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Jim Duggan's TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR site |
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The
thoughts and views on THFC from Jim Duggan – Born in the year of the Cockerel,
Shelfside season ticket holder & supporter since the early 1970s (last updated 02/10/03 0:35 AM) - Spurs
fans of the world Unite
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THE TOPSPURS COLUMNISTS |
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30th September 2003 – A historic
day for Spurs… On this day in 1882 we played our first ever match
against a local mob called the Radicals. We lost 2-0 but it was the start of
what was to become the greatest football club the world has ever seen &
will be again hopefully very soon. Not quite as important, the goalkeeper with
more fancy goalkeeping overheads than Rene Higuita, our very own Barry Daines
was born in 1951.
THST Candidate: Vote Alex – Regular visitors to the message
board need no introduction to Alex who has decided to stand for the forthcoming
trust elections. As a mate, I offered to help his election campaign and have
his manifesto page online at topspurs,
click here: Vote Alex - THST candidate Alex
Clayton
(Please note that Alex is very much his own man and
completely independent of TOPSPURS – and if you are a trust member and
intending to vote, I can also recommend fans stalwart Bernie Kingsley, Daniel
Wynne & Paul Smith as thoroughly good eggs as well!)
For more information on the THST www.tottenhamtrust.com
Topspurs Columnist Update – The latest offering from
Rabbi Crackers is online now and as ever is well worth a read.
Read
Rabbi Crackers – Only at TOPSPURS
28th September 2003 – Citeh 0-0 Spurs – A
clean sheet and a much needed point which takes us out of the bottom three but
not much else to cheer about after being given the run around by a modest Citeh
side. That said, Pleat has done just the job for Tottenham – a win in the
league cup and a ship steadying performance to avoid a fourth consecutive
defeat in the league for which he must be applauded.
The applause for old Pleaty is muted as we had to watch
another 90 minutes of Poyet (mind willing, body gone) while a player with a
lower profile but much better recent performances in Ricketts was reduced to
another appearance from the bench. Is “dead man’s shoes” approach to team
selection the new meritocracy. Just what Blondel’s messed up mind must have made
of not even making the bench (behind Donkerty) after Weds nights decent enough
showing is anyone’s guess and I wonder what went thro Konchesky’s mind when he
was asked to play left midfield, the precise reason he asked for a transfer
from Charlton. Still, when we get Martin O’Neill, at least we’ll have Steve
Guppy for that position.
Is it ok that these things happen because Pleaty “cares”
and is more touchy feely than Hoddle because I’m struggling to see the
difference apart from the players trying a bit harder for their wages this
week, which appears to be an insult to the fans and the honour of the club
Still on the Che Guevara highway…and after all these
years it still appears that each day is worse than the one before and better
than the next.
26th September 2003 – New candidate for
manager? Another day, another host of rumours but while
the pecking order still appears to be O’Neill, Sourness and then Antic, another
name has entered the whispers and it looks like it may be “Any fortified wine
in a storm” (©Viz book of crap jokes). True to our recent history, we do like
to pick up one or two souvenirs when we go aboard and Senor Jose Morinho has entered the
radar.
Wham in the League Cup - After our win against Coventry this week, any draw avoiding a “top” team or any draw at home had to be a good one and landing the Canning Town Social and Bingo club feat. Comical Ali Etherington.
West Ham have reached this stage by putting away Rushden 3-1 & Cardiff 3-2, and while it will not be easy, it’s a game that we should win which is vitally important for our season. The game is likely to be on Sky again and will be in the last week of October.
Mention of West Ham and League cup sends the memory immediately to a wonderful evening in early 1987 when 4 late goals inc a Cousin Clive Hatrick saw Spurs win a quarter final replay 5-0, and just like the last time we beat West Ham in a cup, we lost 2-1 over and over again to the Goons in the Semis.
West Ham were also our first opponents in the competition way back in Sept 1966 and fresh from winning the world cup beat us 1-0 away. Spurs won 2-0 at West Ham with goals from Wonky Young and Duncan in 1975. We lost the next encounter 1-0 in 1980 but returned to Wembley later that season to win the greatest cup final of them all. So as its stands its 2 apiece in the League Cup with our win in 1987
Full History – Spurs v West Ham
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City v Tottenham Hotspur and if your selected player fails to score the 1st
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Another “you heard it here first” at TOPSPURS – In the hours of waffled that O’Neill has given at recent press conferences (all he has to do is say “No, I’m not interested in Tottenham, Next question...”) some interesting facts have emerged, none more so than Spurs were after Larsson last May.
