It has been a strange ten years or so for Tottenham.
It is not a club that makes its fans feel safe or resident for a long time. There is generally chaos just around the corner at any given point, even from a position of perceived strength. The last two years are proof of that.
But at a time when players are linked to exits barely months after making £ 50 million for a new club, loyalty and reliability are qualities that can go somewhat oddly undervalued. It’s a corner by Spurs goalkeeper and captain Hugo Lloris who has often had to fight his way out, often without too many supporting him.
During his time in the Premier League, his temporary faults have stuck with him more than any of the competition’s other goalkeepers, perhaps due to his team’s reputation for being a bit soft and loving an outrageously horrible defensive mishap.
However, that does not tell the whole story.
That a goalkeeper nails down an even starting place for the top six for nine years is an incredible achievement and a proof of Llori’s longevity. He may not get the credit he deserves outside of north London, but Spurs fans know the World Cup winner as a goalkeeper who consistently wins his side points on his own with his cat-like reflexes and excellent shot-stopping ability.
Unfortunately for Lloris, his loyalty to Tottenham has not given him much in return. In another universe, he would have a locker full of league titles and domestic trophies to go along with France’s 2018 World Cup success.
The last few years have been tough for Lloris and Tottenham / James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images
But now, with a deal almost complete for Atalanta’s Pierluigi Gollini, it looks like other medals in the Champions League and League Cup are as good as they will be. The pair are expected to fight for the right to become Spurs’ number one, but the move shows that the club is looking for a successor for one of their biggest.
You can go back and forth and argue about which Tottenham player over the last ten years “deserves” success at the club level, but after putting through the disastrous Andre Villas-Boas and Jose Mourinho spells along with the spiritually glorious yet materially empty Mauricio Pochettino-eran. , Lloris is at the top of the list.
His performances and leadership during the seasons when Spurs drove the Premier League elite close to 2015/16 and 2016/17 are often temporarily forgotten in favor of memories such as being lobbed by Jesus Navas in Manchester City or letting Kieran Trippier stick past him in Chelsea.
Lloris was one of the strongest backs Tottenham have ever had. There were Jan Vertonghen, Mousa Dembele, Christian Eriksen and Harry Kane, but the 34-year-old was never really seen at the same level. In reality, we should romanticize Llori’s hero screens in the Premier League and Champions League just as much.
He has never been the biggest speaker in the squad, but he was more than willing to face the music when Tottenham were embarrassingly knocked out of the Europa League last season. His words after that defeat against Dinamo Zagreb were strong and told about the serious situation the club was in under Mourinho.
Lloris is expected to stay at Tottenham next season, which is good news. But with a successor who seems to be picked out of the crowd and only 12 months left on his contract, it feels safe to say that we are entering the twilight of his Spurs career.
His history has not been the biggest during Tottenham’s hectic months. The manager circus, Kane’s future and the 12 players linked to move to north London every day dominate most backs related to Tottenham.
“It’s just a shame. I hope everyone in the locker room feels responsible.”
Hugo Lloris did not hold back after Tottenham’s Europa League exit. #UEL pic.twitter.com/dl7JZYS8am
– Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) March 18, 2021
But it must not go unnoticed. If Lloris is nearing the end of his time at Tottenham, Spurs fans must recognize the Frenchman’s enormous contribution to a both memorable and scary chapter in the club’s history.
With 373 appearances under his belt at Tottenham, he is an undeniable club legend. Just remember to save in Bayer Leverkusen and not that fork against Southampton.
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