NORMAN GILLER’S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 96
Submitted by Norman Giller

Now for Everest

Okay, settle down folks. That is the easy one out of the way. Now for the Everest mountaineer work, starting with the Europa League match against Anderlecht at the Lane on Thursday, then the visit to the Emirates on Sunday for one of the most eagerly awaited NLDs for ages.

Last night’s 3-1 victory over Villa – perfectly captured by our guru Paul Smith’s match report – provided, let’s be honest, an expected scalp. Anything but three points would have been considered as big a shock as Simon Cowell losing his smug smile.

Tottenham have found the X-Factor in a midfield that has the drive of One Direction and the rhythm of Take That (never let it be said that this old git doesn’t try to keep up to date … if I had my way I’d talk about the swing of Basie and the excellence of Ellington).

Roy Hodgson must be rubbing his hands at the prospect of playing Delli Alli and Eric Dier in the England engine room, with Alli as the chief mechanic and Dier as the stoker. They bring balance and bite to the Tottenham midfield, with Eriksen, Dembele and Lamela providing red hot coals of skill. And there’s still the rising Son and the fit-again dynamo Mason to fit in somewhere!

The only major concern I have is that Harry Kane is going to burn himself out unless he is given a proper support striker. The lad runs himself into the ground in every match, and his victory-clinching third goal yesterday was deserved reward for his marathon running.

The Kane goal came just as I was reaching for the ulcer pills, with the real risk of Spurs throwing away what should have been a comfortable win. And what a goal! Anybody who wonders what it must have been like to watch the Spurs side of the Golden Sixties, there was an action replay of the type of goal that was commonplace … a conveyor belt of passes and then a perfectly placed shot.

If I half closed my eyes I could see it as Blanchflower to White, to Jones to Greaves …. goal! Thank you Harry and Co for making an old man very happy.

But no time for complacency. For starters, we want to see a huge improvement on the performance in Brussels when Anderlecht come to N17 on Thursday. There was too much sideways Spurs in Belgium. Let’s see the sort of quick passing and decisive finishing revealed in that third goal that vanquished Villa last night.

Then, and I hope it’s not asking too much, a super human effort on Sunday and three points nicked from the Gooners on their home turf for the first time since 2010. Yes, I am being greedy. That’s what happens when you go ten matches in the Premier League without a defeat. It gives you the taste for more goals, more glory.

I wonder what mood we will be in next Monday, when this Blog returns to normal service?

Hope I’m grinning even more than Mr. Cowell.

I know I am becoming a bore about my 100th book, but I am putting my what’s-its on the line by publishing it myself and paying the huge printing bill. I’m sure you don’t want to see me having to go back to busking to get myself out of trouble.

Have a peep here and see what a fuss they are making about me in the United States: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ashley-jude-collie/prodigious-author-norman-_b_8447054.html

For those of you kindly considering purchasing the book (Headlines Deadlines All My Life) you need to order it here: www.normangillerbooks.com I will send a personal reply to everybody who supports me.

It is not every day that I have my 100th book published, so I am sure you will forgive me for some trumpet blowing. Here’s a neutral review that just might make you tempted to buy the book: http://www.sportsjournalists.co.uk/books-and-reviews/100-not-out-gillers-life-story-is-one-to-inspire/

Your support will be greatly appreciated, both by me and my bank manager.

SPURS ODYSSEY QUIZ LEAGUE, Week 13

Week THIRTEEN of our Spurs Odyssey Quiz League, and most of you were on the ball last week: “I cost Tottenham £2-million and played only 23 League matches in a Spurs shirt before moving to Fulham. Liverpool was among my early clubs and I won nine England caps. Who am I and from which club did I join Spurs.”

Yes, Danny Murphy, who joined Tottenham from Charlton but did not stay long before joining Martin Jol at Fulham. He is now showing the sort of composure and balance he displayed as a midfielder at the BBCtv microphone.

This week’s teaser, with Sunday’s North London derby in mind:

“Apart from some bloke called Adebayor, I am the only player to score for both Arsenal and Tottenham in a North London Derby. Who am I and what number shirt was I wearing when I scored an FA Cup final goal for Spurs?”

You get two points for identifying the player, and a bonus point for giving his FA Cup final shirt number.

Keep a check on your points tally, because the contestant topping the SOQL table at the end of the season will receive a huge, personally autographed photograph of Spurs legend Jimmy Greaves, plus a signed, framed certificate announcing the winner as the 2015-16 Spurs Odyssey Quiz League champion.

Email your answers, please, to SOQL13@normangillerbooks.com Give your name, the district where you live and how long you’ve supported Spurs. I will respond, and will email a screen version of one of my Tottenham-themed books to the sender of the first all-correct answer drawn at random. Closing date for entries: midnight this Friday.

First name drawn at random from the correct answers last week is Gill Barker of South Devon, who is entering for her husband Peter, recovering from a recent heart attack and warmed by more than 50 years of Spurs memories. I will email a screen version of one of my Tottenham-themed books to Gill and Peter, wishing him a return to full health.

Thanks for your company. See you same time, same place next week. COYS!

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