Berba-Modric-Bale & Spurs New Manager

[ackie]

Berba, Modric and Bale all sulked and pushed a move away from Spurs in order to achieve their ambitious dream of playing Champion Leagues and winning trophies and medals!
Only Berba won something at Spurs - Carling Cup.
They seem right to have moved in order to achieve this...perhaps we are not seeing it as they are!

Most brag about good football or the Spurs way but it's been years since we won anything!
We now need a new manager and while they have achieved their ambitions away from Spurs, we sit here discussing, comparing and complaining for a new manager.

Some wants Pochetino, others FDB while it has been rumored of Benitez and even Ancelotti. When DL visited LVG, I was excited that at least he showed ambitions by looking for experience and a winner!
I don't know about you people but it hurts seeing our London rivals winning something (Arsenal FA cup) and beating us (example includes West Ham).

Liverpool played outstanding football last season and even beat Man City, yet they have nothing to show for it except for a 2nd place but no medals or trophies - agreed they made champions league but still won nothing!

Winning thing is the cake, playing good football (the Spurs way) is the cherry on the cake!

I hope we appoint someone that can win us things...even if it's the carling cup and a top 4 finish.
We really have to be ambitious in this appointment.

If we appoint someone like Pochetino/FDB then we ALL must be patient and give him time and IMHO most fans (including me) are frustrated at the lack of winning and achievements!

We have a good squad and I would prefer someone who can win us things and if that is Benitez, then so be it!

What are our ambitions? Only top 4? Is that only our aim? That should be a minimal but not our aim!
If I was a player like Lloris or Eriksen, I would look at these players (Berba, Bale, Modric) and see that they achieved their dreams elsewhere and not at Spurs! And if our next appointment doesn't show ambitions then I too would think of moving on.

What are your thoughts and feelings? This next appointment is crucial...and I just hope it will be an ambitious appointment not a cheap option!

 

[Gbspurs]

Bale won the Carling Cup too.

@Trees O Rly???

 

[dontcallme]

Managerially I don't think Levy has ever gone for the cheap option.

He agreed to pay out contracts for Ramos and Redknapp and fired managers halfway through their contracts allowing them compensation.

I think we need to go for a smart option rather than an ambitious one.

Liverpool went with their former league winner and gave him huge funds who massively failed. They then hired a mid-table manager who got his team playing good football and almost won the league.

A proven winner isn't necessarily the way forward.

Ancelotti has a winning track record but that is with Milan, PSG, Real Madrid and Chelsea. All teams who are among the highest spenders and have the best players in the league. Not to say I wouldn't want him but we don't what he'd be like at a club that needs to punch above their weight to win things.

At the moment I'm a massive fence sitter with regards to our next manager.

Poch could get our players playing football to a similar style to Southampton but better because of our higher quality players. He could also show complete disdain for the cups like he has at Southampton and not use the squad properly.

Benitez could get us winning things or he could fall out with the board like he did at Valencia and Liverpool.

So for now I'll happily support whoever we hire. Probably won't get excited as I need the club to provide me with excitement rather than promise like they have for the last 2 years.

 

[stormfly]

We are light years behind the big boys at the moment, we simply can 't compete with the likes of Madrid, Barca and Man City. No manager will get us there on his own, no matter how good he is. We pay 1/4 of the wages those clubs pay and we have a knackered old stadium with a capacity of 36k.

We got lucky when we had Bale, Modric, VDV and King in our team at the same time. We need to look at the long term goal here, get a new stadium and put lots of time and energy in our youth.

Our best players are going to continue to want to leave because their careers only last around 10 years and we won't be in a Champions League final in the near future unless we get some oil rich chairmen. I know this looks like a negative post but it's not supposed to be. We aren't underachieving we are just where we should be when you compare wages etc.

