The threat alone could be enough. Think if Stellini and Nuno stayed there would’ve been. I don’t want them to sack him but ultimately fan power is very real in these scenarios
I mean if you’re putting Ange (serial winner - leaving aside quibbles over the quality of those leagues) in the same bracket as Stellini (assistant) & Nuno (nice guy, good coach but well within his planetary boundaries) I think that might undermine your argument slightly.
And ‘fan power’ is fine when it’s rational - those two were patently out of their depth - but it’s genuinely ludicrous to suggest this is a similar situation. The job of the fans is not to second-guess every tiny decision and obsess over micro things, but to drive the team higher - the 12th man.
That what ‘fan power’ is to me - what we thought the South Stand would be (& why the stadium is designed to maximise the acoustics) - our Kop, our Yellow Wall, our Bombonera, our Welcome To Hell. When we have that more consistently, giving the players a lift when they’re knackered, that’s fan power.
Plus, certain Spurs accounts on Twitter, along with Spurs YouTubers, who spend all day slagging Ange and the team for clicks/engagement and rage baiting.
Lot of fans I know in real life not Twitter think he’s a shite manager. I don’t agree with them but they base it on the likes of the Palace and Ipswich games
Seriously, the unpredictability could be seen as a powerful commercial advantage. Variable rewards being more compelling to people than predictable ones. As long as the rewards *are* there often enough, then boom, you've got an intoxicating combination.
I just don't think Levy et al are actually that responsive to fans. Though I think they sometimes *use* fan reactions, e.g. with Conte, to take pressure off themselves when things are going badly. But that only goes so far and works for so long.
I think basically by scapegoating Conte after Conte spoke the plain truth about what he was dealing with, Levy used up a lot of his scapegoating capital. It won't keep working, and he's smart enough to know that.
Largely agree with your point but Conte's little rant was not just "the truth" it was self serving arse covering that pandered to fan discontent. Doesn't mean he didn't make some good points but also fuck that guy.
I don't have hard feelings either, as @jackdoyle82.bsky.social points out he had A LOT of personal crap happening, but I do think it was mainly about excusing himself and that means it needs to be untangled before treated as truth and too often it isn't.
He was completely correct in what he said but you’re right, it was self serving. It’s a shame things didn’t work with him and I don’t hate him because he had serious personal issues which hurt his tenure badly
I really hope you’re right but I’m not overly optimistic. Ultimately we need to look across at how our neighbours backed their manager through the tough times
Comments
https://www.nirandfar.com/want-to-hook-your-users-drive-them-crazy/