Article by Mike DavisIf the national media are to be believed, and let’s face it they would never make up a story would they, AVB has been told by Daniel Levy that anything less than CL qualification this season will cost him his job. If this is the case are Spurs in danger of being short-sighted? Yes AVB has been allowed to spend shed loads of money to assemble a squad of his own, and again if the papers are to be believed, he is likely to be given even more in the January window, but is it realistic to expect a new team to gel so quickly that they can gain a top four place in their first season? No other team has undergone the major overhaul that Spurs have and it is quite clear that it is taking time for many of them to settle and the team to develop. Any additional signings in the transfer window will just further compound this situation.
So top four or out! A fair expectation of AVB? Personally I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, I am one of those Spurs supporters for whom the jury is out on AVB. I’m also under no illusion that given the right offer from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid or PSG, he would be very likely to desert us, there is no such thing as loyalty in football and besides which it is a two way street. Does AVB feel that we would be loyal to him?
The optimistic Spurs supporter in me hopes that it all clicks fairly soon, we qualify for the CL and possibly even win a cup, AVB stays and builds on the groundwork he is putting in place at the moment and finally after years of turmoil and mediocrity we establish ourselves as a serious team with genuine PL and CL aspirations. The pessimistic supporter in me fears that we will miss out on CL qualification (and goodness knows we are used to that!) and AVB will pay the price.
If this depressing scenario were to unfold over the remainder of the season, the question come the summer would be who do we get as our next sacrificial lamb (sorry manager)? The legend that was Klinsmann has already been mentioned but as we all know, legendary Spurs players rarely make legendary Spurs managers. Personally I don’t think Klinsmann would be persuaded it was the job for him. If you put me on the spot at this moment in time and asked for a name I would have to give serious consideration to Michael Laudrup. What he has done at Swansea with a fairly average set of players is pretty impressive and they try to play football the right way, the Spurs way.
It’s just my thoughts on the speculation and I would be very interested to hear who other supporters would like to see as our next manager as and when AVB departs.
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Levy has backed AVB to the tune of 100 million and he AVB must have had a plan of purchase for the team. It is hard to accept we did not buy a left back or another keeper but more worrying a top class stiker in the mould of a Sturridge or Benteke. The latter especially given the Belgian contingent. Why no Lamela given a run ? 30million to not even sit on the bench! Also it is rubbish to say all the excuses language,no family,not strong enough for the PL. -this guy was a star in Italy where it is also physical. The players have had 11 matches and i haveno worries Madrid or PSG will come for AVB. Likely he will pick ateam to invite city and united on to us and we will lose both games and the top 4 will be a dream.Give this squad to Laudrup and watch them fly.
ReplyDelete"AVB has been told by Daniel Levy that anything less than CL qualification this season will cost him his job." thats the first I've heard of it or do you have exclusive info??
ReplyDeleteUnless we switch to 4-4-2 and drop Townsend to the bench I can't see us winning any of those games with the Mancs. We played 4-2-3-1 last season and it was a massive failure. We made the switch and we went on such long unbeaten run, so why is AVB thinking this time is beyond me. We are very poor with two defensive midfielders and the inverted wingers, so please.... Soldado will never score you a goal. 4-4-2 with Lamela just behind Soldado with Lennon and Chadli on the wings. Two in the middle Sandro and maybe Siggy, simply because he is not a winger, never has been and never will be. I seriously can't understand AVB's football strategy
ReplyDeleteI seriously do not understand his football philosophy. He uses to move the defence with his ridicolous high line, so you risk going down everymatch. I would have understood if you wew playing a really fantastic attacking football as Harry did, but avb does not. He play without a playmaker in the midfield, it' s a terrible mistake. I can't see Eriksen coming down and start the actions, the 10 have to be, and have to do, the number 10. 20 milions for Paulinho? ooo it's to much for a player who has only some good offensive movements behind Soldado. I really loved Luka Modric, the true playmaker. With him into the pitch, we used to play a magic football. Having also a fantastic 10 like Rafa Vdv, the team expressed itself in the better way. I really believe we will finish sixth, and it will be a true drama, a true failure. AVB play a bad football and he is not the winner manager who appeared when he won all he could at the FC PORTO's times.
ReplyDeleteDear anonymous remember the days of modric bale and van der art
ReplyDeleteWell now we have dembele who cannot score from open play, townsend who will soon be foundout regardless of england performances and a plethora of midfielders none ofwhom excite the way rvaart did.Oh for the nights sgainst milan teams. Now i am even dreaming of archibald and crooks!This manager has not got the team playing and talks about a project nstead of a team. In terms of our relatio ship with Real Madrid which means selling our best players lets give them a tactically inept manager as well. Does anyone think the players are underachieving -think of lamela ,ericksen,soldado and holtby - play for spurs andkiss the world cup goobbye!anyone say laudrup
I suggest Di Canio. He did a fantastic job at Swindon, with very limited funds. And he was building a good team at Sunderland, which operation as we know was aborted.
ReplyDeleteI know, he was very disciplined. Although maybe this did not cost him his job - most probably he wasn't getting the desired results(short-term). But, I would imagine that he has learnt his lesson.
At least he HAS played top level football, which AVB hasn't.