The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 19th July

[Blake Griffin]

Thank god got turned down for Rossi, if he plays again at all there is every chance he will not be close to being the same player

he could've been the difference between finishing 5th and re-qualifying for the cl though. don't think you can say for certain that he was going to bust his knee wherever he was either.

 

[Breezer]

We still need another striker............just to take the pressure of Ade

Thats when DL negotiates a double deal with Man Utd. He tells Fergie we'll give them £3 million for fryers and a cheeky £4-5 million for Berba.

 

[Colonel Dax]

What do you think we spent on players like Defoe & keane ? I'll tell you. Keane cost us 16m in fee and about 10 million in wages. Defoe the same.

Not true.

 

[SelbYido]

i don't get the daily mail. it's less absorbent than andrex.

Not to mention the racism printed in reverse across your arse...

I sincerely hope this Ade ITK is on the money, he was crucial to the way we played last season & looks like he'll fit in with AVB's style as well. Still one or two other positions could be looked at but Ade in will make me feel a whole lot more comfortable going into the new season.

 

[venablesphil]

I've managed to get a bit of non transfer related info today, probably the first and only time I will get Spurs info and its a bit boring but positive none the less!

Just played golf with my father, who is the press officer at Stevenage. He had the pleasure to met AVB and some of the players yesterday at the friendly (lucky git I was stuck at work!).

He said AVB was a really nice guy, really friendly and seemed to be having a lot of fun. He had to take AVB over to the be interviewed by press and as he was walking him over he asked AVB how he was finding it at Spurs to which he was told "the grass is greener". AVB also said he was excited about the future and looking forward to the new season.

My dad said it seemed like all the players were getting on really well with AVB. He said he chatted to a couple of them and they only had positive things to say about how things are at the club, which is no great shock as I'm sure they wouldn't slag the club off to a league one press officer! He did say that there seemed to be a real positive feeling toward AVB though.

Nothing earth shattering but good to hear more encouraging info about how the players and AVB are getting on. Also I did berate my father for not asking AVB exactly who we are trying to buy, sell, are we being invested, etc,etc. I told him he was a slack git for not getting some proper info, next time he must work harder and get some proper news.

 

[VincenzoCoccotti]

he could've been the difference between finishing 5th and re-qualifying for the cl though. don't think you can say for certain that he was going to bust his knee wherever he was either.

He clearly had a fundamental weakness in his knee he wasnt hurt in a foul or anything so the likelihood is same would have happened here and probably quicker too given the pace and physicality of the English game compared with in Spain

 

[Daredevil]

I've managed to get a bit of non transfer related info today, probably the first and only time I will get Spurs info and its a bit boring but positive none the less!

Just played golf with my father, who is the press officer at Stevenage. He had the pleasure to met AVB and some of the players yesterday at the friendly (lucky git I was stuck at work!).

He said AVB was a really nice guy, really friendly and seemed to be having a lot of fun. He had to take AVB over to the be interviewed by press and as he was walking him over he asked AVB how he was finding it at Spurs to which he was told "the grass is greener". AVB also said he was excited about the future and looking forward to the new season.

My dad said it seemed like all the players were getting on really well with AVB. He said he chatted to a couple of them and they only had positive things to say about how things are at the club, which is no great shock as I'm sure they wouldn't slag the club off to a league one press officer! He did say that there seemed to be a real positive feeling toward AVB though.

Nothing earth shattering but good to hear more encouraging info about how the players and AVB are getting on. Also I did berate my father for not asking AVB exactly who we are trying to buy, sell, are we being invested, etc,etc. I told him he was a slack git for not getting some proper info, next time he must work harder and get some proper news.

All sounds good, not boring at all.

Very happy to hear there appears to be a good atmosphere in the camp leading up to the USA trip.

AVB has done well to get a squad open to his ideas and eager to advance, while the squad should be happy they have a manager who will look to get everything out of them that he can rather than leaving them to it.

I'm as excited about this new era and our opening day fixture to see how we do as much as I am about any new signings.

 

[Wellspurs]

So we don't have a photocopy of Adebayors passport already? I find it funny the thought of that sort of paperwork. Do you think he had to select 2 referees and fill in a 10 page application for also!?

When he becomes permanent he usually starts playing up so it is only prudent to have photo copies of his passport in order to apply for his CRB. Without one he wont be able to train with the youth team.

 

[kendoddsdadsdogsdead]

You are not an idiot for wanting a bit more but you are an idiot for not rationalising what you want with what is possible within sustainable parameters.

