Not long ago I wrote a piece concerning the lack of spending at Tottenham by chairman Daniel Levy and owner Joe Lewis regarding the signing of new players. My conviction is stronger than ever that the problem with Tottenham Hotspur is with the current chairman Daniel Levy. I would like to add absentee owner Joe Lewis to that list too. These two men in my opinion are ruining a good club that Harry Redknapp built. Joe Lewis, the majority owner, shows little or no interest in the club and has passed that responsibility to his long time friend and associate Daniel Levy.

There should be no surprise as to the owner’s interest. The man heads a very large private equity firm, similar to Bain Capital. ENIC Group has control over the club but ENIC Group is part of the larger entity known as Tavistock Group based in the Bahamas. Tavistock has holdings in energy, resorts, property development, restaurants, manufacturing, sports and many other things. Tavistock is made up of over 200 companies. ENIC Group is part of that and finally Tottenham Hotspur is one of those tiny pieces to this private equity firm. I think for Lewis owning Tottenham is more about bragging rights — a current trend among the wealthy to own a professional sports team, which you see a lot in the United States. To a point, I will give Lewis a pass but he could do more. However, Levy has been given full control over the club by Lewis and is driving the club into the ground.

After four successful years of building a team that I believe was going to the next level, Levy decides to fire Harry Redknapp. There are all sorts of stories why this happened but that doesn’t really matter. The point is the most successful manager in a number of years was axed. Levy said he wanted to take the club in a new direction. All I have heard is he wanted a younger coach and a focus on younger players. I thought Redknapp had been focusing on the development of the youth at Spurs; some of them are currently playing. But what is Levy’s vision for Spurs? That has yet to be determined. Levy, as the man in charge, needs to explain what his vision is to the supporters. He has done an awful job in communicating his message to the public. He rarely speaks to the press. What are we to think?

The removal of Redknapp was a foolish blunder. Redknapp did more for the club than any manager in a long time. I will give Martin Jol credit for his efforts and accomplishments. Harry took a beaten club in 08/09, took them to the League Cup Final and almost got them into Europe and got them to 8th place in the league. Then came fourth place and the Champions League. And for the first time in that competition, the club performed very well. During he last two years, Redknapp took them to 5th and 4th and the dumb luck of missing out on the Champion Leagues. Redknapp wasn’t given a great deal of money to work with and new players coming in were limited, even though he sought to unload players and bring new players in. Yes, no trophies were won but that isn’t the only measure of success. You measure the man for what he has done for the club and Levy threw that all away. Was Redknapp perfect? No. He got too close to the press and made off the wall comments. He played favorites and left some good players out. He made public comments concerning his players and he should have known better. Yes, he made some poor player selections in games and didn’t always change his tactics, but that is after the fact. In addition, players must accept responsibility for their poor performance as well.

The two men didn’t get along despite what the reports said. Levy is classic new school, white collar and wants to make money for his friend, Lewis. Redknapp is classic working class or blue collar man. Redknapp, without a doubt, is a man’s man. The type of guy you could joke around with or have a beer and talk about anything. Redknapp is the type of guy who wouldn’t take crap from anyone and would prefer to handle things old school. If you read his op-ed piece during the riots in London last year you would know what I mean. The man was very comfortable in his own body. Levy strikes me as a man who was insecure around Redknapp and felt threatened by his personality. Levy doesn’t seem like a person who is comfortable with who he is, and thus Redknapp had to go. Levy wanted to control Redknapp and that wasn’t going to happen, so he brought in a very young coach that you can influence and dominate. Levy strikes me as a man who wants the appearance of making things happen, thus receiving the credit for that success. If AVB succeeds, Levy will say it was all his doing and no one else. I think that is the type of man Levy portrays.

How Levy became chairman, I really don’t know. And I doubt anyone in the general public will know the real story. I would suggest it was solely based on his long term and close association with Lewis. Levy has a degree in economics — not really the training to run a professional football club. Most of the people I know that have economics degrees are professors or work in the financial sector. Nevertheless the man is out of his depth in this situation.  From 2001 to present, he’s gone through nine managers. That isn’t a good record for the man at the helm. The responsibility of a leader or, in this case, a chairman is to spot and secure talented individuals to manage the team. That is a key to leadership. And either you got it or you don’t. That is something you naturally have or don’t and Levy has clearly demonstrated that is a source of problem. Martin Jol and Redknapp were his best.

Something else in being a leader is having the ability to see things out and have the patience to wait and build for the future not for the short term or the quarterly reports in how much you are making in net worth. Rarely does instant success happen in the business world or the sporting world. Time, patience and the desire to succeed are required. Think about this one. Would you feel secure in a company where the management was in constant change? Would you think the executives at the top knew what they were doing? I truly believe leaders are born and not created. Some people are just meant to lead and some are just meant to be followers. Levy isn’t a leader.

I am going to assume after years of selling off his best players and seeing money flashed in his face, Levy wanted to compete with the big boys of the league. Modric wanted to leave after the conclusion of the 2010/2011 season. Levy decided to have a testosterone contest with Chelsea and other clubs, where he rejected £40 million. He wanted to be taken seriously and not be pushed around. He was willing to hold onto a player that clearly wanted out. No one really knows what was discussed between the two but Modric cooled off. The whole affair wasn’t about Modric but about Levy’s appearance of weakness, which he shown so much in the past. Surprise, Modric wants to leave again. Last year Levy could have gotten £40 million, now he will be lucky to get £30 million. Latest reports say that Levy is dawdling over an additional £2 million. Why? Sell the player get the money and invest in needed players, a new young goalkeeper and a couple of strikers. Seriously, what has Levy done during this transfer window or the last few? The few players that have been brought in are ones that Redknapp wanted and look how hard he had to fight to get them. Well, if they are on a free transfer, no problem. You want quality, you got to pay for it. If a player is worth it and displays that worth on the field, then play him that wage. If the player is worth £100,000 plus a week then you pay the bill. Levy will not bring in the best players because he refuses to pay high salaries. In that case, get used to middle of the road. Because one day the likes of Bale and others will demand more money and Levy will most likely sell them off and pocket the money rather than pay larger wages.

Levy has given us a new manager with a very short resume. Yes, he had that one successful year but he failed at Chelsea and Levy is betting that Andre Villas-Boas will be the new savior of the club. I really don’t know. I just can’t adjust to his appointment. I believe he will destroy the great squad Harry built and will leave it in ruins. I want him to be successful but Levy’s selections in managers’ in the past leaves a lot to be desired. And now today Levy and AVB have sold Michael Dawson to Queens Park Rangers. Dawson is truly one of the standup guys at Spurs — loyal and completely committed to the club. See what loyalty gets you! We had a winner in Harry, and Levy throws that all away.

I really wonder where Levy’s loyalty is at. Tottenham Hotspur is a tiny piece in this giant private equity firm. I think the real loyalty is to the firm and more importantly Joe Lewis. Also, the shareholders must not be forgotten because their money is a real concern to Lewis and his ongoing business operations. Some will point to the fact that Levy wants to build a new stadium. Well that doesn’t take too much vision to figure a new and larger stadium would be helpful. He decided this back in October 2008. Has the stadium been built or even started construction? He wasted time and resources on that stupid Olympic stadium and went back to the original plan. A new training complex is being constructed, but then again that doesn’t take a great deal of vision as well. Do Lewis and Levy really care about the people in Tottenham or the surrounding areas? I suspect not. My intuition tells me when the stadium is finally constructed as with the training complex that Lewis will try to sell off the club and walk away with a healthy profit and the money that Levy has been hoarding over the years.

The dismissal of Harry Redknapp and the new appointment of Andre Villas-Boas supposedly will usher in a new era for Tottenham Hotspur.  Both club owner Joe Lewis but chiefly chairman Daniel Levy state they have a new and exciting vision for the club. Will Andre Villas-Boas be a success? Only time will tell. What I think is worth discussing is the role of Levy and Lewis. Assuming there is a new vision for the club. Lewis and Levy have been at this for about eleven years. What will they do different this time?

I will admit I am not a supporter of Daniel Levy as chairman of the club. I think he has done well in maintaining the club’s books. However, I doubt his ability to provide proper direction or even leadership for the club. Since he became chairman in 2001, he has gone through eight managers and just hired his ninth. I find this trend extremely alarming. This indicates a chairman who lacks a coherent vision for the club. Out of eight individuals, he couldn’t find one individual that meets his desires or aspirations. If Levy wasn’t a close friend or assistant of Lewis, I think he would have been fired years ago, just as any other ordinary chairman of a company. How do you expect a coach to develop a team or a new direction if time isn’t given?

I think the key to success is being patient and willing to accept the ups and downs to build for a future. There will be struggles in the beginning and downright disappointment but that is the learning process. I believe Redknapp and even Martin Jol were doing what was asked of them.  Look at any team and you will see time is vital. As the old saying goes, “Rome wasn’t built in day.” Living in a society where instant gratification is the norm doesn’t help. People demand instant attention, victories and glory. If that doesn’t happen, it demands instant change. People are so impatient today. That isn’t the model for a business and whether people want to admit it or not, sports is a business. Did Levy and Lewis give enough time to managers such as Redknapp, Jol or even Hoddle to develop a game winning philosophy? I don’t think so. They were too hungry for success and truly lacked the patience. Look what Sir Alex Ferguson created since becoming manager in 1986.

Since I have been a Spurs supporter, Martin Jol and Harry Redknapp have been the two most successful managers I have witnessed. I realize in the 07/08 season Jol was having a difficult time but Levy handled the situation very poorly and very unprofessionally. I understand the lure and desire to be successful and compete with the power clubs, but it all takes time. You have to be willing to take the hits before reaching the top. The success of Manchester United didn’t develop overnight; Ferguson was given time, resources and money. In the case of Redknapp, we will never know if he could have taken the club to a higher level. In addition, Levy didn’t provide Redknapp the money and resources. Levy claims he wants to focus on the young players and develop their talent. I agree that was a good idea. Before Jol departed, wasn’t he recruiting younger players, such as Gareth Bale? The same was true for Redknapp in developing the young players with Walker and Livermore. Sending other youth players on loan to gain experience, while Harry Kane could be a top striker for the club in the future. Not to mention most of Tottenham’s youth played a prominent role in last season’s Europa League matches.

There were the stories about how Redknapp and Levy didn’t get along. Levy wanted a director of football and Redknapp didn’t. I believe Levy wanted a director to have more influence over transfer policy and have someone in his corner to counter the coach’s decisions on players. But in the end it was about money — the millions of British pounds to spend on players that Redknapp thought were needed and Levy’s unwieldiness to spend on quality players requested by the manager.

Tottenham generally speaking have been thrifty with spending. The message from Levy and his supporters is “Keep the books in the black, don’t mimic Manchester City.” In the four years Redknapp had been in charge, he was allowed to spend £47 million on players — cheap compared to other clubs. I do believe if you want to build a strong club and attract key players, you need to spend more and pay more in salaries. It’s a money game. I know people don’t like and I admit I don’t care for it, but it has become a reality. Money and a belief of success attract people, in this case players and facilities. I think Levy and Lewis really need to consider that idea. Of course, Levy spent £30 million on David Bentley and Roman Pavlyuchenko in 2008, which seemed a bit out of character. Currently, Bentley is lost in the wilderness and Pavyuchenko returned to Russia — not the best investment. Levy has wasted time and money on the Olympic Stadium that fell through and then shifted back to the Northumberland Development Project. But no construction on the new stadium creates doubt in how committed the board is to the development of the new stadium.  I have heard some rumors that current stadium is adequate. More attendants to games equals more revenue to spend. The thinking is that the upcoming United States summer tour will be good in getting the club’s brand out there and I believe the Under Armour deal could prove very positive as well, allowing easier access to club merchandise to American supporters.  Club revenue has increased over the years and it would seem responsible to invest the money back into the club, chiefly quality players, training grounds and a new stadium. Why not have the best? When it comes to Levy, he just appears to be all over the map with what he wants and doesn’t want.

According to news reports Levy has given the new Spurs manager £100 million to spend this summer. I find this rather shocking since I believe Levy’s checkbook is glued shut most of the time. If true, he wanted eleven years to spend some money. Last summer, Levy refused to listen to any discussion about core players; Modric was staying. It was a test of strength for the other clubs to see. Levy drew a line in the sand and wouldn’t sell but now all that tough talk seems to have disappeared and Modric looks to be leaving; a complete turnaround without much explanation. Of course, this could be just another repeat of him selling Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov and then just wasting the money. But in the end you want to bring in players you need and think will fit into the squad and vision you have created for the club.

Granted there have some recent signings this summer. Jan Vertonghen has finally arrived but that was a player Redknapp was pursing before his dismissal. And Gylfi Sigurdsson has just arrived. There is talk of a final move for Adebayor from Manchester City. Are the new signings the answers to Tottenham’s new direction? Time will tell. At the moment the checkbook is becoming a little un-glued. However, if it comes down to acquiring an expensive star player that the manager wants, will Levy let it happen?

It appears to me that Levy is what I would call a frustrated manager. He wants greater control over day-to-day operations but isn’t suited for the position. I think that is why he wants to re-instate the director of football position. I suspect that Levy wants to appoint an individual he can control concerning transfer policy thus having influence over the coach and players. I believe this was an area Levy and Redknapp clashed. It appeared Redknapp wanted greater control who was brought in and who left. In my view, the coach should have complete control over transfers. Who else would know better what the team requires? Unless the board can provide a good explanation to block a transfer, I think the coach should have the final say.

Joe Lewis has all the markings of an absentee owner who enjoys the status of owning a professional athletic team without using his resources to build the team. Lewis really hasn’t demonstrated any interest in putting his own resources into the club. According to Forbes, as of 2012 Lewis is ranked the 290th richest individual in the world and the 7th richest in the United Kingdom. In March 2011, Lewis lost $1.2 billion in the collapse of Bear Stearns. According to an anonymous source in The Guardian, the person stated that Lewis wasn’t really troubled about the loss, since he had another $2 billion left over. Plus, Lewis had made a fortune on currency speculation, which can be extremely risky, but he still won’t invest his own assets. Recently, Lewis spent £65 million on a new super yacht. To be fair, it is his money and he can do what he likes with it, but it would seem to me if he truly wants a world class team, he would better use his resources. If Lewis and Levy really wanted to get the building of a new stadium underway, Lewis could front most, if not all of the money. I think another problem facing Spurs is an owner who really isn’t in the game; Tottenham is just one tiny part of his economic holdings.

Last season, Manchester City took a lot of criticism for the amount of money spent on players. Many claimed Manchester City was buying the league title. It is well known that Tottenham wouldn’t pay those wages, at least not yet.  I think in this day and age of professional sports the desire to be successful and win titles attracts players. You must spend money. Running a team on a shoestring just isn’t going to work. It’s time to break the bank open and spend but be responsible.  If Lewis and Levy want a winning team, they need to compete with wages, construction of a larger stadium, state of the art training facilities and a strong marketing campaign to sell the club as a contender to the likes of Manchester United.

The passive interest that Lewis shows in football isn’t going to build a strong foundation for the future.

At last weekend’s game between Manchester United and Liverpool at Anfield, striker Luis Suárez is accused of allegedly repeatedly muttering racial slurs at Patrice Evra. Rightly the complaint is said to be investigated further and has been commented on by the management of both teams.

