All hail the mighty Spurs
Monday, 12 February 07, 09:38 AM · Comments (31)
A few weeks ago, I was more bemused than amused at the so-called debate raging on these pages between Villans and Spurs fans. There wasn't a great deal of either informed argument or good-natured banter going on, and it all became - frankly - a little tiresome.
As far as I can remember, what had so enraged the North Londoners was widespread speculation that Robbie Keane was set to leave White Hart Lane for Villa Park (speculation which is not entirely dead).
The overall thrust of the Spurs' argument was that Robbie Keane was hardly likely to leave a trophy-winning Big Top 5 club for some mediocre Midland mid-tablers.
Well, that and a bit more, in fact. We were reliably informed that Spurs are not "London's third team", and that the predominance of both Chelsea and Arsenal is merely a transitory blip in Tottenham's glorious rise back to their natural heights.
Apparently, Spurs are only a signing or two away from breaking into the Big 4's dominance of the game, and have "a good chance of winning the UEFA Cup". (I think they might need to, by the way).
Now don't get me wrong: I like Spurs and always have done. (Partly, I admit, because I despise Arsenal - and always have done). They try to play with flair and width and, even if their own Academy isn't the greatest, they at least take a lot of players from West Ham's instead of buying up talent from France, Spain and French West Africa.
They've got a good manager in Martin Jol who deserves success and is working hard to try and achieve it. He also spends well: I suspect Steed Malbranque may prove to be one of the best signings of the 2006-2007 pre-season.
However, you can only guess at my surprise as I mused over the Sunday Times stats pages over toast and marmalade yesterday morning.
Is that really Spurs in eleventh place in the Premiership? One massive point clear of the Villa with a worse goal difference and having suffered one more defeat?
Are Fulham really the only side outside the bottom 4 with a leakier defence? Are Tottenham really the same number of points behind Arsenal as they are ahead of West Ham?
Surely not, because that doesn't sound like a brave new challenger to the Big 4 to me. In fact, I would surmise that the Gooners and Chelski fans can sleep fairly soundly during the coming weeks.
I don't take any great comfort in the realisation that Tottenham are, in fact, a steaming pile of mid-table mediocrity. As I say, even if they do have a chicken on their shirts, I like them.
But you know what they say. People in glass houses .......
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31 Comments · Add yours
As a Spurs fan, couldn't agree more except for the part about Jol being a good manager. Please can you take Robbie Keane away as soon as possible and any chance we could swap our manager for yours if you really think he is any good?
Hey, im a spurs fan, and its refreshing to read an article like this, you dont hide your allegancies, and are quick to point out how certain Spurs fans believe the club is bigger than it really is.
And a good bit of football banter, without being offensive.
Now, give us Barry and u can have Stalteri. haha.
Nice article.. I've been a Spurs fan for a longtime and it is amazing that people believe we would break into the top four after a season and a half under MJ... I think we have to improve our consistence and then establish ourselves as a top 6 team first, before looking at the top four.
What a complete ******, just trying to wind Spurs fans up so you get more comments on your shitty little blog.
You know you will get loads of comments now, so well done!!!
Mission accomplished I guess.
What a meandering waste of space that was. Well done. :'(
I like Spurs too- they play good football, have a good manager who speaks with thee amusing/respectable Dutch 'lisp' and they beat Chelsea this season.
I think they are a team that should be higher than the league position and I also think the same about Villa. Maybe I'm wrong on the last count but I still feel both should be higher.
Well put, I, and I believe the silent majority of Spurs fans, agree with every word you say and are embarrassed by the rantings of the vocal minority on the message boards and radio phone ins who think we are better than we are and for some reason "deserve" to be up there with the big boys.
if spurs arnt londons 3rd team, who are? cos last time i cheked west ham and fulham are behind us, and all the other london teams are in a lower league.
we dont have enough experience to win top four, but id prefer us to be young and inexperienced then old and borin like bolton.
COYS!
Villa and Spurs have been under-achieving for years and bloody years. Lets waste our time and energy on other things shall we??
i like the artical, shows that more people like spurs than arsenal that dont support either team!
As a Spurs fan I have to say please please please take Robbie Keane away from our team!
This season he has continually moaned at the referee when he should be getting on with the game and motivating his teammates.
Unfortunately some Spurs fans do seem to forget we have, I am sure, been lower than Villa more often than not since the start of the Premiership and its been a long time since we competed consistently with the top 4.
Spurs, Villa, Everton, Newcastle - all in the same boat stuck in the harbour after the booty has sailed
empathy rather than sniping a welcome change
I honestly can't stand the annoying useless c*** of a player. If I have to endure his finger waving, header ducking, tackle bottling pussy ars*d way of playing the game anymore i'm going to go mad.
I had a bit of banter with you guys around Christmas on here but here to say, the article isn't as bad as the title suggests. If you want Robbie Keane - have him! He really isn't as good as people make out. I don't hate Villa at all and as you say, you don't hate Spurs. We'll probably finish 10th this year and you'll finish 8th, 9th, 10th or 11th. Great signings this January from you too. Shame we didn't spend the money on Ashley Young as he wanted to join us but fair play top player you have there. Best Wishes. Mike
Good article, and well, Spurs are under achieving at the moment, compared to last seasons over achieving possibly. We (yes I am a Spurs fan) are going in the right direction, and for what it's worth very happy to see martin O'Neil and AV going the right way too.....it would make my life if AV and Spurs were both in the top four and the scum 1 and scum 2 (you know who you are) were relegated or bankrupted or both.
