Reaction To Tottenham’s Match Of Shame (Prior To AVB’s Sacking)

Andre Villas-Boas sacked! [Photo: Alan Hill]Reaction to the Match Of Shame

In the aftermath of the Manchester City thrashing Andre Villas-Boas came out fighting in his press conferences. He accused various pundits and Alan Sugar amongst others of showing him and his achievements a lack of respect and of having an agenda. Spurs then got a draw against an under par Man United and a couple of victories against relegation candidates and against the worst premier league team in Eastern Europe at White Hart Lane on Thursday. During this period various Tottenham players spoke up for the manager and quoted the great team spirit there is at White Hart Lane and how all the players are right behind the manager.

Then the MATCH OF SHAME took place at White Hart Lane against Liverpool on Sunday. In the post-match press conference AVB said,

"I won’t resign and I am not a quitter."

He said it was his worst home defeat as a manager. Andre, it was mine too and I have been going to White Hart Lane 40 years longer then you. I don’t know exactly what the official stats say and even though I tend to rub defeats as far as possible from my memory I am sure I have never seen us defeated by as bad as 3-0 at White Hart Lane – and I have seen some pretty average teams managed by some pretty poor managers down the years. Even so, I could forgive a performance like Sunday’s against Liverpool if it was a one-off but it wasn’t was it? We have now been humiliated – and no, that’s not too strong a word, three times in less than half a season. First it was at White Hart Lane by a West Ham team with no strikers that looks like relegation candidates when they play anywhere else. Then there was the 6 goal thrashing by Manchester City and now yesterday.

It makes my glass half full blog the other week look pretty stupid now, which is what some of you said at the time. Because I am that guy, I still can’t (quite) bring myself to call for his sacking. It’s pretty obvious he’ll go anyway, probably even before you get to read this (just for reference; I am typing this sentence at 10.30 am on Monday 16 December 2013).

So Andre, you may not be a quitter but if you ever read this you must understand that for you to preside over those 3 performances is unacceptable. Unacceptable means it must not happen again. You may not be a quitter but if this was war a samurai would commit hari-kari for bringing so much shame on his family. Thankfully this is “only” sport but a man of honour; a man who deserves respect would do something to atone for such repeated failures.

Not surprisingly, in this age of ridiculous financial rewards for a job that is no more difficult than the management jobs that many of us “normal” people have carried out in the real world for a small fraction of your salary, my solution is a financial one.

Respect is rightly so important to you. What you achieved at Porto deserves it. After Chelsea, this was your chance to earn it again. You will only win back my respect, if as well as ensuring this never happens again, you offer to refund your salary to Daniel Levy/Joe Lewis in respect of those 3 games. It would show me that you are a real manager of men and that you really do have the respect of the players if you could persuade everyone who played in those games to do the same too. Even better you should all give it to charity, for example the Movember prostate cancer one.

Roughly, at an average of say £40,000 per person per week (and I bet if we include your salary that is a really conservative estimate) x 13 people = £1.520,000. X3 matches of shame = £1,560,000. So a total charitable donation of £1.5 million which would hardly make a dent in your pockets would be a start, along with a public apology. It would demonstrate real collective team responsibility and prove that the bullish quotes in the press over the last few weeks were not actually just bullsh*t.

Mr. Levy, re: the above – how about insisting on a clause in new contracts for players, coaches and managers?

AVB’s GONE!

It is now 11.05am and Sky News has just announced his departure “by mutual consent”.  If I hadn’t got home so late last night after a 3 hour drive through the wet and dark, we would have posted this overnight. I think the messages it contains are worthwhile, I hope Logan will still publish it. Players, hang you heads in shame.

P.S. Capello was there yesterday…watch this space. I saw him in the car park. He was keeping his head down and didn’t appear on TV.