This is the second time in a handful of weeks that Suárez has caused controversy while playing for Liverpool. The first shameful incident, for which he publicly apologized afterwards, was a very visible and aggressive public outburst after having been substituted around ten minutes before the end of a game to make way for a returning-to-fitness Steven Gerrard. To describe the way he sat on the bench shaking his head for a few minutes afterwards, having also kicked a water bottle angrily, as childish and petulant would be an momentous understatement. Ego at its most badly behaved.

Clearly the alleged racist language is of far greater consequence than the puerile lack of self control during the bottle-kicking incident. However Sir Alex Ferguson intimated that he thought that the racism issue is no longer widespread enough to be a worry for the game at large, although obviously it needs policed.

If the repugnant racism charges are indeed true, and regardless of whether they are proven in the future or not, unless Suárez takes a moment to consider how easy it is to fall from such an elevated ephemeral height then he might find himself landing with an undignified bump. I for one hope he pulls his socks up before that happens.

There’s an undeniable, some might say, palpable level of excitement evident amongst Liverpool fans as they await the imminent return of their captain Steven Gerrard as a regular starter for the team. Gerrard’s frequent and untimely headaches with a recurring groin injury has frustratingly meant the best part of six months out of the game.

His return to match fitness this time, however, will be not only be to a different looking squad but also to a fundamentally different Liverpool Football Club. He may have played for Dalglish alongside Suárez already this year but they’re just two of the many visible changes LFC has made recently.

Management

The management at Liverpool have been resplendently flying the colour red across not just the UK but also across Europe and Asia over recent weeks. Their aim it seems is to catch up with the two Spanish super teams by gleaning extra revenue from overseas television rights. From England’s Premier League, behind the other big red Manchester United, Liverpool’s reds come second in global following in terms of the size of audience from international appeal.

What comes from this unquestionably bold stalking horse manoeuvre, splitting up the established television rights package, of course remains to be seen. Speculation is rife as you can imagine. The potentially monstrously lucrative move, which could forge a path others have only dared to consider, might change the goal posts permanently in the footballing world. Make no mistake, it’s no understatement. The foray by the new owners of attempting to tap into, most specifically it seems the huge LFC fan base in Asia, could have massive income implications. Alongside Liverpool Football Club, with the boost from this significant addition to their funding, a few clubs could be rocketed to the top echelon of European football; whether that means playing some Premier League games abroad or not also remains to be seen. It’s easy to see why it’s being attempted by the new LFC owners, the brave move could return Liverpool to European Cup glory once more and, on the surface, without a lengthy wait.

Spending spree

If that didn’t turn your head quickly enough the introduction of the new players from the generous, some say unwise, summer shopping spree has given the whole LFC squad a face lift. It’s plain for all to see. The wrinkles are no longer visible after the last of the hangers-on were shipped off to other clubs at the end of the last transfer window. There’s a distinct lack of under-performers on show this season with even those, such as Jordan Henderson who are still to achieve at their expected level, tirelessly trying to impress Dalglish and their peers. It can only be good for the club. With this extra sheen evident, and the likes of Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing now filling the gaping cracks so competently in the midfield of recent seasons, it’s hard to imagine a better time for Gerrard to return.

But the most encouraging sign of confidence coming out of Anfield, albeit galling for many fans, must be from a tranche of the fans and media discussing if there’s even room in the midfield for Gerrard any more. I personally dismiss this conjecture as utterly ridiculous. Amongst his other attributes it’s been said that at full fitness, seemingly effortlessly during every match in which he plays, the man Gerrard works both ends of the field, box to box. Let’s also not forget that the Gerrard goal scoring machine still produces the goods, which some incorrectly insist is the best measurement of success. The club will massively benefit from Gerrard’s return, and the main reason that he’s a shoe-in for a place in midfield, is the undoubted respect that he’s earned from fellow team mates affording him the ability to exercise his well-needed leadership qualities from half-way-up the pitch and not from defence or the goal.

Exuding confidence

My perspective on the new façade that’s confidently on display at Liverpool Football Club is that, from a club that could apparently have gone bust in 2010, its strength is returning in man-size steps. With Ferguson retiring from Manchester United surely in the not-too-distant future there may be a closer-matched battle of the reds to look forward to in the next two or three seasons which, with more evenly matched coffers to spend on players, I think the world of football will wholeheartedly relish.

September 15 was the kick-off for the group stage of the Europa League. The Europa League isn’t the most popular competition for some in the Premier League. Harry Redknapp isn’t thrilled to be in the Europa League. I think it’s very fair to say he doesn’t like it since he thinks it will interfere with his quest to achieve Champions League football next season. I am going to have to disagree with Harry on this one. I think the Europa League is a fine and competitive tournament and shouldn’t be brushed aside because it’s not the Champions League. I believe Tottenham should put every effort into the matches and win the trophy. I think you can do both. It’s not like there isn’t money in the Europa League. Work towards the Champions League and still make a solid effort to win the Europa League.

I like Harry as a manager. I am not remotely interested in his personal life or legal problems. I am only interested in his ability to coach the team. I like his style of play his accessibility with the press. I am glad he was hired as the manager in 2008. He was what the club needed and he saved them from regulation. He has been a successful manager with a few small bumps along the way. We can’t always get what we want. I am fine with that. But I feel and sense I am not getting a full commitment from Harry in the Europa League. The same was true with the League Cup and I think the same will perhaps be true with the FA Cup. I love the idea of playing in Europe at any level and I would think the team would feel the same way.

I understand the injury problems at the club. I understand the scheduling issues. I understand the desire to get back into the Champions League since that is where the fame and more importantly the money is located. For the moment we are dealing with the now and not what can or will be, unless you can forecast the future. The focus should be placed on the game in front of you. Dwelling on the future takes your attention from what is going on at the moment. Not to say you shouldn’t make plans for the future but I believe in doing your best and working with your best to get the job done in the present is more important. Players are employees are paid to do a job. If the club felt they had injury concerns they could and should have addressed that during the transfer window. I thought the defense warranted more attention but nothing was done except a failed attempt to get Gary Cahill. Perhaps an argument could be made that Jenas and Bentley should have not been loaned out or Hutton sold. I do support the use of young players and some of them are really looking good. Wonderful news since they are the future. I think relying on them too much without the assistance of good veteran support could be a mistake.

I watched the recent Spurs and PAOK match. I thought players did a fairly good job in holding their own. They were playing away from home and at a very hostile stadium with solid fan support. I thought Harry Kane and Tom Carroll had a good performance. Yago Falgue got his Spurs debut. Carlo Cudicini made some fantastic saves and got lucky with the penalty. Spurs lost out on a penalty. Maybe it’s me or the fact he doesn’t play much but I have never been impressed with Giovani dos Santos. I have seen him play well for Mexico but not for Spurs. Maybe the two aren’t a good match. Spurs had a few chances to take the lead but I think PAOK put a lot of pressure on the young side. The Greek side controlled most of the second half. To be honest I think Spur were lucky to get the draw. At the end of the group stage I believe Spurs will advance. Rubin Kazan gave a strong performance against Shamrock Rovers. I view Spurs and Kazan as the strongest of the four. With that in mind Harry will have to adjust to meet those demands and he will be forced to field a stronger side with more veteran players.

I know the counter argument. Tottenham should focus solely on the league to ensure a stronger chance of securing the top four. Minimize the risk of injury by ignoring cup and Europa matches. In principle I think that isn’t a bad idea and I certainly want Spurs in the top four at the end of the season. On other side of the agreement I would like to see the club win more silverware. In the last ten plus years just two League Cups, I would like more. The main focus of the argument most fans put forth is base on the “what if.” The only way to find out if that strategy works will be the end of the season and nothing else. Players get injured all the time. Michael Dawson will miss two months from an injury he acquired during practice. To be truthful a player can get injured at any given moment of the day. My philosophy is play in the moment because that is all that matters because what will or what can happen in three or four months isn’t here, it’s irrelative. Why worry about something that isn’t even here. Thinking too much or over analyzing can be a bad thing. Athletics perform better when they aren’t thinking so much.

I want Spurs in the Champions League but we are in the Europa League. Since we are in the Europa League we should make every effort to win the trophy and face the winner of the Champions League in the Super Cup. I have heard Tottenham supporters who want us to fail in the Europa League, League Cup and even the FA Cup. I don’t agree with that. It’s based solely on the idea if the focus is on the Premier League we will make the top four. That might happen and it might not. Play the hand you are dealt and not the one you would prefer. I always taught no matter what the job or assignment you always do your best. I tell my students history may not be your major but you should always put every effort to do your best. Like my father used to say, “never half ass a job.” It’s a reflection on who you are as person and a testament to your character.

Professional sports are a business and at the end of the day it’s all about one thing and that’s money. At times I believe some people don’t see a professional athletic club in the same light as a Microsoft or a Google. But of course they need money to survive. The more you want to succeed, the more money will require in rising to the top. This is the case for Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham in the last few years have been attempting to challenge the established leaders in the English Premier League. In doing so they are going up against some of the wealthiest clubs in England. not to mention Europe. Granted Tottenham’s revenues have been increasing but not enough as compared to other big clubs. For Tottenham to successful break the old guard they need to address the serious issue in how they generate money to compete in this demanding sport.

One of the most obvious issues the club needs to address is their stadium, White Hart Lane. White Hart Lane can accommodate roughly 36,000 fans. That’s a rather low number when comparing to other top clubs: Old Trafford ~ 76,000, Emirates Stadium ~ 60,000, Etihad Stadium (The City of Manchester Stadium) ~ 48,000, Anfield ~ 45,000 and Stamford Bridge ~ 41,000. Both Chelsea and Liverpool have expressed desires and plans to expand their seating capacity to 50,000 plus. Harry Redknapp has expressed on several occasions the difficulty to compete against clubs that can accommodate more than 36,000 fans. It’s about all those match day ticket receipts. Manchester United generated £100 million on match day gate receipts and Arsenal took in £94 million, based on last season figures (2010-11). While Tottenham collected £27 million on match day ticket sales. That is an increase from £20 million in 2009-10. Plans have been in the works since 2007 to address the need for a larger stadium, so more can be gained in ticket sales.

The first and most realistic plan is the Northumberland Development Project. This plan would create a new stadium that could accommodate roughly 56,000 fans, which is a dramatic increase from 36,000. The project calls for the construction of 200 homes, a hotel with 150 rooms with a restaurant, club mega store, club museum, café, new offices for the club, and a supermarket. Aside from ticket sales the other aspects of the project would generate a great deal of money for the club as well. No doubt increasing the commercial activity of the club certainly would be a positive move. Also, the project would have a public square for events such as ice skating and street markets. In addition there are plans for historical restoration of local buildings. This is very familiar to what has been done with Major League Baseball stadiums in the United States, which has been successful in creating more money and restoring economic life to the downtown cities. The Northumberland Project would be constructed in the area around White Hart Lane so the need to re-locate wouldn’t be an issue. However, the issue not having a convenient underground station near the stadium would still continue to be a problem. The green light was given to the project by the Mayor of London in November 2010. The plan was to move into the new stadium (partially constructed) for the 2012-2013 season, with it being fully constructed by the 2013-2014 season. As a Spurs supporter this project sounds like a very sound and positive proposal to help restore economic strength to the club. However, something else caught the chairman’s eye, the Olympic Stadium.

London will be hosting the 2012 Summer Olympic but once the Olympics have concluded, the stadium will be available for use.  Tottenham along with other clubs made a bid for the stadium.  The Olympic Stadium certainly has some very attractive qualities. I think the most attractive thing about the stadium is its 80,000 person seating, which would make it the largest stadium in the Premier League replacing Old Trafford. The proceeds from the tickets would be amazing and could provide several millions of pounds per-home game, depending on ticket prices. The location would be central with easy access via public transportation. Depending on how one feels about location loyalty that could provide an issue with some fans. The Olympic Park Legacy Company awarded the stadium to West Ham United on November 12, 2010. Tottenham lost their judicial appeal in June 2011 but were given new hope in July when it was discovered when an employee of the Olympic Park Legacy Company acted as an agent for West Ham United. Tottenham sought another judicial review in hopes of overturning the original decision. Putting aside the final outcome of the decision, I believe the best option for Tottenham is to go forward with The Northumberland Project. Despite the stadium seating, I think Levy should back off the Olympic Stadium. The increase from 36,000 to 56,000 is a massive leap forward and along with the other commercial activity associated with the project will generate the necessary revenue for the club in the long term. Plus, for the sake of tradition and history the stadium would remain in the Tottenham neighborhood.

Payrolls form one of the biggest parts of a club’s budgets. Tottenham has been dealing with the issue of surplus players for while. Several players weren’t featured in first team last season or if they were saw very little playing time, but were still on the payroll. The most obvious thing is to loan out the players or just sell them, which Tottenham hadn’t been doing. A lot of that had to do with Levy demanding too much in the sale of players. I was please during last summer’s transfer when the club finally decided to sell or loan out players, thus reducing the wage burden on the club. If a player is no longer in the future plans of the club sell off the player. If you think the player requires more training or experience then loan them out. Just off loading Robbie Keane removed the highest paying player from the payroll (80,000 per week). Levy needs to understand a player will only get what the market is asking or demanding. Just because you brought a player at 10 million pounds doesn’t mean you’re going to get that back in a few years. It really depends on the perceived view of the player’s ability and the needs of a club. There is no point holding onto to players you no longer want, get the best available price and move to the next deal. I hope Levy is beginning to understand this idea.

I believe one of the areas that Tottenham needs to improve is their international appeal. There can be no doubt that Manchester United has been extremely successful in marketing their image. Success on the pitch creates success off the pitch. As a club they have so much going for them. Before his departure David Beckham certainly left a lasting impact on the club. David Beckham was able to make himself something more than just a player, he became a pop icon. His marriage to Victoria (“Posh Spice”) only added to their success. No doubt the sales and marketing people at United were amazed and delighted with what was taking place and the success it brought to Manchester. The sales of club apparel/merchandise worldwide took off, Asia one of the most successful markets. People may have not known much about Manchester United or football but they knew David Beckham. In 2002 “Bend it Like Beckham” was released and just added to the success of the Beckham/United brand. Manchester United has 200 officially recognized branches of the Manchester United Supporters Club (MUSC) in twenty four countries. The Daily Mail reported on June 24, 2010 there could be as many as 333 million fans worldwide. October 2011 United will offer an IPO on the Singapore Exchange to expand club business in Asia and to help with their mounting debt.  Many of the Manchester United supporters are attracted only by their success that is true of any sport look at the New York Yankees. I have met many individuals in the United States who support Manchester United and I get the same response, they like them because they are winners, simple as that. People can debate the whole issue of glory seekers but success equals popularity. However, that success translates into profit and people like winners. Does anyone really believe the management of Manchester United care if they have glory seekers in the world, as long as they watch/attend the games and buy their gear they are happy. Under Harry Redknapp, Tottenham have improved but they need to take it a step further and I think Manchester United offers a very nice blueprint.

