Posted on Monday, 3rd September 2012 by Harry Hotspur
This season has got off to an inauspicious start alright, it’s left me depressed by the fact that nearly a third of my readership think booing is somehow okay. Wow. So a sizeable chunk of you are even more self absorbed and fundamentally stupid than I am.
The aftermath of the transfer window has echoed the unprecedentedly stupid but low animal cunning that filled it when open. How many of the 35,000+ who devoured every word of the obviously hoax Twitter account Agent_ITK are now lapping up the conspiracy theory that the Moutinho deal was …what might one call the allegation? A publicity stunt? Jesus wept. Yeah and Prince Phillip working in conjunction with Mossad and David Lee Roth killed Princess Diana.
Rafa being flogged off hasn’t gone down well with the brain surgeons either. Yes his class and desire will be missed. Of course they will. But in an era dominated by extraordinarily aggressive player power it’s laughable to suggest Levy & Co. simply ‘cashed him in.’ Van Der Vaart papered over the cracks after Modric jumped ship but he was not the solution. The harpies wanting to believe otherwise don’t understand football let alone what Villas-Boas is up to here.
Next up is the one time great hope now born again precious oaf Huddlestone. I was a fan. I saw him as physically adept modern day Hoddle. He could have been mustard. But he gave up trying some time back. So I joined in and gave up too.
There are a number of things that grate with me about him. He’s been on the THFC payroll since 2005 and aside from a few ‘flash in the pan’ moments – from which he’s dined out on in a manner that puts the Nazarene’s loaves and fishes stunt to shame …we’ve had nothing but threats. The Metro are running with the most laughable cobblers that he might leave on loan to pursue the beautiful game in Russia or Turkey.
Please. This guy identical to both Jenas and Bentley. All of them clinging by their avaricious fingertips to contracts that reflect threats of usefulness that were never ever fulfilled. What’s even more galling is that the guy wants to raise £75k for Cancer Research. He could drop them £75k without even feeling it. But no, we get a ‘sponsored haircut’. I guess his sponsored eyelash tint idea just didn’t make the cut.
Next up is the blocked public toilet in human form that is Emil Danchev. This schmuck is apparently peddling the tale that Spurs were in for his client Dimitar someone or another. More rubbish. The true to type behaviour of these two out and out rotters in relation to the poor bar stewards at Fiorentina tells you all you need to know.
Harry Hotspur is also available for children’s parties.
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Posted in Blogs, Premiership, Tottenham Hotspur | Comments (391)
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:16 pm
We have 18 points from last 16 games…. Where were the boo boys then? Oh I am sorry. Think about it game by game much?
Huddlestone…. Like an impotent Challenger tank. It’s never the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of fight in the dog. Championship material.
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Sonofajudge Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:04 am
When’s everyone gonna realise that levy doesn’t give a fck about the fans or the football side of the club it’s all about profit to him, we don’t have to be inCL for him to make profits , work it out ins and outs this year = profit for levy, need a new striker yeah , Dempsey 6 mil
Sack levy not avb
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BrisbaneLillyWhite Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:58 am
Want to suggest a replacement? Its all very well to say something needs fixing but its pointless without a suggested solution. I think Levy is doing a great job but if he were to go (and I assume Joe Lewis with him), I don’t know of any suitable replacement. Especially, not a spend happy Spurs loving billionaire that so many seem to think is out there.
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Sonofajudge Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:31 am
Maybe not but it seems every time We look like doing something good levy fcks it up
Harry was the best manager we’ve had since TV , levy sacks him and starts again, now I may be wrong and in two or three seasons we might be unstoppable but levy won’t let it go that far and correct me if I am wrong but for 3/4 of last year we were pretty good
Jelly Smiff Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:23 am
To BrisbaneLillyWhite Ever heard of Keith Burkinshaw?
Jelly Smiff Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:26 am
To Sonofajudge Ever heard of Keith Burkinshaw?
(Sorry BrisbaneLillyWhite,didn’t mean you.)
DaveYid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:39 pm
And when will the Levy haters wake up and realise that the only person who can sack Levy and Lewis – as simplistic as I can put this – is LEVY and LEWIS. Not that I want them gone as I think they have done a great job keeping this club financially afloat. You can talk about their profit-hungry methods as much as you like but remember that it isn’t all going into their pockets. There IS a new stadium on the way and Id rather actually have a club to support than reminisce about having one which then folded due to overspending!!
Vic Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:15 am
Profit for Levy? What do you think, he tucks away a few million in his back pocket after every deal? Tottenham Hotspur is a company! The profits go into the company to buy players, pay their wages and to build an effing great big stadium for dicks like you to boo in.
Sack Levy? Have you never been to work? Levy is the boss – you can’t sack him.
Go and support City or Chelsea.
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Bog Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:08 am
Agreed
Dannyspurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:34 am
Vic – when your right, your right.
As I understand it (a post a few months back), we make around £125m each year (gate receipts, premiership money, sponsorship etc).
We spend around £67m on wages and £33m on running costs.
That leaves 25m which could be used on transfers.
A £10m player, on a 3 year deal at 50k p/w is an total outlay of £17.8m. Thats most of the £25m gone on one player.
Without Levy, I’m not sure where we would be. It is annoying buying players so late and the long winded transfer negotiations but its in the clubs interests.
In Levy I trust.
Sonofajudge Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 8:01 am
It’s a lOng way for me to come just to boo. We’ve needed a striker for years and what do We get cheap stop gaps or shite and fortunately I’ve been a fan for 40 years so a bit hard to support Chelsea, I still remember when we were better than them and jelly smiff I actually do remember burkinshaw cause he was in charge when I first used to go( and I was actually referring to venables)
Habib Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:18 pm
“For you to boo in” Hahahahaha Classic!
essexian76 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:06 pm
Engage brain and work this out for yourself-who would replace Levy, now think before you answer?
Who would replace ENIC?, again have a god think about it?
Who want’s to replace Levy and ENIC?..now digest and answer
essexian76 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:08 pm
Please excuse the Freudian slip-of course, I meant ‘good’, not god
Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 8:55 pm
Habib, a very good stat, one which made a gloating chelski fan, who was ribbing me about AVB, quickly back track. We have not been at the races for a while. I really think Parker will make a huge difference when back.
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Habib Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 7:24 am
He is our Emperor. Here’s another stat:
Since Levy restructured the club in 2004 via share issue and restructuring, we have finished in an average position of 6th and qualified for Europe for 7 out of the last 8 seasons.
In the 9 Prem seasons before Levy/ENIC (1992-2001) we finished in an average position of 11th and qualified for Europe just once, never through the league.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:24 pm
It’s all going to click soon…. And the minority will be eating humble pie – were to good to go down the pan. Onwards and upwards I’d say Harry!
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carl Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:36 pm
Couldn’t agree more. A little more time
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:13 am
I see it clicking soon too…I just worry it’s not the minority eating pie, everyone’s got their knickers in a twist about the transfer hype and want to blame Levy/AVB/Doris the tea lady/the grassy knoll.
I always knew a little bit of success would bring out higher expectation but 2 good seasons in recent history and all of sudden everyone thinks we’re the biggest, richest and most successful club in Europe with unlimited resources and player-pull.
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essexian76 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:09 pm
Doris the tea-lady’s got to go-the haggered old crone…..mind, Rooney thinks she’s quite fit though?
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:31 am
Doris makes a lovely cuppa splosh tho…and isn’t that bad for her age…hubba hubba…
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:28 pm
Im running a book on how many games before you jack in the AVB is god line and realise you support spurs.. again. (8)
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:30 pm
You’re always running.
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Correction Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:33 pm
You’re
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Hartley Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:40 pm
Vic Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:21 am
Dear Ms Swollocks
I guess that as every game goes by you’re desperate for AVB and Spurs to fail just so your bitter, twisted and unjustified opinion is proved right.
Why don’t you open that mind and get behind the bloke and give him a chance?
It’s called supporting your team.
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Liamyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:30 am
HH has made his bed, he was so into getting HR out he has to stick by AVB no matter what.
I genuinely feel we have to stick by him, but if we have another 3 result like that one it’ll be the beginning of the end already. The sad thing is, it was so obvious. Levy had to back, and back him early in the transfer market. The way he did things left AVB with an unsettled squad when he more than anyone needed a decent start. You can’t just ignore what happened at CFC. The media will be in full swing in a months time if the results dont change, the fans and players will lose confidene and I honestly believe by Xmas we will have a new manager. Thats my opinion, but I’m praying I’m wrong. COYS BACKAVB
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Joe Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:56 pm
Surely, at least the way I see it hes has the the same 10 games HR f’d up at least before you can start hammering him. I’s true what the man up top says Levy has kept us a float, we do punch above our financial weight and play better football than most. Look at Newcastle, their strikers are out of ideas and only Ben arfa is as good as last season. I think by xmas we will be playing awesome.
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jerkinmahjurgen Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:33 pm
I admit Harry had to go but this AVB geezer is fkn useless. He can stare, for sure. He reminds me of a Camillo dragon I saw at a zoo once. It’s like a little croc, but was so still I didn’t know if it was real or a model. I was even contempating touching it’s head, lol. Glad I didn’t… AVB is sadly, nowhere near as dangerous. We’re fucked. I guess Levy has to shoulder this one a bit. Harry, for all his faults, had us on the up. I’d love AVB to carry that on but I don’t see it. And some comment that negative fans can’t see what he’s doing? Think I can. Just don’t rate it. A squad that challenged twice before [admittedly] capitulating [manager error, not squad], yet how many has he shunned already? He’s even more particular than Redknapp, and that takes some doing. He’s a baby, has never played, and is just posh enough to go on a course. I’m thinking you’re probably a bit posh yourself, Harry? lol. What? Anyway, despite talking a good game, his system is rubbish, his selection is worse, and the flatness around WHL is there for all to see. He won’t pull us out of this already.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Hi guys. I’m a fan from far east.
I just wondering about the nickname.(HH, sorry for another subject…)
I thought our fan nickname is ‘spurs’ & ‘yiddo’.
But my friend insists Spurs is just the team’s nickname, not for the fans.
I wonder. What’s the true?
I’m a Asian, so i like spurs more than yiddo.
(Spurs is more friendly)
So explain please!!
The fan’s nickname, spurs? Yiddo? or both?
Sleep tight. and thx.
COYS
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Lillywhite_all Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Spurs – nickname of the Club
Yid, yiddo, yids – you, me and the rest of us.
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Ten Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:15 pm
I just had a image in my head of Vinny Jones saying that. Lol
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Swampspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:10 am
Ignore the above advice HeartofBale. You can absolutely consider yourself a ‘spur’. I dislike this ‘yid’ nonsense and so does the club itself. Horrid term.
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MysteriousStranger Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:52 am
Yep, agree with Swampspur. Spur/Spurs fan is fine.
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Chirpy Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:42 am
I agree wholeheartedly with Swampspur and MS.
‘Yids’ was coined by opposing club’s supporters and intended as an insult, which some Spurs’ fans subsequently adopted in an attempt to nullify. The club don’t like it and neither do large numbers of our support.
I am a Spurs fan.
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Joe Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
wow as a mixed race guy it was great to adopt a heritage that had all the glory of the underdog and none of the crap.
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:29 pm
Harry,
Couldn’t agree more on the subject of the cancer that Cheslski turned into an art form – otherwise known as booing. The dip shits that do it should fuck off out of the ground and do it to a pub big screen or even upset the neighbours and do it in their scum pits they call home.
Bit harsh on Thudd. I think he’s played some great stuff but the full potential hasn’t been allowed to shine – maybe its confidence, maybe he is what you say… Hmmmmmmm.
Berbatov – no your just looking for cheap laughs!
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kennyid Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:34 pm
Been something of a Hudd fan but cannot see him in the high line, fast moving AVB set up. Regarding his performances he’s had a massive set of injury problems from which, given the notion of match fitness, he has not yet fully recovered from. And the sending off was harsh, to say the very least.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:31 pm
I posted this on the last blog but as there is a new one here and no one will have read my incredible and enlightening opinion I have copied and pasted it here for your delectation:
Just a little thought. COYS. It stands for come on you Spurs. If we are winning 4-0 what’s the point of singing come on you Spurs? It’s a song of encouragement, there to lift the players and help them win. It’s what should have been sung at half time, not boos. I don’t know any “booers” and never seen any, even my Dad who’s a lifelong Spurs fan and therefore an eternal pessimist would never consider booing. I think it’s abhorrent. Hmm, little thought grew a little bit more, but you get the point. Back under my rock I crawl.
I thought I should add that I have only been to the Lane a few times, once in a shocking loss to the Barcodes, never heard a boo then.
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jerkinmahjurgen Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:38 pm
It’s canned.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:32 pm
late transfer activity is once again the blame for our bad start. the modric saga cost us last season and this season. We need to get the players to gel quickly however as we cannot afford to lose too much ground on arsenal and chelsea if we hope to achieve 3rd or 4th place. for the record I think we ll progress under avb but in the medium term short term we need a few wins and soon!
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jerkinmahjurgen Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Modric did not cost us last season. Redknapps England tiff cost us.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:34 pm
Give Thudd a chance. He’s a little unfit…un prepared at the mo but he will be class again.
As for the boo boys on avb’s back.. leave him alone and give him a chance. Remember last season, we were a shambles until scotty boy sure-ed us up.
Maybe we should buy early, we didn’t, so tough, we got to get on with it. we will come good. i would have loved to seen how good moutinho was in the prem but it didn’t happen.
We all love spurs, through thick and thin.
We will do well this season but bare in mind how many of these purchases are avb’s choices???
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mynameissiggy Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 8:19 am
“a little unfit?”
Unfortunately that has been the story of his life at spurs. there is no debating, he has buckets of talent, Jol likened him to Der Kaiser, but unfortunately due to fitness levels,injury and general physiognomy, he has been more like “Der Keister”
There is no other player at spurs I would rather see play at full tilt than TH, but I don’t think it will happen.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:35 pm
True spurs have been shit since harry thougth he had been hired england coach and bale started to belive he was messi 2.0. AVB took over a pile of shit and we need to beam us back to planet earth and realise that he needs time and that this squad is full of jenases and rubish. Just miss one player from those mini players who have left and that is Kranjcar…
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carl Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:38 pm
True. I ain’t seen anybody go who wasn’t on sale anyway. The only difference is now we have actually shifted the chaff
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Billysboots Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:25 am
Is this serious, Krankjar? The player who seemed to be running in treacle while wearing divers boots! I am unsure about booing how do you express your displeasure as a fan, I have never booed ( maybe once at JJ or that might of been just fck off you cnut I can’t remember) its certainly far to early for fans to turn on AVB, and am wondering if the boos are directed above him. I think it’s siege mentality time against the press media and arsehole pundits!!!
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Booing is moronic. It can only have a bad effect on the team/manager – so if you are a fan, why do it? [solution is, of course, that many are not supporters, but consumers. Paid the fee, I'll do what I want]
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:41 pm
Forget football there is not a business in the world that when you change the management takes time to adjust.
