Danny Rose's latest emotion-filled rant to the papers demonstrates that the darkest hour at Spurs is yet to be reached and anyone hoping for a turnaround in the club's fortunes in the near future may as well be praying for a Christmas miracle.

Rose, of course, has form for this kind of thing stretching back to 2017 when he told reporters that he felt "undervalued" at White Hart Lane presumably in a bid to engineer the kind of big-money move that fellow full-back Kyle Walker secured that year to Man City. The move didn't happen, the player and coach fell out to the extent that it's reported that Poch wouldn't speak to him and Rose has become a shadow of his former self.

Rose's career peaked in 2016. Thereafter injury and attitude problems have seen it gradually decline. I think any side's fans would struggle to embrace a multi-millionaire walking around with a giant chip on their shoulder in the way Rose does! source
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There was speculation during the summer that Rose would leave the club but again it appears that no serious bids materialised. At 29 it's clear that the player feels that he only has 1 big contract left in him and that won't be at Spurs. Given his falling returns over the past few seasons, it's unlikely that Rose will get the move to a big club that he feels he "deserves" and so running his contract down and moving on a free is likely to be the only way that Danny can secure that last big pay-day!

In an age of media savy athletes who talk a lot but say very little, Rose is a journalist's dream. I've no doubt that there are several players on Spurs books who are doing exactly the same thing as Rose but none of them are actually stupid enough to admit it in public! I can only think that Rose's latest comments are an attempt for him to win a high stakes game with the club that has panned out as follows over the last few years

  1. Player asks for a move away 
  2. Club denies player a move away 
  3. Player realises this is probably as good as it's going to get and wants to stay
  4. Club refuses to offer player a new contract 
  5. Player refuses to leave the club
source

I guess the question now is whether this is checkmate? What can the club do about a player who is contracted until 2021, continues to put in abject performances on the pitch but doesn't want to leave?

The way Spurs handle this latest fiasco will say a lot about the club and its ability to dig its way out of the sizeable hole we currently find ourselves in.