NORMAN GILLER’S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 396
Submitted by Norman Giller

Everything is brought into perspective by the barbarous events in the Ukraine, but I have to selfishly say that Tottenham's spanking of Everton last night brought a shaft of sunlight into dark times.

I deliberately stayed off line during the match, rather than go through my usual sparring with keyboard warriors and couch coaches. Keeping my distance obviously suited Spurs who were fluent and often fiery. The rider has to be added that Everton were lamentable and Frank Lampard has a mountain to climb if the Toffees are not to come unstuck at the top table for the first time in their history.

Harry Kane, of course, gave yet another master class in how to finish. His assessment of the match and his personal performance after the demolition was over proved that he has grown into a mature young man who knows exactly what he is doing on the pitch and in his life.

I have been around champion sportsmen all my working life and few have impressed me as much as Our Harry at the same age.

I know for a fact that Aitch thought he was headed for the Etihad in the summer, but he has shaken off his disappointment and is back to giving his best to the Tottenham team. Regardless of what anybody says, Harry and his agent-brother Charlie were convinced it was a done deal with Man City. Can you imagine that team now with Harry in it!

Now Harry is showing what a big man he is by knuckling down to earning his considerable corn with Spurs, and I for one feel privileged to watch him operating in a Lilywhite shirt. He is without question the outstanding English attacking player of his generation, possibly of all time. How sad for him if he goes through his exceptional career without silverware to show for his astonishing ability.

Paul H. Smith, our Spurs Odyssey guru, gives his eyewitness account of the Tottenham canter against Everton HERE, and quite properly gives praise to the performance of Dejan Kulusevski. He has become a powerhouse attacking from the right and using that magic wand of a left foot. Kulusevski-Son-Kane is a front trio that will frighten the best of defences.

And the Romero/Dier combination at the heart of the Tottenham defence is beginning to look confident and controlling.

There was a heart-plucking moment last night when the Spurs fans generously welcomed Dele Alli like a favourite son briefly returning home. He somehow looked like a little boy lost in his Everton strip and we will always wonder how it all went wrong for one of the most exciting discoveries of modern times. I know I speak for all Tottenham supporters when I wish Dele luck for the rest of his career. A pity it is not to be with the club where he promised so much.

But now the burning question: Which Tottenham will turn up at Old Trafford? Manager Antonio Conte has thrown his players the challenge of showing last night's form against Man United. Like the rest of us, he is still stinging from that FA Cup exit at Middlesbrough.

Now the one target left is top four. Can they do it?

With Harry 'Superman' Kane on our side, anything is possible. Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it's our Harry Kane. Whoosh!

Oh, almost forgot to mention: You can get my authorised Jimmy Greaves biography direct from me at www.normangillerbooks.com.

COYS!

The 28th week of season eight of the Spurs Odyssey Quiz League challenge, and the question is:

Who started his career at The Den, won 51 international caps and from which club did he join Tottenham for a second time?

Please email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 28. Deadline: midnight this Friday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous seven seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake – two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. In the closing weeks of the competition I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. That’s when I become as popular as Sol Campbell in an Arsenal shirt.

This year’s prizes for the champion: A rare out-of-print book from my now very special Greavsie collection with autographs from the late, great Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay and Steve Perryman, and, most important of all, a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2022. Plus a signed copy of My 70 Years of Spurs book AND a special bonus prize, the Eighty At Eighty book that I have written in harness with Sir Geoff Hurst, still the only man to score a World Cup final hat-trick.

Answer to question No 27: Who has won 146 caps, captained his country in a World Cup final and which squad number did he wear when playing for Spurs?

Luka Modric, who chose to wear the No 14 shirt out of respect to his idol Johan Cruyff. Several of you jumped in and selected Hugo Lloris … the wining captain against Luka's Croatia in the 2018 World Cup final. Spurs have been so lucky to have had both players representing the Lilywhites.

See you back here same time, same place on Monday. COYS!

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