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At the point Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario came sprinting out of his goal to intercept a Fulham through ball, there was little danger.

Even when he was caught in possession of the ball longer than felt necessary, it wasn’t clear that the away team might score.

However, as he continued to dwell on it, the situation escalated. Shifting his body weight in an attempt to evade a pressing Fulham attacker, Vicario became unbalanced and shanked the ball straight to an opponent.

Remarkably, a further five seconds passed before the ball was whipped into the empty net by Welsh forward Harry Wilson.

Speaking after the game, even Wilson was surprised by how long Vicario had gone walkabout.

"I felt like the goalkeeper was out of the box for ages," he said.

"I was surprised none of the back four went back to the line. When none of them defended the goal, my eyes lit up a bit.

“[Destiny] Udogie slipped too, which gave me a bit of extra time. Then it was all about trying to make the right contact and get it on target. I had a good feeling, as soon as it left my foot, that it was on the right line.”

After the game, the goalkeeper was big enough to admit the mistake was on him.

"The second goal was a mistake of mine, I take responsibility for that," Vicario said.

“The intent was to clear the ball long and I just hit the ball in a bad way. It was an even bigger mountain to climb.”

It was the type of unforced error that Spurs really didn’t need. The club is winless in the past four Premier League games, a run which has included chastening defeats to bitter rivals Chelsea and Arsenal.

Ultimately, Vicario’s error proved to be the game's winner and the 1-2 defeat now means you have to go back four months to the opening day of the season for the last victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The atmosphere at any stadium where a team fails to win for that long is bound to turn mutinous at some stage.

In the past couple of games, there have been signs of growing frustration.

Manager Thomas Frank's substitution of Xavi Simons against Manchester United was booed by supporters, who ultimately had to eat humble pie when his replacement, Mathys Tel, bagged an equaliser.

This time, Vicario was subjected to boos in the wake of his error by an angry section of the fanbase.

The 29-year-old took the negative reaction in his stride, describing it as "part of football."

He added, "I'm a big man, what can I say? We cannot be influenced by the situation in the stands. The fans have the right to do what they think.

"It's on us to stay more calm, to focus on ourselves. We are lacking in composure and calmness to overturn results. Today is a bad defeat and it's tough to accept."

His manager, Frank, was far less forgiving.

"I heard some of our fans apparently booed the incident and booed after, which, in my opinion is completely unacceptable," the Dane said postgame.

“[They] can't be true Tottenham fans that do that. Fair enough booing after the game, no problem, but when we are playing, we are supporting each other, we are behind each other going forward.”

The Spurs manager felt the error was indicative of the run the club is currently on.

"When you’re in a bad spell, everything seems to go against you as well - the first was a deflected shot, the second is a mistake from Vic," Frank said.

"This result leaves us in a place where we have lost another game. Every game has a single story, this game we lost in the first six minutes.

“We just need to keep working. The second half was much better and hopefully something we can use to learn.”

The question increasingly is whether Frank will be allowed to rescue the situation.

After an encouraging start to the season, things have deteriorated in North London to the extent that it’s hard to see much difference from the toxicity that blighted the end of previous coach Ange Postecoglou's reign.

There is a grim familiarity in the way Frank is starting to clash with Spurs fans and complaining about poor focus.

The concern is how quickly this has happened and whether there are underlying issues that even a change of manager won't solve.

But, as former Spurs midfielder Danny Murphy told the BBC, this is what Frank signed up for when he moved from Brentford in the summer.

"He's taken a high profile job at a huge football club with massive expectation. There is pressure and responsibility that comes with that," he said.

"The performances at home have been poor and they have to improve quickly. I don't think at the moment he knows his best team and he's not sure on his best formation and that's a problem.

"Confidence is really low. He has to ride the criticism, keep working on the training pitch and get that team winning some games at home."

The challenge for Frank is that he is likely to face more situations like the booing of Vicario unless the home form is improved.

If it doesn't change, it's hard to see the Dane making it into 2026 as Spurs coach.

Only four players have played more Premier League minutes for Tottenham Hotspur this season than Joao Palhinha. The Portuguese international has instantly made himself a central pillar of Thomas Frank’s team since making the move to North London from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window.

Palhinha has made an immediate impact. The former Fulham midfielder has given Spurs some much-needed steel on the defensive side of the ball. Had Tottenham had Palhinha last season, it surely would have finished higher than 17th in the Premier League table. His signing has been a good one.

