Son Heung-min is working by means of within the 87th minute on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. A draw does nearly nothing for Spurs, nevertheless it palms Arsenal an amazing benefit within the title race. Did I, a Spurs supporter, need him to rating? The trustworthy reply is – with apologies to Ange Postecoglou – that I’m not completely positive.
Most of my pure instincts have been prepared him to slot it into the gaping chasm to Stefan Ortega’s left. But it wasn’t categoric, and after the Manchester City substitute keeper blocked Son’s effort, I didn’t have that vacant sensation usually reserved for missed one-on-ones.
This leads us to one in every of football’s most infuriating questions: what makes you a “proper football fan”? Can you be a correct fan should you don’t need your staff to win? Can you be a correct fan should you don’t thoughts in case your rivals win the league?
Critics will write off this text, and me, as a result of I observe a couple of staff. We’ve been by means of this earlier than. My childhood expertise – like that of many others – was one in every of following my dad. That meant going to watch Cambridge United week in, week out on the Abbey, and thru Glenn Hoddle, Teddy Sheringham and tales of Jimmy Greaves and Alan Gilzean, the world stopping each time Spurs have been on TV. I cried in 1987 when Spurs misplaced the FA Cup last. I cried in 2022 when Cambridge gained at St James’ Park within the third spherical of the FA Cup. That’s simply my expertise.
Many fans are instructed from the 12 months dot which you can’t help two groups, which is equally official. But help is nearly solely unconscious. Often you sit down to watch a sport as a impartial and shortly realise for causes you might not even know that you simply are prepared one facet to win. Granted, this most likely tempers my emotions in direction of Arsenal in contrast with diehard Spurs fans and the target, football-loving a part of me doesn’t need Manchester City to win 4 in a row. Nation-state possession and 115 prices don’t scream romance.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal have executed so nicely to push City for 2 seasons working. They play fantastic football. The approach Martin Ødegaard passes a ball, Declan Rice galloping about like Best Mate, Bukayo Saka is such a good-vibes man. And who doesn’t love Ian Wright? Who doesn’t watch the genius of Dennis Bergkamp with out making involuntary noises of bewilderment at his capacity?
The above will likely be anathema to an enormous variety of Tottenham supporters. That’s the purpose. Fans are not some homogenous block. The thought that anybody fanbase has a totally singular view on any facet of the sport is one in every of football’s nice oversimplifications. Yes, wanting your staff to win is usually the one unifying facet. But there have been virtually 60,000 Spurs fans on the floor on Tuesday, tons of of 1000’s watching elsewhere – it appears unbelievable to give you the option to outline the need of them multi function sentence.
Are the Spurs fans doing the Poznan when City scored actually a humiliation to their membership or simply three guys attempting to make the very best of their night? It is a totally official place to not need your rivals to win something. Arsenal successful the title lasts for ever. Spurs giving themselves a tiny probability of qualifying for the Champions League may be value a couple of quid, which might get spent on the subsequent Tanguy Ndombele, and also you’re again the place you began. Part of me couldn’t have dealt with the memes of Sonny in an Arsenal shirt, Photoshopped on to the open prime bus round Islington.
Different fans care different quantities. Years in the past, I met a Manchester United fan who had Sir Alex Ferguson’s face tattooed throughout his complete again. He proudly lifted his shirt to present me. A ginormous Sir Alex, should have been greater than three normal-sized Sir Alex heads, simply there, completely etched into this man. He is somebody for whom football issues greater than it issues to me. It would possibly sadden John Beck to know you’ll be able to’t discover his face on my physique. There isn’t a proper or mistaken. There’s simply different.
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So we are left with offended Ange yelling at a fan behind the dugout who’d apparently been telling him to attempt to lose for all the sport earlier than the biannual sight of a Spurs supervisor in a post-match press convention questioning the mentality of everybody round him. “The last 48 hours has revealed to me that the foundations are fairly fragile, mate.”
But can’t these items coexist and it not be an issue? That an elite supervisor needs to win is a given. It’s virtually inconceivable to articulate how formidable Postecoglou is. Talk to fans in Australia and this is a man who thinks the Socceroos ought to be attempting to win the World Cup. Ludicrous because it sounds to virtually everybody, he believes Spurs can win the title and desires everybody on board with that.
Indirectly calling out fans for the marginally subdued environment has been criticised for failing to learn the room. Had Spurs performed with the self-discipline of Tuesday night time over the previous couple of months, they could nicely nonetheless be within the hunt for the Champions League. But even essentially the most conflicted fan will need a supervisor and a set of gamers who need to win. It’s simply fine for this very uncommon incidence to happen, for folks to not fairly be on the identical web page, after which for it to be executed.
Fortunately for individuals who couldn’t face Arsenal lifting the trophy, it seems it is very easy to lose to Manchester City, even should you play fairly nicely. Barring the Spursiest of ultimate days, City will beat West Ham and Ange will take Tottenham into the Europa League, which is one thing they might nearly win. And successful one thing is the one approach “lads, it’s Spurs” will ever cease – even for only a fleeting second.
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