Spurs Should Take the Europa League Seriously, Starting with Dinamo Tbilisi

In the end, Tottenham Hotspur probably did not deserve to go further than they did in the 2012-13 Europa League.

The Premier League outfit's run was one marked by admirable resilience, but also a feeling their best had been reserved for domestic duty.

Tottenham's quarterfinal penalty shootout loss to Basel was in keeping with a run through the knockout phase that had seen them play perilously close to the edge.

A late Mousa Dembele strike saw them just sneak past Olympique Lyonnais in the Round of 32. Against Internazionale, they went from the sublime to the ridiculous over the course of two legs—scraping through at the San Siro on away goals.

In Switzerland, Spurs overcame an erratic performance that included Jan Vertonghen being sent off to take Basel to penalties.

As Andre Villas-Boas' dejected side trudged off following the 4-1 spot-kick loss, all associated with Spurs could have been forgiven for asking, was it all worth it?

As they prepare to face Dinamo Tbilisi later this month in the competition's play-off stage, many will be asking that question again.

Those later rounds last season (featuring two extra-time matches) took their toll on a team that was battling hard to make the Premier League's top four.

Villas-Boas' desire to win the tournament in which he made his name with Porto two years earlier saw him field strong lineups throughout.

Spurs' Champions League hopes ultimately came undone after costly losses to Liverpool and Fulham in March. That these came either side of their Europa League meetings with Inter does not endear the North Londoners' efforts in the competition.

Following the Basel loss, Villas-Boas described himself as "extremely happy for setting a great example for English football and how to approach this competition."

As he went on to say in the interview, carried here on BBC Sport, it was "never an excuse for under-performing in the Premier League."

Given this sentiment, it seems unlikely he will change his approach this time around.

"To change the mentality towards this competition from one season to the other is very difficult," Villas-Boas further noted.

Improving the image of the Europa League will not, and should not, be the primary concern of Spurs' players, staff and supporters. Yet despite some viewing it as a distraction, it remains a competition the club should take seriously.

A significant part of Tottenham's history revolves around two successful tilts (1971-72 and 1983-84) at the competition in its previous form, the UEFA Cup.

Neither success was easy, but along with the 1962-63 European Cup Winners' Cup victory, they established major strands in the club's DNA that hold influence to this day.

Beyond attachments to history, it is an opportunity to win something that this talented current squad should not willfully reject.

Champions League football is, again, the understandable priority. But with more thoughtful management, Villas-Boas can apply his resources effectively on more than one front.

Spurs suffered late on last season as injuries to Gareth Bale, Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon left them particularly understrength in forward positions.

Despite Bale's uncertain future, Spurs are already stronger in attack. The return of Andros Townsend and the additions of Roberto Soldado and Nacer Chadli have seen to that (while more may still be to come).

Only Villas-Boas' defense remains a major concern depth wise. Should this be addressed—and the squad kept relatively intact—the Portuguese will have plenty of options.

The group Spurs are attempting to assemble to fulfill their ambitions must be able to play and perform well in more than one competition. The myriad squad members not featuring regularly in the league need something to occupy them.

It may be the case the FA Cup or League Cup serve that function this season instead. Regardless, you only have to look at Chelsea's 2012-13 campaign to see more than one target can be satisfactorily reached with a relatively big squad.

A long season lies ahead. If nothing else, the two legs with Dinamo Tbilisi offer Tottenham a chance to establish some early-season momentum with a couple of wins.

Even if the players' minds are elsewhere overall, defeat by the Georgian club must not be contemplated.