Harry was at Spurs for 4 years and what did we win? Nothing! That includes one Carling Cup final and two F.A. Cup Semi-Finals.
Worse still, we were comfortably third and coasting and ending up with nothing and people want him back?
Can I remind you the last signings Harry made was Saha and Neilsen and yet Dembele and Dempsey are somehow not that good when every other fan is complaining that they never got them.
As for those idiots booing! I’m not even going to give them the credit of even caring why they think they had the right.
Patience is a virtue and it will come good but these things take time and booing just makes it longer.
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oxfordyid Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:14 pm
so getting the team into the champions league places dont count in your book , they were part of his remit to resnapps he did it two out of three times only the coming of man city and the lack of backing by levy [ selling pav and keane ] and replacing with frees as there was no choice levy wouldnt spend and a lucky fluke from chelski stopped it this year . i have no problem with either dempsey or dembele both are top players but the need was for a replacement for modric which he didnt do and until that happens we will go backwards even the players have lost what little faith they had so people booing wont change anything for them but it might make levy realise that people dont agree with his blatant screwing up of this club
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Hartley Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:43 pm
He only got CL once…..and when you come back and say CL places I will reply, he only got CL once……..
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oxfordyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:18 am
his remit was top four he did it twice and the football played at times was brilliant , before man city the only other one was everton who did it and we hadnt been close before , so great yu can count but yu wont see any cl qualifications any time soon .carefull what yu wish for
CptCaveman Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:48 pm
Funny isn’t it…when the players turn out to be shit…Harry Signed em…when its a VDV or someone…Levy signed em!! Could never get my head around that…
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Hartley Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:00 am
He’s gone……..
topspurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:12 am
Top 4 twice
champions league 1/4 final
I’ll be “dead” long before this prick in charge
gets anywhere close to this !
bring back the Style, swagger, class
The Harry haters “love” mediocrity!
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Hartley Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:27 am
You’ve just proved the opposite…….
topspurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:53 am
Champions league places twice!
we now have a manager whom having spent the last two weeks trying to offload Dawson suddenly want’s to bring him back in the fold again.
Lucky he is still at the club then!
Tells chairman to sign £12 million goalkeeper
just a day later informs both he & everyone else that he will not be the first choice.
That’s what i call forward thinking !!!
Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
Top, ‘Arry worked his way out of a job when he abandoned us for his dream job. We stuck by him through heart operations and court cases in the same year that he decided Spurs were not his home anymore. Don’t draw a couple of games and pretend that none of that shit happened. We lost to Norwich at home, fucked up at Villa and threw away a 2 goal lead against the scum under his mighty stewardship…that was not the bogeyman, Levy’s transfer policy or the future ‘evils’ of a Portu-geezer waiting in the wings. That was all Arry’s doing right when we needed his magic touch.
No one is blowing smoke up AVBs arse – we’ve seen a loss and good performance following by 2 draws and shit performances.
But don’t go denying what Arry did to us at the end of season, for me, it undid all his fantastic 8-4-5-4 finishes.
Vic Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:29 am
If there was a replacement for Modric, Real Madrid would have bought him instead. There is no replacement for Modric so we have to buy an alternative. That means a different type of player who can offer different things.
AVB was brought in to do things differently from Rednapp so we’ve got to accept that this will face fresh challenges that will take a little time.
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Topspurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:59 pm
As I recall it was Harry who spent some 18 months
desperately attempting to get Levy & his board to sanction the signing of Scott.
Not only were they against his signing but the
vast majority of fans/
He was right You lot & the board were all wrong!
Y
Alex Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:40 pm
add in Vertongen and sigurdsson and youre laughing…
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:42 pm
Agree on hudd. He isn’t up to standard at all. Harsh? True I’m afraid. Too immobile. No physical presence despite considerable siZe. Looked disinterested on Saturday.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:43 pm
What I am concerned about is the fact we needed ‘evolution’ not ‘revolution’. Finishing 4th never required a sledgehammer approach. It should have been dealt with over a season (three transfer windows) still playing 4-4-2 / 4-5-1 and grdually introduced the new system and personnel.
We ARE a weaker squad than last year. We haven’t replaced Modric (although that was never going to be easy).
To all the AVB / Revolution seekers – WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL HAPPEN AT THE END OF THIS SEASON WHEN WE DON’T FINISH FORTH? How many of our better players will jump ship (2,4,6?) ??? Welcome back to the 90′s. If Levy wanted this to work, given the critical nature of the situation, how on earth could he not sign the players we need in time to show some cohesion on the pitch.
I could live with the first two results (they hurt, but I can accept based on performance), but Norwich?? ALL of our players (that’s ALL 11 players) would get in the Norwich team, in fact walk in it. How on earth could we not dominate the game with a tactical genius leading the charge?? That to me is more worrying than the fact we have a new system, new manager, signing and the occasional boo….. When you get a new manager how many teams turn around (at least in the short term?) and get some results with drive, fight and attitude? Where is ours so early on?
COYS!
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oxfordyid Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:15 pm
spot on
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CptCaveman Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Double spot on!! Always thought the same.
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Hartley Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:04 am
You all know we lost at home to Norwich last season don’t you?
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:18 am
Yes, but we beat West Brom and got a point at Newcastle. I’m no fan of Saggy Bollocks but any fan of AVB should avoid bouts of ‘results bingo’ until he is actually in the lead
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Hartley Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:25 am
Played 3 lost 1….goals for 2, goals against 3: AVB
Played 3 lost 2….goals for 3, goals against 8: Sloppychops
Bloody LLL, you cant keep sitting on the fence after every AVB slag off…..
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:36 am
?!?!?!?
Points on table after 3 games
SCROTE 3
BOASH 2
Points in same fixtures
SCROTE 4
BOASH 2
Points prediction for BOASH from Utd away / City at home on current form? ? ?
I find it pretty pointless to slag off SCROTE cos he’s long gone and a distant memory. Don’t let me stop you though.
As for AVB, I am on the fence. I’m sitting on the fence watching shit team selections, tactics and football and keenly waiting for that to change.
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:42 am
To be fair our performance April 2012 (?) was much better and we actually dominated early in each half and several other spells. Norwich scored at least one wonder goal (as i very vaguley remember?).
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:51 am
Re LLL: “”"As for AVB, I am on the fence. I’m sitting on the fence watching shit team selections, tactics and football and keenly waiting for that to change.”"”
That really has to be post of the season so far….
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:11 am
All this ‘new manager’ ‘new ideas’ ‘bedding in’ so so much waffle that’s being spun out by people who nailed their nuts to the AVB mast and are afraid of getting egg on their face if it goes shit-shaped.
Truth of the matter is that nobody knows if he will sort us out and we will have a good season, it is too early to tell. But whichever way you look at it, if that was ‘new ideas’ on show against Norwich we will be relegated before April. We don’t have much time for bedding in, we need results to start sooner than later and the best way to do that would be for AVB to name a team selection and formation actually fit to the task of beating the other team. Thus far he’s pretty much not done that three times in a row. Yes, there were some mitigating factors, namely Levy’s usual nonsense in the transfer market, but that’s over now and the bedding in period has to begin now and bear fruit against Reading, another inferior team that we should have no excuse NOT beating on the day.
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Alex Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:49 pm
I do not think we are weaker by a long margin.
Vertongen, Dembele, Dempsey and Sigurdsson all players that will feature in A squad.
We have lost 3 A squad players in Modric, VDV, King.
From a balanced team perspective we are much better off than last season and also having secured Adebayor full time on books will help his morale and team commitment.
No it is complete crap to say we are worse off….
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:24 pm
More balanced? I must have missed that ?? We were balanced when we were 4-4-2 OR 4-5-1 (when Bale managed to stay on the left wing) – FAR MORE.. Don’t know what game you were watching over the weekend (we were the team in white).
Course we are worse off. I think even the hardened AVB fans would agree with me there. In fact, have a read through these 200 or so posts and count how many agree with you.. As for Ade, yes always helped his moral in the past being on a long term deal…
Dempsey v’s VDV (Fulham for 5 years says it all)
Ade – had anyway (playing for a contract last season!)
Sigurdsson (jury out, now playing at a bigger club)- hardly lit things up in his first 3 games!
Dembele V’s Modric (I must have missed it when Real offered 30m for him?)
Vert v’s King (a fit King no comparison) / respect withing the dressing room, no comparison. Unfit King v’s Vert – Vert will be a good addition (although still unproven!)
As for “I do not think we are weaker by a long margin” – again Im missing the smiley face with a p*nis on it so, so here you go:
[Reply]
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:45 pm
‘I am playing the right notes just not in the right order’ That is Thudd.
He is unfuriating..he will not earn from his mistakes. FFS doesnt he know how fucking lucky he is. At a time when we need THFC money to work to the max he is hanging from a thread.
Id love him to do well but if he cant respond to the appropriate training let him go.
Yes I know he has been injured.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:48 pm
Van der vaart was great when he arrived and his first season especially but not sure he would have settled for a squad role and he just could not do it over 90 mins so would not warrant a starting role in a high tempo pressing team. Huddlestone is a strange one – so much ability and seemingly so little desire to push on. He has never truly claimed the central mid role as his own even in the 09/10 season.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:49 pm
Is there chance Thud was being sent on loan for 6 months to get fitness back? Not convinced we were ready to sell him and he wasn’t going to get the game time to get sharp at spurs…
The Moutinho deal hurts, but we need to give the new midfield time to gel. Adebayor should be ready to start after the break as well…
Last season tailed off so the issues extend past the players we’ve sold and current management. We have to give AVB time.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:51 pm
ahhh looks like Moutinho could be off to Zenit St Petersberg by Thursday.
Jesus……..TittyF*cking………Christ
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Hartley Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Have you ever seen him play? He ain’t no Modric and even if he was would he fit in the PL? It didn’t happen, move on……
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:42 am
You’re right, besides which, we have Livermore.
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essexian76 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 3:44 pm
That’s the point I feel is most relevant in recent discussions about AVB and DL. It seemed most people were pleased with all of our acquisitions until the last minute failure to land Moutinho? It appears that it was Porto not Levy who sabotaged the deal, perhaps hoping for Petrodollars from Russia. But the thing that concerns me about the player, is why Real went for Modric, when Moutinho was a cheaper and easier option?
[Reply]
September 3rd, 2012 at 10:55 pm
Just a thought – it was only a couple of weeks ago that AVB tried to ship out both Hudd and Dawson. Clearly they are not in his long term plans. Now it seems that both might be needed short-term but they are hardly likely to be motivated by being told that Stoke is where you may belong.
[Reply]
essexian76 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 3:49 pm
Disagree wholeheatedly. Dawson and Huddlestone were given the true facts of the matter, and for one reason or another didn’t move on. They knew their current form wasn’t good enough to be considered automatic choices, and if they have anything about them will use any opportunity to play better. By selecting Huddlestone, AVB opened the door, unlike Rodgers with Carroll for example. It’s a normal happening in football all over the world-new guy comes in-old guard move out-new favourites replace yesterdays hero’s
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:55 pm
i agree with you about huddlestone he looked well overweight on saturday and could do with losing a good stone or more otherwise his career could well be done and dusted the same goes for jenas no effort or passion any more bently just stinks the place up he just took the money and ran as to the ongoing booing or non booing many people in the second half of last season slagged of redsnapps in many ways and carried this on till they got him out if levy had bought the players he asked for in the jan transfer window we may of got third and then maybe things would have been even better last season levy screwed us then and is doing so again and its our money hes screwing us with avb is a joke and will fail whatever as he is to arrogant to see his own failings but the issue is with levy to sell our most creative player and then waste all your time signing a goalkeeper and not a replacement is dissgracefull dembele is more of a vdv type player and we didnt need the goalie untill next year so showing we are not happy is ok by me cus levy is treating us all with utter contempt . and the question should be what if the booers are right and we are screwed by christmas , but football is a game of opinions i dont agree with yours and you dont agree with mine , i will still go as i have for over 40 years just wont be half as enjoyable as it has been for the last few years
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MalSpur Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:12 pm
and breathe …
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Ricardo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:50 am
Well said that man!
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:56 pm
Got to say i do believe that it was a publicity stunt/cover up, a smoke screen giving reason to get 10m for vdv & get off lightly after the rat incident, thus creating an illusion of being in the mix for some sort of replacement.dembele will prove his worth, dempsey maybe but got to say joe allen would have been a like for like for a lot less that the mout
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:59 am
What’s your take on the Twin Towers? Global warming?
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September 3rd, 2012 at 10:56 pm
I.m a bit fed-up reading about this booing situation. It happened and I’m sure the players didn’t take it home with them. However I’m in the ‘no confidence in AVB half’. His judgement in team selection and substitutions so far are bordering on HH’s stupidity. His system will simply not work with this team and without his little Porto midfielder who made it work in Portugal. David Moyes wanted the job but Levy knew better. AVB = Ramos the 2nd.
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:02 pm
I fear your right…
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skankehmonkeh Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:21 am
…is opposite to your left.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:14 pm
So Cookie. Do you sit in the stand waiting to be proved right or do you shout yourself hoarse from the opening whistle regardless? Sadly, there are too many of the former in the ground right now rather than the latter (I’m not saying you’re the former by the way, it’s a rhetorical question).
No wonder the players are nervous. The only way to sum up the atmosphere would be to imagine a snooker final where every time a player lined up a shot, the whole crowd sucked air through their teeth like a mechanic looking at a dodgy crankshaft.
The whole Harry roadshow has meant that nothing less than a 100% record at this point of the season would give AVB even a stay of execution in the minds of some fans and they seem desperate (and that’s not too strong a word from the ones I heard) for AVB and the club to fail…. Just so that they can be right.
I find that really weird.
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:07 am
You are spot on Astro. Our young squad badly need a win and I fear our best chance of getting one is away, when the support is more positive than at home.
To be fair, HR had his own haters (who always hated him from the off) but he won the vast majority of fans over with results. Trouble is, all he had to do was spout the 2 from 8 drivel and he could hardly go wrong.
Maybe AVB should start his own “6 from 9″ catchphrase to describe HR’s managerial brilliance during Feb-Apr, last season…
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:20 pm
Maybe AVB should start his own “6 from 9? catchphrase to describe HR’s managerial brilliance during Feb-Apr, last season…
Yeah, perhaps. He had better improve on “2 from 3″ though as otherwise I can’t really see that working for him.
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:01 pm
Completely beside the point of the post …
But i did laugh that Berba has left ManU for a club that’s (arguably!!) worse than Spurs, because he was getting game time LMAO
GRASS > GREENER!
Then he had the cheek to moan about the way he was treated hahahahahahahaha
POT > KETTLE!
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Was a nice touch also that “he was really looking forward to playing with Dembele”….
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:02 pm
On the thudd i would like to say that with a team based around him he would take the league by the scruff and shake it good.hes better than carrick was & in a quarterback roll with parker & sandro doing the graft he would clean up. But this is why we love the game so much, no black or white, no right or wrong just opinion
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:02 pm
sorry … *wasn’t getting game time
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Sadly the mutual distrust that seemed to exist between Harry & Levy has left AVB with one hell of a hill to climb.
