Article by e-Spurs Correspondent Graeme ClarkFollow the latest with e-Spurs on Twitter
Napolean Bonaparte famously said that he would prefer a lucky general to a great one, but then qualified the remark by suggesting that "luck" comes to leaders who recognise an opportunity, seize it and react accordingly.
When Tim Sherwood was appointed as Head Coach many considered him to be a lucky man, there were plenty of other better qualified candidates but Daniel Levy chose – for once – to appoint from within the club.
It was clear that Levy was impressed by Sherwood – he saw the opportunity to rise to the top and rise he did, he took his chance and impressed.
Tim´s two immediate predecessors as managers at White Hart Lane had some success - if not in actually winning anything - but in getting points on the table. Yet both were sacked.
Harry Redknapp inherited a team that was bottom of the pile yet within two seasons was playing in the Champions League. He twice finished in the top four yet was still shown the door. Was he unlucky?
As Andre Villas Boas took control, the heartbeat of the club – Modric and Van de Vaart – were sold from under him. He had an ageing team in need of reconstruction yet managed to get the most points we have ever achieved in a Premier League season.
The ageing team was dismantled – Parker, Gallas and Dempsey departed along with others – and replaced by a host of young talent. That our brightest spark also departed was a misfortune that may ultimately have cost the manager his job. The sale was out of his control, he probably did everything he could to keep him.
Gareth Bale scored the important goals last season to keep us on course and finish just one point short of another fourth place. Without him this season we have created more but patently failed to convert those chances.
Losing crucial games – West Ham, Manchester City and Liverpool – all by hefty margins was what ultimately cost AVB his job – not our position in the League or the points we had attained. At the time of his departure he was on course for even more points as we had a higher total than at the same time a year before.
As Tim Sherwood took control - we were still in three cup competitions yet within barely three weeks we were out of two and have just surrendered our 100% record in the Europa League. Hardly an auspicious start but League results were better.
Unlike Redknapp he inherited a team on form – if not actually displaying it. Unlike AVB he inherited a youthful squad but with plenty of experience. In both respects he was in luck.
He also inherited a lengthy injury list meaning his resources were limited and virtually anyone could work out what our starting eleven should be. Yet he brought in two new players. Adebayor had featured for just 45 minutes under AVB and is now a permanent fixture while few had heard of Bentaleb yet he too is now a regular starter.
Initially throwing out the old formation and restoring a two pronged attack seemed more like the tactics of a desperate man but - cup games apart – the system worked. But, instead of always playing the same formation, he chose to chop and change. Unlike his predecessors he didn´t just have a Plan A, he had a Plan B, C and probably even Plan D.
The goals flowed, the wins and the points mounted - we even won at Old Trafford for the second year in a row – things were seriously looking up.
In his first ten League games he won seven, drew two and lost just once – and that was more down to poor refereeing than anything else. This was the best League debut by any manager of Tottenham Hotspur – ever.
Was he really our saviour or was it just luck?
They say a week is a long time in politics but it can be even longer in football. Ten days ago we were all applauding the performance at Newcastle – no semblance of luck there – but two consecutive 1-0 away defeats and suddenly the wheels seem to have come off the well oiled caravan.
In recent seasons we have endured a torrid February – this year it was all going so well. A win at Norwich and Tim would have overseen three wins and one draw in the month and quite possibly been nominated for Manager of the Month. Today´s defeat has put paid to that –and quite possibly saved Chris Hughton´s job into the bargain.
Two defeats is not the end of the world, we can still progress in the Europa League, we are still fifth but now 6 points adrift of Liverpool and we face much sterner tests in the League next month.
If Tim is indeed the “Lucky Man” then he will need all of his luck when we face Chelski, Le Arse and Liverpool all within the space of 23 days towards the end of March.
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I feel he should have played Eriksen & Townsend why play inverted wingers when we have one striker and a loaded midfield. He was unlucky that Dembele didn't perform but I can't ubderstand why Townsend didn't come on for Capoue.
ReplyDeleteTim was only put in as manager because we couldn't get the managers we wanted in mid season( Van Gaal, De Boer) as they wouldn't break their contracts, Tim was the only one that could take over short term after AVB was shown the door, he was never imo going to be there long term as he is a rookie. We need a manager that has a proven track record for winning trophy's that can bring in his own players and have the total respect of the player's, not a wannabe like AVB or Tim that is going to be a gamble! i see this season as a write off, we brought too many average players that haven't reached the standard that we thought they would, Chadli, Paulinho, Soldado, Lamela, etc. I feel sorry for the managers that are under Levi because it seems that Levi is the one bringng in the player's against what the manager actually want's and then there is a knock on effect of the manager not playing the players bought in! it's a messy set up at Spurs that is not working and now Baldini is under scrutiny because of the average signings he has bought in. Levi is messing up our club and needs to take a back seat and let the manager bring in his own players and until that happens i can't see us progressing or there being any harmony there.
ReplyDeleteI would sign Van Gaal up for 4 years and get a structured way of doing things from the bottom up like they do at Ajax so there is continuity and structure going forward so when a new manager comes in the structure is there, problem is Levi keeps changing it from a director of football to none then back again, he seems clueless and what ever he tries fails, including not letting the manager bring in his own players, who on earth is going to want to manage Spurs with the knowledge that they won't be able to bring in their own players? i hope Van Gaal does come and get the full running of the club including players coming in because thats what we need to progress to a top 4 team and not Levi's constantly interfering and control of what signings we bring in.
Coys!
If Sherwood had subbed Eriksen for Bentaleb at halftime. Bentaleb wouldn't have lost the ball resulting in a goal for Norwich. And we would have had a much bigger chance of creating a goal ourselves, with Eriksen in the middle.
ReplyDeleteI guess with the way Spurs/Levy have worked over the last few seasons last Thursday will be like nail #1 and Sunday nail #2 in Tim's coffin. If we go out of the EL this Thursday well that'll be nail #3. I have no idea how many nails it will be before DL makes his move. If this current trend continues I figure he'll stick with Tim this season but he will have LVG set up to replace him as we can't afford to let a Manager of his calibre pass us by. Of course with us (maybe all of football) things can change in one result. Personally I have no thoughts either way at the moment, Tim has done well BUT losing to Norwich was a major blow to us and him, we know and he knows we can't afford any more slip ups and we have tough games coming up. Right now we should be behind him though I expect we were all behind 'arry and AVB at one stage.........We need a fight back on Thursday, 3 points from Cardiff and at least a draw against the Chavs. Then we'll see.
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