Such a fantastic turnaround for a player that a lot of people here would've been happy to let go a couple of years ago. And to think, we were actually quite close to losing at one point.

He's quickly becoming one of the star men of this team. Very under-rated by non-Spurs supporters still as well, for some reason. The boy is class.

The boy is class, always has been. He just needed (like many young English talents) a manager to believe in him and give him game time to get better and grow stronger. And fair play to Harry for doing just that.
The Hudd for England? Well with our aging midfield, I think it is a no brainer.
Long live The Hudd in the lillywhite of Spurs, he's just going to get better and better.

Thus confirming what we have all seen: Hudd hangs around the centre circle, just as Carrick once got so much stick for doing - and for the same reason, because the manager told him to. And because it's close to where the ball is most of the time.

I agree in general, but I think Redknapp did a bit more than just "believe in him". He challenged Hudd to develop the weaker sides of his game so he actually deserved that starting place.

During Summer 2009, Huddlestone was quoted twice to the effect that he was considering moving on so he could get regular football. Then Harry is known to have met with him and told him what he had to do to develop his game to improve and - crucially - that if he did what he was advised, he would get his chance at Spurs.

Then Hudd got the stroke of fortune that young players need: Jenas started the season injured. Hudd played and implemented the advice he'd been given and JJ never really got back into the team.

I've always been a fan of Huddlestone. For obvious reasons, his touch, his passing and his ability to find that extra bit of space and time. Did anyone notice the pass in the Young Boys game, where, in the centre circle with a young boys player not but a yard away he casually bent the ball around the player with his left foot out to Corluka. It just summed him up in one movement.

He's pretty much been a regular since December 06 under Martin Jol when he just turned 20 years of age. Since then he's enjoyed plenty of game time 43, 31 (granted a little less in Harry's first season - when we needed to battle our way out of danger) and 43 games respectively and 3 coaches who have all noted his talent and ability and believed in him. With age and experience and the given that any coach is going to get young talent to work on the weaker aspects of their game he has improved and is still just 23 years of age.
What he has learnt to do in this time under the guidance of 3 very good coaches and like any young player who wants to make it, is to work on the weak side of his game - for Hudd read: positional sense, mobility, tenatiousness, knowing when to pass or surge forward etc, for Lennon read final ball, knowing when to take a player on or take the easy option, for Bale read improving his defensive work. You van only really improve this aspects in the firing line of real game time.
I don't think one meeting with Harry in the summer of 2009 was the making of him. I think plenty of game time over a period of time and the work of various coaches who saw his remarkable talent can all take credit for making him the player he is now.
He's coming of age now and I hope he can step up to the next level and really run the games for Spurs like Gerrard or Lampard do. He has always had that potential, but with success comes confidence and with confidence the sky is the limit. As Martin Jol put it way back when - he could be as good as Franz Beckenbauer if he works on certain parts of his game. Jol always said he'd like to build his team around Huddlestone and now Harry is (I hope) doing just that.

Yes, I remember that, and I was thinking 'was that really necessary? Was it a bit risky? Couldn't he have hit it just as easy with his right? Was he just showing off?'

And I'd say the answers to those were, No, no (not for him), probably, & probably.... :grin: I just love having him in the team....

Yeah, I thought the exact same thing. If intercepted we would have been under serious pressure, but the ability and presence of mind to do something like that is quite rare.

Lot's of similarities in this article to the one posted on Gareth Bale:
Both these athletes came along as exceptionally talented precocious kids. Hard work and good coaching gave them that extra ingredient: confidence.
End result: top-class performances.
Cudos to them for working hard and especially to the coaches at T.H.F.C.

Him and Bale - players of the season to date!!

I can't understand how a player of 23, after such a great season can make the 30, be cut from the final 23, then not be in the next England squad whereby the manager is looking to the younger generation.

Capello is senile.

Its madness kendal left out for 2 gooners one who played half a season at bolton and the other only plays in the carling cup.
Come on Fabio ffs sort it out.

Just as well Capello wasn't at the lane today.