 

[JimmyG2]

Good football in the long run is the road to success
and at least its entertaining on the journey.
Financial restrictions means we have to be more imaginative
in player and manager recruitment.
Choose an enterprising up and coming man and back him
and more importantly stick with him.
Whether that's Poch or De Boer or Tom Cobley is beyond my pay grade.
Sacking managers mid season before half their contract has run is a short cut to nowhere.
It reeks of desperation
Concentrate on the football not imagined goals. (Sorry)
Let players settle including all those signed last year.
Legends are not made overnight, managers or players.

 

[CheeseGromit]

I think you are right about patience but that has two problems. One it is easily forgotten in the height of battle of a league season and secondly the Yellow Brick Road has been on offer for quite some time now and never seems to delivered.

I am surprised given the vitriol over some of the recent mangers ( who hardly had time) that so many say they dont mind who we get It is something like sitting on the fence and then pot shot-ing at Levy for getting it wrong.

There is no doubt that big clubs take less risk by paying the elite managers to come to their club but even Manure got that wrong last year. Their mistake was they expected Moyes to step up immediately and it did not happen

For the above reason it has to be Ancelotti or Benitez

I dont think we can take the risk of FdB or Pochettino both who maybe very good managers but really need another clubs success on their cv.

It illustrates what type of club we are at present We have lofty ambitions, feel we belong at the top table but just cannt find the missing ingredient.

For me the next manager signals where we are going. Are we looking for the silver bullet to get us there or are we going to try the route or more tried and tested. The silver bullet has been the option since Jol and so far has not worked nor has the young English spine etc etc.

I have supported DL but it real is significant this time as it will illustrate DL's real ambition. If it is the silver bullet then he will be selling quickly and going if it is the tried and tested route then it is more long term

We all know it but we have to start winning things and that means cups ( and Ck qualification) to begin with and then serious challenges to the title. Thats the objective and it is really really hard but not lets pussyfoot

 

[ackie]

The sad thing is we won't that far about two seasons ago...we were right on Arsenal's heel and above Liverpool. Now we have gone two steps back IMO.
That's why the next appointment is vital!
I definitely think we need a manager who knows how to manage the squad and win things...

 

[ackie]

We are light years behind the big boys at the moment, we simply can 't compete with the likes of Madrid, Barca and Man City. No manager will get us there on his own, no matter how good he is. We pay 1/4 of the wages those clubs pay and we have a knackered old stadium with a capacity of 36k.

We got lucky when we had Bale, Modric, VDV and King in our team at the same time. We need to look at the long term goal here, get a new stadium and put lots of time and energy in our youth.

Our best players are going to continue to want to leave because their careers only last around 10 years and we won't be in a Champions League final in the near future unless we get some oil rich chairmen. I know this looks like a negative post but it's not supposed to be. We aren't underachieving we are just where we should be when you compare wages etc.

I think we were shrewd to take (calculated) risk and get Berba, Modric...VDV...and we were so close but blew it IMHO.
Remember we were right at the heels of Arsenal and above Liverpool, but now we see or feel that perhaps AVB was not the right appointment or we made the wrong decisions on players etc...anyhow for whatever reason it was, we seem to have slipped away at the wrong end.
A proven winner in management with 2-3 players and we can be there again IMO.

 

[Gbspurs]

I blame Berba and Keane for leaving us high and dry. And then Levy/Harry for not sorting it out.

 

[eddiebailey]

Whoever we get in as manager I cannot see it making much difference to results in the short term; we are currently about punching our weight, and the only way we are going to punch higher is if we are successful in bringing through young talent. Where a manager can make a short term difference is to the level of entertainment on offer, which is no small thing.

So I want a manager who aims to play attractive football and who is not so obsessed about not losing that he will never risk a youngster. Poch seems to fit the bill best, even if he does have one season wonder written all over him.

 

[CosmicHotspur]

Those key players who left might still be with us if things were right with the club and we can only dream about what the outcome might have been. Those players thought they would achieve more elsewhere and they didn't all get it wrong.

