stopped reading after 'misfit'... wankers!

Big money move? After the antics of Man City and Real Madrid this summer, £4.7m is considered a big money move?

me too !

great attitude keep it up gio you will get there

Scanned straight down to the quote. Fair enough!

(Y)

"Stopped reading " says more about StokeSpur and tcyrus than it says about the journalist. But then we knew that already from previous form.

That quote about "working harder" is in code, but it pretty much confirms what Harry also said, also in code, a few days ago: that Giovani has spent a year faffing around, going out, enjoying London, turning up when he fancied it and thinking that he could walk into the side without exerting himself.

Surprise. Doesn't work that way. Not in the Premiership. I think there's a substantial chance that the 5 or 6 people here who have been ranting on (and on and on) about how outrageous it is that Redknapp has not been starting Gio in the team every week will soon discover that, as usual with Harry, he's been managing the player with considerable skill.

There's no question about his ability. If there ever were, he's addressed that with his recent performances for Mexico. It's all about his application. It's one thing to turn up and fleece Honduras or USA in a one-off match. It's another thing to establish yourself in the grind of a 38 match Premiership season. I hope he turns into one of our biggest stars.

Well said David. You do have a way with words that always leaves me with a smile on my face.

Our big game starts "here" in 15 mins, hopefully Honduras wins and Wilson scores a goal.
Always did go for the underdog !!!!!

He's was virtually invisible tonight against Honduras. His movement was atrocious, he didnt want the ball, he looked like he was too cool for school. But he did, rather fortunately, win the penalty.

EDIT: His lack of movement, incision, running, creativity was noticeable. Initially, I put it down to indifference or arrogance; but its equally likely that he was exhausted and the altitude was getting to him.

still- he had an 'atrocious' game and still won his team the points. Works in my book!

I don´t recall anyone ´ranting on and on´ about Dos Santos. Or is that code for anyone who voices an opinion contrary to yours.
I and others have argued that Dos Santos on his few performances for us has shown that he deserves more of a chance. Remember too that Harry tried to sell him to Portsmouth. I bet that gave the boy a lift.It only failed because of his injury problems.
Unfortunately I am not privy to the inner workings of Harry´s management skills. He doesn´t have to make the team or even the bench every week to be given a chance to contribute and it is my humble opinion that far from being handled with Harry´s considerable skill his talent has so far been wasted.
He may well have contributed to this I, unlike you, have only hearsay and press rumours to go on, injury has certainly played apart.

Now could be the time, with Luka's injury, for Gio to show what he's capable of. Though with Niko coming in that avenue might be shut for him too. A place on the bench isn't out of the question though. So when the opportunity arises he needs to take it with both hands. I hope he does...

Mainly spurs viola here on the front page. But there were several others, in the transfer rumours forum, primarily on the Giovani thread and in the daily threads. Every time there would be another bit of "Gio in Harry's big clear-out" nonsense in the press or some ITK, we'd get the same flurry of posts, repetitively vilifying Harry for not realising the Gio is the answer to all of our prayers (which he may well be, eventually, I think he's very talented).

Scarcely a day went past all Summer without someone repeating that any damned fool could see that Harry was ruining the boy genius' career by not making him an automatic first choice ahead of "useless Bentley" and others. Usually the same people who would insist that he's a left winger, which he isn't. And the people who automatically think that any kid from a famous club outside England must be far better than the likes of Lennon, Defoe or Bentley.

The evidence behind the timekeeping and clubbing rumours is pretty strong. What nailed it for me was Harry's carefully worded comment to the press a few days ago, to the effect that he has a good future "if he works hard", or words to that effect, followed by Gio essentially saying the same thing in nearly the same terms.

Words have been had. A finger has been shaken. The law has been laid down. I can't see how anyone who has been reading between the lines of the recent press could think otherwise.

Where have you been the last few months?

Have a look at Spurs Chat, there are numerous threads in there about Gio mate.......

It has also been stressed by someone that works at the club that is more than an "ITK", that it was DEFINITELY a loan deal in January to Pompey, not a sale.

Hopefully he will be on the bench on Saturday for Man U, ready to come on if things aren't working.

For me it's all down to Gio to prove himself and from what I can see he is only beginning to show what he is capable of but I wouldn't be in a rush to include him as I don't feel I've seen enough to make me think he'll help us win a game.

I just hope he takes his Mexican performances and brings them to the lane!

Harry obviously see's him as a good player otherwise he would have been shipped out in the summer! I hope he gets some game time pretty soon!

I think harry has said a few times in the press he doesnt fancy our front four of Defoe, Keane, Lennon and Mods against a powerful team because there all small, Kranjcar changes this slightly but Gio would be going back to our small four! Maybe against the "lesser" teams at home Gio might get a chance but i doubt away from home or against the Stoke's of this world!!

I just think its amazing how the fans seem to know more than the Manager who see`s him on a daily basis. It also strange that he never seems to come out with any comments about not starting or even playing in the press... I take it training says it all.

All I can see is that him and Bentley are lovely problems to have as if they do sort themselves out, we have an awesome squad for the season

Have to admire the lads spirit. He's not sulked around, moaned about it, been caught looking grumpy at training or anything, if anything he just appears to be having a ball in all the pics we see, the kid never stops smiling and states his determination to improve and earn a chance.

Not often you see someone his age with so much promise so eager to break through, rather than start wanting away. Off the pitch, he strikes me as a very sensible guy, a very grounded individual, who's not playing under the illusion that he's the best there ever will be, like Ronaldo.

I like him, i like his attitude and i like his style. He's exciting and i hope that he gets a fair shot whilst Luka's crocked. I've no doubt that, if he does, he'll take that opportunity by the throat.

The thing with Dos Santos is...

Is he better than Modric? No

Is the team better if he plays on the wing, Modric goes inside and Huddlestone dents the bench? No, I don't think so.

Is he a replacement for Keane? Maybe long term, but despite Keane being quite pedestrian at times since he arrived back at WHL, we've won an AWFUL lot of games with him playing. So right now, he's not playing as a withdrawn striker either.

Is he a better option that Kranjcar to replace Modric for Saturday's game? To me, this is the real question. Niko hasn't trained much with us, if at all. So normally, you'd expect Gio to be ahead in that "race". But Harry knows Niko and Niko knows Harry, which frankly, i'd expect that to put him ahead of Gio.

Gio's best chance of playing is in the Carling Cup. Talented or not, that's what he faces. The same applies to Bentley and to Bale and to Hutton and to Jenas and even to Pavlyuchenko. Sadly, our squad is so strong now that these are just harsh realities.

For what it's worth, this is what I think our team will be on Saturday.

Cudicini
Corluka, King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto
Lennon, Palacios, Huddlestone, Keane
Defoe, Crouch

Subs - Gomes, Hutton, Naughton, Kranjcar, Bentley, Dos Santos, Pavlyuchenko

Keane will play left side because he has the discipline to do so. And he's Captain. And even though I think Pavlyuchenko is far and away our most complete striker, he's not got a hope of unseating Crouch after the last game.

I can't wait for Saturday.

COYS !!!