ON A blindingly sunny day, Tottenham Hotspur avoided a total eclipse of White Hart Lane.

But never again is what they swore the time before. You remember, when they were almost relegated last year.

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Roberto De Zerbi led Tottenham to Premier League survival Credit: Alamy

Spurs beat Everton on the final day of the season to beat the drop Credit: Reuters

Now they must show they actually mean it.

There is no Europa League trophy to paper over the cracks.

No Champions League place to keep the tills ringing.

No reason for self-congratulation and pats on the back.

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Spurs have seen more false dawns in recent years than The Truman Show.

And like the title character of that film, too many people at the club have been living in a fantasy world.

It is time to face reality, and get serious.

At least Tottenham now seem to have a serious manager.

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Cristian Romero should be stripped of the captaincy Credit: PA

It would be a smart move to bring Jan Vertonghen in upstairs Credit: Getty

Andy Robertson is available for free after leaving Liverpool Credit: EPA

Roberto De Zerbi not only Dezerbs every penny of whatever survival bonus he negotiated.

The Italian has also earned the kind of support and authority which has been denied to so many of his predecessors.

Chelsea chiefs have seen the error of their ways and given new boss Xabi Alonso the title of manager.

Even if De Zerbi remains “head coach”, he must be given a bigger say in transfers and the whole culture of the club, as Alonso has been promised.

The former Brighton boss, who craved similar power at the Amex, could hardly do a worse job than those currently in charge at Tottenham.

The club is apparently searching for a second sporting director to work along Johan Lange, the not-so-great Dane who cannot hide behind injuries to avoid a massive share of the blame for the current situation.

Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, who was studying to become a football executive even before his retirement, has issued the equivalent of a come-and-get-me plea.

Spurs could do a lot worse than the Belgian who was part of the Mauricio Pochettino teams which twice challenged for the Premier League title and reached the final of the Champions League only seven years ago.

Vertonghen knows what the club is about and what the standards were. He, or someone else in a senior role in the footballing department, needs to restore them.

But in the end it always comes down to players.

A fish rots from the head down, and Cristian Romero should not be the captain of a dinghy, let alone a Premier League football club.

The Argentinian has let Spurs down too often, on and off the field.

Romero must be sold, even if it is at a loss.

So should fellow centre back Micky van de Ven, if he is not committed to the cause.

Any sales would add to the kitty to buy the reinforcements De Zerbi requires to start moulding the team in his image.

But some things, like leadership, are priceless.

Which is why signing Liverpool legend Andy Robertson and Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi on free transfers makes so much sense.

Young Spurs players like Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, who have known little but turmoil as the club lurched leaderless towards the brink, need strong characters around them to set the tone.

There is the core of a good team here.

But everyone at Tottenham said that last year, too.

It is time for action, not words. For daring and for doing.