By now, Spurs should be in a super-duper new £850million stadium and enjoying another twin assault on the Premier League and Champions League.
Instead, they are fifth in the top flight, heading out of Europe’s elite competition and we still do not know when their new home will open.
And to cap it all, their manager Mauricio Pochettino is being eyed by Real Madrid again. How very Spursy.
Tottenham’s long-suffering followers have been left feeling let down plenty of times over the years.
But hopes were high going into the summer after their idols defied the odds to finish third in the Prem in what was meant to be their only campaign at Wembley.
With a new stadium and a third successive season of Champions League season on the horizon, Spurs fans had plenty to look forward to.
But no sooner had the funds for their very expensive season tickets at the new stadium cleared from their bank accounts, the club announced they would be playing this campaign’s first home game under the Arch.
But only while the finishing touches were put on the new place. No problem, we all thought, just a minor hitch.
Yet ever since then it seems to have been one hitch after another — and not just with the stadium.
It was not only a safety certificate Tottenham failed to get in the close season, as they became the first club in Premier League history not to make a signing in the summer window.
That now looks an absurd decision, considering all their rivals strengthened so handsomely and expensively.
You sense Pochettino, in private, was as peeved by this as many Spurs fans were — although publicly he remained loyal to chairman Daniel Levy, insisting it was no big deal.
Oh, but it was a big deal and the manager’s claim they were only interested in signing players to improve the team frankly did not wash.
You see, Spurs do not need to strengthen their team, as one-to-eleven they are as strong as any in Europe.
It is strength in depth they have long lacked, which is why they should have signed at least a couple, especially with the World Cup ending so late and the season starting so early.
Tottenham’s pride at seeing NINE of their stars reach the last four in Russia has quickly turned into pain.
Most of those heroes are clearly suffering from physical fatigue following their shortened summer breaks.
None more so than skipper and No 1 Hugo Lloris, who captained France to glory and should have been due a sensational season. But it appears to have had a detrimental effect.
As was highlighted by his red card in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at PSV Eindhoven — which all but ended Tottenham’s hopes of reaching the knockout stages.
It is not the first moment of madness he has suffered this term as the cops who nicked the Frenchman, 31, for drink-driving in August will confirm.
Lloris is not the only one suffering as a result of the World Cup.
Dele Alli, Jan Vertonghen, Danny Rose and Christian Eriksen have all picked up injuries, while the rest have looked leggy.
They include England captain Harry Kane who, as you would expect, has continued to lead the line manfully for club and country — despite looking in desperate need of a rest.
The only important matches he has missed for Spurs in recent times are when he has been injured and even then he nearly always returned early. You wonder how long he can continue playing Superman,
If he keeps it up he surely risks the next injury being more serious. Then where would Spurs be?
It is not just a physical thing, either. Pochettino has had to deal with the mental aftermath of the World Cup, where the majority of first-teamers experienced the greatest summers of their careers.
Having to get them focused back on the comparative humdrum of the Premier League was never going to be easy.
To the manager’s and players’ huge credit they have produced Tottenham’s best start to a Premier League season
But that in itself should be as alarming as it is astounding — as for all that, they remain in fifth place.
They may be just two points behind leaders Manchester City — who they host in Monday night’s huge clash — and Liverpool, but they are outside the Champions League places.
This shows how much tougher the Premier League is this time.
Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, who finished below Spurs last season, are much stronger. And they all know where they will play their home games.
Footballers, will always look for an excuse and Spurs stars will have a ready-made one up their sleeve until the stadium is ready.
There is no doubt the 62,000-seater venue will be the best in Europe when it is finally finished. But instead of underpinning Tottenham’s success this season, it is undermining it.
Poch arrived from Southampton in May 2014 asked to ensure Tottenham’s new stadium would have Champions League football.
He may have to win this season’s Europa League to achieve that!
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