Spurs get ready for life after Harry Kane

In London last week, it was a different electrifying atmosphere for the Tottenham. While the team traveled to Gletch Community Stadium, their away fans with Spurs tickets weren’t feeling it. 

The feelings were mutual, as it was the first time they saw a Spurs team without Harry Kane in years.  After 19 long years and several records and goals later, their key player was gone.  And it was not a reality that fans with Spurs tickets were ready to accept. 

For the Tottenham Hotspur fans, who Ange Postecoglou described as being “in mourning,” it is time to say farewell to, as Pep Guardiola once told it, the Harry Kane team and embrace the club’s new Aussie rules. 

But now, it is up to the fans to accept it. Harry Kane is gone to Bayern Munich, and they must settle for life after Kane. 

Postecoglou acknowledges there will be a healing process for supporters with Spurs tickets who have seen their Kane-shaped plasters ripped off by Bayern Munich and that nothing he says can make them feel better about England’s captain moving to Germany.

But Postecoglou, the first Australian head coach in the Premier League, plans to do things differently from some of his Tottenham predecessors by taking the emphasis away from individuals to create a group that can at least entertain the Spurs fans and, potentially, achieve greatness without the club’s greatest goalscorer.

Asked what success looks like for Tottenham post-Kane, Postecoglou’s reply was a ray of hope for the fans. 

“The same thing it looked like for me yesterday. Nothing changes. We’ll build a team that, hopefully, plays football that excites our fans and brings success to this football club, and the ultimate measure will be our fans.

“They will tell me whether they’re satisfied with what I’ve done. That will soon be relayed to the people here and to you guys, and that will happen as a running measure of how we’re going. I’m not putting any specific goals on it. What I want to achieve is a football team that excites our fans.

“It’s only fair on a day like today (with Kane leaving) that our supporters do have a sense of mourning and loss, as, despite the lack of success at the club, he’s been a hero to them.

“Again, him going keeps the vision of what I bring to this football club the same. It’s fairly obvious that a club of this stature has to find a way to win things. You can do that in very different ways, I have a very specific way to do it, and that’s what I’m going to focus on. That’s all I’ve done in my career, play in a certain way, and that’s my challenge as well.”

Postecoglou acknowledged that Tottenham has been too reliant on Kane in the past and that other players may step out of his shadow while being careful to stress that the 30-year-old’s contribution could not be viewed as anything but positive despite the lack of team success.

“There wouldn’t be a manager in the Premier League or the world that wouldn’t want Harry Kane in their team,” said Postecoglou.”

That’s the reality of it. So you can’t say that because he’s here that’s hampered the club’s success; I don’t buy into that. I think he’s done his utmost to succeed at this football club, and it hasn’t worked for him for several reasons.

“What we do know about this game is it’s very, very, very rare that an individual will be the difference. It’s usually collective, so what that offers now is an opportunity to build a collective that brings us success, and within that context, you still want outstanding individuals, you still want the best players, and that doesn’t change.

Postecoglou wants the team to shine!

Postecoglou underscores the influence of his team’s actions rather than his age as he delves back into the subject of Tottenham’s devoted supporters. 

He is reluctant to dictate their emotions, stating that each needs to navigate their feelings independently. To him and his players, the utmost priority lies in presenting a style of play that instills optimism and potential in the fans with Spurs tickets, igniting a sense of pride in what the team can achieve.

Postecoglou firmly believes it’s not his role to prescribe emotions to the supporters. Instead, he aspires to deliver a tangible on-field performance that captures their imagination and stirs excitement. 

He acknowledges that if fans aren’t feeling entirely positive, it’s well within their rights and may stem from valid reasons. He aspires to provide a dynamic and captivating display that fosters enthusiasm, allowing each fan to naturally gravitate towards a unified and optimistic view of the club’s future.

Spurs under threat from Saudi 

Tottenham has joined the list of clubs experiencing the financial prowess of Saudi Arabian teams, finding themselves thwarted in their pursuit of a transfer target due to lucrative offers. Just as Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr secured his services, Clement Lenglet seems poised to follow suit, dealing a blow to Tottenham’s aspirations.

The Premier League outfit’s efforts to secure Lenglet’s signature on a permanent deal have faltered, paving the way for Saudi Pro League contenders to swoop in and snatch the Barcelona defender. 

The situation echoes the familiar tale of Premier League teams grappling with the financial strength of Saudi clubs.

Reports from The Athletic suggest that Lenglet is on the verge of joining the very Saudi Arabian club that Cristiano Ronaldo joined in December of the previous year. 

This impending move positions Lenglet as the next high-profile athlete to transition to the Gulf state, enticed by the allure of a substantial contract.

The French defender, who made 35 appearances across all competitions on loan from Barcelona, had the support of the fans with Spurs tickets, as making decent contributions on the field under Conte. 

Even at the moment, Spurs are in pursuit of not letting Lenglet go, understanding his defensive acumen and the impact he brings in. In the new setup, Spurs want to offer a permanent deal for the defender, but the stakes in Saudi Arabia are much higher. 

According to sources, signing Lenglet on a permanent deal with the Spurs will be tough. 

However, supporters with Spurs tickets will remember the final group stage match against Marseille in the Champions League, where Lenglet’s late strike won the game for the side. That game helped the Spurs finish on top in the group to make it to the knockout stage.