O’Neill: " I wasn't interested in taking any kind of money for Henrik, in any case. I told David Pleat, the chief executive at White Hart Lane who was also present at the meeting, that I couldn't prevent them from making a bid for Henrik. But I also made it clear to David and Daniel Levy that, whatever they offered, I would recommend to the plc board that they reject the bid.
Which sounds uncannily familiar to what was written in the
“scrubbers club” editorial in May 2003! Larsson Link - May 2003
Press
Scum – Why
do the press insist on getting the biggest wankers imaginable to comment on
Spurs issues. Its bad enough Sky burden us with the likes of the Goonersaurus
“expert analysis” on Spurs matches, along with second rate goon players such as
Marwood and the dullest man in the universe Smith, and how anyone thinks
something Deadwood utters is of importance is beyond me, but when the press
report comments made by Ian “Big fat Wife” Wright, surely the world has gone
mad. We hate them, and they hate us. There are hundreds of ex-spurs people to
pass reasoned comments, which the supporters would have some respect for – so
why does it happen?
And
while we’re on the press, the Standard match preview on Friday was a great
example of the unjust hatred the media has for Spurs supporters. The jumped up
tea-boy that penned it wrote something similar to “Man Shitty have everything
Spurs have n’t: a manager, a new stadium and loyal fans” while the caption
above this bollox had “away end: sold out”. That is a 3000 capacity sold out
away end, 250 miles from London while the game is live on TV for a team that
has not finished in the top 6 for 13 years and we’re not loyal.
Come
the revolution, people like him will be amongst the first against the wall…
And Finally - You just cant keep Keown out of the news…
25th September 2003 – Citeh Preview. In
recent years, City away is usually a question of how many, and how do we get
back to the city centre alive. Things could be different this year, not least
as a result of not having to negotiate yer way out of Moss Side to get home,
with City going well and Spurs still managerless.
Full History of the
Citeh - Spurs matches
In many ways, City are the new Tottenham scoring plenty
of goals, letting in just as many and playing with a swagger which is usually
interesting if not engaging for the neutral. Its difficult to know just what to
make of the Coventry win. Sure it was much needed with some quality goals but
Coventry were piss poor and we did not look that good without the ball.
With Spurs on a relative high and against a team we
usually do well against (4 wins out of 6 league matches, not including the
famous 4-2 Cup game and Nayim’s hat trick in 1993) there is a modicum of
confidence but it will not be easy up there and I think a score draw is the
best call for this match.
That said, Blue Square are offering a very tempting 7/2
- Spurs to win at Blue Sq and unless I get my dough on
early I’m sure I’ll be tempted by that nearer the day as the expectation grows,
but my logical head says draw 12/5 - Spurs to draw with Blue
Sq
Blue Square seem to have a real downer on Spurs chances
and the prolific Kanoute can be backed at 7/1 – to score the first goal
or at 9/4 to score in the match which is a bet of
considerable appeal, as is Robbie Keane at the same odds.
In terms of a score line, for some reason I just fancy
the game to end 3-3 50/1 – at Blue Sq – just
a feeling I have with two teams who are much better going forward but if we are
to land the odds, the odd goal in three 16/1
or repeating the 1981 Cup final score 33/1 make
most appeal
The one stand out bet of the whole event must be Kanoute
to score more goals than Anelka – and our flying Frenchman can be backed at a
massive 9/2 – to score more than Anelka
at Blue Sq, which has to be worth a few quid of anyone’s
money and don’t forget there is a £10 free bet for anyone who opens an account
with Blue Square via the following link:
Ricketts – There was quite a debate on the message board as to whether Rohan Ricketts was dropped or rested for Wednesday’s match and I think young Rohan with typical self-confidence has answered “I was disappointed to find myself on the bench because I want to play in every game. I never want to be rested and so it was a bit of a shock to me. You have to make the most of the time you get on the pitch. Hopefully, in David Pleat's eyes, I did that.”