And yet Palhinha has come to embody the fundamental weakness in the centre of the pitch for Frank’s team. For all that the 30-year-old is effective as a destroyer and disruptor, he lacks natural ability as a progressor of possession. This weakness is hindering Spurs in its matches this season.

The 2-2 draw against Manchester United before the November international break illustrated the issues Tottenham is suffering from. The North London outfit struggled to create anything of note in front of goal for the majority of the game. It was only when Frank made changes from the bench late on that the dynamic shifted.

Wilson Odobert gave Spurs a different dimension. His dribbling got Tottenham through the lines and into the final third. Until that point, though, the midfield pairing of Palhinha and Pape Sarr had been easy to front up against. When Manchester United went man for man in defence, Spurs had no alternative solution.

Xavi Simons was signed from RB Leipzig to be a natural creator for Tottenham, but the Dutch international is still acclimatising to his new surroundings in the Premier League. Frank also hasn’t been helped by the long-term injuries to Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison. Their invention would make Spurs a better side.

However, the bigger issue for Tottenham is that it currently lacks the supply line to progress the ball to a number 10 like Simons, Kulusevski or Maddison. Its attacking problems are deeper in the field and this leads to the argument that Spurs lack the midfield pairing to truly make an impression on the top end of the Premier League.

The January transfer window might offer an insight into Frank’s view of his midfield options. Tottenham could enter the market to find the sort of deep-lying pace-setter it currently lacks. With that player at the base of Frank’s midfield, Spurs could make genuine progress and climb even higher in the table.

At the end of the breathless 2-2 draw between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United, focus was drawn to the crowd’s reaction to what proved to be one of the game's critical decisions.

There were 10 minutes on the clock when manager Thomas Frank turned to his substitute bench and decided that, to alter the 0-1 deficit, he needed a change.

Up until that point, Xavi Simons had provided a few brief moments of excitement in what had been a drab affair for Spurs; yet, when the electronic board was held aloft, it was the Dutchman’s number that was displayed.

Boos cascaded down from the stands of the Tottenham Hotspur stadium at the decision. If Frank didn’t feel the pressure before, then he most certainly did after the sub.

Fortunately for the Danish coach, he was vindicated just five minutes later when replacement Mathys Tel lashed in an equaliser into the net, and before, stunningly, Richarlison completed the turnaround.

Even with their visitors reduced to 10 men, Spurs couldn’t see the job; however, and United left with a 2-2 draw thanks to a headed equaliser by Matthijs de Ligt.

Facing the media in the pressroom postgame, Frank was asked if he felt like his substitutions had worked.

"Yeah, sometimes you are lucky, but of course every single time I take a decision to sub a player it’s with one aim - to make the team win or get back into the game or try to see the game out," was his modest response.

"It’s with only one aim - to try to win the game. No doubt, Mathys did well, great goal, great involvement and in general I think Xavi played a fine game, positive, but also you need a bit of freshness.

Questioned simply about the boos, Frank kept it brief.

"I just say every time I make a decision it is with one aim. To make the team better," he said.

Frank did admit he was still figuring out the right way to set up his team.

"We are searching to find the right balance up front, and I think when we look at the game back, I think there was positive bits going forward also from the game," he added.

"I think we created one of the biggest chances - Richarlison from a cross from Brennan after, what, five, 10 minutes.

“Sometimes it's the small things - he scores on that instead of Bryan then it changes a little bit and opened up the game a tiny bit more, but we constantly work on the relationships and try to improve it with the players and try to find what is exactly the right blend, but I think there were small steps in the right direction.”

Of greater concern for Frank was the comparison drawn between himself and another manager in Spurs’ recent history who was fired after a disastrous change against Manchester United, which was booed by the home crowd: Nuno Espirito Santo.

As the Daily Mail pointed out in their review of the game: "The boos were reminiscent of jeers received by Nuno Espirito Santo during his brief spell as Tottenham boss.

"Nuno was booed for withdrawing Lucas Moura in a 3-0 defeat against Man United back in 2021, in what proved his final match in charge.

“By contrast, Frank's substitutions helped Tottenham battle back against the Red Devils on Saturday, with three players contributing in the move for the equalise.”

For those with doubts about Frank, the comparison is not without substance.

