Sheffield Spur
Øyvind Leonhardsen
I really am concerned at the direction of the club, and its ambitions (or lack of it).
Ridding us of Redknapp was unquestionably the right thing to do, due to multiple reasons, IMHO. Already debated to death. But where from there?
Stock Market
Just why did Spurs de-list from the stock market at the beginning of the year? I would have thought for one of two reasons (or both):
a) to rid the club of the liability to shareholders, i.e. having to to act in the best interests of shareholders/shareholders dividends/limitations on wage levels and transfer fees because of liability to shareholders. The latter has been a big weight around the neck in the transfer market in the past. We couldn't compete for the best. Plc's and football clubs don't mix. That model may have worked in the early days in the 1980's, but not now.
or
b) a move in advance of a takeover. MUFC and CFC delisted very quickly after takeover. others?
There have been rumours and rumblings of a takeover. Whether there is any truth in that, remains to be seen. Spurs must be seen as the next big target for takeover.
New Management
AVB? The jury is out, and he should be given time (but of course, how much time?).
I cannot believe that AVB took the job without huge assurances over big transfer funds available, and backing of the board (especially after his Chelski experiences). Assuming that to be so, he hasn't got his no. 1 target in Moutinho. A total lynchpin of his tactics. I cannot believe that he isn't concerned at that.
Are AVB's tactics of a lone striker workable? Defoe cannot be that, so why a new contract?. So that leaves Adebeyor. He blew hot and cold last season.
The first three performances this season have been pretty dire, and today against 'mighty' Norwich, it was a shambles. Against more robust opposition? I am worried. Crucial to this system is a fantastic playmaker in the middle of the park, like Hoddle, or Modric, or Moutinho. The long sprayed accurate pass to the flanks or over the top. Just who is going to do this now?
The Transfer Window
How many more times must Levy insist on this absurd last minute brinkmanship that he adopts in transfer windows, to try and get the player(s) he wants at the best deal (???). It is a well know quantity now, and is increasingly so, as demonstrated in this window.
We desperately needed a Modric replacement. It was Moutinho, and by far AVB's main choice, as widely reported. Porto couldn't lose. They knew we were desperate for their man, that we were/are minted, especially after Modric going, and that they could afford to sit back and wait for Spurs to pay what they wanted, or no deal. They didn't want to lose the guy anyway. To get the guy, we were always going to have to pay a packet in transfer fee and wages, and we had ages to sort this out. We wait to the end, and then it goes tits up. Priceless! We walked right into that. It was entirely predictable. Did we think that we would get the bloke as a record signing, and then not pay him top whack wages?
A striker. A world class, mobile hitman striker. Our no. 1 priority IMO (not another goalkeeper; that could have waited). This has been going on for a decade now, since Hoddles days as manager. Morientes would have been it. Berbatov is the nearest we have got. We could have got him back in this window? What we need. A snip at £4m. Fulham get him and we get an AM in Dempsey instead. After Liverpool can't afford him, mind!
Squad
We had three Premiership-experienced world class players before the transfer window, in Bale, VdV and Modric. Now we have one.
Strikers? We have two.
Goalkeepers? We have four. Double the number of strikers! That is absurd. It should be the other way round.
For a squad to be able to be successful at the top, four strikers are needed. SAF knows that. How many times have Spurs struggled to score? Defoe is an upmarket Robbie Keane; a scorer of great goals, not a great goalscorer.
Last of all, to the really cynical, a rather nice profit has been made for ENIC after the transfer window. About £20m+? If there is any truth in a takeover, it looks like a very smart bit of asset stripping and money generation by ENIC, prior to new owners coming in. Was Moutinho ever a real prospect? Still no quality striker? Result: an unbalanced squad.
I am worried for the future, where we are going and how we are doing it.
Ridding us of Redknapp was unquestionably the right thing to do, due to multiple reasons, IMHO. Already debated to death. But where from there?
Stock Market
Just why did Spurs de-list from the stock market at the beginning of the year? I would have thought for one of two reasons (or both):
a) to rid the club of the liability to shareholders, i.e. having to to act in the best interests of shareholders/shareholders dividends/limitations on wage levels and transfer fees because of liability to shareholders. The latter has been a big weight around the neck in the transfer market in the past. We couldn't compete for the best. Plc's and football clubs don't mix. That model may have worked in the early days in the 1980's, but not now.
or
b) a move in advance of a takeover. MUFC and CFC delisted very quickly after takeover. others?
There have been rumours and rumblings of a takeover. Whether there is any truth in that, remains to be seen. Spurs must be seen as the next big target for takeover.
New Management
AVB? The jury is out, and he should be given time (but of course, how much time?).
I cannot believe that AVB took the job without huge assurances over big transfer funds available, and backing of the board (especially after his Chelski experiences). Assuming that to be so, he hasn't got his no. 1 target in Moutinho. A total lynchpin of his tactics. I cannot believe that he isn't concerned at that.
Are AVB's tactics of a lone striker workable? Defoe cannot be that, so why a new contract?. So that leaves Adebeyor. He blew hot and cold last season.
The first three performances this season have been pretty dire, and today against 'mighty' Norwich, it was a shambles. Against more robust opposition? I am worried. Crucial to this system is a fantastic playmaker in the middle of the park, like Hoddle, or Modric, or Moutinho. The long sprayed accurate pass to the flanks or over the top. Just who is going to do this now?
The Transfer Window
How many more times must Levy insist on this absurd last minute brinkmanship that he adopts in transfer windows, to try and get the player(s) he wants at the best deal (???). It is a well know quantity now, and is increasingly so, as demonstrated in this window.
We desperately needed a Modric replacement. It was Moutinho, and by far AVB's main choice, as widely reported. Porto couldn't lose. They knew we were desperate for their man, that we were/are minted, especially after Modric going, and that they could afford to sit back and wait for Spurs to pay what they wanted, or no deal. They didn't want to lose the guy anyway. To get the guy, we were always going to have to pay a packet in transfer fee and wages, and we had ages to sort this out. We wait to the end, and then it goes tits up. Priceless! We walked right into that. It was entirely predictable. Did we think that we would get the bloke as a record signing, and then not pay him top whack wages?
A striker. A world class, mobile hitman striker. Our no. 1 priority IMO (not another goalkeeper; that could have waited). This has been going on for a decade now, since Hoddles days as manager. Morientes would have been it. Berbatov is the nearest we have got. We could have got him back in this window? What we need. A snip at £4m. Fulham get him and we get an AM in Dempsey instead. After Liverpool can't afford him, mind!
Squad
We had three Premiership-experienced world class players before the transfer window, in Bale, VdV and Modric. Now we have one.
Strikers? We have two.
Goalkeepers? We have four. Double the number of strikers! That is absurd. It should be the other way round.
For a squad to be able to be successful at the top, four strikers are needed. SAF knows that. How many times have Spurs struggled to score? Defoe is an upmarket Robbie Keane; a scorer of great goals, not a great goalscorer.
Last of all, to the really cynical, a rather nice profit has been made for ENIC after the transfer window. About £20m+? If there is any truth in a takeover, it looks like a very smart bit of asset stripping and money generation by ENIC, prior to new owners coming in. Was Moutinho ever a real prospect? Still no quality striker? Result: an unbalanced squad.
I am worried for the future, where we are going and how we are doing it.
