Phase two. When Robert Vilahamn joined Tottenham Hotspur last summer, he made his intentions clear. His first campaign was about implementing a new philosophy, using his attacking and high-pressing beliefs to make Spurs one of the most entertaining teams in the league.
He did that.
Spurs finished sixth in the table, just four points behind Manchester United in fifth. They beat bitter rivals Arsenal for the first time in their history, stunned Manchester City on penalties and reached the FA Cup final.
The fairytale did not have the dream ending on that hot day at Wembley as they lost 4-0 to Marc Skinner’s United, but it was only a bump in the road, not the end. Roads do not go in a straight line – just ask Vicky Jepson, who created a map of Spurs’ path to the FA Cup final last campaign. It twisted and turned, and Spurs believe the lessons learnt will stand them in good stead moving forward.
So now we’re here, with Spurs looking to push on and establish themselves in the top half of the table. Champions League qualification, something Vilahamn spoke honestly about at the start of last season, might be an unlikely and distant dream for the Lilywhites, but the sky is the limit, especially after a strong transfer window this summer.
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Forming a ‘Vilahamn squad’
The WSL is one of the most competitive professional leagues in the world. There’s a fierce battle during the transfer window, with clubs having to outline their future and ‘project’ to persuade players.
‘Project’ is a word synonymous with Spurs. Most go unfinished, but the road with Vilahamn feels different, with their recruitment in the summer outlining the board’s intent to back him financially.
“The support I have felt from this club is absolutely amazing,” Vilahamn says. “They make me feel very calm and that I am actually good, which is quite a nice feeling to get from the ones deciding. It gives me self-confidence.
"The way we have built this squad now is a squad that can play the way we want to play – the 'Tottenham Way'. I feel like a few of the players we have now need to develop to go to the Champions League, and if we can do that quickly, we will reach it this season.
"If there are more 'roadblocks', let it be and it will take another year. We definitely have the talent and the squad to compete for it.”
Grace Clinton may not have made the dream return to N17 – and she’s even taken partner-in-crime Celin Bizet to Man United – but Spurs’ squad is now well-rounded. They were smart in their recruitment, filling noticeable gaps but also adding moments of brilliance in the middle.
In their most high-profile signing, Tottenham signed Hayley Raso on a free transfer. Most recently a star for Real Madrid, Raso is well-known in the WSL after spells at Everton and Man City. Capped 82 times for Australia, scoring 19 goals in the process, she’s seen as the replacement for Grace Clinton. "She is a superstar," Vilahamn describes Raso as.
Combined with Maite Oroz, another Real Madrid star who is capable of filling the void left by Clinton, Spurs have a plethora of options. The World Cup winner joined on deadline day on a four-year deal after her best goal-scoring season in the Spanish capital, firing in five goals in 24 league matches. Her experience in the Champions League – a competition Tottenham are determined to reach – will prove valuable.
"I have never seen anything like it [her natural ability]. How she is so good on the ball. How technical she is. How she can twist, turn and shoot," her manager says.
"Sometimes it feels like she is from another planet because she is so good technically. I can promise you that fans will love her because she is great."
Elsewhere, Anna Csiki is another shrewd signing by Spurs as well. She fits the Vilahamn mould, not just through her style of play and elegance on the ball, but also by her previous spells under the Swedish manager at Hacken.
Her best goal-scoring campaign came under the now-Tottenham boss, and – although she may not be a first-team regular – Spurs need depth to be able to compete for 90 minutes every week.
Meanwhile, in defence, Amanda Nilden joining on a permanent deal seemed all but guaranteed back in February, whilst acquiring left-back Ella Morris from Southampton and centre-back Clare Hunt from Paris Saint-Germain outlines the balance Spurs want.
They are on opposite ends of the scales, with Morris shining as a bold and forward-thinking full-back, whilst Hunt is experienced, featuring for Australia at the 2024 Olympics.
It's not been all good news for Spurs, though, as highlighted by Bizet leaving for Man United after they activated her release clause of around £60,000. However, with control out of their hands, Vilahamn wants Spurs to make sure situations like that do not happen again.
"When we realised that Celin had a release clause in her contract, it's like 'ok, that's not what we want to do in the future'. We will never sign that kind of contract anymore," the 41-year-old said on Thursday.
"But when you knew that and you pushed really hard to renew that contract, extend that contract, and she did not want to do that, then you realised you need to have a backup plan. No matter if Man United wanted her or not, we knew there was a risk that we might lose her.
"Man United came and brought her and it was fine. If she wanted to leave, then leave. We had a plan from the beginning and we got a player who wanted to be here. We should never try to convince players to be here. If they do not want to be here, leave then; there are so many new players we can bring in."
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England and Thomas may be the difference makers for Tottenham
Every team needs a hero. A player who can turn up at the most important moments. A star who can cope under pressure. A player that inspires the next generation.
Last campaign, Martha Thomas was Tottenham’s hero, scoring the winners in their North London Derby win against Arsenal and their FA Cup semi-final against Leicester.
Yet for all the growth, her partnership with Bethany England – Tottenham’s club captain and most expensive signing ever – did not blossom. The former Chelsea star scored five WSL goals, although her season was blighted by injury, and Spurs never truly worked out how to use the duo together.
