Daniel Levy made a telling confession after dispensing with Jose Mourinho - the ninth Tottenham manager he has worked under since becoming chairman in 2001.
'I feel we lost sight of some key priorities and what's truly in our DNA,' he told fans ahead of the final game of last season against Aston Villa. Spurs as a club are known for their attacking football - but not for their silverware.
The dismal style of football under Mourinho left the team scrambling for a sense of identity as they plummeted down the Premier League standings and out of every major competition barring the League Cup before he was axed ahead of April's final defeat by Manchester City.