English Media Editor: Tottenham's back-to-Back 17th place is unbelievable

Daniel Storey, chief reporter for the English media outlet The i paper, published an article criticizing Lange and Venkatesham, stating that Tottenham Hotspur should fire them immediately.

Tottenham Hotspur's season has been so unremarkable that when a turning point finally arrives, you're caught off guard. Palhinha's header hit the post, rebounded off Pickford's studs, and eventually rolled into the net. De Zerbi sprinted down the touchline, just like the managers who once coached here but ultimately failed.

Tottenham Hotspur at least avoided the worst-case scenario. For those who pay high prices to watch games here, this is undoubtedly something to cheer about, because what's the point of watching a game if you can't enjoy a moment of happiness amidst nine months of boredom?

At least that afternoon, Tottenham Hotspur showed the strength and belief expected of a Premier League team. They constantly harassed a slow-paced Everton when out of possession and frequently created threats when in possession. Tel made O'Brien look clumsy and sluggish. Van de Ven frequently pushed forward, while Porro and Spence took turns attacking down the right flank.

The players let out exaggerated shouts after tackles, something they largely lacked for most of the season. When news of West Ham United's goal came, the atmosphere became a bit tense. But overall, the game... was competent? As it turned out, it worked.

This season, Tottenham Hotspur fans have done everything they can to push for change both on and off the pitch: bus welcomes, pre- and post-match protests, pleading with underperforming, cynical football figures to improve, and angrily accusing them of letting everyone down. Perhaps their efforts paid off, perhaps not – but they deserve to cheer for it.  

Only those who pay out of their own pocket to wear this jersey, not those who collect salaries or charge others, have this privilege. Those entrusted as guardians of the club have not earned this privilege. This is entirely their own fault, a self-destruction that has seen Tottenham Hotspur plummet from the Champions League to the brink of the Championship in just a few months.

In an era where Aston Villa has achieved extraordinary results and Newcastle United has been acquired by Saudi Arabia, one might think the term "Big Six" is outdated; but this is not the case. The latest revenue data covers the 2024-25 season, and Tottenham Hotspur didn't even make it into the Champions League that season. Their revenue was as high as £581 million, a full £190 million more than any club outside the Big Six. "Big 6" refers to revenue, and the advantages that come with it, not performance.

This is actually a good thing, as it suggests the huge scandal of Tottenham Hotspur's failure. Clubs in the traditional financial elite have more than just one-time strongest financial power. More importantly, even if they make repeated mistakes, this financial power can protect them from the worst losses.

Despite numerous advantages, Tottenham Hotspur has finished in the bottom four of the Premier League for two consecutive seasons. This is not a club with chaotic finances forced to cut back, leading to a decline in performance. Tottenham Hotspur was given a golden ticket, but now only a few tattered pieces of paper remain.

For this team and this club, finishing 17th once is carelessness; twice is a serious dereliction of duty. And all of this can only be blamed on management: ENIC, Vinay Venkatesham, and Johan Lange. Different coaches, different styles, different players, but the same bad atmosphere. Those at the top of the food chain determine the life and death of those at the bottom.

Who in reality still has confidence in things getting better? If even after so many warnings and landmark failures, you can still mess things up so badly twice, why would it suddenly be fine now? While relegation is a great irony for poor performance, it would at least force a complete system overhaul. The worrying thing is that those of mediocre ability will now try to get by with some minor adjustments.

If that's the case, Tottenham Hotspur will likely make little progress. They might have fewer injuries, win a few more games, and the head coach's tenure might be a few months longer than other teams. It's unlikely they'll fall into this situation again, although we had similar predictions a year ago, and the result was even worse.

However, unless there is a change in leadership, either forced out or forced to confront their own failures and immediately begin systemic change, this is merely treating the symptoms, not the root cause.