Are Tottenham being too ambitious?

Tottenham have always been a team that have lingered around the Europa League places for a number of years, but in the past few seasons they have really been challenging for a place in the Champions League. Harry Redknapp has masterminded such an achievement, and you'd think he'd be rewarded for his efforts. Tottenham unluckily missed out on a Champions League place due to Chelsea's triumph in last years Champions League, therefore replacing Tottenham in next years competition. Nevertheless, breaking into the top 4 is some achievement, and you'd expect Redknapp to be rewarded for his efforts. However Daniel Levy and the rest of the Tottenham board felt otherwise, and consequently Redknapp was removed from his position as Spurs manager, to the disbelief of much of the foot balling world. But this sacking poses a massive question: are Tottenham showing too much ambition?

Harry Redknapp unexpectedly lost his job after
4 successful years at the club

Too many fans across the nation, the decision to sack Redknapp was deemed as madness and suicide by the Tottenham board. Infamous for his time in charge of Chelsea, Andre Villas-Boas swiftly replaced Redknapp as Tottenham manager, which may lead to dire consequences. There is no doubt that Villas-Boas has potential to be a top class manager, but his nightmare 6 months at Chelsea seems to have destroyed his reputation. This disastrous spell as Chelsea manager indicates that he may not be able to cut it at another top English club, meaning he may fail at an even bigger scale with Tottenham than he did at Chelsea. He would also have to exceed expectations greatly to fulfil and build on the successes that Redknapp had achieved as Tottenham boss. Redknapp is without doubt the best English manager in the managerial world, and it will have to be a manager extremely special to build on his success, something that is extremely questionable with Villas-Boas.

New Tottenham boss Villas-Boas (centre) with new signings
Vertonghen (left) and Siggurdson (right)

However, Villas-Boas has performed miracles at Porto prior to his appointment at Chelsea, which proves he has had many good times mixed in with the bad times in his short career as a manager. He has also been active in the market, with the impressive signings of Gylfi Siggurdson and Jan Vertonghen as well as the likely capture of Emmanuel Adebayor, conveying that he knows how to work around the market in order to improve his team. In my opinion, Villas-Boas received too much negativity during his reign at Chelsea. He stated at the start of his tenure that he was building a 'long term' project, but was not given the chance to carry on with something that he had barely started. Therefore it can be argued that if he was given a chance at Chelsea then maybe he would've delivered the same success he did then when he was at Porto. With Villas Boas all he needs is time to prove himself, and if Tottenham give him that, I think he could be a huge success.

Despite the possible managerial excellence that Villas Boas could potentially supply, I think the Tottenham board are being massively over ambitious. Tottenham don't have the transfer budget to rival the both Manchester clubs and Chelsea, and therefore I think regardless of the manager, they will never challenge for the title. Redknapp has proven himself as one of the best managers on the planet, and he has shown this with his marvellous 4 years as Tottenham boss, being mostly responsible for their transition from mediocrity to the Champions League. It seems stupid to replace him with a manager unproven in the Premier League, and one that has been extremely inconsistent in his short career as a manager. It will take a lot of hard work to emulate the success that Redknapp has brought, and that is why it is an extreme risk by replacing him with Villas Boas. Although he has the potential to do something outrageously good whilst in charge, I think it was a risk not worth taking for the Tottenham board, and many Spurs fans will agree with me.