Do United or Spurs Deserve a European Trophy?

 

    A season that United and Spurs fans will want to forget may end in a European Trophy for one of the two sides. An embarrassing season for both will soon culminate in an unexpected UEL final. Postecoglou famously reminded journalists that he always wins a trophy in his second season, an answer which made many fans laugh, and many laugh even harder when Tottenham were sitting in the bottom seven come March, with it looking unlikely they would win anything. Similarly, United’s season seemed to be over when Amorim revealed that the focus was next season, but he has pushed his side into the UEL final with some great performances, and the only team yet to lose a game in the competition. 

    The real question is, do either of the sides deserve UCL football next season, and the answer to that would be no, they don’t. Whilst the Europa League has offered a saviour for both sides, neither has them have performed to the standard they should be playing at, and therefore don’t deserve European success. The other question is whether playing UCL football will benefit the two sides. In my opinion, no, it won’t.

    Ruben Amorim has a big job to do next season, with an overhaul in the works. It would make it easier to do so if he had extra time with his team, not training for midweek games, to understand what to do with his team. They can focus on the league and try and get top seven, a big step-up from this season.

    With Tottenham, it is a little more complex, whilst they may win the Europa League, the belief within the fan base and wider community is that come June, Ange Postecoglou will no longer be Spurs manager, whether he wins the final in Bilbao or not. If Postecoglou is indeed sacked, then European football will be to the detriment of a new Spurs manager, not offering them enough time to fix their side. If Postecoglou stays, the same should be said; the manager needs to come up with how to use his players, and what a plan B is, because it has been a failing of his.

    There is also an argument to be made that the UCL can motivate players to play better, and because players will be tired, allow young players to be introduced into the side. But really, neither team deserves UCL football, but one will have it, we will just have to wait and see who.