Tottenham news: A Spurs fans view

By Jolyon
December 29 2003

After the shenanigans of December the NLP (www.northlondonpride.co.uk) message board has asked the following question; What would you change? Whilst this response does not suggest much change it certainly has highlighted some very good points.

Here's my view of things :

Board - Were starting to get things together over the summer, money spent in one of the places it was needed, the manager backed in most of his purchase requests. Better PR, particularly on transfer rumours. Didn't buy a defensive midfielder - but manager chose a further striker over this option. Sacked the manager at an odd time with no replacement in ine, even if one was in mind.

The key thing though is that we made a very decent operating profit last year despite having a poor time, money was spent and more is being raised. Can't see that we can ask for more, bar an Abramovic figure.

Manager - Well Glenn had to go I think, although I doubt we'd be much worse off if he was still here. Pleat did a good job as caretaker, steadied the ship considerably. Has been less successful since he's been confirmed in the role for the rest of the season. The Carling Cup exit seems to have destroyed morale in the way that the Final loss did for Hoddle's team.

Keeps picking Poyet - I can see why you might start off doing that but I don't think you'll find a single fan that is happy about it. Has had no chance to bring in players and a hefty injury list (as ever) hasn't helped.

As he's been confirmed for the rest of the season we'll have him for that time - can't see that there's any other option. Will be replaced in the summer. Whether he does / should take up his DoF post again is another matter.

Players - The summer buys and loans were good IMO. We didn't get the defensive midfielder we needed but did get the strikers which were more important at the time. (Remember Doc and Teddy up front?).

Obviously we're light in midfield - hopefully Brown will be the answer to this - the return of Davies should also help if he can recapture the form that made him player of the season.

As far as individuals go the problems have been (IMO of course):

Keller : Fantastic shot stopper but has not improved other areas of his game at all - poor on crosses & corners, poor communication with defense & alarmingly, heartstoppingly poor when coming off his line - he either doesn't do it or overdoes it. A weak link in our team and one of the reasons our defence is not doing what it should.

Richards : Needs to have his achilles surgery and a few sessions of psychotherapy. Is not the commanding presence of last season.

Poyet : Too old, too slow. Lovely player in his prime (and a fair way beyond it too) and lovely bloke by all accounts but not up to starting in the Premiership. I'd keep him on the bench and encourage him to take a coaching role - starting with the kids.

Dalmat : Must commit to getting fitter and to doing his share of the defensive work. This slackness makes it difficult to pick him every match and is depriving us on one of the best creative players we've got - his skill deserves the chance to shine but he needs to do the work to let this happen.

Blondel : Needs to stop whining and go to Bury or Bradford or wherever it was that wanted him. He needs to prove he can hack it with the physical side of the English game and that was an ideal chance for him to test himself. Is now unlikely ever to become a Spurs regular.

Keane : I love Keano, I was delighted when he came to the club and he's often been worth the entrance money on his own. Well some of the entrance money at any rate - only regular European football would actually be worth it but that's another matter.

BUT as Spiderman realised with great power comes great responsibility. Robbie needs to be performing at his best to keep the Spurs motor ticking over. It may be that he feels this all too keenly (tabloid headline hell narrowly averted) which might explain his constant dropping back or wide. These might even be his instructions but they're not what we need.

I want the midfield to be given (and take) responsibility for that work. I want Keano in the middle for the most part, running at players direct towards the goal. I want him to cut out the backheels that noone is expecting and the runs wide that noone could predict.

I wouldn't drop him - in fact I'd build the team around him - but I'd also give him a bit of a lecture on the key parts of his role and how he should be going about them.

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So basically there isn't all that much I'd change in the boardroom or on the pitch.

I'd have a long look at the coaching staff though. I want to see a dedicated defensive coach someone who had played recently in a strong defensive team - even if it meant hiring a former goon. If Irwin takes his coaching badges he'd be the sort of person I have in mind.

I'd want to be certain the goalkeeping coahces are up to scratch - the emergence of Burch and the good reports that Jalal had been getting suggest they may be but Keller is not improving and if it is down to them then I'd bring in someone else.

The fitness side of things clearly needs to be examined - we have too many injuries and they take too long to heal. I'd be very tempted to cast around in the USA for a proper fitness team that covers all areas and has a good scientific background. Wenger seems to have this side of things sorted out better than us and so having a shufty at his methods wouldn't do any harm.

And I'd have a motivator. Not a professional motivational coach but someone around - or several someones - who know what it is like to play proessionally and who love the club - I'd try and get Jurgen in for a visit, and Mabs, Perryman and the rest on odd occasions, just to talk to the players to build a bit of pride and confidence, because those are the qualities we really seem to lack and we can't buy them in the transfer window.