………The Bad………,
There are so many bad memories from the last season. We want to forget all of them, but it is important to document them, so that hopefully they won’t happen again.
I won’t dwell on the mystery of allowing Hoddle to spend so much money in the close season, but then sacking him so early. To be honest with you, I did feel Glenn had to go, but like many people, I had said it before the end of the 2002-3 season.
All Spurs fans identified the need for a midfield general, so we don’t need to linger on that particular point that still has to be rectified this summer.
As it was, we had to put up too often with old men in the middle, who were way off the Premiership pace. Most of them have moved on, but somehow Jamie Redknapp has crossed a pre-agreed line whereby, if he played a certain number of matches in his first two years, he became entitled to an extra year on his contract. Congratulations must go to Redknapp and his advisers who won the prize of that rewarding extra year for no more than 28 starts in Spurs’ colours. The requirement must have been 25 games then, which reflects badly upon Spurs side of the bargain, if you ask me!
I have written before about the lack of motivation in the side, and overall that must be down to the lack of a “Players’ Manager”. Think of the scenes and images between players and managers at the end of the Play-Off finals, and compare them with the only comparable piece of celebration at The Valley. On that occasion, David Pleat tagged onto the end of the line of players acknowledging the fans, but I did not see any player embracing him. We look forward to the arrival of “The Man with no Name”.
Fredi Kanoute’s disappearance for the African Nations Cup was a blow on several counts. Whilst he enjoyed good form for Mali, his hat-trick on January 3rd against Crystal Palace featured his last goal of the season for Spurs. David Pleat did not handle Fredi’s absence in distinguished style with freakish reference to a country called “Samosa”, but then Fredi didn’t get too much chance upon his return, and failed to score another goal.
We endured frustrating days losing leads at Stamford Bridge and Highbury, but most famously in the FA Cup, and too many players lost spirit and form. Here, you could mention just about anyone, except the youngsters, Jermain Defoe, and I would argue, Mauricio Taricco, who I feel always gave 100%.
Whilst we gave Gus Poyet an affectionate farewell, we endured his comical penalty that lost us the Worthington Cup Tie against eventual winners, Middlesbrough, but we were thankful for his knee which gave us a last gasp win at home to Portsmouth.
Other things I want to mention here are the exorbitant ticket prices at Chelsea (£49 for a crappy seat), and the barely post-war standard of facilities at Portsmouth, who should be forced to upgrade their away stand before the new season, now that they have retained Premiership status.
There is a view that Spurs fans were cheated of virtually a whole season, being forced to live in limbo. This view was not helped by the insistence of the club to impose a deadline for renewal of season tickets, which has passed before a managerial appointment.
If this was bad, can you bear the ugly?!!!!
· The Good
· .....and The Ugly
· Spursometer for 2003-4 season
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