Both managers arrived at Spurs having overachieved with sides they brought up from England’s second tier and are renowned for rigid teams whose success was built on strong defensive platforms.

The question has been, having moved to North London, could they adapt to high expectations and a desire to play more attacking soccer?

In Nuno’s case, the answer was invariably no. Tottenham Hotspur never appeared to be developing into the effective unit he so impressively moulded at Wolverhampton Wanderers or Nottingham Forest.

But what should scare Spurs fans more than the Nuno comparison is how Thomas Frank’s former side is performing in West London without him.

When Brentford lost their manager and a significant portion of their starting eleven, many feared for the club’s future.

I was one of those who expressed concerns about whether new boss Keith Andrews’ total lack of pedigree would prove an issue.

But it is with surprising ease that the Bees have continued to progress under the rookie.

The transition is so smooth that it raises the question of whether Frank was making Brentford look good or the other way around.

Actually, when you look at the records of managers who’ve left the club, most of the time they don't go on to enjoy greater success.

Dean Smith was highly regarded when he departed Griffin Park, and while he did win promotion with his boyhood club, Aston Villa, few could say the Bees missed him too much.

Likewise, Mark Warburton was hailed as an exciting prospect as the club began to build towards its glorious ascent to the top flight. But he, too, has had a career that flattered to deceive.

The difference with Frank is that he achieved what no one had done with Brentford for the best part of a century and returned the club to the highest division.

However, the distinct absence of any hangover from his tenure ending suggests he was not some miracle worker whose individual brilliance drove the Bees to the top.

That should worry Spurs fans because, although their club is very well-run, it has not been able to outstrip expectations in the manner that Brentford is, albeit with very different stakes.

Tottenham Hotspur’s strong start to the 2025/26 season has highlighted the potential of the team Thomas Frank is building. The North London outfit is currently sitting third in the Premier League table having won four of its seven opening fixtures, drawing the other two. Spurs is finally heading in the right direction.

And yet even as Frank’s team has started strongly there have been some warning signs, the starkest of which was the home defeat to Bournemouth when the Cherries picked off Tottenham at will on the counter attack. Spurs couldn’t find a way to break through the low defensive block.

This is where Xavi Simons could become an integral figure for his new team. The Netherlands international joined Tottenham Hotspur from RB Leipzig on transfer deadline day and is the sort of creative number 10 that Frank was previously lacking. Simons could be the solution to a rather big problem.

James Maddison is sidelined through injury while Dejan Kulusevski has also yet to play a single match this season. In a number of games, like the one against Bournemouth, Tottenham has lacked someone nimble enough on the ball to create in and around the final third.

Against Leeds United, Simons demonstrated his ability to perform this role. One moment in particular stood out when the 22-year-old scooped a pass over the top of the opposition defence for Pedro Porro to latch on to and have a shot on goal. No other Spurs player on the pitch could have done that.

Spurs strengthened its squad in other ways over the summer. Mohammed Kudus arrived from West Ham to provide more directness and dribbling ability on the wings. Joao Palhinha arrived on loan from Bayern Munich while deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso were made permanent.

It’s the addition of Simons, however, that could have the biggest, most meaningful impact on Tottenham’s season. The Dutchman is still finding his feet in his new surroundings and doesn’t look to have achieved full fitness and match sharpness after a summer of uncertainty. It will take Simons some time to get up to speed.

When he does, though, Simons could be the creator-in-chief that moves Tottenham into a new phase of its reconstruction under Frank. He could be the catalyst for the North London outfit to become truly competitive at the top of English and European soccer. Simons could be the key to a successful season.

‘Spursy’ is defined in the online version of the Collins Dictionary as a performance where a team has “success in reach” but “ultimately chuck[’s] it away.”

The resource adds that: “this word is associated to Tottenham Hotspur FC, you will find numerous examples of this on twitter, from supporters of most if not all top flight teams.”

To some degree, every single soccer fan feels their team is ‘Spursy.’ Supporters remember the painful defeats grasped from the jaws of victory more than easy wins. Probably because shame is the most powerful feeling, or as legendary psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “a soul-eating emotion.”

But, as the name suggests, few clubs have an association with this phenomenon more than Tottenham Hotspur.

