Chris Sutton has spoken out in defence of Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham side, claiming that the word “Spursy” should be “banished”.
The club has developed a reputation for bottling big opportunities, leading to their name becoming synonymous with failing to land titles, but Sutton believes it is no longer justified.
Speaking on Radio 5 Live, he said: “Totally unfair, that criticism that they haven’t won anything.
“When you look at the ride that Spurs fans have been on for five years under Pochettino.
“The word ‘Spursy’ that everyone bangs on about, that should be banished now because they’ve proven themselves this season.”
"The word 'Spursy' should be banished!" ?
No matter what happens in tonight's final in Madrid, @Chris_Sutton73 thinks #THFC have proved themselves already. ?
?? https://t.co/0kUniX6SeW#UCLfinal pic.twitter.com/HZnbWEODlK
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) June 1, 2019
OPINION
Sutton is absolutely right here. That criticism always felt a little bit petty anyway, as if it was coming more from a place of jealousy than anything else. At the end of the day, Spurs have done it the hard way. They haven’t invested big like some of their rivals, they’ve instead chosen to trust in youth and a brilliant manager to take them to where they are today. Make no mistake, this will be the biggest game most of these players will ever play in, and it should not be devalued simply because Spurs haven’t won a trophy under Pochettino. It will take a lot to beat this Liverpool team, and the Reds are favourites for a reason, but honestly, there is no shame in losing to them. If Spurs do get beaten in Madrid, they should still hold their heads up high after getting this far against all the odds.