archibald1882
Member
- Jun 5, 2005
- 4
- 44
The Champions League was set up to provide financial security & stability for the elite clubs in Europe. AC Milan realised how much they lost in revenue when they did not qualify one year that they kicked the ball off. The top clubs needed little persuading given the revenue steams the completion generates.
We are not one of Europe's elite clubs. We never really have been. We've had our peaks & some fantastic years. But what is our club about? That’s where we are at the moment and, in my view, the key question we have to ask as we move forward.
Our recent qualification for the Champions League was fantastic. I had tears in my eyes & the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I listened to that Champions League song being played at the Lane for our first game, evoking past memories of glory nights at the Lane-Anderlecht, Bayern Munich & not so glorious results but great, exciting evenings against Madrid & Barcelona from the 80s. Unbelievable memories created. And yet, unfortunately, unrealistic expectations.
Harry Redknapp did well but so much of football is about luck and timing. He had a perfect storm of under-performing, quality players with at least 2 of world class potential (Bale & Modric) with a manager who ‘set them free’ in a football manner from the tactical restraints imposed by Ramos (and he could speak English). We added to that another in VDV who in my view fitted that category, although it would seem that was more of the Chairman’s doing than Redknapp & was fortunate that we were in the right place when he was made available. He motivated the players. Got the best out of those 3.
How much of our reaching those dizzy heights was also due to City’s investment not quite kicking in & poor seasons from Chelsea (in the league), Liverpool & Arsenal? This season United have had a dramatic fall from grace yet replaced by Liverpool’s resurgence, the latter being a vindication of what happens if you keep world class player(s).
AVB was never a fit for the Club. He did not understand what Spurs is about. This is really the key point I seek to make. We must not make such a mistake again with the next managerial appointment.
Let’s get real. The Club has already stated they intend to build a new stadium which will require significant investment. The economy is not such that they will easily get favourable terms on the necessary borrowing that they may have got 7 or 8 years ago. This will mean a period of leanness in terms of spending power. We need that revenue to be able to compete in the medium and longer term. Today Liverpool have announced that they intend to increase Anfield’s capacity to just short of 60k, Chelsea soon the same.
My view is we have punched well above our weight since Martin Jol was in charge. It’s only Arsenal’s incompetence that has meant we are even in touch with them. They have paid their stadium off, sit on a fortune, have gate receipts over £1 million per game more than us & have had Champions League income of over £20million very year more than we have.
In Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Everton and ourselves there will be 7 teams chasing that coveted top-4 spot most years. All bar Everton have resources significantly exceeding those available to us.
Champions League qualification should be an aspiration when we have a team that is playing to that standard and capable of competing.
It feels like the soul has disappeared from the Club. That we are prepared to sell our grandmothers to qualify for the Champions League. We’re happy with one-null scraped victories or talk about dominating possession. We used to crucify Brendan Rogers last year when he made such comments after we’d beaten Liverpool yet AVB did that all the time! There’s too much statistical analysis of the game, OPTA indices, figures on how many times each player passed wind per half etc. Anyone can play 10 yard square-passes ‘Ray Wilkins’ style on the half way line & maintain possession.
Surely what matters is about trying to win the game. Trying to beat a man. The emphasis is on the word ‘trying’. Such is the critical atmosphere at the Lane some matches I do think the players are scared to take a chance for fear they may lose possession. Is that what we are about? Audere est Facere? Can you imagine Ardiles, Gascoigne, Hoddle, Waddle playing in such an atmosphere? These are the sorts of players that affect football matches by scoring or creating goals and chances.
In my view Sherwood is spot on what he says about the a calibre of our players. Too many are run of the mill. Lloris is a world class goalkeeper. Eriksen has potential. Vertonghen is capable if his heart is in it. The rest? You make your own minds up. Does anyone really believe Danny Rose & Kyle Naughton are credible Spurs full backs? Is Townsend more than a flash in the pan? We have squandered the fortune money received for Bale. Chadli-what does he do? (I’m not being critical I just don’t know-he has no pace, he can’t beat a man, he can’t tackle, he can’t pass & he can’t shoot-OK before you all say ‘he scored that goal at Newcastle’ let’s not forget so did Timothee Atouba); Paulinho-the game passes him by; Chiriches (ball-playing centre half prone to errors); Soldado (lovely touch but cannot hit a cow’s backside with a banjo-harsh I know but I think he will come good with the right service); Capoue (Sandro Junior); that other bloke that no-one’s see. Lamela has that potential. Let’s hope he is the player we hope he is. Otherwise we sold our most exciting attacking talent (arguably ever at the Club) and did not replace the things he brought-pace & goals.
In the rush for the Champions League qualification we’ve forgotten what we are about. That fantastic video narrated by Roger Lloyd-Pack. The point is we have to lick our wounds & rebuild. That will take some time & I do not want to watch a team trying to bore out 1-0 victories. We’ve always been inconsistent But with inconsistency comes great highs. You cant’ have the highs without the lows.
Reality is we will lose a number of players in the Summer & not be able to attract anyone in the top category. So we develop young players & blend them with more experienced campaigners.
Let’s be patient. Let’s invest in young players and let them learn (but not Rose or Naughton). Let’s buy pace (please) on the wings. How boring are inverted wingers? Let’s appoint a manager who will build for the medium term but with flair, excitement, creativity. Let’s pass the ball & take people on. A manager who will understand what the Club is about & have us play the Tottenham way. That should be the main criteria the Board apply.
And please, please, please…let’s score some more goals.
