Ryan Mason explains why Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is not at fault for poor season
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been defended by acting head coach Ryan Mason as their season of turmoil finally comes to an end.
Under former boss Antonio Conte, Spurs lost just once in their first 10 games, despite shaky performances - but the campaign quickly unravelled.
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The next 10 games saw six defeats as their defence began to ship goals alarmingly.
A 3-3 draw with Southampton, where the once again capitulated despite sitting 3-1 up with 15 minutes remaining against the almost-relegated club, saw the end of Conte's reign.
His assistant, Cristian Stellini, was then bizarrely made interim head coach but he lasted just four matches with the 6-1 humiliation at the hands of Newcastle ending his tenure.
Mason has been in charge since but results have barely improved with losses to Aston Villa and Brentford in their last two games leaving any hopes of European qualification hanging by a thread on the final day of the campaign.
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But, despite Levy overseeing this chaos and a now-protracted manager search, the current man at helm insists it's others who are at fault for the mess.
Mason said: "It hurts him, it hurts everyone committed to this club and everyone who really cares and wants this club to be successful.
"One thing I will say is he's spent money, he's tried and I just think ultimately he has probably been let down by other people but that's football.
"That happens and hopefully we can get things right quickly, make good decisions and it can turn around."
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Such is their current situation, Mason believes the 2022/23 season could potentially be an important one for the club - because it can be the catalyst for change.
"I think the biggest positive will be the future," he added.
"And if we're clever and if we do it right, then I think we'll look back on this season and say it was tough, disappointing but ultimately it made us realise what we want to be.
"It made us realise who we are, what our history and DNA probably suggests we are, what our fans want, what our fans demand and hopefully there is a connection very soon where we look back and say disappointing season, absolutely yes, but it helped us."
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Discussing the ins and outs of the season, Mason, insisted the poor form was there for all to see from the off, it just took time for it to become highlighted in the standings.
"We haven't won an away game since January, conceded 60+ goals this season so this isn't something that has just happened in recent weeks," ex-Tottenham midfielder Mason stated.
"Obviously we were left in a position in the league table that was probably false, in terms of other teams had games in hand.
"When you level them out, I think the first game we had against Man United (on April 27) we might have been seventh in the table so there were a lot of things that were probably false.
"One thing I will say is I respect everyone that I have worked with and I have learnt off a lot of people, but at the same time I am my own person and believe how not only this club, but how any football club I am at in the future, should work and operate."
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