As Anna Howells, content creator for Spurs XY, told the BBC after a painfully unpredictable run last season, the term 'Spursy' was “not a fun word but an accurate one. We have been incredibly inconsistent. Somehow both really good and really bad."

And so it was that after a convincing 0-2 win against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium Tottenham Hotspur found themselves losing at home to Bournemouth after 5 minutes and looking thoroughly unconvincing.

As the players left the field at half-time, boos cascaded down from the stands at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The negative reception failed to stir the players and the game was lost.

"I prefer them not to boo, but I understand,” said coach Thomas Frank after the game.

“It was not a good performance today and they have high expectations, which is absolutely fair. I think let's say if we perform even better and still lose the football match today, I don't think we hit the level we should.

“I think the players gave everything and then that's the foundation and put their hearts out there, but football-wise wise we didn't hit our top level today."

Bournemouth, it should be said, are no pushover; they showed time and again last season that the team is more than capable of punching above their weight.

Frank acknowledged this in his postgame remarks.

"We played against a very good Bournemouth team that we know can make it difficult for any team in the league. They played to their strengths. They did that very well and we didn’t handle it well.

“We knew exactly what they came with and we trained for it. We just didn’t handle it well enough in terms of the balls in behind, the second balls, duels in the middle of the park.

“That’s the defensive side and on the offensive side we struggled to find good enough solutions to get through phase one and two so we could get up there and put a bit of pressure on them.

“We only did that in the last 15 where we put on good pressure and could have equalised. I think over the game it was fair that Bournemouth won.”

It’s been well-documented that this has been a transfer window when Tottenham Hotspur has failed to add targets that would boost the squad’s creativity.

Moves for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze have collapsed in embarrassing fashion, much to the annoyance of the Spurs faithful, although the recent addition of Netherlands international Xavi Simons will help.

Having failed to score against Bournemouth, Frank admitted that a lack of creativity was an issue.

“That’s why we signed Simons to have an extra offensive player but I also think on the day with all due respect to our offensive players, none of them hit a high level and that happens sometimes. I’m very aware. I don’t want to say it’s okay, but it’s natural,” he said.

Frank was also at pains to point out that the poor result that followed a statement win wasn’t necessarily a ‘Spursy’ failure but a reflection of the different challenges the team faces.

He said: “It’s also for us to not manage, but play different games. There's one game against City, one kind of football, different kind of football against Burnley. Bournemouth completely different third kind of football and all kinds of football you need to be able to perform against, and we struggled with it.”

Transfers and money are often the focus when a team falters, but the truth is that it’s not new signings that make a difference long-term.

Tottenham’s problem is that, in the past decade, they have regressed from a side with realistic title ambitions to one where Champions League qualification is the most they can hope for.

But, really, there is no reason the club shouldn’t challenge for the Premier League, at the core of the team are players of a quality to match Arsenal or Liverpool.

The problem really has to do with mentality, the fact that even after securing its first trophy in over a decade, the idea of being challengers, the Spursy curse still rears its head.

If Frank is to truly be successful in North London, it will not be because of what happens in the transfer market but by dismantling the idea that the club is inherently inconsistent.

Sometimes, when it comes to bitter feuds between soccer teams, victories off the field can be as sweet as the glories on it.

For several days, Eberechi Eze appeared to be heading to Tottenham Hotspur from Crystal Palace in an $80 million deal. However, just as the move was set to be sealed, there was a twist.

Arch rivals Arsenal swept in at the last minute and hijacked the deal.

It’s the type of transfer that will feel like a derby day win for fans of the Gunners, especially as it also appears to have been enabled by sluggishness.

As Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol put it: "Today’s a great day to be an Arsenal supporter.

"They have pulled off a real coup here. At the last minute, they matched Spurs’ offer, and it's important to remember Eze himself is an Arsenal supporter.

"His wish was very important in this - Arsenal matched Spurs’ bid of [$80]m including [$10]m in add-ons. Remember, he had a release clause which expired last week which was worth up to $91m.

"I have some sympathy for Spurs. This is not football manager, this is real life. I don’t want to kick Spurs when they're down - I'm trying to see it from the perspective of their hierarchy.

"I think they did everything they could to try to sell the club to Eze. A lot of Spurs fans are asking why they didn’t trigger his release clause before Friday, but maybe they tried to do that and the player could've dragged his feet. Maybe he was keeping his options open.

