Interesting piece on Ledley at the weekend. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...erstands-players-trusts-makes-feel-great.html
He has been a great player, and a wonderful servant to the club. As he admits himself, however, he wasn't great against the scum, nor to be frank, against Utd yesterday either. Perhaps his legs, and his comparative lack of match fitness, is finally catching up to him. A bit like a top heavyweight boxer, I'd prefer to see him go out while we can all still remember him for the great player he still can sometimes be, not as some sad parody of himself.
King's days are over. The hardest thing for any manager (or fan to accept) is that a club legend had to go. We all scoff at Chelsea that they are keeping on Racist Terry and Fat Frank, and yet we don't own up to the fact that King's days are over. He is one of the reasons for the two worst defensive lapses in our last two matches - which should tell you something - and it is clearly time for him to go. I am expecting to get some flack from fans who thing they are true Spurs fans. Let me tell you all, right here and now, that I saw my first Spurs match, as a resident of Tottenham, back in 1969, as a very young lad, and that I have watched every single side in every decade ever since. Please, never question my loyalty to our beloved club. I love what King had done for us, but now is his time to go. I don't want to have him booed off the park. He won't want to go, but we all know now is the time. One day, King will be the first black manager of a top PL club. Start your coaching badges now. Be a leader and coach to our young defenders, they need you more than the playing squad does.
A little bit 'knee'jerk Hiag! He can't be brilliant every game, Rio has a couple of bad games here and there, so I wouldn't judge him till the end of the season, as bad as he's been lately, in other matches...totally imperious!
We all know what you mean Hiag, but with players like this, and I mean exceptional ones not any ol player, what you may lose on the pitch occasionally, is still outweighed by dressing room presence. Its a fine balance, but when he starts costing us, the rest of the team will see it too and that edge he gives them atm, won't be needed, if that makes sense. You know the feeling when you're in a team and you find out your best player isn't playing...you just wish he was. Eventually you get to that stage where you think, wouldn't have made any difference if he was playing or not.
Ledley has been a great player for us and one of my favourite players to watch in a spurs shirt. The last two games he has switched off a few times which have cost us. However i would still keep him on as a squad member maybe games in the cups could a possibilty for him?
There's no doubt he will be given a third chance, but I really do hope that whoever our manager is will have the philosophy "three strikes and you're out." There is no disgrace in any Spurs fan accepting that now is Ledley's time to hang up his boots. Indeed, I believe that he has a greater role to fulfill for us, coaching the kids in our academy, and helping to produce the Ledleys of the future.
I'm not convinced that Leds days are over just yet - he had a bad one against the Goons but certainly wasn't primarily to blame v ManUre. And if the playing side does need to come to an end I hope that he finds a coaching role - he is Spurs through and through and would be of immense benefit to someone like Caulker tryng to establish himself at the top level. Anyway, moving on but on a similar vein..... Did anyone else catch the excellent article on Scotty Parker by Robert Crampton in the Times today? Unfortunately cannot link to it, but it sums up what makes the lad such an asset to the club - and country. Not in the Sports section, as it is more a commentary on Parker the man rather than the footballer.
Sorry Harry. Ledley's "aura" can't be seen by quality opposition. He may have a fast football brain, but unlike Sherringham, being a yard and a half short of pace is far more critical in his position. Ledley IS Spurs, but surely this must be his last season. By the way I am a huge fan of his (how could I not be?)
The same site is reporting that you will pay Modric a £3.5m "loyalty" bonus if he stays with you? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ham-offer-Luka-Modric-3-5m-loyalty-bonus.html
Presumably it's some sort of contract extension bonus, SW6. A similar fee has been proposed for any possible Adebayor transfer.
I thought modric was under contract for ages. You are getting a bargain at the moment. I would reward him with a bigger deal to keep him happy but its not urgent because (unlike rvp) he has alot of years left on his deal.
It's urgent because he clearly will want to move if he doesn't get more money and contracts mean little to players these days.
None of us know whats in Modric's contract except this...his agent did not insert an early release clause, hence waving away the interest from Chelsea. Whether there is one later on in the term (6yrs when signed), only elapsed time will tell, but it doesn't look like it for now. If any new contract was offered, Modric would not be so foolhardy to sign another one without exit clauses, so its best to keep him on the one he's got, and reward him at the end.
I would sit modric down and say...look son. You signed the deal so you will play for us. If you start being a mug and wanting to leave then you can meet my friend called Mr Reserves for the rest of your contract. You will flaunder there for years and we dont care. he will have no choice. You should never sell him unless you want the money to invest elsewhere (i.e. a stadium or if you badly need some new strikers). Otherwise no point doing what we do and just selling them for the cash. Actually one of the few times I root for ANY team (even you boys) is when player start acting like the big man. Seriously if I was a billionaire owner I would just tell the player to fck off to the reserves and screw his career over.
That's the scenario the needs to happen if clubs are to take back the power but it doesn't make sense from a business point of view and whilst Levy may have threatened to throw Modric in the reserves last season, I can't see him making the same statement again. We'll just have to try and meet him in the middle with an improved contract.