As the sticky tape began to wilt on Ledders Knees, the elastic on Rafa’s hamstrings finally snapped, Balers lumbago kicked in and Azza (The blamehound of the Bernabau) blew more gaskets than an old GPO van. This just left the 80-year old Nelsen and Saha to try and stumble us over the line.
So, it is revolution rather than evolution unfortunately and there’s no way that’s going to be anything other than a very nasty long-winded process.
AVB has a lot of work on his plate trying to fashion some very good pieces into a workable whole and that’s not going to happen overnight. Given the continued press/Harry love-in, it’s going to take every ounce of determination our new manager has to get this right.
To me, this is exactly the time we need to be showing him our support – Not acting like a bunch of nervous teenagers that are frightened of looking silly to our mates from ‘posh’ west London. Why are we listening to them? Why are we letting them influence what we think about our club?
Regardless of if you like AVB, get behind the club. We did it when we were relegated, we did it when the man in the raincoat was there – We even did it when Christian bloody Gross was there.
To dare is to do it says on the stand. Not ‘We’ll dare as long as it won’t possibly embarrass me when I talk to my chelsea mate who was a united fan 5 years ago, or as long as Gary Lineker likes it’.
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Nicktheyid Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:10 pm
Here ere
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Hartley Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:26 pm
I agree…unfortunately, I think too many happy clappers are desperate for AVB to fail thinking that the club will go ‘cap in hand’ back to our former tightlipped messiah
and everything will be supercalafragilisticexpialidocious and we will continue to finish 4th, 5th, 4th, 5th and then give CL teams 4 goal starts only to go on and beat them until we don’t and lose by 5, and if we can then keep hold of him for the next 30 years we may just win 1 trophy………boooooo 
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:18 am
Each year, when a big management role comes up, we can offer him more money… or name a stand after him… And when we run out of stands we can re-name the ground after him, then the club. And when he is no more, we can close it all down and walk away sadly… For it just wouldn’t be the same without him. We;d be lost and lonely. *sob*
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KLSpurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:41 am
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:07 pm
Off topic slightly why is gylfi at spurs? Swansea have replaced him with another unknown michu who is popping up scoring goals! Not the player its the system think a white elephant has been purchased
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:02 am
Give him a bit of time,he’s class
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:10 am
He’s just a kid. He needs time: sticking him in and expecting him to fill VDV’s boots immediately was always asking a bit much… but, he’ll come good…
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essexian76 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 3:51 pm
‘Fill VDV’s shoes’ you know, I could’ve sworn he wore slippers?
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:29 am
The system he’s been dropped in doesn’t work – he’s the isolated ‘attacking’ or roaming midfielder being asked to link up play with half a pitch between him and the walking-out-from-defence Sandro/Livermore partnering.
He might find life a bit easier with Adey up top, a forward who comes to the ball, rather than Defoe who runs away from it.
But it’s not the players, it’s a shite system we are fielding. Could it work – of course. Is the ‘Spurs Way’ – not at all.
If you’re AVB and playing a defensive format that uses breakaways a lot, you best win every game, because we don’t appreciate watching it. 3 points is the only thing that will make it bearable. Play an overly defensive formation, lose or draw (by throwing the result away) and you might even get booed….oh…
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:23 pm
One final reflection for the evening. Anyone thinking wistfully of HR should check the re-run of MOTD where he talked about the great football we played with Crouchie up front.
Nuff said.
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oxfordyid Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:26 pm
better than what we are served up at the moment though
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Hartley Reply:
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:30 pm
Have you tried Burger King?
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:10 am
Dear god, has it come to clinging on to Crouchie as a misty-eyed dream of golden days?
Why stop there. Let’s call Rasiak and see if he fancies a walk out on the pitch at half time. We can all weep in our hankies at what might have been.
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oxfordyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:31 am
nope but it was still better than what we seen so far rake up sum other crap players and make sum smart comment it still wont change anything crouchie wasnt great but this is garbage much like yer comments cus i bet yu cheered well enough when we scored
Habib Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:49 pm
May I recommend a 4-3-3 with Postiga, Rasiak and Rebrov
JJ Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:33 am
Yeah, because we were great in every match under HR. Get a grip mate.
The fact is Dembele was signed the day before our last match, Ade isn’t up to match fitness yet as City didn’t let him train with the first team and we’re without Parker and Kaboul who would most likely be straight into the starting 11. The line up against Norwich was forced upon us.
People keep saying that we never replaced Modric. As someone mentioned above, if it was that easy then Real would have signed that player instead. Not having Modric, who was integral in most of our attacking football, has forced a complete change in how we play. Yet somehow we’re expected to have done that somehow. Not to mention the fact that AVB didn’t get a full preseason as players were at the Euros and Olympics and hasnt yet had the full squad available to him.
This naysaying crap is ridiculous. Take the posters of Harry off your wall and take a step into the real world.
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melcyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:05 am
Hi Astro as you had said kind words about my radio station before it is now available on cellphones and the whole website and service has been upgraded.
http://www.bahamassoulradio.com
Keb Darge has nothing on me.
We have over 50 countries listening right now.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:10 am
Awesome, will re-set controls for the heart of the web immediately.
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melcyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:32 am
If you have a request other than eff off I would be glad to play it for you.OR any other bellends if you are interested.
melcyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:48 am
bellend being in reference to LLLs view that lots of football fans are of that ilk.
Finn Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
I’m thinking of something off Ummagumma.
September 3rd, 2012 at 11:41 pm
I find it perplexing that people would boo right from the start of the season. OK, three results that could have been better, and some pretty awful defending, but give the guy a chance, seriously.
He’s trying to change the pattern of play, which takes time. He’s been briefed against by the Chelsea pensioners and the Redknapp-friendly press corps. He’s been dealt a very tough hand in terms of the atmosphere he has inherited. And he’s got a chairman who treats every deadline day like it’s The Deer Hunter. Here, for contrast, is what Liverpool’s owner had to say about their transfer window today: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/liverpool/9517100/Liverpool-owner-John-Henrys-open-letter-to-fans-in-full.html
VB has good material to work with. A pretty OK squad. Lots of dead wood shipped out, Modric sold for a respectable fee, and VDV allowed to move on for more than we paid for him. And we have brought in some excellent players – Vertonghen will find his pace soon enough, and once Adebayor and Dempsey get their fitness back, we’ll see the best of them too. Lloris is a fantastic signing, and a sign that the club is making strategic acquisitions, not just short-term fixes. Dembele looks not too shabby. We’d all have loved to get Moutinho in, but within the constraints that we’re not in the CL, and we don’t pay crazy wages, I’m amazed we even got close.
At least we still have Bale, if he ever wakes up to the fact that he just needs to knuckle down for a season or two and hug the wing. And Sandro, once he recovers from his Olympic exertions, will last a whole game and will go back to being the beast he is. Walker is another tremendous talent.
Playing staff aside, the tone around the club needed to change. Redknapp brought some self-respect and organisation back to the team, but the club always had an unprofessional air under Redknapp. I can’t help feeling that Daniel Levy just didn’t trust Redknapp to run things efficiently or soundly. Now we have a more outwardly professional set-up, with a less experienced coach, a long-term view. Doesn’t this deserve a chance?
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Harry Im not depressed by the booing.Its disconcerting,its disrespectful,its wrong. Im depressed by our results.
Im not resigned to the fact that we will continue not to play well.
But if I had to take the balance of the results vrs the booing….well there really isnt a question.
That doesnt mean I condone it or I even am not mad at it.But the anger is not in the same league. Im not mad at AVB or Levy even.I am just mad we havent done better.
The sound of the boos will dissipate soon enough or they wont and if it carries on for a long time I wont be mad at the booers as much as what they are booing at.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:14 am
So… no, I’m still confused.
Was that not a double negative or are you not happy about them not boing that the results and performance weren’t good and not of the calibre they wouldn’t be but for not getting booed… If they didn’t do better… or worse?
Is that right?
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:01 am
I am not as mad at the booing as the quality of football we have played,Astro.
That doesnt mean I condone the booing. Its diabolical.
But I have not bought AVB yet. I want to see us play better and see him pull the team together.
So for me the booing is more of a side issue.
I understand Levy’s situation and his thinking and accept it.
I accept AVB as a manager we have to support but I also want to see it happen.,
The results so far are dissapointing.
I do wish we would have bought another striker and feel Levy was wrong and didnt think it through or act quick enough. He is confident but sometimes over confident. When negotiating it helps to be independent but when you are too independent,too confident you can lose the plot.
I think he lost the plot with not getting in a striker.
Berba and Carroll were possibilities at the right price as players that would have helped and the down side would not be bad.
Moutinho I think is probably over priced.We need a creative force in midfield but not as much as a box player and one who can head the ball.
I dont agree with the boo boys. A win or two will change that and change the feeling about the team as well.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:47 pm
PS – I never bought the Spurs title bandwagon crap last season. We were never going to win the title – it was just the product of a bored media. Sure we were good on our day, but not that good.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:48 pm
cant wait for the season to start again in 2 weeks time when we will show them all what Spurs are made of and tear Reading a new one.
BIOYRC
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:53 pm
Think you’re wrong on VdV, H. Selling a 29 year old for £10.3m (having bought him for 8) was too good a deal for Levy to turn down. Resale opportunities running out. Big wages, no doubt. He absolutely ‘cashed him in’. It’s annoying – but I can see why he did it.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:23 am
It’s a decent amount of money for a guy with 60 minute timers in his hamstrings. I totally agree that he papered over a lot of cracks at WHL – Damn he even made Crouch look useful… But we have to learn how to be a complete team.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:54 pm
Been a while since i messaged on here.
I haven’t read anyone’s replies, too long, too boring, not enough time.
HH your right with your article.
i tbh always have backed huddlestone to shine, but it seems he doesnt have that drive and urgency that footballers need to make it big. Maybe he will come good, maybe not, but heres to hoping…
In regards to AVB and the boo boys, give the gaffer time and support. the teams transitioning and we needed it. AVB will come good once he gels the team and moulds them to his way of playing, they probably havn’t been worked this hard before.
How can fans boo the team off within 3 games of the season?? its only going to make things harder for the players. i’m probably echoing the sentements of all the sane spurs supporters on here but give the team and avb a chance. wait for a year i reckon, not only six months. yeah ppl are gonna hang my neck for saying it but if we want to grow in the long term we need a manager for the long term. think of alex fergusen. he was going to get sacked after his first year at man utd. they gave him another chance, and everyone knows how well thats turned out.
Lastly, hopefully levy goes out and agrees a deal for moutinho from now, because with him in the team i rekon AVBs plans will become more of a reality..
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:13 am
Unfortunately, Porto selling Hulk to Zenit for 50million has probably put pay to any further sales out of that club for a while… can’t see Moutinho coming, any time soon
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:55 pm
It was 2-0 to us..there relax.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Cannot wait to see Ade and Demps out in tandem. Possibly the best upfront in the league.
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September 3rd, 2012 at 11:58 pm
This season has got off to an inauspicious start alright, it’s left me depressed by the fact that nearly a third of my readership think booing is somehow okay.
The depressing part for me has been the terrible football we’ve played thus far. The dullest part by far however has been this lifeless debate which you won’t simply won’t put down.
As for the Moutinho deal, well the simple truth is neither you nor me nor anyone else know the truth. So to castigate one set of people for buying into one story while you are secure with the other is a tad hypocritical, not to mention arrogant. Levy clearly has form for spreading PR about nearly-signings. On the other hand, I don’t know if it’s actually worse to believe that this deal – always was going to be our most crucial signing – simply fell apart due to last-minute brinkmanship / ineptitude. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean, heavily complex third party ownership issues which became apparent only at about 10pm on deadline day.
Have no problem with Rafa being sold, I agreed in principle and think that Dembele is a good signing, but I don’t think many people saw Rafa as the solution to our Modric hole anyway. In fact nobody really saw it that way ever I don’t think. The Modric hole is still anyway there because a replacement wasn’t signed, regardless of Rafa leaving or not.
Thud – I don’t really understand what he has done to offend you other than the fact that you seem to require hate figures in the squad to fill your blog, and you seem very keen to neatly follow and endorse AVB’s every whim to the fullest. You say a while back he stopped trying. This is just nonsense – a while ago he played in the CM which qualified us for the CL and since then he has mostly been injured. If you have some legitimate criticism, make it by all means but you are making up history and resorting to mocking his haircut and charity appeal to fill in the space.
I also have no idea why you would find it so outrageous that the club might put in a bid for Berbatov. No idea whatsoever. After all we have failed to replace the man himself in around 8 (can’t be bothered to count) successive transfer windows so perhaps it finally didn’t appear such a wild idea when Levy saw the skulking Bulgarian himself loitering on the ‘Reduced for quick sale – still fresh(ish)’ shelf.
Overall, quite an annoying blog today imo, hence my moan-a-thon!
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Delovely Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:01 am
Agree with most – but HH has never been objective.
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September 4th, 2012 at 12:02 am
Saw an interview with Pardew in which he said that the Newcastle performance was strange. He felt the crowd just expected them to rollover Villa. He said the atmosphere seemed to affect his players.
I wanted Redknapp out. But wasn’t best pleased with AVB’s appointment. Don’t think it’s as simple as the HR happy clappers versus the AVB happy clappers as some on here allude to. I’m sure their are planty on here like me who want AVB to succeed but have seen nothing so far to support he will.
It’s funny the comparisons and comments on here ref Liverpool. Hodgeson wasn’t given a chance by the supporters there and we know how that turned out. I hope AVB is given a chance to succeed or fail. Anything less and it really should be Levy who is held accountable.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:14 am
100%, I wanted Redknapp out, I couldn’t see any sense or reason at all in appointing AVB but wanted him to convince me otherwise as soon as he was regardless. Still waiting for a sign, to be honest. I’m only moaning on the internet and should I get to a match soon I obviously won’t boo and would be very annoyed with those that do. That’s really a side issue, and an irrelevance, lots of football fans are bellends, what else is new?
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minionas Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:51 am
I wanted him to stay. But the strange thing is, although results haven’t been on our side and the last game was poor…I see more of a direction of what to expect later this season. I think all us HR supporters will eventually be proved wrong in the long term (as long as he gets it). My gripe with DL is he didn’t sign up AVB on a five year deal to show the belief and backing he’ll get. That being said if we are poor in the next game and come away with an undeserved draw I’ll still be moaning until the next day when rational thought is allowed back into my brain.
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mystic arnold Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:02 pm
Only this time it is nt a former legend selling knives behind the managers back its Harrys media mates
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September 4th, 2012 at 12:18 am
I believe a lot of the negativity aimed at the club on Saturday was the fact that most fans woke up in the morning and we hadn’t signed that player that we should have signed even though most had never heard of him 3 weeks ago, let alone ever see him play and we ended up with Clint Dempsey…..and then we went and improved not only on last seasons start (played 3 lost 2) but last seasons home game v Norwich(lost1-2) with a brand new manager and without arguably our best two players in previous seasons……beggars belief…
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:22 am
then we went and improved not only on last seasons start (played 3 lost 2)
that really does beggar belief. You do understand how the whole points things works?