Don’t get me wrong, I like Blondel and have no problem having the naturally left footed Blondie on the left until Ziege is ready again, but on current form and effort, only if Ricketts is accommodated elsewhere in the team. Is that the price of loyalty, of playing hard for the old manager? If Ricketts does not start on Sunday we’ve just moved away from one man’s favourite players to another one, going sideways instead of forwards.
Ricketts was also not slow in using an impressive half an hour and his first goal to remind everyone that its about time someone had a word about a new contract, and if the rumours are true about how little Ricketts is on, it would not be inappropriate for him to get a new contract straight away
The next manager – The Bookies have massively over-reacted to Pleat’s first win in charge cutting him from 20/1 in to single figures, and if my info is any good which is quite often is apart from detecting Spaniards at Airports, that is nonsense as he is the one person who has been told he cannot get the job. The only possible scenario would be Spurs going on a winning run of 6-8 matches and in contention at the top and if that is the case, the supporters should be really questioning what the players were doing under Hoddle.
If I were making the decision, I’d be against anyone who plays 3-5-2 with a quirky managerial style, against people who have been associated with the club in the past and have committed disgraceful fouls against Spurs players in Wembley finals, against two bob crap charisma voids from South East London, but it appears all that all three of these numpties are scribbled on the back of the envelope, along with “Antic (if all else fails)” which currently makes up our selection list at the moment.
Two of these are currently serving with other Premiership clubs are there is an informal agreement that there will be no mid-season poaching of other managers which should rule these two, and Bent Harry out of the equation although things don’t often run to the rules in these situations.
I really don’t know on O’Neill – there are plenty of compelling reasons to suggest that he would do well at Spurs but I just don’t fancy it myself, and that’s even before the mad decision to leave a Champions League team for Spurs which he has already turned down once. Sourness who has diplomatically avoided saying no to the job [Being happy at Rovers is not the same as not being interested in Spurs] is another puzzler who on balance I don’t want. Curbishley would jump at the chance, but surely you would only appoint him if you wanted to remain in the Premiership rather than conquer the champions league.
The yogurt sounding Toppmoller has emerged as a potential candidate in the last 48 hours since he has confirmed that he was in London but I failed to have it confirmed that he was being considered near the top of the current list and the only foreign based manager in the frame seems to be Antic, and he only appears to be a backup which seems a little narrow and lacking in vision to me, and I’d be over in Eindhoven having a word with Hiddink as my number one.
In terms of having a punt on this, O’Neill is 8/1 which is decent considering he has first refusal but Sourness generally available at over 20/1 is the one for a value bet for me
And just while we are doing managers, two dreadful clichés have resurfaced which weigh collectively on the topspurs tits. Firstly, Spurs get rid of managers too quickly without giving them a chance. Rubbish!
Hoddle was into his third season and had spend the best part of the previous season regressing with no signs of a recovery. The Goonersaurus was stifling Tottenham at an average of 1.29 points per game, or 49 points a season, again with no sign of pulling up to the top table. Gross was not given long, equally he did not give the impression of looking like a world-beater. Francis did well initially, but built his castles on the sands of Rosenthal and Dozzell and his time was up when he was bulleted.
You could argue that Ossie was not given long enough, spending most of his only full season without the brilliant Sheringham and giving up a good position in the league to fight relegation without him, but he is the only one and his stats are the worst for any Spurs manager. Venables oversaw both Livermore, Clemence and Shreeves (ii) and left of his own accord after winning the Cup and finishing third in the league which was the last time we were not a mess.
If a manager is not working over a sustained period of time, he needs to go and we have done this pretty fairly. Mugs will trawl out “just look at Fergie at ManUre…” Yeah, lets look at him. He took ManUre to be runners up to Liverpool in his second season 87/88. If any Spurs manager achieved this, yes we would be mad to sack him so soon after, but they have n’t and have n’t ever threatened it.
And the second is that former players do not make good managers. Cobblers as the only two managers who have landed the Championship with Spurs have 542 first team appearances for Tottenham as players.
