Good morning. And may I be the first to say, Let the shipwrecks of others be your markers in the storm, mush.
For those of you wanting to a fill a comedy void in your lives …there is a full scale meltdown occurring at The Emptycrates and I suggest that we all suspend our prejudices and take a passing interest…
Arsenal haven’t won anything, not a pot or a pan in years. But what they have done is followed a business model that delivered a whopping big stadium and Champions League prestige and Champions League monies, season after season. And it hasn’t been enough.
Which isn’t to say it’s been rubbish or it somehow doesn’t count, but it just hasn’t been enough. Players want trophies and to earn as close to a million quid a month as they possibly can. And thems is the facts.
The badge is something schnooks like us make an emotional attachment to. If you think otherwise, then please get in touch with me urgently as I need to borrow some money from you.
It is clear from reading the Van Persie statement that he’s put a gun to the club’s head. Reading between the lines he wanted to buried in diamonds and rubies on payday and guarantees that they would build a side around him that would rock the casbah. Reading the club’s reply statement they offered him some discount vouchers for the club shop and mumbled something about the local council being a bit touchy about loud music being played after 10pm.
Losing The Amazing Mr Ed and now Van Pervert has been completely disasterous for them. But what is more to the point is that they don’t have anything approaching a strategy in place.
We are embarking on a similar journey and it’s important that we choose a very different path. We all know that there is little you can do when faced with a player that wants a million a month or he’s off. But you can make your negotiating position stronger by making sure that you shape your playing staff so that they actually win something.
Under the last bloke, final league positions were apparently all. Which is to say there wasn’t anything else. Without opening that can of worms yet again, rather looking to the future it is vital that Spurs attack on two concerted fronts. A domestic trophy and a Champions League spot. The winning of a pot won’t indemnify us from players holding us to ransom but it would prove a positive distraction.
Next season we face a the Europa which is frankly hard work. What is it, an additional eighteen games or something if you go all the way? That’s adding another half season onto your season. So I hope that we have a strategy in place. Football has changed forever since the inception of the Champions League and there’s nothing anyone can do about that.
Trudging away and pointing out that we finished 5th so hurrah! simply doesn’t cut the mustard anymore. Old school fans will emerge from the woodwork and tell me I’m wrong. Old school fans will tell me that slow and steady wins the race. Once upon a time yes. But these days you need to be proactive just to keep up.
I don’t want to hear about players being tired and I don’t want to hear about the coach not getting on with certain personnel. I want the squad used to its broadest extent. We have an exceptional squad of players and they need to work harder. Tough love is what’s needed at the Lane. We can’t afford to have nearly men hanging about anymore. How long has Huddlestone been threatening to set the world on fire? When will we get an entire season out of Lennon?
There are rumours galore of investment in Tottenham is on the cards. Let’s hope that Levy & Co. take advantage of this ‘new dawn’ to make sure we don’t go down the same road as the Scientologists of soccer …the Arsenal.
Amazing this infighting lark.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/18722962
Why are they keeping him at arms length?
Old school Arse board v. New Money.
He could clear their debt and cause us more pain.
A coincidence that this should come out today. Uzmanov will get the misguided fans on his side soon. Especially if they finish lower than fourth. As they will.
Good post and nice to see that everyone is starting to look to the future. The Gylfi signing has been extraordinary in a lot of ways… Not because he’s the hottest talent on the block, far from it, simply because an intelligent, thoughtful player has picked Spurs for all the right reasons and to play with a coach that actually thinks about the game.
I don’t want to get into the counting chickens lark but it does bode well for the future and give a bit of weight to Levy’s reasons for shipping out HR.
I think he has us on the right lines as well regarding the stadium. Don’t do anything until it’s right and until we can afford it, don’t build it too big and make sure you’re still capable of delivering a winning team in the process.
For reasons other than being a Spurs fan I really hope it works out. In the world of vulgar playboys buying success by parking the bus in front of genuinely talented players – it would be nice to see football win out for once.
Although I admit to having a smile on my face when I heard the RVP news, I must admit that his statement about disagreeing with the direction of the club left a slightly sour taste.
What right does he, as an employee, have to say that? Whilst his concern is about the XI on the pitch in the next game, the board and manager have to think longer term, otherwise you end up with another Leeds.
Anyway, back to us!
Don’t like this term of ‘squad’ player. If you are a professional, over the age of about 21, you should be a first team player. If you’re not good enough for that, then shouldn’t be at our club.
We need a squad of players all fighing for, and capable of, a place in the XI. These need to be suplimented by the youth who are coached early on in the same style and vision as the main squad and given experience in the early rounds of the Capital One, Europa and FA Cup (depending on oposition of course) as well as being on the bench for some league games (against the likes of Wigan, West Ham etc).
+1 to that (and Mattspurs below)
Great article Harry… Let’s buy RVP lol
It would be nice. I remember the sick feeling seeing Jimmy Greaves in West Ham colours in August 1970 at The Lane (and scoring a goal against us). God, Van Persie, that would drive The Goons mad wouldn’t it!
Hahahahaha Scientology and the Gooners. Brilliant! Brilliant! Brilliant!