Good afternoon.
This from long time HH reader Bill and well worth publishing.
Dear Sir,
We wake the other morning to the news that for us, Tottenham Hotspur, the Premiership Title is no-longer a just a fanciful dream or the domain of those with the budget to take seriously. This should now become our target and with increased commitment and resources winning it will soon become our main objective.
It’s difficult to judge this news, as it has been reported from half of those on the outside looking in that we are in hell at the moment. We had the sh*t kicked out of us at the end of last season by anyone with a properly prepared team. We lost our place in the Champions League and we finished with a squad of players who barely the resembled the same team that were put out six months earlier.
There is no momentum to ride off from the tail end of the campaign. So if you are going to lead us back into the light, then you need to do so from a standing start. This has got to happen on the training field, in the dressing room and in the minds of the players.
I believe that it can be done and from what I have seen and heard so far I believe that you can do it. But now you have to convince the players.
Train them or trade them. Now is the time. Do not flinch from doing what it takes.
Unlike the other lot; we want you to weed out the individual who puts their own ambition above that of the club. We encourage you change the mind set. We understand the merits of a new approach. And we are prepared to see this thing through.
AVB this is our club. We give it you in good faith – return it to us as Champions.
Good luck, you’ll need it.
Kind Regards,
Bill Shears
I’m looking forward to actually attempting to play well in the Europa league; Andre realises that a winning mentality is that which hungers to achieve success in ALL endeavours.
AVB, I salute your attitude. Now make it happen.
COYS
And we of Spurs have set our sights very high……..
Actually Bill Nicholson would make even Ferguson look like a teennager. When DB totally disobeyed his instructions vs Ipswitch Town at home in 1962 and the resulting 1-3 loss cost us the title, DB copped such a blast well before “hairdyers” were popular, that he confessed to someone (Mackay I think) that his hairstyle turned into a brushback
and everyone else could hear it 100ms away.
By this I mean that Nich took no crap from anyone and he was BOSS and they knew it. I beleive that Greaves has said more than once when he was called to the office, he was quaking in his boots and hence his drinking problem.
So nothing wrong with an iron hand running the squad and keeping the dos santos’s on their toes.
BTW in the Charity Shield DB did as he was told and we won 5-1 I think but as Nicholson said the shield was a poor excuse for the League title cup.
Danny was coming to the end of a stellar career at that time, his knees had been giving trouble. He was forced to play a sweepers role in helping out the defence,a concept almost alien to the Push and Run football of Spurs. We had seen a visionary and football was to change for the better.
Remember also that 1962 was the year of the match fixing scandal where 10 players were given life bans and Jimmy Gould got 4 years. Matches against Ipswich were thrown, yet they became Champions of Div 1.
AVB has a lot of work to do, hnce in his first season in charge, I would be happy to finish 3rd and then aim for 1st the following year.
Sport is all about cultivating a positive mental attitude, which is what AVB has started. No longer is it we are aiming for the Champions League because if you don’t quite achieve it you get the Europa League. If you aim for the title and fall a little short you get the Champions League. Basic psychology.
I am delighted he wants to instill a winning mentality where it is expected and if our youth develop in that atmosphere then they will be better players as a result.
David Beckham has a professional attitude which our youth apparently looked up to, yet people were knocking the club for having him training. The guy sets himself high standards. It’s the same principle AVB quite rightly wishes to instill within our club.
As a Harry fan I am bloody delighted with everything I have heard for AVB and feel we have the right man to take us forward over the next 10 years.
In it to win it – agree with that approach.
AVB has also got to learn to manage the match officials – or get Freund to do that.