Not Only A Game

Admit Defeat?

2011-05-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since I last blogged. It might appear that I was only keen to do so when Spurs were doing so well, which would be fairly ironic as it was in a competition that in the past I had openly mocked. The champions’ league was a cash-cow I would say, just there for the big European clubs to cream off as much money as possible, shutting out the other teams in their respective leagues, yet another ploy by UEFA to stop a breakaway European Super League.
Why would I want my team to play in it? Well this season has proved why. It’s a chance to sit at the big table to play against some of the best teams and players in Europe, and might I add, to show that your team and your players are on a par with them.

But, as Engelbert Humperdink once sang on the Last Waltz, it’s all over now. With it looking more and more likely for Spurs that next season’s European football will be for other teams.
With another draw at the weekend, only three wins out of the next three games will give Spurs a chance to sit at the big table again next year. It’s a very small chance mind, as Manchester City would have to lose at least two games as well.
With Liverpool taking Fulham apart on Monday night 5-2 then even a Europa league place might be slipping away as well.

Still for all the European nights, it’s a quiet, slightly sad end to the season for my team. Not even Arsenal’s demise is that much consolation except maybe for the hilarity in which Birmingham beat in them in the Carling Cup final.
Manchester United look like they will be lifting the league title next weekend, much to many people’s chagrin. I suppose I should not really care that much about this and should really hate Chelsea just as much. But most Chelsea supporters I know I genuinely like and can talk about football with. Whereas Man Utd supporters are usually just glory hunters who come from just about anywhere but Lancashire, so it would have been good to see them slip up right at the end.

So I suppose its roll on next season for when Gareth Bale will be back and the push for the Champions league starts a fresh. Unless of course something quite extraordinary happens tomorrow night……..

The Progression

2011-03-11T04:38:00.000-08:00

I should have blogged yesterday or maybe the night before but I was still buzzing, buzzing from the events at White Hart Lane. There were no doubt, many hangovers after the event who knows maybe even a baby was conceived. What is all the excitement I hear you say? Just that Spurs have reached the champions league quarter finals that’s all.

It still feels unreal and maybe it will for a while yet. In their first season in the champions league Spurs have not only seen off one but two of the biggest teams in Italy to reach this stage.
It wasn’t a case of scraping through either. Four impressible performances and victory secured in one of the legs in each game has ensured progression in the competition.
It all seems a million miles away from when it first started back in Bern in August. Against a team called young boys. It looked like maybe it was all too soon for Spurs, like they were out of their depth. Prompting the usual round of crap jokes and remarks. But what a difference a few months makes and don’t hear quite so many of them now as Spurs have grown very much into the champions league and the rest of Europe is sitting up to listen.

It’s almost kind of funny in a way to me, as for a while I was one of the main dissenting voices against the Champions league. Berating it as just a cash cow for the big clubs, maybe it was jealousy that my team weren’t in it back then or maybe in my defence I just couldn’t see its attraction.
But that has certainly all changed now, and I can clearly see why it is so important and special to be playing in it just for nights like Wednesday’s home tie against AC Milan.

How far it will go for Spurs only time will tell but right now I’m just enjoying every minute of it.

Oh yeah did I mention that Spurs progressed further than Arsenal?

Dean Richards (1974 –2011)

2011-02-26T12:21:00.000-08:00

The sad news today of the death of Dean Richards at the young age of 36 hangs a cloud of mourning over football ahead of next weekends Spurs game against Wolves at Molineux.

Playing for both clubs, Dean Richards would no doubt hold more memories for Wolves supporters than for those at White Hart Lane.
Even though I saw him play on a number of occasions during his four years at Spurs, where he made 73 appearances scoring just four goals, I can really only say that I remember him putting in sturdy strong performances at centre half.
Unfortunately he was a player that at Spurs never quite fulfilled the potential that was expected when he was signed, but this was due to persistent injuries ending in his retirement from football in 2005 upon discovering his illness.

He is probably more remembered at Spurs for the drawn out furore over his signing. A lengthy affair that dragged out over a few months, with a war of words erupting between Rupert Lowe at Southampton and the Spurs board.
It initial spark had been ignited much earlier when Glenn Hoddle left Southampton to manage Spurs and when he then intended to take Dean Richards with him, the drawn out battle began.
Eventually however, even though Richards had signed a new contract at Southampton only a few months earlier, they accepted £8.1 million from Spurs in 2001. Quite a high fee at the time for a player who had yet to play internationally.
His international career unfortunately never happened, along with a premature end to his career.
I’m sure that next weekend at Molineux both Wolves and Spurs supporters will join in remembering him and his contribution to both clubs.