Despite the economic turmoil in the world the United States is still the strongest market to sell in. Americans love to spend even with a decline in overall personal spending there is a turnaround in Americans regaining their purchasing power. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United either have supporters clubs or mega stores in the United States to accommodate their US supporters. In the last two years Manchester United has participated in per-season summer tours in the US. I don’t think there can be any argument in the marketing success of those summer tours. If you watched the games the stadiums were filled with Manchester United supporters. I went the Manchester United and Seattle Sounders match and the place was pack with over 67,000 fans and saw rows of red shirts. While this was going on Tottenham did a tour of South Africa, which I am sure they had a good time and the fans enjoyed the matches. From an economic standpoint I really don’t see the point and see it as a waste of time. You want to travel to locations that will provide you with the greatest exposure and the opportunity to cash in.  What does South Africa really offer Tottenham? The per-capita income of an average South African is around $10,000 and a 25% unemployment rate. Not much for disposable income.  In the United States the per-capita income is close to $50,000 with an unemployment rate hovering around 9%. If Tottenham want to increase their international appeal it must be done in the United States or perhaps Asia. China and along with the rest of Asia, despite the current economic problems remain a growing economic region in the world. Chelsea did an Asia tour during the summer, which I think was a good marketing strategy to help further their appeal. With the political, economic and uncontrollable drug trade associated with Mexico, Central and South America I don’t really see this region as strong base for Tottenham to exploit. Plus, South America has very strong domestic leagues with fans all around the world.

With United having concluded two consecutive tours I doubt they will be back in the United States for the time being and most likely will tour Asia during the next summer per-season. I think this presents Tottenham with a wonderful opportunity to fill that vacuum. They should plan and launch a five or six city tour of the United States. I am sure there will competition from other clubs for US fixtures but early planning and targeting key US markets/cities is just what Spurs require. I would suggest two cities on each coast and one or two in the central part of the country. Perhaps being the opponent for the MLS All Star Game. Tottenham are affiliated with the San Jose Earthquakes so I would think they would be on their schedule and plus it would cover the entire bay area. Seattle has been proven to be a popular market for soccer and could be considered as well. Places like Washington DC, New York, Chicago, Dallas or New England would be very good selections as well. It would be ideal to have MLS support with their clubs in the matches but if they refuse. Work with other international clubs to play in the US during the summer. In the process Spurs should begin to organize their fan base in the US in the fashion that United have done. Further, the creation of a Spurs super or mega store in the US would be extremely helpful in furthering the merchandising of their product.

Television/broadcasting is another way for the club to enhance their resources. I know some clubs brush off the League Cup with more focus on the FA Cup and title race. Some clubs see Europa League in the same fashion. Harry Redknapp hasn’t been quiet concerning his feelings on that subject. I would like to see Spurs put every effort in all cup and Europa League matches. The more you stay in the competition the more you gain from broadcasting rights. The further you go in the Europa League the more money you make, there is your incentive. The addition of any silverware to a club is another selling point to future players and fans to demonstrate a commitment for success. Whether the Champions or Europa League the thrill of playing against top quality teams in Europe is what players and fans both want.

Tottenham don’t have an icon player like Beckham to feed off and they don’t have billionaire owners either. They need to find other ways to increase revenues so they can compete with the higher wage clubs. You want to give players a reason to play for you. Football players are no different than other working persons; they want the best possible wage and work for the best. Players go to Manchester City or Chelsea because they can pay high wages and the hope of winning. Almost no player joins a club because of the history or the tradition, that would be nice but it’s not the reality. It’s all about the money.

Jonathan Woodgate was released from Tottenham Hotspur in June 2011 and found himself looking at an end to his athletic career. Upon his departure from White Hart Lane he had only played in four games in about two years. His downfall was an injury he sustained in Tottenham’s thrashing of Wigan 9-1 on November 22, 2009. With no contract in hand from Tottenham, Jonathan Woodgate needed to look elsewhere for a new club to call home. Stoke City boss Tony Pulis was willing to roll the dice and take a gamble with the injury plagued center back. Since then Jonathan Woodgate has made a surprising and brilliant return to English football and is a celebration to those who face adversity in their lives.

Woodgate arrived at Stoke in early July and begin training with the team immediately. Pulis admitted he would enter Woodgate into the team slowly to avoid any possible injury scares. In reality Spurs let go one of the best defenders in the league. I know the arguments people will make in releasing him from the club.  The obvious are the injury problems and his age. However, individuals can and do make recoveries. I give credit to Stoke for taking a risk and so far it’s been an excellent beginning for him at Stoke City. Stoke did exercise caution with a one year contract based on a pay-as-you play deal with a possible review of the contract if he stays fit.

Woodgate started off the pre-season playing sixty two minutes against Aldershot Town. He later went on to play a full length match against Hajduk Split in the early stages of Europa League qualifying round and what I witnessed of the match he provided a solid performance. On the opening day of the new season Woodgate played his first full league match against Chelsea, the first one since November 22, 2009. The Stoke defense provided a stellar performance and held Chelsea to a 0-0 draw. Woodgate did a marvelous job in containing and shutting down the Chelsea offense and denying any scoring opportunity for Fernando Torres and others. In the match against Norwich I thought his game was bit off with Norwich players being able to push past him in a few instances. Considering his absence from playing regularly, I would still commend him on his performance nevertheless. I did see improvement in the game against West Brom, which marked his 300th league appearance. To date Woodgate has participated in five matches total since leaving Tottenham in June. In my view this demonstrates a positive and uplifting start for the center back and hopefully more good things to come in the season.

I find it exciting to see any athlete be able to make a complete turnaround and go back to do what they love doing. He could have easily called it a day and walked away. I am glad he decided not to give up. For anyone who knows me, Jonathan Woodgate has always been one of my favorite English football players and I enjoy watching him play the game. I admire his commitment to ignore individuals calling him deadwood or over-the-hill. He has maintained his ability to stay focused and continue with the training. Being a professional athlete isn’t easy. You find yourself under the microscope all the time; Every action or mistake is analyzed by pundits to couch potatoes. Yes they are paid a lot of money, and certainly fans should expect a strong commitment from the players. But professional athletes aren’t machines and they can’t win or perform at their best all the time. Players will have bad days and will get injured, that is life. But you still have pundits, fans, and armchair quarterbacks offering their two cents on how things should be done or if the person is washed-up or not. If a quick turnaround is provided, all is forgiven. Sadly this has become a hallmark of our instant success or instant gratification society.

Woodgate’s return to top flight football is an amazing saga for a man who decided not give up and who overcame obstacles placed in his path. His accomplishment should be celebrated because this can be such an unforgiving business. Stoke are well known for playing tough aggressive football. I have even heard some individuals suggest they play rugby and not football. However, I believe Woodgate will bring class to Stoke City and an experienced style of play that will fit very nicely with them. Tony Pulis and Ryan Shotton both believe Woodgate could make a return to the England national team. Two years ago, who would have even thought to consider such a comment let alone make a public statement about such an idea.

According to Kevin Affleck of The National newspaper, Harry Redknapp was reported to have stated that not offering Woodgate a new contract during the summer was the hardest decision of his career. I am not sure if that was his hardest decision of his managing career but I think it was a poor decision. I think Levy had more to do with it than Harry but that is just my opinion based on Levy’s business practices. I am not sure what the risk would have been to give him what Stoke offered; if he didn’t play there would be no pay. Considering Tottenham’s central defense is in need of strengthening, this error may come back to haunt Tottenham very soon when the club faces Stoke in a few weeks and other clubs as well.

Despite Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp saying that Luka Modric is not for sale and picking him for Sunday’s squad against Manchester City, I still think Spurs should sell him.

All summer we have endured the Luka Modric transfer saga. Modric has made it very clear that he wishes to leave Tottenham and move to Stamford Bridge. Chelsea made two attempts to lure him away and a third appears to be on the way. Before this drama began Modric signed a new contract on May 30, 2010, which extended his stay until 2016. After the signing he clearly stated his desire to stay at Tottenham and had no interest in playing for any other Premier League team. He went on to further state that Spurs gave him his shot at English football and he wanted to repay them for that chance and build a future at Tottenham. I think money and the stardom of being associated with Chelsea are the main reasons for his desire to leave. Tottenham have been firm in their position that Modric will not be sold. However, I think Spurs should sell Modric to Chelsea and take the cash to invest in future players and bring an end to this drama.

Luka Modric has become a popular player at Tottenham among the supporters. Fans and the management have been very firm in their determination to keep the midfielder at the club. Daniel Levy believes Modric — with other key players — are critical to the future of the club. The feeling being if Modric is sold other players will follow thus exposing a weakness in the management of the club. I think holding onto a player who no longer wants to play for you and wants to leave is more of a liability than holding onto him.

Luka Modric is a talent player, I don’t question that position. I think people forget that players can be replaced and one individual doesn’t make a team. Modric is quick at passing, a good link man; He can play in attacking and defending roles well and has good chemistry with the other players on the field. However, Modric isn’t a good goal scoring threat and his assists have been limited as well. Modric has appeared in 91 league matches and has scored 9 goals for Spurs. Modric is a good player but he isn’t the midfield goal scorer like a Frank Lampard, David Silva or Cesc Fabregas. In looking at the last two seasons with Arsenal, Fabregas had a combined 18 goals with 19 assists in 52 league matches. I think that is something that needs to be addressed. Modric can be replaced and there are a vast array of talented individuals out there to select. With the sale of Modric and other surplus players Tottenham could bring in a few more players. Currently Lassana Diarra has been mentioned in the press. In addition there is some discussion concerning the possible move of Joe Cole from Liverpool to Tottenham. It was announced during the Hearts match that Iago Falque will be joining Spurs on loan from Juventus. Falque along with another midfielder signing would fill the gap by Modric’s departure.

Currently Modric is in discussions with Daniel Levy concerning his future at the club. Although Levy has repeated his stance that Modric is not for sale, there are some reports of softening his stance. Harry has stated that Modric’s departure could be good for the club. Supposedly Chelsea will offer 30 million and Daniel Sturridge on loan for a year. With the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor on loan for the year and the possibility of Sturridge for the season as well, I say take it. Tottenham would have money in the bank and two quality strikers and cash to spend as they see fit. If Levy stands back and looks at this from a business perspective — without all the passion or concern of looking strong or weak — this great deal is what the club needs and it’s staring him in the face.

Football is a team sport and Modric was part of that team that failed to reach the Champions League. It’s fair to blame him and the other players for not reaching that goal. In addition he did sign a new contract pledging himself to the club after they failed to reach the Champions League. There has been a great deal of discussion concerning the “gentlemen’s agreement” of the contract. Supposedly if another club was to offer more money or a better deal than a transfer could be considered. I haven’t seen this agreement so I don’t what it really says or doesn’t and I doubt anyone does except the parties involved. But Modric did pledge his future and loyalty to the club and appears he doesn’t respect the contract and along with reports of him refusing to play or going on strike until Levy gives in. So, supporters and the club want to hold onto a player that breaks his promise and refuses to play until he gets what he wants. I think there needs to be an evaluation of this dilemma.

The club and supporters must ask at what point does holding onto a player who doesn’t want to stay begins to create more problems. The player and club relationship is like any other relationship. If one party no longer wants to be involved in the relationship what good comes from forcing the person to stay? In the end both individuals will be miserable and then it will begin to affect everyone and everything around the two parties. You wouldn’t force a couple to stay together if one of them wanted to leave. What would be the purpose? The same is true in this situation. What any club wants are players who are committed to the club and its future and Modric isn’t part of that anymore. It is time to cut their losses before the real damage is done. Samir Nasir and Cesc Fabregas both wanted to leave Arsenal even though the club wanted them to stay but in the end they both left. There is still time to sell him and purchase new replacements before the transfer window closes.

Daniel Levy and Harry Redknapp are on the verge of finally completing a new signing (omitting the free transfer of Brad Friedel) for Tottenham. Granted it’s only a loan signing but at least it represents some movement by the club to bring in new talent. During the summer all the attention focused on clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, Sunderland and Liverpool who acted earlier and quickly to bring in new players leaving the likes of Spurs to do something in the final stages of the transfer window. Tottenham look set to bring in 27-year old Emmanuel Adebayor from Manchester City on loan for the season. The ex-Arsenal striker certainly could be a welcome addition to the team especially since they are in desperate need of forwards. Harry has been chasing a new striker since the start of the summer transfer market and at last got his striker. I am not completely sure if Adebayor is the right player for Spurs. Time will tell but if nothing else the potential transfer does present us with a new striker considering the lack of performance from the current strike force.

One of the biggest problems facing Spurs in signing or attempting to sign new players is the issue of wages. Spurs are well known for not paying £100,000 plus salaries. The most expensive player had been Robbie Keane who was making £80,000 per week, who has since departed to Los Angeles Galaxy. Another issue facing Tottenham was they didn’t qualify for the Champions League which could have attracted new talent despite the salary issue. Since Adebayor has been out of favor with Roberto Mancini and spent last season on loan with Real Madrid it was no surprise that City were willing to unload him. One question to ask is how the former Arsenal player will be received at White Hart Lane. William Gallas, the former Arsenal defender, has done well and since his arrival to win over fans. There seems to be no love lost between Arsenal and Adebayor that could help with his arrival and make it easier for Tottenham supporters to embrace him.

In reviewing Adebayor’s playing history, he obviously has been fairly successful. During his time at Arsenal he made 105 appearances with 46 goals. Funny enough Adebayor did very well when playing against Spurs. During his short time at Manchester City he managed 34 appearances with 14 goals, and while on loan with Real Madrid made 14 appearances with 5 goals.  At Arsenal, Adebayor was named in the PFA Team of the Year 2007-2008, as well as BBC African Footballer of the Year 2007 and African Player of the Year 2008. Furthermore, he was named Togo player of the year in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. However, I have noticed most of his success has faded a bit since 2008 and that could be an area of concern. However, this may mean that he hasn’t found the right team to connect with on the pitch and Spurs might be able to provide that for him. At 27, Adebayor still has many more years of play in him and with the right training and coaching he could be brought back into his form and shake off some of the rustiness. At Arsenal, Manchester City and recently at Real Madrid I have been impressed with his skill and ability. Adebayor has demonstrated he can play well as a lone striker and with Harry favoring the lone striker attack with Raphael van der Vaart withdrawn behind the striker this could be an excellent new combination for Tottenham.

With the departure of Robbie Keane and the growing speculation that Peter Crouch could be on his way to Stoke City or another club, the need to replace strikers is critical. Standing around 6’4” Adebayor could replace Crouch as the new aerial striker. During the Europa League match against Hearts, Jermain Defoe looked to be back to his own form but seemed to slow down a bit on Monday against United. Adebayor’s arrival is timely. As a Spurs supporter I am just excited at a new signing in general even if it’s a loan signing. It gives me hope that a couple more signings could be on the way before the close of the transfer window. Nevertheless more players need to be let go in order to get the payroll under control and to off load individuals who have no future at the club. The arrival of Adebayor will force the current strikers to fight for their place in the first team.

I think Spurs supporters should give Adebayor the benefit of the doubt and welcome him and his experience to the club, even despite the racist slur charges he made against Tottenham supporters in Madrid. If it doesn’t work out in the end he can always go back to Manchester City.

Spurs traveled north into Scotland and paid Hearts a visit at Tynecastle in the qualifying round of the Europa League last week. Harry Redknapp has made no secret of his dislike of the Europa League mainly because of the scheduling and the possibility of long distance travel. He was very public as were his assistant coaches that many of the younger players would be appearing in the Europa League matches, so senior players can focus on league matches as Spurs turn their attention to a Champions League spot and possibility of the league title. However, Harry didn’t want to underestimate Hearts and took many of his key starters to Tynecastle. Harry fielded a mix of young and first team players. Spurs provided an excellent display of their talent and ability with a complete destruction of Hearts ending in a 5-0 victory for the north London side.

In watching the first half of the match I was in awe with the speed, passing and the flow that Spurs provided on the pitch. I think Spurs went into the match with a healthy respect for their opponent. I was truly delighted in what I witnessed. I think this was one of their best matches that I have seen them play in a very long time. What I liked was the fusion of the established players along the young players of the club. Harry put together a very impressive squad.