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:26 am
I think Hartley was digging the current vein of battlefield humour mixed with irony. It’s a good antidote for having an apoplexy.
Having said that, I do find the collective amnesia regarding our performances against the Baggies in recent seasons & the barcodes away over the last 10 years or so as slightly puzzling. They’ve hardly been, shall I say ‘bankers’ have they?
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:31 am
I think given the performances we’ve seen thus far we can all count our blessings that we weren’t handed the same 2 opening fixtures this time out or else the 8 goals against, 1 for may have been yet more gruesome.
As for the barcodes, dunno. Last year I think we beat them 6-1 on aggregate. And before that I’m just checking and it was 2 draws and 2 wins before you go back to us losing there in 2008. So, yeah, err, hang on, what was your point again?
Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:48 am
Stone me EL, you love to twist your melons round to make them apples don’t you?
Barcodes… 6-1 on aggregate… Come on, that’s like Torygraph spin on employment figures. You might as well say that a 6-4 aggregate against the Gooners was respectable ‘cos we run ‘em close.
If you notice my post I actually said Barcodes away, not at home. We all know they’re a sack of shite when they come to London but I can’t think of many wins up there apart from Timotee Atouba’s cracker.
And, come on. Are you really telling me that you would have patted Harry on the back and said “Great record against the Baggies my old son”?
No-one is putting a magical spin on things. They’re calling it like it is. The team had a dreadful end to 2012 owing to the age and ill use of the squad. Modric was always going to leave and Ledley was always going to call it a day. The team needs to rebuild and that isn’t going to happen overnight.
MysteriousStranger Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:58 am
A(stro)pplause.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:01 am
@Astro
Sorry, but all this squirming and bringing up apparently dubious records against Newcastle and West Brom at home (really? really?) is exactly putting a magical spin on things, or at least trying to avoid the truth, which is that we’ve had our worst start to the season since the Ramos days and looked as bad too.
Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
EL, you forced me to do something really tedious and I hate being tedious.
Newcastle away, 2 wins in 12.
Baggies (all comps), 5 wins in 13.
As per my post, neither scream ‘banker’. That was it. That was all my point was. Not that AVB is the best manager in the world and I want to have his children or Harry is the devil and eats babies.
Just that historically, neither has been viewed as nailed on points. A done deal. Not worth turning up for. etc. etc. etc.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:59 pm
EL, you forced me to do something really tedious and I hate being tedious.
Oh, you are too modest Astro
Just that historically, neither has been viewed as nailed on points. A done deal. Not worth turning up for. etc. etc. etc.
Right, but that doesn’t really concern me. Last year I think we took 4 points of the bar codes and 6 off the baggies. But that’s really not interesting or relevant either. It’s a poor, poor start, no matter what vintage you compare it with. You don’t seem to want to accept that. OK, that’s where we are. We can both agree that we want it to get better I guess.
Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:39 pm
A poor start, yes. Worth building ducking-stools and stocking up on burning tar barrels, no.
I don’t think anybody ever said that AVB was a miracle worker. You might want to be first in the AVB out collective but can you just consider supporting the team for a bit first.
The problem, HH is saying, is that there are about 20,000 of you in the ground at the moment (well, not at the moment but you know what I mean), all sat with their arms crossed going ‘told you so’ every time one of the players mis-times a pass. That kind of stuff is contagious and doesn’t help.
Breathe out for 5 mins, have a coke and a smile and give cheering a go. Ask your 19,999 buddies if they’ll consider the same.
You don’t have to write AVB a love-letter or sit in a tree k-i-s-s-i-n-g with him. It won’t mean you’re disrespectful to Moyes, you can still hate Levy and stand in the high Rd with his name painted on a bed sheet, just uncross your arms and join in some singing.
If it comes good, no-body is going to point at you and laugh. If it doesn’t you can say you were right and we’ll all group together to buy you a prize.
Just lighten up FFS.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Pfft. Ridiculous. The truth is that the debate has gotten out of hand simply because the likes of HH trade only in opinionated waffle and use casual insults to retaliate to criticism. So I don’t really need you or anyone else to come through like his PR dept telling me what he is really saying.
There are not 20,000 of me in the stadium. I would never boo, I’ve said that repeatedly. If a few people feel they have to boo, it’s annoying but that is sadly the nature of football, the nature of people. I can’t stop them and neither can you or an internet blog. Making them the issue is nothing more than a smokescreen concocted by the blogmaster HH to deflect from his over-excited endorsement and teenage crush of the struggling coach – who incidentally I AM BEHIND!!
Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:05 pm
A third of those who polled on here love booing.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:07 pm
Give a shit?
Chirpy Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:02 am
Although I can, at times, see what attracts panto fans to Spurs, I do wish they’d stay at home.
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minionas Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
Oooh no you don’t!
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mystic arnold Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:06 pm
OH YES YO DO
September 4th, 2012 at 12:51 am
I often disagree with your posts HH, however I find myself in full agreement with most of this one! Firstly, with regards to the booing, I consider it a disgraceful exhibition of self-indulgence on the part of a small minority of so-called fans and thoroughly unhelpful to the morale of the team. As a supporter of 50 years standing, I went to Spurs games regularly in the 60′s and 70′s and on occasion witnessed some pretty dire performances, including the season we were relegated, however I never, ever, heard us boo our own team. Secondly, with regards to the Moutinho saga, there are sections of the British media that hate Spurs and Levy in particular. If there had been any shred of evidence that the Moutinho bid was just a charade, a shell bid, the same media would have had a “field day” and the story would have been plastered over the front and back pages of every fishwrap. Lastly on the subject of Huddlestone. I also feel similarly that his career has been one of “flattering to deceive”. The potential has been there for all to see, same as with Jenas and Bentley, but the application, committment, desire have been lacking. Ultimately they are now just a drain on our financial resources and the fact that AVB has recognised that fact and has been looking to offload all three and prune the deadwood from the squad is a positive step in my mind. We need to give AVB time to assemble and manage a squad moulded in his own image and inculcated with his own methodologies. There are key players coming back to full fitness, Ade and Parker and key new players, Dembele and Dempsey, not yet assimilated into the team, who could prove to be very shrewd acquisitions. So let us leave the sniping, carping, criticism and gratuitous exhibitions of oprobrium to the odious media hacks who are dying to see us fail and get firmly behind supporting the team.
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mystic arnold Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:08 pm
re the media being anti- Spurs can some one tell me WHY AND WHEN this started
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:17 pm
It didn’t. All football fans are paranoid and believe the media is against them. Just look at Liverpool fans. Arsenal fans have the same persecution complex too. The media is what it is, it likes to spin yarns and sell muck. If Spurs flounder, they are a target like any other club. It’s shit, but it’s not exclusive to us. Part of the ‘story’ about us is that we have slightly jumped-up fans who think we are a bigger club than we actually are, so everyone enjoys the perception of us crashing back down to earth.
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September 4th, 2012 at 1:04 am
Re LLL: “”"As for AVB, I am on the fence. I’m sitting on the fence watching shit team selections, tactics and football and keenly waiting for that to change.”"”
I just thought this warranted its own post! This is up there with Einstein, Aristotle and Oscar Wilde..
Maybe HH will make a T-Shirt? I doubt it, but maybe??
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:17 am
Christ – it’s like watching Dumb & Dumber. Except, not as funny.
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:10 am
Ah, I really feel for you not having your master here to give you a pat on the head for your trick so well…
Where is HH anyways, gone to get you some choccy drops? There there, who’s a good boy…..
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
I feel sorrier for you: you don’t even appear to be able to string a meaningful sentence together.
Not only that, you’re reposting garbage and comparing it to Einstein:
“I’m sitting on the fence watching shit team selections” – who would you have picked? Dembele was carrying a knock and Adebayor & Huddlestone were clearly not fit enough to start.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Why was Huddlestone clearly not fit to start? Because he missed a tackle late on? Apparently he is fit, fit enough to go out on loan. And Dembele’s knock didn’t look too bad in the 2nd half to me, and the pre-match said nothing of it. Honestly, stop making up facts to suit your argument, it’s pathetic.
We know Defoe doesn’t work on his own. Don’t we? OK, so he may be our only fit option. So try something else out, go a bit experimental. Try facking Bale up there next to him if needs be. You are the tactical master-brain, come up with a solution. Don’t repeat the same non-functioning line-up 3 times. After all, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Right?
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:00 pm
It was widely reported that Hudd was being sent out on loan to get fit.
Windy reported that Dembele had a knock. As he attends every Spurs game (at all levels) and speaks to the coaches, I believe him.
Instead of criticizing everything & everyone, why don’t you make some suggestions, yourself?
Oh, finally: you did – we should have played Bale up front with Defoe. Well, we tried that on tour, but it wasn’t particularly successful and didn’t go down all that well with the fans.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
It was widely reported that Hudd was being sent out on loan to get fit.
Really? I must have missed those reports. Really odd how we didn’t manage to find him a club then. Must’ve been an attractive deal. ‘Here’s our player, he’s in terrible physical condition. Please can you train him up and get him into shape and pay his wages for us for a while. Ta. ‘
Windy reported that Dembele had a knock. As he attends every Spurs game (at all levels) and speaks to the coaches, I believe him.
I don’t know who he is but as I said it wasn’t reported anywhere and he looked knock-free in the 2nd half. Other than that, play on.
Oh, finally: you did – we should have played Bale up front with Defoe. Well, we tried that on tour, but it wasn’t particularly successful and didn’t go down all that well with the fans.
It was a casual suggestion obviously. I’m not paid millions to assemble the team nor held up as a master tactician, it mighn’t surprise you to hear. But if AVB’s problem-solving really does boil down to looking at the problem, see that one solution isn’t paying dividends and then decide that the exact same solution is the one to repeat, then his will be a very short stay in North London indeed.
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:15 pm
Hudd not match fit (just one of many articles)
http://www.skysports.com/video/inline/0,,16426_8014037,00.html
Windy’s Blog
http://windycoys.blogspot.com/
I prefer your casual suggestions to your constant nit-picking & negativity…
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:09 pm
Personally I prefer my nit-picking. Yes, he was a useless sack of potatoes when Norwich scored. but so were most of the team. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t match fit, just rubbish, in that moment. Hate to nitpick.
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September 4th, 2012 at 1:05 am
I can’t help wondering – if Liverpool had coughed up just 1 more measly million for Dempsey, we would have found ourselves in the very shit that they are now (vis a vis strikers). On top of the Moutinho fiasco!
Through pure luck Levy dodged a bullet there.
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:16 am
Frightening thought…. Maybe he would have gone the extra mile for Berb in that case?
I can’t believe that Liverpool didn’t get Berb? Would have been ideal with Suarez, no?
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melcyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:23 am
or with the guile of a witch finder general he scuppered them on purpose,easily worth 6mill eh.
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:20 am
I’m pretty convinced that was part of his motivation. Siggy, the same. Shame he couldn’t persuade Allen to make it three strikes.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:05 am
You call me dumb but yet you seriously seem to believe that Levy’s grand scheme is to buy players Liverpool want just to derail them? WTF? That’s surely one of the most idiotic ideas I’ve ever heard.
All I can really say is that it’s a darn good job this is a new strategy and not one he thought of when they were buying Downing, Carroll and Adam.
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:34 pm
Nope. Read what I wrote. “Part of his motivation”. Obviously, not his main motivation: Clint Dempsey is clearly a very capable and versatile player who we all hope will do a great job for us…
…but, at the same time, if you see a key rival loaning out a striker and dithering over his replacement, what a bonus to be able to leave them with only 2 recognised forwards til January!
Don’t tell me that wouldn’t have crossed our minds…
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:32 pm
Hey LLL, you were ‘Dumber’ I was ‘Dumb’..
OOOhhh okay then I’ll be ‘Dumber’, It’s probably is a fair observation after all…
September 4th, 2012 at 1:26 am
I’m surprised at all the flack that levy’s getting for signing a world class goalie,especially since I hadn’t heard a good word about Brad for ages before Saturdays great display.Its just another stick to beat AVB and Levy with I think.
I hate to doubt other fans Tottenhamness(which is why I apologised to LLL) as its a bit like listening to season ticket holders thinking they are the only ones allowed a point of view,but it is getting hard not to believe that the anti AVB/Levy brigade want to say “I told you so”
[Reply]
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:23 am
? I have to say I haven’t heard anyone giving Levy any flak for buying Lloris ? ? Or do you mean that since he looks a good signing we should all declare Levy’s business an unmitigated success?
Look, everyone secretly wants to say ‘I told you so’, but most people know that it’s really annoying so they try and restrain it a bit. Thing is, all the people who nailed themselves to AVB’s mast are also desperate to say ‘I told you so’ which is why they get so aggravated when their is a little bit of valid criticism about him. The writer of this blog for instance seems to deal only in extreme opinion and is now stuck with the unenviable position of having to subvert the debate onto trivialities and loudly decrying any dissenters that bring it back on topic as bed-wetting idiots.
Thing is, there is very very real concerns over the way AVB has gone about his the start of the season and justifiable disillusionment with our transfer dealings. But all we hear from the blog writer and his cronies is more and more denial and more and more scorn poured on these many valid criticisms – simply because he / they are so desperate not to be found as wanting in the soothsaying department. I bet that the people who first said the world was round had to deal with lots of people like HH, superstitious egotists more concerned with maintaining their own ‘rightness’ rather than seeking out or accepting the truth. But anyway, it’s precisely this which is causing all the division. Or some of it anyway.
If my suspicions and worries about AVB do continue to be proven right, I may do a bit of ‘told you so’ myself, the main reason being now that HH etc have continued to stubbornly assert their own opinion and lambast all others. In other words, he’s / they are asking for it. I’m sure there will be more than a big dose of smugness and ‘told you so’ about the blog when / if AVB starts to perform. In fact that already is the tone of it, even though there is nothing to back it up with (so far).
As for my Tottenhamness, it really is a ridiculous point as you seem to acknowledge. I can support Spurs and disagree with the manager’s decisions and other fans opinions, that’s fine, see last year and Redknapp. I hate it when we lose, it puts me in a bad mood all weekend. Same as most. I also hate it when we are a laughing stock and I fear we might be doing that routine again. I’m already having to deal with other fans who are jeering in their own ‘told you so – AVB is shit’ way, even though I would never have had him anywhere near the club. So if he turns it around I will be more than happy to receive this news, even if it is delivered in an overly smug and self-satisfied tone.
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Quite a few posters of your ilk questioned why we needed a 4th goalie on previous blogs,which to me is madness,Brad being 40 and all that.
You say that secretly everyone wants to say I told you so,I think you’ve fucked your whole argument with that single line,and as for smug and self satisfied tone,OY VEY already
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:16 pm
Nah, I knew that’s what people would think, I’m just being honest. If people didn’t enjoy being right this blog wouldn’t exist. The smug, self-satisfied, unwarranted triumphalism of the main blog aggravates me so if the worst happens and my concerns about AVB do come true, I’m certainly going to stick the boot back in a little bit. That doesn’t fuck my argument though, and if it happens it will be a tiny, mean-spirited morsel of consolation for the all-round misery I’ll be wallowing in.
Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:06 pm
To most of us (Myself included), it’s not about nailing my colours to AVB, it’s nailing my colours to Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. This is what is so very tedious about this whole argument.
People saying they are Harry Fans or AVB fans… What, does that mean you supported Pompey or Porto before? Why should you have to be one or the other, why can’t you just support Spurs and accept – Albeit reluctantly, that your man didn’t get the job.
Getting on AVB in the first 5 minutes of what is going to be a very difficult rebuilding task just seems so pointlessly counter-productive.
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:11 pm
I’m sick of ‘em Astro.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
I cannot speak for you, but certainly Monsieur HH nailed his nuts to AVB’s mast big time, and this is influencing the tone of the debate as it is his piece which sits at the top of it everyday.
The other issue is that many don’t seem to be able to detach Daniel Levy, the successful and notoriously hard-nosed businessman running Tottenham Hotspur FC under the authority of multi-billionaire tax exile Joe Lewis, and Tottenham Hotspur FC itself, the romantic, historic football club of great tradition and heritage and beauty.
Here are four random opinions of mine which I don’t believe are contradictory.
1. Levy’s handling of the sacking of Martin Jol was one of the shoddiest things I’ve ever witnessed in the high echelons of football. For that event, and many others I deem to be mistakes or mishandlings, I reserve a portion of judgement for our illustrious chairman in spite of the general tone of slow but bumpy progression under his tenure.
2. Redknapp achieved some great results but brought the club into disrepute and was essentially a self-serving chancer. For that, he had to go.
3. I didn’t want AVB to come in and thought it may prove to be another failed entry in Levy’s catalogue of woeful managerial appointments. Thus far I haven’t seen anything much to change that opinion, in spite of my keenness to be proved wrong. I am also, however, annoyed that he hasn’t been given the best possible backing and preparation, in my opinion.
4. I will always support Tottenham, no matter who the chairman or the manager or the players are. I don’t seem to have any choice in the matter.
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:31 pm
@Hotspur
Another non-contribution. Why is it that you don’t engage with the actual debate? Why is it that your only answer other than casual jibes seems to be to excrete yet another auto-trumpet blowing blog-turd of insults to all who question or critique your own shaky positions? Is it because you aren’t capable? Come on, I know that’s not true.
Topspurs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
The facts here are very simple
This season Tottenham are going to have at
least two different managers.
I think that the quicker we rid ourselves of the first & appoint the second,
the quicker we can all get behind a less
divisive manager,
one whom will hopefully have both a good deal more premiership experience & tactical nous.
not to mention man management.
I lost any slight confidence I may have had in A.V.B. when after the second game he pointed out to the media that we had more points than this time last year.
Oh God I thought We got another duffer!
mathematically he was of course correct
alas, I for one would rather of had zero points
& games against both Manchester clubs out of
the way !
If you have got ourselves the right manager by all means give him as much time as he requires.
But if you got the wrong one then a fast clean break at the earliest opportunity is required..
Remember the Middlesbrough chairman.
He remained loyal to his managers week after week after week first Mclaren then Southgate.
Boro. supporters meanwhile watched the team going down the tubes.
Best all round to act quickly, I have no doubt whatsoever that Mr. Levy & his board will already be getting very very nervous about their latest appointment.
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September 4th, 2012 at 1:43 am
Can’t see anyone doing any better than Arry with the given players.
Levy should have taken him aside as soon as the England job came up, given him a big brown envelope and a three year contract and told him he had a free hand to wheel and deal as he saw fit.
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:56 am
Like he did at Portsmouth ?
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melcyid Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:02 am
it was a big brown envelope of wedge and the subsequent feeling of his collar that cost the trout the england job.
the cupboard would now be bare and receivership would be our concern at the moment given your advice.
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:21 am
…and the squad would have an average age of 47.5…
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:22 am
Wow a dog that can use an abacus, now that’s definately more entertaining than Dumb and Dumber, eh Al? Maybe you could form part of the sequel, Dumb, Dumber and DumberAL….
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:37 pm
At least this dog can spell. And understands grammar.
I apologise for insulting you, earlier: I didn’t mean to attack you, personally, it was your post that annoyed me, that’s all. Because it wasn’t well informed or logical.
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
“”"”"…and the squad would have an average age of 47.5…”"”"”
Grammer, logical, well informed ??????
I truly take my hat off to your intellect, genius and grasp of the english language….
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Oh and when did this become an English Language A-Level examination? You can always work out the guys from their ‘grammer comments’ who when at school used to take their ball home crying because someone scored……
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:56 pm
Yep. Might have been a better put-down if you could actually spell grammar.
(…and, to think I actually had the good grace to apologise to you only a couple of posts ago: what a waste of time that was…)
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:22 am
I think we have had some poor comments in the last day or so, but you sir definately take some beating with that one…
Words really fail me here….. Darn it, where is a smiley face with a pen*s on it when you need one!?
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essexian76 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
He did, and Harry was so convinced he’d got the England gig he as good as told Levy to fcuk off. Then ,when he didn’t he wanted t broker a new deal, and broker it on live TV-not only that, broker it while Levy was in the States at the side of his ill soon to be late mother’s side-you must admit, the Harry’s got class and a sense of timing hasn’t he? Don’t forget this was also shortly after Levy standing by him, when all thought he ‘looked’ guilty including the parasitical press, he so adores, so I’d say Harry pretty much sacked himself, wouldn’t you say?
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September 4th, 2012 at 3:11 am
If Spurs fans are going to BOO the Spurs team/players may I suggest they do something positive and don the opponents shirt and cheer for them, it some how seems the same but the noise is different….Idiots.
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September 4th, 2012 at 3:18 am
As to big Tom H, I’ve always alluded to the fact that this large lump can’t jump. The only time he heads the ball is when it hits him. This guy chickened out in the challenge to head the ball against some Norfolk elf which led directly to the Coal miners alarms goal. He obviously still ticked off about the shrimp beating him in the air decided to take retribution at ground level …don’t loan him out sell him to the Russians….
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:25 am
You have to have the slowest internet connection i have ever seen! I have never seen a 24hr delay before now… Who is your Service Provider? Cable&Pigeon?
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:27 am
I also think the pigeon may also have chewed your note in part?
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:34 am
Fret not we are camped at HH’s server my son has his airgun ready and waiting for that dastardly bird…. I’ll make sure you (and the entire site) don’t endure this terrible service ever again !!
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September 4th, 2012 at 3:49 am
Just to chear everyone up in this time of mire:
A Liverpool fan, an Arsenal fan and a Manchester United fan were all in Arabia , sharing a smuggled crate of booze when, all of a sudden, Saudi police rushed in and arrested them. The mere possession of alcohol is a severe offence in Saudi Arabia , so for the terrible crime of actually being caught consuming the booze, they are all sentenced to death!
However, after many months and with the help of very good lawyers, they are able to successfully appeal their sentences down to life imprisonment. By a stroke of luck, it was a Saudi national holiday the day their trial finished, and the extremely benevolent Sheikh decided they could be released after receiving just 20 lashes each of the whip.
As they were preparing for their punishment, the Sheikh announced: “It’s my first wife’s birthday today, and she has asked me to allow each of you one wish before your whipping.” The Liverpool fan was first in line, he thought for a while and then said: “Please tie a pillow to my back.” This was done, but the pillow only lasted 10 lashes before the whip went through. When the punishment was done he had to be carried away bleeding and crying with pain. The arsenal fan was next up. After watching the Scouser in horror he said smugly: “Please fix two pillows to my back.” But even two pillows could only take 15 lashes before the whip went through again and the arsenal fan was soon led away whimpering loudly (as they do).
The man u fan was the last one up, but before he could say anything,
the Sheikh turned to him and said: “You support one of the biggest club in the world and your team is the finest in the world. For this, you may have two wishes!” “Thank you, your Most Royal and Merciful highness”, he replied. “In recognition of your kindness, my first wish is that you give me not 20 lashes but, 100 lashes.” “Not only are you an honorable, handsome and powerful man, you are also very brave”. The Sheikh said with an admiring look on his face. “If 100 lashes is what you desire, then so be it. And your second wish”? “Tie the arsenal fan to my back.”
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crespur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:24 am
I’d reply to this but my Pigeon got shot by some numptys son with an air rifle somewhere in the cyber city of Brisbane. If I can patch up my old morse contraption you may see here the dit..dit .dit..dit .message that reads O..Z.. H..U..M..O..U..R. I..S.. C…R…A..P..
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:46 pm
HH is on Brisbane, where – I shall go and protest immediately!!!
Its all a shame I am really trying to make myself sound exotic, I am really in a two up two down in Burnley….
You realy know how to cut me deep…..
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:10 pm
But I’ll give you a C+ for the first 1.5 lines of your post for comedic value.
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September 4th, 2012 at 5:43 am
He did try. There was a new contract offered but Harry refused to sign it. There was spme conjecture that it was a way of increasing the compo the FA would have to pay – harry was so nailed on to get the job.
No more boos please. .. Unless you want to e things worse.
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Simonpwise Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:45 am
Ooo. That reply went a bit astray I’m afraid.
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September 4th, 2012 at 5:53 am
In reality big name players are more attentive to how much they would get if the join a specific club than if the club has qualified for the European Champions League. Because they believe that with their contribution they can always take the clube to CL the following season. That is why it is most essential the construction of the new bigger stadium should start immediately because only then, with much larger gate revenues, the modified salary scale can give those players the option to chose WHL over Old Trafford, for example.
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September 4th, 2012 at 6:07 am
First time I think ur right Harry!!! keep it this way (my way) lol
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September 4th, 2012 at 6:48 am
Agree with most of what You say and with regard to thudd I cast my mind back to a previous blog quote “less iPod less tattoo less Twitter and more footy.
With regard to rafa personally I loved him. Played for us and celebrated goals like he loved and meant it. The one player my gooner mates(I know!) Were afraid of.
As for ratboy we all know that he was going this time my only fear is what happened to Liverpool when they sold Alonso doesn’t happen to us.
We need time the boys and avb need time. It’s tin hat time.don’t listen to talksport, don’t look at the newspapers don’t listen to Chelsea and arsenal fans just dont!!!!!!!!!
Coyfs
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September 4th, 2012 at 7:21 am
If we must play 2 holding players play Huddlestone next to Sandro instead of Livermore. At least we’ll have a passer from deep. Dembele further forward
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:29 am
No, no, can’t you see? Huddlestone is fat or slow or has silly hair or does too much for charity or whatever. What a cad he is. I hate his guts! Livermore all the way for me!
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minionas Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:58 am
We shouldn’t really need two defensively minded midfielders against most teams should we? And if we did I’d rather Parker and Sandro myself.
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minionas Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:59 am
Parker when fit.
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September 4th, 2012 at 7:24 am
Lets be honest, we need regular CL football to attract star names and a bigger stadium to pay their wages at least, but a bigger stadium does not guarantee CL footy season in season out. Newcastle and Liverpool have higher capacity stadium than us.
As for Moutinho, there are lots of different reasons why we did not signed him going around. Porto were only prepared to lose either him or Hulk and now Hulk has signed for some Russian club. It would not suprise me if that’s why we could not sign him. Anyway if he was that good, wouldn’t Real or Barca be after him instead of Modric. If we did sign him, would he turn out to be another Postiga or Jose Domingez?
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September 4th, 2012 at 7:30 am
Just out of interest, how many on here are happy with Tottenham taking a one goal lead and then pulling off a striker to defend it? Two games in a row against poor opposition. Is this the Tottenham way?
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:29 am
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Tumbleweed
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Maybe the atmosphere in the stadium is infectious. From where I was sitting, some of the people around me would have put on another 10 goalkeepers the minute we scored.
The fans are normally the twelfth man at WHL, right now they’re as good as a twelfth for the oppo. It is truly abysmal.
AVB is desperate for a win – Not just for himself but for the fans, the club and the players. It will settle everyone down and allow us to get things back into shape when people like Ade are fit and the new guys bedded in. I can’t blame him for wanting to shut up shop given the circumstances… Wouldn’t like to see it every week, but I think you’ll see a different side once they get that first win.
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September 4th, 2012 at 7:47 am
Personally, I thought Defoe was having a pretty dire game and deserved to be taken off. No player was dispossessed more in the first half than JD and the number of times he was caught offside didn’t help his cause. Yes, he set up the goal, but only because even he wouldn’t try shooting with his back to goal from such a tight angle. Anyway, this was not my point…
My point: It’s incredible the number of people calling for Levy to be ousted. “He’s money-hungry”, “He doesn’t think about football, only business”, “Blah, blah.”
Aside from the obvious (stadium, training centre), lest we forget, Levy was the man who employed Redknapp. Levy was the man who bought VDV and Modric. Levy was the man who held on to Modric last year, despite being offered in the region of 40m from Chelsea. If he was only interested in business, then why not sell?
Yes, the collapse of the Moutinho deal is highly frustrating, but to question his support for the club and its values is unfair. He is ruining our great club? He helped build this great club and is now implementing a new direction for a more stable, successful future. I suggest we support him.
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Roasted peanuts Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:55 am
Agreed re levy. Defoe was largely having a shocker but surely we should have gone for the jugular rather than shut up shop? His tactics defy belief.
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:27 am
Everyone can have an opinion. Boo or not, its your choice, I wouldnt try to convince eitherway. Some of you sound like Priests, “believe, how dare you not believe”.
Some or you sound like my mate Paul, “what aload of bollocks, there isnt a greater being untill he proves there is”.
Chill out, its a game. A game and a team I love, yes as much as you, I dont have to prove that, you can believe me or not.
But lets all respect each others opinions, challange back, but have some substance to your views otherwise you sound like morons, or Priests or my mate Paul.
So can we just stick to How we can get Jenas back in the team?
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:36 am
Im frustrated with the starting line-up. Musa, ade n daws shud have started ahead of jake, defoe n gallas. Sandro must play the ful 90 min. AVB is arrogant!
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:36 am
Come on, you can think it’s arrogance…it’s called fitness.
Adey is 1st choice but he’s sat on his arse all summer as Citeh told him to stay away from training. He’s had 1 week of conditioning and playing him without being fit will risk injury. I expect he’ll start our next game.
As for Mousa, he’d been at the club 3 days – I can understand AVB using him as sub while he still gets up to speed with training with the team.
As for Jake over Sandro, I’d pick Sandro myself, but maybe he’s carrying a knock?
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:32 am
How do you know Adey has done no training?
How do you know Sandro is carrying a knock?
Given that Mousa bossed the Utd game the weekend before and looked the best player on the pitch when he came on for the 2nd half don’t you think, in retrospect at least, that he should have started?
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
L’s – what’s with the Spanish inquisition?
In AVB’s press conference pre-Brom he was asked if Adey goes straight into the team – he responded by saying he hadn’t done any pre-season and wasn’t fit to start.
