'Spurs avoid humiliation but elation of fans will soon turn to anger'

Strains of the old "Glory, Glory" anthem echoed inside the giant stadium as Tottenham Hotspur stepped back from the precipice of the most humiliating relegation in Premier League history. Spurs players and supporters were in unison at last as they could finally look forward to next season as a top-flight club, victory against Everton on the final day ensuring survival and sending West Ham United into the Championship. Slowly, a note of dissent was introduced as a giant banner was unfurled by sup

ENIC out." The fans who have suffered so much mediocrity were entitled to their outpouring – after all, this was only the third home league win they have witnessed this season, albeit in arguably the club's biggest game in recent history. For the Spurs players, the instant exuberance was understandable, but embarrassment should have quickly descended on them as they listened to their supporters chanting "We Are Staying Up". The very sound of those words, the preserve of strugglers, should reverberate through the whole club. Once Tottenham High Road empties of its revellers, the inquest from top to bottom must begin. The fist-pumping defiance from those who have performed so poorly, with Spurs finishing 17th for the second successive season, could have been avoided had they pitched up and performed earlier in this wretched campaign. Cracks were covered up by last season's Europa League win, which was followed by Ange Postecoglou's sacking, but they were soon exposed once more when this season begin. The club's top brass were in attendance for the conclusion – whatever it held – with chief executive Vinai Venkatesham front of house and sporting director Johan Lange sitting just behind. Former chairman Daniel Levy, the lightning rod for so much criticism during his 25 years at the helm, left his role in September. Instead of reducing the toxicity, it removed a shield on Venkatesham and Lange, so when things went badly wrong, they were in the firing line. The pair talked a good game when measuring their ambitions for Spurs. It was not reflected on or off the pitch. Their part in all of this will come under immediate scrutiny, not least for their remarkable decision to trust the ill-suited Igor Tudor as successor to Thomas Frank.

Key points

• ENIC out." The fans who have suffered so much mediocrity were entitled to their outpouring – after all, this was only the third home league win they have witnessed this season, albeit in arguably t…
• For the Spurs players, the instant exuberance was understandable, but embarrassment should have quickly descended on them as they listened to their supporters chanting "We Are Staying Up".
• The very sound of those words, the preserve of strugglers, should reverberate through the whole club.
• Once Tottenham High Road empties of its revellers, the inquest from top to bottom must begin.
• The fist-pumping defiance from those who have performed so poorly, with Spurs finishing 17th for the second successive season, could have been avoided had they pitched up and performed earlier in t…