Inductee #24 SANDRO RANIERE Spurs 2010-14 Midfielder 105 Games 3 Goals 17 Brazil caps AKA: Phil Potter Quote: "The Beast does not cry" Pook's man-love rating: 7/10 Between 2009 and 2013, Spurs signed three defensive midfielders, each of whom so impressed in his early performances that he appeared to have secured the position for the next 5-10 years. Wilson Palacios never recovered form after the tragic kidnapping/murder of his brother, though, and Etienne Capoue would mysteriously fall afoul of both his second and third gaffers at the club. In between, Sandro, more prosaicly, simply got injured. OK, none delivered fully on their promise; but even so, there's no denying that Sandro was special. Having signed him in March, his contract's terms stated that we had to wait until after his Internacional team's 2010 Copa Libertadores campaign before bringing him to N17. He then led them to the final (and won it), meaning that he didn't arrive at Spurs until late August, after our season was well under way. But when Palacios's grip on the d-mid position loosened, Sandro grabbed it with both hands. Sitting in front of the back four, Sandro relentlessly covered acres, breaking up everything that didn't come over the top or down the wings - and much that did. He also had enough control on the ball - he is Brazilian, after all - to play a part in attack, often being first gear in the high octane Modric/Bale/Van der Vaart-led attack. His performance over both legs of our Champions League tie against 7-time champs AC Milan, alone, would've been enough to merit a place in this thread, he was so good. Between Sandro, Palacios, and Joe Jordan, at the San Siro, the Rossoneri didn't seem to know where the goal was. And at the Lane, they just couldn't get to it. And if his prowess on the pitch wasn't enough, he could always be seen on youtube ... playing guitar ... displaying his martial arts skills ... getting a wax job ... y'know, the things you expect of a first rate d-mid. Of course, it didn't last. A serious knee injury v QPR sidelined him for a half season, and by the time he returned, abilities diminished, Capoue was there to spell the end. But Sandro was a part of one of the best Spurs teams since the Glory Glory days. He may not have been as good as Luka, Rafa, or Gareth, but every bit as popular amongst the faithful.
Inductee #25 & 26 STEVE ARCHIBALD Spurs 1980-84 Forward 189 games 77 goals 27 Scotland caps AKA: Garth Crooks Pook's man-love rating: 8/10 ____________________ GARTH CROOKS Spurs 1980-85 Forward 182 games 75 Goals OBE for services to babbling AKA: Steve Archibald Pook's man-love rating: 8/10 Not unlike Villa & Ardiles, Archibald & Crooks simply have to go in together. They both came to Tottenham in the summer of 1980 and their strike partnership of the first half of that decade became synonymous with the glory of that era. Who should get the higher rating? It's a tough one. Look at their goals/games totals and ratios ... there's nothing between them. And there's another reason too: I didn't know which was which. Early in the '80-81 season, I got a magazine which featured an article on Spurs, in which there was a photo of the team's new forwards. The trouble was, either the image was reversed or the caption was just wrong, but from then until the Cup final replay on PBS, I thought Archibald was a black guy and that Crooksy was a white dude with mutton chops. Obviously (as that fact implies) I didn't actually see Spurs (ergo, them) much back then. I could probably count the games in which I saw one (or both) of them in action on my fingers. So I can't really recall how they played - together or individually. But when I would look at the results in the Sunday Times, they're names were always on the scoresheet. Not unlike my perception of Clive Allen as the driving force in '87, I somehow came to feel that Archibald & Crooks were the real talents of the era. And while hindsight and a lot more information suggests that Hoddle and Ardiles were the ones running the show, cold hard empirical data - the scoring charts - says that Steve Archibald and Garth Crooks were indisputably quality. Spurs have had plenty of strike partnerships down the years worth remembering ... Greaves & Gilzean ... Sheringham & Klinsmann ... Berbatov & Keane ... but I can think of each of those players without thinking of the other. Not so with Archibald & Crooks. They are inseparable in my mind. Maybe it was his desire to have his own identity that motivated Crooks to fook off to Barcelona. ... or was it Archibald?
