The thoughts and views on THFC updated daily from Jim Duggan – Born in the year of the Cockerel, Shelfside season ticket holder & supporter since the early 1970s (last updated 01/12/02 22:02 PM)

30^th November 2002 – Burberryham 1-1 Spurs

Desperate Shite –  Same old Same old. This time we got a point where we would usually have lost which is something I suppose, but this was a desperate excuse for a football match played by one very ordinary and one very poor sides. Another good away trip ruined by the football & dilution of the memory of our great club. Just where are we going? Slow passing, No movement, Old players going thro the motions and a manager who orchestrated another 90 minutes of rubbish taking off our best player and leaving others less worthy to have their full 90 minutes. I’m at a loss to try and look on the bright side. This game was the same as so many shit matches played by Spurs over the last few years and the most depressing thing is that I can’t see a way out of it at the moment.

Match report link

The game was very poor. Even allowing for the wet conditions, the mindset of the tactics employed by Hoddle did not seem to be correct. Again! If we’d have played this match at THFC we would have attacked with more urgency – like we will next week but we don’t seem to do this away. I cannot fathom why – same green grass with white lines, and most importantly, the same 3 points.

So why do we have a record of P31 W7, D6, L18, F32 A53 PTS 27 (ppg 0.87) away from the Lane under Hoddle, while we have a respectable P30 W17, D6, L7 F48, A36 PTS 57 (ppg 1.90). I hate to say it, but it is not much better in terms of results than the evil Goonersaurus. Was the Derby away game of last season any better than the defeat in 666s last league game in charge? Of the team that started, 7 were signed by Hoddle (and along with King and Carr who would get in most premiership sides) that suggest that this is Hoddle’s team. The one he wanted with the modest funds available. So why are we still so ordinary? Sure he needs more than 18 months and he deserves the whole of his 5 years to get Spurs back – but when is the return to the top going to start? When will the gap on Arsenal narrow? When will we have a sign that things are starting to turn for Spurs?

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still supporting Hoddle and am desperate for him to be a success at THFC as a manager as well as a player, but I need to see where we are going and it is proving very hard to work up any enthusiasm based on recent events (a win against a soppy Leeds team apart).

Most of the Spurs fans were in disbelief when they realised that Hoddle chose to remove Keane for Iversen. This is absolutely mad and makes you wonder if Hoddle really has it to be a successful boss at THFC. I would be interested to hear his reason but even a blindfolded Keane would have been better than Sheringham, Poyet, Fraud, Sharon or even Iversen come to that in the last 15 of any match. Just cannot work out why he took off our most likely player?

For all those who do not see Spurs away, but have seen the 7 home matches that have produced 5 wins and a good draw against Chelsea, you must wonder just how could Spurs be so bad away. Hopefully the Sunderland match revealed just how bad we were – this was the same except the goals were shared between the sides.

A number of questions need to be asked of Hoddle. Does he have the tactical nous to be a success at the highest level with Spurs? I was sure he did when he joined by am having major doubts since around March last year. Do I want Hoddle out – most certainly NOT but I do want Hoddle to give us a sign that we are on the road back to the top. Our next signings whether they be Bosmans or multi million pounders have to be young quick talented and have an aggressive will to win. No more Balsawood Balkans or pretty fairies. I want Spurs to pound a team into submission with fast attacking football, not ponce them to boredom with slow square passes. Yes we are better off than under Sugar and Graham but being better than awful is not enough.

I know this cannot be turned around overnight, these things take time but just how long must Blondel rot in the reserves while the likes of Acimovic get on the bench and Fraud in the first team? I think the worst bit is that I am becoming kind of numb to it all. I don’t really expect Spurs to ever get any better and they never surprise me anymore. Still on the Che Guevara highway, waiting for the great leap forwards.

What do you want – new training ground, new stadium, or a champions league team? I know which one I want and its the only one of the three that we don’t have now.

Ossie & Ricky – In 4-4-2 magazine there is an article on the famous Argentinean duo, who are now reunited again at Racing Club (the club we signed Ossie from) with Ossie manager ad Ricky his assistant. They are currently midtable in the Argentinean league and naturally we wish them well.

29^th November 2002 – Burberryham and the £75m gamble

Beau Brummies – This is the type of game Spurs have become accustom to losing of the last few disappointing years. Often 2-1 or 1-0 when the home side plays above itself. More of the same on Saturday? Lets hope not.

Spurs will probably line up with the team that started against Leeds and a 3-5-2 formation. While this will be only the second match for wingbacks Carr and Ziege to start together, it will also possibly mean another game for Redknapp to start from the bench, which is wholly unacceptable if someone like Fraud is taking his place.

There is an issue of balance playing both Redknapp and “Sharon” but if these two are fired up and ready for it, they offer much the best option. The defence looks sorted, although Bunje will need to be at his strongest and up front Keane and the old boys of Ted and Poyet need to have same sort of impact that they did against Leeds last week away from the Lane. No real worries about Keane on that score, but will be pleasantly surprised if the other two can repeat their good matches of last weekend.

On paper Burberryham should be an easier match than Leeds but in reality it will not and it will be a good