Redknapp went with Gomes in goal, which I had a feeling he would. Give credit to Gomes he did keep a clean sheet. However, in evaluating his performance I am not convinced that he should be the starting goalkeeper. I witnessed some of the same silly and sloppy errors. However, the defense did a very good job in clearing the box of danger particularly in the first ten minutes of the second half when Hearts were really threatening.

With all the stories I have read concerning the ultimate fate of Modric. I was pleased how well the midfield performed against Hearts. Both Modric and Sandro were absent from the match due to injury. As I have stated in pervious articles I am still yet to be sold on the ability of Sandro. I firmly believe he requires more time to establish himself as a regular first team player. If Modric is to be sold to Chelsea I think the club will do just fine as displayed on Thursday night. If Spurs wanted to tell their critics that they are a dead team without Modric I think their display in Scotland would suggest otherwise. Aaron Lennon, Niko Kranjcar, Gareth Bale and Jake Livermore along with Rafael van der Vaart did a marvelous job in the midfield with Rafael van der Vaart scoring a goal within five minutes of play.  Hearts did a poor job containing the Dutch midfielder further demonstrating what a great deal van der Vaart has been for the club. I really hope to see more of Jake Livermore in the regular squad. I thought he did a fantastic job along with Kranjcar in the center of the midfield. Kranjcar had been sidelined for much of last season but did remarkable well in this game and dominated the center midfield as Harry stated in the post match summary. I still think Harry plans to sell Kranjcar but he certainly helped his case for a possible future at Spurs. If nothing else Kranjcar provided an excellent display for any possible buyers. The speed and the mobility provided by Bale and Lennon were excellent with both scoring goals. The introduction of Andros Townsend shows that Spurs has a wealth of young talent, which Harry should use more often instead of loaning them out.

The defense under the leadership of Michael Dawson showcased a stellar performance. I thought and said previously that Kyle Walker is the future at Tottenham. Walker provided a strong defense and disrupted any attempts by Hearts to score. Michael Dawson, Kyle Walker, Younes Kaboul and Benoit Assou Ekotto did very well and I think Walker could be the new right back for the team. Of course there is Danny Rose, who I believe is another young player with a strong future at Spurs. I would still prefer Harry to bring in a new center back because King and Gallas will not be long term solutions. King may follow Woodgate out the door at the end of the season unless he can stay fit and healthy. I have been a fan of Gary Cahill and what I saw of his delivery against QPR strengthen the case that Harry should bring him to White Hart Lane.

With all the misery of last season for Jermain Defoe I really enjoyed watching him play. He produced a memorable night. Defoe scored the second goal and delivered the necessary assists on the pitch and he appeared back to his old form, which is good news for Spurs as they evaluate their striker dilemma. I still believe a new striker needs to be introduced into the squad but I was delighted in what I saw in Defoe on Thursday night, which gives me hope.

After missing the opening match against Everton due to the London riots it was refreshing to see a stellar accomplishment. Tottenham have one of most talent group of players in the league. On Thursday night they showcased their talent and skill against Hearts and provide ammunition to all of those individuals who have been questioning or doubting whether Spurs can place in the top four. Some may look to Hearts management problems as an excuse to their weak performance. Since December 2005 under the ownership of Vladimir Romanov Hearts have gone through nine managers (the longest tenure just 20 months) and certainly that can create a sense of instability within the squad or a lack of confidence. However they did finished third in the Scottish Premier League last season and that would suggest even with all the management difficulties they are a competitive club. Tottenham had a very impressive win against the third best performing club in Scotland.

Tottenham should walk away from this victory with a sense of pride and accomplishment as they travel to Old Trafford and take on the league champions on Monday night. If Tottenham can continue and repeat that breathtaking performance against Hearts throughout the rest of the season they could be an unstoppable club in the English Premier League.

Photo by Kenwyne Jones

Now that the English Premier League season has begun, I have became interested in the movement around Stoke City, the club who often seem to be facing tough odds against top teams in the Premier League.

I am not a Stoke City supporter but reading all the transfer deals that have been taking place, Stoke has caught my attention. Tony Pulis, the Stoke City manager, has been busy in attempting to strengthen his side with new arrivals and doing it on the cheap. I have been impressed by Stoke in their attempt to strengthen their squad. Unfortunately this is something I am not seeing at Spurs, I am sad to say. I am not going to make any bold comments about a league title win or anything close to that but they Stoke could make things interesting and perhaps create some surprises along the way. Isn’t that what most neutrals want?

Granted Stoke isn’t a Manchester United, Man City or a Chelsea but they do have some talented individuals in their squad. From what I have witnessed I think Matthew Etherington, Ryan Shawcross, Robert Huth and Kenwyne Jones are just a few of the quality players. Plus, Stoke can be a very stubborn team to beat in addition to their ability to pull off surprise upsets for a middle tier team. They were able to advance to the FA Cup final last season and played a tough and hard match against Manchester City and doing so booked their place in the Europa League. Although not Champions League football, Stoke will be able to showcase their talent to some of the top sides in Europe this season.

An impressing signing so far is former Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate. The injury plagued player has made a surprising turnaround and has had a positive pre-season. I know some will say Woodgate is over the hill or too risky. I will admit I am a huge Woodgate fan. But if Woodgate stays fit I think Stoke may have gotten the best deal out of the summer transfer market. You can’t beat a free transfer and Spurs might end up kicking themselves in the end. From what I saw of his performance against Hajduk Split in the Europa League play offs, I was very impressed considering his long absence from playing. Stoke has also brought in Matthew Upson on a free transfer from West Ham. Again another player that some may consider his best days being over, but a fresh start with a new club could be just what Upson needs. Certainly Pulis is attempting to strengthen up the defense with already established defenders Huff and Shawcross practically in the center. Stoke now have a strong defense that can push their players even harder to improve their playing ability.

Currently Stoke are in talks with Tottenham in the hopes of securing Peter Crouch and Wilson Palacios. I have really never been a fan of Palacios. I will say he is an aggressive football player and I do like that, but I think he needs to improve his overall playing ability. A new club could provide that for him. I do like Crouch. Although I will admit I have been disappointed in his performances last season at least in league games and think he can do a lot better. Crouch could be a good addition for Stoke.  Stoke has made it clear they are in need of improving their front. His European record has been impressive for Spurs and European teams did have trouble containing him. Since Stoke are in the Europa League that could provide them with a great asset. His height is a great advantage on the field and just like Palacios a new team could turn his fortunes around. Furthermore, Pulis has been in discussion with Joey Barton’s agents about a possible move to Stoke from Newcastle. I have written a story advocating that Barton moves to Spurs. I certainly would welcome him to Tottenham but hopes of that happening seems to be fading each day. I understand all the baggage concerning Barton but I consider him a great player and I really think he could provide dynamics to their midfield. It appears the midfield is an area that Pulis wants to strengthen and Palacios and Barton could provide that for him. I think before the transfer window ends we will see a few more additions to the club if history is any indicator.

As I said stated before I don’t expect any super miracles of finishing first or in the top four or anything like that but I think this year Stoke might give us all an interesting surprise. Stoke had a fairly positive pre-season, a good home result against Chelsea and their Europa League competition is off to a successful start. They also could be one of the clubs to embrace the Europa League with a good squad to select players from and if they can make the long haul they just might see themselves in the final. There is always the League and FA Cup and we could see a repeat of last season’s FA final.

Stoke plays hard, aggressive and can be a difficult side to be beat. I might be overreaching here but I think we can look forward to some good football being played and maybe a piece of silverware along the way.

I would be very interested in hearing what anyone has to say — especially Stoke City supporters.

Photo by The EFP

Former Aston Villa striker Juan Pablo Angel was traded yesterday from LA Galaxy to Chivas-USA in Major League Soccer to make way for the Galaxy’s new star signing Robbie Keane. As a result, the Tottenham striker has now joined LA Galaxy in a £3.5 million deal.

In the last couple years or so there has been much speculation about the status and future of Keane at Spurs since the arrival of Harry Redknapp in late 2009. Since the arrival of Redknapp, Keane has found himself on the bench rather than on the field with other strikers being preferred — mainly Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe. Plus, with the arrival of Rafael van der Vaart, we saw Harry change his formation and play with a lone striker with Van der Vaart as a withdrawn striker. With this new formation Keane’s chances at first team football seemed all but gone. Keane was loaned out to Celtic in 2010 and later to West Ham United in 2011. Keane returned to Spurs on both occasions and continued to be in limbo. There were talks of Keane moving to Blackburn or Leicester but it would be Los Angeles that would secure his services in the end. I will miss Robbie Keane. He was a great player for Spurs and although his second time at Tottenham didn’t work, it should not damage his great contribution to the club during his time at White Hart Lane.

The first time I recall seeing Keane play was for Coventry City in 1999. At just around 19 years of age I was very impressed with his ability. Before he arrived at Coventry, Keane had a successful time at Wolverhampton Wanderers. He made 73 league appearances with 24 goals.   I continued to follow his progress with Coventry and his brief spell at Inter Milan and later at Leeds. Then in 2002 it was announced that Keane was moving to White Hart Lane. I was excited upon hearing the news. I thought this is what the club needed — a young and talented forward that can score goals.

Keane’s debut game was highlighted with him winning a penalty, which secured a win over West Ham 3-2. Keane’s first Tottenham goal would be against Blackburn in their 2-1 victory over Rovers. During the 2003-2004 season, we saw Tottenham fight a regulation battle and Keane’s goals were a major factor in securing their position in the Premier League.  The 2004-2005 was a frustrating season for Keane since preference was given to Defoe, Kanoute and others. Keane found himself being demoted. The 2005-2006 season started as the previous season had, but Defoe’s lack of performance gave Keane another chance under Martin Jol. By March of 2005 Keane became the club’s highest goalscorer with 16 goals, passing Mido and later was made vice captain since Ledley King had suffered injury problems. In March of 2006 he signed a new four year contract with Tottenham. It just seemed that greatness was awaiting Spurs with Keane up front. During the 2006-2007 season, we saw Keane off to a slow start with a knee ligament injury but with the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov his fortunes would see a change. Bertatov and Keane would form a very successful partnership up front with both players being selected FA Premier League Play Award for the Month April 2007. Keane finished 2006-2007 with 22 goals in all competitions. He made his 200th appearance for Spurs in their final game against Manchester City with a 2-1 victory. Keane shortly signed a new five year contract on May 28, 2007. Keane made his 100th Premier League goal on December 26, 2007 and on January 19, 2008 Robbie Keane scored his 100th goal for Spurs in a 2-0 win over Sunderland. Keane’s career saw further success with Tottenham’s 2-1 victory over Chelsea in the Carling League Cup Final at Wembley on February 24, 2008. While playing for Tottenham Keane received the Player of the Year Award: 2003-2004, 2005-2006 and 2007-2008. He was the first player to do so. All of Keane’s success was drawing the attention of other clubs chiefly Liverpool.

To the surprise of many, Tottenham and Liverpool finally agreed a transfer on July 28, 2008. Keane left Spurs on a £19 million transfer fee. However, Keane’s time at Liverpool was short and an unsuccessful one. Keane made 28 total appearances in all competitions and scored 7 goals. During the 2009 January transfer window, Spurs agreed terms to have Keane return to White Hart Lane for a second time. Keane scored his first goal since returning on March 4, 2009 in a 4-0 win over Middlesbrough. On July 31, 2009 Keane served as captain of Spurs in their victory in the Premier League Asia Trophy with a win over Hull City 3-1 in Beijing.

Keane wasn’t the same player he was before he left for Liverpool. I think his time at Liverpool didn’t help with his return to Spurs. With the arrival of other strikers at Tottenham, Redknapp appeared to favor Crouch and Defoe over Keane. And Keane begin to decline in importance at the club, becoming surplus to requirements.

In January 2010, Keane was loaned to Celtic for the remainder of the 2009-2010 season. However, Keane’s time at Celtic seemed to jump start his career which had been suffering since his return to Spurs. Keane appeared in 16 matches for Celtic and scored 12 goals. Keane was named Scottish Premier League Player of the Month for March 2010. The Celtic fans named Keane Celtic’s Fan’s Player of the Year. Celtic expressed desire to keep Keane at Celtic once the loan period was over but Spurs wanted him to return. I thought that was surprising considering the little playing time that Keane was receiving at Spurs. Unless Harry thought Keane’s performance at Celtic would continue at Tottenham. However, that would not happen and Keane was still a marginal player. He was once loaned out again to West Ham in 2011. His time as West Ham wasn’t productive and made only 9 appearances and scored 2 goals and the team was regulated and Keane returned to Spurs. But it was apparent that Keane’s time at Tottenham was limited. There were some offers for Keane, one by Blackburn for £2 million that was rejected by Spurs. But it seemed that Beckham’s time training with Spurs last winter had an impact on Keane. Los Angeles and Tottenham agreed a £3.5 million transfer to Galaxy in a two year contract.

During the last couple of years many of the Spurs fans have been hard on Keane. I think they have forgotten what he did for the club. The move to Liverpool was a disaster for Keane, which lead to his return to White Hart Lane. As much as I am a fan of Keane he wasn’t the same player when he returned. There was just something different about him and his playing. He just wasn’t able to fit back in successfully. It was time for Keane to move on and find a club that would work for him and offer him the chance to prove himself. I still believe Keane has a lot to offer. I am not sure if the move to the United States and MLS was the right decision but he thought differently. Keane made 293 appearances in all competitions and scored 121 goals in all competitions for Tottenham and that will not be forgotten. On the international level Keane has made 109 appearances for the Republic of Ireland with 51 goals. I have great memories of Robbie Keane at Spurs and I wish him all the best in his future.

In recent years I have become a fan of Major League Soccer and games are either shown on my local channel in Seattle, as well as ESPN or Fox Soccer Channel. I was first introduced to Harkes as announcer during the last World Cup in South Africa and quickly realized he must be regarded as one of the worst announcers I have ever heard in any sporting event. Every time I watch a MLS match on ESPN I hope John Harkes will not be announcing or, if he is, I immediately hit the mute button. There isn’t anything pleasant or engaging about this man as an announcer.

Of course networks or other sporting outlets naturally select individuals with a strong background in the sport and many but not all are former athletics or coaches. It makes sense since you want the individual to have a command of the game. However, that is only part of the deal because you want an individual that can communicate to the viewing audience and have that special connection. You want a person that has passion for the sport in what he or she does. One of my favorite announcers was John Madden. This guy who just loves the NFL and everything about it. When he spoke, he had a complete command of the game and with a witty down to earth personality, it’s no wonder he was so successful in connecting with the audience. When he decided to leave his job to spend more time with his family, it was like losing a friend.

Looking at John Harkes it is the complete opposite, I would be happy to lose him as a friend.

I am not going to analyze John Harkes’s playing career because that is not the focus of the story. However, considering his impressive playing career, you think he would know a little more about the game than he presently does. During the matches before I employed the mute button, I noticed how very little Harkes comments on the game but would divert his attention elsewhere. Talking about unrelated things and taking the focus away from the game and directing elsewhere, mainly towards himself.

When I have heard Harkes comment on games, he does so in a very negative fashion. For example if a goal is scored, it’s not a good goal shot but he instead dwells on the negative aspect of the event. The defenders or the goalkeeper screwed up. The striker got lucky. It couldn’t be the fact it just was a good goal. Then he gives the audience a lecture as if we care about his glory days and how he would have done it differently. He constantly reminds the viewers of his former playing days and how he is better than anyone else on the field and provides little or no comments on the game.

