Former Tottenham player Garth Crooks discusses their recent setback.
Garth Crooks
Former Tottenham Hotspur player Garth Crooks has reiterated the importance of Tottenham keeping their squad together if they are to challenge for trophies.
Spurs are in second place in the Premier League and their chances of overhauling Chelsea and finishing top took a serious blow with defeat to West Ham on Friday evening.
Chelsea need just two more wins to secure the title, and can get one when they face Middlesbrough this evening.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino
Spurs were beaten by Chelsea in last month’s FA Cup semi-final, and sooner or later need to overcome their nearly men tag to become winners.
Crooks told BBC Sport that he still has hope that Tottenham can go onto win trophies next season, they have to show their ambition by keeping their top players.
He said: “Spurs looked like a side whose season had come to a predictable end. And although they have blown the league title for the second consecutive year, this team is very close to winning something major.
“The only way that they can do that is to keep every one of their players.
“Add to them if you must, but lose any of the current team and it will be a testimony to Tottenham’s lack of ambition. In other words, put up the ‘not for sale’ signs now, or otherwise stop talking about Premier League titles.”
Tottenham’s Kyle Walker prepares to take a throw in
The biggest challenge in this regard is right-back Kyle Walker, who The Express link with a big money move to Manchester City.
Spurs may be equipped to cope without him thanks to the presence of Kieran Trippier, but the risk is that his sale would become a slippery slope, with top stars departing season by season.
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