Controversial I know. I expect many will disagree. Just my thoughts & would love to hear yours.
PS I will be renewing my season ticket whatever!
We are not one of Europe's elite clubs. We never really have been. We've had our peaks & some fantastic years. But what is our club about? That’s where we are at the moment and, in my view, the key question we have to ask as we move forward.
Our recent qualification for the Champions League was fantastic. I had tears in my eyes & the hairs on the back of my neck stood up as I listened to that Champions League song being played at the Lane for our first game, evoking past memories of glory nights at the Lane-Anderlecht, Bayern Munich & not so glorious results but great, exciting evenings against Madrid & Barcelona from the 80s. Unbelievable memories created. And yet, unfortunately, unrealistic expectations.
Harry Redknapp did well but so much of football is about luck and timing. He had a perfect storm of under-performing, quality players with at least 2 of world class potential (Bale & Modric) with a manager who ‘set them free’ in a football manner from the tactical restraints imposed by Ramos (and he could speak English). We added to that another in VDV who in my view fitted that category, although it would seem that was more of the Chairman’s doing than Redknapp & was fortunate that we were in the right place when he was made available. He motivated the players. Got the best out of those 3.
How much of our reaching those dizzy heights was also due to City’s investment not quite kicking in & poor seasons from Chelsea (in the league), Liverpool & Arsenal? This season United have had a dramatic fall from grace yet replaced by Liverpool’s resurgence, the latter being a vindication of what happens if you keep world class player(s).
AVB was never a fit for the Club. He did not understand what Spurs is about. This is really the key point I seek to make. We must not make such a mistake again with the next managerial appointment.
Let’s get real. The Club has already stated they intend to build a new stadium which will require significant investment. The economy is not such that they will easily get favourable terms on the necessary borrowing that they may have got 7 or 8 years ago. This will mean a period of leanness in terms of spending power. We need that revenue to be able to compete in the medium and longer term. Today Liverpool have announced that they intend to increase Anfield’s capacity to just short of 60k, Chelsea soon the same.
My view is we have punched well above our weight since Martin Jol was in charge. It’s only Arsenal’s incompetence that has meant we are even in touch with them. They have paid their stadium off, sit on a fortune, have gate receipts over £1 million per game more than us & have had Champions League income of over £20million very year more than we have.
In Liverpool, Man United, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Everton and ourselves there will be 7 teams chasing that coveted top-4 spot most years. All bar Everton have resources significantly exceeding those available to us.
Champions League qualification should be an aspiration when we have a team that is playing to that standard and capable of competing.
It feels like the soul has disappeared from the Club. That we are prepared to sell our grandmothers to qualify for the Champions League. We’re happy with one-null scraped victories or talk about dominating possession. We used to crucify Brendan Rogers last year when he made such comments after we’d beaten Liverpool yet AVB did that all the time! There’s too much statistical analysis of the game, OPTA indices, figures on how many times each player passed wind per half etc. Anyone can play 10 yard square-passes ‘Ray Wilkins’ style on the half way line & maintain possession.
Surely what matters is about trying to win the game. Trying to beat a man. The emphasis is on the word ‘trying’. Such is the critical atmosphere at the Lane some matches I do think the players are scared to take a chance for fear they may lose possession. Is that what we are about? Audere est Facere? Can you imagine Ardiles, Gascoigne, Hoddle, Waddle playing in such an atmosphere? These are the sorts of players that affect football matches by scoring or creating goals and chances.
In my view Sherwood is spot on what he says about the a calibre of our players. Too many are run of the mill. Lloris is a world class goalkeeper. Eriksen has potential. Vertonghen is capable if his heart is in it. The rest? You make your own minds up. Does anyone really believe Danny Rose & Kyle Naughton are credible Spurs full backs? Is Townsend more than a flash in the pan? We have squandered the fortune money received for Bale. Chadli-what does he do? (I’m not being critical I just don’t know-he has no pace, he can’t beat a man, he can’t tackle, he can’t pass & he can’t shoot-OK before you all say ‘he scored that goal at Newcastle’ let’s not forget so did Timothee Atouba); Paulinho-the game passes him by; Chiriches (ball-playing centre half prone to errors); Soldado (lovely touch but cannot hit a cow’s backside with a banjo-harsh I know but I think he will come good with the right service); Capoue (Sandro Junior); that other bloke that no-one’s see. Lamela has that potential. Let’s hope he is the player we hope he is. Otherwise we sold our most exciting attacking talent (arguably ever at the Club) and did not replace the things he brought-pace & goals.
In the rush for the Champions League qualification we’ve forgotten what we are about. That fantastic video narrated by Roger Lloyd-Pack. The point is we have to lick our wounds & rebuild. That will take some time & I do not want to watch a team trying to bore out 1-0 victories. We’ve always been inconsistent But with inconsistency comes great highs. You cant’ have the highs without the lows.
Reality is we will lose a number of players in the Summer & not be able to attract anyone in the top category. So we develop young players & blend them with more experienced campaigners.
Let’s be patient. Let’s invest in young players and let them learn (but not Rose or Naughton). Let’s buy pace (please) on the wings. How boring are inverted wingers? Let’s appoint a manager who will build for the medium term but with flair, excitement, creativity. Let’s pass the ball & take people on. A manager who will understand what the Club is about & have us play the Tottenham way. That should be the main criteria the Board apply.
And please, please, please…let’s score some more goals.
Controversial I know. I expect many will disagree. Just my thoughts & would love to hear yours.
PS I will be renewing my season ticket whatever!