You say just a couple more player and we'd be there ? Really ? The point is Levy has already managed to obtain a couple more players. We have two players who previously played for Real Madrid and one who's about to. Plus Bale who could also. We have those "couple of players" already taking up available wages. That is the point you either don't or won't accept. It is going beyond that couple that is when the risk tilts against you when you are in our position.

To outstanding players like Bale, modric, VDV, Kaboul, Adebayor Sandro, Parker (all being paid our ceiling wage I believe, thats somewhere between 3.6-5.2m per year) and the approximate 40-50m (fee plus wages) wasted on players like Defoe and keane by Redknapp. Then we have the rest of the wage bill.

The accounts really aren't that complicated. Read them. We make money (TV, Matchday, Merchandise, Sponsorship, Player trading) and we spend money.

You either take the view that risks must never exceed a sustainable level or you gamble everything. Leeds, Notts Forest, Newcastle. They made regular CL/European cup football and still financially killed themselves.

What do you think we spent on players like Defoe & keane ? I'll tell you. Keane cost us 16m in fee and about 10 million in wages. Defoe the same. That's a 52m gamble that Levy placed on Redknapp's judgement. What will we recover on Defoe ? 10m ? 3m on Keane ? So 40m spunked on Redknapp's judgement. Redknapp openly admitted we had the option of Suarez and he bottled it. There's a player who might be a ****, but he'd have been a fuck sight better than Keane or Defoe in a team like ours.

Defoe & Pav are wankers but don't tell me that's we we couldn't beat teams like Wigan, West Hame, Wolves, West Brom and 5 others at home in 2010-11.

Don't tell me Adebayor, VDV, Saha & Defoe weren't good enough for us to not fuck away 10 points that would have given us CL football last season. That was bad management, not bad investment. Two of those attacking players had played previously for Real Madrid. One for Man Utd.

Chelsea can survive not getting CL football and investing lunatic amounts of money. We couldn't. Bigger teams than us haven't.

Fans have to understand the reality of our fiscal situation and how best we can maximise it. Even when the stadium comes along and we can generate more match day revenue, maybe as much as Newcastle, we still won't have an open cheque book, because as a business football are limited as to how much they can actually make. Even ManU can't generate enough revenue to match Chelsea and ManC, which is why they were watching Cleverly and fucking Welbeck last year and relying on fucking shrewd management. Same Arsenal. That is the model we must follow, but we don't even have their revenue.

So it was bad management we failed last year finishing one point shy of third because of our managers tactical ineptness. In theory then with a very good tactical manager now and with the same budget Redknapp worked under we should sail into third or higher.

At the time we signed Keane and Defoe, we were in the shit, make no mistake about that. People try and dress it up now as though we were never in trouble and Redknapp walked into Tottenham with brilliant players to pick from and was nothing to do with him how we flourished and then finished fourth the next season. Zokora and Jenas in midfield, Pav, Bent and Campbell as our forward options. We were a dreadful football team then, we really were. We didn't even look like scoring, let alone winning. Maybe Keane and Defoe were all we could attract or they were just easy deals for Levy to conclude. I dont know, but they along with players like Palacios, Crouch, Kranjcar played parts to varying degrees, so it was not exactly wasted. We also got decent money for alot of these players when we sold them. How much did Redknapp spend in his 3.5 years here when you subtract player sales? I dont know but I dont think it was massive. In any case every manager has some failures in the transfer market.

 

[greaves]

When he becomes permanent he usually starts playing up so it is only prudent to have photo copies of his passport in order to apply for his CRB. Without one he wont be able to train with the youth team.

Daniel's also got a nice liitle earner in the back office forging passports. Admittedly, they are not very good, but if you don't look too close and ignore the frankly amateurish colouring-in...

 

[Norvern Munkey]

been a bit emotional here today with yet more fractures in the 'pack'..... This is most definitely not ITK but just a thought, so dont go getting upset at the 'just a thought messenger'....

Ade appears done ... so that would be front line striker sorted......defoe (if he doesnt go to reading/fulham/melchester rovers) is an able/proven premier league goalscorer and is a useful sub/cup player (if he is happy to play that role).....kane ??? hmmm well we have invested some time and training in the guy and maybe its time to see if he is ready for 3rd striker role/1st reserve for ade/defoe .... after that we have coulibaly who appears to be a little gem (albeit precocious and a bit raw at the moment) and now needs some 1st team games to aid his development .... Where in that dynamic could we fit a leandro / huntelaar / [latest flavour of the week]?? And what would it achieve? If defoe goes then fair enough we need that 1st understudy/alternative striker option but i dont reckon a huntelaar or leandro level would work, but otherwise i dont see the wholesale panic that others do.

