A Teddy/Dimi comparison

[sheringmann]

Remember Sheringham – not Berbatov


Friday 30 May 2008 08:09:42 by Oliver Wright

The OLIVER WRIGHT COLUMN looks back on the career of a Spurs legend and compares him to current want-away star Dimitar Berbatov.​

Sheringham should be remembered far beyond Berbatov As speculation about Tottenham's current star striker leaving for bigger and better things still lingers, my thoughts turn to the last such Spurs forward who moved in search of trophies.

Teddy Sheringham's long career finally came to an end this month, which coincided with him being inducted into the Tottenham Hotspur Hall of Fame. While Berbatov has clearly made his mark over the past two years and Tottenham will be worse off without him, Sheringham's contribution to the club and Premier League football extends far beyond the likely impact of the Bulgarian.
As a Spurs fan, I feel it's worth celebrating his contribution to the club and paying tribute to his time in the game. Sheringham first came to prominence in the late 1980s when he formed a prolific partnership with Tony Cascarino at Millwall, and he then furthered his credentials at Nottingham Forest in the 1991/92 season.
His performances at the City Ground caught the attention of Spurs and he was signed by Tottenham in August 1992 as Gary Lineker's replacement. Stepping into Lineker's shoes proved to be no mean feat and he initially struggled to find form. It didn't take too long though and, after a few dodgy games, the terrace lyric of “Oh Gary, Gary...” soon became “Oh, Teddy, Teddy”.

He finished that year as the Premier League’s inaugural top scorer. Sadly for him and all Spurs fans, he missed a large part of the following season through injury. So much of a talisman was he, that the club flirted dangerously with relegation before surviving in the penultimate game. Despite only playing 19 games, Sheringham scored 14 goals to finish as the club's top scorer once more.
His finest season at White Hart Lane was arguably when he partnered Jurgen Klinsmann in 1994/95. The pair struck 52 times between them. While the German got all the plaudits, he recognised that he owed much of his success to Sheringham, referring to him as the best striker he had played with in his career. Some accolade. In his first five-year spell with the club Sheringham scored an impressive 99 goals in 197 appearances.
One sad similarity that Berbatov looks likely to share with Sheringham, assuming he does depart for pastures new this summer, is that in the last few weeks of the season before his impending big move, his body language on the pitch made it fairly obvious he wanted to leave. His heart, like Sheringham’s, just didn’t seem in it. Only time will tell if that similarity turns out to be true.

The fact that Sheringham wanted to leave was understandable. By 1997, at the age of 31, he had not won a major trophy and time was running out for him to win the game’s top prizes. At Manchester United he won five trophies, including the historic treble in 1999, scoring goals in both cup finals. By that time, most players' best years are behind them, with retirement on the horizon.
Not Teddy. He became an integral part of the United squad for two more years, culminating with him being awarded both Player of the Year awards in 2001, the oldest player ever to win the players' award. I, like many others, was pleased for him. In 2001 he returned to the Lane. While he was not as prolific second time round, scoring 26 goals in 80 games, he did forge a partnership with Robbie Keane in his final season at the Lane, something which surely stood the Irishman in good stead for his future Spurs career.
Leaving Spurs at the age of 37, he still wasn't finished. He made useful contributions at Portsmouth and West Ham and, unlike most ex-world class players I would imagine, he still had the desire to play in the lower leagues at Colchester. It's a shame that injury prevented him playing more games towards the end of his final season.
He finally retired at the age of 42, after becoming the oldest outfield player ever to have appeared in the Premier League at the age of 40. You imagine he would have carried on had his body let him. His 24-year career gave him 776 starts (with a further 132 substitute appearances), 350 goals, 51 England caps and 11 England goals.

It may well be unfair, and possibly serve little purpose, to compare Dimitar Berbatov and Teddy Sheringham, but how fondly will Berbatov be remembered in ten years' time? He may have helped propel the club into a second successive fifth-place finish and UEFA Cup football and won a trophy at Tottenham, more than Sheringham achieved in his time at the Lane, but he has only been at the club for two seasons.
These achievements also hide the fact that Berbatov has played in a better Spurs team than Sheringham had the luxury of, particularly after Klinsmann left. The truth is that Teddy played in a couple of dreadful Spurs teams during his time at the Lane. It's just sad that he (like Berbatov will have to do) had to leave the club to get the best years of his career and win trophies.
The irony is that the season after Sheringham left, Spurs won the League Cup before he had won a trophy at United. So, while it would be sad to see a player of Berbatov's calibre leave the club, let's not dwell on it too much. Spurs have a tradition of signing exciting strikers and this summer will be no exception should the Bulgarian leave.

