Ok, here’s the situation: Spurs are 17th in the league. One point above relegation. We’ve lost 5 out of our last 6 games. The last of which was to one of the four teams below us in the table. At home. By 3-nil. So we need a ‘Blues Brothers moment’.
‘There’s 7 matches to play. We have a full squad, a fantastic stadium and a new manager.’ Let GO!!!
And unlike the last incumbent in the managerial seat, this one is not not greeted with WHO????. This is one we know. Roberti De Zerbi. One time leader of Brighton. And it has to be agreed; with great effect. They not only improved up the league, advanced in cups and made it into Europe, they played great, attacking football. Stylish. Flair was encouraged and incorporated into the game plans. He then went to Marseilles (s’in France, innit) and led them well too.
So he has ‘the pedigree’, he has the quality, he’s available NOW, (FFS), and we are fucking desperate. He’s also agreed that IF we get relegated, he will stay. As many managers would not sign to that. It seems a match made in heaven.
But footballing heaven is different from that other one. Its paved with stumbling blocks, populated by short-sighted morons and led by a group of Spurs fans who’ve suddenly discovered ‘moraliteeee’ and misplaced it quite ridiculously to try and depose De Zerbi before he’s started.
We can’t work with HIM!!!, they cry. He’s TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE!!, they post their little online groups. And why this dissent? Because Roberto stood by Mason Greenwood. When all else painted him a hate-figure.
Greenwood was a ‘star’ for England and Manchester United. A really gifted player. Who was accused of rape, sexual assault and controlling behaviour. As about half the Premier League could be accused of. And most BBC presenters. Man United immediately kicked him out, all hell broke loose and he was instant pariah. But then, all the charges were dropped. All of them. Which is pretty remarkable. Because there were a lot of them, he was arrested twice. And we have a kind of law here, (there and everywhere, except possibly Dubai) that your ‘innocent until proven guilty’. But apparently that’s not the case for footballers. And certainly not for Spurs Fan Groups, who still find you guilty long after you’re proclaimed innocent. And thus anyone in favour of you is guilty by association. Or ‘guilty by association football’ in this specific case.
De Zerbi greeted Mason warmly at Marseilles (the French love a rapist) because he was, legally, ‘an innocent man’, with oodles of skill and reputation in the dirt.
You should also know that although a lot of footballers are rich, thick and arrogant to the point of committing terrible offences against women, some footballers can fall foul of ‘cries of rape’ by women looking to make a killing on the blackmail circuit. It happens.
And thus, because this man was nice to a man proclaimed innocent but had been accused of horrible crimes, ‘he’s not the man for our job’ and he won’t be welcomed.
Its almost like my entire football club is engaged in self-destruction.
Happy Wednesday
A xxxx









