by Phil Seaman
So, where to start with Tottenham? The usual events - big talk before the season about how brilliant they are, and how this will be the season where they crack the big four. A few games in, and the inevitable mid-table pattern sets in, fans begin to boast about how next season, Arsenal will be quaking in their boots as the Tottenham ship docks in the top four.
Only this time, 2 points from 8 games means that they can no longer be certain of premier league football next year. The fans have seemingly little to look forward to in the future, so what do they do? Boo and bollock the team. How on earth can a team succeed when, at 0-0 at home to Wigan, they are booed off at half time, given abuse that you probably wouldn't even throw at the local paedophile.
The same thing can be said about England matches. These are plastic fans, happy to chant and cheer when the points and goals are flowing, but as soon as the team doesn't produce a perfect performance, or a player makes an individual error, they get on the players backs and don't let go. It's pathetic, and worst of all it heaps yet more pressure on the players. You might think that Ashley Cole is a bit of a pretentious overpaid twit, but he's out there playing for your team. How on earth does it help the team cause to boo a player who knows he's just made a howler.
Matt Le Tissier was talking about how Southampton managed to stay up after winning just 1 point from 8 games back in 98-9. The reason: They turned The Dell into an impenetrable fortress during the second half of the season through a mixture of good performances and great support from their fans. When they turned up to play, they had no fear and were confident that together with the fans, they would win the game.
Compare that with White Hart Lane, where Spurs players with fragile confidence are called overpaid, spoilt brats by their own dismissive fans. If the fan's are the mythical '12th man', spurs are down a player. And most teams can't deal with being a man light for an entire season - bye bye Spurs.
So, where to start with Tottenham? The usual events - big talk before the season about how brilliant they are, and how this will be the season where they crack the big four. A few games in, and the inevitable mid-table pattern sets in, fans begin to boast about how next season, Arsenal will be quaking in their boots as the Tottenham ship docks in the top four.
Only this time, 2 points from 8 games means that they can no longer be certain of premier league football next year. The fans have seemingly little to look forward to in the future, so what do they do? Boo and bollock the team. How on earth can a team succeed when, at 0-0 at home to Wigan, they are booed off at half time, given abuse that you probably wouldn't even throw at the local paedophile.
The same thing can be said about England matches. These are plastic fans, happy to chant and cheer when the points and goals are flowing, but as soon as the team doesn't produce a perfect performance, or a player makes an individual error, they get on the players backs and don't let go. It's pathetic, and worst of all it heaps yet more pressure on the players. You might think that Ashley Cole is a bit of a pretentious overpaid twit, but he's out there playing for your team. How on earth does it help the team cause to boo a player who knows he's just made a howler.
Matt Le Tissier was talking about how Southampton managed to stay up after winning just 1 point from 8 games back in 98-9. The reason: They turned The Dell into an impenetrable fortress during the second half of the season through a mixture of good performances and great support from their fans. When they turned up to play, they had no fear and were confident that together with the fans, they would win the game.
Compare that with White Hart Lane, where Spurs players with fragile confidence are called overpaid, spoilt brats by their own dismissive fans. If the fan's are the mythical '12th man', spurs are down a player. And most teams can't deal with being a man light for an entire season - bye bye Spurs.
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