Harkes loves to call soccer shoes “boots,” the common term in England. Well, in the United States people call them shoes (or cleats). There is a reason why they are called boots in England.  In the 19th century, men in Britain would play soccer in their work boots. Later came the leather shoe or boot, which was introduced.

It just makes him sound so phony and unconvincing.

We all use clichés at times in everyday conversation but this guy is the master of them. He could try to be a little more original in his presentation. During the World Cup, Martin Tyler made a comment about him using a cliché in reference to Peter Crouch. Harkes said, “Crouch is tall and looks like he’d be good in the air, but pundits say that he’s actually quite skilful with his feet.” Tyler laughed and said, “A bit of a cliché, good feet for a big man.” Then there was silence with Harkes presumably annoyed.

Furthermore the man has no connection with the fans in my opinion. Yes he can speak English but he doesn’t have a personality besides an inflated opinion of himself. In those rare occasions he comments on the game he states the obvious. I don’t need to be told the object of the game is to get the ball in the net. I just thought the players would all run around the field for ninety minutes kicking the ball aimlessly around. Of course the US men’s team would be just fine if he was playing again. It’s time to move on Harkesy.

I have been a fan of Ian Darke, Martin Tyler and Ray Wilkins. Having said that I don’t think you need to have an English accent to be a good soccer announcer. I have listened to soccer announcers from various countries. You want quality and a person who has a personality, which Harkes completely lacks. I think instead of being a soccer announcer Harkes would have a very promising career in a soap opera with his cheesy grin and orange tan.

I want to listen to an individual who has passion for the game, a good personality, who can communicate and has knowledge of the sport. Also, I want a person who is just a pleasant individual. So, if the person has an American, Spanish, Russian, Italian, French, German or English accent, I don’t care. But for the love of God show this man the door.

Very shortly football leagues across Europe will begin the start of their regular season. Along with the return of regular football will be UEFA Champions and Europa League games. The excitement of the Champions League is greatly anticipated with the best clubs in Europe playing each other for the glory of being crown the best in Europe as Barcelona achieved last time around. If you listen to players and club managers it seems the Europa League is a competition that teams want to avoid. There is no doubt that the Champions League is exciting football and very entertaining to watch, especially if your club is involved. The Europa League appears to be a side show or a consolation gift by many. But I think given the chance it can be a very exciting contest if better marketed to the football viewing public and it wouldn’t have to be considered the poor cousin of European football. I will be looking forward to the Europa League this season since my club Tottenham will be participating in the competition.

To be honest I have seen very few Europa League or the old UEFA Cup games due to the broadcasting of the matches in the United States. For the most part the old UEFA Cup and now the Europa League really haven’t factored much in my soccer viewing or general interest, unless Tottenham was participating.

Not being able to view the matches was the biggest problem I had with the competition. Reading or watching a highlight minute video clip isn’t the same as watching the game. Because of that it did put me off. To my knowledge Direct TV is the only provider of the games in the United States, while Fox Soccer covers the Champions League matches. I wonder why Fox Soccer couldn’t carry the Europa League matches as well. I think soccer fans in the United States would find the Europa Leagues matches entertaining. It would make a change from seeing the traditional football giants: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester United, or Arsenal. The big clubs are always shown on TV and unless you’re a supporter of the club it can be a bit boring seeing the same teams play all the time. It would be nice to mix things up and see other clubs play that don’t always get the media coverage. It could introduce the public to other clubs that don’t have the name recognition as the big clubs and at the same time provide exciting matches. It could allow those clubs to further expand their fan base if the matches were to air in same manner as the Champions League matches. Many of the clubs that make it into the Europa League are good sides with many just missing out on a Champions League spot. It would seem UEFA would want to showcase the Europa League to overseas markets especially in the United States. With the creation of MLS in the United States and the growing popularity of soccer in the country it would seem logically to broadcast the matches to a wider audience then is currently being done. In looking at the success of the World Soccer Challenge and other international friendly matches in the United States during the summer I think it would be a wonderful idea. Teams like Manchester United, Real Madrid or AC Milan are known teams in the United States but teams competing in the Europa League most likely don’t have that kind of following and with more coverage of a Stoke City or Hearts could increase their popularity.

It seems to me the Europa League is viewed as a charity competition for those clubs that are not good enough for the Champions League. I think there could be a little bit of truth to that idea. At the group stage of the Champions League there are 32 clubs and 8 of those clubs will find themselves in the Europa League after the group stage matches have ended. The Europa League begins with 48 clubs at the group stage. I think if you want to give a sense of quality to the Europa League reduce the number of clubs. With so many clubs it gives the feeling of a charity competition where everyone can be a winner. Have 32 clubs at the start of the group stage as done in the Champions League. Don’t allow the third place clubs from the group stage of the Champions League to enter the Europa League, just send them home. I don’t see the point in giving them a second chance.  Don’t treat it has a hand me down league. Granted not every team can make into the Champions League but that is no reason why there cannot be a competitive second tier level European football competition.

League title chasing clubs have been critical of the Europa League scheduling. However not all clubs fell that way. Tony Pulis of Stoke City and Martin Jol of Fulham have embraced the competition to enhance the reputation of their clubs in European football. Granted no one is really expecting Stoke or Fulham to win the English Premier League title. Nevertheless it still provides a path for them to show off their clubs and face other quality European clubs. Harry Redknapp the Tottenham manager has been very vocal lately about the number of games and the scheduling issue. I think he does present a realistic argument concerning the number of matches and the traveling. In looking at the Champions Leagues on a map most of the teams are close to one another and nicely fitted into Western Europe. However, with the Europa League the teams are more spread out from Western, Central, and Eastern Europe going as far as Israel. Playing the matches on Thursdays and then returning home to play domestic football on the weekend can put a toll on the players. Clubs like Tottenham want to put every effort in the league title race.  This rather crowded schedule can provide wonderful opportunities for non first team players to highlight their talents but at the same time put stress on the team. But I think the concerns that Redknapp has outlined are worth looking at and perhaps making changes to lessen the burden on the players and team would be desirable. A possible solution could be reducing the number of matches played and going to a single round robin game. Another possibility is having all Champion League matches on Tuesdays and all Europa League matches on Wednesday or vice versa. In a sense you want to be fair to both competitions and the other obligations they face beyond European competition. Would Redknapp really be upset and complaining if Spurs end up winning the cup, I bet not?

I will make every effort to find an online outlet that will show the Europa League matches, since I don’t have Direct TV I will be out of luck with TV viewing unless I find a local pub or sports bar that will be airing the matches. I look forward to Tottenham playing and hopefully performing well and putting every effort in the matches and win the cup. It will be nice to see other clubs play as well. Although not a Stoke City supporter I am a huge Jonathan Woodgate fan and so I will be eager to see him play in those matches in addition to the league and cup matches, considering all his injuries lately. Instead of treating the Europa League as some charity case, I think the competition has a lot offer and be an entertaining event as well. Yes, those who love the football giants most likely won’t care but I wager to guess there could be a lot of people out there who would really enjoy this second tier European contest.

Photo by Blog Gallery

Joey Barton, because of his Twitter comments and all the friction that has developed between Barton and the leadership of Newcastle United, has found himself on the transfer list and a free transfer as well. Despite stating his desire to stay at Newcastle at the end of the season and wanting a new contract, he decided to take his frustration to the public using the media and Twitter as a means to communicate his issues concerning the club.

The 28 year old midfielder is now an outcast at Newcastle United. It was reported, August 2, 2011 that Barton is being forced to practice alone and fined two weeks wages for his latest comments. Putting aside who is to blame for the developments at Newcastle, Barton may be leaving Tyneside very soon but where he will go is the question. A few Premier League clubs have been reported to be in talks with Barton’s agents and one of the clubs mentioned is Tottenham Hotspur. As a Spurs supporter I would welcome Barton to White Hart Lane and think he would make a fine addition to the club.

Of course I know what many will be thinking about my statement. I am well aware of Barton’s past or “rap sheet,” whether on the pitch or in the public involving the police. I know about his promises to correct his mistakes and not repeat them. However, I am aware he still continues to keep falling into the same traps. No doubt about it he is no saint and has a very checkered past with issues of authority and discipline in general. However, he hasn’t had any encounters with the police since 2008. Granted his temper on the field has continued and that will need to be addressed. But I think he is a quality player and has a playing style that really could enhance the midfield at Tottenham.

I have read stories and heard people’s discussions who believe Tottenham’s midfield is fairly strong and new players aren’t really required. However, I am not sure about that. The Modric saga is not over and there is still a chance he could leave. Kevin Bond admitted Modric does have a price; of course he has attempted to correct the story. I think that has to be considered. I think the flanks or the wings are strong with Bale and Lennon and if needed that is a position that Barton could fill. If Modric does go, that will leave a hole in the midfield and unlike many I don’t see Sandro as the savior of the midfield at this point. I am not saying he isn’t a good player but I am not sold on him as of yet. Since his arrival at Tottenham in September of 2010 he has made just 19 appearances in all competitions. Up until the matches against AC Milan in the Champions League I was not impressed with him at all. I think he did play very well in those two matches and merits credit for his performance. I would say he played fairly well in the remaining matches he participated in. However, it’s premature to think that Sandro is the answer and of course the media has helped fuel that idea and people have jumped on the bandwagon, which isn’t uncommon. A few matches don’t create a superstar; time will determine his true talent and we aren’t at that point yet.

Granted Barton isn’t a big goal scorer but neither are Modric, Kranjcar, Pienaar, Palacios, Sandro, Jenas, and Huddlestone — just to name a few of Tottenham’s midfielders. The lone exception would be Rafael van der Vaart but he really plays as a withdrawn striker. But like Modric, for example, Barton does create opportunities for other players to score goals, which is just as important. In my view Barton has demonstrated his ability as a player during his time at Manchester City and Newcastle and I believe he could provide a solid presence in midfield.

I have watched Barton play many times and I admire his style of play. Barton is a physical and tough tackling player and certainly that has been the historical playing style of English football, hard hitting and aggressive. When I play soccer I am very physical and aggressive but I don’t play to purposely injury anyone. However, I have no problems when attempting to get ball to take down a player. It’s a contact sport and it is part of the game. I think people have forgotten that aspect of the sport. Barton plays hard and wants to win, the ideal player in my view. Of course you don’t want a rogue player who is out of control. Discipline is critical. If Barton was to join Spurs, the club would have to make it perfectly clear to him that respect for authority and discipline must be maintained or he would be out. I am sure that would be going through the minds of any club managers and owners.

Barton, now being a free transfer target, would be very appealing to Spurs. Harry loves a good deal. Instead of money being spent on chasing Scott Parker, the transfer of Barton to Tottenham would save them money. Since Harry wanted to bring Parker to Spurs it indicates that he thinks more can be done in the midfield. I think injecting some new blood in the midfield would very helpful. Levy doesn’t like to spend money and desperately wants to balance the books at the club this would help. You secure a good quality player while saving money at the same time.

Photo by danny-19

With the upcoming season just around the corner, Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp will have to decide who will be the starting goalkeeper for the Lilywhites. The current starting keeper Heurelho Gomes continues to have difficulty in goal, which has led some to question his starting role. That could have been what Harry was thinking by bringing in Brad Friedel from Aston Villa and extended Carlo Cudicini’s contract by one year to make Gomes fight for his spot and to improve his overall performance. However, I think the question still remains who should be the starting keeper. With the current keepers: Heurelho Gomes, Carlo Cudicini and Brad Friedel and with no possibility of anyone else being brought in, who to select?

I am going out on a limb in suggest that Cudicini should be the starting keeper for Tottenham.

I think it would be fair to say that Friedel was brought in to add an element of veteran experience at the age of 40. Furthermore, having Friedel compete for the position lets Gomes know he is replaceable considering he was making noise about a return to Holland. But the introduction of the American can only be seen a stop gap measure until Spurs located a long term replacement since I don’t think Gomes is the future of Tottenham.

To be fair to Gomes, he has improved since his arrival at Spurs. I think having Tony Parks as the goalkeeping coach has made Gomes a better player. The keeper cannot be blamed for all goals scored against Tottenham.  English football is a team sport and the defenders do form that all important part of protecting the goal as well. However, Gomes is still dogged with errors on routine plays. To use a cliché Gomes, has “butter fingers.” I am sure all Tottenham fans, myself included, remember the famous Chelsea match where Gomes fumbled the ball resulting in a goal. Granted through instant replay he did stop the ball in time but it was routine catch. There was the fumbled ball in the second match against Real Madrid and of course other numerous examples.

However, all three goalkeepers do bring something to the table. While Gomes was at PSV, he had 60% clean sheets. And during his third season (2006-2007), he went 956 minutes without letting in a goal. Of course, one might ask what went wrong. Gomes has been called up for international duty with Brazil. Granted he hasn’t seen a lot of playing time at that level. But there is no doubt he played a critical role in the 2009-2010 season in helping Spurs secure that fourth place spot for the Champions League.

Cudicini had an impressive run at Chelsea before arriving at Spurs. During the 2001-2002 season, Cudicini was named player of the year by the Chelsea fans and voted best goalkeeper in the 2002-2003 season by the English Premier League. However, an old injury from his Lazio days surfaced during the 2003-2004 and with the arrival of Petr Cech saw his playing time limited with Cech securing a first team position.

Brad Friedel has seen several years of playing time in the English Premier League. Friedel had a long career with Blackburn Rovers, making 287 appearances and was named Blackburn player of the year during the 2002-2003 season. Friedel played very well for the United States during the 2002 World Cup. So, when looking at the three goalkeepers it does present Harry with a problem in who should be the number goalkeeper at Spurs.

However, Friedel is the new guy and should have to prove himself before securing the number one position. As stated earlier, I think Harry should hand the first team position of keeper to Cudicini. In viewing him I have been fairly impressed with his performance. During the last few remaining games of last season I thought Cudicini played very well in comparison to Gomes. I understand in relation to Gomes and Friedel he hasn’t had much playing time. Nevertheless, when something isn’t working you change it and try something new. I think Gomes has made too many errors to justify a starting role at this time. It’s time to give someone else an chance.

The long term solution is the securing of a young goalkeeper to build for a future. At 40 years of age Friedel is very short term. Almost all players at Friedel’s age have retired. Cudicini at 37 will have a few more years. Although Gomes is 30 years old, I just don’t see him being a long term solution along with the fact he has suggested a return to Holland.

At the end of the day they are the only keepers for Tottenham. I don’t see Harry bringing in any new keepers before the start of the new season. So, give Cudicini a chance if he doesn’t work out try someone else.

I decided to give it a chance. However, one of the things I have noticed about MLS is the lack of creativity and imagination in the development of their uniforms and badges. To be honest many of their uniforms and team insignia are just dull and boring and inspire little or no confidence.  MLS uniforms have a cookie cutter feel to them. In looking at MLS kit designs and team logos, I thought to myself “Is this the best they can do?” Selling a product is all about marketing, to ensure a successful product — in this case MLS.  You want your product to be a success and pleasing to the consumer and MLS is lacking in that area. At the end of the day soccer and all professional sports are businesses that need and want to make money.

I don’t care what anyone says about soccer in this country, it struggles and struggles a lot. With a product that you know has problems you want it to look good. Overall the majority of the club uniforms and badges need creative thought. Adidas dominates the kits of MLS and that is a problem in itself. The MLS logo is boring, a shoe kicking a ball. MLS can do better than that. I think the wearing of the United States and Canadian flags on the uniforms in my view is cheap and tacky and really doesn’t have any value or importance in displaying them on the uniforms.

