After the scenes of jubilation at Eastlands last season, and the quite remarkable run in the Champions League this season, Spurs can be forgiven for wanting to rest on their rather sensationally accrued laurels as the 2010/11 season saunters into the final months. However, it may well be even more imperative for Tottenham to bring Champions League football back to White Hart Lane this season, than it was to secure it in the first place last season.

With success comes expectation, and with that expectation comes a need for progression, and this is why Spurs must make it into the Champions League for a second season and hope that this season’s European excursion into the continent’s biggest tournament hasn’t been a one-off.

For one, they will need to make it into the Champions League again to have any realistic chance of, A.) luring more world-class talent to the club, and, B.) holding on to the world-class talent they have. I think the likes of Gareth Bale perhaps has one or two seasons at White Hart Lane left in him regardless of the Champions League, however, the likes of Rafael van der Vaart and Luka Modric could well look elsewhere should the north London outfit fail to emulate their success of 12 months ago.

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Spurs are well placed to emulate their success of last season, but with Manchester City making a far more concerted effort to break into the top four this season, the prized Champions League places are becoming increasingly crowded, and unfortunately for Tottenham, this means that once they fall out of the mix for the top four places, it may be very difficult to get back in.

The expectations of the board, sponsors and players out-weigh perhaps even those of the fans, who, for the time being, are more than content to go along on the rollercoaster ride that has been this year's Champions League to see where it takes them. Unfortunately if last season’s endeavours are not replicated, then this season’s European frivolities could well become a nostalgic, isolated incident.

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