Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish has heaped praise on Tottenham and suggested they are the club who other mid-table Premier League teams should aspire towards.
Tottenham have had another impressive season managing to finish in fourth place in the Premier League ensuring they qualified for the Champions League, a competition in which they have made the final where they will face Liverpool in Madrid, all while also moving into their new state of the art stadium towards the end of the campaign.
Parish believes his own club Crystal Palace should be aiming to follow Tottenham’s example and praised the club’s achievements over the course of the season.
“I don’t see the point of doing this job if we are just going to finish mid-table and settle for that. It’s not bad to finish mid-table but clubs like Ajax have to be an inspiration, in the same way as Tottenham have been an inspiration to English football,” Parish told The Sun.
“Tottenham haven’t always been what they are today. Every Tottenham fan I know was texting me on the night they opened their new stadium and they needed affirmation.
“They didn’t need it. They know what a brilliant stadium they have but they wanted to hear it. What an amazing year they have had. They walked into that stadium, they are playing in a Champions League final — that’s what I want for our supporters.”
OPINION
Parish is right to highlight the excellent season that Tottenham have had this term, managing to reach the Champions League final and finish in fourth place in the league, despite not making a signing in either transfer window. The Crystal Palace chairman is also right to acknowledge that his own club should be looking to emulate Pochettino’s side, and attempt to improve young talent and compete for regular European qualification through the Premier League. The last few seasons have seen Tottenham transform from a club that used to challenging for a top half finish, and Europa League qualification, to a side who regularly finish inside the top four and that can even compete to win major titles such as the Champions League. That is a remarkable transformation and highlights what can be achieved, even on a small budget if a club unites behind a model that can help take them forwards both on and off the field.