Comments on: This is Tottenham

By: Anonsters

Anonsters — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:59:34 +0000

And I think y’all are vastly over-romanticizing what the relationship is between professional athletes and their employers.

Nonetheless, what you have all said is not that the players are playing for “the shirt,” but that they’re playing for the manager. That is an entirely different story. Will Villa still be a RA-RA-SHISH-BOOM-BA “for the shirt” team when O’Neill is gone? Everton after Moyes? Maybe they’ll find managers who are like those two. Maybe not. Who’s to say? The other instance noted was Man U, only LL just set aside the possibility that it’s Fergie who is really driving that ship, when that is precisely what my answer would have been. Yes, Harry sucks at that aspect of the game. But remember, as Keith mentioned, Martin Jol was all about him some younger players and trying to create a development environment. Now we have a mercenary manager. And if we make it into the top 4, no one will care. Harry will be adored by all.

But you see, this thread is shifting to a discussion of the managers. There’s a reason for that.

And it ain’t their shirts.

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 04:14:04 +0000

And, Lad, unfortunately I think that’s also endemic of how Levy ran things before Redknapp arrived. There was little loyalty paid to the managers, so of course, why should the players heed the manager? I do think that Spurs would be in a similar to position than now, for example, if Jol were given the chance to see his job through.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:57:09 +0000

Don’t worry, you fellows will likely tear us apart on Wednesday, de Jong is out with the swine flu.

By: The Likely Lad

The Likely Lad — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:47:12 +0000

@Anonsters and my point to your counterpoint is that your counterpoint misses the point. Rightly or not, those Arsenal players feel that it’s a privilege to wear that stupid shirt. It is the shirt of Thierry Henry, Bergkamp, and Vieira. Players who were great and displayed loyalty, in action and words, to the team (no matter how they eventually left.) Tottenham has no such recent history. The players do not feel they are being entrusted to carry on a winning tradition. It’s just a good team that’s trying to get better. Nothing wrong with that. I’m just worried there;s nothing being built here; a good club right now, but what happens when Harry leaves? And, alas, this lack of foundation hurts them in the tough times…

By: Keith

Keith — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 03:32:59 +0000

Anonsters, I think it’s possible to run a club that bases itself around some modicum of loyalty. I believe, for example, and I’d like to think it’s not just homerism, that Aston Villa, as the team currently stands, is built around “the shirt.” But that also has a lot to do with the type of manager Martin O’Neill is, and the types of players he pursues in the transfer market. I think Everton is also built around “the shirt.” And that’s the type of manager Moyes is. Spurs, meanwhile, are run by ‘Arry, who as brilliant of a tactician and wheeler-dealer as he is, doesn’t really do “loyalty.” Sure, he’s gotten a few players that have followed him now to two stops (and will get another if rumors are to be believed and Calamity comes to London), but somehow I think that has more to do with pay packets than a feeling of unity with Harry Redknapp. But that’s just my thought. I could be, and probably am, totally wrong on this.

By: Anonsters

Anonsters — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:31:25 +0000

And I’m mixing my metaphors terribly tonight. Filling 1 flaw. Blah. Mea culpa.

By: Anonsters

Anonsters — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:30:36 +0000

Yes, I got that you were making a point about the shirt.

My point was that your point was wrong.

And about the transfer market, you’re proposing bringing in 4 player. I’m saying that by filling 1 very major flaw we can put ourselves right where we need to be. I don’t see that as unrealistic.

By: The Likely Lad

The Likely Lad — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:20:57 +0000

@Anonsters I was trying to be half-realistic. Would I like a primetime no.1a or no.2 striker, with Crouch relegated to No.4 and brought on at specially appointed times, sure! But s**t ain’t happening. Everything mentioned above is doable. and levy says the same thing before every window. sell to buy. its good business. should he say ‘hey we’re gonna shell loads of cash!’ i think they’ll take a net loss this winter– if it could mean Europe money, itd be well worth the investment. As for the Arse shirt, I was making a point. there’s no pride in this club. very few homegrown or young and contributing.

still, i trust in harry and remain hopeful that fourth will be in sight when it gets down to it.

By: Georger

Georger — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:13:17 +0000

Umlaut should use that picture of BAE for the backpasses so it’s on the front page three times. Sweet infinity shot!

By: Charley

Charley — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 23:05:01 +0000

i think spurs are going to be okay. they will make it to europe this year just not in the CL. You can’t make it in the CL if you drop points at home to wolves.

speaking of FM though, I played with Tottenham on the demo for 2010, and i started in a 4-5-1 with Crouch up top. he played brilliantly. something like 15 goals by christmas, but the rest of the team sucked. we hemorrhaged goals, and crouch was the only one that could score. i even picked up some tougher CM’s to pair with Palacios, but it didn’t really help. I switched to a 4-4-2 and that helped with the goal scoring.

keane sucked too. lennan was crazy good though and i picked up a 19 year old icelandic Centerback to help when king got hurt which happened pretty quick.

maybe you guys should get that guy. he was crazy good. i forgot his name though.