If everything goes to plan, Tottenham will end their 2021-22 campaign playing in Albania’s capital city, Tirana, where the inaugural Uefa Conference League final will be held.
A 4-2 victory at Leicester City on the final day ensured that Spurs qualified for Europe for the 16th time in 17 years, pipping north London neighbours Arsenal to 7th place in the Premier League.
Uefa has introduced the Conference League in an attempt to give clubs from smaller nations the chance to play in European competition. Teams from San Marino, Gibraltar and Malta will enter the competition at the first qualifying stage in July.
But the Conference League will also offer clubs from bigger leagues – in Tottenham’s case, an underperforming one – a golden chance to win some silverware. Villarreal will be there, unless they beat Manchester United in Wednesday’s Europa League final.
There is also a chance of a Spurs reunion with Jose Mourinho, as Roma finished seventh in Serie A after a final-day draw with Spezia.
Of course, being involved in a revamped Intertoto Cup won’t have featured prominently on Tottenham’s wishlist for the season back in September.
“I’ve said all along, it’s disappointing where we are in this moment,” acknowledged interim head coach Ryan Mason after full-time at the King Power. “It’s very disappointing for the football club. It’s important we’re in Europe but it’s not the European competition we’d want to be in.”
Indeed, the general consensus amongst the club’s fanbase seemed to be that it would be better and perhaps less embarrassing, to swerve the whole thing entirely, particularly as Tottenham’s win on Sunday effectively ensured a Champions League place for fierce rivals Chelsea.
The plus side is that it will offer a genuine shot at a trophy, irrespective of who joins or, more pertinently, leaves Spurs during the summer transfer window.
Harry Kane has higher ambitions than playing in a third-tier tournament and, similarly to his wave to fans after the midweek defeat to Aston Villa, his hug with long-term allies Dele Alli and Son Heung-min at the final whistle on Sunday seemed more poignant than usual.
Speaking to Gary Neville on The Overlap podcast, Kane said that he had been inspired to develop his game after watching Netflix’s documentary on the legendary Michael Jordan. Only time will tell whether this rainy, windswept day in the east Midlands was Kane last dance in a Spurs shirt.
It is surely the last we see of Ryan Mason on the touchline, at least for a few years. The 29-year-old has made some debatable decisions during his time in charge, but has acquitted himself well during turbulent times.
Sunday’s match-winning cameo might have been Gareth Bale‘s final act in Spurs colours too. “I know what I’m doing but it’ll just cause chaos if I say anything now,” was the Welshman’s reply when pressed over his future plans by Sky Sports after the game.
And so a period of uncertainty awaits Spurs. Quite what lies in store for 2021-22 is anybody’s guess, but all connected to the club will just be happy to see the back of 2020-21.
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from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3yxaufH
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