Now you're talking. This was my era, early 80's when I would go to the Lane regularly on a boy's ticket and stand below the Shelf. Of course we had the Argies and Hoddle in the side, but the Archibald/Crooks axis was an added attraction to all that midfield magic. Someone needed to put all those chances away. To my fading memory, Archibald was a more languid, Berbatov type: nice touches, and a mix of poacher's goals and long range efforts. He would ghost into the area and be there to make the finish. Surprised that the stats show a very similar record, I definitely had the impression that Archibald was the more prolific. He had the strange "We'll take more care of you" song, stolen from a British Airways ad, I have no idea how that one came about. Crooks was more the terrier type, faster paced and would sometimes play a wider role. I remember him more in the Defoe mold, but with less offsides. More willing to take the man on and create his own opportunity. Unlike Archibald he never really did anything of note (on the field) after Spurs. Much credit to him, though, for his later work with the PFA and playing at a time when black players were still the minority and he surely had to suffer a lot of ignorance from the stands. Maybe he'd have gotten into the England squad in different times. Funny story of you getting them mixed up. Pale Scotsman and Jamaican.
this is consistent with the perceptions I'd developed of them based on what I've read and heard over the years. I always got the impression that Archibald was somehow more satisfying to watch - not that Crooks was unsatisfying, of course - the more 'skilled' of the two. interestingly enough (or maybe not), I've lost count of how many folks I've heard (roughly my age or a bit younger) say that Steve Archibald was their favorite player ever.* I don't think I've ever heard anyone say that about Crooks. *one of which, incidentally, was the guide for the WHL tour I went on a couple years back. We were all in the Bill Nick Suite, and this guy was just banging on about Archibald ... 'right foot ... left foot ... headers ... dribbling ... vision ... he had it all' ... going through the motions of each action as he described his hero. I just kind of laughed to myself at what a massive dork this guy was with his crush on Steve Archibald. ... and ten minutes later, I was discretely angling my way to the 'captain's corner' of the dressing room so I could sneak a feel of Michael Dawson's shirt. It's all so sad.
Inductee #27 RAY CLEMENCE Spurs 1981-88 Goalkeeper 330 Games 61 England caps 3-time European Cup Champion Quote: "He (Hagi) could open a tin of beans with his left foot." Pook's man-love rating: 7/10 If you think watching Ginola at Aston Villa or Van Der Vaart at HSV - two forced out Spurs legends who never wanted away - was tough, try watching Pat Jennings carry the Arse to cup final after cup final whilst we put Barry Daines and Milija Aleksic in the net. But if Spurs had been victimized by a legendary keeper being questionably let away from 'his' club, they were soon to beneficiaries of the same dynamic. in the Summer of 1981, Liverpool's brilliant Ray Clemence was let go to make room for the cheating, corrupt (though admittedly talented) bastard-keeper Bruce Grobelaar - and Tottenham reaped the rewards. Admittedly, Clemence's trophy haul at Spurs was never going to match what had been happening at Liverpool. He was in the net for our FA Cup victory over QPR in his first season at the Lane, but that would be it. He was part of our UEFA Cup winners in '84, but missed the final through injury (cue Tony Parks' heroics), and was in the net at the '87 Cup final where Gary Mabbutt's left knee undid Clemence in a way that Coventry City could not. But in the meantime, he was doing something almost as important - tamping the flames of rage at Pat Jennings' stature at Arsenal into embers of mild indignation, via seven years of cool confidence, brilliant shot-stopping, and organizing leadership. He'll always be better remembered by neutrals for his exploits at Liverpool FC, but Ray Clemence played a major role in, if not our 'glory years', a very good spell for Tottenham Hotspur.
now edited. not sure how I left that out. anyway, Klinsmann scored 38 times (in 68 games) for Spurs, 29 (in 56) of which were in the League.
Inductee #28 ROBERTO SOLDADO Spurs 2013-2015 Forward 76 Games 16 Goals 12 Spain caps Quote: "It's hard when they sing" Pook's man-love rating: 6/10 Not an obvious choice, this one. Has there ever been a bigger disappointment in Spurs shirt? Bentley was more worthless, to be sure. Rebrov's regretability certainly lasted longer. Postiga, maybe? But none of these cost 26 million quid. and besides, with the others, you could just throw your hands up, say 'effing Spurs', and want rid. I wanted Soldado to come good soooo much. He could've stayed another two years, and I still would've thought, "just get one on Saturday and it'll be alright." ok ... that's not true. when Lamela(?) played him through against Fiorentina in the Europa League, and he left that short pass that their keeper came out to collect ... ugh ... I knew then that it was time. He just couldn't produce for us. You could see the talent. He worked hard. He moved well and made intelligent runs. But his confidence was 100% shot, and it was never going to happen for us. How could he have kept Harry Kane on the bench until November? Still, for all that, I was sad when he was sold. And so was he. Sad that he hadn't been what we all wanted him to be. His humble apology on his way out showed a respect for the club and the fans that you don't expect from a multi-millionaire who you'd suspect couldn't get back to sunny Spain quickly enough. And even since, he regularly pops up on social media to show support for Spurs and his former teammates. I've got a bit of love for Roberto Soldado, I do. I say that without reservation - even with that Burnley miss fresh in my mind.
