The club is macaronIC when it comes to dictating narratives in media. If you don't get ahead of them, the media will have their way. ALL we needed to do when we appointed Mason is say something to the effect of - "We are committed to making sure the next appointment is right for the club in all manner of ways, and as such, we will be reviewing possibilities over the coming weeks with no decision to be made until after the season ends."
And stick to it. Say nothing else. Even when it is clear that a camp such as Nagelsmann's has leaked some info to the press. Ignore it. When asked, repeat the mantra.
Instead, we always REACT with some rubbish. We did it with Nagelsmann, and we did it again with Slot, in fact we even tried to seed the idea that he has used us to get a fatter contract, as if he had somehow 'seduced' us with promises when he knew all along he wasn't interested. As if he'd need us to get a better contract, having just won the league, got into the CL and become a 'property'.
Our inability to control narratives from the start is as much of an issue as any issue itself.
I agree in parts; I'm glad the club doesn't air a lot of his laundry in public though there are definitely times when coming out on the front foot would help.
People often talk about the media having an agenda against Spurs. I don't believe that. I just think we're a very big club with a lack of success, a fanbase that is desperate to be good again and a chairman that's painted as this semi-evil character.
One thing I've been thinking about lately is how battered we get in the press in comparison to other teams. I feel like part of our PR strategy should be to get an ex-player or two out there as a pundit to properly defend the club. The ex-players that I can think of at the moment are:
Lineker (BBC) - more Leicester, the host and Mr Uncontroversial
Jenas (BBC) - I don't think many would consider him 'Spurs'
Danny Murphy (BBC) - Liverpool
Crouch (BT) - played at many clubs, more of a 'banter' kind of pundit
Jamie Redknapp (Sky) - Liverpool and with a pretty heavy axe to grind on behalf of his dad
Jamie O'Hara (Talkspot) - bit of a muppet on a show and station full of muppets. Does stick up for us, but it's a very dull argument
Then you get those that they roll out for matches
Danny Rose (Sky, recently) - didn't have a great experience at the end
Robbie Keane - seems like a good candidate for some PR
Glenn Hoddle - more analytical than emotional whenever I've seen him as a pundit
Ledley King - officially employed by the club and Mr. Nice
You compare that with some of the others out there; Neville, Keane, Carragher, Richards etc. They will all criticise their own club by my word they also defend them and promote them at times too.
I readily acknowledge that this could all be complete and utter gonads but I do wish we had someone out there sticking up for us in the press. Trying to control this narrative that's just completely gone out of control.
I hope our next manager can be a bit of a clam in this way. Conte was the opposite, joining the press in criticising and complaining about the club at every point.