Assou-Ekotto Article

[nicdic]

From Harris on COYS

BENOIT Assou-Ekotto insists that he welcomes the formidable competition from Gareth Bale as he completes his comeback from injury and prepares to fight for his place.

Assou-Ekotto could be available for this weekend's clash with Everton, but he concedes that he cannot expect to walk back into the team.

And that, he claims, is one of the main reasons why Spurs can win the race for the top four this season - a brutal battle for places, which forces players to play to their utmost potential.

"I have always had three or four players to battle with in my position, from Young-Pyo Lee when I first arrived here through to my good friend Gareth Bale now, but that keeps things exciting," said Assou-Ekotto.

"It is great to see we have so many players who can learn and adapt quickly to positions. The fact that this has run so smoothly so far means that we have achieved so much, and I am still confident that we can push on and clinch that top four place that everyone is talking about.

"With the way the club is now it's not as if any player can assume that they will be picked every week, because there is so much competition. Undoubtedly competition makes me stronger. That means we are all looking for ways to improve and perfect our games, so that can only be good for Tottenham.

"I have had to work hard. Particularly in the past year I feel I have become a lot stronger in the air. For a defender, heading is a crucial part of the game, yet I came to realise it was something that I'd never really focused on in the past. I saw the need for improvement and I feel the hard work has paid off, definitely."

Assou-Ekotto arrived at White Hart Lane in June 2006, moving from French side Lens for £3.5million, but he believes that his Spurs career only took off when Harry Redknapp took the reins in October 2008.

"In the past the other managers I had worked under at Tottenham didn't really bring out the best in me," he continued. "When Harry Redknapp arrived, training immediately became enjoyable and I felt I could begin to express myself with my colleagues. It wasn't long before I was bringing that onto the pitch with me, so this is why I feel my performances have become better and better over the course of the past year or so.

"I think as a player you accept that things are not always going to go as smoothly as you plan, but all at once things around me started to come together. I feel settled in England, I speak the language more, and mentally when you have all those things in place you play better on the pitch. It has been a long journey to get to this point but I am very happy where I am at the moment."

:clap:

 

[DEFchenkOE]

Nice article, it's great that we have not 1 but 2 young, talented, left-footed, left backs that both offer something different.

 

[Flatters]

That's a very good article and he says all the right things. :clap:

 

[Rocksuperstar]

I'm glad Snoop Assou-Ekotto is back, it was great seeing him enjoying his football again, even if he did look half a yard off the pace and slightly erratic with his aim. Once he's worked the rust off, with an attitude like that, i don't reckon it'll be long before he's claimed that spot back off of Bale who, for some reason, still doesn't convince me when defending, though looks much better getting forward than he did a few months ago.

 

[guate]

With all the negative crap that 'Arry's been getting lately it's good to see one of the player's who has been helped by 'Arry's motivational skills express said fact. In 16 months 'Arry's turned the whole team round to where it's now HIS team, HIS squad and my oh my aren't we all enjoying the rollercoaster ride.

QUE VIVA LOS SPURS

 

[gibbs131]

Sorry but that article has been edited to crap and back. No way that lot is a direct quote.

Definitely, obviously know what I mean? That shit has been edited and theasaurused more than a bring back le gin opening thread.

 

[sunnydelight786]

Seem's like a nice chap Disco Benny. I wonder what he thinks of some of the Spurs fans who were slagging him off not so long ago....

 

[scat1620]

Seem's like a nice chap Disco Benny. I wonder what he thinks of some of the Spurs fans who were slagging him off not so long ago....

And Bale could easily think the same thing. After some of the atrocious left-backs we've had in the past 15 years (Y-P Lee aside), it's pretty embarrassing the flack that two of the best left-backs in recent memory at Spurs have come in for during portions of their time with us.

 

[ohwhenthespurs]

Sorry but that article has been edited to crap and back. No way that lot is a direct quote.

Definitely, obviously know what I mean? That shit has been edited and theasaurused more than a bring back le gin opening thread.

