Tottenham: Post-Liverpool And Close of Transfer Window

The views and thoughts of Jav on Tottenham post the Liverpool match and the close of the transfer window. Jav is a season-ticket holder at White Hart Lane and provides HotspurHQ with a regular supply of photographs from home and away matches.

My Views On Tottenham

I have finally decided to put pen to paper for an article for Hotspur HQ – the first of many I hope after contributing only on the photographic side for the last couple of seasons.

I went to the Barclays Premier League game on Sunday against Liverpool with a positive attitude, I did not expect a 0-5 thrashing like we received at White Hart Lane last season. I hoped we could have managed a draw at least. Within a few minutes I prepared myself for a repeat of last year’s home game. Unlike last season when I was thoroughly miserable throughout the game (shouting and screaming at the Liverpool supporters sitting behind me in West Lower Stand) this time I just had a sense of the inevitable. My nephew @farooqbmirza kept telling me after the game along with anyone else who would listen how we almost had a shot on target in the second half. The statistics did not lie, 60% possession and 1 shot on target. Liverpool should have scored more, the penalty was generous, but we did not deserve anything from that game. The only part of the game I enjoyed was when Eric Dier took out mad Mario right in front of us which resulted in a wry smile from the attacker. How sad… I thought Eric Lamela and Étienne Capoue put in a decent performance, but I did not have any inclination to vote for a man of the match.

Erik Lamela [Photo: Jav The_Doc_66]

Transfer Deadline Day

Monday morning and the dead line for transfers was looming. With a busy work schedule I was glad to avoid Sky Sports News HQ and other media outlets, but sadly I did monitor my Twitter time line. Maybe I have the wrong demographic of followers as most of them had the following comments:

Levy Out protests at Tottenham [Photo: Jav The_Doc_66]+ ENIC / Levy out
+ We need a striker
+ The club has no clue what the supporters want
+ Why is Benoît Assou-Ekotto still being paid by THFC?
+ Gutted that Sandro Raniere has been sold
+ No chance of Top 4
+ Where has the TV revenue gone?

While I understand the reason of many for the comments, (obviously not including all of them) I think many are not justified. I point you to the official Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust statement on the transfer window as well as a well articulated Tweet by @LeeHunt87.

Our supporters expect Champions League football, and to match the expenditure of clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City. Right or wrong our club is run as a business, all successful football clubs must follow a sound business model to achieve results on and off the football pitch. One must take into account that we are currently building a new stadium which carries a significant cost as well as contributing to regeneration of the local community. The resulting revenue this will generate will allow us to recruit better players and staff from a cost and salary perspective in future years. For the next few years though I believe that we must get use to the “frugality” in the transfer market. Yes, balancing the books and remaining cash positive. Not words many Spurs fans want to hear but that is the reality of what “modern” football is. If we do not like it, join the THST Official Trust, volunteer and make your voice heard to the club.

Michael Dawson [Photo: Jav The_DoC_66]