"Spurs fans are very angry and criticising Daniel Levy and the owners, but I think we should keep things in perspective; these kind of things happen all the time in the window.

“Why didn't Spurs trigger the release clause? It might've needed paying in one lump sum. They might've waited until it expired to get a better deal.”

It didn’t take long for the gushing statements about Eze being the final piece in the jigsaw for Arsenal to emerge.

"Eze is a brilliant signing for Arsenal," former Gunner playmaker Paul Merson said. "It’s a game-changer and a perfect fit.

"Arsenal struggle when teams come to the Emirates and put everyone behind the ball. Teams want to limit the space Arsenal have to play in and they have struggled to break teams down with those tactics.

"We’ve seen it over the last few years where they have struggled to break teams down when it gets right to the business end of a game and the business end of a season.

“For me, that's where Eze comes in at Arsenal. He's got the X-factor and in tight, tight games, he has the ability to break a low block down.”

Yet Again Spurs Are Outflanked

The frustration for Tottenham Hotspur fans is that this is far from a one-off.

A similar scenario occurred when Arsenal swooped for Leandro Trossard in the January 2023 transfer window. His agent claimed Spurs had been in contact for two weeks, but the Gunners struck an agreement in 24 hours.

Spurs were in advanced talks with Porto one year earlier regarding a move for Luis Díaz. However, negotiations dragged on, and the club was beaten by a more efficient Liverpool, which wrapped up the transfer in a matter of days.

Those are just a few of the most recent examples; the club also lost out on Michy Batshuayi in 2016 for dithering and Adama Traoré in 2022. However, the most embarrassing last-minute gazumping was Willian, who’d completed a Spurs medical only to wear Chelsea's blue.

The failure to sign Eze represents the second transfer slip-up of the summer after a move for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White collapsed spectacularly.

Writing in the BBC’s Fans' Voice section, Spurs supporter Bardi expressed this frustration.

"It’s not so much the player, it's what the failed transfer of Eberechi Eze means long-term for a club that at some point has to negotiate with other Premier League teams.

"Daniel Levy’s reign has seen an upturn in fortune and fortunes at Spurs, but they still seem unable to compete and complete transfers.

"With Morgan Gibbs-White’s move to Spurs in pieces, Eze seemed the next logical step, especially with top-four rivals out of the equation, but somehow Levy and Spurs failed to get it over the line.

"Who moved the line depends on where you stand in the great Levy debate, but what’s clear is that he seems unable to work with other Premier League clubs.

"Levy’s self-promotion over the years as an "always-on" figure, someone involved with every aspect of the club, has made him a trophy. Over his 24 years at the wheel, he's broken relationships across the league and Europe. Just compare how easy it is for Arsenal to pry players from Chelsea and now Palace.

"Premier League chairmen know what to expect from him. They expect to be "drawn over the coals," and they’ve had enough. People want to move quickly and get on with the business of selling and buying players. Once so adept at negotiating, Levy is now a VHS in a streaming world—everyone has moved on."

Levy's defence is that Spurs are very rarely short-changed. But you can hardly argue that the times a rival has outflanked them were a blessing in disguise; in most cases, the players went on to great success. Tottenham Hotspur fans will just pray that isn't the case with Eze.

Eberechi Eze is a man in-demand. The 27-year-old is wanted by both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur with the two North London rivals hoping to complete a deal for the England international before the end of the summer transfer window. Eze could cost as much as $80m, reflecting his match-winning quality.

Last season was an excellent one for Eze who registered eight goals and eight assists in 34 Premier League appearances. He was also a key figure as Crystal Palace won the FA Cup, sensationally beating Manchester City in the final to lift the first piece of silverware in the club’s 119-year history. Eze is a legend at Selhurst Park.

Such a talent, however, deserves a higher platform and Eze seems destined to be granted this before the summer transfer window closes. However, it’s yet to be decided whether he will be wearing an Arsenal or Spurs jersey. There’s reason to believe the 27-year-old would be a good fit for both North London outfits.

Arsenal has been forced into the market for a new attacker following news of Kai Havertz’s knee injury. Eze is capable of playing as a number 10 or on the left wing, but his signing would free up Gabriel Martinelli to operate through the middle. He would also give the Gunners a different dimension with his dribbling ability.

