I think Jan's come in for a bit of unfair stick. He seemed to get a lot of the abuse when it came to not caring/ trying and yet many times last season, there were about 8 or 9 players on the pitch who were like that. While I can't prove without inside knowledge, I'd make a damn good bet that there were a number of players who were sick of the leadership they had last season, both AVB and Sherwood didn't seem to have the full dressing room behind them and you'd have to ask why. If Jan wants to stay and sign a new deal, should his motives really be questioned? We moan when players ditch us yet there now seems to be a bit of grief towards a guy seemingly willing to put pen to paper. Jan's a class player, if he's signing a new deal then I think that gives us at least next season with him, which is only a good thing in my eyes because we'd struggle to find better.
When I read the clear dislike there is of Vertonghen I must admit that I start to think, what have I missed? Yes I saw the guy perform poorly last season as I did with much of the team. I also thought he played a number of games carrying an injury which doesn't help. Where does this charge of bad attitude come from, could it be that he was angry with himself for poor performances and threfore looked pissed off? I am surprised with Spurcat's strong condemnation and I don't dismiss it, but I would like more information as to how you have come to have such a dim view of the player. As YV has said point me in the direction.
<quote> Playing at the highest level is, of course, very important for Jan. If Tottenham do not qualify for the Champions League this year then we will have to see what happens next summer. </quote> EXACTLY HOW to put the backs up of supporters. No need whatsoever for an agent to say this in public.
And his team-mates as it is clear that the others must have held him back. Although of course our quality is better than at least half of the clubs in the CL. It's just that 7 of the 32 best teams in Europe are in the PL.
For me, O.S. Has done nothing more than confirm what many of us have suspected for some time. Vertonghen has only one major interest - himself!...
"Although of course our quality is better than at least half of the clubs in the CL. It's just that 7 of the 32 best teams in Europe are in the PL." That is 5 of the top 17 clubs (at the start of the group stage of the UEFA 2014-15 tournaments) .
I ought to mention there are exactly two Spurs players I've had enough of: Vertonghen and Townsend. The latter seems like a decent enough person, but can't or won't stop playing one on eleven, so I don't like seeing him on the field. Why I dislike the former: 1. He seemed to rebel against being used as LB for Spurs--but not for Belgium. So he values country over club, which isn't charming if you support the club, and they are the ones who pay his wages. I wouldn't mind nearly as much except I've come to the conclusion he's a better LB than a CB. 2. Seemed to have a bad attitude last year. Fair enough, what do I know, but the one poster who would know feels the way I do, but much more vehemently. 3. Lets his agent t**t talk right after a particularly bad defeat. If this were something he didn't like, he could fire his agent. People often get what they deserve, and letting the agent say these particular words at this particular time is inviting fans to give you a kicking. So I'm putting the boot in. 4. I don't understand how he went from possibly the best CB in the world two years ago into such a mediocre player last year and so far this year. But given the reasons above, my leading theory is that he's the biggest waste of talent on the team. While other players get stick for not trying, etcetera, he seems to be the one who's gone from world class to barely mediocre as a kind of passive aggressive response to his club disappointing him. He's cutting off his nose to spite his face, in other words. Again, what do I know, and I hope I'm wrong, but it's my best guess at this point. 5. He's made himself a distracting little ball of negativity on a team where just about everyone else seems like a reasonably nice person. He seemed to indicate that he was eager to mend his ways over the summer, and I was looking forward to seeing him play for us. That agent's words make me feel like an idiot for thinking a t**t can change its stripes. I really wish we would have gotten rid of him, and I hope we get rid of him in January. Maybe he can be bothered to make an effort so we can sell him for a good price, but I doubt it. 6. I've gotten more enjoyment out of watching Dier in three games this year than Vertonghen all last year. Even the Liverpool game he provided some good entertainment and excellent effort, including a nice tackle on Balotelli. Chiriches against Limassol would have been worth the price of a ticket as well. I'm trying to remember the last time Vertonghen made me enjoy watching him play, and I can't. If I thought we had a realistic chance of getting fourth this year I would feel differently, I think. But since we don't, play the players who want to be on the field entertaining the fans.
Let him score the winner against Arsenal and not only will I be his biggest fan, I will have always been his biggest fan.
Looks like he might be on the way out or at least questioning his place in the squad: "I am not signing, no. We agreed not to. Why? I would prefer not to say. I still have four years left. I am happy at the club and I think they are happy with me. That's where it ends. "I am very happy. We have a good manager, we have a good team and a lot of good players. The squad is very big and you have to work hard to play every game, and I hope I am playing again soon. "It is good [under the new manager]. He is working well with a lot of videos and individually he talks a lot with the players. He is a manager who expects a lot from players. We work hard and that is good -- it will pay off in the end I think." "I hope I play every game, in the weekends and midweek. I want to play in the biggest games -- that is what you are a footballer for." "We have got a lot of centre-backs now with [Federico] Fazio and Eric Dier, who is doing very well." "Obviously Vlad [Chiriches] and Younes [Kaboul] played at the weekend and we are fighting for two places with those guys. Everyone has to be just that little bit better so the manager chooses them." Disappointed at our start, not being given the captaincy, competition for places or one of those players he's competing with getting made captain? Just not enough money or the draw of a bigger team, which might be why his agent decided to talk about signing a new contract to the media in the first place? Played fairly well last night and probably deserves a recall against the Goons, but his popularity's waning badly.
He is insisting on a get out clause being included in his new deal. Much to his annoyance, the club is declining to do so.
Was having a discussion with my Spud supporting boss over which one player we'd take from each other's team assuming we lived in a fantasy world where our opinions meant sh*t! I said I'd take JV and he laughed his tits off! I appreciate he has attitude issues but if focused properly he looks such a good player. He won't have endeared himself with these comments obviously! Still, I was told I had to take Lloris and any Spurs fan would say the same. I take his opinion with a pinch of salt as he still bemoans Sherwood leaving... For the record he said he'd take Alexis. As things are going at the moment with us that's probably fair enough.
Vertonghen, while not as good a Lloris (obviously totally different positions), would address a weakness in the Arsenal squad, so i think that is a fair pick. Would i be alone in wanting Giroud? Seems half the Arsenal fans would drive him over for us if they could.
Carzola was brilliant for awhile (a player Redknapp tried to sign for us) but he has been pushed out slightly and I believe his drop in form is a result of Wenger not trusting his ability as highly as he did before, as I haven't followed all their games but he looks to be moved into different positions, yet when you look at his end product, goals/assists when he plays a run of games, he is a top player and one who would bring much needed vision to our midfield.
"He is insisting on a get out clause being included in his new deal. Much to his annoyance, the club is declining to do so." Oh that has made my day !!! Bet he wished he had played far better at Brasil 2014 eh. Of course he could try and go all ratboy on Spurs. But the difference is he is hardly as important to the team as Modric was.