Until the decisions, leadership and attitude towards building success from the Board are right, our results won't be either. Get it wrong and dissatisfaction and unrest filters all the way down from the top. Players want money for sure but many of them want medals and silverware even more and we are failing them right now.

Our club has a lot going for it, but it's nowhere near enough for us to rank with the best. Season after season, we see a team that is full of good individual players who don't seem to be able to blend and then suffer unsettling changes when the manager and some of the players depart, once again leaving us in turmoil and this has to change.

I don't want us to be owned by billionaires who want to change our strip and/or our name but it's a sad fact that the richest clubs tend to be the most successful in the world and there's a price to be paid for success in today's football climate. If this means sweeping changes in ownership and at Board level, it could be a struggle to maintain Tottenham's ethos and traditions and I'm not pretending to have the answers by any means. It's a huge dilemma but our next step has to be to bring in a manager who is allowed to stay and prove himself over a reasonable amount of time and ensure that the players we want to retain are happy at the club and can envisage a successful future by working together.

We have a wonderful history and we can be proud of it but we can't rest on those laurels forever and see the future of Spurs slip into oblivion.

 

[The Scarecrow]

We are light years behind the big boys at the moment, we simply can 't compete with the likes of Madrid, Barca and Man City. No manager will get us there on his own, no matter how good he is. We pay 1/4 of the wages those clubs pay and we have a knackered old stadium with a capacity of 36k.

We got lucky when we had Bale, Modric, VDV and King in our team at the same time. We need to look at the long term goal here, get a new stadium and put lots of time and energy in our youth.

Our best players are going to continue to want to leave because their careers only last around 10 years and we won't be in a Champions League final in the near future unless we get some oil rich chairmen. I know this looks like a negative post but it's not supposed to be. We aren't underachieving we are just where we should be when you compare wages etc.

Diego Simeone just proved that it's possible. But I agree with you. Although I think there are managers out there who would be able to take us to the top, we shouldn't expect our new manager to be that guy, cos that's simply not realistic.

 

[Trebmint2013]

Personally I think people are asking for a miracle if they think any manager can rock up to Spurs and get us anywhere near the league title, but does that actually matter? Isn't the thing which was so devastating about this season is that we lost that buzz where when you sat down at the lane and the possibility existed that you'd see something exceptional or skillful that just left you numb with joy. Yes they often didn't happen but the feeling existed that any second something you would recall forever would happen. This year that feeling went... and to be honest 6th ain't bad, and the points total was as good as any of the previous years really... but they were earned in a dull way that I just cant express how wrong it felt.

Our next manager whoever he is wont win us the league (thats gonna need a oligarch and a new stadium - if ever), but I will be happy for a few seasons just returning to a team that gives me the occassional slice of joy and a few great memories

 

[goughie1966]

Personally I think people are asking for a miracle if they think any manager can rock up to Spurs and get us anywhere near the league title, but does that actually matter?

Our next manager whoever he is wont win us the league (thats gonna need a oligarch and a new stadium - if ever), but I will be happy for a few seasons just returning to a team that gives me the occassional slice of joy and a few great memories

I agree with you. But what gives me some glimmer of hope is the fact that Liverpool almost did it and Atletico reached the CL final and won La Liga with very little money. It could be done, but agree it's very, very unlikely.

 

[hellava_tough]

Once the stadium is built I could see Levy and Co selling up to be honest

And then it's a bit of a lottery to who our owners are, and what their intentions will be

 

[Locotoro]

I think we have to apply a certain amount of perspective and context to this discussion. Yes we are no where near competing with the likes of Real and Barca and Man City for the best talent and yes our best players have left in recent years to go to these big clubs on the proviso that they wanted to win trophies (Carrick, Berba, Bale and Modric).

However, let's not forget that is wasn't too long before that that some of our players were leaving us to go to Newcastle and Arsenal and saw that as a big step up. Whilst our progress has been up and down, over the long term their has been far more linear progression than we fans give credit for.

