It's been a miserable season for us Spurs fans and yesterday was the straw that broke the back of many supporters good will towards the club. I have to say that the first half was pretty even and Spurs even looked in control of the game for some of it, but as soon as Vertonghen compounded his slip with a poor decision to pass back followed soon after by the well timed cheating of Eto'o the whole edifice that is the Spurs team promptly collapsed with hardly a murmer. We have spent a large part of the season watching our expensive collection of players playing shackled AVB style; beaten out of sight on too many occasions and no need to go over that all again. Sherwood was then given the job and IMO has made a decent enough effort at it but yesterday got to him as well. His outburst to the media may well end his career at Spurs because he has opened himself up Harry style but without the experience or clout that Harry carries with him. We now have a new problem in my view and I am reminded of a comment made by Vialli in his time as Chelsea manager; I don't think we can ignore this 'money effect' and after Sherwood's own implied assertion that he has been unable to motivate his players the only way forward is to employ a big name manager with the neccessary clout to get this group of talented rich boys to start bending their backs in the cause of the club that is making them rich. I do not include all our players in this as we have a number who always stretch themselves, chief of whom is Dawson who despite his limitations always fights. Sandro, Lennon, Walker, Friedel, also spring to mind as hard workers but we surely have too many who need a bit more than a gentle reminder. Talking about your aspirations to move to another club in mid season is a bit rich to say the least and IMO should result in a large fine or consideration of a breach of contract action. WE have the tools at Spurs (too many ) we just need someone to put them together in the right order and turn on the electricity.
Yeah, I'd pretty much agree with this. The talent is there, it now needs some proper management to both motivate and organise it.
SAF managed to motivate players - beyond their capabilities at times. Mega-wealthy sportsmen in other sports manage to motivate themselves without any difficulty - Vettel, Woods, Nadal, for example. It's not about what they get paid, it's about identifying those who want it and helping them to achieve it. The myth of talent v the power of dedication, commitment and motivation.
"The myth of talent v the power of dedication, commitment and motivation." I once read a sports book that commented that natural talent gives you a free ride to the door marked "success" . But you still have to be dedicated and work hard to go on and turn the key, open the door and walk thru. Complacency due to natural talent is the graveyard of many people in life.
Wouldn't surprise if there's an element of "what do you know, you ain't even got your Pro Licence" as far as TS is concerned. SAF was able to do what he did motivating players, because he enjoyed a spiral that only went upwards, the more he won the more respect, to the point it would not enter your head to question. His stature made it far easier to manage top senior players, its those players that make life difficult for rookies. You quote only individuals in individual sports, what are your chances of 11 Nadal's! getting a team pulling together is hard enough, let alone a squad. But i know what you mean, will to win, and if you can't win do your absolute best not to lose, losing badly is not an option, regardless of what shirt your wearing. As far as our players go, perhaps they're just as disillusioned as we are. I think there's stuff going on upstairs, there was a veiled swipe at Baldini in that interview re. 'dealt hand' imo.
Where I would agree with you, Luke, is in the identifying bit. Fergie seemed to have that ability to identify those players who not only had talent, but an insatiable appetite for success. However, I would also agree with Spurf's point that as the amount these guys are paid carries on in it's ever increasing upward spiral, these players are getting harder and harder to find.
the better these examples play , the more cash they earn. Spurs players get exactly the same payday if they beat Chelsea 4-0 or lose 4-0 . Thats the problem . If players were paid according to weekly ( or monthly ) performance , i bet that would shake the feckers up a bit .
Yeah good idea, if the club's had any chance of getting away with it. However, all, and I do mean virtually all, the power nowadays, lies with the players and their ever greedier agents.
god only knows what it will be like in 10 years , something will HAVE to change , there is only so much money IN the game . Logic alone dictates that that . I would say that its a breath of fresh air when a smaller club , like Wigan , gets a place in the sun for a few moments . The sad fact is that those very Wigan players will aspiring to join the cash circus at the earliest opportunity .
