Date: 6th October 2015 at 3:57pm
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So the powers that be at Liverpool bit the bullet and decided to part ways with manager Brendan Rodgers. I can’t help but feel a bit sorry for the Northern Irishman as his situation mirrors that of Andre Villas-Boas two seasons ago at Spurs. And here’s why.

Unfortunately, for us and Liverpool, chasing dreams of finishing in the elusive top four, in today’s economic climate, it is unrealistic to expect to hold onto our top players. The fact of the matter is, regardless of reputation, the four clubs that hold those positions on the most part can offer much higher wages than the chasing pack. This makes holding onto our stars, and attracting top quality talent very hard to achieve.

8 August 2015 - Barclays Premier League  - Manchester United v Tottenham Hotspur - Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur - Photo: Marc Atkins / Offside.

As a result, the transfer policy of both clubs is to buy young, and hope that these players turn into stars. Sometimes, these young players that have turned into stars have to be sold at a profit (Bale, Sterling, Modric etc). It has to be this way unfortunately, it’s the only way we can compete with the clubs above us, financially. Who can say, when the next transfer window comes along, if we’ll be able to hold onto Christian Eriksen, or them to Coutinho?

Both clubs have a transfer committee making decisions on which players to sign, it is not solely up to the manager, so I don’t think Brendan Rodgers should be to blame for those signings not working out. The ‘Suarez money’ was spent in almost identical fashion to the ‘Bale money’.

While some of the signings have worked out for both teams, the majority have so far been failures. Rodgers himself said “if you spend £100million you should be challenging for the title” so in that respect, he dug his own grave, but I can’t help but feel that he, like AVB, could’ve been afforded more time.

Erik Lamela is now in his third season with the club, and is only in the last couple of games starting to show his worth. Similarly, a lot of the Liverpool players brought in could still turn out to be great players, but as we all know, these things take time. And time is not something that is afforded to managers in this day and age.

26 September 2015 Premier League Football - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester City;  Erik Lamela celebrates the fourth Tottenham goal. Photo: Mark Leech

We’re both in the same boat. Both chasing top four ambitions, both with a great history, and both, unfortunately, have been overtaken in recent years by clubs with more money. It’s a simple fact, and one that us as fans need to get used to.

How fitting then, that up next on the fixture list, Liverpool travel to White Hart Lane, presumably with their new manager, whoever he may be, in place. It is going to be a massive game, but I just feel, for them, it’ll be too soon for the new man. In my opinion, we’re a couple of years ahead of them in terms of development and building for the future, as all clubs in our position have to do.

With the form of Dele Alli, Eriksen and Lamela, I think that we’ll have too much for them on the day. Unfortunately Eric Dier will be suspended, and that is a real shame because he has been a revelation this season. But I think we’ll cope and I fully expect us to win the game.

COYS

 
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2 responses to “Why Tottenham and Liverpool are in the same boat”

  1. rb says:

    It does take time, and the way that Poch shipped out all of the rubbish this season has been admirable. Rodgers may have got there however after spending over £300M in his time there (yes he got some back) he had to hit the ground running this season, he didnt. Liverpool have not adequately replaced Suarez, Sterling, Gerrard and going back a bit further Alonso. Spurs even with the Bale money have spent considerably less, as we have a new stadium to build, (a issue Liverpool will also have to deal with down the line) so we cant blow 30/35M plus on a single player, we still need another striker, we may or not go back to Berehino, his price will drop like a stone if WBA are relegated, but we have a younger, faster, hungrier squad than last year, with a decent amount of team spirit. I would rather be in our boat currently than Liverpool`s. Klopp will take some time to bed in, he will need money to spend and a full pre season with the team he has picked to make the impact they are looking for.

  2. Martyn says:

    This article ignores a few critical elements.

    1. Rodgers had plenty of time to put his stamp on the Liverpool squad.
    2. Rodgers had final say on all signings.
    3. Liverpool can compete financially with the richest clubs, that is fact. The money is there, whether it is spent is a different matter.It is their lack of any recent prestige that prevents quality signings.
    4. Rodgers was an idiot.

    Spurs and Liverpool are nothing alike. I’m insulted that anyone would attempt to make a link!
    If Liverpool sign De Boer, that’s when we will see Liverpool improve drastically. Liverpool have been failing to do the simple things well. We at spurs have failed to do anything well, don’t let the city game fool you.
    We aren’t a good side and I see no reason to believe that Pochetino and Levy/ENIC are the combination to move us forward regardless of financial power.