Spurs could also be a good fit for Eze. Thomas Frank is remoulding the Europa League winners in his own image with Tottenham already apparently stronger having pushed Paris Saint-Germain all the way in the Super Cup and beaten Burnley in the opening game of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Frank likes his teams to attack open space at speed and this is where Eze could offer a lot. Tottenham also needs to find goals from other sources and Eze would bring plenty in this regard with his willingness to get forward and shoot from in and around the penalty area. His positivity would improve Spurs as an attacking proposition.

Eze might be more of a key figure at Tottenham than Arsenal. However, at Arsenal the 27-year-old would be part of a team that is targeting the Premier League title. Spurs, on the other hand, is merely aiming to finish in the top five and put itself in a position to build on last season’s triumph in the Europa League.

At 27, Eze is at a critical juncture in his career. His route to the top of the English soccer has seen him progress through the lower leagues to the point he is now a proven difference-maker at Premier League level. Arsenal and Tottenham would both be lucky to have him, but only one can.

His trademark pigeon celebration is the same. Richarlison quite possibly isn’t. The number nine was one of the leading lights from the opening weekend of the Premier League, scoring twice as Tottenham Hotspur defeated promoted side Burnley on Saturday. The reinvigorated Brazilian, with the momentum and backing to finally become a prolific forward at Spurs, best embodies a team on the up.

It’s worth noting that a similar tape has played before. Richarlison has previously been an effective striker, while Tottenham, at the beginning of ex-coach Ange Postecoglou’s tenure, picked up 26 points from a possible 30 to start the 2023/24 league campaign. In both cases, neither developed into a genuine force in the division. And it’s only the first match this time around.

Richarlison’s character arc is significant, though. Fewer than 18 months ago, the Seleção international spoke bravely about his battles against depression following the World Cup in 2022 to ESPN. Being a professional athlete, with its expectations and incessant scrutiny from the stadium to the digital space, brings challenges regardless of the attractive pay packets. He now looks in a much better place, which is great to see.

Many (guilty here) would have chosen his striking partner, Dominic Solanke, as the apex of their Fantasy Football teams. However, the ex-Everton frontman seems to have the advantage over Solanke, spearheading the lineup and swivelling his long limbs to net two excellent goals and start on the right footing. Richarlison has rough edges to his game. Still, you don’t rack up half a century of caps for Brazil without having clear strengths.

Someone key to the 28-year-old’s fortunes is Spurs coach Thomas Frank. In Richarlison, he likely sees a physical competitor from whom he can extract the best for the function of the lineup. Away from the tactics whiteboard, the Dane—once a teacher—could be the mentor Richarlison requires. Ivan Toney, Yoanne Wissa, and Bryan Mbeumo were the beneficiaries at Brentford—Frank’s former club.

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“I always liked Richarlison,” said Frank when asked about how the South American fits his plans amid talk of him leaving this summer. “I always thought he was good when he played for Everton. When he came to Tottenham, we all knew he had struggled with some injuries or been unlucky with them. So, we’re very aware that we need to build him up and protect him. We can’t say, after playing two games back-to-back, where he did well in both, that we are out of the woods. We need to prove it for a longer time. But the early signs are good.”

Watch Out For Dark Horse Tottenham

Tottenham is not even at the periphery of discussions around which names are best-placed to compete for the Premier League title this term, with Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal, and Chelsea getting the most attention in that regard. Having won a rare trophy in May and being nearly guaranteed to upgrade on its 16th-place league finish, Spurs can approach the season without any major weight on their shoulders. The only pressure could be financial, namely qualifying again for the Champions League and the riches it brings.

If only the Premier League table were considered, Morgan Gibbs-White's move from Nottingham Forest to Tottenham Hotspur would be a total non-starter.

It's inconceivable that the talisman of the 7th-best team in the division would be pursued or persuaded to join a side that finished just above the relegation zone.

But glory in the Europa League final against Manchester United means Spurs is more than the worst team in the league that wasn't relegated. Victory provides the club with Champions League soccer and evidence that silverware can be won in Tottenham.

In reality, it is an asterisk that obscures the greater overall trend from last season, which was that the Reds have a better trajectory than the Spurs.

As speculation about his future swirled, Gibbs-White reported back for preseason training with Forest and has already featured in friendly games for the club.

Perhaps the use of a player wanted by another team shouldn't come as a surprise, given how reluctant the Reds are to let him leave.

