The Spurs Syndrome

In general I agree with that article. But I think Hoddle needs more time. The one Achilles' heel is the defense. We have a solid (but not great) defense when our 3 man back line is playing together, but that's rare and almost never for very long at a time. Our back line reserves are horrid. While I think Bunji is adequate, he's probably the only sub defender we have. Unfortunately, he'll play quite a bit because in addition to being thin depth-wise, our back line is also very injury-prone.

The best way to solve this problem is to obtain a quality Dmid (Van Bommel!!) to protect the back three. While I do like Redknapp, he's not a true Dmid. Ricketts is full of energy, but he's not the answer. Dalmat might fare sufficiently, but he's more of a two way player and not really a defensive anchor either. Spurs need players. They need a starting and starring Dmid, and they need a reserve Dmid. Likewise, Spurs need depth along the back line. Mabizela may eventually be a back line starter ... but nothing seems to indicate that he'll be ready very soon.

The wingback position is less of a concern, because by the time Stevie is ready to give up his spot I think Marney, Kelly, or one of the other young guns (Ifil?) will be ready to claim the spot with another or two there to provide depth. While Konchesky is only a short term loan at the moment, I suspect he'll become a permanent addition, and provide a suitable back-up to Ziege. If Convey had arrived I am confident that Convey could have more than adequately filled Ziege's spot.

Up front the youngsters have shown the effort and teased with talent, but not yet proven to be the clinical finishers that Keane and Kanoute are. I have faith that they will, but without defensive re-inforcements, Hoddle's job may ultimate hinge on Postiga and Zamora's production in the foreseeable future.

-Digital

 

Keep Hoddle, but if you're looking for a replacement, how about Bruce Arena

Please, not Seedorf, Spurs already have too much money invested in members of the "All-Training-Table-Team." Seedorf might make Ziege, Redknapp and our back line look like iron-men.

I'm standing behind Hoddle. If Hoddle does go, we could certainly do worse than Van Gaal. But, I think the best choice would be Bruce Arena, and despite his current contract, I doubt the USSF would stand in his way.

Arena has a history of taking mediocre talent and molding it into a tremendous team. He wins championships at every level. He is a fantastic developer of youth and has a good eye for talent, although I'd advocate that Pleatt stay on in that regard because he's doing an excellent job IMHO. By the end of the year Arena would have guys like Simon Davies in career-best form, and have our defense be mid-table despite playing beautiful attacking football. He'd also lead to several good young US players migrating to Spurs on the cheap. They'd most likely be guys like Convey, Donovan and Bocanegra, none of which would have any work permit problems by then.

-Digital

 

i agree with the "give hoddle time" sentiment. today's revolving door policy towars managers doesn't provide a successful environment for players.

managers who don't routinely get the team in to relegation dog fights should be allowed to stay with a team for 5 years.

i was just talking with my dad about this, since the premiership began we've had 5 ot 6 managers and as danners points out we're basically in the same spot. i actually think the sacking of george graham was a very bad decision in terms of team building. he had started to mold a very competent (if ultimately boring) squad akin to blackburn a few seasons ago. along comes hoddle and it's back to square one.

 

Target O'Neil is the London Evening Standards headline today. If Hodd does go, then O'Neil is the man. Spurs might not have a bundle of cash if Hodd goes, and Van Gaal would want to buy a bunch of Dutch perverts, whereas O'Neil would just take the players we've got (actually a very good bunch, but not playing as a unit), and then motivate them to death. We'd be top 6 easy. He's an awesome manager, he could motivate a load of John Grooms merchants to a mid-table position.

 

The last great Spurs side was the one put together by Ardiles. Unfortunately, he was obsessed with the 0-0-10 formation (okay, I'm exaggerating, it was 5-0-5). It was a crying shame that he brought Steve Perryman in too late to sort out the defence. When we lost 3-0 to Notts County it was obvious he was going. Then in came Gerry Francis. What an absolute loser. I can't believe he turned down the England job 3 times. I wish he'd just pissed off. When you look at the players he turned down (attracted by Klinsmann, Spurs were offered (and turned down) Bergkamp, Zola, Zidane, Dugarry, among others), the players he sold, the players he bought (Clve Wilson, Andy Sinton). He is the worst manager ever to come to Spurs. Worse even than Terry Neill, the Arsenal fool who dismantled the team in the mid-70's.

 

O'Neil is a fantastic manager, he's supposedly not happy at Celtic due to the financial situation. Uefa Cup finalists and Champions League qualifiers and yet he's made to scrape around for free transfers.

I don't think we'd get him, but if we did he'd surely use us as a stepping stone to Liverpool or Newcastle.

I'm very down on Hoddle right now. There's still no ballwinner and no fight in the team when the opposition is small or things go wrong. It's all very well players trying hard at Stamford Bridge or Anfield, that's not down to the manager's motivation, that's internal motivation. It's the Fulham and Birmingham games where the manager should be giving them a hunger and determination.

I also think tactically that's he not doing well recently, he used to be great at that side of the game, now I'm not so sure.

If we lose to Coventry in the league cup then I think he will be gone, unless we beat Southampton....

 

The Sun reckons Harry Redknapp!!!

That sounds scarily realistic, but I bloody hope it isn't.

 

Link?