Just watching England wilt under pressure v WI at the moment. What better teams/players have is the ability to perform under pressure rather than wilt. That comes from confidence in your ability which, in turn, stems from knowing that you have prepared well and you can perform your role. Practising the basics over and again and convincing players that they can carry out their roles in any circumstances individually and collectively is what any good manager or coach gives a side. It's not rocket science, whether it's Vidic making sure he gets to clear the ball every time or Glenn McGrath bowling a metronomic line and length or Jonny Wilkinson kicking the ball between the posts 19/20 times. If you have faith in your ability and that of your teammates to perform the simple tasks you have rehearsed over and again in training, you will succeed in performing them at the crucial times when the opposition are most likely to make errors. Many fans will claim team x is as good as team y - and on a good day they may be - but are they when they have to dig deep and perform when the pressure is greatest? This is the most noticeable difference between the Utd players last season and this. They have lost that ability to perform under pressure - especially when chasing a game. Confidence dips, they stop doing the basics right as a matter of course and either give up or try to be too elaborate. The biggest task for Moyes is to work out how to get that winning character and motivation back. He may not do it alone - he will need players who can influence those around them, which means he will have to buy well this summer. Similiarly, Spurs' players need galvanising too into believing they can compete against the top sides. The heavy defeats are not down to lack of ability, but character - heads drop, players shirk responsibility and mistakes are made because the players stop doing the basics. Can Sherwood sort it out? Who knows, but give him a chance, because constant change does no good. A settled squad of players under a manager who has coached them for a while i.e continuity is essential. Only then does confidence build up in the methods and the ability of each player to carry out their roles and help each other to do so.
Luke your words on giving Sherwood a chance are wise. The problem is, this is not a wise sport. There is so much hype around the game and the players it's unlikely he will be given that chance by the management OR the players.
The amount of greed in evidence from footballers Agents and Sky's overbearing jurisdiction has been ruining football since the formation of the EPL. Between them they've already wiped out a significant amount of heart and competitiveness from a multitude of once revered and prominent football clubs in the UK. At this rate it will only be a matter of time before it all goes financially tits up for clubs out-side the Sky top 4 or 5. I've heard it said, on occasion that 'money is the route of all evil'., on that basis big bucks is killing the game as a spectacle. I know, there isn't much fairness left in the world today but I believe the drama of recreational competitive Sport (in all its forms) should be played and viewed for the love of the sport, not monetary gain. Someone should put down laws or legislation to regress the balance in the once beautiful game, or we might all be watching virtual football on our screens., before long.
If Sherwood isn't given a chance by the players then it's either because he doesn't command respect or he's at the wrong club. He may need to start his managerial career at a smaller club where he can build a team his way and sign players he wants. Sherwoods style of management means he needs full control but he doesn't have the experience or background to demand such control so unfortunately it's likely his words won't have gone down well with Levy and Baldini.
The players lack spirit, organisation, and any kind of collective purpose. Some of that comes from within you and some players will have more of it than others. Ferguson was extraordinary in his ability to motivate, unparalleled really. But whatever it was that he had, Sherwood seems to lack even a modicum of it. It seems clear that he commands, rightly or wrongly, very little respect from the players. If that is the case, I don't see how he can possibly survive. I think we will limp on until the end of the season and that will be goodbye for him.
The quickest way for someone like Sherwood to earn the respect of the players is through team management, in terms of proving his methods work as if the players see that the managers methods get them performing then they will respect the manager. I believe players like Adebayor (surprisingly) and Kaboul buy more into Sherwoods management then some of the more newer players. Someone like Van Gaal could come in and earn instant respect because of who he is, yet within weeks he could lose that respect of the players. Thats why I don't want to be too hard on Sherwood as his words where honest and due to his lack of experience will learn dealing with premier league players is different to dealing with academy players. Rodgers is a good example of someone who approaches management the right way and gets players on side. I've ridiculed him in the past for the **** he talks to the press but there is a method behind his madness! He creates great team spirit and players want to play for him.
It may be an idea to look at things from our players point of view, particularly the new signings who had never heard of Tim Sherwood till they rocked up at the Lane. That group of players before signing would have been listening to all these words from Levy and AVB, then what? Seasons not even finished and now they're being led by a jumped up rookie no name from the depths of our backroom with an abrasive character, and right at this moment in time, no clear direction forward. They've watched Bale leave, the money miserably spent, managerial upset, and more to come aswell. For a first experience abroad which it is for some of these players, its not surprising they're disheartened, and if they **** off, being honest, I cannot blame them.
It's pretty much what I've been saying too. The players that are being bitched about on here were sold a vision by Levy and AVB. I very much doubt that the current situation even vaguely resembles that vision. Hence the disillusioned faces.