As a Spurs fan can i just say that it is a myth that we play good football! We look great when our centre backs are passing it to one another!! We have flashes of good stuff, but not anywhere near enough to gain the tag of a 'good footballing side'. Still living off the old days of champaigne football i'm afraid!
I’m also a Tottenham fan. Its people like you DaveK who shouldn't be a spurs fan. We need Fans to support the team, and while were going through either a bad patch or a bad season, we need support... Not people saying we should swap managers and get rid of our main striker, who I would say is one of our most passionate players... deal with the fact were not playing as well as last season and our skipper has been out more less the whole season. Give more support, we still have a young team... and in years to come spurs will be a top 4 team.
as a villa supporter david o'leary got us into the top 6 the first season with us, and look where we ended up-almost playing championship football. i think last season was a case of beginners luck for Jol
i hate to say it but martin jol has to go as he has clearly ran out of ideas. Up the Villa!!!!!
good article mate, im a spurs fan have been for many years and have always got on well with villa fans as opposed to the brummie twits. i always bump into villa fans at the gold cup meeting at cheltenham and we always have a great laugh. i think youve got the best manager in the prem good old mon i wish we had him, great man.
we just need to keep the faith in jol and the young lads.
they just need to grow some balls at the moment and stand up and be counted and learn the game.
judge by next season look how everton went got in the top 4 next season blew outta europe big style and had a trumpy 1.
keep the faith chaps
BTW anyone want tainio and ghaly for 20 fags? lol :P :P
i am married to a villa fan and have inlaws who are villa fans we are in agreement that we are no better than each other my only veiw is i think martin jol need 1 more season i know it will come right as for villa i reackon even with your millions you will always be a mid table yankeedoddle boys
Yeah, we are a mediocre team, still managed to beat your lot though
;) Unfortunately for those everpresent rivals of yesteryear, things have changed at the Villa. I'll agree that we have suffered the same malaise as those teams over the last few years, but now we are pulling away.
As for the 3rd team in Cock-a-ney land, they will continue to spend silly amounts on sh1te. Just like Newcastle - the biggest team in Northumberland.
Out of these three, I have the most respect for the Toffees.
They are a great historical team, and when it comes to the league - they share the record for the most played fixture - with us. They are founder members of the league and have always kept themselves grounded and kept their local rivals grounded, no matter what the Pool have won. They still have to answer to Everton twice a season.
But I'm afraid, times will change. At the moment there is a top 4, but with evermore investment in the Premiership it will grow to a top 6 proper...And we are on that boat, whereas the Yids, Toon and the Toffees are not.
Newcastle and Spurs have had money for a while, but no direction whatsoever. At present, West Ham are trying to live like them, but it's like a condensed version. 'Throw money at it and it will be alright' - It won't though. They will probably end up being the 'Chelsea of the Fizzy Pop' - except without the success.
Unlike Spurs, we have stayed on top of our little tree. Unlike Toon, we have local rivals to keep us grounded. Everton have always kept their feet on the ground, but now, compared to us, they are glued to it.
We have investment, direction and a very bright future. These are fortunate times and we are very lucky.
Teams like Spuds, Spoon and the Softees have had their chances in the past and never taken them. We did, we took them though, and we will again.
An elite is being formed and we are very much at the thrust of it...very soon,
Up the Villa - The Messiah will show the way.
I'd quite like Keane to go to the second city. He has run his time with us....it is time for a move. I would also predict that if he does end up at Villa next year he will do well scoring 12 - 15 goals. I say this because he is a new brush type player who thrives on the adrenalin of a move / challenge. Hopefully we can move on.
Can I just say its really refreshing to hear the comments of you Spurs fans, to be fair when I read the article I thought it would be conceived in a bad way by you lot but you have took on board what has been said excellently.....
I personally would like Spurs, Villa, Everton, Newcastle to be competitive for the title, then that would be the big 8, almost half the league could win it, now that would be exciting and definately make our league the best in the world. Sadly I doubt that it will happen, i do think that the 2 best placed teams to break in are Villa and Spurs and I hope iyt happens I would prefer to win a competitive league....
If possible, could you take Defoe instead of Keane? I am tired of him disappearing for games at a time and forcing us to play with 10 men. If you do take him you can have Ghaly, Zokora, Assou-Ekkotto, Lee, Gardner, Stalteri and Mido for free.
The article was balanced and light-hearted, and so in general has been the response. I think there is a league within a league playing itself out here: Everton, Newcastle, Spurs, Villa, Man City and West Ham are all massive clubs with immense tradition trying to challenge the oligarchy of the big 4. It would do all of us immense good if any or all of these six sides could make it happen. UP THE VILLA!
How can you compare Spurs and Villa, yes we may be doing badly in the league but we are still in europe, did well in the league cup and still in the FA cup, where as Villa are just doing badly in the league and paying 10m for Ashley Young :D
How could you compare Villa and Spurs???? what kind of question is that, ah !!! a question born out of ignorance..... If my friend you were looking at the whole picture you would see that Villa and Spurs are very similar sized clubs goin on History,Tradition,Current Potential,Fanbase,Current Position....In fact I often think that if there were any club the exact same size as us it would be spurs, obviously it is down to opinion but Villa and Spurs are definately in the "Second Tier" of clubs classed as big ones, the first tier being Man U and Liverpool with Arsenal floating on the midway line...
The only reason Spurs are still in europe is because they got a bye into the next round ,the only way they will be in europe next season is if they go with thomas cook.Watch out spurs fans as with that turkey on your shirt Bernard mathews will be looking for a stake in your club.sneeze cough
there's been some decent banter so far in this thread. Why don't we keep it that way?