24th September 2003 – Coventry 0-3 Spurs –Just what the doctor ordered. Three quality goals, a Hailey’s comet of a clean sheet for “Helen” in goal and on 80 mins with the chorus of “Spurs are on their way to Cardiff” - the return of a feelgood factor. It was precisely for this reason that the board were correct in getting rid of Hoddle on Sunday – we just had to win this game and it was either sacking half the players who were not trying or getting rid of the manager.
Before the match it seemed like it was out of the frying pan and into the fire – the first action of Pleaty is to drop our most consistent player of the season Ricketts, replace him with his pet Blondel, restore the too old, too slow no bottle midfield combo of Princess Sharon, Poyet and Bunje and make “could n’t give a feck” Carr captain. That said, it was back to 4-4-2, players looking up to find a colleague waiting to receive a pass and a more competent looking Spurs.
Spurs did not play that well, especially in defence where we looked shaky but some of the quality of our forward play was often excellent, the move that saw Poyet shoot over the bar in the first half was back to watching Spurs again. Even at this early stage there seems to be a good understanding between Keane and Kanoute, which is an excellent sign. I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised by Kanoute who is proving to be much better than he appeared to be at Wham, and not just in terms of his goals return, and hopefully we can keep him fit to give us a chance this season. Keane as ever was class and with these two in the team we have a real chance provided the opposition cannot exploit our weak heart in the midfield.
After over a year frozen out, it was good to see Blondel again and he did ok on the left-hand side and while it was initially annoying that Ricketts had to make way for him, Rohan enhanced his growing reputation with an excellent half hour capped by a great goal. There is no way that he should find himself outside the starting 11 on Sunday.
All in all it was a good evening and hopefully we can build on this, initially to get us out of the shit in the league but after that has been achieved to get us back up amongst the contenders.
The Problem with Hoddle - As ever, the standard is the best place to go for Spurs news and today had a quote from a senior player which was very much along the lines of what has previously been mentioned at TOPSPURS about why Hoddle was a failure as a manager at Spurs.
"What frustrated the players a lot was the tactical side of things. There was so much changing of systems - and that was during games, not between them. Nothing was given enough time to work.
"Even when we were winning sometimes the system was changed and that was confusing. The players were left wondering why it has been done. In the end it as like we were listening without hearing. It was like it had to be his way or no way. It was a very difficult situation."
This is precisely what I have been hearing about how the players fell out with Hoddle. It was just a shame that either Hoddle or Gorman did not talk to the players, or that the senior players did not speak to Hoddle – both collecting their money as the fortunes of our great old club plummeted.
Redknapp Jnr – As ever, TOPSPURS are days ahead of the rest (see Sept 21) when it comes to Spurs news reporting Redknapp Jnr has “earned” himself a months rest with another injury. Good riddance to the English Bunje, and one to load up on Harry’s dustcart next time it comes a knockin if he was n’t so in with the in crowd.
Next thing they’ll be reporting is that Konchesky has had his loan deal extended by a month….
23rd September 2003 – Coventry; a must win – A lot is being made of the fact that Pleaty’s first game back is against Coventry, the team that jammily won the cup against Pleat Tottenham in 1987 but it should be remembered that Coventry were also the opponents at WHL when he took charge of his first game after the Goonersaurus and before Hoddle and we put a woeful Coventry side away 3-0.
If all the players we so anti Hoddle, having got their way and seen him off they can get back to playing properly now and Pleaty can put all that great footballing knowledge to some good use and produce some winning tactics. Sad as it is to say it, whatever happens, it feels like we have a better chance with Hoddle gone and as a club, we have to have a good run in this competition.
As the dust settles on Hoddle the lasting conclusion is that for whatever reason, Hoddle did not give himself a fair crack at the job. There were just too many instances like wanting to sign people like Petit or Michael Ricketts during his time at Spurs for that to be the real Hoddle – he is better than that, we all know that! So why did he do it? I thought the rot started to set in after the League Cup Final defeat in Spring 2002 but you wonder what a win there or having the money he was allowed in the summer in the January transfer window last season would have done for him and his career at Spurs.
No more news from the in the know types – Antic has to be up there, as has Curbishley unfortunately but after a decent think about all those on offer I think Gus Hiddink would be just about the best all round candidate (of those mentioned so far) with Antic second. Lets hope they get it right and it does not matter how long it takes as long as this time it’s the right bloke.
