Thoughts On Tottenham: Transfers, Andy Carroll And More

Alan’s Diary reflects on the past week, giving his thoughts on Tottenham, transfers and Andy Carroll. It seems to be the same story every summer….

Alan’s 2014 Summer Diary No. 18

Living on the coast 100 miles from White Hart Lane does have some compensations, like the ability to type up draft blogs on the promenade by Boscombe beach…read it and weep.

Boscombe beach
[Photo: Alan Hill]Thoughts On Tottenham

Friday 25 July

Spurs are seemingly getting a good background set up in place. Ugo Ehiogu has been appointed as a youth team coach and Ledley King given part-time coaching responsibilities for the under 18s in addition to his ambassadorial duties. Those two moves should help combat our traditional defensive weaknesses in the long term.

Transfer News

Liverpool sign Dejan Lovren, yet another one of Southampton’s first team. No truth in the rumour that they are changing their name to Liverhampton. They are all reuniting for the first game of the new season when the two teams play each other.

After Van Gaal’s orchestration of the impressive 7 – 0 victory over LA Galaxy in front of 85,000 fans in his first game as Manchester United manager, I might have to start calling them Man Reunited instead of Man Untied (no it wasn’t a typing error).

Jose Mourinho has re-signed Didier Drogba as a player coach. Looks like a master stroke to me.

Same Story Every Summer…… (1)

Andy Carroll

In July 2013, I wrote this in my diary;

“I see Andy Carroll is injured again. I seem to remember predicting this when they signed him. They say this time it could be 4 months. I bet they wish they had him on a pay as you go deal, instead of a contract. He obviously must have passed a medical but my gut feeling was that he was injury prone, based on the previous year’s evidence. I am surprised Sam Allardyce and Karen Brady didn’t come to the same conclusion”.

Here we are, one year on and he is injured again. Same foot, different bone and out for another 4 months. David Sullivan is now quoted as saying it was a mistake to sign him in the first place and put all their eggs in one basket. He says it is easy to be wise after the event but some of us could see that coming and said so.

The FA must be relieved. After Carroll had only played a couple of games for West Ham at the end of last season, Sam Allardyce was campaigning for him to go to the World Cup. If he had done, on top of everything else, the FA would now be paying his wages as compensation for his latest breakdown.

Sullivan says that West Ham will now try and sign a big target man striker before the start of the season. If I was him, I’d do my best to rip Peter Crouch away from Stoke, despite him having recently committed himself to the Potters. Unless they can get him or someone similar, West Ham are staring a repeat of last season in the face. Neither their fans nor Allardyce deserve to go through that again.

Oops, he also “likes” a fan’s Facebook entry saying Allardyce should get the sack – and then blames jet lag. That’s OK then.

Monday 28 July

More from Tottenham News

• Storybook ending after difficult period for Tottenahm’s Richarlison
• Tottenham comeback showcased invaluable intangible Ange has cultivated
• Tottenham player ratings in 2-1 comeback win over Sheffield United
• Tottenham projected starting 11 for Sheffield United
• Tottenham’s Richarlison says he’s going to seek psychological help

Simon Barnes

Simon Barnes signs off after 32 years with his final column in the Times. I have lost count of the number of his brilliant articles that I have enjoyed.

Always thoughtful, incisive and thought-provoking, getting right to the heart of important issues. His final piece is a heart-warming summing up what sport is all about. As ever, well worth a read if you get the chance.

Same Story Every Summer…… (2)

The Evening Standard reports that another of our transfer targets, winger Antoine Griezmann of Real Sociedad has chosen to join a Champions League club, Atletico Madrid, for £24 million instead. Same story every summer……

Wednesday 30 July

Fantastic signing by Everton. Romelu Lukaku for £28 million. That and keeping Ross Barkley should keep them right up there this season. Celtic lose Champions league qualifier 4 – 1. Plus ca change……

Social Media

Social Media – Twitter logo

It is easy to criticise the use of Twitter and the proliferation of blogs and other social media but it has its good side too. In a report on the Life of Students documentary David Chater of the Times reflects of the situation of a single mother with an 18 month old baby says that social media offers a life-saving escape from social isolation for some.

Referee’s Vanishing Spray

Sky Sports News reports that it has been announced that the referee’s vanishing spray paint will after all be used in the Premier League next season. That’s a good move and a complete U-turn on the statements they were putting out last week.