| So, the start of
another year and what a year 1998 turned out to be. Two
managers, a battle against relegation and now we are
heading for a Worthington Cup semi-final showdown with
those loveable Wombles. All in all, if somebody had told
you on New Years Day 1998 that George Graham would be
managing a Tottenham team that was unbeaten at home and
wasn't playing the boring football he is renowned for,
you just wouldn't have believed them. We've come a long
way from the heavy defeats that characterised the final
days of Gerry Francis and the early ones of Christian
Gross. However, the new manager has got the team running
scared now and that appears to be what they have needed
from the boss for quite a while. The competition for
places means that no player can rest on his laurels as he
knows that there is someone champing at the bit to take
his place. With a few more additions to come following
the arrivals of Taricco and Freund, the fight for places
will hopefully become even more competitive and with that
the standard of play within the first team should rise accordingly. We have already seen what having two good
keepers on the books can do to their performance, as they
have to stay on their toes to deny their shadow the
chance of grabbing an opportunity to impress the manager.
It is still early days in Graham's reign and we should
not get carried away, as the consistency is still not
quite there, but we have become difficult to beat and the
side does not fold when in the face of a side looking
likely to give them a beating. The introduction of Taricco and Freund
should be interesting. Two players who are not world
class, but are of a high standard and Tottenham went and
got them for reasonable prices in today's transfer
market. It's not always about buying the best players,
but those that will fit into the system to be employed by
the coach. It shows that the support team at Tottenham
are in place to identify and secure the players who are
available for transfer. This is important in this day and
age, when the Bosman ruling means that players can be
picked up cheaply if you know which player will be coming
available because their contract is up. Some, like
McManaman, will be out of the range of Tottenham because
of the astronomical wages they will require in lieu of no
transfer fee having to be paid, but there are plenty of
others who would suit the club nicely. The acquisition of
younger players is most important, as this builds for the
future. Instant success is the name of the game these
days, but looking forward ensures that the team does not
grow old together and the good times continue, rather
than fade with the players who achieved that intitial
glory.
The Wimbledon semi-final is the
most important match we have had for a while. Well, since
we played Wimbledon at Selhurst in May last year. But
this time it is not just survival we are talking about -
it is the possibility of winning something. The last time
we were in such a position, we were hammered 1-4 by
Everton in the FA Cup semi, but this time I think George
will have the team right for the matches. Being over two
legs makes it like a European tie (not that you are
likely to meet Wimbledon in European competition) and
George has experience of that from his previous clubs.
Once the Worthington Cup is out of the way, we can
concentrate on winning the FA Cup and the Premier League.
Oh, pinch me somebody. I'm getting carried away again.
Anyway, here's to some success along the line.
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
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