How much of it can we keep together?

[lukespurs7]

Ok so I’m getting a little concerned that some of the players heads may be being turned which may be influencing the way we are playing.

I also think they’ve put in a mammouth effort over the last 2 years and start of this year and seeing us so far off the pace this year + their good old pal Walker earning 3x what they earn and more than likely picking up at least one trophy playing the best football in the league must be frustrating. It must also be infuriating for Poch who is probably getting mentally drained by the 24/7 rumours of players leaving us but the sad fact is as we pay lower wages and haven’t won anything of note in 25+ years, unless we get very close or get to finals or start buying in some big name players, our players heads will be turned.

Lloris: Huge Poch advocate and ambassador for our club as captain etc but he is 30 now and surely could move to a Real Madrid or PSG and win something and I wouldn’t blame the guy in the slightest.

Dier: Man.U very interested in him, would be paid more, they are in title race and won 3 trophies last year.

Toby: could go to any top club in the world.

Rose: See Dier + Rose is a prick for that outburst earlier this year.

Alli: Madrid May want him + probably others and I think he’d chase the money and lifestyle.

Eriksen: Barca - more money,Camp Nou, play with Messi etc

Kane: hopefully would be the last one to go but he is 24, if by end of next season, when he’ll be 26 I think, if we’ve still not won anything it looked any closer to, I think he will seriously consider moving to a Real Madrid etc.

Poch: Could move to Real Madrid, PSG and said in his book teams who want to win it all wanted him. How long will he put up with squeezing every last drop out of this squad getting us to overachieve but knowing we more than likely just won’t win anything.

I know it’s only a league cup but I’m just so so disappointed we went out of that this season because we all know that with the Wembley factor this year would be really tough in the league and I just think for all the teams hard work just winning a small trophy together would kick start them, that feeling of having the winners medal and trophy would push them forward. As it is I think we will get knocked out in one of next 2 rounds of the CL, if we can’t beat Burnley, Swansea, West Brom, Leicester we will struggle over 2 legs vs some of the best teams in Europe. And then there is the fa cup which we’ve not got to a final in for 25+ years.

There is so much positive with Spurs and what Poch has done and I’m sure this current form is just a blip and hopefully we can turn it round and end up top 4 at least but I just really start to think it could all unravel and for me the team looks tired, lacking confidence and lacking effort most worryingly and I wonder if there is something going on behind the scenes, Poch doesn’t seem himself either. On one hand the direction the club is going etc is so so positive but on the other hand when it’s not going so well on the pitch all the depressing off the pitch stuff smacks you in the face and the reality of the situation is that we are in a tougher fragile position with our squad and manager and I don’t trust Levy to manage that 100%, Poch yes, Levy no, he’s a great businessman but not a football man.

What do people think about the players above and Poch and the whole team, how likely is it if we say finish 6th and trophyless that this whole team will give it at least one more year in the new stadium(if it’s even ready by next year)...

COYS

 

[Doctor Dinkey]

We are in a fragile position compared to the other teams in that although we have some great players and a good manager, we pay lower wages and look unlikely to win trophies. It's the promise of future glory that have kept players interested, but once that starts looking like a pipe dream it could all unravel quickly.
I think we have to look ahead long term, really- even if this team never win anything, and players leave, we'll buy better players, and improve over time. We've got a great new stadium on the way, and a huge fan base. I'm confident that even if our current promise fizzles out, we'll forge another better team, and one day be the biggest club in London.

 

[Yiddo1982]

But these are the players that aren't winning anything. We aren't talking about a one man team where a superstar is dragging along a bunch of cloggers.

Who, this season, honestly deserves a move to Real Madrid or Barca? Honestly? Kane and maybe Vertonghen. The rest have underperformed for the most part.

 

[SpursDave88]

I think our enjoyable 2 year honeymoon is over...sadly.

 

[Streetspur77]

As long as poch stays we will be fine, if these players decide they can't be fucked to work for a trophy and that they'd rather go off to a money club and get their medal then that's on them and I don't want them here anyway.

The only issue comes if poch gets disheartened, but I doubt a mass exodus will occur anyway and I think in May we'll all laugh about how shit November was and how we thought it was all this work was going to unravel because of a few bad results.

