Tottenham Hotspur Women manager Martin Ho has outlined his belief in the club's long-term process ahead of a critical week featuring matches against Chelsea and Arsenal. The boss spoke after a heavy defeat to London City Lionesses, which he said does not define his team's quality or direction.
Ho, who has been in charge for less than 18 months, has overseen a transformation from relegation candidates to a side now fourth in the FA Women's Super League with 10 points from five games. That position, just five points off the top, will be tested in their next two fixtures, starting with a trip to second-placed Chelsea on Sunday.
The campaign began with emphatic 7-0 and 4-0 wins over Crystal Palace and Aston Villa respectively, but was followed by a 6-1 loss to London City Lionesses before the October international break. Victoria Pelova scored Tottenham's lone goal in that defeat, her fifth of the season already, making her the team's top scorer. Ho stressed the importance of perspective after such a result.
"You're always optimistic that it can go well, but I'm also realistic that you don't just have this long-term success," Ho said. "It's not linear, there's going to be ups and downs."
Strategic summer recruitment has been central to the club's accelerated progress. The arrivals of Champions League winners Victoria Pelova from Arsenal and Alice Sombath from Lyon, plus Caitlin Dijkstra from Wolfsburg, were designed to meet specific positional needs and inject a winning culture.
Ho highlighted Pelova's resurgence after a long-term injury affected her confidence before joining. "Since coming in, I've tried to push standards, push the expectation with staff and players to give us a platform that can give us an opportunity to progress," he added. The Dutch midfielder has quickly become a key figure, contributing goals and assists, including the winner against Brighton last month.
The immediate focus is a daunting double-header. After visiting Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, Spurs host Arsenal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on October 24, where they have their only ever win against their north London rivals. Ho acknowledged the commercial and competitive magnitude of these derbies, calling them "100% tough" but exactly the kind of challenges players and coaches want.
While these results may influence the final league standings in May, Ho insisted they will not define the team. Tottenham's recent fixtures show a mixed run of form, but they travel to Chelsea having beaten them 2-1 in their last meeting in August. The squad, blending youth with new elite experience, now has a point to prove.
More detail at Sky Sports