Aye, I agree, and it's something that regularly depresses me in modern-day football. Clubs have such powerful media departments now, that many of the quotes attributed to players seem to essentially be attributed press releases, neatly towing the party line, written in football speak, with the appropriate message the club wishes to get across splattered all across them and nothing of any substance included. Juande Ramos' programmed notes were the classic example of this, as he would regularly trot out such well-worn Spanish phrases as "at the end of the day", "real six-pointer", "tough place to go" and "get behind the boys". Quite clearly pretty much everything goes through the press office, is re-written, tidied up and stripped of anything genuinely meaningful or interesting. Donna Cullen, in her role as director of commonunications, was particularly notorious for this, I believe.

 

[HodisGawd]

Aye, I agree, and it's something that regularly depresses me in modern-day football. Clubs have such powerful media departments now, that many of the quotes attributed to players seem to essentially be attributed press releases, neatly towing the party line, written in football speak, with the appropriate message the club wishes to get across splattered all across them and nothing of any substance included. Juande Ramos' programmed notes were the classic example of this, as he would regularly trot out such well-worn Spanish phrases as "at the end of the day", "real six-pointer", "tough place to go" and "get behind the boys". Quite clearly pretty much everything goes through the press office, is re-written, tidied up and stripped of anything genuinely meaningful or interesting. Donna Cullen, in her role as director of commonunications, was particularly notorious for this, I believe.

Yup. Absolutely. My girlfriend was a reporter (like me) and is now a press officer and despairs at the shit she's made to do (for a charity, not Spurs I hasten to add). No doubt the same thing, probably worse, is happening at Spurs.

It's weird how organisations like Spurs just can't understand that all readers really want to read is something real, something human even if it's not sensational. Not made up robot-speak. But they do it anyway.

 

[Matthew Wyatt]

Maybe, but I choose to believe he meant "my good friend Gareth Bale". Aw, cute!

 

[gibbs131]

Yup. Absolutely. My girlfriend was a reporter (like me) and is now a press officer and despairs at the shit she's made to do (for a charity, not Spurs I hasten to add). No doubt the same thing, probably worse, is happening at Spurs.

It's weird how organisations like Spurs just can't understand that all readers really want to read is something real, something human even if it's not sensational. Not made up robot-speak. But they do it anyway.

I'd like to read the same article wearing the shades from the movie "They Live"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L86AAGZ9BBg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wp_K8prLfso

 

[gibbs131]

Aye, I agree, and it's something that regularly depresses me in modern-day football. Clubs have such powerful media departments now, that many of the quotes attributed to players seem to essentially be attributed press releases, neatly towing the party line, written in football speak, with the appropriate message the club wishes to get across splattered all across them and nothing of any substance included. Juande Ramos' programmed notes were the classic example of this, as he would regularly trot out such well-worn Spanish phrases as "at the end of the day", "real six-pointer", "tough place to go" and "get behind the boys". Quite clearly pretty much everything goes through the press office, is re-written, tidied up and stripped of anything genuinely meaningful or interesting. Donna Cullen, in her role as director of commonunications, was particularly notorious for this, I believe.

"Undoubtedly"

Still tickles me that they think BAE would say "undoubtedly".

Also: "I felt I could begin to express myself with my colleagues" is a bit of a rib tickler. My colleagues? Haha.

That Ramos programme you mentioned is hilarious. I didn't know about that. What is "over the moon" in Spanish? Uppo de la luna?

 

[ohwhenthespurs]

Yup. Absolutely. My girlfriend was a reporter (like me) and is now a press officer and despairs at the shit she's made to do (for a charity, not Spurs I hasten to add). No doubt the same thing, probably worse, is happening at Spurs.

It's weird how organisations like Spurs just can't understand that all readers really want to read is something real, something human even if it's not sensational. Not made up robot-speak. But they do it anyway.

