This has been a season to forget on many levels for Tottenham Hotspur. From the debacle in Europa League to the debacle with the Super League to the debacle that was Jose Mourinho’s tenure, this season has been a struggle for the fans and club alike.
With a stale roster, devoid of youth, and a leadership group more interested in profit than glory, Tottenham is at a crossroads. The sad part is the solution is known to almost every fan of the club, for Daniel Levy and some extent Steve Hitchen to relinquish control and hire a Director of Football for Tottenham Hotspur.
Tottenham still haven’t replaced Paul Mitchell
It should come as no surprise to us that Tottenham has failed to replace many of their most talented players over the last few seasons when they have failed to replace their most talented employee – outside of Mauricio Pochettino – Paul Mitchell.
Mitchell came to Tottenham from Southampton shortly after Pochettino in what was then a stroke of genius. We can thank Mitchell for the signings of players like Heung-Min Son, Kierran Trippier, Toby Alderweireld, and of course Dele Alli. We have to remember this was before any of these players – outside of Toby – were even internationals.
Mitchell also helped us move players like Etienne Capoue, Paulino, and Roberto Soldado for enough change to keep more bodies incoming. Since talent guru Paul Mitchell left on less than amicable terms with the club, Tottenham has failed to have a true leader of football operations. Worse, Mitchell has gone on to build the Red Bull clubs who are just dripping with talent and is now on to Monaco in a move considered a coup by many. And Tottenham well, we have Steve Hitchen.
Steve Hitchen is not the guy
Again, no secret to anyone but Steve Hitchen is clearly not got the same kind of understanding of talent or the game as Mitchell. Hitchen was appointed chief scout in 2017 and has been on the job since.
When you hate doing your most important job, as Hitchen’s so eloquently shared on All or Nothing maybe you should be doing something else. Remember this is the same window where we finalized our deal for Gio and signed Gedson Fernandes on loan, instead of ponying up to Sporting for Bruno Fernandes.
Of course, Fernandes would not have 19 penalties for Tottenham in a year-and-a-half but he would have taken a huge burden off the back of Harry Kane in terms of play-making. The failed January of 2020 aside, Tottenham needs real leadership in the football operations who are hungry to find the talent Spurs need to replenish the ranks.
Lacking eye for talent at Tottenham?
We have previously gone over the lack of young talent in the first team and just how much our competition has. However, even with that talent already on display for many teams, like Manchester City or Chelsea; that advantage also carries over to the youth.
Currently, Manchester City is leading Premier League 2 – the U23 teams – by 14 points over Chelsea, with Spurs a distant third, 4 points adrift of Chelsea. In other words, the pantry is not exactly stocked at the club either. The point is the rot that has been allowed to occur on the footballing side of the club has occurred for too long.
Even Daniel Levy knows this is a problem
When Tottenham signed Trevor Birch in September 2020 and appointed him Director of Football it seemed maybe things were going in the right direction. However, with Birch gone less than five full months later in January 2021 to run the English Football League, one has to wonder what is next.
While we can hope that maybe Levy pulls a rabbit out of his hat and appoints someone like Luis Campos from Lillie to run the club but likely things are going to continue to remain the same. Just as no coach in their right mind wants to work at Spurs right now, neither does a sporting director. It kind of makes you wonder how the players really feel? We know what their play tells us about whether or not they want to play at the club.
Tottenham needs a new direction and some focus and fast. It starts with hiring a real football guy to run the football team. Then that person, not Daniel Levy and Steve Hitchen can hire the coach and guide Spurs through the window to come.