I was always Ange in right up to the very end of his reign which ended after Ange won the Europa League with Spurs. He fulfilled his promise winning us a cup. Spurs were notoriously not "Angeball" during this final against Man United. We were more Conte-ball or Mourinho-ball than the swashbuckling Ange ball which thrived on chaos inverted full backs and all our attack. But the truth was that Ange ball had disappeared long before the Europa League final due to too many injuries playing top level football at that intensity. On the local Spurs supporters club , there was a divide between Ange in and Ange out. It was all out civil war in March and April. Spurs just were not clicking and even when the injured players came back there was no uptick in performances. 17th was just too bad to ignore in the league so Levy and the board had to make a tough decision. If you remember back to Ten Haag winning the FA Cup for Man United prolonging the inevitable. He was gone soon after and this was Uniteds mistake not to cut him loose that summer. Spurs now had Champions League Football next season so needed to make a decision and this decision was the right one in my opinion even though I liked Ange's philosophy.
Spurs played Reading at the weekend in the first pre season so the most ardent Spurs fan was watching little bits and pieces that Frank was doing in warm up. Defending set pieces was the first hopeful sign as Ange did not see this as important even after conceding set piece after set piece last season.
Another great sign was he started the youth in Mikey Moore and also Alfie Devine. Two bright prospects. Ange had no choice last year but to break in Archie Gray and Bergvall. But if he had the choice these two players would not have featured all that much. Luckily both players broke into the first team and earned their Spurs so to speak which will make us stronger this season.
Watching Frank talk to his coaches during the game was a nice sign as well rather than watching Ange stand there and not react which frustrated me somewhat last year. I think Thomas Frank has a solid backroom team that he took with him .Ange's backroom team were a mish mash and murmurs were he was pretty distant even from them. It looks like Frank's backroom team are all together, know what their job is. Matty Wells survived the cull so he is the Spurs former member that survived so you have this also with Ryan Mason taking up the role at West Brom.
Spurs signed a young defender Lucas Vuskovic who is thought to be the real deal last year and immediately loaned him off to a Belgium club for the year. Vuskovic came on and got an assist and a goal in his first ten minutes. Not bad for his debut. He also looks like he was made in a factory. He's a big unit.
Our new signing from West Ham Mohammed Kudus looked lively on the wing when he came on as well. Probably our best winger already which poses questions around who will start come August on the right wing with Brennan Johnson and Kulusevski wanting a place. With MGW coming in from Forest it will be interesting to see who gets the go ahead in the number 10 role also. Maddison is now under pressure if MGW gets over the line so maybe he will be less injured.
And Finally
I was getting pelters last season off the Arsenal cabal on Football on Hive. Even @deniskj joined them. But yet Spurs won the major trophy. Arsenal and United won feck all.Well I forgot , Arsenal won the best team in the Champions League according to their Legohead rapist protecting manager but they didn't actually win a trophy. United won the tightest most miserable club in the world with Scrooge Ratcliffe tightening his purse strings. The Glaziers were bloody saints compared to this fella. Be careful what you wish for!!! So I will spend the whole of this season basking in glory while Arsenal desperately try and fail to sort out their forward position. Viktor Gyökeres and Mandueke are not the answer. You heard it here first. Gyokeres will be a disaster at Arsenal. He doesn't suit them and he will fail miserably. Mandueke is a strange signing. Maybe to cover for Saka when he goes or to get rid of Martinelli. United have an important FFP event next summer which sees them screwed with financial difficulties so this is a big year for them. Whatever will happen I am smiling in the background watching two ships sink.