Yeah I'm a journalist (sub-editor) too and work on a regional sports desk. The most frustrating part of the job is and always has been media management and PR. I wouldn't want to be a sport reporter these days, there's next to no access to the players, press officers control everything, and the sickeningly sycophantic Sky have a near-monopoly. It's little wonder that so much unfounded speculation gets produced, as the meagre diet of anodyne rubbish the clubs spoonfead the press is woefully inadaequate.

 

[gibbs131]

Maybe, but I choose to believe he meant "my good friend Gareth Bale". Aw, cute!

I think instead of the party line/micro managed press relaeses, they should go the opposite route.

Every press release should be the players actual responses, read by Uncle Albert from only fools and horses with Chas n Dave music in the background.

I would subscribe/buy that.

 

[ohwhenthespurs]

"Undoubtedly"

Still tickles me that they think BAE would say "undoubtedly".

Also: "I felt I could begin to express myself with my colleagues" is a bit of a rib tickler. My colleagues? Haha.

That Ramos programme you mentioned is hilarious. I didn't know about that. What is "over the moon" in Spanish? Uppo de la luna?

Wasn't one specific example of his programme notes, just a general observation of them during his time here. Either the guy had instantly absorbed the past 20 years of cliched grammar-mangling jargon that is English football speak and put it to use every week in his notes, or someone else was writing them...
I used to report on a League Two club and was also fairly good friends with the manager prior to becoming a reporter and on several occasions I watched his programme notes being 'written'. It essentially involved a brief chat with the programme editor or press officer who then went on to make something up, loosely based on what he said, but largely repeating the club's line on most things. I imagine Donna Cullen at Spurs is this x 100.

 

[HodisGawd]

It's weird isn't it, because when you have a Spanish manager you want to hear about all his funny Spanish foibles - the things that make him interesting and different. You don't want to hear him speak like 'Arry - because you know he doesn't.

Why don't they understand that???

It's because either they insult our intelligence by thinking the only thing we can understand or want to hear is more footie cliches. OR they're too stupid to understand anything different themselves and they get shit scared of things being out of their control.

Take it from me, this is often (not always) the case.

 

[gibbs131]

Wasn't one specific example of his programme notes, just a general observation of them during his time here. Either the guy had instantly absorbed the past 20 years of cliched grammar-mangling jargon that is English football speak and put it to use every week in his notes, or someone else was writing them...
I used to report on a League Two club and was also fairly good friends with the manager prior to becoming a reporter and on several occasions I watched his programme notes being 'written'. It essentially involved a brief chat with the programme editor or press officer who then went on to make something up, loosely based on what he said, but largely repeating the club's line on most things. I imagine Donna Cullen at Spurs is this x 100.

Yeah, it is a shame. It just creates a barrier if you ask me.

I like out takes or live interviews after exciting games because it gives you more of an insight to what players are really like.

NWS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwNAZFHHirg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwNAZFHHirg

And you have gotta love Zokora if you see him off camera. He is a total nutter (in a good way)

 

[gibbs131]

It's weird isn't it, because when you have a Spanish manager you want to hear about all his funny Spanish foibles - the things that make him interesting and different. You don't want to hear him speak like 'Arry - because you know he doesn't.

Why don't they understand that???

It's because either they insult our intelligence by thinking the only thing we can understand or want to hear is more footie cliches. OR they're too stupid to understand anything different themselves and they get shit scared of things being out of their control.

Take it from me, this is often (not always) the case.

It's part of the appeal of the special one. Love him or hate him I miss his interviews.

 

[ohwhenthespurs]

Yeah, it is a shame. It just creates a barrier if you ask me.

I like out takes or live interviews after exciting games because it gives you more of an insight to what players are really like.

NWS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwNAZFHHirg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwNAZFHHirg

And you have gotta love Zokora if you see him off camera. He is a total nutter (in a good way)

You can't beat Gazza after the 1991 FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal. Dying breed, some would say for the better, but what a character, and what a wonderful reaction from a player who quite clearly is as excited as every single supporter in the ground. Can't really see Jermaine Jenas or Tom Huddlestone needing a couple of injections to sleep before a semi-final!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyN7l7skzss