And Finally - In terms of the politics of the club, the Standard did a very interesting piece Standard Article (although failing to make Redknapps plural) and it is well worth a read.
22nd September 2003 – The aftermath of the Hoddle sacking – It has been a strange day. One of real mixed emotions as the reality dawns that Hoddle will not fulfil his destiny. Best place to start is Glenn’s own comments on the decision:
"I am shocked and disappointed to have parted company with Tottenham over the weekend only six matches into the new season. This is the first time in my managerial career it has happened to me for football reasons. I have been a dedicated professional and also a life-long Spurs fan, and no one could have tried harder to turn things round for the club.
"I have built a great squad that when fully fit can go on to do very well this season. I feel sure this turning point will happen very soon. I particularly want to thank the Spurs fans who have shown me great support and loyalty from the beginning right to the end,
"I really wanted to return Spurs to the glory days for the fans. However, I wish the players and the club every success for the future. I would also like to give my thanks to the backroom staff for all their support and in particular, John Gorman, who worked tirelessly alongside me and also finds himself in the same position.
"I am now going to take stock and put in some quality time with my family who have also stood by me during this difficult period. When the time is right I look forward to continuing my managerial career at the highest level.
I think it was good for Glenn to comment on the events of yesterday so quickly and in his mid 40’s he still has plenty of life left in his managerial career. Personally, I think another international job could be just right and we wish him well in whatever he takes on.
Pleaty has been revelling in his first day back behind the desk and although I quite like the old boy, there has been something a bit distasteful, like a relative too eager to see the contents of the will before the funeral is over, as you get the impression a few of the knives in Hoddle emanated from his direction.
I have to admit to having some doubts about whether we did the right thing in getting rid of Hoddle during today, notably in relation to some of the players and possibly other members of the club stitching him up. The doubts related to whether we were getting rid of the problem by losing Hoddle or if we’d have been better off losing other people from the club. A moments reflection always brought me back to the same answer – the board were right to sack Hoddle as the results speak for themselves with a team Hoddle had assembled – but it still gets under my skin that senior players like Carr and Redknapp never looked like they were putting in 100%.
The position of Pleat as director of Football needs to be seriously looked at before we appoint another manager for him to have an awkward relationship with. Directors of football, like 3-5-2, are very “last century” and his role was only created so that Sugar did not have to deal with convicted Fraudster Graham on a one to one basis. And while we are at it, for fucks sake someone do something about the medical staff.
Pleat’s haste may be as a result of him knowing that he’ll only be behind the managers desk for a short time and if bookmaker’s William Hills are too be believed, Radomir Antic is already sorted for the job. Antic was reported to have said "I am interested in coaching in the Premiership. There are rumours linking me to Tottenham, but there is nothing concrete and I really cannot talk about it,"
But we’ve been here before have n’t we Raddy in 1998 and I’m sure he was also in the frame when Gross was plucked out of the Swiss air the year before. As a player, Antic’s claim to fame was scoring the goal that led to David Pleat sad man dance around Maine Road but it was as a manager that he has earned himself a top class reputation around Europe after spells at Athletico Madrid and Barcelona. The success he achieved at Barca was particularly noteworthy taking the Catalan giants from relegation trouble to 6th place and Uefa Cup qualification.
He is the name most cited by the reliable in the know types but I have not had any firm word that he has been given the nod. Of all the names on show so far, there appear to be few decent alternatives to Antic and he would be my choice of what is currently on offer.
As reported on TOPSPURS over the summer Martin O’Neill has already blown Tottenham out and seems unlikely to give up the Champions league for the League Cup. Alex McLeish was also mentioned over the summer but again it seems unlikely that he would give it all up for Spurs and is relatively untried. Former old boy Sourness has also been rumoured to have been sounded out for the job and while he has fashioned a good team at Blackburn, I don’t really fancy him back at Spurs.
Names like Gus Hiddink and the French pair Jacket and Trousers are interesting alternatives but seem unlikely to be on a Spurs shortlist.
The rest of the list is made up of well-respected ex-players and second-rate managers who would be a disaster at Spurs. Bless Ginola for throwing his beret into the ring but we need someone with a bit of know how and experience and that rules out all the other former playing candidates, including Perryman although I would like to add that just because Hoddle did not work out I don’t think we should avoid ex-players – they have been successful in the past and have no causal reason not to be successful again. Hoddle was just one of those things.