Regarding others posts ... paolo usually drives me more insane than a fridge full of bullied squirrels but i cant fault his passion though i do think he leans too much towards the leeds mentality for my liking (but its all about opinions and i value everybodies).....BC makes very sound sense regarding the fiscal niceties and kinda mirrors my thoughts....I would rather it takes 10 years for spurs to make it to the top three, safe in the knowledge that they will remain there rather than a quick fix/ 'here goes nothing' approach.

but hey! lets just see eh?

 

[Spurger King]

been a bit emotional here today with yet more fractures in the 'pack'..... This is most definitely not ITK but just a thought, so dont go getting upset at the 'just a thought messenger'....

Ade appears done ... so that would be front line striker sorted......defoe (if he doesnt go to reading/fulham/melchester rovers) is an able/proven premier league goalscorer and is a useful sub/cup player (if he is happy to play that role).....kane ??? hmmm well we have invested some time and training in the guy and maybe its time to see if he is ready for 3rd striker role/1st reserve for ade/defoe .... after that we have coulibaly who appears to be a little gem (albeit precocious and a bit raw at the moment) and now needs some 1st team games to aid his development .... Where in that dynamic could we fit a leandro / huntelaar / [latest flavour of the week]?? And what would it achieve? If defoe goes then fair enough we need that 1st understudy/alternative striker option but i dont reckon a huntelaar or leandro level would work, but otherwise i dont see the wholesale panic that others do.

Coulibaly seems like a young Defoe. He's also incredibly inexperienced. Kane hasn't played in the Premiership either. The panic is the scenario where Adebayor (if we actually sign him) is injured or playing in the African Cup of Nations. Who replaces him? None of the others could lead the line. Plus Defoe doesn't fit into AVBs usual system.

 

[Greenspur]

Coulibaly seems like a young Defoe. He's also incredibly inexperienced. Kane hasn't played in the Premiership either. The panic is the scenario where Adebayor (if we actually sign him) is injured or playing in the African Cup of Nations. Who replaces him? None of the others could lead the line. Plus Defoe doesn't fit into AVBs usual system.

I don't think Kane can cut it. He seems lumbering and wayward.

 

[Lilbaz]

I don't think Kane can cut it. He seems lumbering and wayward.

He's 18. Give him till at least 21 to write him off.

 

[Shep]

If Adebayor is a done deal then it is vital we bring in another who can play that role either with him or in place of him. I think Defoe would leave if the right deal came along but I'd be surprised if it came along and he would be a good option alongside Ade/ A.N Other if we were chasing a game or looking to go on the offensive at home.

Key is we need more than just Ade, JD and Kane. Hopefully we've learned from last year when Adie had a lean spell.

 

[Lilbaz]

Wouldn't mind Lukaku from Chelsea. If they are going to get Hulk then it might be worth a shout.

 

[mil1lion]

We still need another striker............just to take the pressure of Ade

To put the pressure on Ade more like. He needs proper competition this season so he doesn't get comfortable.

 

[Roynie]

Coulibaly seems like a young Defoe. He's also incredibly inexperienced. Kane hasn't played in the Premiership either. The panic is the scenario where Adebayor (if we actually sign him) is injured or playing in the African Cup of Nations. Who replaces him? None of the others could lead the line. Plus Defoe doesn't fit into AVBs usual system.

Added to which we will be playing Europa league, Carling cup and FA cup in addition to the League. Given that AVB has said that he wants to win everything we are entered for we will need 2 top strikers. Just having Ade, assuming he does sign, will not be enough. I think we will ned someone like Leandro to be the main striker, initially in the EL, and Carling cup and let him settle in there. Hopefully by the time Ade goes of to the ACN (ANC?) he will be ready for the Premiership.

 

[david hughes]

Hi all

Just wondered if anyone could help me. For my sons 7th birthday I would like to take him to WHL. Does anyone know if you can buy a mascot experience?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Norvern Munkey]

I don't think Kane can cut it. He seems lumbering and wayward.

Thats the issue we have here.... People dont think that kane could cut it, but we also thought taarabt would never be all that, and he has not turned out to be a bad premier league player. If we dont try him out at some point we will never knowe and another talent will hit the scrap heap...Very poignant that ledley has officially retired today as he was the last real 'through the ranks from babe to legend' we have had and how much do we adore him....What chance do any of the others have of replicating the same if they never play? Far better judges of talent than us have seen summat in kane for quite a few years now, i would trust their judgement over my own every day of the week.

Regarding Ade and ANC qualification....i was under the impression (maybe wrongly i dunno) that Ade has been irretrievably disenfranchised by the ACN following the terrible events in angola a few years ago and wasnt available for selection any more