By Trini
April 21 2006

With three games to go in this impressive season, Spurs have secured Wafer cup football for next term. But with fourth on everybody’s minds, few have really assessed our progress in context. With three games to go in this impressive season, Spurs have secured Wafer cup football for next term. But with fourth on everybody’s minds, few have really assessed our progress in context.

We have, for the first time in the Premiership era, secured European football through our league performance. This is a massive achievement in its own right and yet it seems almost to have been taken for granted.

While we still have something resembling an upper hand in the race for fourth, it would be silly to settle for anything less, though we may yet eventually have to. But consider this. How many sides after finishing 14th, could two years later secure a Wafer cup place as comfortably as we have this year?

Moreover, how many sides could have improved their prospects this season while spending less on transfers in the summer and January windows than they received from sales?

And to top it all off, how many sides could have achieved such a strong Wafer cup finish in the same season as fielding the youngest side in the Premiership era, and one of the youngest ever?

Last season Everton finished fourth. But for a disastrous injury plagued start to the season they would probably be challenging hard for another European campaign now. Yet their awful start allows some to taunt that Spurs are a one season wonder and are set to ‘do an Everton’.

That is clearly nonsense, not least because even Chelsea would struggle with 12 men injured as Everton had. Spurs are a better team now than they were in September. The key players have remained the same in name, but they have improved individually and improved as a team.

Of our first team on Monday, Davenport, Dawson, Stalteri, Lee and Davids had practically no Premier League experience between them in September. Combined they had less than the 18 year old Aaron Lennon, who was hardly a veteran.

As players gain experience they improve. Likewise players such as Jenas have improved over the months as they built up their understanding with other players. Our collection of good, young, inexperienced individuals has in one season become an excellent and more experienced team.

With this in mind our team has already improved for next year without us buying anyone in the summer ahead. Only a mass exodus could prevent us improving on this year. And that is unlikely.

Our best young players have all been keen to sign new contracts, and with lots and lots of money available we are unlikely to be forced to let anyone go. We may yet lose Mido, but with Keane and Defoe now able to play together (another improvement on September) we should be able to spend well and replace him if he does.

Two seasons ago we completely renovated our playing staff. This season saw us build on that change and improve significantly. Without a single change we should be better next season again. And yet having raised profits and accumulated funds from transfers in the last twelve months, we are likely to bring in at least a fast left winger and a new proven striker.

So, while we all wait with hearts pounding to see how this season ends, we should also take comfort from knowing that the best is yet to come.