It's no more prudence over success than it's prudence over wasting money, or prudence over financial ruin. Spending is never a certainty of success unless you throw so much s**t at the wall some of it sticks, like Chelsea and City do. The reality is it's prudence over significant risk, of the clubs who've overspent in Premier League years in order to finish higher in te league and win trophies; West Ham, Leeds, Newcastle, Blackburn, QPR and Portsmouth all followed a short period of success with relegation and Villa nearly added themselves to that list too. There's too much money elsewhere in the game for us to get value from overspending, the only way we could do it is by getting a billionaire that wants the club as a toy, which isn't likely.
Whatever happened to just enjoying supporting a team and watching them every week? These days it seems like some fans just seem to want the bragging rights at work or on the message boards and little else matters.
I admire your sensible and very rational approach to supporting Spurs , I wish in some ways I could change my spots . Sadly for me, my sporting ethics in general is "play to win " .The Corinthian spirit has sadly left the building in my case. Prudence ? well I feel at times we haven't seized the moment , which has lead to our implosions and constant failure's at the last hurdle.
Being vain and a little shallow I would like to occasionally brag just a little, surly this is only human. The repetitive defence of Spurs as the nearly men, no chancers,
no ambition, mad micro chairman , show me your cups, Sainbury's 2 for 1, couldn't give a toss owner gets very tiring over a decade of so little.
In my madness, silliness , stupidity , I would want to see Spurs as the demi-God Achilles . Glory and honour , at least to reach great heights even if it came crashing down.
At least I would be able to taste the sweet Arcadian nectar if only once, so be it.

United, Chelsea, City winning something is status quo, it's expected because of their financial muscle. If Spurs make the CL despite them it will have glory. They can't have glory AND the financial clout. Same as Real Madrid or Barca win something, oh big deal, so they should. Athletico Madrid, or Seville winning = glory, and so on.
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