In his pre-match press conference, Vilahamn reiterated his praise for Thomas and England, but suggested only one will start: “Both of them are amazing characters and players, but in the first step, they are going to compete for the 'nine position'.
"It's going to be great competition. They are two great characters, one of them will start one or two games on the bench, and then the opposite. They will fight about it, but you can also use them in different positions.
"I know they can play together as well, but pre-season has been about trying to get the right players in the right position and make sure we maximise them in the right shape.”
At the other end of the pitch, Spurs are starting to build strong foundations to work from. Vilahamn-Ball focuses on fluid attacking movements, but that can only triumph with a defence the whole team can trust. The Lilywhites now have that.
Nilden settled in instantly during the second half of last season, and she is expected to be Spurs’ first-choice left-back with Morris as her deputy. Ashleigh Neville, Spurs’ longest-serving player, is expected to continue to make the right-back position her own with Charlotte Grant – who can play on either side – providing competition for places.
Competition for places is exactly what Spurs have lacked in recent years. It provides strength in numbers, yet it also pushes one another on. At centre-back, Spurs now have four first-team options: Molly Bartrip, Amy James-Turner, Clare Hunt and Luana Buhler.
Vilahamn has often talked about not wanting a ‘first 11’, instead having a number of players who can rotate and alternate. He now has that.
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Rise off the pitch just as important as the battle on it
As is almost always the case in the WSL, all 12 clubs want to grow their fanbases. Women’s football has witnessed a monumental boom in the country since England won the 2022 Euros, with Arsenal setting the example with sold-out crowds.
The story at Spurs has been different. They had an average attendance of 4,317 last campaign, over 200 higher than the 2022/23 season, but there’s still room for growth.
The Lilywhites are set to continue to play the vast majority of their matches at Brisbane Road. It’s not an ideal stadium to play at – it’s situated in East London, after all – but there are very few options open to the club.
There are no other ‘smaller’ stadiums available to rent nearby, a purpose-built facility is not feasible yet – although it is a possibility in the future – and Spurs’ hectic non-footballing calendar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium means they can’t move full-time to N17. It wouldn’t make financial sense, either, even if Vilahamn – who also understands it is not possible just yet – wants to.
Spurs will play three WSL matches at the main stadium this campaign, though: Arsenal in November, Man United in February and Chelsea in May. Three big matches against three of the best WSL teams will draw in the crowds, yet Spurs need a long-term plan.
From marketing to creating the perfect match-going experience, Spurs can only succeed at the top of the WSL with a strong fanbase – home and away – behind them.
The WSL, alongside the Championship, is now run by NewCo, who have bold plans. CEO Nikki Doucet outlined in an interview with the Guardian in August that she wants to tap into the ‘Taylor Swift fanbase’.
"In the middle, you have a fan that’s come in through the Lionesses, untethered to the men’s game. They’re not tribal and they’re learning about us. They’re trying to find highlights; they love the players and that’s the biggest group that the football ecosystem doesn’t know enough about,” she said.
“That’s your ‘Taylor Swift fanbase’ for that particular analogy. And I don’t think anyone talks to them in the way that we need to. We have a responsibility to.”
Maybe Spurs do not need to channel their ‘inner Taylor Swift’, yet the message remains the same. Success off the pitch is just as important as the battle on it.
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Progression is not always linear
Spurs are striving for a top-half finish in the WSL once again. After Vilahamn signed a new three-year deal in June, the Lilywhites are still well on course.
Last campaign, the phrase ‘taking steps’ became synonymous with Vilahamn. So what are the steps for this season?
“Now we are ready to take the next step. Hopefully, if you thought we played some good football last season, I want to make sure everybody speaks about the 'Tottenham Way', how we play, and that we can do that even more,” Vilahamn told VAVEL during his pre-match press conference.
"We want to win more games. Last season, we had a few extra draws and losses when we should not have. We need to learn how to win more games, through the way we play and game management. The last thing, we want to be a brave and exciting team our way.
"If you look at the table, we want to push for the Champions League. If it takes one more year or is this season, I do not really need to talk about that.
"We just need to make sure we improve, play better, win more games and then we will see if we reach the Champions League this season or next. We are into this for winning and I have three more years on my contract, so everything is going according to plan. I am going to make sure I try to win before I leave this club."
However, the WSL has shown in previous years that progression is not guaranteed. It’s not linear after all, with the line having peaks and troughs along the road. Last campaign, Aston Villa were in a similar position to Spurs now, looking to solidify their top-half position. But they finished seventh, 13 points worse off than the campaign before.
It's become notoriously hard to find stability for teams outside the ‘Big 3’, with even Man United struggling last season, finishing 21 points behind their previous tally. There’s no guarantee that Spurs will not suffer with the same problem, but even if they do, they are on the right path.
Vilahamn’s style of football, dubbed ‘Bobby Ball’ by fans, has a high ceiling. Their attacking, fluid and high-pressing vision can quickly come to life – and, when they are at their best, there are very few better. As Tottenham kickstart their WSL season against Crystal Palace, that will be on their mind.