Moving The Goalposts

2011-02-08T11:35:00.000-08:00

It went quiet for a while. Well, about a week to be exact. Must have been the record breaking premiership goal fest last weekend. However, its now back in the news. I speak of none other than the continuing saga of the Olympic stadium bid. I, of course as a Spurs supporter have a vested interest, and I would like to state first up that I am opposed to any move to Stratford no matter what form it takes.

Today, Daniel Levy once again reiterated that the new all purpose stadium that was planned to be built on land behind White Hart Lane, was not viable. Although, just a few years ago a lot of work was put into The Northumberland Park Development Project supported by local MPs David Lammy and Andy Love. There was an unveiling of the plans for the new stadium, where as usual a scale model was shown.
So how come that between then and now things have changed and now it is seen as being too costly and not workable but, that a move to Stratford to a stadium that will be demolished and then re-built will be?

It doesn't seem to make much sense. Daniel Levy has said that many Spurs supporters backed a move away from our current home. Although, judging by the amount of protests and pressure groups against it he is either not listening or is speaking to Spurs supporters who don’t seem to be reported anywhere else.
He did however say this move may not necessary be outside of the borough so that’s something.

Gary and Robbie

2011-02-03T03:45:00.000-08:00

"However, it comes to us all and it's knowing when that time is and for me that time is now"

These words yesterday signalled the end of the playing career of Gary Neville. It seems almost a bit premature really at the age of 35, when there have been quite a few players more recently that have played on past this age, Teddy Sheringham and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbank to name but two. But, the last few years of Neville's career have been blighted by long lay offs due to injury, so maybe it was a need to bow out at the top rather than move down through the leagues.
He did undoubtedly have a very successful career winning every thing possible at Manchester United as well as being the most capped right back for England, managing to find, unlike his brother Phil a permanent role in both teams.

However, before you hear all the stories of the dedicated model professional etc etc. Let’s not forget what the majority of us all really thought of Gary Neville. That he was boring. He was David Beckham's mate, the kind of geeky friend that you have around because hey you like them, they make you laugh and you've known them a while. But still the kind of mate that you don't always invite along to parties where your other cooler friends are. The type of mate that if you go to a nightclub with them they are usually the one who goes to sort out a cab home, that is if they are not driving.
The type of mate you would always stick up for when girls make fun of him, after all he may make a pratt of himself but he's still your friend all the same.

I couldn’t and wouldn’t ever try to take anything away from Gary Neville the player. His contribution to both Manchester United and England were immense and would always stand up to any scrutiny.
But using the title of this blog as a comparison, Neville fits very much into the Gary Barlow Take That role. Talented but not quite as cool as his mates.

I don’t know quite what it is but I think I will always have a soft spot for Robbie Keane. Obviously it’s largely because of his Spurs connection but even when he went briefly to Liverpool last season and his loan spell last season at Celtic I couldn’t quite bring myself to dislike him.

You would think that it would be easier to now considering that he’s on loan at West(S)ham but even that doesn’t seem to have made any difference. I still couldn’t stop myself smiling when I watched him scoring for them on match of the day last night.
I think it’s largely because he arrived at Spurs when we most needed a new striker and he has always been a committed, dedicated player for Spurs and always seemed like one of our own. He’s never been an out and out front man and you wouldn’t really want him playing upfront on his own but he will as the saying goes ‘always get you goals’.

The January Transference

2011-01-31T23:18:00.000-08:00

The january transfer window closed its doors late last night and featured some high profile transfers. Not since the Dimitar Berbatov joining Manchester United saga has there been a night of such last minute intrigue.Fernando Torres's protracted move out of Anfield to Chelsea finally being completed before the 12 o'clock deadline for a record breaking 50 million.

I can't say i'm really suprised that he has left Liverpool, his performances of late have at best been lacklustre. It seems that since arriving back from the World Cup in the summer Fernando took a look around and thought that this wasn't the quite the same scene that would be greeting his Spainish teammates when they returned to Barcalona.
Back to a team who since have continued to struggle to gain a foothold in the top four and this season seemed to be pleased to have made it to just seventh in the table. That of course coupled with managerial and ownership upheavel all played out in the press like some form of soap opera.

