Tottenham fans ‘working for the opponent’ are told to ‘go watch Arsenal’
Tottenham fans have been heavily criticised for creating a “toxic” environment for their struggling team, by Martin Keown.
Fulham won their first away game all season at Spurs 2-1 on Saturday evening thanks to an early Kenny Tete strike and a second from Harry Wilson two minutes later after Guglielmo Vicario’s clanger left his goal wide open from distance.
Fans booed the Italian during the match following that incident, prompting under-pressure Tottenham boss Thomas Frank to brand them “not true fans” for booing before the final whistle, and defender Pedro Porro to react angrily at full time, then issue a message on social media later on.
Frank has been criticised for turning on the Tottenham fans, but Keown is heavily on the side of the team in arguing that negativity from their own fans is completely counter-productive.
Martin Keown slams Tottenham fans over Vicario
Frank has now attempted to strike a more reconciliatory tone in his Monday press conference, stating the club is “nothing” without the fans.
Keown, however, was in no doubt that the Tottenham supporters were in the wrong for how the atmosphere had become on Saturday, taking a firm stance earlier in the day live on talkSPORT.
He said: “No I think [Frank’s] got to be true to himself if he feels that it needs to be said. During the game this is becoming toxic now, playing at home for Spurs.
“They used to call the fans the 12th man didn’t they, and obviously now they are working for the opponent. It’s making it very, very difficult.”
Jim White and Simon Jordan both went onto direct the blame for the situation onto the players such as Vicario for underperforming, with both scoffing at Porro‘s “entitled tripe” about not tolerating abuse to his teammates.
But Keown was undeterred, adding: “So you think the players should just put up with it and shut up?… Maybe the fans should stay at home shouldn’t they? Because they’re not helping the situation. Now look, let me tell you how it is from a footballer’s point of view.
“I’m not going to name clubs but there was one particular club that I played at in my career where in the end you had to say, ‘Actually, we’re gonna have to cock a deaf ear to these fans, because they are certainly not helping’.
“If you’re worried about them you’re not going to survive, so forget the fans because they’re not really on our side, let’s go play our football… if you want to do this and take your team apart then carry on, become a laughing stock… When you’re ready to support us, come back and support us. For now we’re on our own.”
After some further back and forth against White and Jordan the ex-Arsenal man said: “They’re entitled to do whatever they want to do… but I think it’s inexcusable to continually boo your player, because they’re basically saying ‘take him off’ and the manager’s saying ‘no, no I’m supporting this guy’.”
Asked directly what his message to Spurs fans was he replied: “Show some respect for the players or don’t turn up at all. Go watch Arsenal down the road, a much better watch.”
Vicario seems least bothered of all
Whether Keown would have had such a critical view of Arsenal fans in the face of underperformance at the Emirates is impossible to tell since things are largely going so well for Mikel Arteta and company at present.
But the outrage from all sides seems overblown when Vicario himself seems to be among the least upset by the whole thing despite being the overriding target.
The keeper came out after the game, took responsibility for his error, and apologised to fans for how it affected the game.
Some may argue he shouldn’t have even had to do that, but it seems clear some players do have an issue with how they are treated from the stands.
If Frank and the squad can foster a siege mentality out of it and somehow prove the fans wrong then perhaps some positive can come of the whole affair, because at the moment they are conjuring up precious little to cheer after a series of dismal results through a miserable November, with losses at home to Chelsea and Fulham, a North London derby thrashing at Arsenal, and another heavy loss against PSG.
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