Mourning Sandro: Tottenham’s Great Unfulfilled Talent

[Sir Henry]

Sandro was awesome but I never remember anything that completely stands out. Palacios though, I'll never forget that tackle against the scum, he just stood there with his hands on his knees ready to pounce, was like a lion.... then sweetly just took the ball like it was childs play..... will never forget it.

 

[Luka Van der Bale]

http://www.umaxit.com/index.php/columns/mourning-sandro-tottenhams-great-unfulfilled-talent

PS! The article says "AC Milan" but it was Inter Milan that Spurs played...

It was AC Milan.

 

[mil1lion]

He still has his musical talents

 

[Cravenspurs]

Fell in love with Sandro the moment he took Shelvey over the boards with him. Liked his game before that, but fell in love when he took that bald fucker over with him.

 

[holmesy]

only ever had 1 players name on the back of my spurs shirts through the years and that was Sandro... Beast of a player!

 

[Mattspur]

Sandro was awesome but I never remember anything that completely stands out. Palacios though, I'll never forget that tackle against the scum, he just stood there with his hands on his knees ready to pounce, was like a lion.... then sweetly just took the ball like it was childs play..... will never forget it.

 

[dondo]

Was he ever that good for us?
Great character and personality and put in some good performances but he wasn't as good a Parker was for us imo

 

[KILLA_SIN]

Was he ever that good for us?
Great character and personality and put in some good performances but he wasn't as good a Parker was for us imo

You definitely had a better feeling about a game when he was playing than when he wasn't and Parker never gave you that. And tackle for tackle he was an incredibly brave player which was the first time we really had that in the side, there was no hesitation, he gave us that edge. Wanyama is the same, tackle for tackle you would bank on him to come out on top the same ilk as Sandro he would make someone second guess a tackle.

 

[mckenz]

A true gent and one hell of a character

 

[Charly***]

Was he ever that good for us?
Great character and personality and put in some good performances but he wasn't as good a Parker was for us imo

I guess it's a matter of opinion and Scott Parker was a neat and tidy busy little midfielder whereas I believe Sandro was on course to being one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. His strength and physique sent him apart from Parker but Sandro used to make tackles he had no right to win he could eat up the ground and hunt players down. His tackling technique was immaculate. He'd lean in and those long legs could get the ball. Plus we never saw Sandro at his peak, injuries prevented that.

Scott Parker on the other hand came through Charlton's youth ranks as an attacking midfielder with good technique but never really reach the top level in a role so he reinvented himself as a water carrier. Don't get me wrong he was good but he'd almost act as a minder to better players and would be all over the pitch breaking up stuff whereas Sandro was a true DM with a severe Thou shall not pass attitude.

 

[dondo]

You definitely had a better feeling about a game when he was playing than when he wasn't and Parker never gave you that. And tackle for tackle he was an incredibly brave player which was the first time we really had that in the side, there was no hesitation, he gave us that edge. Wanyama is the same, tackle for tackle you would bank on him to come out on top the same ilk as Sandro he would make someone second guess a tackle.

Speak for yourself I felt better when Parker was playing and so did our manager at time as he picked Parker and modric as his 1st choice for the mainstay

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

Phenomenally average player who happened to play the guitar, if he was a Liverpool player we'd all hate him.

 

[dondo]

I guess it's a matter of opinion and Scott Parker was a neat and tidy busy little midfielder whereas I believe Sandro was on course to being one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. His strength and physique sent him apart from Parker but Sandro used to make tackles he had no right to win he could eat up the ground and hunt players down. His tackling technique was immaculate. He'd lean in and those long legs could get the ball. Plus we never saw Sandro at his peak, injuries prevented that.

Scott Parker on the other hand came through Charlton's youth ranks as an attacking midfielder with good technique but never really reach the top level in a role so he reinvented himself as a water carrier. Don't get me wrong he was good but he'd almost act as a minder to better players and would be all over the pitch breaking up stuff whereas Sandro was a true DM with a severe Thou shall not pass attitude.

I have to disagree big time. Sandro positional play and slowness to the tackle put him behind Parker defensively and Parker was a better passer and better with the ball at his feet

 

[Charly***]

I have to disagree big time. Sandro positional play and slowness to the tackle put him behind Parker defensively and Parker was a better passer and better with the ball at his feet

As I said it's funny how people see the game differently. Sandro was positionally more discipline than Parker, he'd hold his position in front of the back four. On the rare occasion he did get up the pitch such as when he scored that great goal against Chelsea I remember Redknapp having kittens on the sidelines telling him to get back, quite amusingly he was doing this as Sandro was scoring. But under Redknapp his remit was clearly to sheild the back four.

Whereas Parker used to stay no more than 10 to 15 yards away from Modric and went where ever he went on the pitch which made him less of a DM and more player that covered lots of ground breaking things up.

And you say Sandro was slow compared to Parker and fair enough Parkers little chicken legs did move very quickly but that didn't necessarily make him fast. In fact he put so much effort into the start of the season where he put in some great performances but he tired considerably in the second half of the season when his age seem to catch up with him.

Parker probably was better with the ball at his feet, being a converted attacking midfielder but he wasn't top drawer in this respect,most of his Passes for us were short to Modric.

I see one player as a good premiership midfielder who reinvented himself as a water carrier. I see the other player as a pure destroyer that scared the shit out of opponents but was robbed by injury of ever fulfilling his full potential but who could dominate opponents at some of the most imposing away venues in the game.

 

[mano-obe]

Always loved his 30 yarder against Chelsea and his performance against Milan. We had a few great ball winners back in the day, Sandro, Palacios & Parker, now our team is littered with players who can win the ball back.

As for ACL injuries, players are very lucky if they can come back the same player. Many baby their injuries afterwards out of fear of aggravating it again, or just lose that explosiveness. I think our fans will remember him fondly.

 

[Kiedis]

Sandros 2012/2013 season up until his injury was absolutely brilliant. At the time of his injury he was the best in Europe for completed tackles + interceptions per game, with numbers surpassing those Kante has these days.

That Dembele-Sandro partnership was fantastic. The former struggled with injuries that autumn, so we didn't get to see them together enough.

 

[DJS]

Loved Sandro when he was fit, had a really top quality partnership with Dembele for a while and pretty much had it all as a defensive midfielder.

But far far too injury prone, was gutted when we sold to QPR but proven over time to be the correct decision sadly.

Oh and Parker was a very good player for us too in his first season so Sandro didn't really deserve to get back in.

Parker then seemed to fade badly in second season, think we got him too late really as wanted him for ages.

 

[Mustard]

Was he ever that good for us?
Great character and personality and put in some good performances but he wasn't as good a Parker was for us imo

Totally agree. Lovely guy but not a very good footballer.

He couldn't tackle unless he injured himself or got a card. Wasn't quick. couldn't pass. A fan favourite but not because of football.

Leastways it shouldn't be if you look at it with football glasses.

 

[Spurrific]

Phenomenally average player who happened to play the guitar, if he was a Liverpool player we'd all hate him.

I'm sure we'd hate him if he was an ISIS member too. He wasn't/still isn't though, afaik.

Most people rated him as a player as well as a personality. I thought he put in a few very good performances as a DM for us (especially vs Milan), but maybe I'm just getting that confused with the time he played the guitar. Liking somebody doesn't stop you being able to objectively rate their ability. I like Townsend, but I still think he's a shithouse.

 

[Spurs71]

Good luck Sandro "The Beast".