I think there were several reasons why the atmosphere was generally good under Jol.
1. We had been absolute dog sh!t for the previous 10 years or so, Jol came in and immediately got us (I think) 5 or 6 wins in a row and had us in with a chance of UEFA Cup qualification on the final game of the season in his first season at the club. Then in his first full season he took us to within a game of CL qualification, where we ended up failing due to unforseen circumstances (and in my opinion a PL stitch up with the head honcho being entertained over at Highbury and our match being ordered to go ahead before the national team doctor had even got a chance to arrive at The Boleyn and assess our players as was supposed to be the case).
2. The football that Jol had the team playing was fast, attacking and generally exciting.
3. We had a number of players in the team that the crowd could connect to, including a large contingent of young, British players (I think I remember a few articles at the time showing how we had the most British players and also showing how we could field an entire team of British players). I think I can also remember us having more players in the England squad than any other club and being proud of this fact.
4. The manager really connected with the fans (and vice versa) We were like one big happy family who were clearly progressing on the pitch.
5. Under Jol we turned WHL into a fortress.
Jol had the effect of seriously raising the bar in terms of the future expectations of our fans from both a footballing and results perspective.
The above being said things still weren't all rosy at WHL.... I can remember some terrible stuff directed at (in particular) Atouba and then Lee Young Pyo (who I thought was actually a brilliant full back who had to control the entire left side due to Jol's 'wonky' 4-4-2 type formation where the left sided midfielder tucked in and played almost as another central player). I can also remember the atmosphere at the start of the season when Jol got sacked being pretty bad. It was only really when we learned that Jol had gone (in an absolutely awful manner) that we rallied round and sang for him I thought.
Ramos then did some good things and some bad. At times our football was excellent and we seemed to be able to really turn a performance on in the big games. I remember the atmosphere being very good under him until his disastrous "2 points from 8 games" (or whatever it was) start to the season after losing Berbatov and Keane, where it was clear that the players were not playing for the manager at all and we seemed rudderless with no leadership on the pitch at all.
Then came Redknapp. Personally I massively disagree with those on here who say the atmosphere was bad under Redknapp and that he divided the fans. I can only think that this perspective could come from somebody who didn't go to WHL. From where I was sitting (in the East stand) Redknapp only seemed to be met with disapproval from the fans who rarely go to WHL, or perhaps don't go at all.... The feelings for Redknapp may have been mixed from the keyboard warriors and football phone in lunatics, no doubt because he was old school English and didn't speak with a sexy foreign accent. However at WHL the regulars were right behind him, appreciating the good results and the football that the team played. IMO we were the best team in the league to watch at that time, our football was for the most part fast, attacking and extremely pleasing on the eye. We went at the opposition from the off, played with no less than FIVE proper attacking players and even then also got our fullbacks forward. We used our pace out wide and played some fantastic passing triangles, but at a serious pace. We could impose our game on just about any opposition and the tempo of the game was dictated entirely by us. I think Bill Nicholson and Danny Blanchflower would've been smiling down on us at that time as Redknapp's philosophy was pretty much aligned to that of those two greats. Yes the atmosphere for games such as Arsenal, Chelsea or Inter Milan at home were better than for Wigan or Wolves - but the crowd at WHL were positive and supportive because we always went out and took the game to the opposition. Under Redknapp for a while we kind of became many fans of other team's "second team".... Everywhere I went to watch Spurs away the opposition's fans would comment on how they loved to watch us and how they hoped we could displace one of the existing top four.
My thoughts are that the atmosphere actually gradually deteriorated under AVB. Seeing as AVB's results were no worse than Redknapp's (and perhaps on a points per game basis actually better than Redknapp's?) I think it was the performances as opposed to the results that people didn't like. Suddenly going to WHL wasn't nearly as entertaining, we didn't play with pace, verve and excitement but instead tried to contain the opposition, restrict their possession, keep the ball at all costs and slowly march forward. The actual content of the matches often became somewhat boring.... Which was fine against the Arsenals, Chelseas, etc as there is natural atmosphere in the ground due to the occasion, but when games against the lower ranking clubs became the same tactical affairs the crowd, naturally, were more muted.
Now I'm not going lie and say that Pochettino was my first choice. I was quite strong in my desire for us to bring De Boer to the club. That being said I wasn't at all displeased that we got Pochettino and he was easily my second choice ahead of any of the other candidates. One of the reasons for that was the exciting attacking football that he had Southampton playing. I accept that we are not going to win the league in the near future - perhaps not even in my lifetime, I also accept that it is an extremely remote possibility of us qualifying for the Champions League this season, next season or even the season after. Therefore what I want from the £1,200 a year I spend on my Season Ticket is to go the game and be entertained by my team having a right go at the opposition and playing a brand of football that makes me smile. Jol had us doing this, Redknapp had us doing this, Ramos had us doing this in his first season until he lost the dressing room, Santini never had us doing this, AVB rarely had us doing this. I hope that Pochettino can get us doing this, otherwise I fear the fans at WHL will ensure that he does not last at our club.