Forest's position is that Gibbs-White is not for sale, and it's even been suggested that the club could take legal action against Tottenham Hotspur over its pursuit after Thomas Frank's side triggered a confidential release clause.

According to his teammates, Gibbs-White has not let the furore affect him on the training field.

"Morgan is a professional. I don't really know the ins and outs of that, but he was here today, he was playing, training with us, staying fit as normal," said fullback Ola Aina.

"At the end of the day, we're all professionals. We've got a job to do and that's what Morgan's doing right now, keeping it professional."

The pain of Gibbs-White's potential departure is worsened by another recent departure from the East Midlands.

Anthony Elanga, another of Forest's key men last season, recently agreed to move to Newcastle United for around $70 million.

Losing two of their most important players has understandably caused concern for Nottingham Forest supporters, who are keen to build on their recent success.

"[The Gibbs-White transfer is] certainly one that Forest could have been doing without and one that has got the fans worried," BBC Radio Nottingham's Colin Fray said on the local station's Shut Up And Show More Football podcast.

"On the back of the exit of Anthony Elanga to Newcastle, fans were willing to accept that a big sale might be necessary this summer because that's life in the days of PSR and the Premier League. Although disappointed with that possibility and subsequent reality, people accepted that.

"But, to have this right on the heel of the Elanga deal caused a lot of concern among supporters, and still is. It is a moving situation and things may change quickly - but it is messy, it is horrible, Forest don't want to be there in that situation. I'm fairly sure Gibbs-White doesn't either."

"It's going to be interesting to see how it plays out from here.

"Most thought it would be ironed out and the transfer go through. Not many were expecting him back at training and here he is. That is another twist in the story.

"Forest have set their stall out that they aren't looking for a quick resolution. They want to keep him."

As Fray correctly points out, Forest's decision to dispose of its most talented players is not driven by either a financial imperative or a sporting decision.

Profit and Sustainability Rules require the club to keep losses at a certain level, and the Premier League has already docked points for past failure to reach the required threshold at the specific deadline.

Although European soccer promises to bring revenue next year to help counteract any expenditure until those games are played, the cash remains a future rather than a current benefit.

But it's frustrating. Forest were one of last season's most exciting English soccer disrupters. They were outsiders from the established status quo whose exceptional performances put the more established order to shame.

Just as Aston Villa managed to gatecrash the Champions League places and were forced to sell key personnel, Forest find themselves in the infuriating position of not being able to build on last year's success.

Like the Birmingham side, they have a storied history that includes European glory and fans who feel they have the right to dream of sustained improvement.

But the function of rules on spending has consistently demonstrated one thing: the upwardly mobile will have their wings clipped.

Since PSR was introduced, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and Nottingham Forest have improved the Premier League's competitiveness by challenging at the top of the table, only to plateau or regress because they were unable to invest in that potential.

Meanwhile, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have wasted vast sums as they blundered downwards. However, they remain unlikely to be overtaken by more dynamic rivals because PSR will always slow this progress.

However, BBC Sport football news reporter Nick Mashiter is one of the few willing to offer Forest fans reason to be optimistic.

He highlighted that there has been a good track record of reinvestment in recent years.

"It sounds very very boring, but Forest know exactly what they are doing," he explained in a BBC article.

"It sounds strange when you are selling two of your best players, but they have targets - long-term targets in the likes of PSV Eindhoven's Johan Bakayoko, James McAtee of Manchester City and Liverpool's Harvey Elliott.

"Bakayoko was on the list when they signed Elanga initially. So, I think it is a case of 'trust the process' with Forest because over the past couple of years they have shown they know what they are doing.

"It is worth pointing out that Forest have always improved on what they had. Elanga and Callum Hudson-Odoi came in for a combined £16.5m and they replaced Brennan Johnson, who went to Tottenham for about £47.5m.

"They have improved since then. That was two years ago and they have done the same. Orel Mangala left, Elliot Anderson came in. Moussa Niakhate left and Murillo came in.

"So they have always improved on the players they have lost."

Forest fans will be hoping that proves to be the case, but it is a shameful indictment of PSR that they cannot build on the success they so brilliantly delivered last year.

The fascinating managerial dynamic of summer 2025 is, undoubtedly, Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur.

Having delivered a European trophy and the team’s worst league finish in decades, it’s almost impossible to think of another situation where the two measurements for performance are so extreme.