But in these recession hit times isn't 50 million just a bit excessive? maybe Chelsea don't think so but what have they got for their money?
No denying Torres's talent but his Liverpool career was beset by injuries which on occasion cost them dear as they relied on him so much. He also wasn't exactly the shining light for Spain at the world cup. That honour feel to David Villa. But he will give Chelsea, or so they believe that extra push towards Abramovich's main goal, winning the Champions League.

In response to this Liverpool have moved to sign two unproven premiership strikers, all be it one who has shown promise in the premiership, using some of the income from the torres sale to secure the services of Andy Carroll from Newcastle and Luis Suarez from Ajax.
But is the signing of Carroll really just a case of selling the real article and buying a player who may become the real article. Sure Carroll may have scored 31 goals for Newcastle but many of those were in the championship.
Luis Suarez may be a better proposition having scored 91 goals in Dutch football and been a principal figure in Uruguay's success at the world cup, but again he hasn't played in the premiership before.

Only time will tell who has taken the biggest gamble Chelsea or Liverpool.

Another one of the much debated transfer targets never happened although it came close.
Blackpool's Charlie McAdam nearly made a move to Spurs, the deal apparantly was on the table, but the paperwork couldn't be completed in time. Because and here's the reason, Daniel Levy couldn't get in touch with all the share holders. What? in these days of newer and clever technology am I too believe the chairman of Spurs uses carrier pigeons to contact the board?

Is The Magic Still There?

2011-01-30T10:20:00.000-08:00

This weekend was the fourth round of the FA cup. The next round after that potential banana skin third round, you know when you’ve draw a non-league side and struggled to see them off. There are still a few sides in it from all over the leagues but its now only 5 games to the final.

But, the question still often pops up has the magic of the FA cup gone? Is it really the cup of dreams for clubs from all over the country or just a competition where it will be the same old teams at the final in May?

Well, the answer is really yes and no. Chelsea will have to replay Everton, but both Manchester United and Arsenal went through, although both had a few shaky moments.

Big-money club Manchester City nearly fell at Notts County only scoring near the end to earn a replay and my club Spurs received a sound thrashing at Fulham, totally deserved by the cottagers.

In fact so emphatic was their victory that I even considered contacting ESPN to see if I could get my money back, after all they did advertise a football match and Spurs didn't show any signs of playing football.

But it was further down the fixtures that the sparkle of the FA cup shone brightest. With the tie of the round undoubtedly being Torquay United against Crawley Town.

A cup game that sparked memories of old. A full on affair with a dodgy looking pitch, tackles sliding in and end to end football. The game also boasted two dismissals, and two missed penalties.

It reminded me of those cup ties of old when even the big teams rolled up their sleeves and went for it.

So even though sometimes it may just seem that the FA cup has turned into just another big corporate event for the TV media if you look hard enough there are often enough great games along the way to ensure the magic never really goes away.

Beyond Belief - The Final Chapter

2007-10-26T05:49:00.000-07:00

Devastated. Totally devastated. That’s the only words I can think of to describe last night's game and the subsequent events at White Hart Lane.
The whole saga unfolding on television like some kind of soap opera. You almost expected all the characters to turn up in a pub later, like an episode of Emmerdale or Coronation street, and there, an altercation would occur in classic soap style.

Firstly, the game itself, or rather Spurs performance, was pretty dismal. It didn't start that way. Jermaine Defoe, newly returned to the side, put Spurs ahead and you felt that the previous Monday’s dire display at Newcastle would be forgotten.
I'm a Spurs supporter though, I should know better. I should know things are never quite that simple, or maybe I'd just like to believe they could be.
Within two minutes or less Getafe had equalized, and here we go again. Another set piece, another piece of poor defending.

What came next though surpassed all of that. Returning from an advert break, on live television it was announced that two newspapers had reported that Martin Jol had accepted a compensation package and that Juande Ramos would be taking over as manager.
This is in the middle of a UEFA cup match! More though was to follow as the whole saga unraveled itself in front of a TV audience.

During the second half, it was announced by the commentator that the club had indeed confirmed that before the game Martin Jol had tended his resignation and it had been accepted. It had also been agreed that he would take charge of this game, which would ultimately be his last game in charge.

