Andros Townsend Isn’t Worth the Trouble for Tottenham
In brief flashes, Andros Townsend looks every bit the part of a Premier League football player. He’s got brilliant pace, isn’t afraid to take on a player one v one and can blast shots into the top corner. Sadly, these moments aren’t worth the trouble he causes Tottenham the majority of the time.
Townsend has gotten every opportunity to succeed at Spurs. He’s been given opportunities by Harry Redknapp, AVB, Tim Sherwood and Mauricio Pochettino. He hasn’t managed to garner a starting spot for any of them. This has to tell us something.
It isn’t as if these managers share a lot in common. They have different styles in terms of tactics and personalities. If you’re a good enough player then surely you could have found favor with one of them. Townsend hasn’t done so, this tells us the problem is with him.
It isn’t just about his recent banishment for a row with one of Tottenham’s fitness coaches. It’s about a pattern of behavior both on and off the pitch that can’t be ignored.
On the pitch, he is quite frankly, a very selfish player. How many times must we see him fire a shot 20 yards wide of the net? His best performances are almost always limited to when he scores goals. This is because he doesn’t contribute much else on the pitch.
That’s the main reason Mauricio Pochettino hasn’t used him in any meaningful way this season. He’s only managed 64 minutes in three subsitute appearances on the season. Not exactly the type of playing time you’d expect for a talent who’s made an impact on the England squad.
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While his play on the field has been a huge let down, his behavior off the pitch has been even worse. The recent row with the fitness coach is dominating headlines all over England in the present, but it’s not Townsend’s first off the field issue.
It hasn’t been that long since Townsend was suspended by the English FA for gambling. When that incident occurred, many fans, myself included were quick to dismiss it as just a silly youthful mistake. Now I’m not so sure.
It’s not as if Townsend wasn’t raised right. If you know anything about his father Troy, and the work he does to eradicate racism, etc in football, you know he received a solid upbringing. I heard him recently on the Fighting Cock podcast and almost wish he was my father. Andros should be more mature than he is.
His previous stupidity with gambling on their own don’t mean much. Combine it with his recent banishment after putting his hands on a fitness coach and it raises serious questions about Townsend. To be blunt, I don’t think he “gets it.” I don’t think he understands the opportunity he has as professional footballer. He might never figure it out.
As it stands, the troubled winger just isn’t worth the hassle for Tottenham. Manager Mauricio Pochettino has a beautiful thing going at Spurs where each squad member is firmly committed to the team’s collective goals. Townsend’s recent actions show he’s anything but committed to the team.
The commonly accepted rationale for his issue with the fitness coach is that he is frustrated over lack of playing time. More specifically, he’s worried his lack of game time at Tottenham will keep him out of the England squad. I can understand that frustration, but it shouldn’t overwhelm the satisfaction of playing on a team performing so well.
If Andros Townsend is sold in January, as many expect, I won’t shed a tear. Part of me will always wonder “what if” he finally put it all together, but at this point, the chances of that happening are quite low. His latest outburst and me-first attitude mean it’s time for Tottenham to move on from the hassle of Andros Townsend.