Peter Crouch and Ally McCoist have jumped to Guglielmo Vicario’s defence after being booed by Tottenham fans in the defeat to Fulham.
Tottenham’s 2-1 loss to Fulham came as a result of an appalling start to the match, when Harry Wilson capitalised on the Italian goalkeeper’s dreadful clearance to put the visitors into a 2-0 lead after six minutes.
Vicario was booed by Tottenham fans for his shocking mistake and was hounded every time he had the ball at his feet.
Thomas Frank criticised the fans who jeered the Italian goalkeeper, claiming that they were not genuine supporters for booing someone during a match.
Crouch and McCoist weighed in on the debate and was astounded that large sections of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium were united in turning their frustration on the 29-year-old.
MORE SPURS STORIES
Peter Crouch takes aim at Tottenham fans for booing Guglielmo Vicario
Frank is under mounting pressure as Spurs lost their fourth home game of the season, leaving them 10th in the Premier League table.
The last thing he needed was for Spurs to start another match so poorly, and conceding two avoidable goals was the perfect excuse for fans to turn on the team.
Speaking on TNT Sports on 30 November, Crouch was certainly unimpressed with what Spurs fans did towards Vicario, and noted that it could impact him in the future.
He said: “I’ve got a bit of a problem with it. You boo them at half-time, you boo them at the end of a game, but during the game is unacceptable.
“It’s an embarrassing place to be, it’s horrific, but I guess it’s part and parcel of football.”
McCoist added: “Depending on the mentality of a player, it could finish you. You either sink or swim, and it can affect people differently.”
Vicario has faced scrutiny several times during his Tottenham career as concerns have been made about his ability when playing out from the back.
A more pressing issue that has been highlighted is weakness from corners, but it’s clear that if Frank wants to take this side any further, the changes have to start from defence.
Vicario has apologised for his mistake, and blaming the loss on just one mistake is harsh, but Spurs are in desperate need of a win at home, and that has set them back in the weeks to come.
There are no questions about his ability as a shot-stopper, but he lacks a number of qualities that are vital in the modern game.
Guglielmo Vicario must be replaced if Tottenham want to improve
Vicario excelled in Tottenham’s 0-0 draw with Monaco on 22 October, and he has bailed his side out of tricky matches on multiple occasions.
A big criticism of Frank’s style of play is that Spurs are incapable of creating clear-cut chances, and they have struggled to build play up from the back.
This all starts from the goalkeeper, and there is little confidence that Vicario can adapt his game at this stage of his career.
While it’s almost certain that he’ll stay in N17 until the 2026 summer transfer window, Tottenham must replace him if they want to send a message of intent to their fans, regardless of who the manager is.