Former Arsenal great David Seaman has risked the wrath of his old team’s fans after praising the progress Tottenham Hotspur are making and how they keep hold of their star men.
Spurs kept their Champions League hopes alive on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win over PSV Eindhoven, and Seaman believes success is imminent for Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
“No, they’re not miles away at all,” he told talkSPORT when asked if Spurs were close to success. “They’re getting closer every season, for me. For me, Tottenham are really progressing.
“A lot of people are going on about how they’re not playing very well, but this is their best start to a Premier League season and they’ve still got a chance in the Champions League, although a very small chance. They are always progressing and they keep their players and get their best players to sign new, long term contracts.”
OPINION
It is a bit surprising to see a former Arsenal favourite speak so gushingly about Tottenham, but Seaman is right in most of what he’s saying here. We have seen progression year on year at Spurs under Pochettino, and you get the sense that they will cross that final hurdle at some point. The Champions League is going to be a big ask for them this term, even getting out of their group is difficult at this moment in time, but the FA Cup and a top four place feels like a realistic target for Tottenham. There’s no reason why a squad of this quality shouldn’t win the FA Cup this season. They aren’t miles away from Manchester City and Liverpool at the top of English football, they just need a bit more quality in key areas. Certainly, they are ahead of Seaman’s old team Arsenal. The fact that Spurs’s best players continually sign contract extensions is a big endorsement of what the club is doing, and it surely won’t be long until there’s some silverware to put in that nice, new stadium.