Fitness is simply an easy excuse

There seems to be a general opinion, which I don't believe to be true, that Spurs ran out of steam last season, I read it again in an article today.

Spurs players didn't run out of steam, they simply gave up. There is a huge difference.

Mentally a few players switched off, they had mentally gone on holiday already. The prize they were aiming for was no longer there and clearly some didn't have the motivation to finish above Arsenal, that didn't seem to care enough to them. It was a real kick in the teeth for us supporters.

To achieve anything you have to be motivated and you have to believe it is possible. Take yourselves.

Everyone talks to themselves in their head, it's called self-talk and it determines your self-image. Your subconscious will ensure you behave in a way that befits your image of yourself. Self-worth, self-esteem are all linked to self-talk so your performance is determined by your self-talk.

In a nutshell, you change how you self-talk and you can change performance. It is the simple way anyone can change their life. The impossible then becomes possible, as Leicester City showed last season. Mousa Dembele and Erik Lamela had to undergo that change and stop limiting themselves by their beliefs. The are different footballers now than they were 2 years ago.

If you have a goal, you can motivate yourself to achieve that goal, but if that goal is taken away, then you have to re-set your goal or you have nothing to aim for. It is fine a manager re-setting a goal, but if any player doesn't buy into it, it will have no effect.

Fitness was not an issue, motivation and desire were the real issue. Fitness is simply an easy excuse.

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