Instead, now that the season is finally over, let's remember a real Tottenham legend who gave seven years of his career to the club that he first joined at the age of 26, playing 277 games and scoring 125 goals in the process. Congratulations Teddy on a long and admirable career both at and away from the Lane.

Oliver Wright is the author of fan autobiography, From the Lane, available from www.fromthelanebook.co.uk, amazon.co.uk, other online retailers and Waterstones high street stores.

Just thought i'd share this......from ProudCockerel.co.uk

 

[double0]

Sheringham IMO was class in a glass.

 

[paxtonyiddo]

the 92/93 season was a fantastic year for teddy scoring 29 goals for us. for me teddy will always be the main reason i started supporting THFC in 1992 and compares favourably for me to berbatov. I hope dimitar stays and proves me wrong.

 

[dooey123]

Nice article. Players like Teddy are a dying breed, one who plays for the joy of playing rather than the money. Keano is another of these players who will be remembered more fondly than Berba over the years. Berba has been fantastic but I get the feeling he may not have such a fondness for us us we do for him.

 

[sundancer]

Teddy was a wonderfull player and deserves all the praise, Berby if he stays for a few more years may be as good for Spurs.

 

[mabolsa_ritchey]

On a side note, is it just me that finds it baffling that Klinnsmann was here for only a season and a half in total and is a legend, yet Berbatov has been here 2 seasons now and is on the verge of being labelled a judas?

 

[Bulletspur]

On a side note, is it just me that finds it baffling that Klinnsmann was here for only a season and a half in total and is a legend, yet Berbatov has been here 2 seasons now and is on the verge of being labelled a judas?

I do understand where you are coming from, as this has been pointed out in a previous thread. However, if you look on it from a different angle, the whole world and his wife knew about Klinnsman's intentions before a ball was kicked by him - ie he would only be with us for only a year. Therefore at the end of the season there was no speculating or second guessing as to his intentions, unlike Berbatov who I would not exactly call a Judas, but by appearance and behaviour does not seem to appreciate the anxiety of us the fans with regards to his intentions.

About the article, I just glanced at the first few sentences and as I do find comparing players with different styles, attitude and circumstances a bit of a non starter, couldnt be bothered reading the rest to be honest.

Both in their own way were good for the mighty Spurs

 

[C0YS]

Nice article....I don't like how convinced he is that berba will leave tho

 

[KingKay]

Both very technically gifted players , i cant imagine they would both fit into the same team though!?

 

[DC_Boy]

both very good players indeed - hard to split them - but Berbs extra pace and power means he is a more versatile player

Teddy really only excelled as a 'second striker' working with more powerful/pacier players like Shearer Klinsmann Armstrong

Berbs can play both the Sheringham role and the front man role - indeed he can play the lone striker role

Teddy was better in the air - probably a better finisher too, though I suspect Berbs and his goal tallies aren't that different (may be wrong) - both give lots of assists

Teddy, in his second spell, used to seem to want the ball passed to him 'just so' - partly I suppose because he couldn't run very far or fast

I think both players are spurs legends and wouldn't like to separate them as to who's the better - maybe wait till Berbs has retired as well

if I had to choose tho it'd be Berbs for me - but as to who would play best besides the all time Spurs striker, Greavesie, mmm - maybe best to stick with Bobby Smith

 

[sheringmann]

On a side note, is it just me that finds it baffling that Klinnsmann was here for only a season and a half in total and is a legend, yet Berbatov has been here 2 seasons now and is on the verge of being labelled a judas?

Spurs at the time was crap. Klinsmann was way too good for us. That he signed for us at all was a miracle. I'm thinking people just went along for the joyride that was and knew he wouldnt stay long. Its a bit like: Tnx for choosing a season with us.

Berba wasnt a star before signing for us. We have made him what he is. Remember he wasnt even that good the first 6 months for us. I kind of feel like he owes us something...Dunno what but its something..

Thats what separates the two.IMO.