Tag: Spurs

Goal of the season…

fernandoIt’s that time of year where we harp on about the greatness of players, teams and managers. Us fans like to have our say in who wins what.

First-up is a fan favourite – Goal of the Season. With so many great games and performances, it really was difficult to pick the best goal. There were great individual goals and also incredible team goals scored in the Premier League this term. But who ranked in the top 3? Do you agree with the choices? Have your say… 

1. {Fernando Torres} vs Blackburn. A great ball from Jamie Carragher and then the beautification of football personified by the sheer brilliance of Torres. Check it out here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypmpc1dUls4&feature=related.

2. {David Bentley} vs Arsenal. Who knows if Bentley will even be at Tottenham next season. He will always leave Spurs fans with one of their greatest memories against Arsenal. Rough quality, but you can still see this amazing goal very clearly.       http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1941068/david_bentley_goal_for_tottenham_vs_arsenal_on_29_10_08/

3. {Paul Konchesky} vs West Ham. Against his former club, Konchesky takes the ball himself and blasts the back of the net with a stunning shot. Take a peek and remind yourselves http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_IOJhE0fgI

Honorable mentions also go to Andrei Arshavin’s goal against Blackburn, Glen Johnson’s goal against Hull City and Carlton Cole’s goal against Wigan.

Harry Redknapp Houdini strikes again…

re_delle_manette2-761666The 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…

Remember Nottingham Forest..?

_42460972_spurs416-761272What 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…

Spurs splashed out on a Bentley…

77414576RM024_Blackburn_RovDavid Bentley could prove a great signing for Spurs. He’s young, ambitious, focused and a very driven player. He’ll be dedicated to the cause. However, did Spurs pay too much for him? Is he worth that kind of money and does he have the talent to warrant being in that bracket? Does it matter when his best years are ahead of him? The jury’s still out on Bentley. I mean we know he has a great engine, skillful ability encompassed with sheer confidence and he can make others around him look good. But will he grow to become a classic, a legend and a regular England international? I need to think about this one…

Finally. A deal is done…

340x-790417The summer transfer market is officially open. With the signature of Robbie Keane, Liverpool have surely pulled off the surprise of the season so far. Yes the Deco deal was exciting, but he’s long been a target for Chelsea so there was no real surprise there. Jo, Nasri, Modric and Dos Santos could all well be good captures, but these are “wait and see” transfers. Peter Crouch, Steve Sidwell, Paul Robinson, Claude Makelele, Brad Friedel, Gilberto Silva, Sully Muntari and El-Hadji Diouf deserve honorable mentions as they move to pastures new. But…

Liverpool acquiring Keane is almost genius. Tottenham fans around the globe are feeling sick. Trust me. I know a few and they are not happy. They know Liverpool have bought quality. An exquisite striker, Keane has been one of the most overlooked players in the Premier League. His touch, his finishing and his ability to see beyond the next pass is impressive. His equalizer against Chelsea in last season’s 4-4 extravaganza is exactly the type of strike Spurs fans have enjoyed for 6 years. Oh how they will miss him.

Keane’s overall play and leadership will be very difficult to replace. In the absence of Ledley King and other key players, he stood-up and took the team on his shoulders. If Tottenham had Ramos sooner, would Keane still be leaving? Were they being held back by average coaches and bad signings? If they had qualified for the Champions League a couple of seasons ago, would things be different now? It doesn’t matter, it’s too late. Their Irish Prince has gone.

Now he teams up with another Prince. Perhaps the new Prince of Europe. Fernando Torres and Robbie Keane upfront. Imagine it. What a mouth-watering encounter. Plus alongside them will be Liverpool’s legend in the making and captain fantastic, Steven Gerrard. Ferry across the Mersey Batman! Could this be the year Liverpool win the Premier League? One thing is for sure, Keane is the type of signing that can elevate a team to another level. He will contribute immediately. He’s a seasoned player with big game experience. He’s hungry to win and he wants to play Champions League football. He was ready to go. Welcome to Anfield son.

There are players like Flamini and Hleb who leave for another club because they are chasing fortunes. Sure Keane was tempted by the money, but if he’d have asked, Tottenham would have given him what he wanted to stay. He is following a boyhood dream. He wants to play for Liverpool. For some reason, his transfer to Liverpool seems genuine on his behalf. Despite how it may have happened, he was motivated by his dream and not the money.

Liverpool and Keane have definitely wet the transfer whistle. After so much speculation, finally a huge deal happens. It’s what we’ve been waiting. And one thing’s for sure, Keane is not a “wait and see” transfer. He’s more of a “here and now” deal.