With the gloating cheers of West Ham fans still ringing in their ears, it seems churlish to remind Tottenham Hotspur supporters that, yes, things could have been worse.
Ok, Spurs have lost two games in succession, barely creating a chance of note in either. But they are also just two points adrift of the Champions League places, looking down on Manchester United, Everton, Leicester City and arch rivals Arsenal in the still-embryonic table.
All is not lost. Far from it. Only a week ago Tottenham produced their best performance of the new era, admittedly against a winless and wobbling Newcastle United.
What’s more, there’s no suggestion Nuno Espirito Santo should be glancing nervously over his shoulder or Daniel Levy’s finger is twitching on the trigger.
And we’d imagine that, given the opportunity, Rui Vitoria would swap places with Nuno in an instant; a football manager equivalent of Freaky Friday with the embattled 51-year-old in the Lindsay Lohan role.
What’s gone wrong for former Tottenham target Rui Vitoria?
Spurs were reported to have made contact with the former Benfica coach in April.
Vitoria would put pen to paper on a two-year deal with Spartak Moscow in May instead, however, forcing Spurs to turn to the definitely-not-last-resort option that was Nuno.
Vitoria was without a job when Tottenham came calling.
But, with the autopsy beginning following Spartak’s humiliating 7-1 defeat to Zenit St Petersburg yesterday, a major turnaround would be required if Vitoria is still earning his buck in the Russian capital by the time his contract is due to expire in 2023.
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“Why does the club’s management continue to trust Vitoria?” asked former Zenit star Vladimir Bystrov after Spartak’s seven-goal collapse (Soccer RU).
“If this were any Russian coach, he would have been fired.”
“Vitoria must leave on his own,” adds Vyacheslav Koloskov, vice-president of FIFA from 1980 to 1996.
“He sees he is failing. He doesn’t manage the team and doesn’t know what to do. This is quite obvious. He once again failed to cope with his task.”
According to Eurostavka, Spartak weren’t planning to give Vitoria his marching orders until at least 20 November because of a hefty break clause in his contract.
More displays like Sunday’s in St Petersburg, however, and Spartak may have little choice but to take the plunge and decide enough is enough.
Damage limitation territory.
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