TOTTENHAM HATE SPUR
The announcer tried to drown out the boos with ’Fool’s Gold’ but no one was fooled as Spurs keeper Lloris labelled the toxic atmosphere as a sad, negative day for a club in crisis
TOTTENHAM are not only trying to save their shambolic season over their final seven Premier League games.
The crisis-hit north London club are also battling to quell a rising revolt in a furious fan base while persuading a new boss to come and their best player to stay.
Even captain Hugo Lloris admitted, “There is too much negativity” as he made a public appeal for calm before three “decisive” fixtures starting at Newcastle.
It is hardly an enticing prospect for Julian Nagelsmann, Vincent Kompany or the other potential managerial candidates. Or Harry
Kane.
The Tottenham Stadium announcer raced to play Fool’s Gold to drown out the boos at full-time after this injury-time defeat.
The jeers and cheers for subbed scapegoat Davinson Sanchez – who had an admittedly awful 23 minutes – were followed by chants for Mauricio Pochettino and calls for chairman Daniel Levy (above) to go. A red flare (right) was also seen on the pitch
Sacking Antonio Conte has achieved nothing apart from stopping his incendiary public criticism. His former assistant Cristian Stellini’s side remain three points behind Newcastle having played a game more before their clash at St James’ Park on Sunday.
Tottenham then host Manchester United and visit Liverpool in their two games after that – and are in serious danger of being overtaken by the upwardly-mobile Aston Villa and Brighton.
It is a time for the big names in the Tottenham squad to step up on and off the pitch.
Lloris was so upset by the fan treatment of Sanchez that he voiced his frustration in a television interview – before later talking about the wider issues.
Asked to explain the loss, Lloris said: “The first thing is when one of your team-mates comes on and doesn’t receive the help of the crowd.
“I am a bit surprised, in a bad way. I feel really sad, honestly, because I don’t think he deserved that.
“And the consequence, I don’t know if it’s in relation, we conceded the goal just a few seconds later.
“I spoke with him after. It’s sad, it’s sad for the club, it’s sad for the fans and it’s sad for the player to be in this situation.
“I think I’ve never faced a situation like that in my career. There is too much negativity.“
Spurs are out of the FA Cup and Champions League and now battling against the odds to make the top four.
“You know, the supporters, the fans are really important,” World Cup-winner Lloris said.
“I understand they are not happy. The players, also, we are not happy. We want more. We work for that. But it doesn’t work. But it is not a reason to give up. And we will push until the end.
“It is not the first time this season that we have had the opportunity to reduce the gap with the top four but it happens too many times that we drop points in key moments.
“But we know the next three games are decisive for the rest of the season. And we need all our focus, all our energy. We need also to be united as a club. Not only the players. Everyone.”
Spurs had taken the lead through HeungMin Son before Matias Vina marked his first Premier
League start with his first goal here.
The excellent Dominic Solanke gave the Cherries the 51st-minute lead following an assist by Sanchez – and the £42million Colombian defender was soon sacrificed as part of a tactical reshuffle.
Kane, who enters the final year of his contract this summer, was deployed in a playmaking role before Sanchez’s replacement Arnaut Danjuma equalised against his former club. Injury-time saw Richarlison miss from six yards – and Dango Ouattara net the 95thminute winner.
Tottenham had won by the same score at the Vitality Stadium in October after a late winner – and Cherries boss Gary O’Neil noted the difference off the pitch.
He said: “When we were on the wrong end at our place,
I shook the opposition manager’s hand.
“I was disappointed with them today.
“I thought to go straight down the tunnel and not shake hands was poor on their part.”