The club is weighing up whether to persist with the man who’s just ended years of pain whilst simultaneously piloting the team on an alarmingly downward trajectory.

In 2011/12, Roberto Di Matteo guided Chelsea to its inaugural Champions League success whilst finishing 6th in the division, and a year later, Roberto Martinez won the FA Cup the season he got Wigan Athletic relegated from the Premier League.

However, in both instances, the managers had significant mitigation. Di Matteo was drafted in halfway through the campaign and also won the FA Cup.

When Wigan finally dropped out of the league, most people accepted Martinez had consistently performed miracles in keeping such an under-resourced club in the top flight for as long as he had.

Postecoglou has no such excuses.

He has done something remarkable by breaking Tottenham Hotspur’s 17-year wait for a trophy.

But he’s also overseen the worst Premier League finish in the club’s history.

In addition to some truly awful results, there has been a downturn in performances so terrible it’s hard to see how the club can turn things around.

Then there is Postecoglou himself. At times, he has stuck too faithfully to his philosophy only to see it fail, but he has also abandoned it for certain games in which the team looked equally awful.

In addition to those struggles, he lost touch with the media and fell out so badly with the fans that there have been multiple confrontations with the terraces.

Having not been a manager who’d attack the hierarchy or lowered expectations, as predecessors Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte had done, Postecoglou also let this asset slip when he broke ranks in January and moaned about a lack of reinforcements.

But, and it’s a giant, but how do you fire the guy who’s just broken the nearly two-decade wait for silverware?

It’s a point made by the man himself.

“I will be honest, I have been finding it really weird talking about my future when we have done something unprecedented,” Ange Postecoglou said.

“I have had to answer the questions because no one else at the club is in the position to do so, I guess.

“I have got no doubt, though, that this could be a real defining moment for this club because wherever I have been, I have made an impact where I have brought success to a club that hasn’t had it for a while.”

“You just have to look at those clubs’ trajectory; even after I left, they are still competing for things. I really think this is a moment in time where this club could push on and be a real contender for honors on a yearly basis.”

The Fan Divide

The SB Nation Tottenham Hotspur community website, ‘Cartilage Free Captain,’ provides a fascinating insight into the divide among Tottenham Hotspur fans.

The editorial team got the two sides of the debate to each pen an opinion piece arguing what they believe should happen to the Australian coach.

Dustin George-Miller offers the ‘Ange In’ perspective, praising his adaptability and claiming there are caveats to the awful league form, namely the squad’s lack of depth.

“He’s maybe the only Spurs manager in my fandom who actually seems to get what it means to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan,” George-Miller wrote.

“After several years of managers like Mourinho and Conte, is it wrong to want to stick with a manager who is a supremely good guy?”

On the other side, Ben Daniels scathingly rejects the idea that winning a trophy changes more fundamental problems.

He said: “Before the Europa League final, Ange had delivered the worst domestic season in our history with a record number of league losses so staggering that no team in the Premier League has ever survived them.

“He coached a team that largely played insipid football, lacked any tactical identity beyond “run fast,” couldn’t balance multiple competitions, and suffered an injury crisis severe enough it’s hard to imagine he’s not at least somewhat responsible for it.

“Firing him would have been the least controversial decision an owner has ever made.”

Tellingly, the Cartilage Free Captain team member who penned the piece also takes an ‘agnostic‘ position, not siding with either.

You can sympathize with that perspective because being a fan is an emotional business. The elation or despair that soccer brings has a habit of shutting down the rational elements of the brain.

The harsh reality that would push a Spurs fan to nail their colors to the mast would be to rewatch the final and then decide.

In a thoroughly awful game, Spurs played poorly but managed to just about sneak past Manchester United with an incredibly scruffy goal.

As Guardian sports journalist Jonathan Wilson told the Off The Ball podcast, Tottenham fans who shifted their position based on the outcome of that game should question what about the match they saw that wasn’t known before.

“Why has that two hours of essentially random football [changed things],” he said, “Tottenham completed 115 passes and the game was 99 minutes.

“So they completed a pass every 52 seconds, which I would say is on the low side. Even in a sort of [poor] Sunday kickabout that’s on the low side. They completed 62% of their passes. If you kick the ball randomly, you complete 50%.

“And that’s convinced you he should stay?”