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New season, new
players, new management, new optimism ?? Not hugely. The new
management seem to be getting on well despite the best endeavours
of the media to stir up trouble which just isn't there and the fact
that the language barrier still exists between coaches and
players. The new players haven't exactly been of the top echelon
we might have hoped for, however much we might like to think we have the
ability to attract that nature of signing. And the pre-season
matches have failed to garner a huge amount of feelgood factor (8) with
rubbish results and not a lot better performances. Admittedly, the
management are getting to know the players better and fielding sides of
probables and possibles has not helped with consistency. Add to
that the inevitable injuries and you have a situation where we start the
season with no recognised experienced right back and without Robbie
Keane for a good few weeks.
New medical team
aside, it must be hoped that the training regimes we pout our players
through are well ordered and allow players to get through them without
putting too much strain on their bodies. It will be important that
we have as many players as fit as possible for as long as
possible. The competition for places that the new signings have
created will be as nothing should the injury plague return to strip us
of our options.
With the
"flat" season of 2003-04 behind us, we must hope that there
will be a few more highs this time around. It will take time for
the team to settle and get used to playing together, but some improved
performances and a few results where we dropped points last season would
be welcome. I suppose that we will be looking for a "better
than last season" outcome. That will be regarded as a
success, but we will have to accept that this is the first step on a
long journey that will hopefully finish with us being consistently
finishing further up the league table.
With Arnesen opening
doors that we have previously found closed, his contacts and his ability
to broker deals might be invaluable in the progress the team
makes. His young signings have been good on the whole so far and
the introduction of Naybet is an important addition to the squad to
share the burden in the middle of the defence and also to bring on
Ledley King and Anthony Gardner to the players they could be if they
learn well. The creative midfielder role is still vacant and
another forward might yet arrive ... maybe at the expense of one going
out (Fredi (?) If rumours are to be believed).
With just two weeks
and a bit until transfer deadline day, I think it might be that the
incoming players could be last day additions to the squad, much like
Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe were. But the squad has a youthful
look about it and that bodes well for the future. However, this
means we must be patient in the present. The coaches will need to
organise the team and then get them playing a bit. Some improved
performances against the top teams and some better results against teams
we have dropped points against might move us up the table this season.
With the experience
of Santini and Jol, allied with the back up team of Clive Allen and
Dominique Cuperley, Spurs should be able to get the best out of the
players. With Jacques' record of discipline, you feel that anyone
who does not pull their weight will be out soon as he can move them
on. The success of Jacques and Jol will be crucial to the side and
if it all goes wrong, they will come tumbling down and it will take more
than vinegar and brown paper to put it right !!
Last season's captain
Stephen Carr has headed off to pastures new. With a year left on
his contract, the club's reluctance to let him go for nothing meant that
they had to accept a bid from Newcastle United, which was probably the
best they could get in the circumstance. Unlike another ex-Spur
who was nearing the end of his contract, he didn't give false hope by
saying he would stay and although he has said he needed the kick up the
backside of a move, he has not slagged Spurs off (yet). For that,
I think he deserves a decent reception when he comes back to the
Lane. He was never the same after the operation on his knee, but
he still did well for the club over the years and who could blame him
for taking the opportunity of a last payday ? Having seen some of
the players we let go last season struggle to find new clubs, he perhaps
didn't want to find himself in that position next summer.
So, it's welcome to
Santini, Arnesen, Jol and Cuperley. And welcome to Paul Robinson,
Pedro Mendes, Marton Fulop, Erik Edman, Sean Davis, Thimothee Atouba,
Nourredine Naybet, Edson Silva, Leigh Mills and Rodrigo Defendi. I
have never known a summer when there has been such a change in the
number of players at the club. It makes me think we have put Barry
Fry or Harry Redknapp in charge or something !! It won't be the end of
the wheeling and dealing, as Reto Ziegler, a promising young Swiss
player will arrive in January and there might be more movement in the
market then.
Interesting
times. I hope we have an interesting season with movement in an
upward direction.
Keep the faith.
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
MY EYES HAVE SEEN THE GLORY OF THE CUPS AT WHITE HART LANE
AND THE SPURS GO MARCHING ON.
BRUCE
CASTLE |
