Oct
30
The smartest thing Spurs have done in years is to hire Harry Redknapp. A strong character in the dressing room and an experienced Premiership manager, Harry knows how to rebuild bottom up! He is one of those characters that galvanizes people and gets them to believe in what he’s trying to do. Evidently, the cockney rebel’s influence is already working its magic down at the Lane.
Like a fine wine, Harry seems to get better with age. He took good players to Portsmouth and turned most into great Premier League players. He created a team. He saved Portsmouth from relegation and then in the very next year won them the F.A. Cup, his first major trophy as a manager.
Harry knows what it takes to survive in the Premier League and he knows what it takes to try and be competitive to win the title. And he knows how to instill that bullish spirit in his team when it comes to a London derby battle. Arsenal were shocking last night. Their defense was a mess and Alumnia’s display was comparable to a Sunday league goalkeeper suffering from a Saturday night hangover. Credit to Spurs for fighting on and believing they could get the win and a slice of London derby pride. That was Harry’s influence. He gave the players belief and Spurs looked like a completely different team.
If Harry adds the likes of Teddy Sheringham to his coaching staff, Spurs will really be building a solid foundation for future management. Before they appointed Harry Redknapp as their new boss, things were looking gloomy for their fans and their so-called revolution of new signings. Now they have Houdini in their corner, anything is possible…
Oct
22
Legend Dennis Bergkamp…
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This week, the “Nod” goes to Arsenal and Dutch genius Dennis Bergkamp. Classy, entertaining and inspirational would best describe Sir Dennis. His magical feet wooed the Arsenal faithful for years and the rest of the world got to appreciate his talent when he played in the World Cup and European Championships.
His goal scoring show reel is absolute poetry. His touch was amazing, his finishing clinical and his attitude towards the game an example for every young professional. He was responsible for the odd dirty foul, but it didn’t overshadow his footballing brilliance. Is he the best to have played in the Premier League? Let the debate begin.
There’s only one Dennis Bergkamp, one Dennis Bergkamp, we’re walking along, singing a song, walking in a Bergkamp wonderland…
Oct
19
Hull City’s start to Premier League life has been like a fairy tale. After 104 years of lower league existence, the Tigers are out to prove they are worthy of their promotion from the Championship. Their thirst for success is evident and they play with huge confidence and belief.
It also appears as though they have developed a lust for beating London teams. And not just any London teams. They beat Arsenal, Tottenham and West Ham convincingly. What are the odds on Hull City beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge? That home record has to go sometime, doesn’t it?
Hull City may not continue on this run of form, but they’ve lit up the league and given us all something to talk about. It’s as though they’ve been invited to the world’s most exclusive football party and they’ve decided to just let their hair go and have a good time. Let’s hope they don’t get too drunk on their current success. Phil Brown seems to be a good manager. Eye of the tiger baby, eye of the tiger…
Oct
13
The lion returns…
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In sublime form for Manchester United and scoring goals again for England, the boy wonder is back. Who should we credit for this? Well Rooney himself of course. The kid works hard after all. But let’s also save some praise for the master chef of football managers, Sir Alex Ferguson. He benched Rooney and the United striker didn’t take kindly to it. Since then, he’s been sensational.
Could it also be that Rooney is finally ready to step out of Ronaldo’s shadow? He has had to play second fiddle to the Portuguese superstar over the last couple of seasons. Not anymore. It’s Rooney’s shout to have a breakout superstar season and finally conquer the world. He has the talent. He has the physical attributes. The question is, does he have the mental strength to sustain his form over a long period of time? Under Sir Alex Ferguson’s watch, Rooney will do just fine. You cannot tame this lion. Hear him roar…
Oct
6
Remember Nottingham Forest..?
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What is going on at Spurs? Their situation is dire. Here is a team that was hoping to snatch that fourth place Champions League spot and instead they are fighting for their Premiership lives. You think that’s melodramatic this time of season? Just ask the 1993 Nottingham Forest team everyone said were too good to go down!
Spurs fans are missing Martin Jol right about now. Who is Juande Ramos anyway? OK he won the UEFA and Super Cup with Sevilla. But let’s all be realistic, both trophies have lost their prestige over the years and are not as tough to win. And if you look closely at his resume, other than Real Betis and Sevilla, he’s only ever stayed at a club for one season. Now we know why! And he can’t blame Berbatov and Kean for the Spurs slump. They’ve been badly managed since they won the Carling Cup.
Before Spurs fire Ramos, they should fire their Director of Football. The appropriately named Damien Comolli has bought overvalued players and done a mess of a job in the transfer market since taking control at the Lane. Bent, Bentley, Modric and Pavlyuchenko were all overpriced. Nobody is bashing these guys as players, but Damien’s decision to pay such ridiculous money for them was a bad omen for this once prestigious North London club! It’s coming back to haunt him now.
Spurs should have hired Jurgen Klinsmann years ago. He has the right mentality, ethics and innovation to manage in the Premier League. He made an average international German side look sublime and strong at the World Cup. But Spurs missed that boat and it’s a shame because they could really do with a classic Spurs hero to swoop in and save them. Who though? They’ve been through most of their heroes as managers already haven’t they?
There is a Spurs legend however that could help if asked. He’s got the experience playing the game at the highest level, he just hasn’t managed a club yet. He was around some of the best managers during his career both domestically and internationally. As a player, we admired his intelligence and overall understanding of the game. Mark Hughes, Roy Keane, Gareth Southgate, Paul Ince and even Klinsmann himself have proved you don’t necessarily need the experience if you’ve got a good back room staff to support you. This guy could do it. Step forward Teddy Sheringham. Oh, and he once played for Nottingham Forest too…