Sandro – I didn’t say he had a knock. I said ‘maybe is carrying a knock’ followed by a question mark…suggesting it was possibility, not something I know.
And yes if I was in charge I would have gone with 1 defensive midfielder and Mousa. But I’m not in charge and I’m sure AVB would love to be able to pick his team in retrospect.
Maybe I can ask Camelot if they will let me pick my lottery numbers in retrospect too?
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:08 pm
Sorry mate, no inquisition as such, just seems some people will fill in the blanks and add some extra facts of their own to justify AVB’s poor decision-making thus far.
I didn’t hear him say that, fair enough. Still annoyed we were allowed to start the season with only Defoe fit though.
Sandro, he may be a bit clapped out from the ‘lympics. Who knows? He’s looked a shade of his former self so far this season, that’s for certain.
After watching the previous two games of the Livermore and Sandro pairing I would have thought even Jenas was rising from the ashes as a possible contender to usurp one of them so I would have expected Dembele to be a shoe in. Unless he actually digs the whole 2 holding-nothing players at home thing a lot. I don’t know, you don’t know. I hope Dembele starts in CM next time out is all.
Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:48 pm
Dembele was carrying a knock from the United game, according to Windy. (Who knows lots about Spurs).
Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:25 pm
L’s – I hear ya, many folks adding 2 and 2 and getting 5 at the moment. Everything from Levy’s deep pockets and short arms to boo-ing.
As things stand I think a few wins will clear our heads but not take the doubt away about many clouds hovvering over the club. I think attractive football is the only remedy.
I guess the ‘transition’ season was something we expected on the pitch but instead it’s affecting everything including fans.
I just hope we get rid of the defensive set up and go back to attacking. Adey up top, Dempsey, Siggy, Dembele, Bale and Lennon all in the midfield at the same time please. I don’t give a shit who plays behind that lot, as long as they don’t defend like they have been recently…
September 4th, 2012 at 8:38 am
A point that few people seem to get is that Levy has a substantial ownership (not majority-that is Joe lewis) in Spurs through his ownership of the parent company.
Joe Lewis is the big dog but Levy is not just an employee.
I personally like him. He is not a genie in a bottle but he makes things happen for us as best he can.
The continuation of relegation form will alarm him as much as us and one hopes his steady hand (which does not mean infallible) will continue to guide us for a long time to come.
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:42 am
Oh and what happened to the ‘Investment’ being touted by the media and certain ex-players??? That was going to be made ‘public at the end of the transfer window’?
Anyone any idea where that went (bar the obvious)?
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:30 am
stadium.
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:53 am
More complete b0ll0cks from the internet that suckers seem to be lap up and believe along with every man and his dog creating transfer rumours.
If I sit at home with my twitter account letting the world know that Zenit are going to loan us Moutinho and Hulk because some loophole in Russian law, then it’ll be viral in 12 hours. After a week it will be Levy’s fault for being tight and missing out on the loans…fans are frustrated and they bang the same old drum regardless of reality.
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:13 pm
Re Clarkspur:
And I quote: “(bar the obvious)”
My obvious obviously wasn’t obvious enough, obviously…
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:38 am
Obviously..
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:46 am
Also- on the booing issue.
Can it not be surmised as those committing an act of faith by not booing and those acting like consumers by booing.
It is an act of pure faith that not voicing one’s honest emotions (i.e. that was shit) and instead encouraging the team will lead to a performance improvement.
It is an act of consumerism to voice ones displeasure at the quality of entertainment served up.
I personally lost my faith in football a long time ago; the players, agents, paparazzi and hookers saw to that. I can completely accept the legitimacy of those who have faith, but their damning of those who boo mirrors some other faith groups’ reactions to those who disagree with them.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
The problem being that nowhere on the ticket does it say that the user is entitled to entertainment. It’s a speculative purchase. Buying a football ticket and demanding a win/entertainment is like buying a lottery ticket and demanding the jackpot or your money back.
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UnkleKev Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:34 pm
I’m giving serious consideration to buying a lottery ticket tomorrow just so I can boo the telly later.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:42 pm
September 4th, 2012 at 8:58 am
Cheer up you bunch of whinging ninnies – it’s starting to resemble a Gooner site. Every year tam like Man City and Chelsea do big, early business because they don’t have to haggle over price:
“How much? £20 mill? Here’s £30 mill, now drop him off this afternoon and shut the door on the way out.” The player, knowing he’s going to get top dollar per week, and/or Champions league footie, doesn’t really care who he is signing for, and the deal is done (Robihno, anyone?).
As long as A: the transfer window closes to weeks into the season.
and B: We are not owned by an oil baron/Oligarch/Sheik, and by default not in the Champions League,
then we will always get the raw end of the ransfer window deal.
The top four in England, and CL football is self-perpetuaing to an extent and is nigh on impossible to break into on a regular basis unless there is teh weight of loose billions behind you – this has been proven over the years by the status quo of Man united, Arsenal, Liverpool (clubs who were already at the top when this love in was created), and Chelsea/Man City – mediocre clubs at best with Lightweight history that were transformed by free spending Billionaires. The rest of us have to be content with slowly, slowly cathcy monkey, waiting for the Liverpools (Done), and Arsenals (nearly done ) , to complete their inevitable slide out of contention, and allow us a sniff. You will always get the odd season where Chelsea or AN other will have a bad league campaign, but still have the clout and resources to change things round in January, and this will never change until there is a levelling of the financial playing field. In the meantime we have to make sure we jockey for position so that we benefit when this happens.
That means slowly building a decent squad, and a new stadium without ending up where leeds united, or Portsmouth did.
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:01 am
Pseudo intellectual at his best. More self centered and egotistical then all sky viewers. Look at your last week predictions they are exact reflection of your understanding of the game.
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:05 am
You’re a joke. The predictions are absolutely representative of most people.
I’m wrong?
Then why haven’t all the bookmakers in the world shut down?
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:34 am
Did the bookies really have us as 4-0 winners?
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:16 am
why spend 12m or so on a new keeper only to have him sit on the bench,we had 3 as it was, why not use that extra money to bring in a replacement for luka, total waste.
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Smoked Salmon Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:42 am
Lets not be naive here, we need a long term solution between the sticks. There is no better solution than one Hugo Lloris. That said, with Friedel our shining player so far this season, having had a huge performance to win us a point on Saturday, no manager in his right mind should replace him until he has reason to do so. Hugo Lloris WILL take that spot as soon as Friedel has a less than perfect game, but for now Friedels hands are the safest we have had in a while.
On the second point, Money was not the reason that we did not bring in a replacement. We had a deal in place to bring Moutinho, but we suffered in an area I’d like to see some solid reinforcement, the office. Our secretaries words per minute are clearly up to scratch. Had we gotten the contracts written up correctly, we’d have Moutinho, had we had them written up faster, we’d have moutinho. There was no time for whoever was tagged plan B.
Looking at our activity this window, Im happy with what we did, and happy still with what we almost did.
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:42 am
sometimes my naivety can get the better of me, but anyway i stand corrected, your wright in most of what you said there, but the moutinho bit, i thought it was the other side that got their paperwork wrong and not us, no?.
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Smiley O'Reilly Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
we both stand corrected my friend
nobby nobbs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:28 pm
Mazzo ..We had a keeper called Bobby Mimms..he committed 2 howlers against the Arse.. finished him.
WHL is hostile at the moment.
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:52 pm
mimm’s the sight of that pleb between those stick, turned a young energetic vibrant hansom man into an almost bald grey haired wrinkly old codger nobby, ah, bobby mimms bless he’s soul.
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:09 pm
mind you, they didn’t come any worse than the one and only barry dains.
mystic arnold Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:23 pm
Or the late FATTY MARK KENDALL
mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
mystic, i remember the thor and ian walker, but can’t recall a mark kendall in goal, and he played for us?
melcyid Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 12:37 am
Bobby? I always thought his name was Booby Mimms
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:09 pm
he wasn’t eligible to play on Saturday
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:36 am
So the minutes from this 3-day discussion:
People are really frustrated because the end of last season and this season’s transfer window were very frustrating. Some of them booed on Saturday. Most people know that it doesn’t help but some have insisted on their right to do so as consumers. Dan Levy is a nasty person in a nasty business; we probably need someone like that since we aren’t Chelsea, thank God. We might have just missed signing Joao Moutinho, but the Portuguese press is reporting something very different. The jury is still out on AVB and it’s early, but there are worrying signs and clearly there will be vultures circling the poor chap (see the press, the blogs, and Didier Deschamps). We all really hope this works out because we had much more fun when we were winning and we are all secretly terrified that a future as Fulham or Everton lurks right around the corner.
If everyone agrees this is a fair summary, maybe we could move on? This is killing all of us and we can’t do this until May…especially if it gets worse. We’ve spent months talking about our ‘final’ first XI but now that the awful window is shut we aren’t even talking about it.
E.G. :
Do you think, at home at least, we could get away with playing a 4-3-3 with Ade, Dempsey, and Dembele up front, and Lennon, Sandro/Parker, and Bale in the middle? Would this not be a great way to win games 6-4?
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:24 am
new players, new manager and system, scotty, kabul both out injured, few players not match fit, cobwebs still there, avb can only work with what he has at he’s disposal, it’s going to take time for everything to fall into place.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:38 pm
Great summary – can you work your magic in the summarise Proust competition?
(The bit about Deschamps was particularly well observed, the scheming rat).
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:41 pm
I agree fully, it is more or less that simple.
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:43 am
The booing will happen again. Opposing team’s supporters will sing songs about Spurs fans booing. As for Huddlestone, he’s overweight, not fit enough and too slow for what AVB wants. I hope that AVB takes a history lesson about what made THFC so great. Its philosophy about the great game. The team misses Modric but can adapt and it will take a period of transition.
The XFactor mob need to become the 12th man. I hope that our new signings dont regret their decisions to join the club. This civil war needs to end. I couldnt do the job AVB does, not qualified and wouldnt have the balls to do it.
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:44 am
Fully agree with comments about booing and you can have your opinion on Huddlestone as a football player but mocking him for raising money for charity is ridiculous. It’s not just about money, he’s raised awareness of cancer research uk and the fact that you’ve mentioned it proves people are talking about it.
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:48 am
Harry,
i read your articles regularly and you make as much sense as anyone else,
however, I fear your blind love of AVB will all end in tears.
I boldly predict now that AVB will have departed within 12 months.
I dont blame AVB, Harry or even Ramos, all are / were decent managers, the problem is the job description my friend.
WANTED:
Manager with experience in winning trophies, must be able to create a team qualify for Champions League from a squad of selected potentially talented youngsters who we may be able to pick up for a bargain irrelevant of position played. Funds are available on the basis of player sales which I set the value of and have the final say on whether they leave or not. I also have final say on all players signed and reserve the right to re-negotiate agreed fees with other clubs to attempt to get the best deal, You will take full responsibility for results of the team and your job will depend on this.
what bollocks, we cant keep getting bad managers, the issue is that Levy is in total control, lets be clear, I am not dissing Levy, I can see as a Gold Member who travels to almost every away what good Levy has done for the club, but it has to be said, that he sold Ramos down the river for a profit on 2 strikers, replaced them with a Russian who never wanted to be here, made a loss on him, and a loan deal for another striker who was / is simply not good enough.
He got rid of Harry because Harry challenged back, i dont actually disagree with this decision, the same with the Ramos decision, they had to go, change was needed as confidence was depleted in the Ramos case, as for Harry, he built is own coffin by informing the world of his intentions to take the “dream job”. He lost the players along the way.
The point is, where was the investment in Jan for Harry? he was never going to get it, Saha and Nelson loans?? what a joke.
AVB is already struggling, agreed, very very early days, and the old one re Ferguson, who was on his last legs, yes anything can happen and the boy is obviously very talented as a coach/manager, I just cant see how anyone can be successful with Levys approach, there are no where near enough goals in the team, and we look wide open.
Fair enough, Newcastle away was encouraging, my concerns began with 25 mins left V WBA, no one can tell me they didnt deserve an equaliser, as for the Norwich match, complete lack of confidence in the side already, we dont look like we’re going to score.
Dembele and Dempsey to come in fair enough, both “gud uns” as I say myself, but not the material has arrived a little too late, needed that last season, not to replace Modders and VDV.
Nothing wrong with Levys business skils or business plan.
Except if you want to be successful.
We can develop forever and never actually achieve anything, which is what is happening.
I am not saying that Booing is right,or indeed good for the team, but when you are paying through the nose, you have the right to make your own opinions.
Levy, please dont piss on me and tell me that its raining.
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UnkleKev Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:31 pm
I boldly predict that when Villas-Boas is still our manager in 12 months’ time you and all the other harbingers of doom will be conspicuous by your absence regarding your admissions of error.
Three games. Three bloody games.
Jesus wept.
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Scott Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:10 pm
UnkleKev,
I do hope you are right, one thing for sure, I am not going anywhere and I will gladly hold my hand up should I be wrong.
I am not against AVB, I am not against Levy, but I dont always agree with his tactics,
we looked like going somewhere the previous 2 seasons, now we dont, thats all.
either way, I will be in Paxton, block 20 row 20 seat x20, at least until we get the new development.
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UnkleKev Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 1:38 am
We’re not going to be relegated this year, of that I am certain. Which means there is next to no chance of Villas-Boas getting the boot. Levy, I hope, recognises that this bloke is a long term investment, so even if we finish mid-table this year (so long as the future prospects look good) I’ll be content with that. I still happen to think we’ll make top four (at least) this year, but if you ever find a weekend where Paxton block 20, row 20, seat 20 might be vacant I’d appreciate it if you could let me know.
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
Agreed…
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Scott Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:11 pm
I love Brisbane by the way, the only thing I didnt enjoy was the kick off times!
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BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:51 am
Its a nightmare, especially when Foxtel doesn’t have a facility to record interactive matches. Went through last season without sleep nearly every matchday night, I cannot belive the wife and children just didn’t understand – how inconsiderate!!
September 4th, 2012 at 9:56 am
I might add, no stiker signed (ade aside) since Peter Crouch.
Forget the 30m deals, Levy obviously wants the top class players but does not want to pay serious money for them.
Like me, I would love one of those terraces in Fulham, unlikely that my 100k offer will be accepted though.
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:09 am
Scott. my blind love is for Spurs mate.
If the new boss screws up, I’ll give him a hiding. Like Arry got a hiding when he screwed up.
I can’t make a call after 3 games. I simply can’t.
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:10 am
I might add, would you like to borrow my umbrella?
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Scott Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:17 am
Fair points made Harry, We all love Spurs and I really hope that he can pull it off, he is obviously decent, I just fear for him after the start he’s had, the debacle down the Kings road, and I just don’t see Levy backing his managers,
You are right, 3 games is far to early to want him out, and I don’t want him out, but I do fear for the fella long term.
Umbrella is pointless once you are already wet through.
COYS!
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:30 pm
HH – You made the call months ago..
BrisbaneSpur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:54 am
“”"If the new boss screws up, I’ll give him a hiding.”"”"