 

[Saoirse]

Wow, I really must be magic if I've managed to watch us lift a trophy when we apparently haven't won one in my lifetime.

 

[Nerine]

Was gonna say, I'm not sure many of them actually deserve a move elsewhere.

Madrid would be mad to stump up over £100m for Alli.

Yeah, they could pay for the potential, but I don't really see him improving THAT much to be honest. I know that's a contentious view, but I dunno...
If he moved to Madrid for loadsa sheets, their fans would dig him out big time if he put together a run of games like he has just lately.

 

[DEFchenkOE]

We need to pay our top players more money to keep them as well as show some real ambition in the market to show we're going to compete. Not going to happen though so I suspect we will struggle when the vultures circle.

 

[lukespurs7]

We are in a fragile position compared to the other teams in that although we have some great players and a good manager, we pay lower wages and look unlikely to win trophies. It's the promise of future glory that have kept players interested, but once that starts looking like a pipe dream it could all unravel quickly.
I think we have to look ahead long term, really- even if this team never win anything, and players leave, we'll buy better players, and improve over time. We've got a great new stadium on the way, and a huge fan base. I'm confident that even if our current promise fizzles out, we'll forge another better team, and one day be the biggest club in London.

When we are winning it’s great and rosey and positive and we have a new stadium on the way etc, when we are on a bad run it’s all a bit depressing that we’re fighting so hard to hand onto what we’re building to try and stop us moving back a few levels while the other teams just spunk millions of pounds on the best players in the world and up their level easily while keeping all their best players. It’s tough but we must keep going. I hope poch and the boys are strong and really are in it for the long haul, I’m just not convinced they all are and once one or two go More May want to and then we are fucked.

 

[lukespurs7]

I think our enjoyable 2 year honeymoon is over...sadly.

 

[lukespurs7]

As long as poch stays we will be fine, if these players decide they can't be fucked to work for a trophy and that they'd rather go off to a money club and get their medal then that's on them and I don't want them here anyway.

The only issue comes if poch gets disheartened, but I doubt a mass exodus will occur anyway and I think in May we'll all laugh about how shit November was and how we thought it was all this work was going to unravel because of a few bad results.

This is what I worry about more than anything and reading his book and looking at his press conferences his mood seems
To change a great deal. I just hope him squeezing every last drop out of the players doesn’t result in him just giving up eventually and moving to an ‘easier’ job where he’s more likely to win things say PSG etc.

 

[lukespurs7]

Wow, I really must be magic if I've managed to watch us lift a trophy when we apparently haven't won one in my lifetime.

Sorry yes 1 league cup in 25 years * for a club with the history of ours that is pathetic.

 

[SUIYHA]

It's not about what they "deserve". This isn't a straight meritocracy. Did Sissoko "deserve" his move to play for us in the Champions League after being shit for Newcastle for years and getting relegated with them? It's about whether a bigger club feels that that player is the one to take them forward. And if it's a big enough club that comes calling, I'd expect every single one of our players to want to go. Yes, even Kane.

Ferguson cashed in on a lot of players when he felt they'd lost focus, or were disrupting team spirit. Van Nistelrooy, Beckham, Stam, Kanchelskis, Ince...even Ronaldo. Wenger too, even in his early years when they were more successful, the trophies weren't enough to keep Overmars, Petit, Anelka. Even when they'd just gone the season unbeaten, Real came in for Vieira, their captain and tried to get him all summer, and even though he eventually stayed he was much worse the following year and eventually ended up being sold to Juventus. When we move to the new WHL and increase our revenue streams then we can pay higher wages and mitigate the risk a little, but there will always be times when we have to accept losing players. It's about how we plan for it and react to it that's important.

It's hard to predict who will come in for who. Mesut Ozil is still at Arsenal because he was shite for the last 18 months - if he'd been playing like he has been this season then he'd have had bids in the summer instead of waiting for the bosman. If Eriksen and Alli play the second half of this season like they did in the second half of last season then I expect teams will be sniffing around, especially Eriksen.

