Triffick!
What a difference 7 days makes.
This time last week, we were coming off the back of a shambolic performance in Italy Ramos was still the manager and Spurs were bottom of the table.
Oh.... we're still bottom. But now we have another hope other than Bob.
I never thought i would ever imagine welcoming 'Arry to the Lane.
Under any circumstances.
Now however the shock of his appointment has given way to the return of what seems 'proper' Tottenham. The team that I once supported without question.
As an instant vote winner from me, Arry played the formation for the team 'I' would have picked, allowing for the balance of the squad against both Bolton and the goons. No sign of Zokora, and Modric played further up the field. Hooray for Arry! And then miracle of miracles something called team spirit and even a mythical 'never say die' attitude (rarely seen outside of Faces) has suddenly emerged.
Add to the mix the rare positive vibes emerging from the club, no doubt due to the good press that Arry's appointment brings from his friends in the media and it's suddenly nice to be a Spurs supporter again. And I have been able to stop watching the season through my fingers! Personally I am sorry to see Poyet leave, and it will interesting to see how that story pans out when the truth comes out. Welcome Harry Redknapp nevertheless (even though i haven't forgotten how we got here in the first place, regardless of how many 'open' letters are published).
We all know that Redknapp brings baggage with him, and we all know that he is a childhood gooner. But as they say that first impressions count, and in this case Arry is welcome to stay as long as he wants, or at least until Chairman Dan has another meltdown. In my view like our very own version of Austin Powers, he has restored the 'mojo' to Tottenham. I just wonder what will happen when the viagra effect wears off?
On the Austin Powers theme, we have the announcement of our very own tool enlarging pump. I welcome the announcement that Spurs plan to build a new stadium. One one level it shows the club has grand ambition. Going against the grain however I do question the wisdom of incurring the costs of building a 60,000 stadium, other than as an exercise to keep up with the Joneses in the current climate. Presumably the planned capacity will be 60,044? Sure Spurs will sell out the stadium for the category A games. But what about the rest of the time?
The experience of the gooners I know is that they pay ever increasing prices, effectively pricing out more and more of their support whilst the club simply services their debts, and invests the minimum it can get away with. They currently pay the highest prices in the land to watch a team compete for 3rd or 4th and to fall apart in March. They would pay a lot higher if the goon board hadn't made a commitment to their support and 'frozen' the season ticket prices for the early years in the deathstar.
That period will soon be ending, and it will be interesting to see what future price raises are planned. I see the Spurs stadium plans are still at a consultation stage. Forgive the cynical me, but I can't help but suspect that the plans are simply a front to increase the prices at Spurs over and above inflation yet again. We already pay what are the 3rd highest prices to watch the bottom team.
Any approval of the stadium plans would also of course be an inducement to any would-be buyer, in true property developer fashion.
In any event, what with the financial rise of Man City we could build a 600,000 stadium and we still wouldn't be able to compete financially with them. So what are Spurs attempting to achieve really, when Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Arsenal will all still be in the background, never mind Citeh?.
Personally i would have preferred concentrating on getting it right on the pitch, and building and extending WHL as it is. But I also understand it's not that straightforward. I am prepared to give Chairman Dan the benefit of the doubt on this occasion and see what progress the club makes. Hopefully it goes a bit further than the plans for the Academy!
This weekend we witness the visit of Liverpool and the return of Robbie Keane. It will be a good test for Spurs. We had a decent record against Liverpool when they were under Houllier but have had no luck against Benitez. It's about time that Spurs redressed the balance this Saturday. I do suspect Keano will score though.
Finally and most importantly, welcome Bentley, Bent. Jenas and Lennon to the Spurs hall of legends. It's been many years of hurt since we could genuinely celebrate the final whistle away from home in the NLD. Between them the Fab 4 have resurrected the belief in Spurs in coming back from the dead. They also made Basil Fawlty do pretty accurate Arsene Wenger impressions at the Deathstar in front of thousands. And they made the fickle 606 morons call for Basil's head.
Triffick! |