In my youth I played sports and I still do and there is a sense of pride when you are dressed well. You feel confident and proud in who you are and in your team. To give a better perspective on the subject. you can look to history for a wonderful example. In the early 17^th century on the eve of the Thirty Years’ War in Europe, a military revolution was taking place. One of the developments to come from this revolution was the development of standard uniforms for soldiers. King Gustavus Adolphus II of Sweden began the practice of introducing standard uniforms in his army. Uniforms were being issued to the different regiments in the Swedish Army along with regimental insignia. This move had a very positive impact and was embraced by other nations in Europe as well. What was learned from this development is that soldiers felt better about themselves, their units and comrades. They performed better on the battlefield.

However, the same is not true for MLS. If you want to be successful, the look is a massive part of that success. Plus, it gives the supporters a sense of pride. The release of new kits in other leagues around the world is one of intense speculation and excitement but not really for MLS teams, I have not seen it. One of the biggest problems is Adidas has a monopoly on kit design for MLS uniforms and I think it would be better to have more competition from other manufacturers such as Nike, Puma, Under Armour or Umbro. It would allow for a greater selection of kit design from those manufacturers.

I think both Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA have two of the best uniform designs in the league. LA’s team crest is simple but elegant, and has a polished look. The badge for Chivas is Old World in appearance and shows some creativity. The Chivas badge looks like a medieval crest and being a historian I find the use of the idea to be very appealing. I think both clubs have done well with using the Adidas template in creating a very fashionable and a sleek uniform, so it can be done. I give credit to the Los Angeles Galaxy in their third shirt design. It’s different than anything I have seen in the league. It may not be the best but it does show creativity.

I will say Kansas City has done a complete turnaround in their uniform and badge design from last season and someone in their marketing department was using their brain. For one the name change from Wizards to Sporting Kansas City was a massive improvement. Although they don’t have a major cooperate sponsor on their shirts. I will say the new colors and shirt designs are up there with the two Los Angeles teams. Their shorts are smart and very chic looking. I like the collar on the home shirt; it adds a classic traditional look. It is a very simple but attractive uniform, as is their new badge.

As a shirt design I do like the New York Red Bulls jersey. However, I think the team could have been more creative in the overall shirt design or pattern design. All the club really did was lift the Red Bull logo off the can and placed it on the shirt; I think they could have done a better job to find an alternate design. It is not as if Red Bull doesn’t have a massive marketing department for their company.

Meanwhile, I think Philadelphia and DC United have done a fairly good job in their logo design trying to add a historical element to their team logo. That is something New England could have done, instead of the Revolution. For example, I think the Minutemen would have been a far better name. With that name they could have developed an eye catching badge based on the Minuteman statue in Concord, Massachusetts.

I will give credit to Columbus with their away shirt. In my view black always looks sharp and the yellow vertical stripes are different, so at least there are some ideas floating around in their club. I am not a huge fan of the shirt but it does show some desire for change.

Overall, I will say most of the clubs are just rolling out dull kits. Colorado, New England, Toronto, Philadelphia, Chicago, and DC United are just a few lacking in any creativity. There isn’t anything there — bland and boring is what comes to mind. The majority of them just look the same with a few minor exceptions. Dallas could do such more with their kit, I like the hoop design but they need a little something more to add an attractive quality to the shirt.

Seattle’s third kit most be considered the worst of any of them. The shirt is just blinding. Their yellow shirt reminds me of a neon bar sign. I need sunglasses just to look at it, and you couldn’t pay me to wear it. Plus, the Sounders logo is a picture of the Space Needle. There is so more about Seattle, and that was the best idea? Plus, the other Sounder jerseys look like someone placed pieces of duct tape on the shirts. What is that all about?

Even the club I support, San Jose, could do more with their image. Overall the name isn’t bad but a soccer ball with shockwaves emerging from the ball? Something new needs to be developed. I do like the team colors (black, blue and white) but they have had the same shirt design, for the most part, for the last couple of years and I think they need to come up with a new one. I do like the San Jose white away jersey and even purchased one. I think it is step in the right direction.

I have not been impressed with any of the goalkeeper shirts from any club. Plus I haven’t seen any attempt by the clubs in selling them to the public so that should tell you what they think of them. Most of the goalkeeper tops are yellow, lime green, or black with white shorts — not exciting at all. If there is any shirt you can be creative with, it’s the goalkeeper jersey — lots of color and patterns could be used. Plus, if you have dark color uniforms you don’t use dark colors for the player’s name and number. In addition, start making the number one look like the number one and not sevens on team jerseys.

It would be nice to see more patterns with stripes, color patterns or infusion of color and shapes on the team uniforms. In looking at all the different leagues in the world so many of them have a sense of style and creativity to their team’s kit and I think it is something MLS marketers, clubs and Adidas designers should be looking at. The sad thing is that the states/provinces and cities where the clubs are based have such a rich history and culture and that could have been used in their logo design, kits and club names as well. For example the states, cities and provinces have flags and seals which could have been a factor in helping creating club identity.

Just look at the new expansion team in the NHL, the Winnipeg Jets. Granted, they were in Winnipeg before moving to Arizona. I have just seen their new logo and it looks amazing. It is sharp, sleek and eye catching. I give the designers a lot of credit in the development of the new logo. Winnipeg used their history of aviation connection with the city and Manitoba, and their close relationship with the Royal Canadian Air Force (based in the area) in the development of their new team logo. That is one stylish look that Winnipeg has created, so I do give them a lot of credit. Why can’t that happen with MLS teams?

As I said I am not a fan of the Adidas templates but having said that I think there is progress being made with other clubs. If you look in England, the Liverpool home and away shirts look very smart as do the Chelsea home and away shirts. I like the use of pattern and color in the Chelsea away shirt. I do like what West Brom have done with both their home and away shirts. I particular like the away shirt, with patterns and use of blue in the design. I think Stoke City has hit the nail on the head with a very nice kit design for both home and away for the next season. I believe Stoke City’s away shirt is going to be a huge success with the fans the black and blue stripes look fantastic. I think others have done well with the Adidas kit: Schalke, FC Nuremberg, Wolfsburg, Hamburg, Bayern Munich (away shirt) and although a bit busy, I give credit to Olympique Marseille with their home and away shirts. I think it can be done but the vast majority of MLS teams just seem so lazy in their kit design.

The MLS logo has got to go and something more creative must take its place. Unfortunately this not just a MLS problem. Most of the logos for professional league teams in the United States are just not creative enough. But for them it isn’t an issue because they are established such as the NFL, NHL, MLB and the NBA. But for soccer it is a different story. You need something to catch the attention of a public that hasn’t bought into the whole soccer thing. Again just looking at the different leagues around the world, they have produced some very attractive league logos. For example look at Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liqa and the Premier League and see what they have done and of course they are many leagues around the world to view as well. Why that can’t be done in the United States is beyond me.

Furthermore, I think placing the American and Canadian flag on the shirts is pointless, I just don’t get it. They aren’t national teams and the players come from all parts of the world not just the US or Canada. It further cheapens the meaning and the symbolism of the flags particularly the American flag (since I am an American) by placing it on everything. It makes it look too commercial and tacky.

Fans will buy team shirts to show their support but I am not going to waste my money on a product that is not pleasing to the eye. As of right now MLS has a lot of work to do. You don’t want your product to look like some fly-by-night operation. I would encourage the marketing departments all of the clubs to expand and begin rethinking how to show off their product.

During last January’s transfer window a great deal of focus was on big name players and the one that caught most of the attention of the media was Fernando Torres of Liverpool. Chelsea come along and broke the bank with an English transfer fee record of £50 million. However, at the end of the 2010-2011 season Torres had 18 total appearances for Chelsea and scored just one goal.

This story reminds me of another former high profile Chelsea player and that was Chris Sutton about 12 years ago. When Torres arrived at Chelsea there were such high hopes and success for him but so far very little has been achieved by him and the same was true of Chris Sutton back in the 1999-2000 season. Will Torres follow the same uneventful path as Sutton did at Chelsea which saw him leave after one season?

The past is the best indictor as to what will happen in life. In looking back at Torres’ career it is a history of being a successful athlete. Starting his career at Atletico Madrid in 2000 and by the time he left the club in 2007, he had made 214 league appearances and scored 82 goals. Starting in the 2007-2008 season, Torres moved to Liverpool. During his tenure at Liverpool, he made 33 appearances scoring 24 goals. In the 2008-2009 season, he had 24 appearances with 14 goals. And in the 2009-2010 season he had 22 appearances with 18 goals.

At the end of the 2009-2010 season Torres’s name was the most popular one on replica shirts around the world. On August 14, 2010, Torres signed a new contract with Liverpool that extended his stay at the club until 2013 and he began earning £110,000 per week. Roy Hodgson, the new manager, arrived for the 2010-2011 season and Liverpool almost immediately went into a tail spin and even fell into the relegation zone. Hodgson made it clear that Torres would not be sold and his contract would be honored. Torres would make 23 appearances with 9 goals before leaving Liverpool in January 2011.

The change in management at Liverpool and the dismissal of Hodgson and the arrival of Kenny Dalglish in January of 2011 would change the situation with Torres. With the cash available and the desire to attract new talent Chelsea made a move and finally secured Torres for £50 million. Despite Torres’s statements about his commitment and loyalty to Liverpool, the lure of more money and playing in Champions League football was most likely the biggest reason for him leaving. Not to mention that Liverpool’s position in the league at that time seemed uncertain. Torres lavished praise on Chelsea as a great club and felt very positive about the move as did Chelsea who thought they made an incredible deal that would secure the club’s future success. But this story has an eerie feeling to that of Chris Sutton.

Sutton had a very similar story to that of Torres. Sutton started his career at Norwich City back in the old First Division days of 1990-1991. He ended his time at Norwich in the 1993-1994 season with 25 goals and was being sought after by big name clubs such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Blackburn. Sutton decided on a move to Blackburn for a record fee for that time of £5 million. In that first season of 1994-1995, Sutton formed an excellent partnership with Alan Shearer known as the “SAS” attack with Sutton scoring 15 goals and helping to achieve their first league title since 1914. The next season saw Sutton fall out of form through injuries but he regained his form in the 1997-1998 season with 18 goals in 35 appearances. In his last season he only managed 17 appearances with 3 goals through injuries again and missed the last critical game that could have saved Blackburn from the drop. Blackburn was relegated in the 1998-1999 season. Despite that, Sutton was still regarded as a good player and with Blackburn no longer in the Premier League he sought a return to top flight football. Sutton was sold to Chelsea for £10 million — another high price tag for that day. Sutton’s story feels so familiar to that of Torres.

Sutton had a good reputation and with the high price tag he was going to need to live up to all that. However, Sutton’s time at Chelsea would not be a happy one. He made 28 league appearances and scored just one goal. He did make 10 cup competition appearances and scored two more goals. But this was not a productive stay at Chelsea.

Granted, Torres has only been at Chelsea for about half a season but it wasn’t a productive one considering all the hype, money and his past history. In many ways I see many of the same patterns with the two players: A lot of talent, money and media hype but, ultimately, failing to deliver. Of course Torres can change things around but will he? Sutton was gone after one season and sold to Celtic for £6 million. Funny thing is that Sutton did rebound at Celtic and in the 2003-2004 season scored 20 goals and was voted SPFA Player of the Year. He had another good year at Celtic but the end was near. He bounced around for a few more years before calling it quits in 2007.

Of course Sutton is no longer playing but the similarities that brought both players to Chelsea just sound so similar and are almost haunting. I wonder what will happen to Torres at Chelsea. Will he suffer the same fate? Maybe clubs and players should be careful what they ask or wish it may not be the answer they are seeking. The lure of money and top flight football can be intoxicating but maybe this is all it is and sticking with your club might provide the real answer a player needs.

Since the founding of Major League Soccer in 1993, American soccer has faced an uphill battle against a public that really does not embrace the sport. Facing the already established and popular sports: NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA, and car racing (mainly NASCAR), it’s been a tough sell. It was not until 2004 that MLS turned a profit. In 2009 there were only two profitable clubs: the Seattle Sounders and Toronto FC — down from three the previous year.

For the future, I have an idea of how MLS sides can increase their revenues during each summer. For the record, I think the English Premier League friendly matches that take place during the pre season of English soccer season have been a step in the right direction in helping to maintain and create a strong fan base for Premier League sides in the United States. However, I suggest a new approach — different than the World Football Challenge — in making soccer more popular by giving fans something to really look forward to during the summer. My idea is to create MLS and EPL tournaments instead of the traditional friendly matches.

There are currently 18 MLS teams, soon to be 19 with the addition of the Montreal Impact and a future addition of one more club to make it 20 clubs. With the teams scattered across the United States and Canada, it offers great possibilities for creating regional EPL and MLS tournaments. So, I think replacing the friendly matches which really don’t offer much more than a nice chance for your local MLS team to play an English top flight club, the regional tournament could offer so more to the sport. However, there needs to be an incentive for both parties. Nothing motivates individuals more than money, I think a cash prize for the club and the players would be necessary. This could be done through sponsorship. In addition to the cash incentive offer piece of silverware, a trophy for the winning team to instill further pride with the club and fans.

I think the most constructive approach would be to host regional tournaments. There is the possibility of doing an east coast tournament with D.C. United, Philadelphia Union, New York Red Bulls, New England Revolution, Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact once they begin playing. The same could be done on the west coast with Chivas USA, Los Angeles Galaxy, San Jose Earthquakes, Portland Timers, Seattle Sounders and Vancouver Whitecaps. Something similar could happen in the mid west or central part of the United States with FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Sporting Kansas City, Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew. Perhaps Real Salt Lake could move into the west with the Colorado Rapids placed in the central or mid west tournament.

I think another possible approach and perhaps a better one would be to have smaller regional tournaments. For example, I think a Pacific Northwest tournament with Portland, Seattle and Vancouver and perhaps an all California tournament with Chivas, Los Angeles and San Jose could be a real possibility. It could be titled The Barclays Premier League Major League Soccer California Cup 2012 or The Barclays Premier League Major League Soccer Pacific Northwest Cup 2012, for example. The same could be done with other parts of the United States and Canada.

As far as which EPL clubs participate, I think it would be best to have some sort of rotating system or have the clubs volunteer for the events. I think since Tottenham Hotspur is an affiliated club with San Jose, Spurs could participate in the west coast or California tournament more specifically. This could also forge stronger links with MLS and EPL clubs as well.

How would the event proceed? In the case of the one in California, you have three MLS clubs and invite three EPL clubs to participate in the event. All sides are paired and play one game with one club with the winner advancing to the next stage, since there would be 3 clubs remaining the one team with the best record in the series would get a break while the other two face each other and then the winner of that match would face the rested team for the title and cup. More matches could be added but the time factor may be an issue. I think this would really create an atmosphere of real excitement and give the clubs something really to play for and provide the fans with a wonderful event.

I think for the early stages the big name English clubs such as Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Liverpool would be strong candidates because of the strong name recognition among the American public. But certainly attracting other clubs would be very desirable as well. Currently Newcastle, Bolton, Manchester City and West Brom, for example, will be playing friendly matches during the summer in the United States. So other clubs are interested in playing in the United States. I think the friendly matches have had an impact on soccer in the United States but more can be done and should be done. They are fun events; In fact I attended the San Jose and West Brom match. Plus I’ll attend the Seattle and Manchester United match this month. But more can be done in my view.  Even though many MLS clubs have soccer specific stadiums which hold around 18,000 to 23,000 individuals, there is no shortage of large athletic stadiums whether they be professional or university facilities, so accommodating fans will not be an issue. Another possible idea is to schedule one or two regular EPL matches in the United States.