That could be classed as domestic violence in your case HH!!
Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Hahahha!
LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:42 am
Yes, you are right, 3 games is too early. But he wasn’t actually criticizing AVB, if you read his post. Your blind love certainly seems to extend beyond just Spurs to the little bald wizard of oz pulling the strings.
Scott makes a fine argument about Levy’s modus operandi and its pitfalls, so why not engage with that instead of subverting the conversation?
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:00 am
My concern is that despite what we read in the press regarding the bid or non bid for Moutinho.The fact remains that if Levy really wanted him,he could still agree the deal now so that come January window we can have him done and dusted on the first day.So if we do not get him it must be because Levy wants to show a profit on the previous tranfers otherwise he could have continued surely and we get our man in the next window.
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:04 am
It wont happen.
unless it makes sound financial sense, if it does, the queue will be a mile long, we will do some pushing and shoving but come away empty handed as usual.
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:05 am
I dont think Levy does want Moutinho. AVB wanted him and Levy wants to keep AVB sweet. Moutinho = little or no profit to Levy, he will only see a loss.
That is more or less why we have not bought him
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:09 am
gutted that we did not get Berbatov back in, that may have been a nice piece of the impossible jigsaw that Levy is trying to assemble, short term fix mind, but probably the best at 1 up front in the business for me.
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:09 am
Scott – would have been a bit like shagging an ex. Feels a bit naughty, fun for a while and then you realise it’s a massive mistake.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:44 am
More of a mistake than only having one striker fit for the formation? Who is out of the squad for at least a month due to ANC?
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:42 pm
L’s, that’s if Togo qualify for the ACN…
Yeah I know the idea behind having Berbatoss back but trying to re-live the past rarely works out too well. Just ask HH in his 80s jumbo cords and arran jumpers
September 4th, 2012 at 10:37 am
My only question this morning is whether Clint Dempsey can be a catalyst for somne great things at Tottenham.
Right now we need a leader.
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mazzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:11 am
notice how fulham are not fairing any better without him, clint and mousa held that team together mate.
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:37 am
Its possible and looks like Dempsey has that energy to make things happen not only for himself but others will be inspired.
We need that right now.
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Mark Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:35 pm
Or a system that suits the players and not one that doesn’t.
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:49 am
oh dear…apparently Lloris is a bit of a Doris, anyone else notice how much bile has been directed at Spurs in France for this signing, Deschamps, Lizerazu and Aulas all bleating pathetically.
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:06 am
what is disconcerting is if AVB came out and infact said that Freidel is his number one.
Now if you were Lloris how would you feel?
It was a ridiculous comment if he infact made it.
No need to say anything. They are both his number ones.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 12:04 pm
What he said was right, Friedel keeps his shirt for the time being, Lloris is for the future. How far into the future depends very much on the two of them. I can understand why Deschamps is being shirty about it as he wants the national keeper to be a starter for his club. I’m sure he will be, in good time. All AVB was saying is common sense – nobody signs for a club expecting to walk into the starting line-up and take someone else’s place instantly.
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:45 pm
um. They can’t both play in goal at the same time. Rules etc.
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Depends when the booing takes place which you didn’t ask in the poll. During the game unacceptable. After the game acceptable. So which way should I have voted?
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
How about after the teams have gone in at half time. Can we boo the guy that does the Spurs TV thing… Or the queue for the beer. I’d be all for that.
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September 4th, 2012 at 11:07 am
I’ll make my mind up whether AVB is the dog’s nuts or dogshit when Adey, Dembele, Dempsey and Siggy have had a few games together.
As things stand it’s not been good, but we’ve sold 2 important players and shipped in newbies who haven’t even played a full game together yet.
I’m just hoping with all my heart that the 2 defensive midfielders thing was just while players were shipping out and new ones coming in.
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September 4th, 2012 at 11:40 am
The booing ism lets be honest,a side issue. The main issue is we havent done well in the three games how every way you want to slice it.
On to the next game.Everyone has to pick it up.
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September 4th, 2012 at 11:49 am
Good piece on DML pointing out how poor we were in 2012 last season. 36 % win rate. Pretty grim..and does account for alot of personal.
If someone else has mentioned this I apologise I am still pulling staples from my scrotum… I can feel a song coming on..
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September 4th, 2012 at 11:59 am
personnel changes
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September 4th, 2012 at 12:51 pm
Unlikely we will get Mouthino in January as Porto have sold Hulk for megabucks and it was stated that they would not sell both. So I think we can forget that one… we should and could have grabbed him on the day Modric went …I dont believe Levy really had any intent on closing a deal for him ..just PR soundbites to keep the fans believing… and then in for Dempsey because he is an American and has a big following Stateside which Ley sees as a brand opportunity .. nothing to do with the football just business already !!
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September 4th, 2012 at 12:56 pm
Sack everyone and let me takeover
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
But most people aren’t into ‘that sort of thing’…
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a_felching Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:30 pm
Prude
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Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Thank god, something that made me laugh. Gawd bless yer.
September 4th, 2012 at 1:12 pm
syn·er·gy (snr-j)
n. pl. syn·er·gies
1. The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects.
2. Cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.
[From Greek sunergi, cooperation, from sunergos, working together; see synergism.]
AVB is trying to acheive synergy……his system of football providing the basis for this.
Players sold or allowed to leave may have individual attributes or particular strengths but the coach sees the strength of the team in its combined ability to implement his system. In this respect I can see why VDV was sold and why Daws and Tommy are allowed to go if suitable bids are received.
Booing in the manner of Saturday is totally unacceptable. Are we that arrogant a bunch of supporters that we automatically expect victories against lesser opponents? Or even to be out of sight by half time?
Booing at half time 0-0 just plays into the oppositions hands, makes the players anxious….similar to the ironic cheers Gomes used to suffer in the games after he dropped a clanger.
Whilst support is optional, patience is a virtue.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 1:49 pm
I agree in general and really don’t wish to be dragged into the booing debate which I think is a red herring. I don’t agree with it and would never partake. HOWEVER! I have been at matches where there has been booing at half-time. Now, usually, what follows in the 2nd half is a much more motivated, coherent display. I’m not saying the two are necessarily connected, and surely you would hope a lot of that is to do with the half-time coaching but I have observed this correlation with my own eyes nevertheless. The one thing I found really disturbing the other day was that there really wasn’t a marked improvement after half time. Then I thought, perhaps it goes either of 2 ways: the team hear the boo’s, get the managers rant, come out with fire in their bellies in the 2nd half, or else the opposition hear the boos and think, they will be determined to make a good show of it now, so we need to redouble our attempts to get in their faces. That seemed to be what happened, West Brom were inspired by the boos to come straight back out and not give us time to get into any kind of rhythm or swagger. And it worked for them as Spurs weren’t able to show a decent response to the negative atmosphere, meaning it didn’t ever go away.
Just my meandering observations anyhow.
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LosLorenzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:10 pm
It was against Norwich, not WBA. Of course, that is neither here nor there with regards to the point you make.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Astromesmo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
So, if one of the HH massive has a slight ‘failing’ with the missus, the answer is for her to boo them, and then expect them to perform much better later as they will be more motivated.
They won’t be nervous, edgy, afraid to ‘give it a go’, rather be in the pub or playing scrabble instead etc. etc. Booing is the motivational answer? Scrap all those Olympics coaches, just get the games makers to stand at the side of the track and boo them if they don’t win.
Nice. Could save some lottery money.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:12 pm
Erm. Did you read the post or are you just intent on disagreeing with a voice in your own head? I didn’t justify it, in fact clearly denounced it, just offered some observations. Sorry if that’s a little too nuanced for these regions…
Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:40 pm
But it did drastically improve when we went from 2 defensive midfielders to 1! I am hoping AVB saw as much as will get rid of that negative system.
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Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:20 pm
Clarkie, I was all for 2 defensive midfielders before a ball was kicked. Thought it would provide a cover for the attacking 3rd but now not so sure. But Bale, Lennon and Ciggy have been pants in my opinion and have offered as much attack as a wet fish.
Like I said earlier, Parker will offer us so much more in terms of cover and with Dembele providing some defence sitting passes by roaming forward I think we will improve. AVB are you listening?
September 4th, 2012 at 1:19 pm
Shouting at a withered pot plant does not make it grow, give it the right conditions however and it will begin to heal.
Booing our beloved will do nothing but create an adverse environment in which we create a self fulfilling prophecy
Lets do our share of the nurturing. The chicken badge army need us.
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September 4th, 2012 at 1:24 pm
http://thinkfootball.co.uk/tactical-analysis-how-have-spurs-set-up-under-avb-so-far/
super article. Nail… head
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LosLorenzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
AVB out!
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
Very good article and more than an answer to all those nincompoops who questioned Modric’s importance / contribution.
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Alspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
This is superb. Looking forward to the next instalment.
(Although, I fear most may click away when confronted with the website’s strapline…)
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kenny Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 3:29 pm
top article, cheers
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Is it really a great article? It tells us that a midfield belongs in the middle and they pass to the attackers because they are in the middle and the attackers are one side and the defenders the other side…OK, thanks
We’ve sold our two best midfielders and these days field 6 defenders. Not sure I need a thermolaserography to tell me our midfield has a big hole in it – I worked that out using a TV.
Stating that we took teams by surprise for most of last season is bollocks. Check the possession stats of most of the games we won (and indeed lost) and you’ll see we had more of the ball every time. You can’t be playing on the break if you have possession most of the time.
And yes, Modric and VdV had lots of interplay but that’s what you expect when have 5 midfielders shifting the ball around the half way line. Teams learned to sit off us and let us have the ball, not attack us and we ran away on the break. The fuck up of Harry packing his bags for England destroyed the dressing room – NOT that all the other teams had a Eureka moment and decided that defending was in fact necessary when you play THFC. And then somehow we couldn’t score because Bale and Lennon need to run fast.
If was interested in analysis, I would want to know how many ‘passive’ passes with minimal pressure were played outside the attacking third before the ball came into a dangerous zone. Then the ratio of passes in the danger zones before a shot/chance was produced. Run that analysis with Modric in the team, VdV in the team, both in a team, both out of the team last season and then compare it to two players given a similar role this season. Then re-run the whole lot with Adey on the pitch and then Defoe on the pitch.
If you rate a player on his attacking presence then surely you may want to quantify what they offered to the attack?
Hotspots can fuck off with Barrymore – I don’t care where they are so much as what they are doing where they are.
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September 4th, 2012 at 3:37 pm
Just one question about booing. Will it do us any good?
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
I’m uncertain.
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September 4th, 2012 at 3:45 pm
Booing during the game unaccepatable, booing after the game acceptable, simple.
Tom has been out for a year and is unfit so quite why he was the best player to bring on is beyond my intellect.
I know, forget our tactics, forget the high line, forget crushing the widfield, forget playing a system designed to be played without wingers with wingers, let’s all rush back to our 18 yard box and set up camp there, that will fool the opposition.
Quiet master tactician at work.
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September 4th, 2012 at 4:27 pm
A blow for the Thud hate campaign. Red card rescinded as expected.
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LosLorenzo Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 4:35 pm
I wouldn’t go as far as to say “as expected”. This is the FA we’re talking about here. Balls up is generally what I expect from that shower of shite. But they got one right for a change. So good for them, I guess.
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:04 pm
Maybe the fat self indulgent cross dresser can try and play football now?
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:21 pm
Rafa Benitez is back in football?
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Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:10 pm
Harry, how do you think of these replies? Laughing my arse off in the Crown!!
As you say, more please!
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:53 pm
I’ve still got my fingers crossed for Thud,it would be a real choker if we let him go and he reaches his full potential.A few months injury free and who knows?
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September 4th, 2012 at 4:29 pm
fuck me that was hard work reading that load of shite, give it a rest ffs, the guy’s had three games with a mish mash squad that barely scraped a win in the tail of last season
and who is this new player ‘booing’ everyone is going on about
cheer up you lot it will only get better or worse or stay the same
I personally don’t give a fuck about the top 4 anymore, we ain’t going to win it, just beat cheatski, the goons & wet spam home and away – that’ll do for me
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Harry Hotspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 5:03 pm
Where’s the fucking like button?
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Mr_Spiggott Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:20 pm
Can we throw in the FA cup as well pls.
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 6:29 pm
I would quite like the much maligned Ropa Dope.
September 4th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Moutinho is going to Zenit. A Very Bad manager is going to hell!
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
No,he’s on match of the day
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LLL Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
Just a stop-gap
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:55 pm
I think he’s waiting for Nig to fuck up at Southampton,God help them
mystic arnold Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 7:50 am
No QPR look at all the golden oldies they are signing
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September 4th, 2012 at 6:05 pm
We’ll never get to the bottom of the moutinho thing but if you believe we missed out on the porto whizzkid by 4 minutes then you’ll believe anything, like we’re about to sign sturridge, carroll and butland, oh thats right you did! Anyway everyone knows levy did away with diana.
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September 4th, 2012 at 6:21 pm
Impressed with laudrup at swansea, had to lose joe allen, scott sinclair and sigurdson, 3 keys players of last season, but has brought in michu n co on the cheap and got them 2 gel quickly with 7 points in 3 matches. Avb has had more time and money to spend and were struggling at home to norwich who got spanked 5 -0 at fulham. No tempo, shit formation and 41 yr old friedel to thank we didn’t lose on sat. Coys!
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:24 pm
Tommo, you could falling into the same trap as some here might be. Swans have had a good start but if they are bottom by Christmas no one will give a fuck about the opening 3 games.
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Steveo1987 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
C’mon, AVB is shite…
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:50 am
Steveo – no one, absolutely no one who supports Spurs, can watch our opening 3 games and say they are pleased with what they have seen. Of course we hold the Head Coach culpable. I’ve not played pocket billiards because AVB joined and yet I’ve not quite organised a booing chorus for our next match either.
10 games in will tell us a bit more. If we’re in dire straits after 10, then AVB will have just 10 more to save his job. He’ll either pull it out the bag or we’re back in the market for another manager. Not like we have one for too long anyway, so I’m used to it.
September 4th, 2012 at 7:49 pm
I dont like hud hes lazy. Hes had all summer to lose a few pounds whilst getting bundles of top draw cash. He then has the cheek ( like an elephants I bet) to tweet about respect. Oh go do one my friend you lost my respect when you continued to “pass” players who ran past you & scored. You lost my respect when you sat on a beach giving it a large one with a ludicrous yogi. You lost my respect when you stayed in the Summer go toss burgers. I predict three wins on the bounce cheers
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
At the next game I dare you to clap at half time to see the difference in reaction from the players. I think the only way to end the half and the game is singing…… Oh when the spurssssss, go marching in…… Still sends tingles down my spine imagine the rush the players will get. Give them something to win for, like……. SUPPORT! I support the best team in the world, the most astute run club in the world. We won’t always be on the edge of glory, our time will come. Maybe a lot sooner if you backed our players rather then boo them. Shame on you.
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Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:04 pm
I like.