After a while, this must have filtered through to the supporters in the stadium who loudly proclaimed their support for Martin Jol even when Spurs conceded a second.
At the end though, the result in itself was academic. The off the pitch shenanigans took centre stage.
How the Spurs board could have allowed this to happen is beyond belief. This has been raging for months but for it to all conclude in last night is disgraceful.

Martin Jol has brought so much to White Hart Lane and meant so much too all Spurs supporters. I for one, would like to extend a big thank you for all he has done for Spurs, he brought a pride and a belief back.
To Chris Hughton as well, a loyalty to the club that will be hard to surpass.
I wish them both the best in their future employment.

So what of the future? Well the main story is that Ramos may well be appointed soon with Gus Poyet as his assistant.
But as has been seen in the last few months, with this Spurs board anything is possible, nothing is beyond belief.

Total Double Dutch

2007-08-21T04:58:00.000-07:00

Being the devoted and passionate Spurs supporter I am, my start to the new season wasn't exactly great with two dire performances against Sunderland and Everton. But Saturday’s result against Derby restored all the hopes and ambitions of a new season.

Well, that is until the mounting speculation of Martin Jol’s job security at White Hart Lane.
Unrest at Spurs is nothing new, take it from me. But just when it started to look like it was all coming together, like a recurring dream controversy and unrest returned.

On the face of it the possible sacking of Martin Jol seems the most ridiculous footballing decision since the game began.
Jol, has transformed Spurs into a team that has twice finished fifth in the league, competed convincing in all cup competitions and brought pride, hope and ambition back to White Hart Lane.
The best manager that the club has had since Keith Burkinshaw, Martin looked well on his way to becoming a spurs legend.

I, was absolutely amazed to see all this speculation about him leaving Spurs, putting most of it down to newspapers who couldn't’t resist having a pop at Spurs, a ‘they’ve never liked us, and now we look like contenders to sit at the top table of the premiership they will try anything to bring us down’ attitude.
But as the days pass and more and more stories emerge it’s starting to get difficult to ignore.

Maybe it’s more political than tactical. Its no secret that Martin Jol and sporting director Damien Comolli don’t always see eye to eye. The sale of Michael Carrick was certainly not sanctioned by Jol and Darren Bent’s recent arrival looked more of a Comolli signing than a Jol one.
But even if this is the case, why give Jol 40 million to spend, if there was doubt whether he would be there at the end of the season?

It all looks like a complete and utter mess. With reports flying around of meetings in Spain with Juande Ramos which were denied by the Board, but then were followed by further speculation.
Newspaper reports of player unrest and allegation of favourites, as well as Jol wanting to sell Berbatov and him demanding crisis talks with Daniel Levy.

But the biggest mess of all would be Jol leaving in the first place. Firstly, to change a manager so early in the season would be nothing short of a total disaster. Any new manager would need time to settle in, and with games coming thick and fast and expectation high, a new manager would not have that.
But secondly and most important of all, Martin Jol leaving could be the greatest mistake that Daniel Levy could make. Jol is loved by the supporters, songs showing total support for him ring around the stadium at every home game. His departure would cause much disillusion amongst the spurs faithful.

His devotion to the club and belief has been part of what has got us this far, any change now could cause untold damage.

Legacy of a Swede

2007-08-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

Its back! This weekend saw the start of the new premiership season. The hopes, dreams and ambitions returning. Although at the end of the first 90 minutes of your team’s first game, you may have wished it had been delayed for another week. I know I did. Being a Spurs supporter I saw my team lose the very first game of the premiership season, away to Sunderland. But I shouldn’t be too despondent its very early days yet.

The surprise of the weekend though, coincided with the return to English football of a figure that has caused debate, anger and at times, complete confusion during his involvement with the English game. I speak of course of Sven Goran Eriksson, the new manager of Manchester City.

A dubious takeover at Maine Road has brought the Swede back to England, this time in domestic football. However, his first game in charge this weekend saw his new charges win convincingly at West Ham.
A good start in his new job, But should we really be that surprised?

Eriksson’s record at domestic level is one to be admired. He won the Swedish cup in his first season as manager at IFK Gothenburg and then went on to complete a treble in 1982, of the Swedish league, cup and UEFA cup.
He has won league titles in Portugal and Italy as well as winning the European Cup Winners Cup with Lazio in 1999.

