Tottenham hero Glenn Hoddle has insisted that the club change their priorities from focusing on a top four finish and instead look towards securing some silverware.
The Lilywhites have been without a title win in over a decade, their last trophy being the League Cup of 2008, but have instead launched themselves up the Premier League table to become regulars fighting it out for a place in the Champions League spots.
However, Hoddle believes the club are not ready to launch a Premier League title bid, nor are they ready to be Champions League contenders, and as such has insisted they change tack and make winning either the League Cup or FA Cup as their top targets and to use that as a stepping stone to future glories.
He told Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast on talkSPORT (04/10): “It’s all about Champions League for Tottenham – from the outside in it looks like that’s their main priority.
“They’re not ready to win the Premier League, they’re looking at the top four. Well, why go in the top four if you haven’t got the squad to get through the group stages, just to slip into the Europa (League).
“Trophies for Tottenham are the number one. If it’s the League Cup, the Fa Cup, that’s where I would say players want to win things and I think it’s a stepping stone – it’s the foundation to go and win something else.
“At the moment, they’ve just hit the buffers and it’s a testing time for this next month.”
"What's the point of getting in the top 4 if you're not good enough to get out of the group stages of the Champions League!?" ????
?? @GlennHoddle says #THFC must forget about Europe & a title challenge this season and focus on winning the League Cup or FA Cup!
Agree? ? pic.twitter.com/vZv9Bfp957
— talkSPORT Breakfast (@TSBreakfast) October 4, 2018
Opinion
It is indeed a difficult time for Tottenham, not least their fans, who will not be sure which direction they want to go in. The problem with Hoddle’s plans is that the Champions League – coming courtesy of that top four finish – is incredibly lucrative and the club are looking not only for success but for the financial gain that comes alongside it. The FA Cup, while a historical achievement, simply does not bring anything more than personal glory, and with the club on the rise and looking to challenge Europe’s elite, they need the money over silverware. Perhaps in the next couple of years Spurs will indeed have the squad to push for both a top four finish and some honours, as the likes of Manchester City have done in recent times, but for now the quality in depth is just not there, and Pochettino needs to focus on getting constant European football to ensure the Lilywhites continue to grow as they have done under his management.