Ian Wright has sharply criticised the ownership of both Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United, arguing that those in charge should be embarrassed by how close their clubs came to going down this season.
The former Arsenal forward, widely regarded as one of the game’s most authoritative pundits, was unsparing in his assessment of Tottenham’s troubled campaign — one that nearly ended with the club’s first relegation to the Championship since 1977. Speaking via Last Word on Spurs, Wright stated that the owners of both clubs were not running them well enough, and that Tottenham’s hierarchy in particular should feel deeply ashamed of the club’s position.
His remarks are expected to resonate with many Spurs fans who have long questioned the direction the Lewis family have taken the club. Tottenham’s season was defined by instability — three managerial changes, insufficient squad depth, a damaging injury run, and a relegation scrap that went down to the final day.
Wright also took aim at West Ham, contending that both clubs had begun the season with far loftier ambitions than where they ended up. While Spurs ultimately survived, West Ham were relegated, which Wright sees as evidence of deeper failures at the ownership level.
The concern for Tottenham is compounded by the fact that back-to-back 17th-place finishes — something not seen at the club for over a century — have now become their reality. Despite promises of significant summer investment and wage structure reforms, large sections of the fanbase feel the time for words has passed.
Staying up may have been enough to avoid the worst, but Wright’s view is clear: for a club of Tottenham’s standing, simply surviving consecutive relegation battles represents a serious failure of leadership.
