Tottenham must step outside their comfy culture or continue to come third in two-horse race

The problem with the culture at Spurs is that ‘to dare’ doesn’t necessarily lead to ‘to do’ (to scramble their motto).

Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte. Picture; AFP.

Events at Tottenham Hotspur are frustrating because so much is right about the club: the magnificent stadium and training ground, the passionate supporters and some good players such as Harry Kane, Rodrigo Bentancur and Cristian Romero.

Spurs have many of the pieces they need but not the glue.

Their culture remains flawed, a reality highlighted by Antonio Conte as he strode towards his inevitable exit.

“Who came third in a two-horse race?” is the mocking question famously sung by rival fans about Spurs after their collapse on the title run-in in 2015-16.

Spurs chased Leicester City, threw away a two-goal lead at Chelsea, and Leicester were crowned champions. Deepening the humiliation, Spurs allowed Arsenal to sneak in and finish second.

That lack of mental robustness came under Mauricio Pochettino, who, by general acclaim, has been Tottenham’s best manager in the past couple of decades. Almost half of the outfielders involved at Stamford Bridge seven years ago featured at Southampton’s home ground St Mary’s last weekend.

The problem with the culture at Spurs is that “to dare” doesn’t necessarily lead to “to do” (to scramble their motto). They need greater ruthlessness. This is hardly breaking news. This is Tottenham.

Conte’s 10-minute discourse after Spurs wasted a 3-1 lead at Southampton to draw 3-all is depicted as the ravings of a selfish manager blaming everyone but himself to salvage his reputation as he prepares to leave.

Conte threw so many people under the bus that they did well to get it out of the St Mary’s carpark. He has inevitably thrown himself under the bus too. Conte has disappointed as Spurs head coach, failing to improve any of the players, being too cautious in his tactics, too unadventurous in his substitutions and too arrogant to imagine he needs a Plan B.

But anyone with any understanding of Spurs’ history, and that meltdown of coming third in a two-horse race, will appreciate the legitimacy of many of Conte’s points. It’s cultural. Conte saw the mentality was not tough enough, that some of the “selfish” players were too comfortable.

“They don’t want to play under pressure,” he said at St Mary’s. “It is easy in this way. Tottenham’s story is this.”

Tottenham’s story is this: they’ve not won the title for 62 years, a European trophy for 39 years or the FA Cup for 32 years. Wigan Athletic have won as many trophies – one – this century as Spurs. Spurs have appointed 21 managers since their last title-winning overlord, the great Bill Nicholson, and that’s not including caretakers. There’s a theme here. Whatever Conte’s self-serving motivation, he’s right.

When promoting his book The Second Half in 2014, Roy Keane recalled one of Sir Alex Ferguson’s team talks.

“It was Tottenham at home,” he said, “I thought please don’t go on about Tottenham, we all know what Tottenham is about, they are nice and tidy but we’ll f***ing do them. He came in and said, ‘Lads, it’s Tottenham,’ and that was it. Brilliant.” Mindset and match.

Lads, it’s Tottenham. Ferguson observed in three words what Conte outlined in 10 minutes. Similar sentiments.

Keane too, with his almost dismissive “nice and tidy”.

Yet much of the reaction to Conte’s comments is peak Spurs. “It’s the manager.” No, it’s the mentality. “He’s questioned the players’ commitment and they will react negatively towards him.”

Elite players, and Spurs have some, will accept the challenge. Are they so sensitive that they can’t take some home truths? If so, that rather proves Conte’s point.

Of course, Conte undermines his point in the players’ eyes by absolving himself of blame, by lambasting them in public – and will they listen to somebody halfway out the door anyway? The players are going to win this one. Conte will be gone long before them. But the culture will remain ingrained.

Those disputing Conte’s views are often those also saying Kane has to leave Spurs to win anything.

Think about that. That’s the logical outcome of who came third in a two-horse race. Kane’s a thoroughbred, he’s driven and few would begrudge him the chance to go somewhere where silverware is properly hunted.

If Spurs are going to become a trophy-winning side again, they have to acquire the right mindset. Kane has it. Romero possesses it, but can be too rash at times.

Bentancur, winner of two titles with Boca Juniors and three titles with Juventus, has it. He is such an important player for Spurs and they miss him when injured or suspended. He has been booked 11 times this season. He was cautioned for fouling the advancing Rico Lewis when City visited Spurs last month.

Would Spurs have let slip two points at St Mary’s had the steely Uruguayan, a real midfield authority figure, been playing?

But how do you change a culture? Conte tried and failed – somebody who understands the winning mindset. As a player, Conte won Serie A five times and the Champions League. As coach, Conte has won Serie A four times and the Premier League once. It’s a long-term process, involving proper squad strengthening, including more of those with Bentancur’s mentality.

It requires patience and support, with a manager allowed to grow as Arsenal have done. Mikel Arteta got rid of the overpaid underachievers, and then very deliberately went out and bought two winners in the summer, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Gabriel Jesus.

The pair have brought in some of Manchester City’s winning mentality. They demand constantly of themselves and of others. It shows when they play.

What Conte said is nothing new. Pochettino talked about this almost five years ago, when effectively pleading with the chairman, Daniel Levy, for more funds to recruit the right players. Conte clarified on Monday that he was not criticising the ownership in his press conference at St Mary’s.

But undoubtedly Levy deserves censure for some of his decisions, such as not backing Pochettino in the transfer window when he needed it and also jettisoning Jose Mourinho on the eve of the 2021 League Cup final, which Spurs promptly lost.

Fans routinely round on Levy, but it is worth placing in perspective that he has built a magnificent stadium and training ground, and his love of the club cannot be doubted. Levy still has to finance the proper rebuilding of the squad. He has to confront the culture.

If Spurs believe they cannot compete with wealthier clubs like Chelsea, City and Manchester United, then they need to improve their scouting and unearth gems to polish. Brighton & Hove Albion do it with players and head coaches. (Tottenham could really do with the return of Paul Barber, Spurs supporter and former board member, who helps drive Brighton’s pursuit of excellence as chief executive.)

Spurs have to acknowledge the comfy culture that limits them, and the failure of enough people to take responsibility. Otherwise they will keep coming third in a two-horse race.

The Times