bouquet. Maybe Spurs suffer from a similar abstract nature - there is no single footballing philosophy associated with the shirt like that of Ajax or Barcelona, instead a variety of styles and values interwoven and interchangeable, built upon by scores of managersfrom Nicholson to Jol that form the team we watch today. Similarly, cliches associated with the club don’t quite hold up - for ‘perennial chokers’ we have an excellent record in cup finals. This is undoubtedly the source of Spurs’ uniqueness and intrigue.

 

However, this indefiniteness has come back to bite us, for the past 3 years and in fact, many times throughout history, Spurs have thrown away the potential for glory - there is a narrative at work that balances glory with failure. This generation at Spurs seem as afraid to succeed as they do to fall short;they truly live up to the fear of the whitenessexperienced by Ishmael. This contradictory motifhas been on display in the past few games, indeedthe last month could serve as a microcosm for Spurs’ fortunes. To entirely undo the champions in a matter of minutes yet utterly fail to break down a team barely staving off relegation the following week seems a feat only Tottenham are capable of.The current style shifts weekly between the exciting, expansive football displayed in the final quarter against Man city and the timid, fearful play on showagainst Southampton.

 

How is this relevant to our current situation? There is a chance today to begin an era of constancy and restore the white shirt as a symbol of the glory glory nights rather than the limbo of in-between states – the void between survival and champion’s league.Much of this responsibility falls into the hands of our new-found hero, AVB.

 

Despite the tranquil weather, a footballing storm isabout to rage. The blue Leviathon draws near; in a matter of hours the success of Spurs’ season will likely be decided against the cash-fed monster from the deep. AVB seems surprisingly confident in light of such a vital encounter.

 

 ‘with destiny in our hands’

 

He insisted in yesterday’s press conference, the top-four finish is a great possibility despite our perennial end-of-season failings. He has challengedboth fate and reason; is it possible with this weakened squad to really challenge at Stamford Bridge? Is the Portuguese native, in denial of a greater truth, while the club sails towards its inevitable failure? Now, while AVB is no jadedmonomaniac in relentless pursuit of an Albino whale, he does bear some similarity to CaptainAhab, the tragic focus of Moby Dick. AVB hasencountered the beast before.

 

‘I learned a great lesson from last year,’

 

The bearded leader’s fall from grace at Stamford Bridge certainly left its mark upon him. We can be pretty certain that AVB is not concealing an ivory leg, but his torturous 256 days trapped inside thebelly of the beast..ly Chelsea hierarchy left himwounded, not physically like Ahab, but in his pride. This is a tale not of vengeance, but of redemption; though faith in his managerial qualities have surely already been restored by a successful first season in charge, AhabVB seeks a greater prize.

 

Not since 1990 have Spurs voyaged to the great sea of blue that is Stamford Bridge and returned victorious, our conquering hero that day - GaryLineker. Like that of the Pequod, the motley crew of White Hart Lane have a deeply ingrained reverence and awe for AVB already, particularly considering his short time in charge of the club. And spurs have one thing running in their favour, a protagonistcapable of blending real life and fantasy, the first mate of White Hart Lane. One who isn’t afraid of the whiteness of the shirt. Call him Ishbale.

Comment on this article below and follow e-Spurs on Twitter www.twitter.com/e_spurs

Share on Google Plus