Swedish politician Mikael Damberg used Tottenham as an analogy for Sweden's economic struggles, branding both as 'Spursy' in a jaw-dropping speech while in parliament
Swedish politician Mikael Damberg has launched an extraordinary swipe on Tottenham, comparing the struggles to his country's economic woes. During what appears to be an official parliamentary address, Damberg used the north London club as a curious yet seemingly fitting comparison for how Sweden have and could continue to falter.
When speaking to the chamber about Sweden's challenges, his remarks translate to English as: "I naturally think of Tottenham Hotspur, also known as Spurs, it is one of England's most distinguished and rich clubs with an enormous stadium, dedicated and large supporter base - everything to be considered a 'top team'.
"Despite this, Tottenham find themselves in crisis. They are fighting at the bottom of the table, just a few points above the relegation zone. Not because they lack resources or benefits, but because they have squandered opportunities.
"Due to making wrong decisions, general jerkiness and thinking in the short-term, they have lost their direction and stability."
"The club have been given the name 'Spursy', [which is] when you have opportunities but get no results. Madame Speaker that is precisely how the Minister of Finance is handling the Swedish economy.
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"Sweden has the power, ability and resources. We have the companies, workforce and innovation capabilities. Conditions exits for the Swedish economy to prosper."
He added: "The government risks making Sweden 'Spursy'. That won't do. Sweden cannot perform like Tottenham." Whilst put rather bluntly, Damberg's evaluation of the club isn't wide of the mark, with repeated poor decisions leaving them in a dangerous position.
Igor Tudor has been appointed as caretaker manager with the single objective of dragging Tottenham clear of this mess and away from the drop zone, following Thomas Frank's dismal record of just two victories from 17 Premier League matches.
The escape attempt begins this Sunday afternoon with the incredibly daunting prospect of a north London derby against league leaders Arsenal.
In his opening press conference as boss, Tudor made a fleeting reference to that fixture whilst also addressing the issues he's already encountering and his potential remedy.
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He said: "The situation is not easy, because, as you know better than me, we have a lot of injured players, so we need first to find the best system, the suit for the players that are available in this moment.
"So, a very particular moment, maybe this can sound strange, but I believe that the thing that we need to be focused on is the training. So, the training from today, that's the key, because, as I always like to say, Sunday and the game is a consequence of the training."
Two players unavailable for selection are Sweden internationals Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski. Given this, the pair are expected to be referenced when Damberg's remarks are discussed.