There is a real purpose to chanting, research suggests that chanting leads to improved mood, reduced stress, and increased wellbeing. It is an important part of the experience. I cant see this chant going away overnight. The first time I heard the chant was when the drummer was still in the ground. I don’t go to matches very often but I have never really felt very comfortable with it. There are strong arguments for both sides and I agree that we should move on. But I do not think that the chant will stop until an alternative is found.
I am not a linguist or a psychologist, but this is a powerful chant on two pitches. This simple sound structure will be very hard to replace, like it or not it has become part of the match day ceremony or ritual for many. To find a word that can mimic this sound and have any meaning is going to be a very difficult. Chants have to come from the supporters or else they have no meaning and that is part of the problem. The closest thing that I can think of is the Icelandic thunderclap which intimidates the opposition and inspires their players. I doubt that we will ever be able to do that.
Eh. We're lucky we have more than one chant, and I doubt Oh When The Spurs or COYS is any less inspiring at full volume in a packed house, but I take your point re: familiarity. However, what's clear from the club's consultations is that enough of our own Jewish fans feel uncomfortable with the chant to highlight that it might not produce that feeling of increased wellbeing for them. And they are the people who matter at the end of the day.
To me, what sticks in my craw is that all this came from David Baddiel, a Chelsea fan eager to heap sh*t on us to protect the elements of his own fanbase and his own club. The man is an utter weasel, imo, and it annoys me that he'll claim victory for this so his own fans can keep hissing at Spurs while he smiles blithely.
But in the end it's about making our own Jewish fans feel safe, so what goes for them should go for us. And for us, it might be a good idea to think more about what makes a good chant for each of us. Take Oh When The Spurs, for example - -the slow opening bits always make my hair stand on end, but by the time it gets to the ever-faster cadence of 'Oh When The Spurs', it loses steam because it's too fast for a lot of folks to bother with. I've noticed this in Spurs pubs, in the stadium itself, and on TV, and I've always wondered if a slower chant might not keep the feeling in a lot longer. Even just slightly slower - YNWA does fine the way it is even though it speeds up in the repetitions.
To me, the best chants are slow, rhythmic, building in intensity until they reach a thunderous climax of 60,000 voices in unison producing a cauldron of noise that is recognisably 'Spurs'. But I recognize other folks might have different preferences.
