Sebastien Bassong

[Jenko]

I look back on last season and remember very well how Seb was ridiculed week in and week out on this site, pretty much every time he played for us. Most on here got they're wish when he was moved onto Norwich. I always rated him but knew he needed a run in the team.

The moaners have got new new targets this season, but I see in the 8 times Seb has played 90 minutes for Norwich in the league this season, they have only conceded 3 goals in those 8 games. Does that not suggest something? It may only suggest that it is harder to defend at Tottenham because of the pressure to go forward means that we do not protect our defence well enough. We concede a lot on the counter but for me that is not the reason Seb (and many others) couldn't fulfill his potential at Spurs.

What really worries me is the possibility that so many good players don't make it at spurs because of the constant moaning from the boo-boys. Most personalities suffer to some extent knowing they will have jeers and boo's after any mistake. Are we that high profile a football club that we can afford to only buy the players invulnerable to such criticism?

And now we wonder about Dempsey, Defoe, Siggy, Walker, Huddlestone, Gomez, etc..... These players are great on they're day but once the Boo-boys get into action and an element of doubt sets into their play we eat away at them until they are championship standard. Then we harp on about how a player should stay loyal and respect the fans and so on. We, as a whole, need to cop on and not have such a high opinion of ourselves. I'm sure Norwich fans appreciate Seb and are getting they're reward for it.

Most of the fans are genuine, logical people but that 20/30% of idiots make a huge difference. You can see it on here when we are 0-0 during the match threads. Too many people think we are Barcelona and its made a lot of decent posters shy away from getting involved. The same way its frightened players away from playing their natural game.

I love my Tottenham, but I wish our fans could remove all the negativity from following the team and just support the players, all the players. It was Harry's one great attribute as a manager (imo) and he's made a career out of it. We have no right to complain about the Modric's of this world until we do.

 

[YiddoBirdy]

I completely agree with you. We call our self supporters so we should support our players.

 

[hellava_tough]

I always liked Bassong. But to be fair, we've had some good centre-backs* playing for us over the last few years, so it's always going to be difficult for players to get regular first-team football.

But, yeah, we should support the boys.


*King, Dawson, Bassong, Woodgate, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Gallas, Caulker

 

[WiganSpur]

Always rated Bassong, just never got a run in the team, similar to Pienaar really. Thought it was crazy that we sold him and kept Gallas who's 35

 

[Wiener]

Agreed. The booing and scapegoating can only be counter-productive. Those who engage in it are nothing more than self-indulgent and ignorant morons we could do without. Chris Armstrong and Jenas spring to mind. Both were good servants to the club who gave their all. Not sure about Bassong though. His main problem was that we always had better options. Good luck to him (and Chris Hughton of course).

 

[dontcallme]

Bassong was a very good defender when he was playing every week. He was the first young centre back I saw form a good partnership with Dawson.

If he was as bad as some made out we wouldn't have finished 4th in his first season at the club.

But there's no denying that his performances when playing sporadically did go downhill. I'm not convinced that he left and played poorly because of boo-boys.

It takes excellent conditioning and mental focus to put in quality performances when not playing very often.

Maybe we were guilty of selling him too early but Vertonghen, Caulker and Kaboul are more than good enough.

 

[parklane1]

Unfortunately we do seem to be getting a lot of morons at the Lane over the last few years, at the first misplaced pass or shot wide they start the moronic booing, its got to the point where i much prefer going to the away games, at least you get the fans supporting the team.

 

[Mustard]

I'm afraid he never convinced me.

Not good enough for us imo.

 

[lillywhites61]

This is the first season I have not attended a match for a very long time, I normally hardly miss a home game but I got tired of all the negativity and idiots I have to endure every week.

I will go at some point but from what I here it just seems to get worse. I have tried talking to people before but you just get abused yourself, so yeh I see exactly what you mean, why would they bother?! Look at that twat they started a row with crouchy? I mean what was the point of that.

 

[Jenko]

Bassong was a very good defender when he was playing every week. He was the first young centre back I saw form a good partnership with Dawson.

If he was as bad as some made out we wouldn't have finished 4th in his first season at the club.

But there's no denying that his performances when playing sporadically did go downhill. I'm not convinced that he left and played poorly because of boo-boys.

It takes excellent conditioning and mental focus to put in quality performances when not playing very often.

Maybe we were guilty of selling him too early but Vertonghen, Caulker and Kaboul are more than good enough.

Thats a very good point that I failed to consider at the time of writing. A good argument to make is that Harry managed him badly in that he always felt like a last resort under Harry and would be dropped regardless as soon as someone else was available - my own belief at the time actually. So my article might not apply to Seb but will certainly apply to others. cheers.

 

[Mustard]

Regarding the boo boy factor.

Its mainly because a) we have been led to believe by our former erstwhile manager that 'we can win the league' and b) the prices and availability of seats narrows down the people in a position to buy them. Its often the case its a bloke who feels the pain of shelling out cash he cant really afford it so feels the team 'owe' him a performance or a bloke who wants a performance because he is giving up valuable time to watch them. Add the usual nutters and the make up of the crowd is a lot different to even 7 years ago.

I say blokes because the woman that come arn't so vicious in my experience.

That said everyone is entitled to their opinion and my comments are only the extremes of our supporters and other clubs including manure have their idiots far more in abundance and thats without mentioning the scum or the racist team fans

 

[DJS]

I always liked Bassong as a player and thought he deserved more opportunities then he had.

But Dempsey is shit.

 

[alamo]

Really can't get my head around the fact he was arrested "in possession of a baton". Not entirely sure what he was expecting to happen.

Only thing that was criminal when he was at spurs was his defending.......... hahaha........ haha ....... ha...... god that was awful. sorry

 

[beats1]

In his first season he was amazing for us as soon as we signed Gallas his form went downhill from chopping and changing with 3 injury prone defenders in front of him

 

[tippspur59]

When we qualified for the CL Dawson and Bassong were 3rd and 4th behind King and Woodgate, but when both these got long time injuries Daws and Bassong stood up to the mark and got us over the line,I'll be forever grateful to both of them for that.I agree that Bassong was badly treated just as Dawson is now.

 

[Mustard]

agree about daws but if you think Bassong is the same level....

 

[Davo99]

I could understand this sort of sentiment for a number of players we've had recently, but Bassong? No - never good enough. Panicked defender always prone to a mistake, terrible positioning and no good on the ball. Luckily we now have Jan Vertonghen.

 

[Schitzophonic]

Bassong was the definition of Bambi on ice, in my opinion. I don't care if this gets me slated - Just look at the bloke dribble the ball! Football doesn't seem natural to him. It's like he could fall and do the splits at any minute.

 

[Jimmy Greaves]

Our moaning has nothing to do with him not playing.

 

[brasil_spur]

And now we wonder about Dempsey, Defoe, Siggy, Walker, Huddlestone, Gomez, etc.....

Who??!?!?