Disaster has been averted, but "uncomfortable truths" have surfaced. For Tottenham's players and leadership, there was little to celebrate after the club — one of the richest in European soccer — narrowly escaped relegation from England's top division for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Chairman Speaks Out
"We will not dress it up," chairman Peter Charrington said in a letter to fans published Monday, "as anything other than falling well short of what this club expects."
The team's 17th-place finish last season was viewed as an aberration amid the club's ultimately successful bid to win the Europa League. Yet heading into the final round of this season, Tottenham was just two points outside the relegation zone and in danger of dropping into the second tier for the first time since 1977.
It would have been the most unlikely relegation since the Premier League was founded in 1992.
De Zerbi Leads Rescue Act
Tottenham beat Everton 1-0 — rendering third-to-last West Ham's win over Leeds irrelevant — to complete a late-season revival that included three wins in its last five games under recently-hired coach Roberto De Zerbi, who was brought in late in March.
"Without that appointment," Tottenham midfielder James Maddison said, "disaster could have maybe struck."
Full Reset in the Boardroom
The club hierarchy has undergone profound change over the last couple of years, including the departure of long-time chairman Daniel Levy in September — five months after the arrival of Vinai Venkatesham as chief executable, a role he previously performed at fierce-rival Arsenal.
Charrington acknowledged that during this "full reset" of the boardroom, the club had taken its eye off the ball.
"As part of that process, we discovered some uncomfortable truths," he wrote in his open letter. "The qualities that make Spurs distinct, our football, our ambition, the connection between the team and its supporters, had been allowed to fade. Football success had not been driving our decisions."
Club Vows Rebuild
Charrington gave a five-point list of commitments to fans, including that the club "will invest across multiple transfer windows to rebuild, balance and strengthen" the team for De Zerbi, who was given a five-year deal when he joined.
"There has been speculation about ownership and the future direction of the club," Charrington added. "Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale. The Lewis family are wholly committed to this club and to this rebuild. They will provide the stability and investment needed at every level to move us forward."
Maddison is happy De Zerbi, the former Brighton and Marseille coach, will be leading Tottenham through tough times.
"I am really happy for the manager who came in and steered the ship clear," Maddison said, "because I think without him, it could have been doom and gloom, if I am honest."
Steve Douglas, The Associated Press