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Ex-Premier League boss Alan Pardew admits that in the summer he was not impressed with Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer business as it was not ambitious enough.
Spurs have had an up and down season so far, with familiar failings showing themselves, including an ability to not close games out and to easily concede goals.
They led 2-0 at Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday, but then conceded three times to self-destruct and head back to north London with zero points.
While Tottenham have a number of exciting youngsters coming through, questions are being asked about the depth of their squad and Pardew believes not enough was done in the summer.
The former Newcastle United boss stressed that Spurs must aim to be fighting for the title as then falling just short will put them in the Champions League.
He admits he was not taken with the business that Spurs, under Ange Postecoglou, did in the summer.
“Forget about Ange, the transfer policy in the summer did not strike me of a team that wanted to be champions”, Pardew said on talkSPORT’s The Final Word.
“If you are Spurs you have got to aim to be champions because if you aim to be champions, you might get Champions League.
“And if you just fall short of Champions League you’ll make Europa League.
“If you don’t aim there, if you aim for the Champions League or the Europa League, you are going to fall short and you [Spurs] look short.”
Tottenham led Brighton 2-0 at half time on the south coast, thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson and James Maddison.
A quickfire goal for Brighton in the second half through Yankuba Minteh rattled Spurs though and by the 66th minute they were 3-2 down, with Georginio Rutter and Danny Welbeck having also struck.