We will always be the choker jokers
‘SPURSY’ TAG LOOKS HERE TO STAY
TOTTENHAM stand no chance of shedding their choker tag – even if they avoid a catastrophic last-day slip at Norwich.
The north Londoners, who hold a two-point lead over Arsenal in the Premier League top-four race, are infamous for blowing it when appearing to have glory in their grasp.
Indeed, it has happened so frequently during the last 20 years, it is now simply ‘Spursy’ to fall at the final hurdle.
Eric Dier is clearly weary of the jibe, but accepts it is something punters and pundits alike love to batter his club with – at every conceivable opportunity.
Snipers
So he reckons that if Antonio Conte’s troops silence the snipers this afternoon by securing Champions League qualification, the respite from the mickey-takers will only be temporary.
The central defender said: “I see other teams go through situations, but there isn’t a word for them. Yeah, we can shake it off on Sunday.
“And then next year, we will have a result... and it will be back.
“In the last six or seven years, the time
I’ve been here, we’ve had incredible highs where the club has never been before.
“And then two days later ‘Spursy’ will come back after a certain result.
“It will always be there.” Dier, 28, may have a point but then history indicates a different slant.
‘Spursy’ took root alongside ‘Lasagne-gate’ on the final day of the season in 2006.
Struck down by food poisoning, sickly Tottenham crashed at West Ham, allowing Arsene Wenger’s Gunners to snatch Champions League football instead.
The idea that might happen again, with a Spurs defeat at Carrow Road allied to a home win for Mikel Arteta’s men over Everton, is not a palatable one for Dier. The mockery will intensify as Arsenal fans could then wildly celebrate St Totteringham’s Day – the date it becomes impossible for Tottenham to finish above the Gunners.
Setbacks
But the England man insists the many knocks suffered along the way, particularly in the past two campaigns, have strengthened the character and resolve inside the camp.
Throw in an elite super coach in Conte at the helm and the present Spurs crop no longer have a soft centre. Or, put another way, says Dier, they know how to recover from seemingly terminal setbacks.
“I remember last season, we drew at Palace and it felt like the end of the world,” he said.
“That’s something, as a group of players, we spoke about this season.
“I think we learned from that, where results felt like the end of the world and looking at the table was scary.
“You try to maintain an emotional consistency, not get too down in those moments because things change.
“You have to believe they will because they do in the Premier League more than any other.
“That’s something we’ve improved, keeping at it, getting through it – then you find yourselves in the position we are now.”
The north London rivals have swapped pole position crazily in recent weeks,
Dier added: “In the space of 10 games there have been three swings back and forth. As I say, consistency is the important thing.”