Tottenham Hotspur’s humiliating 6-1 defeat to Newcastle United on Sunday was met with shock and disbelief from fans and football pundits alike. But what made matters worse for former Spurs midfielder Jamie O’Hara was the sight of Richarlison and other Tottenham players swapping shirts with their opponents at full-time.
O’Hara, a TalkSPORT pundit, was incensed when he heard about the shirt-swapping incident. “Why would you want to swap a shirt in a game in which you’ve been completely embarrassed? That, for me, just sums up a modern football player. You think Roy Keane or Steven Gerrard would swap shirts after a massive game if you’ve got pumped?” he said.
The Brazilian forward, who joined Spurs in a £60 million deal last summer, has had a poor campaign in the Premier League this season, failing to score a goal. But the problems at Tottenham go beyond just Richarlison or any other individual player. The club’s management has been in disarray since the sacking of manager Antonio Conte a month ago, followed by the departure of his assistant Cristian Stellini this week.
The defeat to Newcastle, in which Spurs were 5-0 down after just 21 minutes, was a clear indication of the team’s poor attitude and performances. The players, the board, and owner Daniel Levy all need to take responsibility for the club’s current predicament.
While the shirt-swapping incident may seem like a minor issue, it highlights the wider problem of modern footballers prioritizing individual achievements over team success. The act of swapping shirts with the opposition after a humiliating defeat sends the wrong message to fans and detracts from the seriousness of the situation.
It remains to be seen whether Tottenham will consider cutting their losses with Richarlison, who has been linked with a move to Barcelona. But what is clear is that the club needs to address the root of its problems and make significant changes if it wants to compete at the highest level of English football.