With England he qualified for every major tournament. Even if on arrival there England’s performances left a lot to be desired, England always reached the later stages of the competition, Sven’s teams never found themselves on the plane home after the end of the qualifying groups. Unlike it has to be said the teams of other England Managers.

So Manchester City supporters have a lot to be thankful for at having him in charge. Although as I said it is early days yet, and it may all go horribly wrong. Or maybe, just maybe, Sven Goran Eriksson will show English football just what they let go at international level in that eternal search for the great ‘English’ England manager.

The FA: (Not) Laying Down The Law

2007-08-01T03:38:00.001-07:00

The whole sorry mess that has surrounded the Carlos Tevez has once again shown just how badly managed and organized the Football Association really is.

The FA should have questioned the legality of the player when he first arrived at the West Ham. His registration as a premiership player by the FA was just the start of what has become a lengthy and totally nonsensical saga.

Even when the FA had the chance to make some amends for this later during last season, they once again managed to make a complete hash of instilling discipline in the game by electing not to deduct West Ham points or suspending the player.

Subsequently Tevez helped West Ham Stay in the premiership at the expensive of teams who had conducted their affairs legally and above board.

When Sheffield United challenged this decision, themselves losing their premiership place in part die to this, they were treated with an almost 'sour grapes' approach by both the FA and later the appeal committee.

It has now taken the actions of Tevez's agent, Kia Joorabchian to bring the full fiasco out in the open with a high court hearing set for August.

But is it really any surprise to the majority of football supporters in this country that the FA once again took the easy route, and effectively bottled out of making a proper ruling body decision.

It’s not the first time this has happened. When Sven Goran Ericksson was the subject of the News of the World 'Fake Sheikh' story not once did the FA leap to his defensive. This would have been a perfect opportunity to show the football journalists of this country that they don’t have some special dispensation in the game. They could and should have charged the News of the world with entrapment of one its employees. But they did absolutely nothing.

Sven’s comments at the time about corruption amongst managers in the premiership should have forced an immediate enquiry by the FA, but this had to wait until the BBC’s Panorama programme of managers receiving bungs was aired. Even then when the report was finally published it said very little.

It has now taken raids at various football clubs by the police to pursue any further action.

Isn’t it about time that the ruling body of English Football actually carried some clout and stood for something? instead of just sticking up for the richest chairmen in the game.

The Return of Brave, Brave Sir David

2007-06-07T02:27:00.000-07:00

Two matches, two good performances for England. The first, a showpiece friendly at the new Wembley stadium against Brazil. The second, a must win Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia. The performances in both games restoring confidence in the current England set-up. But is it really any wonder? When it coincides with the recall of a player who can inspire the rest of the team, an old England hero, David Beckham.

Since Beckham’s announcement at last summer’s world cup that he was to step down as England captain, and him subsequently being dropped from the team, England have struggled to even attempt to fill the gap that he has left. I’m not just talking about his ability, although against Estonia on Wednesday 6th June at times he gave a masterclass in passing and crossing the ball, it's what he also brings to the team, confidence and the will to win.

He must now at least, stand amongst some of the greats of English international football past and present, in his proudness to wear the England shirt. Beckham is without doubt clearly honoured to represent his country and gives his all for the cause.

He has, let’s be honest here, pulled England out of the fire on a few occasions. There’s obviously the free kick against Greece which everyone remembers, but somewhat more recently the two free kicks against Paraguay and Ecuador both salvaged a win in games where England had failed to put in a convincing performance. Beckham has almost grown up in the public eye with England, from France 1998 when he was sent off, to the way he dealt with that and became a better player, returning to almost get his own back with his penalty against Argentina in Japan 2002.

Still though, Beckham has his detractors, listening to radio five live’s 6-0-6 phone in programme after the game against Estonia there was almost an even split between those who felt Beckham’s return to international duty was a welcome thing, and those who didn't.
In my opinion Steve McClaren never should have dropped him in the first place. I can see all the arguments for building a new younger England team but when as with the case of Beckham there is no evident replacement for what he can bring to the team, then dropping him just left an enormous gap which subsequent performances clearly showed.

It is often said that a good player plays well but a great player inspires other players to play well, so maybe it's not so much what Beckham does on the pitch that’s so important but what he can inspire others to do.

If his return results, in once again saving England’s qualifying chances, then maybe finally his contribution to the national team will be acknowledged to the full.