Tottenham Hotspur clinched Premier League survival on the final day with a gritty win over Everton, but the scenes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were more relief than celebration. For the second consecutive season, Spurs finished 17th, a position that speaks of chronic underachievement for a club of such stature. The 1-0 victory, sealed by Joao Palhinha, papered over deep cracks, and as the initial euphoria faded, questions about how a team playing in a state-of-the-art arena with a Champions League-tested squad could teeter on the brink of relegation demanded immediate answers.
Roberto de Zerbi, the Italian coach parachuted in as an emergency appointment after a disastrous 44-day tenure of Igor Tudor, has once again proved his ability to salvage a sinking ship. Having only joined late in the season, De Zerbi functioned more as a psychologist than a tactician, restoring belief with away wins at Wolves and Aston Villa before navigating the tension-filled finale. His impact was unmistakable, but the narrow escape cannot mask the systemic failures that led Spurs to this point. De Zerbi himself acknowledged the urgency: ‘It’s now around 7pm, and around 8pm or 9pm we will start working towards next season.’
The season was a mosaic of missteps. After Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite winning the Europa League the previous season, the club turned to Thomas Frank, who lasted only eight months. The board’s baffling decision to replace Frank with Tudor, a coach ill-suited to the squad’s needs, backfired spectacularly; Tudor oversaw five defeats in seven games before his swift exit. Only then did the hierarchy act decisively, bringing in De Zerbi, whose reputation for attractive, effective football offered a glimmer of hope. Yet the near-miss exposed the behind-the-scenes turmoil, with CEO Vinai Venkatesham and sporting director Johan Lange under intense scrutiny from a fanbase that has seen promises of glory turn into a relegation scrap.
As the final whistle blew and ‘Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur’ echoed, a giant banner unfurled in the stands: ‘Promised Success. Delivering Failure. ENIC out.’ The protest captured the mood of a support that had witnessed only their third home league win all season. Chants of ‘We Are Staying Up’ – the preserve of perennial strugglers – felt jarring for a club that received around £74 million after qualifying for the Champions League via their Europa League success. For owner representatives Vivienne Lewis and Nick Beucher, seated alongside non-executive chairman Peter Charrington, the relief would have been palpable, but so too the realization that the club’s regression demands a root-and-branch review.
De Zerbi wasted no time outlining his ambition. ‘Next season we have to build a top, top, top team,’ he declared. ‘We don’t have to change too many players in our squad, but we have to bring in some first level players.’ The emphasis on acquiring elite talent underscores his recognition that survival alone is unacceptable. His proactive approach – rallying the fans before kick-off, engaging in a heated exchange with Everton substitute Seamus Coleman, and being rugby-tackled by goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario after Palhinha’s goal – demonstrated a visceral commitment that had been missing for much of the campaign.
Injuries undoubtedly disrupted Spurs’ rhythm. Key creators James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski missed significant spells, leaving the team bereft of creativity for long stretches. Maddison’s late substitute appearance against Everton was a reminder of what had been lost. Meanwhile, captain Cristian Romero put aside personal rehabilitation from a knee injury to make himself available for the must-win game – a decision that spoke volumes about the gravity of the situation, given he had been expected to stay in Argentina to watch his boyhood club. His presence, alongside centre-back partner Micky van de Ven, offered a fragile sense of stability. Van de Ven later expressed confidence that with ‘the right people now here – the right manager’ the club could move forward, branding consecutive 17th-place finishes as ‘unacceptable.’
De Zerbi’s post-match comments carried a mix of pride and pique. ‘I’m very happy and elated for the performance of my players,’ he said. ‘They showed they are good people and top players.’ But he could not resist a barb at Everton manager David Moyes, suggesting Moyes ‘maybe wanted to help keep West Ham up’ – a nod to the East London club’s relegation that Spurs’ win ultimately sealed. The dig, delivered with a smile, hinted at the competitive fires De Zerbi wants to stoke permanently at the club.
Yet for all the immediate joy, the longer view is sobering. Spurs have now finished 17th in back-to-back seasons, a damning statistic for a club that once regularly eyed the top four. The playing squad, despite flashes of quality, has often resembled an unmotivated rabble. The wild celebrations at the final whistle, while understandable, also felt uncomfortable; they underscored how far expectations have fallen. The club’s ownership, led by ENIC, faces renewed calls to invest or sell, with the ‘ENIC out’ movement gaining momentum.
The road ahead is fraught. De Zerbi must not only reinvigorate the squad but also contend with potential departures of stars like Romero, who may seek a fresh challenge. The summer transfer window will be critical. The Italian’s demand for ‘first level players’ will test the board’s willingness to back him financially, especially after the costly missteps of recent windows. The Europa League triumph now feels a distant memory, its promise squandered by short-term thinking.
Spurs’ survival spared them the indignity of relegation on a day when north London rivals Arsenal clinched the Premier League title at Crystal Palace. That contrast sharpened the pain for supporters, who know that the club’s magnificent infrastructure and loyal fanbase deserve far better. The ‘Glory, Glory’ days are a faded relic, and unless the club’s decision-makers absorb the lessons of this catastrophic season, the future will hold more anguish than ambition.
De Zerbi’s rallying cry – that the work for next season starts immediately – must be matched by an institutional commitment to excellence that has been conspicuously absent. The Italian has shown he can inspire; now the club must provide him with the tools. As the fans dispersed into the Tottenham evening, there was a sense that the real battle had only just begun. For Tottenham Hotspur, the time for empty promises is over.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.