Tottenham Hotspur welcome Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday lunchtime. The two teams were separated by six places and 20 points last season, with Spurs cracking the top four while Wolves sat 10th. But there are parallels to be drawn between the two. The north Londoners are now a fixture of the so-called “big six” of the Premier League. But less than two decades ago they were a perennial mid-table side with ambitions of growth. The latter position is where Wolves find themselves now.
Tottenham finished 5th in the 2005/06 season. It was their highest finish of the Premier League era, with their fortunes fluctuating between the purgatory of 7th and 15th every season since 1992. They had fielded outstanding players during that time, such as Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola and Teddy Sheringham. But even these players could never elevate Spurs above mediocrity. The phrase ‘Spursy’ is used to mock the modern iteration of the club, but it had its roots here.
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Wolves are on a similar path. They too have fielded or are still fielding some superb talent. Diogo Jota passed through, sprinkling stardust on his way to Liverpool. Ageless Joao Moutinho can still dazzle, while players like Ruben Neves are the envy of the league. But their individual talent translated to a 10th placed finish last season and 13th spot the season before.
The comparison is slightly skewed by the fact Wolves are only just embarking on their fifth season back in the Premier League after being promoted in 2018. Meanwhile, the Spurs team that basically lived in mid-table through the 1990s and 2000s represented a club that had played in the top tier since 1978. But in terms of ambition, the Spurs of then and the Wolves of now are closer than they seem.
Spurs found their way from the doldrums of a regular place in Europe and an eventual Champions League final through smart recruitment. Unable to beat the top four to the biggest names on the market, Tottenham worked smart. Signing Robbie Keane in 2002/03 was a gamble, considering his rough time at Leeds United. But the Irish striker would become a club legend. Keane netted 112 goals in 306 goals for the club across two spells.
His most successful Spurs striker partner was another canny buy. Dimitar Berbatov cost £10.9 million from Bayer Leverkusen, and was worth every penny. He combined with Keane to score 91 goals. Individually, the Bulgarian was the club’s top scorer in both of his full seasons.
Spurs’ league performance began to improve. 5th place in Keane’s first season, the same again in Berbatov’s first a year later. 2008’s drop to 11th was galling, but a League Cup win, still the club's last major trophy, was an encouraging sign. Berbatov would depart for Manchester United in the summer. But the player who would help complete Spurs’ transition from also-rans to Champions League regulars would arrive in his place.
Gareth Bale arrived from Southampton for £13.2 millon. A large fee for a 17-year-old, but he would be worth every penny and more. After some struggles to adjust as a flying full back he would settle into one of the most exhilarating wingers English football has ever encountered. He would be part of the side that qualified for the Champions League in 2009/10. Bale’s star-making performances in that competition the following year, in particular against Inter Milan, would solidify him as a star on the world stage. Spurs have only finished outside the top six once in the years since. A fixture in European football, Mauricio Pochettino and a new generation of Spurs stars led by Harry Kane reached the Champions League final in 2019.
This all might seem very far off for Wolves, but they are putting building blocks in place. Their summer transfer business is indicative of a team who have decided mid-table is no longer their ceiling. Highly-rated winger Goncalo Guedes arrives from Valencia, having been tracked by clubs further up the table. Midfielder Matheus Nunes, captured from Sporting CP, has previously been described by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola as “one of the world’s best”. The tide appears to be turning at Molineux.
As in the Spurs example, that is likely to be a gradual turn. Without an injection of oligarch cash, that is just how football operates these days. There are far fewer overnight sensations in a world where the rich just keep getting obscenely richer. But Tottenham’s gradual ascent from the middle of the Premier League to a regular seat at Europe’s top table can provide a blueprint. The smart recruitment has begun at Molineux. If Bruno Lage’s side can continue making additions like Nunes and Guedes, bolstered by retaining talent like Neves, then a regular place in Europe awaits.
Saturday lunchtime will see two teams with very different ambitions, backgrounds and compositions square off. But one has walked a path that the other now cherishes. Just as Conte wishes to move onto a title challenge, Wolves are eager to find their own next step. A result at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium would be a real statement of those intentions.
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