The one I'm really surprised to still be here is Lloris. He's a high profile player as the French international captain, and if you think back to when we were getting spanked 4-0 in every big game under Sherwood or AVB, and in the inconsistency of Poch's first season before Kane broke through, he must have been wondering what the fuck he was doing here. Glad that he stuck it out, obviously, but was that because he's loyal or because nobody actually tried to buy him?

 

[lukespurs7]

It's not about what they "deserve". This isn't a straight meritocracy. Did Sissoko "deserve" his move to play for us in the Champions League after being shit for Newcastle for years and getting relegated with them? It's about whether a bigger club feels that that player is the one to take them forward. And if it's a big enough club that comes calling, I'd expect every single one of our players to want to go. Yes, even Kane.

Ferguson cashed in on a lot of players when he felt they'd lost focus, or were disrupting team spirit. Van Nistelrooy, Beckham, Stam, Kanchelskis, Ince...even Ronaldo. Wenger too, even in his early years when they were more successful, the trophies weren't enough to keep Overmars, Petit, Anelka. Even when they'd just gone the season unbeaten, Real came in for Vieira, their captain and tried to get him all summer, and even though he eventually stayed he was much worse the following year and eventually ended up being sold to Juventus. When we move to the new WHL and increase our revenue streams then we can pay higher wages and mitigate the risk a little, but there will always be times when we have to accept losing players. It's about how we plan for it and react to it that's important.

It's hard to predict who will come in for who. Mesut Ozil is still at Arsenal because he was shite for the last 18 months - if he'd been playing like he has been this season then he'd have had bids in the summer instead of waiting for the bosman. If Eriksen and Alli play the second half of this season like they did in the second half of last season then I expect teams will be sniffing around, especially Eriksen.

The one I'm really surprised to still be here is Lloris. He's a high profile player as the French international captain, and if you think back to when we were getting spanked 4-0 in every big game under Sherwood or AVB, and in the inconsistency of Poch's first season before Kane broke through, he must have been wondering what the fuck he was doing here. Glad that he stuck it out, obviously, but was that because he's loyal or because nobody actually tried to buy him?

Fantastic well written post and this is key! You’re spot on mate.

 

[Amo]

Okay our form in the league is several levels bellow shit but talk of "our two year honeymoon" being over is a little premature, surely. We ripped up our CL group and have had some great results in the leauge.

Actually I just checked the league table before clicking the Post Reply button and Burnley will go above us with a win. As you were, lads.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Personally I don't think anyone would go beyond Rose and maybe, possibly Alderweireld.
Not in a million years are we selling Kane it would destroy the club.

The rest I think our valuation of those players is way beyond what anyone would pay for them. In a way the stupidity of the market might save us because there's no chance teams can afford or would pay the extortionate fees we'd demand. Plus they're not even playing like they would be worth half of it right now.

Maybe I'm wrong but I don't remember a situation for us where because a player has kicked up a fuss and other club can't afford we've been forced to sell on cheap. Seems like we've always got the required fee. So for example if Dele wanted out and we valued him at £110m and X team only valued him at £70m then he wouldn't be allowed to go.

Toby if he doesn't sign a contract and we're not in CL is a problem, his buyout (that exists right?) will be matched and he'd go. Vertonghen is too old and our price would be too high on him.

For the immediate future in terms of our current team we're fine, the problem arises if we go backwards performance wise and contracts start winding down.

 

[coys200]

Would still rather be in our situation than Arsenal. Anyone leaving us we are getting top dollar. They are about to lose 2 best players for nothing have x10 30+ players at end of season and 15 players with 1 year left.

 

[SambaSpurs]

Sorry OP but do you seriously consider United as having won 3 trophies last year?!

The community shield is not a trophy I'm sorry, it features 2 teams in total and is essentially just an extension of pre season.

 

[coys200]

Sometimes things can go stale after 3 or 4 years especially without having won anything for all your hard work. Can be nobody’s fault really just the way it is. When this happens you have 2 choices the players or the manager. I’d be inclined to take some of the crazy money for some of the players and get a few fresh faces in. It’s interesting if I was given a choice between losing Kane or Poch I’d probably be more worried to lose kane.

 

[Blake Griffin]

there's always new talent around the corner.