One obvious difference is we're not able to change members of the first team like a conveyer belt, like Barca could. For example, Barca let go of Davids and Van Bommel and brought in Yaya Toure as he fit into their style of play. A few years down the line, Busquets had come through the youth ranks and matured, so the time was right to let Yaya Toure move on. Our youth system is nowhere near this standard (and that's an understatement), so we'd need to overhaul our youth system and populate it with at least a dozen likely first teamers for two/three seasons down the line. With the exception of Caulker and Coulibaly, that's not the case at the moment.
That Spaniard was the mastermind involved in Barca's laughable transfer deal of the century... "I know, we'll sign that Ibrahimovich from Inter Milan, and better still we'll give them Samuel Eto'o and 40m or whatever it was."
Its good hbic, but a only a chortle compared to the belly laugh on the Ibra deal! I think Barca had a bit of a top level clear out after that!
Thats not such a surprise having heard of Sherwoods standing in the club, Livermore recently praising him for what he's learnt. I think he was excused responsibility for the Nexgen player blunder, wasn't that narrowed down to errors in the admin dept. with some disciplinary action given? Tbh, its not Sherwoods job to ask each player if he's eligible, that really is someone else's job.
I might be wrong but I thought Spurcat said Sherwood was with 'Arry in court that day and someone else made the mistake.
I don't think it is safe Spurf. The talk is that the whole scouting set-up is under scrutiny from top to bottom. The chief scout, Ian Broomfield is very much a Harry appointment and many of our scouts are old mates of Harry's from his playing days. I guess it's reasonable to assume the club's "different direction" would involve looking at how much the club now needs these guys and thereby others will also be affected. The last 'spring clean' of the scouting system took place in the summer of 2009, Harry's 1st summer and 1st opportunity to overhaul it. During the past season, David Pleat was used (with Harry's blessing), to do some scouting work but also to take a review of where the scouting strengths and weaknesses might be. At the moment it remains all conjecture, but the feeling is there is a large shake up on the way.
That's correct YV. An internal investigation into the mix up cleared Sherwood and the person responsible for the error, is no longer with the club.
Yes, it does appear that Sherwood has escaped the axe. I did say it would be a surprise if he went as I knew he is highly thought of throughout the club, although a DOF role was certainly not where I saw him landing up. His relationship with Harry was not that great, mainly due to Harry employing another coach which marginalised Sherwood's role with the kids. The coach was a guy called Anthony Hudson (son of ex-Chelsea player Alan Hudson), and was with Harry at West Ham as a youngster. He had spent time building a good reputation in the States as a coach and was anxious to get into the English leagues. Harry took him on and as I say, Sherwood's nose was put out of joint at this and at one time it looked as if he was on the way out. Harry then reccommended Hudson to Newport County for the managerial vacancy towards the end of the 10/11 season. Hudson was appointed, turned out to be a diaster and was sacked about 12 games into the season just finished. Meanwhile Sherwood continued working with the Next gen squad and it seems has done a good enough job to get his break into the Tottenham hierarchy. Good for him.
Interesting stuff Spurcat. Maybe Levy felt he was slowly losing control of things because of Harry and his appointments, of which most of us knew little about. Reports are saying Levy and Lewis decided this 6 months ago, that was pre Capello, but during a fraught TW. Harry's requests for players tells Levy all he needs to know about the direction he wants to take the playing staff, and there were clearly disagreements. I also vaguely recall Harry taking a veiled swipe at Levy over a transfer. When asked for an update he answered in a huffy manner, 'well its the chairman, there's nothing more I can do' or words to that effect. In any circumstance this is enough normally for a club to think about a change. Who knows, Harry may have gone earlier had Capello not resigned, Levy seeing being paid for him to go intead of costing him. Anyway, this total clearout is a little worrying and its looking like dof time again, and not full control to the manager. This will limit potential replacements imo.
