Europa League - The Silver Lining?

Article by Simon Lipson @Mottle12

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When Spurs qualified for this season's Europa Cup, I suspect many, like me, were very much inspired by the prospect of some classic floodlit encounters against the likes of Lokomotiv Nobobynik and DNPRV Hopelesch. No? I can't remember who we played first or whether I went (albeit, if a season ticket credit was at stake, I probably did) but the truth, as we all know, is that the EL is a prime exemplar of quantity over quality. I organise my life around the fixture list, but have started to think of Thursday nights as freebies. It's usually on the box and I can fast forward my way through some tedious tie featuring the cream of our reserves in the time it takes me to devour a couple of Flakes.

After slogging our way around Europe playing featureless matches in empty stadiums against unglamorous opposition, we finally went out to the first half-decent side we met; three days before a cup final against one of the best teams in the world, if memory serves, which probably explains why the prolific Soldado fluffed the simplest chance in Christendom (because he can't have meant to be that useless, can he?). Imagine the onslaught we'd have had to endure if he'd scored. We might have lost to Chelski anyway but, then again, eight days' preparation might have given us a shot.

Ah, but the EL offered us a chance to qualify for the Champions League, say the apologists. Well, yes, but finishing fourth does too and we might have done that if we hadn't been forced to stretch an already thin squad to breaking point pursuing the questionable glory of EL success. And, let's be honest, given Poch's determination to use the EL to give everyone a run-out, what were the chances of that?

Thinking back to our brilliant Bale-inspired CL run when we entertained the Milans and Real Madrid, it's something of a kick in the groin to keep turning out on a Thursday night against someone else's reserves. Hats off to the fans who turned up in their droves at the Lane and gave it their all (I did go to a few of the games) but it felt vacuous, like faking an orgasm (and we've all done that, right lads?).

But – and it's a huge but – this season's EL, if nothing else, gave Poch the opportunity to blood some kid called Kane. Now, we'd all had a look at him and written him off as a big lump with a nice touch who couldn't finish for toffee. But then he stared scoring against those Euro-nobodies, like an actual footballer, and notwithstanding the consistent brilliance of Ade and Soldado, Poch couldn't leave him out for the matches that mattered. And...well, we all know the rest. I hardly think this makes the case for the EL – presumably, Hazza would have come through eventually – but it has, indirectly, given us the prospect of a new talisman earlier than we expected. It is, of course, the hope that kills you. One season wonder? God, I hope not.

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