We have always tried to be ahead of the curve in our signings and managerial appointments and with that sometimes you hit rich and others are monumental failures. The next appointment is hugely important just as is any appointment but the real aim in my opinion is the stadium.

A manager may do well and take us higher and further than we've been before but that is only a short term gain and usually only lasts a season or 2 max. Then the same thing happens and it happens to every club that threatens to step up to the elite group. The top players get bought up by the elite. Look at Ramos' Sevilla, Arshavin's Zenit, Borussia Dortmund were a shadow compared to last season, Arsenal lost player after player every time they pushed the top group of European teams. You will see it with Suarez this summer, Diego Costa has already agreed to move to Chelsea iirc, Barca are circling Gabi, every player who has a stand out season in a stand out team gets bought up.

Our focus should be on strengthening the foundationsame of our youth team and creating a setup that will keep producing replacements when we lose those top players. Hopefully we will be in a position to compete more when the new stadium is built.

If we are punching above our weight then surely we need to increase our weight not focus on punching power

 

[Trebmint2013]

If we are punching above our weight then surely we need to increase our weight not focus on punching power

This I think is exactly right. In many respects what happens over the next 2-3 seasons doesn't matter as long as the stadium is going up. You might win the odd battle against the big boys by clever management or the odd fluke coming through the ranks, but we need to be standing toe to toe with them financially for it ever to stick.
Perhaps we're just unfortunate to be in a league where there is too much money for the rewards available

 

[Keith Morris]

I think to be a world class player..you need to be driven to be the best, play with the best players in the best competitions and create history; a playing career is short, I don't blame any of those players for pushing a move..especially to Madrid, I actually think you'd need your head examined not to. Players like Ledley king are as rare as hens teeth, and what will the history books say about him...
Being realistic about spurs, the best they can expect currently is the redknapp era and buying potential and selling for top money, we need to move on a level or 3 before we can expect world class talent to stay long term. I'm generally happy with levy, but not convinced results are his primary concern..

 

[hughy]

Bale won the Carling Cup too.

@Trees O Rly???

He was at a club that won the CC, but he wasn't in the squad, nor did he get a winners medal. So technically he didn't.

 

[mil1lion]

We'll always lose players to the likes of Man Utd and Real Madrid. They are the 2 biggest clubs in the world. As soon as they show serious interest in one of our players we are going to have to suck it up and sell them for as much as possible. The more important factor is having a team that plays a certain style of football that is both pleasing to the fans and successful in terms of results. Once we have that system in place it wont matter as much when we lose top players. We will bring other quality players in and continue to challenge for 4th spot and maybe for a trophy.

There's no reason why we can't sell top players and spend the money wisely in getting the right type of players in return. It's a matter of getting a like for like replacement and strengthening in other areas. Our biggest problem over the years has been that we have not signed a like for like replacement. I'm not referring to the quality because we're unlikely to replace those players with similar qualities (although we can sign player with that potential). I'm referring to the position they play within the team. Our focus should be on getting the next Berbatov, Modric or Bale.

When you look back through the years where we've sold great players we never seem to get similar players in. When we sold Carrick we didn't get another player like him for years. When we sold Berbatov we didn't get another number 9 like him. When we sold Modric we didn't get another dictator who operates in those deeper midfield positions. When we sold Bale we didn't get a proper winger who can drive on the outside of fullbacks before whipping balls in, as well as coming inside as he started to perfect more recently.

The fact is we're a million miles from the likes of Madrid and Utd. We have to be realistic as fans and not expect too much. Even if we win the odd trophy it will not matter because we will still lose top players to the very top clubs. Do you think Athletico will keep their best players after winning the league? If we bring in a quality man manager and show faith in him, and to have patience to allow them to build a great team then we'll be set. Having world class players will be a great bonus but losing them wont have the same impact as it has in recent years.