Carragher: "Tottenham are NOT Too Big to Go Down"

Most Shocking Event of the Premier League Era: What Happens If Spurs Go Down?

Tottenham Hotspur have been a member of the Premier League ever since the league’s inception back in 1992 and, prior to last season, had never finished lower than 15th.

However, disguised by Europa League glory, their first trophy since 2008, something had changed in North London. Their continental success was overshadowed just four days later by a defeat to Brighton on the final day of the league season, a result that saw Ange Postecoglou’s side slump to a dismal 17th-place finish.

THEY’VE DONE IT.

TOTTENHAM WIN THE EUROPA LEAGUE.

THEIR FIRST TROPHY IN 17 YEARS 🏆⚪ pic.twitter.com/ouGReAG2PP

— B/R Football (@brfootball) May 21, 2025

Had the eventually relegated sides been a tad more competitive, Spurs would have found themselves in a relegation fight, a battle they had not been privy to since the early 90s.

But despite having had two transfer windows to try and flip their downward trajectory on its head, Tottenham now look worse than ever before. Finishing 13 points above 18th place last season, there was never anything to worry about; however, though they currently sit a place above last season's finishing position, the Whites now have a perilous five-point gap to third-bottom West Ham. If they weren’t in a relegation battle last season, they certainly are now.

Jamie Carragher made his case on Friday morning that Spurs are not a club who can claim that they are too big to go down – is he right?

“Most Shocking Descent of the Premier League Era”

“If they drop into the Championship, it would be the most shocking descent of the Premier League era.” Carragher is not wrong - it would be the most high-profile relegation since the league formed in the early 90s. Only the 2022/23 relegation of 15/16 league champions Leicester could be discussed in the same vein.

Having won a European trophy last season, no one could have predicted that Spurs could possibly be worse, domestically, than they were in 2024/25. Though Postecoglou’s high-octane, exciting brand of football certainly got Spurs fans invested, it was not the answer to taking the team back to the top of the game.

So when Spurs hired Brentford manager Thomas Frank, many thought that a steady hand and fixed routine were what the side needed to start working back towards their lofty ambitions. But Carragher, always carrying an opinion, had plenty to say on the subject.

“Frank proved the wrong fit because he is the latest example of one of England’s biggest clubs mistakenly believing experience at a mid-table or bottom-half Premier League team is the ideal first step and breeding ground to make the leap up. Pragmatic coaches do not mix with aspirational clubs demanding front-footed attacking football.”

I don’t like agreeing with Carragher often, but he is right – the majority of the time, coaches from smaller clubs used to working in a very different way often can’t handle the step-up to a more ambitious, glory-chasing club, whether it be down to the workload, the pressure from the board and fans, the expectancy of others, or the ego in the dressing room.

The only man who can save Tottenham: pic.twitter.com/FWMDMwOYux

— Football Park (@FP_CentreCircle) February 11, 2026

Coaches from smaller clubs had none of these factors to worry about at the prior jobs, so when plunged into the deep end at a larger outfit at their next job, they sink more often than they swim, and Frank embodies that perfectly. His tactics, perfectly suited to an overachieving smaller club, were never likely to prove successful at a club that is actually considered competitive in the big competitions.

It is thanks to the recently dismissed Frank’s leadership that Tottenham find themselves with a five-point gap to the relegation zone, a gap that could shrink to as little as two this weekend if Spurs lose their North London derby clash with Arsenal and if West Ham win at home to Bournemouth.

But Spurs’ downfall cannot fully be placed on the shoulders of former coaches – though the captain of the ship controls the wheel, he can’t control the wind and weather.

Zero Consistency

Daniel Levy’s ownership of the club was a huge sticking point between the Tottenham hierarchy and the loyal fans, and though Levy finally left the board in the early stages of this season, his reign of terror is still evident everywhere you look.

Speaking on the overlap last week, Postecoglou spoke of cultural issues that started in the boardroom, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what they were.

'Igo Tudor does not just need to hit the ground running, he must start his reign like an Olympic sprinter to keep Spurs out of bottom three'

✍️ @Carra23

Read the column ⬇️https://t.co/YzRDhWBsfY pic.twitter.com/Jh4wwC3YL0

— Telegraph Football (@TeleFootball) February 20, 2026

Known as bottle-jobs and nearly men for so many years, Tottenham were always one or two players away from a genuine title tilt. However, despite a net worth of over £350 million, Levy was reluctant to spend big in the transfer window, always looking for cheaper, lower-quality options rather than genuinely elite players in a bid to save pennies.

He also appeared unambitious – remember when Levy sacked Jose Mourinho just days before the EFL Cup final with Manchester City? Why would you sack a manager with trophy-winning pedigree just days before he could potentially break your side's silverware duck?

Naturally, it was a strategy that, by and large, prevented Spurs from achieving success, with the 2025 Europa League the only exception. Levy’s lack of investment and apparent non-commitment to running the club in a successful way eventually filtered down to the dressing room level and didn’t just hurt Tottenham – it gutted them.

Remember when the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was first built? In its first month, and first couple of seasons even, it was a fortress – travelling sides dreaded the moment they stepped out into a cauldron of Spurs-fuelled noise, and it was reflected in their constant impressive home form.

In the last two years, though, Levy’s lack of commitment to supporting the club effectively infiltrated the player’s mindset, and quickly, they appeared to be as equally unenthusiastic about playing for the club.

This is reflected by their home form over the last 24 months, a period which Carragher puts into stark contrast.

Mentioning that in the 91 Premier League games they have played since November 2023, the club had suffered a whopping 44 defeats, Carragher went on to say, “Can Spurs rely on such home comforts? Of the 44 defeats referenced above, exactly half have been at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where they have won only 17 of their last 46 Premier League fixtures.”

That is relegation form in anyone’s books. They have won less than a third of those 91 games and have lost almost half. It’s no surprise that they find themselves in the unlikely scenario of having to battle for survival.

“Because they are bottle jobs!”

No holding back as Paul Merson rips into Tottenham’s home form. 👀 pic.twitter.com/494bCtJ8vq

— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) December 6, 2025

Worse still, their home form suggests that the risk of demotion is a very real threat. In the past, relegation survivors have turned their home stadium into a fortress in a bid to claw their way towards safety, their home fans a driving force that inspires their team to unlikely survival.

Spurs have no home form to speak of and, consequentially, are already missing a leg to stand on as they prepare for the relegation run-in. Home form is so vital to bottom-half sides, and with such a poor record on home turf, Tottenham are already in a losing battle.

Too Big to Go Down

Yes, it would be a gargantuan shock if Spurs were to go down to the Championship, especially considering that there is still the possibility that they could win the Champions League this season (won’t happen, though, will it?).

With a European trophy finally in their cabinet, it seemed that the club was on an upward trajectory, but the summer dismissal of Ange Postecoglou and the subsequent appointment of Frank saw the club take a few steps backwards rather than moving forward.

It suddenly made the prospect of relegation that much more real. Had they gone down last season, it would have been considered the end of the world. Now though, having sustained the same sub-par level for much of this season, fans are getting used to seeing this struggling, shameful Tottenham side and almost expect it to happen.

There is no such thing as a side that is too big or too good to go down. If your form isn’t there, you don’t deserve to be in the league – it really is as simple as that. Regardless of their Europa League trophy, so-called world-class players, and a superb manager in the newly appointed Igor Tudor, Tottenham have a point to prove.

Igor Tudor's first interview as Tottenham Hotspur Head Coach 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/ZxrnO8RqSh

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) February 17, 2026

Can they mesh these three things together to create a competitive team? Or is it simply a case of too many individuals to create a cohesive unit?