Of the second rate managers, we may as well give up if Curbishley, Bryan Robson or Platt even get a sniff of the job while disaster of disaster would be getting bent Harry Redknapp. Let no one be in any doubt that there will be serious issues if he gets his hands on the Spurs job.
21st September 2003 – HODDLE SACKED – It was a tough decision and it feels bad that the Tottenham legend has been sacked and will not follow up his success on the pitch as a manager, but ultimately it was the correct decision.
It is with regret that I announce that Manager, Glenn Hoddle, is to leave the Club, with immediate effect. Glenn and I spoke this evening. Following two seasons of disappointing results, there was a significant investment in the team during the summer, in order to give us the best possible chance of success this season.
Unfortunately, the start to this season has been our worst since the Premiership was formed. Coupled with the extremely poor second half to last season, the current lack of progress and any visible sign of improvement are unacceptable.
It is critical that I, and the Board, have absolute confidence in the Manager to deliver success to the Club. Regrettably we do not. It is not a decision we have taken lightly. However, we are determined to see this Club succeed and we must now move forward.
Glenn occupies a special place at this Club. Today's decision in no way detracts from the fact that he was one of our greatest players. He will always be welcome at White Hart Lane. I should like to personally thank him for his determination and commitment and wish him well.
We shall be thorough in our search for a new manager. It is a crucial appointment and we shall take the time necessary to make the best choice. In the interim, David Pleat will take over as Caretaker Manager, along with Chris Hughton, as First Team Coach.
As with the board, I’m sure all Spurs fans would like to thank Hoddle for what he has done for Tottenham and he will always have a special place in our hearts, but it just was n’t to be as manager. We’ll always have the “arfa” match but it has been pretty much downhill ever since.
All we as supporters ask now is make sure you get someone good in, we cannot afford another failure, and that backstabbing bent wanker from the South Coast is not the answer. At this stage Raddy Antic, O'Neill or even Sourness are the best of the options available – we do not want a sentimental choice like Perryman or someone who is untried Ginola, Klinsmann or Ted. Word is around that Curbishley will be approached and that will be a disaster – we need someone to take us to the champions league and not manage midtable mediocrity.
I’m not that fussed who gets it really, just as long as they are credible so we can get some hope back and that they are successful so that we can rejoin the Party at the top table.
Jamie Redknapp new injury – Just heard that midfield waste of space is out for a month, which probably means three and may not be that much of a disaster in terms of turning Spurs around (unless Anderton who looks completely washed up this season is the replacement).
20th September 2003 – Spurs 1-3 Southampton: Time for a change of manager – There is no doubt that Hoddle is trying his best and we respect that and we all want him to succeed which makes the following statement all the more painful – Hoddle has to go, and as soon as possible as, for whatever reason, it is n’t working and far from any signs of turning corners, it appears to be getting worse.
|
Hoddle the manager |
Played |
Won |
Drew |
Lost |
For |
Against |
Points Per Game |
Points Per Season |
|
Overall |
89 |
32 |
18 |
39 |
116 |
141 |
1.28 |
49 |
|
First 44 Matches |
44 |
17 |
9 |
18 |
59 |
65 |
1.36 |
52 |
|
Last 45 matches |
45 |
15 |
9 |
21 |
57 |
76 |
1.20 |
46 |
|
All matches in 2003 |
23 |
6 |
4 |
13 |
26 |
44 |
0.96 |
36 |
These are not numbers contrary to what we are seeing; they vindicate what our eyes are telling us. He has even now fallen to be ranked 20th of our 22 managers, behind even the useless Goonersaurus and Gross, with only Shreeves 91/2 and Ossie behind Hoddle.
Before the Southampton match, both sides of the Hoddle debate could argue logical cases for and against Hoddle. Those who wanted him out just had to point to the results while those who wanted him given more time would make the point that not all of the performances this season were bad and ones and maybe it was a question of waiting for a couple of players to come back from injury and the new players settle in, but the Southampton result and modest performance makes it almost inconceivable that Hoddle and his management team can prevent the decline. There have been countless opportunities to turn the corner but it has not happened and there have just been too many bad performances and results, not just this season but for much of last season and after the League Cup final the season before.
