Tottenham Hotspur played no European football this season, but it didn’t feel like it given what fans were put through.
From Ange Postecoglou walking through the door in the summer, Harry Kane leaving, getting off to a storming start, an ambitious style of play and then falling off towards the end.
Tottenham put their fans through the lot by ending the campaign with a win at relegated Sheffield United and securing fifth spot in the Premier League table.
It means Spurs will be playing Europa League football next term, with the dust now settling on the domestic campaign, oh the fans thought!
It’s the norm for managers up and down the country to moan about the fixture schedule, especially those teams that play in Europe.
The decision to scrap FA Cup replays from next season hasn’t sat well with many teams down the football pyramid, with critics thinking it’s benefiting the elite clubs in English football.
Therefore, you wouldn’t be surprised if those same critics were ready to bash Spurs and Newcastle United for deciding to play a post-season friendly in Australia.
Days after Newcastle beat Brentford and Spurs won at Sheffield United, the two were in Melbourne playing out a 1-1 draw, with the Magpies winning on penalties and over 70,000 supporters in attendance.
Early on Wednesday morning, Jamie O’Hara got a notification through his phone of Tottenham’s line-up and he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing, as he posted on Twitter.
The former midfielder expressed that the players should be ‘on the beach’ and that it’s an ‘absolute shambles’ that they are still playing with the season already concluded.
Newcastle United beat Tottenham in post-season friendly in Australia
“Why am I getting lineup announcements for Spurs? Absolute shambles, should be on the beach,” wrote O’Hara
Euro 2024 and Copa America
Kieran Trippier, who has been named in England’s training squad for Euro 2024, played against Spurs, but was forced off with an injury.
If he happens to miss the European Championships now, then it really does prove that money is the only motivating factor in this call to play this game.
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A lot of Spurs and Newcastle players will be playing in major tournaments this summer.
Cristian Romero will be looking to defend Argentina’s Copa America crown, whilst Anthony Gordon will be aiming to play in his first major tournament after Marcus Rashford was left out.
So, if Postecoglou or Eddie Howe moan about a fixture pile-up next season, then people will be keen to remind them about this match.
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