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Etherington Slags Hoddle Era Spurs

antthe

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Sep 15, 2006
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Matthew Etherington has admitted Tottenham's reliance on foreign talent forced him to leave White Hart Lane.


The winger, now with West Ham, found his route into the first-team blocked by Christian Ziege, who Etherington feels was always selected ahead of him regardless of form.

The ever-increased number of overseas players in the Premier League has been highlighted as a reason for England's failings on the international stage.

And Etherington claims he had little option but to seek a fresh challenge after being unable to force his way into former England manager Glenn Hoddle's plans at Spurs.

"That's probably the main reason I left Tottenham. I had Christian Ziege in front of me and if he was fit he was playing, Glenn Hoddle more or less told me that," said the 26-year-old.

"That was fair enough - he was a German international - but I had a spell where I played about 12 games in a row and had done well, we were in the top three, and then he came straight back into the team.
 

antthe

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Sep 15, 2006
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Another player who thinks his opinion is more valid than the manager.
As i recall Etherington was not that great, granted now days he is a better player at Wet Spam.
Can anyone remeber, did he wanna leave or did we get rid of?
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
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I always rated Etherington and would still now have him for our problem left-wing spot.

I always used to get irritated when Hoddle would pick Poyet (or Anderton on one ocassion) of the left ahead of him! Don't remember Ziege being fit around this period as we were playing 4-4-2?

Davies also showed his best form for us when he was on the right and Etherington was on the left.
 

eddiebailey

Well-Known Member
Oct 12, 2004
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Part of the problem was that Hodd's preferred formation was 3-5-2, so as a left-winger Ethers simply did not fit in. He left I think as part of the deal that brought Kanoute to Spurs.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
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Another player who thinks his opinion is more valid than the manager.
Maybe Ziege was just playing better in the managers eyes.
As i recall Etherington was not that great at all, Granted now days he is a better player at Wet Spam than he ever was for us.

Can anyone remeber, did he wanna leave or did we get rid of?


It's funny cause when Ziege first joined we played 3-5-2 and he was excellent.

I then seem to recall we switched to 4-4-2 under Hoddle and Etherington was excellent in the first few games of the season before being dropped for Poyet? (who was past it by this stage and not particularly good on the left).

It carried on like this for the rest of the season - IMO Etherington was good for Spurs but never given a decent chance which is probably what caused his petulant display in the last game of that season.

Hoddle just seemed to have it in for him and swapped him along with dosh for Kanoute - I would have preferred both meself as Kanoute would have loved Etherington's crosses and I reckon he would be even better is he was still with us!
 

joey55

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May 20, 2005
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It's funny cause when Ziege first joined we played 3-5-2 and he was excellent.

I then seem to recall we switched to 4-4-2 under Hoddle and Etherington was excellent in the first few games of the season before being dropped for Poyet? (who was past it by this stage and not particularly good on the left).

It carried on like this for the rest of the season - IMO Etherington was good for Spurs but never given a decent chance which is probably what caused his petulant display in the last game of that season.

Hoddle just seemed to have it in for him and swapped him along with dosh for Kanoute - I would have preferred both meself as Kanoute would have loved Etherington's crosses and I reckon he would be even better is he was still with us!

I agree with the jist of this, just that I don't think hoddle switched to 442, or certainly not for long. When he got fired he claimed he had planned to switch to 442 in his next game. Also, i thought Etheringtons crossing was poor, but liked his pace and direct style.
 

TaoistMonkey

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Oct 25, 2005
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Zieges crossing alone warranted 1st team football. shame he had to go and nearly die.

bloody selfish :lol:
 

DJS

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Dec 9, 2006
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I agree with the jist of this, just that I don't think hoddle switched to 442, or certainly not for long. When he got fired he claimed he had planned to switch to 442 in his next game. Also, i thought Etheringtons crossing was poor, but liked his pace and direct style.


In the 2002/03 season I'm sure Hoddle tended to on majority go for the following line-up due to personnel available - Ziege also had several injury woes so had to go 4-4-2.

The following season he probably intended to go back to his preferred 3-5-2 but his ass got sacked!

This was the main line up if memory serves correctly:

Keller

Carr Perry King Taricco

Davies Bunjecevic Anderton Poyet

Keane Sheringham

Although I suppose you could alter that and stick Bunjy in a back three but I'm sure we were 4-4-2 - you'd think I'd know as was working there back then and watched all the home games once finished working but I can't remember! :lol:
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
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Think Hoddle was losing the plot by this point mind as Freund should have been preferred at DM over Bunji...

*Shudders at memory of Bunji in midfield*
 

mabolsa_ritchey

aka Hugh G Rection
Oct 23, 2005
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I always rated Etherington and was disappointed when he left. I still think that he would have turned out to be excellent for us.
 

pops23

Well-Known Member
Jun 21, 2004
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and lets not forget the 8mill we spent on dean richards and the 5mill on ben thatcher.

truly dark days they were
 

rich75

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Nov 9, 2004
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i thought acimovic was the new beckenbauer? all i remember of him was the absolute sitter he missed from about a foot out , against west ham i think??
 

Bobbins

SC's 14th Sexiest Male 2008
May 5, 2005
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Bloody hell Bunji wasn't that bad, in a million years. He was unspectacular but hardly a 'horrid footballer'.
 

DJS

A hoonter must hoont
Dec 9, 2006
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I didn't actually mind Bunji - just peed me off when he kept being played in midfield as wasn't up to playing there.

Never really saw him played as a centre back in a 4-4-2 strangely though... :think:
 

bubble07

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Dec 27, 2004
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Why cant journalists ever write both sides to the story. The reason why Ziege played ahead of him (amongst others) was because he was a better wing back which is what hoddle like us to play
 

DogsOfWar

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Jan 12, 2005
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To be fair to Etherington, Hoddle did seem to have a problem with playing youngsters. Him, Zokora and Postiga were never really given a chance.

Considering we played three 30+ year olds in their positions you'd have thought they would have been given a lot more playing time.

This isn't an issue with me overrating them, as they were no world beaters, but with rotating and resting an ageing squad where they could have done a job.
 

antthe

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Sep 15, 2006
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To be fair to Etherington, Hoddle did seem to have a problem with playing youngsters. Him, Zokora and Postiga were never really given a chance.

Considering we played three 30+ year olds in their positions you'd have thought they would have been given a lot more playing time.

This isn't an issue with me overrating them, as they were no world beaters, but with rotating and resting an ageing squad where they could have done a job.

Zamora
 

thfcsteff

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Jul 30, 2005
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etherington's match was decided inside the first 10 mins; if he didn't beat his man, or if he received a strong tackle, he'd shy away and pussy about for the rest of the game. inconsistent? err, yes. top moment? equalizer at everton in the 2-2 opening day draw in 02/03
 
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