Only the most optimistic or naïve can believe that giving him more time will do anything other than make these stats worse and throw Spurs into a relegation fight. West Ham stuck with Roeder and were yesterday losing to Gillingham, although in fairness the season before West Ham had finished 7th and were just not getting results rather than playing that badly. Spurs are doing neither. It was good that the crowd did not turn on Hoddle yesterday but that was more out of respect for the legend rather than support for the manager.
Hoddle may point to individual errors – Keller had a mare yesterday, as did Sharon against Fulham, but it has to be remembered that Hoddle signed Keller, sold Walker and dropped and then sold Sullivan while re-signing Anderton when the money would surely have been better spent on getting a player with a future. Some of the faces may be new, but that is Hoddle’s team and after into his third season, we should not be in the bottom three.
Something has to change – whether in approach or personnel and as it seems likely that the approach cannot or will not be changed, the board have some tough decisions, which have to be taken sooner rather than later. On current form I cannot see us getting anything at what are usually happy hunting grounds away at Citeh and home to Everton and if we don’t win at least one of those we are going to be in serious shit with nearly a quarter of the season gone. The Coventry cup game is also vitally important as it is our most realistic route back into Europe (or for old fashioned fans like me, chance of silverware) and defeat would be disastrous.
If Hoddle goes, no doubt Gormless will follow (and hopefully Balsawood) but the one person who deserves to be retained from the current coaching staff is Chris Hughton, and I hope when the axe does come it is used selectively. The medical staff could do with replacing and I’ve not seen much evidence that the Sport Shrink introduced by Hoddle has had any positive effect.
In terms of a new manager, I’d be quite happy to give Pleaty (or even Pleaty and Hughton) a few games in charge to see if he can still handle it. It is not the mess situation inherited by Gross after Francis, there appears to be a decent squad and there is the feeling the solution is about turning the good players into a creditable team. Small adjustments of shape rather than wholesale changes. If Pleaty does well, I’d have no problem giving him the job on a permanent basis although it appears many of the supporters are as split about Pleaty as they are about Hoddle.
Other names in the frame are Martin O’Neill, Sourness (I’ll have to amend my auto speller if he gets the job), McLeish and of course Bent Harry. Of those O’Neill probably has the best credentials learning his trade under Clough and achieving relative success with all his clubs but I’m still not sure about him and he remains the man who signed Vega and plays 3-5-2. Sourness has done well at Blackburn but did not cut the mustard in his only other crack at a big managerial job. If McLeish or Bent Harry gets the job we may as well give up.
Equally, what we don’t need is an appointment based upon sentiment rather than ability. The board do not need to win anyone over with popular figures at WHL, they just need someone who can redefine THFC in modern football. Someone, anyone. And soon.
19th September 2003 – Team News & Konchesky loan extended – It looks like its still 3-5-2 and I would n’t be at all surprised to see the following line up tomorrow
Keller
Richards-Bunje-Gardner
Carr-Ricketts-Redknapp-Dalmat-Taricco
Kanoute-Zamora
with Konchesky, Sharon, Keane, Postiga on the bench
It will probably make no difference whatsoever apart from having that bit more confidence before the match, but I was hoping for a “missionary” 4-4-2 with all kinky stuff cut out until satisfaction was guaranteed.
Having been at the club 3 weeks out of a month deal, I expect Konchesky is a little miffed at not getting the nod over Treacle but the good news is that his loan has been extended by another month.
18th September 2003 – Time to stand up and be counted – Despite it all, I’ve got a good feeling about Spurs this weekend. We have enough good players available in the squad – Richards, Gardner, Carr, Konchesky, Dalmat, Ricketts, Kanoute, Postiga and Zamora with capable players in the other positions and Ziege and Keane probably from the bench and importantly it’s a must win match. Surely the need to win, the good players and a bit of luck can combine to see us home. I’m really doing my best not to think of any other outcome.
Southampton, like ourselves these days, are firmly established as a “near the top of the premiership crap” side and have enjoyed a solid start to the season including a win against United. Spurs need to keep Beattie and long time target Phillips quiet (would n’t be ironic the man that Hoddle tried to sign for two years getting the goals for another team that costs him his job! but best not to think of that) but if all the