Pre-Season Watch

[RobSpur]

Mauricio Pochettino admits he is "very disappointed" Tottenham'shead of recruitment Paul Mitchell has chosen to quit the club.

"I feel very disappointed with his decision. It's his personal choice," Pochettino said.

"You know that we have a relationship from Southampton. I'm very disappointed but when someone takes a decision and it's personal, what can I do?

"He's still working with us and we still need to finish the three weeks working together and do the best business for the club."

Not an ideal way to start the season in all honesty. In a way it would've been better for Mitchell to have just handed in his notice at the end of last season and been done with it. I hope this doesn't distract the players and coaching staff.

So it was a genuine resignation then, rather than a 'resignation'.

 

[The RDBD]

I wonder if McNumpty can inform the readers of his article whether or not he believes that a team will be affected ahead of this season based on the sliding scale of how many players they had in the England team. How does this work, exactly?

Well, it "works" in that Citeh cannot win the PL as Hart will be so traumatised
by Euro 2016 that he will be leaking goals like a sieve.

 

[Citizen Kane]

So it was a genuine resignation then, rather than a 'resignation'.

Either way, everything points towards a breakdown in Mitchell's relationship with Levy. I really hope there isn't a fallout from this affecting Poch's relationship with Levy, especially in light of the fact that he seems to be the first manager we've had under ENIC who appears to be completely trusted. Santini's job became untenable from the moment Levy went behind his back and appointed BMJ as assistant manager, then the latter suffered a similar fate when Comolli was appointed, then AVB due to Baldini. I hope this isn't the latest in a long and unpleasant series of events involving Levy meddling where he has no business to.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Well, it "works" in that Citeh cannot win the PL as Hart will be so traumatised
by Euro 2016 that he will be leaking goals like a sieve.

Except he says City will win the league - in spite of the trauma Hart, Stones and Sterling all suffered.

 

[NSIS]

Either way, everything points towards a breakdown in Mitchell's relationship with Levy. I really hope there isn't a fallout from this affecting Poch's relationship with Levy, especially in light of the fact that he seems to be the first manager we've had under ENIC who appears to be completely trusted. Santini's job became untenable from the moment Levy went behind his back and appointed BMJ as assistant manager, then the latter suffered a similar fate when Comolli was appointed, then AVB due to Baldini. I hope this isn't the latest in a long and unpleasant series of events involving Levy meddling where he has no business to.

As I posted earlier, the rumour going round is that Levy attempting to renegotiate the Nkoudou transfer was the last straw in an already strained relationship for Mitchell.

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

As I posted earlier, the rumour going round is that Levy attempting to renegotiate the Nkoudou transfer was the last straw in an already strained relationship for Mitchell.

The thing is that I'm actually on Levy's side on this one: OM were taking the piss (not for the first time this summer...) so Levy flat asked them whether they wanted to negotiate or whether they wanted to **** around.

 

[NSIS]

The thing is that I'm actually on Levy's side on this one: OM were taking the piss (not for the first time this summer...) so Levy flat asked them whether they wanted to negotiate or whether they wanted to **** around.

I don't know who's to blame. Marseille's new owners or Levy. But it seems to have pissed Mitchell right off...

 

[The RDBD]

Except he says City will win the league - in spite of the trauma Hart, Stones and Sterling all suffered.

Exactly.

Always fun to see the knots these "pundits" tie themselves into in order ato
avoid stating what the world and his wife know are their true sentiments on Spurs
(ie extremely annoyed Spurs are usurping their darlings) .

 

[Citizen Kane]

I'm delighted with the fact that we are roundly being predicted to finish outside the top 4. Fly below the radar, I say. The scrutiny on United, City and Arsenal will reach new levels of intensity as the season progresses, for different reasons in each case. Chelsea less so because Conte hasn't spent nearly as much as the other two and will be given more leeway after a horrendous campaign last season. I'm more than happy to stay with the 'little funny old tottenham' label for the time being. It helps ease the pressure off our collection of young shoulders and keeps them out of the spotlight.

 

[Spur of the Moment]

I don't know who's to blame. Marseille's new owners or Levy. But it seems to have pissed Mitchell right off...

Really don't get this, NSS! (And that's coming from one of Levy's strongest critics over the years)

Mitchell is (or was) an EMPLOYEE: his no-doubt very well remunerated job, as far as I am led to believe, was to identify new talent. If he does that well and for reasons beyond his control things don't finish with a player joining up, then he should just move on to the next one. That's life - if he wants to change it he should become a Chairman or CEO. If he decides he wants to throw his teddies out and **** off then he should at least have the balls to go public with his reasons. (Although he is certainly going to be subject to a non-disclosure agreement of some sort).

Poch mentions it being a personal decision, which is somewhat ambiguous, although suggests there is something related to his role in the club. And Levy's less than effusive comments hardly indicate a positive departure.

He's only 34 and has been at the club for 20 months in a very important and influential role. I personally think if he is pissed with Levy and the club for meddling in his role then he should probably look at how well things have actually gone for him since retiring as an injured journeyman pro 7 years ago......

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Squad numbers released

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[NSIS]

Really don't get this, NSS! (And that's coming from one of Levy's strongest critics over the years)

Mitchell is (or was) an EMPLOYEE: his no-doubt very well remunerated job, as far as I am led to believe, was to identify new talent. If he does that well and for reasons beyond his control things don't finish with a player joining up, then he should just move on to the next one. That's life - if he wants to change it he should become a Chairman or CEO. If he decides he wants to throw his teddies out and **** off then he should at least have the balls to go public with his reasons. (Although he is certainly going to be subject to a non-disclosure agreement of some sort).

Poch mentions it being a personal decision, which is somewhat ambiguous, although suggests there is something related to his role in the club. And Levy's less than effusive comments hardly indicate a positive departure.

He's only 34 and has been at the club for 20 months in a very important and influential role. I personally think if he is pissed with Levy and the club for meddling in his role then he should probably look at how well things have actually gone for him since retiring as an injured journeyman pro 7 years ago......

TBH, mate, I don't actually know any more than you. Just the rumour doing the rounds.

Apparently, the two haven't seen eye to eye for a while. It seems that this protracted Nkoudou saga has pushed Mitchell to accept one of the offers that I'm sure he's been tapped up with already.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Squad numbers released

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Things that I noticed:
Lots of youth players being given a number, Yedlin getting one, Bentaleb going back to 42 and Alli changing his name to just Dele.
Apparently he feels no connection to his surname, as it's his mothers and she gave him up due to alcoholism.
His foster parents are the people that he feels are his real parents, which is fair enough, really.

He seems like a happy and well-rounded youngster, despite his poor start in life.
Looks like the people that took him in did a very good job.

 

[Hengy]

Things that I noticed:
Lots of youth players being given a number, Yedlin getting one, Bentaleb going back to 42 and Alli changing his name to just Dele.
Apparently he feels no connection to his surname, as it's his mothers and she gave him up due to alcoholism.
His foster parents are the people that he feels are his real parents, which is fair enough, really.

He seems like a happy and well-rounded youngster, despite his poor start in life.
Looks like the people that took him in did a very good job.

It's his dad's even though his mum still has it too