Starting in 2007 the National Football League played its first regular season game outside of North America when London hosted the Miami Dolphins and the New York Giants. The NFL calls it the International Series.  Since then the NFL has decided to continue to host at least one regular season game in London and perhaps other cities in the world. The objective of the NFL is to strengthen and create greater appeal for American football in Europe and around the world.

I think if MLS is going to be serious about soccer in the United States and further the national team, there needs to be more creativity in marketing of the sport to the American public. I think the idea of MLS and EPL tournaments and the hosting of regular season EPL matches could be a real boost for both leagues and for soccer in the United States.

With about two months left in the transfer market, Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will need to show some life in making additional changes to the squad. So far there has not been much movement in the acquiring of new players. The lone player to arrive at White Hart Lane is Brad Friedel, the veteran goal keeper from Aston Villa on a free transfer.  Part of the problem is the need to balance the books at the club, which Redknapp has made clear and is a top priority with the chairman, so at the moment they have little cash on hand for buying. So, the only way to secure more funds is to sell off their surplus players or perhaps others as well to raise the necessary funds.

However, the only player that has been sold is Jamie O’Hara to Wolverhampton Wanderers for £5 million — completing his loan deal. Jonathan Woodgate was released on June 16, so no money has procured from that.

Redknapp wants to sell players he doesn’t see being part of his future plans at the club: Robbie Keane, David Bentley, Wilson Palacios, Niko Kranjcar, Jermaine Jenas, Sebastein Bassong, Alan Hutton, Younes Kaboul, and most likely Heurelho Gomes. It seems that the three main strikers, Roman Pavlyuchenko, Peter Crouch and Jermain Defoe, could go if the price is right. In fact, the website Footy Bunker is reporting the club would entertain offers of £10-12 million pounds for Defoe, claiming they can’t wait for Defoe to get back into form. It’s not to say those players are not good. In fact many are quite good but not at Spurs. A bid for Robbie Keane for £2 million by Blackburn was rejected by Spurs and to be fair I think Keane is worth more that, maybe around £6-8 million would be fair. Granted he has not played well lately for Spurs but he did have a good loan spell at Celtic and has done well on international duty. I think there is still life in the player.

It was a shame that David Bentley did not work out, I have been a fan of him but he just hasn’t worked into Harry’s plans. Maybe his move to Spurs from Blackburn was too soon and needed more time to develop if he was going to be the next David Beckham. So, the question is where is the money?

There have been talks about Wilson Palacios making a move to Italy for around £10-11 million, Gomes fancies a return to Holland, Bentley has been linked with Fulham and Atletico Madrid, Kaboul may return to France, while there’s a possibility of Jenas making a move to Turkey. Plus, Kranjcar has made it clear he wants to move on so he can get back to first team playing. It appeared that Palacios’ move to Italy was going to take place but Spurs wanted to recoup the money they spent on him, which I can understand to a point but if the goal is to make money from the sale of players maybe a small loss isn’t that bad. Now there are reports linking him and Kaboul with a move to Paris St. Germain. I mean you don’t want to give away players, as in the Keane example but you need to be realistic as well. Many of the players that Spurs want to sell are making a lot in pay each week. For example Keane is the highest paid player making £80,000 per week. Harry states about 4 to 5 players need to be sold so they can get the pay under control and balance the books and then bring in new talent. Quite the process. But if some of the stated players that are available for selling aren’t sold or just a couple are sold then the club may have to consider something they don’t want to and that is the sale of one of their core players.

Spurs have made it very clear that their core players are Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart, Luka Modric and — to a lesser degree — Aaron Lennon and Tom Huddlestone. Of course there has been interest in a couple of these players by other clubs. Modric with Chelsea and Manchester United and just recently Lennon with Liverpool. In fact Liverpool appear to be offering £20 million for him. So, if some of the surplus players aren’t sold then the club may want to consider the sale of one and only one their core players to help raise the necessary money so they can bring in new talent. As a Spurs fan I would not really want any of them to go but areas of the squad need some new blood particularly up front. I think Bale and van der Vaart should stay. Their partnership on the pitch has been very positive and Bale is young and has plenty of time to further develop his skills.

I like Aaron Lennon. His style of play is very suited to the way Harry likes to play with fast attacking football. If I was to choose one of the core players I would say let it be Luka Modric. Modric has stated he would like to move to a Champions League playing club and further he has stated he would like to play for Chelsea. Of course he backtracked on his statements but in most cases the first words spoken are the most truthful ones. Chelsea offered around £25 million for him but Spurs, in a very angry tone, rejected the offer, saying they would not sell him or other key players. It has been reported July 3, 2011 by The Daily Mirror that Chelsea would pay £45 million for Modric. I know many pundits have said that Spurs can’t sell Modric. If they do they will go downhill and just be another average club in the league. My question is what makes Modric so special. Granted he is a talented player. He arrived as Spurs on a transfer of £16.5 million, has played 90 league matches and scored 9 times. At the beginning of the last season he admitted publicly he was not playing well and needed to do better and so he did improve in the second part of the season. The problem is that the media and others have built him up so much he has become the player you can’t part with. Just because he had a good run during the last part of the season doesn’t make him, the player he is being made out to be. Plus, if he really wants to leave the best thing is to let him go. An unhappy player or a player that wants to leave can cause unity problems on the field and in the locker room. I say get what crazy amount of money for him if he truly wants to leave and let him leave. If the story of Chelsea offering £45 million is true, then take it. With money from that sale and along with the possible sale of other players, Spurs will dramatically increase their spending ability and get the players they want.

If the plan of selling lesser players doesn’t work then go with the idea of selling one core player, in my view Modric. With the sale of him and hopefully other players as well, then you can bring in the likes of a Gary Cahill or whomever.  For example, good strikers are not cheap and they seem to be the area where Spurs want to strengthen their side, so the idea could work. Granted it is not the most desirable idea. Harry likes to wheel and deal and the chairman is known for being cheap, but that is going to have to change. You’re not always going to land good deals like van der Vaart, in fact hardly ever. But let’s hope deals are in the works to offload the players they want to let go and that are just being very secretive about the whole process.

Photo by JeffMaysh

Tottenham Hotspur released Jonathan Woodgate on June 16, 2011.  His contract was due to expire on June 30.  There were news reports of the club offering the injury-plagued player a pay-for-play contract. Most newspapers and sports news outlets were reporting the same story. Spurs manager Harry Redknapp was not sure what do to with the footballer since Woodgate hadn’t played much since the end of 2009. But Woodgate is considered one of the best center halves in the Premier League, when fit. I was hopeful that a deal could be reached, for two reasons.  First, I truly believe he is a fantastic player and second, being my favorite player at the club. Then it was announced the club had released him. According to the BBC the club offered Woodgate a pay-for-play contract but for whatever reason he refused the deal.  I’ve spent all day speculating why he decided to walk but in the end it really doesn’t matter because he is gone.

I was delighted to hear about the transfer of Jonathan Woodgate to Spurs in January 2008. I had been of fan of him since his playing days at Leeds United. I remember watching him play back in 1998 when he first arrived at Leeds and I thought this guy was something special. I saw an aggressive and good old fashioned physical player who wasn’t afraid to play hard. However, his playing years would be plagued with injury problems. I am sure for any player it’s devastating to deal with since you want to be your best all the time. And as a fan, I just wanted to see him play.

In 2003 he left Leeds and headed to Newcastle United for a season to the shock and anger of Leeds United supporters. He did well at Newcastle but then again the ugly sign of injuries became a problem for him. But surprisingly he signed for Real Madrid for a transfer fee of £13.4 million. He didn’t get off to a good start at Madrid. In his first match, he scored an own goal and was sent off. But nevertheless Woodgate established himself as a regular first team player but then again injuries would develop. Woodgate found himself on loan and then a permanent position in his home town team of Middlesbrough from 2006-2008. But Woodgate lost his starting role to another player due to an injury problem.  He rejected a deal to go back to Newcastle and decided on a £7 million move to Spurs on January 28, 2008 — a happy day for me.

Woodgate played his first match against Everton on January 30, 2008. But the moment that will live with me will be the Carling Cup Final against rival Chelsea on February 24, 2008. Both sides were tied 1-1 at the end of regular play and in the dying minutes of extra time, Jonathan Woodgate scored the winning goal, allowing Spurs to win the cup and their first piece of silverware since 1999. What an amazing moment and a wonderful goal, an exciting moment for any Spurs fan.

I thought with the likes of King and Dawson, Spurs would develop a strong and unstoppable defense. In many ways Woodgate reminded me of another favorite Spurs player, Steffen Freund. Freund was always a fan favorite and although a defensive midfielder he was another tough and aggressive football player. With Woodgate’s arrival I certainly welcomed that playing style. Of course Spurs had that awful start to the 2008-2009 season which saw the removal of Juanda Ramos as manager and the arrival of Harry Redknapp in the hopes of saving the club from relegation. Jonathan Woodgate played a key role in saving the club from relegation and Spurs finished 8^th in that season. However, Tottenham’s climbed to recovery. They secured Champions League qualification in the 2009-2010 season but Woodgate would only play 3 matches due to injury problems.

At the end of 2009 and the beginning of 2010 he was facing a serious groin problem.  He traveled all over the world to find treatments for his groin problem. Then in January, 2011 things seemed to be turning around. He was responding well to treatment and physical therapy and played a few reserve matches at the start of 2011. According to assistant first team coach Tim Sherwood, Woodgate was playing great. His moment came in their first leg match against AC Milan in the Champions League. Vedran Corluka took a bad hit and had to be removed from the game and Woodgate came as a substitute in the 59^th minute and played the remaining match. In watching him play, it was like he had never been injured. I thought he played a marvelous game. However, things came to a halt with a new injury — a strain to his left adductor muscle and later a calf muscle pull as well.

To my disappointment he didn’t play any of the remaining games of the season. Defenders don’t always score the goals but I will remember that great goal in the League Cup Final in 2008, the goal in 4-4 against draw against Chelsea on March 19, 2008 and his last goal for the club against Hull City on February 23, 2009, in a 2-1 win.

I was hopeful that a deal could be reach since I knew his contract was up this year. All Tottenham would offer was a pay-for-play contract and, to be fair, I think that was the right choice on part of the club. While he was out and not playing he was still picking up his weekly pay and so, I thought the club was right in offering that type of deal to him. Even at 31 and a history of injury problems I thought he was worth keeping.

When fit he must be considered one of the best center halves in the England. If anything the past is a guide and his past has been marked with health problems but it is also a story of recovery and a fighting spirit and that is what I saw in him, a fighter. Woodgate’s ability nullify threats from strikers and clearing the back was a treat to watch and I sure he will continue in that form in the future. I maintain he still has a future but sadly not with Spurs. I have heard reports that Leeds may want to sign him along with Alan Smith and Lee Bowyer, which is rather ironic since all three played together at Leeds in the late 1990s. So, I wish him the best of luck and will continue to be a fan.

Who knows? Maybe one day he might return to finish his career at Spurs or take maybe a coaching position. Goodbye Jonathan and thank you for your time at Tottenham. You will be missed.

One of the pressing concerns for Tottenham Hotspur is the need for quality, reliable and consistent strikers. During the 2010-2011 season the forwards for Spurs were Roman Pavlyuchenko, Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Robbie Keane, who collectively failed to provide the necessary goals for the club. Instead the club relied on individuals such as Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart and Aaron Lennon to produce the goals for the club. Basically the midfield was doing the leg work for the team in scoring goals and the odd goals provided from the defense. So, if your objective is to remain competitive with the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal — and fight for a place in the Champions League — the need for consistent goal scorers is critical.

When looking at Tottenham’s strikers, the question to ask is what happened? In the past they have had very reliable forwards but during 2010-2011 it wasn’t case. The buzz around White Hart Lane is regarding who Harry Redknapp is going to bring in and who will be on their way out.

It is very fair to say that Giovani dos Santos will be on his way out. Since his arrival he hasn’t made an impact and being sent on loan to other clubs would strongly suggest the club would like to unload him onto someone else.

Robbie Keane is an odd case. Before being sold to Liverpool, he was a very successful goal scorer for the club. His partnership with Dimitar Berbatov was especially productive. But ever since his return from Liverpool in February 2009 he hasn’t been the same and hasn’t been able to return to his old form of being a successful goal scorer. In looking at the remaining 2008-2009 season, Keane started 14 matches and only had 5 goals. During the 2009-2010 Keane made 20 starts with 6 goals. Mid season he went on loan to Celtic and surprised many in how well he did with 16 starts and 12 goals. In the pre season leading up to the 2010-2011 season, he looked promising but unfortunately failed to deliver. At the start of 2010-2011, Keane made 7 starts and 0 goals and then went on loan to West Ham and really didn’t have much luck there either. On international duty Keane has done well for Ireland so one has to wonder and think that Spurs is no longer a good fit for him and he just hasn’t been able to form a successful partnership on the pitch with the other strikers as he has done in the past. It would seem that Keane will be on his way out and will make way for a new individual.  I still think Keane has a lot to offer and is a very capable forward but just not at Tottenham, which will be sad since he was among my favorite players at the club.

Much of Roman Pavlyuchenko’s career at Spurs has been a mixed one of wanting to leave, then wanting to stay and a lack of playing time according to him. What I see with Pavlyuchenko is really a lack of being a consistent player. Yes, he was the top goal scorer among the Spurs forwards with 10 goals from 29 matches last season. In the last match against Birmingham he looked good but that is the problem with him, he shines and then the light goes out and you’re left wondering what is going on with him. But then again he scored a hat trick playing with Russia in their last Euro 2012 qualifying match. So what do you do with him? In the past I have said ‘get rid of him’ but then I think well maybe with the right strike partner and with the right motivation he could improve. However, I think the jury is still out but unless something changes soon for him, I think he will be on his way out. I really think he is one of those puzzling players because he does have potential.

Peter Crouch has been another disappointment as well and more so than Pavlyuchenko. Crouch scored only 4 goals in 29 matches last season, which wasn’t very inspiring. On the plus side his height has been and can be a great asset if used properly.  I think he can score goals and if they plan on keeping him they really need to demand much more from him, if he is to justify his role at the club. I think if I was Harry I would be thinking about selling him to another club. I just really haven’t seen that much commitment or improvement in Crouch.

Jermain Defoe has to be the great disappointment of the season with only 4 goals in 22 starts. In the 2009-2010 season Defoe scored 22 goals. So what went wrong with last season? To be fair he was injured in the early part of the season and that can have an impact on any player. When he returned he just didn’t seem the same. Of all the strikers he may be the one to stay. I still think he has lot ability but he needs to change his way of thinking and push himself harder to get back into the form that has made him so successful in the past. I think overall his record is the best out of the group but you can’t whine about not getting first time playing if you are not demonstrating that on the field. I think if I was Harry I would keep Defoe.

Spurs have, with the arrival of Rafael van der Vaart, moved away from having two strikers up front with just one forward with Rafael van der Vaart as a withdrawn striker. Perhaps this is the problem for the Tottenham forwards not really adjusting. So, if Rafael is to stay which seems very likely it may be important to find an individual or individuals that work well under this format. However, Harry did play a 4-4-2 formation in the second match against Arsenal and I thought the team played very well and Rafael van der Vaart did play in that formation and performed well. The game ended 3-3 but the edge should have been given to Spurs. Experimentation is a good thing, something that should not be shied away from and I think the coaching staff should experiment more with the players.