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
This must be just like living in paradise! And I don’t want to go home! #DLR
AVB reminds me of Leonardo DiCaprio in Shutter Island, he knows he’s fucked but rather than believe it he prefers to stay mental until the bullet comes
#iwanttobelieve
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Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 8:57 pm
You’ve just spoilt that film for me, lol!!
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Spurt Reynolds Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Soz mate. In fact that isn’t what really happens, it’s much better than that. It’s Hitchcock vs Kubrick. I changed it to make a sh*t point. I’ll stick to the day job.
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Stu Barney Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:15 pm
Ha ha, I’m only kidding, I watched it but must be honest was not sure if he had a screw lose or was all there, great film though!
Spurt Reynolds Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
ha ha that’s ok then, have you checked Kill List? Brookside style kitchen sink drama that ends like the wicker man. Ubercoolische.
Clarkspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Gents, go for ‘Animal Kingdom’ or ‘Tyrannosaur’ if you like the indie gritty dramas.
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September 4th, 2012 at 8:53 pm
I think Tom Huddlestone should be in the team.
He is talented but struggles with fitness.
Jenas (plus many of our current and past midfielders) has little talent but good fitness.
If I was coaching spurs I’d rather have a team of Tommy Hs. Motivate him, get him fit and get him in the team.
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Steveo1987 Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:18 pm
Talent don’t count for nowt if it’s not applied.
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Jimbo THFC Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:31 pm
Agreed. He should be applying himself but footballers are temperamental. AVB is paid to get the most out of this squad not just move players on. I just think it will be a shame if his talent is wasted.
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nobby nobbs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:37 pm
Since when did being a fat fuck who can make a 50yd pass last 30 seconds qualify for be cloned..
Clearing fucking landmines pal.
Genius is effortless everyone else has to work at stuff.
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Jimbo THFC Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 9:47 pm
With decent coaching and direction he would be a good player. I really don’t understand why fans want to write off someone who would be an asset. I read lots about us lacking creativity or moans about sideways passes going nowhere but I’m sure Tom H could make a difference.
Unfortunately we don’t get players who you would call a genius anymore, we should be making the best of what we have.
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nobby nobbs Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:41 pm
How long has he been at THFC?
Habib Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 7:26 am
You dont bet on a horse for 7 years which is how long Tom has been with us. This is the Premier League where Sir Alex benches the most expensive goal keeper in England after one average game which Man U still won!
September 4th, 2012 at 9:41 pm
being cloned
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September 4th, 2012 at 9:52 pm
Honestly i dont think we all were completely aware of the fact, that this was now to be a season or two of “transition” (sounds like seasons 93-08). Maybe we were so deluded as to think that we were actually going to keep aiming high, rather than settle for, transition. I thought it was better to fail aiming high, rather than settle for less, now, not in an undefinite future. I am so pleased we replaced the previous chancer, with someone of football knowledge, to handle the situations where we failed in our last attempts, someone with tactical awareness. Unfortunately, he is having to deal with, as previously, a culture of self-obsessed, believe your own hype group of players, who probably, also at thfc, bear in mind what they had before, “dont take well to change”, hell, even the crowd don’t!
Because we, the crowd, didnt expect change, we expected progress, or at the very least, stability, and what do we get?
Last season, and it is just fair to compare to last season – we watched our team be up there at the very front, for a good while, we were in contention, to fall away at some point, but in contention, and we watched, and cheered, some very good football along the way. We failed in the long run, to many peoples agreement, tactically.
So we try and improve tactically, (new manager), we have a somewhat strange transfer window of deadline day dealings (never mind what was not signed, only looking at what was signed). We send out world class players, and get in perhaps one or two, (in goal and CB, and dont go on with ade here please), and some mid range PL talent to complement the rest of the mid range PL players we have already. All done so embarrasingly on August 30/31, Totally unprofessional.
Now, all of a sudden we should show patience, and expect (a period of how long of) a period of transition, players gelling, getting the formation right, getting new mechanisms going, players bonding…., for exactly how long do you all think we should show this patience, 1 season, 2 seasons? During the 90′s it was rather a long scope, should we get used to that again?
As for booing the booers, yes booing at home in 3rd game of season is too early, but please tell them then; this is a year (or first of a number of years) of transition, unlike last year, no, we are not contenders, (as you may have noticed from our handling of transfers), and yes this is the way the football may look like here now, for some time to come, they did not know, or expect that. Anyway, sorry for the rambling and the spelling, will not proofread, however please bear in mind that supporting is sentiment, not argument, so if the happyclappers want booboys out, i suggest they grow louder even, as they usually are anyway.., but i think the boos are natural surprise boos, we were led to believe we were going there, and now back to “transition BS” of old days, quite a cold shower. We will win thext 35, i know, you saw it here first…
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:04 pm
only the british press could build a crisis out of the fact that our 41 yr old keeper had the game of his life the day after we sign one of the worlds best young international keepers. all heil the daily mail. i hate em.
“Chaos reigns in AVB’s ranks while French are hopping mad over Lloris snub
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2198371/Hugo-Lloris-snub-angers-France-Tottenham-internal-chaos.html#ixzz25XbnQQZQ“
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:08 pm
fergie was shit first year at man u.
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melcyid Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 1:06 am
ooh betty
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:25 pm
.
Andre Villas-Boas’s frustration at Tottenham Hotspur’s failure to sign João Moutinho from Porto on transfer deadline day was compounded by the knowledge that the clubs had submitted an agreed deal sheet to the Premier League before the 11pm cut-off.
Villas-Boas had made the Portugal midfielder his priority target, considering him to be the player not only to replace Luka Modric, who was sold to Real Madrid for £30m, but to knit together the 4-3-3 formation that he has introduced at White Hart Lane. Moutinho is well schooled in the system, and he played in it under Villas-Boas at Porto.
The Tottenham manager’s hopes that the transfer would be completed were raised last Friday when his club and Porto signed the deal sheet and submitted it to the Premier League. The sheet, which is an emergency mechanism for late transfers, cannot be used before 9pm and must be with the League by 11pm.
It allows a club to confirm that an agreement is in place with regard to the fee and the structure of the payments in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documents, including the player contract. Once the sheet arrives, the clubs can have until 1am to submit the full paperwork but, in the case of an international transfer, such as this one, the final deadline for everything to be inputted into Fifa’s transfer matching system is 12pm.
Tottenham’s offer was €25m (£20m), which would have been a club record, eclipsing the £16.6m that they paid to Dynamo Zagreb for Modric in 2008, and they and Porto continued to work on the deal between 11pm and 12 midnight. It is understood that Moutinho wanted the move but his third party ownership presented one issue that could not be resolved before midnight.
A third party investor owns 15% of Moutinho’s economic rights, after deals were struck following the player’s €10m transfer from Sporting Lisbon to Porto in 2010. Although Porto paid for 100% of Moutinho’s rights, they sold 37.5% of them in October of that year to the investor for €4.2m before, in August 2011, buying back 22.5% of them.
The investor’s 15% entitled him to a cut of the fee and, under Premier League rules, which forbid third party ownership, he had to be bought out at the Porto end before the deal could be ratified. In the frantic moments before midnight, the clubs could not reach agreement, with sources close to Tottenham saying that Porto went back on the previously signed deal sheet to demand a higher fee.
Another of the complications regarded Moutinho’s personal terms and when his demand for a bigger salary was met, Porto used the notion that Tottenham valued him more highly to drive up the fee. Porto already stood to pay Sporting Lisbon a 25% cut of sale profits above €10m, the figure that Sporting had parted with two years ago.
The third party ownership issue resonated further on Tuesday, when Porto confirmed the €40m sale of the striker Hulk to Zenit St Petersburg; the Russian champions have also signed the midfielder Axel Witsel from Benfica for the same price. The Russian transfer window has a later closing date to that in England.
Fifteen per cent of Hulk’s economic rights are owned by a third party investor and Porto said, in a filing to the Portuguese stock exchange, that they would receive the fee from Zenit in exchange for the 85% that they held in the player; in other words, Hulk remains under the influence of his third party owner, which is not against the rules in Russia.
Chelsea, though, would appear rueful onlookers, having held an interest in Hulk and agreed a fee of £38m for him in principal with Porto earlier in the summer. The deal, though, foundered over complications related to the buy-out of his third party owner.
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Finn Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:24 pm
I assume this is you quoting the Guardian not them quoting you?
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northern spur Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:50 pm
Excellent analysis of the complexities of modern international transfers (assuming it is accurate). Thanks for taking the trouble to explain it in clear, straightforward terms. However, this should not have been a surprise to the men at the top and so the deal should have been started far earlier.
I was at the Norwich game and couldn’t believe the team was booed at half time. I am prepared to boo myself, but only when things become intolerable. After three games is plain ridiculous.
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`rich g Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 5:03 am
never heard of cut and paste then?
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Thepin Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 9:22 am
Cut and paste or no, this is exactly what I thought was the case. All the levy haters would like to ignore these sorts of details, so they can scream abuse from the first misplaced pass at the board, feigning depth of knowledge to their braindead mates beside them.
It’s not championship manager, but try telling that to the idiots.
LLL Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 11:01 am
3 months to sort it out and it falls apart at 10.30pm.
Just saying.
September 4th, 2012 at 10:27 pm
.
Tom Huddlestone has won his fight to get his red card in Tottenham’s Barclays Premier League game against Norwich rescinded.
The Football Association announced midfielder Huddlestone’s claim for wrongful dismissal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw had been upheld and withdrew his three-match ban.
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:34 pm
After the international break we need a fresh start an some new ideas how about this team…. Loris, walker, bae, caulker, vong, jenas, sandro, dembele, bale, Dempsey and adebayor in a 4,3,3 think that is a team to take us to top 4. Oh an please stop booing it can’t be good for the players
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September 4th, 2012 at 10:39 pm
Harry you have created an industry.
People never had work before you showed up. Not there are the pros,the amateurs and the cons and the righteous.
There are hundreds of thousands of machinists in China making Boo shirts and anti Boo shirts and meshiginahs all over teh world promotiong them. Blogs are rising up as we speak…the is a Spring unlike any of the other…we wont burn the house down we will boo it down…OR NOT……wecall them all Bootagonists.
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 10:43 pm
Chelski will be the Boo Racists
the arse? Boo Arsonists
WHU….BOOOOOOOOOOO and Clarets
Man United Boo and U
Man City Boowait
Liverpool LiverBool
Newcastle BOO CODES
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Finn Reply:
September 4th, 2012 at 11:23 pm
WHU blowing booobbles?
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 12:01 am
Part time yiddos…boolocks
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September 5th, 2012 at 12:09 am
Ipswich MOO BOOS
Ever been to Boonley??????? its up north soomehere near manchester
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September 5th, 2012 at 12:16 am
Harry I realize what the problem is.There is not enough humour here on HH.
You have pictures constantly of diabolical English comedians and yet the articles are all serious.
Time to retread.
Do serious pictures and diabolically funny writing.
Ok dont.
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 12:17 am
This is Tottenham.We have more material than all the other clubs put together.
Dont make light of it.
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Clarkspur Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 9:03 am
The two Ronnies having a chat?
Shall I make you a nice cup of tea Dear?
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September 5th, 2012 at 2:11 am
used to read read Hotspur when I was a kid,this is the grown up version I spose
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notsohotspurs Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 2:19 am
Grown up version ? Really.
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melcyid Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 2:41 am
it has swear words and sexual references and rude innuendos on every blog so I apose it is for those of us who are over 10
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Ronnie Wolman Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 4:15 am
Mel is a Melchester United fan I bet. Should not be cartooning on here mate we are all from Tottenley Hotspur. The pride of Tottenley.
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September 5th, 2012 at 2:12 am
read read
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September 5th, 2012 at 2:50 am
Lloris should kick back and all them french guys need to shut the fuck up! The guys just arrived in London ! at least take your scarf off and have a cup of tea before you start moaning.If he’s watched any Spurs games before signing he’d know Brads been in fine form ,but the guys pushing 50 and in a few weeks he’ll hand over the gloves.What’s AVB supposed to do ? Mush Brad in the face and say fuck off old man Hugo’s here, clear your locker? come on man ,this gives him time to settle.
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`rich g Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 5:01 am
they are a nation of cunits, always crying bitching and moaning, i cant stand em, sunburned armpits.
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Sounds like a country full of yiddos
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SpursGator Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:36 am
Lloris didn’t say anything. Only Deschamps, who has his own agenda – he is pressuring AVB to play Lloris straightaway. It is incredibly disrespectful towards AVB – Deschamps contempt for AVB, or at least his disrespect, could not be more transparent.
Every time there’s an international break, and the players go hang out with their countries’ press for a week, this kind of thing happens. Remember when Van der Vaart walked directly to the locker room and headed off to Holland, where a minor media circus got kicked up that he and Harry were having some kind of problem – he didn’t like being substituted etc. Spurs fans were shitting bricks about this all over the web.
Then, after the break, the next time he was taken off, Rafa strolled over and had a little cuddle with Harry, followed by general guffaws all around. Storm ends.
Deschamps is a real cunt. Regardless of your experience with French people, using him as the example for the whole country is practically an act of violence. He’s a reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaal fucker and you can see it ever so clearly here.
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September 5th, 2012 at 3:01 am
while on his latest buying jolly in europe Levy was seen in the duty free buying a gold watch for the old man.
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September 5th, 2012 at 3:48 am
With all these spending’s we look so terribly wrong.
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/423871_499004340128909_572712110_n.jpg
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skankehmonkeh Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 7:36 am
That’s gross, not net = worthless.
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September 5th, 2012 at 4:01 am
Lloris was a bad useless purchase that is totally not fare for both party’s.
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SpursGator Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 8:41 am
Yes, we have a perfectly good 41 year-old goalkeeper who is retiring at the end of this year. I can’t understand why we would buy one of the most talented youngish goalkeepers in Europe.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/ks2/english/spelling_grammar/
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Frontwheel 2 Reply:
September 5th, 2012 at 9:16 am
You’ve moaned about buying Lloris many times,yet have never explained the reason why.He will be first choice soon enough so no need to be concerned about his feelings,ffs
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September 5th, 2012 at 10:48 am
Yeah your right about that .Dechump is a notorious cunt he should leave Lloris to settle at his new club and dont be so disrespectful to AVB.
LOL ” Fuck off old man “.
By the way Lloris will be class. You know when Reina was good at Liverpool like world class. Thats what we have with Lloris hopefully he adapts quickly and smoothly.
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September 5th, 2012 at 12:13 pm
You have to be a very big club, a kinda club were people like Livermore are miles away to afford french NT captain to sit on the bench. All I’m saying is timing is bad. Brad and Cudicini could hold the season no problem. Instead we should have used the money for Moutinho or Lloris.
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September 5th, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Why did lloris leave a club he was first choice at, and were in the champions league? Brad is good for at least a year and undroppable, i don’t think lloris will want to play 2nd fiddle even for 6 months. The last thing we needed in this window was a goalkeeper. Its another case of bad communication that has caused a problem. I agree deschamps should shut his mouth but this shouldnt have happened like it did.
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