NORMAN GILLER'S SPURS ODYSSEY BLOG No 554
Submitted by Norman Giller

Not since the halcyon days of showman Cyril Knowles have I seen a player trying a bicycle kick clearance in his own penalty area. Mathys Tel tried it last night and conceded a penalty that could cost Spurs their Premier League perch.

Tel's moment of madness cancelled out his flash of genius, when he scored with a spectacular shot that gave Spurs the lead against a surprisingly lively Leeds side. The Frenchman was on top of the Eiffel Tower and then down in the dungeons of Monte Cristo.

I loved the reaction of our imaginative new manager Roberto De Zerbi when asked if he would reprimand Tel for his attempted penalty area circus trick that went horribly wrong: "I will kiss him and hug him to encourage him to continue to do the unusual."

De Zerbi knows that we must not stifle Tel's talent and his appetite to attempt the impossible and unexpected. We need all the invention we can muster in what are knee-knocking times.

As I have been saying for several weeks, this relegation battle is going to go down to the wire, and the last two games (at Chelsea and home to Everton) are going to test our nerve, our nails and our sanity.

Our Spurs Odyssey guru Paul H. Smith gives his reading of the match action and the overall situation HERE, and records a blinding save from Antonin Kinsky that could just prove the difference between Spurs staying up or going down.

How we have to admire Kinsky for the way he has survived the humiliation of being taken off against Atletico Madrid by the drowning manager Igor Tudor.

It was encouraging to see James Maddison back in action, hopefully in time to steady the ship and save Spurs from a crippling fall into the Championship (which no matter how they try to dress it up is still the old Second Division).

I think De Zerbi has lots of tricks up his sleeve for next season, regardless of whether Tottenham stay up or go down. He just won't be trying to show them off in the penalty area. Are you listening, Tel?

COYS

My unique book, World Cup 1966, is rolling off the presses today. I have written a diamond jubilee story about that wonderful July 30 day 60 years ago, and hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst has provided the fee-free introduction. There's lots of focus on former Tottenham favourites Jimmy Greaves, Danny Blanchflower and, of course, Alf Ramsey and I hope you will order a cut-price, post-free copy at www.normangiller.co.uk.

Now then, nurse, my tablets please. COYS

Here we go with the 35th week of our quiz that tests your knowledge of Tottenham players and the club's history. This is your last teaser before next week's challenging decider ...

Who captained Tottenham's 1967 FA Cup winners and what number Spurs shirt did he wear at Wembley?

Email your answer to me at soqleague@gmail.com and make the subject heading Quiz Week 35. Deadline: midnight this Saturday. I will do my best to respond to all who take part.

The rules are the same as in the previous 11 seasons. I ask a two-pronged question with three points at stake - two for identifying the player and one for the supplementary question. Next Monday I break the logjam of all-knowing Spurs-history experts with a real stinker of a tie-breaking poser that is based on opinion rather than fact. This is when I lose what few friends I have.

This season's main prize will be a framed certificate announcing the winner as SOQL champion 2026, plus three signed books from my Spurs collection.

Last week I asked: Who wears the No 28 Tottenham shirt, played for hosts France in the 2024 Olympics, and from which English club did he join Spurs?

Answer: Wilson Odobert/Burnley

See you back here on Monday. Prepare yourself for the toughest of challenges!!

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