it's likeable stuff, isn't it? I mean, I understand completely that we don't know these people, and that when we interpret what we see and hear of them as being knowledge of them - understanding of them - that we're by and large deluding ourselves. I don't know Roberto Soldado, and I'd be silly to act as though I do. But I like him, anyway. In this age, when a footballer not making a total douche of himself is good PR, fellas like Dawson and Soldado, who seem genuinely decent blokes not only by how they appear to behave (respectful ... and just plain normal), but also by how they seem to be respected by those who do know them, get a degree of appreciation from me. If Harry Kane, by the way, is able to cope with the adulation and continue on with the same type of grounded, appreciative perspective that he's carried thus far (no small ask, of course), he'll be a shoe-in for this particular institution. I really like the way he appears to go about it.
Roberto Soldado R9Soldado Día de recuperación! -196 grados ☃❄️ / Recovery day! -196 degrees ☃❄️ 11:56 a.m. - 11 January 2016
I've been recently asked why there are no fullbacks in here. 'Do you hate fullbacks, Pook? Why do you hate fullbacks?' Well, I don't hate fullbacks. I mean, I hate Ben Thatcher and Ashley Cole, but not because they're fullbacks. But I must concede that you wouldn't know it from this thread. I mean, there's no shortage of defender love - it's crawling with centerhalfs - but despite an entry or two who was able to play the role, there are no inductees (as of yet) who were/are out-and-out fullbacks. Which then got me to thinking ... who are my favorite Spurs fullbacks? Surely there's a fullback somewhere deserving of THFCMLToF recognition. Some names came to mind, to be sure. In fact, three times now I have started to create a post for the 29th inductee - with three different players - and each time I've not gone through with it. Steven Carr would've been in here long ago, were it not for the way he left the club. But I thought to myself, I really liked him when he was here, so I started to put him in. But then when doing the cursory research, I saw some quotes from him about how easy it was to leave - for Newcastle, of all clubs - and I just couldn't. It's a bit of a shame, that. Not only did his career suffer from that diabolical choice - he left shortly before Robson left them and Jol joined us, meaning he played for shit teams at both clubs whilst the others had some quality - but now his legacy has, as well. Sorry Stevie. And Benny definitely had some things going for him; but I was never particularly anamoured with his 'too cool for school' attitude. And while I don't wish to assign meaning to his 'gesture' ... well, I can't say there aren't question marks. Anyway, I think I've got it down to three. One of them will be the next inductee - and hey, maybe they'll all be in eventually. But this really is a tough one. Any of you fellas have fullback issues? Are any fullbacks amongst your favorite ever Spurs?* *Jumhed need not respond.
I love watching good fullbacks. I love good wide players in general. I think Danny Rose will be one when his career is finished. his league debut puts him in for consideration at the very least
I've got 3 possible... 1 Resubmitted for the update the song in his honor has received. 2 - The beloved Mauricio Taricco 3 - Christian Ziege - he did score v. Arsenal, can't say that about Freund.
Aye. Cyril Knowles, Danny Thomas: both for single acts rather than a track record of excellence (or whatever the heck it takes to qualify here ) No love for Chimbonda then
If a full-back doesn't leap into your mind, Pook, then I suggest you don't put one in. This is after all, your man-love Thread of Fame. The choices should come from your head, or heart, of from the stirring on your loins when you daydream about them while stroking a monogramed leather-bound copy of Glory Game. The fact that you haven't already considered Taricco casts negative judgement on the players you've chosen, and a shadow across your soundness of Tottenham mind (sort of like Johnnie Jackson, who we all loved to a man, until he revealed the bitter truth).
well ... it's obviously the fact that each nominee must meet the all three criteria - head, heart, and loins - that makes this such an exclusive institution. **Apologies for the edit, by the way. I'm trying to keep that kind of thing to a minimum. It was not done pursuant to smiting (deserved though it may have been), I assure you, but solely in the interests of accuracy.**