‘Frustrating, disappointing’ – Ryan Mason’s assessment of Spurs’ season

Interim boss Ryan Mason knows Tottenham’s season has been unacceptable as they try to salvage European qualification on Sunday.

Spurs, who were top of the Premier League in December, head to Leicester for the final game of the season with a top-six finish out of their hands.

They need to beat the Foxes, who need to better Liverpool’s result against Crystal Palace to finish in the top four, and hope West Ham lose to Southampton.

They will miss out on European football completely for the first time since 2009-10 if Everton, who are playing Manchester City, better their result or Arsenal win at home to Brighton and Spurs do not.

Even if Spurs can sneak into the Europa League, Mason, who bows out of his temporary role after the game, knows it has not been a good campaign.

“Frustrating, disappointing. We don’t want to be where we are now,” he said. “I have no shame in saying that. As a club, we want to aim for better things.

“I know the chairman has mentioned some things about the direction we want to go as a club next season. We’ll get the weekend out of the way, hopefully win, and see where we end up.

“But of course we don’t want to be where we are. We understand the fans’ frustration but it’s important they know our players are feeling that too.

“It’s been a disappointing campaign in the way that it’s panned out in the end.”

There is sure to be a summer of upheaval coming, with a new manager arriving and Spurs in a battle to keep their wantaway star striker Harry Kane.

Chairman Daniel Levy has spoken about the club wanting to return to its DNA and Mason is on board.

“I think things will happen in the summer, because there is a managerial place that needs to be taken,” Mason added. “I am sure that will happen and to echo the chairman’s words about getting back to the DNA of this football club.

“It is important you build something, all successful clubs recently have had time to build something. They have wanted to go in a certain direction and go a certain way.

“I agree with the chairman, we do need to build something and I think we will. These things do take time sometimes, sometimes they can happen quickly, you look at a team like Liverpool – they have finished eighth twice in the last decade but under Jurgen Klopp they have had time, built something and they won the league and the feeling is different.

“This football club, the foundations are there to build something and hopefully that can happen.”