So who to bring into the squad? Well there is a lot of talk about that. Here are five individuals to have a good look at.

1. Since the arrival of Torres to Chelsea and the preference of the ownership to play him, Didier Drogba could be a nice addition to the Spurs lineup. An experienced striker could be what Spurs really need at the moment. He scored 11 goals in the 2010-2011 season and during the previous season had 29 goals. One drawback could be his age, 33, and so he may not have many years left to play but an experienced player from a successful club could be a very useful asset to the team.
2. The next individual is Dimitar Berbatov, who seems to have fallen out of favor with Manchester United. Berbatov having played for Spurs in the past could make an easy adjustment since many of the same players are still there. In two years, he has scored 46 goals in 102 appearances (not just league matches). And this last season he scored 21 goals in 20 starts. Being 30 years of age he would still have a number of years to play. The major drawback I see with Berbatov is that he plays better with a partner and did a good job with Robbie Keane when he was at Spurs. However, Harry favoring the lone forward with Rafael van der Vaart playing back might not work out for Berbatov. Plus, United seem to prefer a trade for the striker and the individual United want is Modric and Spurs have made it quite clear they have no intention of parting company with him, so that might end that idea.
3. Leandeo Damiao of Internacional could be another attractive pick for Tottenham. In two years with Internacional, he has scored 29 goals out of 49 appearances.  However, his youth being 21 years of age could be a caution for Harry in looking for a more experienced player. But a young player under the wings of veteran players could be just what the team needs, to build for the future.
4. Daniel Sturridge of Chelsea would fit the same mold as Damiao — a young player with a lot of potential for the club and so he would be someone else to consider as well.
5. Sometimes looking beyond the top leagues might be a good idea as well. For example, Reading’s Shane Long could be good a nice addition to the strike force at Spurs.  During the 2010-2011 season Long scored 23 goals in 45 appearances and has been linked with Celtic so other top clubs are looking at him and one that Harry may want to consider as well.

Last January I thought Tottenham should have made a more aggressive move for Andy Carroll, a young striker I believe is on the rise and a player that really could have matured and developed at Spurs. I think they could have afforded the transfer bid and beaten Liverpool to him. To a point the club is going to have to spend money. Like the saying goes, in order to make money you need to spend money. For the time being Spurs will not be able to offer the big wages that Manchester United or Manchester City can afford, but that is alright since there are plenty of talented individuals who will be attracted by a club that wants to build for a future and challenge the status quo.

Harry Redknapp has promised more signings in order to strengthen and add more flexibility to the Tottenham squad as they attempt to reclaim their spot in the Champions League next season. In looking at the Tottenham squad they are truly blessed to have so many talented individuals, but one of the most frustrating things is to get results from such a talented group of players. Aside for the need of a new striker, defense is an area of concern for Spurs. As of right now Harry has brought in one new player in Brad Friedel from Aston Villa. However this selection does raise some concerns and possibilities.

Over the years Friedel has proven to be a capable goalkeeper but at 40 years of age, it does leave one wondering. Heurelho Gomes in my view has failed to maintain his number one spot. It is not to say he isn’t a good player. However he has allowed too many routine errors resulting in goals being allowed. Of course the most recent one was against Chelsea on April 30, 2011 where he allowed the ball to slip through his hands and — true he did prevent the ball from going over the line — but the officials didn’t see it that way. But it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. In addition, his further mistakes against Real Madrid certainly have not helped his situation. Carlo Cudicini in the last few games has demonstrated that he can do the job but he simply hasn’t played very much and so the veteran status of Friedel does have merit. With a two year contract and a good backup in Cudicini, Harry can begin the process of finding a young and talented goalkeeper to bring to Spurs for the future. In addition it appears that Gomes wants to move back to Holland to play so this could just what everyone wanted in the end.

Something needs to be done about the defensive issues with the squad.

In reality they have the talent but it is going to require some serious thinking and hard choices by the management of the club. Michael Dawson has been providing excellent leadership at the back and I can only see him developing into an even better player. William Gallas has provided mixed results in defense. Younes Kaboul, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Vedran Corluka have been providing good results on average. However, I think Alan Hutton deserves another look. For much of his playing this season he has provided some solid defense, passing and goal scoring.

With the return to fitness of Ledley King that should bring good news to Tottenham’s defense. Granted he has been sidelined with injuries but his performance in the last couple of matches has demonstrated his ability to play and with a year on his contract there should be serious thought given to a new one providing he stays fit.

Kyle Walker has really developed into a fine player while on loan with Aston Villa and Harry really should give serious thought about retaining him rather than loaning him out again or even selling him to another club. Walker is developing into a fantastic right back. Development of young defenders should be in the manager’s future plans.

Now, we come to Jonathan Woodgate and probably one of the best center halves in English football recent history. I think Michael Dawson is moving in that direction as well. Woodgate has been plagued with injuries with his spell at Spurs. His last regular match was on November 22, 2009 in the crushing defeat of Wigan 9-1. In that game Woodgate highlighted not only his leadership ability but his ability to provide a solid defense. Despite being left out of the starting 25 at the start of the 2010/2011 he did begin training and played a few reserve matches in January. According to Technical Coordinator Tim Sherwood, it was like he had never been injured. He played the last third of the first AC Milan match in the Champions League and again his performance was outstanding. However, he did pull a muscle and later injured his calf and hasn’t seen any playing since February 2011. Woodgate will be out of contract at the end of this month and the club and Harry have been deciding what to do. There is the idea of a play-for-pay contract because of the injury concerns and to be fair that is understandable. But to let him go with still a few more good years to play would be a serious mistake. Woodgate is a gifted veteran that could offer so much to the club and to the young players entering the squad. A fit Woodgate, Dawson and King can provide exactly what Spurs want and need, an unstoppable defense. If the club let Woodgate go, another club will almost certainly pick him up and Spurs would find that talent being used against them. Spurs need to offer Woodgate a pay-as-you-play contract and with that both parties can benefit from such a deal.

Photo by Andrii Stashko

It has so often been swept under the carpet and only muttered sparingly away from the spotlight. It was always there but not quite acknowledged as it should have been. Step forward Andy Gray and Richard Keys. Two of the most prominent men in the coverage of football in Britain, two fifty-something’s basking in the glory that their lofty, undeserved position gives them. The way they brazenly spoke with such ease about the role of women in football being second rate compared to men was shocking. But this has truly opened up the locked door in which this attitude has been hidden behind. The reality is cruel and the old, out-dated concepts that have existed for years are still firmly in place. Maybe this will bring to light how prominent it still is? We can now openly accept that sexism is still alive, not as it was many years ago, but still there nevertheless. Football is no different from this and the questions as to whether it can fully emerge from its chauvinistic past have to be answered.

We have strived for the perfect equilibrium where men and women are treated with the same respect and tried our best to deny any form of sexism. Women, though, are still the ‘fairer sex’. This attitude, straight from the old fashioned mindset, is not only kept in place by Neanderthals such as Gray and Keys but also women who play up to the role. Despite there being many women who are extremely passionate about the game, they always tend to get tarred with the women who only watch football to look at good-looking players. That must be one of the most frustrating things for a female football fan, to have their love for the game questioned because of lazy stereotypes. I have seen this first hand myself as a young boy. My late Mum was a huge football fan and is the main reason behind my passion for the game today. She had to deal with these views from men when watching or discussing football, one of these incidents in particular always sticks in my mind.  She took me to the barbers after school in the summer, just as the 2002 World Cup was starting to get into full swing. We sat down and listened to the barber and two other men continually talk about what England need to do to win the World Cup for a good forty five minutes.  Just as the conversation drew to a close, one of the men turned to my Mum and patronisingly joked, “I suppose you can’t wait ‘til it’s all over, can you, love?” Knowing my Mum as I did, I was just waiting in suspense for the reply she would give. “Not at all, I absolutely love it. And if you think dropping Nicky Butt would change anything then you know nothing about football.” I will always remember the look on all three faces. In one sentence she shot down the stereotypes and left them speechless. I look back to that moment with overwhelming pride, but at the time I didn’t quite grasp the profound effect that would have on me. In my eyes it was normal for women to know just as much, if not more, about football than men. That was how I was brought up, hopefully others were too. Maybe we are the ‘new generation’ who will not see women in football as some sort of joke.  So maybe there is hope yet. And Nicky Butt was England’s best player in that tournament.

Youth football is the key to addressing the problem of sexism for the future generations. If children were to learn that girls are the equal of boys on the pitch then they would grow up with a positive attitude that would help and allow the game to grow. As a youth coach myself I came across sexism towards the girls that were playing on the mixed-sex team. Instantly when I mention that you would assume that it was coming from the young boys who, influenced by their parents, have this attitude that boys are better than girls at football. That didn’t happen at all which was such a positive attribute of the youngsters who played for the team. That same positivity and acceptance, however, was not shared by some of the opposing team’s coaches and parents. Every weekend you would hear a comment from the sidelines, “Come on! It’s only a girl!” was often the encouragement used to get the boys playing. This, I reiterate, is coming from parents and coaches. The people who are teaching these youngsters how to behave as well as how to play the game. Those children will now grow up with that attitude, an attitude a million miles away from the way I and many others were brought up with. When you look at it that way it puts it into perspective.  It is deeply ingrained into society and only time, and lots of it, is going to make it better.  Maybe it will eventually fade, but that is going to be a long, hard and very gradual process.

Sky television has to hold responsibility in some way. They have made football what it is today; an overblown, over-publicised giant that is free from the restrictions of normal business. They control what we see and how we see it.  Not only are they at fault for employing misogynistic presenters and pundits but also the way they portray women in sport. It is all well and good getting rid of Gray and Keys for their sexist comments but when you have a ‘Soccerette’ for all the men to leer and cheer at on the morning football show ‘Soccer AM’ the following Saturday, it negates any gesture somewhat. Sky, though, will point out that they have a vast amount of female presenters for their football and sports news shows. These are the same women who will also do photo-shoots for the lads’ mags each month. It doesn’t quite work as a way of moving forward. Why do they have to be glammed up part-time models to present football? I don’t think I have ever seen a woman on the panel that is there for her football knowledge alone and I very much doubt that I will any time soon. It isn’t as if there is a lack of women with the ability to comment intelligently and offer insight on the game.  Why can’t Hope Powell comment on the Premier League? She is the coach of the England women’s national football team, she was the first woman to gain a UEFA Pro Licence and she has played for England at the World Cup.  Surely that is enough ‘qualifications’ to be able to talk about the game on television?  I am certain that she would provide something of much more worth and merit than Andy Gray who it seems has just got showered and changed in a 1970’s dressing room before coming to the studio.

The FA, of course, shoulders the majority of the responsibility when it comes to women’s football and how it is perceived. They have come to rely on women more so than ever with a third of the 2.3 million fans going to watch football in the last five years being women. They seem to have taken note. For all their mistakes over the years, you have to give them credit for the recent effort in promoting the women’s game.  In April, the new elite eight-club league for women will begin. The FA is investing £2 million over the next two years which is shared between the clubs and the actual running costs of the league.  They have also secured a TV deal with sports broadcaster ESPN so the games will be televised each week as well as a highlights show. The FA is also paying the costs of this as the league is unable to command any TV revenue just yet.  This is the most radical change in English women’s football and also the biggest opportunity to finally throw out age-old misconceptions.  The club’s in the league will have salary caps, cheap tickets for fans and remain sustainable, all of which are genuine dreams for Premier League clubs. If the new setup is a success and moves forward with clubs’ being able to command TV revenue then an example will have been set.  All of those dreams will become a reality. The women’s game will be at the forefront of success in England.  Surely then people will start to take notice?

Fighting sexism in football is obviously going to be a long, arduous battle. But when you see that in 1972, The Sunday People newspaper described the women’s national team’s inaugural game against Scotland as “a revolution born out of broken bras and muddy knickers” and “dolly dribblers” you come to realise that the battle, however slow it may be, is being won. With England having an increasingly ‘modern society’ that is able to embrace everyone and everything, you have to hope that the final push for a complete change in football will come soon enough. The sex of a person should not even come into the equation when it’s about the love of the beautiful game. The sooner this is realised then you have to believe that the old fashioned, misogynistic side of football culture will be banished forever.  The development of the women’s game is a perfect opportunity to breed development in attitudes and beliefs. It is no longer a boys’ club – just a club that you support.

Editor’s note: Follow Sam on Twitter at @SamIanHughes.

In the first article from the Jason Davis soccer column, the US soccer fan shares his thoughts on Hiddink’s time at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge:

Guus Hiddink and Chelsea saw the magic come to a deflating end against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, as a Luka Modric’s  strike in the 50th minute put a serious dent in the West London club’s title chances.  After the improvement in form that always seems to come with a change in managers, Chelsea had won four straight, pulling themselves back into the title race in the process.  Events around the league conspired to make Chelsea’s match with Tottenham their most critical to date, and Guus Hiddink’s first loss as manager could not have come at a worse time.

Hiddink, despite rampant speculation about his future at both Chelsea and as the Russia manager, managed to bring his club to life over the past month.  After showing every indication of fading from the race under Scolari, Chelsea seemed dead in the water, more likely to play for position in the top four than for a shot at the Premiership title.

Enter the Dutchman, and suddenly everything seemed right again.  Players who had chafed under the Brazilian came to life under Hiddink, and while catching front-runners Manchester United seemed somewhat unlikely, Chelsea put themselves in position to capitalize on any points dropped by their northern rivals.   The winning streak gave them hope, with a strong title push possible thanks to a remaining schedule littered with bottom half and relegation zone clubs.

More significant than the arrival of Hiddink, however, was the return of midfield stalwart Michael Essien.  Chelsea never seemed quite right without Essien patrolling the middle of the pitch, and his insertion back into the starting lineup after a lengthy injury stint was just the tonic Chelsea needed.  A new manager and the resulting dressing-room enthusiasm, the return of a midfield workhorse, and a gap to the top that remained within reach despite the premature coronation of Manchester United: everything Chelsea could have wanted seemed ready for the taking.

SEE MORE: Guus Hiddink: Chelsea were ‘drowning’ when I arrived and I feared we would be relegated

Add the knowledge, thanks to a late start caused by a suspicious vehicle at White Hart Lane, that United was struggling against mid-table side Fulham, and Chelsea should have been primed to jump on a golden opportunity.  Instead, Spurs shut down Chelsea’s vaunted midfield, frustrated strikers Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba, and made the lone goal of the match stand up.

So what went wrong?

Perhaps Chelsea simply locked up, simply froze in the face of the opportunity presented them by United’s simultaneous struggles at Craven Cottage.   Perhaps Hiddink forgot himself and let his mind wander to Russia’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Azerbaijan.  Perhaps Spurs were just better, and Harry Redknapp’s own magic rose up to aid Tottenham’s effort.

Regardless, Chelsea let a chance to join Liverpool on sixty-four points, just one point behind leaders United, slip through their collective fingers.  Liverpool’s thrashing of Aston Villa, combined with United’s meltdown against Fulham, created intrigue at the top of the table when it appeared that there would be none.  If Chelsea had seized their opportunity the way that Liverpool did, two clubs would be hot on the heels of the leaders, a situation that could only make for a more dramatic finish to the season.   While United still have a game in hand, and therefore control their own destiny, the pressure is now on.

Just not from Chelsea.

Have any feedback or questions about the Jason Davis soccer column? Let us know in the comments section below.