Inside Tottenham's sinking ship as Spurs chiefs told 'you're killing the club'
Igor Tudor had ended a disastrous night in Tottenham by speaking about a boat. Spurs seem to drive their head coaches to despair and naval analogies, with Thomas Frank having declared before his exit that the north London club is a big super tanker that would take a while to turn.
Such analogies, though, only conjure images of sinking ships. The HMS Tottenham Hotspur is taking on water because it's been punched full of holes by the decisions of the club's players, head coaches and hierarchy.
At half-time of the 3-1 defeat to Crystal Palace, a couple of Spurs fans shouted across at the club analysts that they are 'taking the club down'. Another bellowed 'You've killed the club' up at those in the director's box, including CEO Vinai Venkatesham, sporting director Johan Lange and one of the owners, Vivienne Lewis.
The fans are disgusted by the club and in the 94th minute the travelling Palace faithful sang 'You're going to boo in a minute'. The remaining Tottenham supporters duly did. It was a game that turned horribly in the space of a handful of first-half minutes.
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Nineteen-year-old Archie Gray, Spurs' man of the match by a country mile, jinked around two Palace defenders before picking out Dominic Solanke to score. But Spurs captain Micky van de Ven put his brain into standby mode, grabbed Ismaila Sarr's arm as he ran towards goal and pulled him to the floor.
Referee Andy Madley had no choice but to brandish the red card and award the penalty that Sarr scored. Tottenham have the second most red cards in the Premier League (four) and the most bookings (72).
When asked if there was a discipline issue at the club Tudor bewilderingly responded: "There is no discipline issue at all. Opposite." His misplaced optimism felt similar to Frank's on the night before he was sacked.
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"Maybe it will sound strange but I believe more after this game than I believed before," said the Croatian. "I saw something. I need to choose the right guys because the boat is going in the direction that I want to go and needs to go and who is in the boat can stay. Otherwise they can leave the boat."
The Tottenham hierarchy must decide whether to give the Tudor reign more time or decide they have made yet another managerial mistake and frantically look for anyone else who can give these players a lift. A routine email sent to the media on Friday confirmed Spurs' press conference in Madrid with Tudor on Monday night ahead of the Champions League last-16 first leg tie.
That's not a cast-iron guarantee the Croatian will be in the Spanish capital but it's a sign that some expect him to be. The problem for Spurs is the lack of alternatives to step into the dugout, those available reading like a panel of television pundits.
There's Harry Redknapp, who turns 80 next year and last managed in the Premier League 11 years ago when he left QPR second from bottom. He would be the nostalgic choice for fans after seeing what Martin O'Neill has done at Celtic. Others mentioned are Tim Sherwood, mainly by Tim Sherwood, along with Jermain Defoe and Ryan Mason.
Seeing that quartet coming over the hill is something akin to the four horsemen of the Tottenham apocalypse. Ange Postecoglou is also currently available, although his return would be far too awkward for Venkatesham and Lange. Their positions will be under scrutiny following the decisions made at a club that is lurching from one mess to another.
Spurs need to be saved, for relegation would be a disaster and leave a reported £250million black hole in their finances. Many inside the club fear for their jobs due to the cutbacks that would need to be made.
Something needs to jolt Tottenham to life because they are currently sleepwalking towards the Championship and that would impact far more than just the 11 players on the pitch.