The Leadership Spurs Need: What ‘The Greatest Raid of All’ Teaches Us About Mentality and Success

The Commandoes raid was impossible - yet they did it

The Commandoes Can Teach Devisive Spurs Supporters a Thing Or Two

The role of a leader is to do just that, to lead.

I can not show fear because those around me will then be afraid and show fear.

I have to stay brave so that those around me stay brave.

Relate that to football management and you have to project how you want your players to be.

You have to be positive so they are positive.

Negativity will produce a poor performance.

That's why negative fans diminish a club's ability to win trophies.

The Leadership Spurs Need: What ‘The Greatest Raid of All’ Teaches Us About Mentality and Success

Introduction: What Spurs Fans Can Learn from This Extraordinary Mission

Football is about more than talent.

It’s about mentality.

It’s about leadership.

It’s about belief in the mission, no matter how impossible it may seem.

The story of The Greatest Raid of All - the daring British Commando raid on the Nazi-held docks of Saint-Nazaire in World War II - contains vital lessons for Tottenham Hotspur and its fans. 

It was a mission where failure seemed inevitable, yet those involved, the British Commando Unit,  found the mental strength to push through. 

Their courage, leadership and self-belief are the same qualities required to turn Spurs into serial winners.

Because winning is not about what’s easy - it’s about what’s necessary.

Just as these Commandos had to go into battle with complete belief, Tottenham must also commit to the long-term project under Ange Postecoglou, regardless of setbacks.

So what can we learn from this remarkable raid? 

Let’s break it down.

1. Courage in the Face of Impossible Odds

The Saint-Nazaire raid was considered impossible. 

The odds were next to zero. 

And yet, the Commandos went in with absolute conviction. 

Their leader, Lord Louis Mountbatten, summed it up perfectly:

“It’s the fact that it is regarded as impossible which makes it possible. The Germans will never think we’ll attempt it.”

That is the attitude required to change history - whether in war or in football.

Spurs, under Ange Postecoglou, are taking on their own version of an ‘impossible’ challenge: trying to win major trophies without the financial dominance of Manchester City (Spurs have £200m less income annually) or the ingrained winning culture of clubs like Real Madrid.

So how do they do it?

By believing.

By refusing to accept that ‘impossible’ means ‘unachievable.’

By understanding that courage in the face of the odds is the first step toward victory.

Daniel Levy said Spurs vision is to rival Barcelona and Real Madrid, both on and off the field.

Our own fans scoffed and dismissed it as impossible, the very attitude that creates failure.

2. The Right Mentality: Belief Over Skepticism

The Commandos trained relentlessly, but what truly separated them from conventional forces was their unbreakable belief in their mission. 

Even when faced with heavy resistance, they pushed forward.

One of the soldiers, Bill Savage, summed it up:

“We had volunteered after all for danger… and there did seem an off chance that it was impossible and therefore it would succeed.”

This is a lesson for Tottenham’s players and fans alike.

There will always be doubters. 

The media will say Spurs don’t have a ‘winning DNA.’ 

Rival fans will mock the lack of silverware. 

But winners don’t listen to doubters - they prove them wrong.

Ange’s attacking philosophy is fearless. 

He has taken a squad still learning his methods and turned them into genuine contenders. 

But belief must be shared by the fans as well.

Doubt breeds failure. 

Belief creates success.

3. Leadership by Example: No Fear, No Excuses

The Commandos were different from conventional soldiers. 

They had to think for themselves. 

Their officers didn’t just bark orders - they led by example.

“The officer had to do everything the soldiers did. If the officer can do it, I can do it.”

Compare that to football management.

A manager’s attitude and approach dictates how the team performs.

If Postecoglou showed hesitation, his players would too.

But he doesn’t. 

He projects absolute confidence in his methods and that flows through the squad.

Likewise, fan mentality matters.

Negativity in the stands transmits onto the pitch. 

Negativity on social media gets into the player's heads.

Supporters play a role in the team’s performance.

Few supporters understand this even though players and managers tell them.

4. Tactical Intelligence: Out-Thinking the Opponent

The Saint-Nazaire raid wasn’t just about bravery - it was about strategy. 

The British out-thought the Germans by using deception and superior preparation.

“We found the German codebooks and the Germans didn’t know we had them. We used their own counter-signs to trick them.”

This is how Spurs must approach their games.

Winning isn’t just about effort - it’s about intelligence. 

It’s about spotting weaknesses in the opposition and exploiting them. 

In his career so far, Postecoglou has proved himself to be one of the most tactically sharp managers in football. 

He doesn’t just play attacking football - he plays intelligent attacking football.

Just as the Commandos used the enemy’s own systems against them, Spurs must be smarter than their rivals to succeed.

5. The Cost of Complacency: If You Want to Win, Be Willing to Sacrifice

The Commandos knew that most of them wouldn’t come back. 

And yet, they still stepped forward.

“Any man who wanted to step down could walk away without a stain on his character. Not one of them did.”

That’s the definition of commitment.

Tottenham Hotspur, for too long, have been hesitant - whether in transfers, tactics, or ambition.

Winners take risks.

Winning clubs don’t think about what might go wrong - they focus on making things go right.

Ange is shifting this mentality at Spurs. 

But the players - and the fans - must fully commit to the journey.

6. Positivity in the Face of Anything

This might be the most important lesson of all.

During the raid, amidst the chaos, a soldier named Johnny Proctor lay on the deck with his leg blown off. 

And yet, he was still cheering his teammates on:

“I remember Johnny Proctor was lying there with his leg blown off cheering us on.”

That is positivity in the face of anything.

Compare that to Tottenham Hotspur’s fanbase.

Spurs supporters, at times, are their own worst enemy. 

Too many react negatively to setbacks, rather than driving the team forward.

The greatest winners don’t complain about hardship. 

They push through it.

Fans must stop being a mundane force - a crowd that groans at every mistake. 

Instead, they must become an elite force - a crowd that lifts the team when it matters most.

But they should be a group who lift the club 7 days a week.

The THBN Wrap-Up: Tottenham’s Greatest Raid?

The Commandos didn’t succeed because it was easy.

They succeeded because they believed, they fought and they never gave up.

That is exactly how Tottenham Hotspur will win trophies.

The biggest lesson from The Greatest Raid of All is that success is not about waiting for things to be perfect. 

It’s about having the mentality to make it happen, no matter the odds.

If Spurs fully commit - players, manager and fans alike - then the impossible will become possible.

As Mark Twain once said:

“Courage is recognizing fear. Courage is conquering fear.”

So, Spurs… are you ready?

COYS