http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/nov/26/andre-villas-boas-tottenham-manager Well, surely this is the start of hammering a nail into his coffin? After 18 months of supporting AVB and not being impressed, I for one would like to see him go, regardless of Spurs result against Man Utd. I suspect I will get slated for posting this, but in my opinion, once articles like this starts appearing, there is generally only one outcome. I do live in hope, and hope Spurs hammer Man Utd, and proceed on a goal fest winning the remaining games during this season (Arsenal has been on a good run since Spurs beat them last season so why shouldn't Spurs go on a good run?). And we can all lavish praise on AVB at the end of the season for turning things round. But it ain't going to happenâ¦is it?!
I don't think he should be sacked whilst we're 2 behind 4th place regardless of what else is going on. He's definitely running out of time to sort things out but the media's loving it, they can't wait for it so they can return to fawning over Mourinho and proclaiming that Moyes needs time. I know there's a million better reasons to want us to win on Sunday but if we do it'll be great to see how the media react having spent their time predicting AVB's demise and slating him, surely they'd have to do the same to Moyes. Speaking of fawning over Mourinho, did anyone see BBC London yesterday evening? They litterally spent the build up to the evenings Champions League games showing Mourinho talking about his new haircut They didn't seem to be embarrassed but I was embarrassed for them.
"Those include the perception inside the club that he has sought to blame everybody bar himself for the recent difficulties, from the White Hart Lane crowd and the Tottenham medics to members of the first-team squad." This doesn't surprise me. He's always come across pretty egotistical, even in his Chelsea days (which was one of the reasons I laughed at his failure at the time) he came across a real arrogant prick, exactly like Jose and so when things went sour at Chelsea and he was booted, I thought karma. Like you say, when articles like this start doing the rounds, it's only a matter of time until it does lead to a managerial departure (unless a crazy U-turn of results and performances occur). Can't say I'll be too disappointed to be honest, not a fan of sacking managers but the talent in this squad and the performances they're putting in is just not good enough and I'm worried the manager has now "lost the dressing room".
My feeling is that AVB will have to go. Not because of any media witch hunt, but because as I have said, I believe that he has lost the dressing room. Once that happens, the end is inevitable..
There is a case for waiting until we have completed the games against Man U. and Fulham. Much as I hate the way AVB has set up our team this season this is still very little time to make a new team work. My gut feeling is that AVB will go but this is coloured by my dislike of his tactics and his Ego which is coming more to the fore. BAE is a signal for me. I have only ever heard good things come from the mouth of Benny add to that his performances on the pitch which suggested to me that we had one of the better LB in the league. Suddenly he is a vilian and loaned out in disgrace. If anything begins to make me lose confidence in AVB it is that incident. Similar to the Bent handbag moment. So! I would expect him to be given a little more time and can accept that as fair, but I can say little in his defence; so far.
What gets me is that, last season, he and the squad seemed to have a great rapport, as seen by the players celebrating wins with AVB. That seems to have gone this season - some of it could be put to there being less togetherness in the squad due to players leaving, but it is notable.
WE have lost Bale and he was a tremendous feel good factor for the squad on top of that we sign 7 new players in the same positions as all our best players. This sends them a message that they are not considered good enough unless the manager handles the whole affair in a skilful and thoughtful manner. It's not surprising there is a new mood in the squad.
Some good points raised here. Another factor is we have the transfer window approaching, and I simply cannot believe Levy will allow any new players in until AVB rectifies the current squad after the huge outlay in the summer window. So he will probably be left with two options - business as normal until the end of the season and give AVB time to sort the current squad without buying any new players; or, attempt to change things by bringing in a new manager but in all likelihood, still refusing to sanction the buying of any new players. I just don't expect Levy to sit back and continue to see a CL spot slip away. I appreciate Spurs are still only two points off the top 4, but it wasn't long ago Spurs were firmly rooted in the top 4. The critical run in to the Christmas period will ultimately determine AVB's fate and if the gap to the top 4 widens, then it must be a cert AVB will be gone quickly. I suspect Levy is annoyed with AVB for other reasons other than results, lack of harmony, moaning about the fans and medical staff and so on. Be interesting to see how the media will play this too after Sunday's game.
I don't want to lead people into making assumptions here, but as from yesterday, there has been another clampdown at the club on staff confidentiality and absolutely no one is allowed to speak to any media outlet without a senior member of our press staff being present at the interview. The last time the club enforced this "no talking" rule, the Bale transfer was imminent.
A common step for any organisation experiencing media hype or speculations. As you say, we shouldn't make any assumptions based on this clampdown.
Exactly. A story appeared in yesterday's Daily Mail by a reporter who had previously been banned from the Lane. His article included reporting a confrontation between AVB and a senior player which had been kept in-house for over a year. The Spurs hierarchy sense a mole in the camp so sensibly have enforced another keep it zipped clampdown.
From your personal opinion Spurcat, do you believe the clampdown is due to AVB potentially getting the boot? Or is just the club getting shirty for info being leaked?
A mole in the camp?? If having an underperforming team wasn't bad enough - just imagine the damage that little bugger will do to the PITCH!!
We need a new left back and have to get rid of a mole in the camp. Evra would be 2 birds with 1 stone. I remember him coming out and saying he was going to find the "spy" in the France squad after stuff started leaking out during the last World Cup, I think he sees himself as a counterespionage agent as well as a quality left back. The DM always seem to have a problem with us and the Standard(their sister paper) used to be quite bad too. It's strange because Ashton and Samuel come across well on Sunday Supplement but whenever they write about us it comes across as very vindictive.
The Mail and the Standard are the 2 newspapers who were banned from the Lane by Levy because of their reporting on the Martin Jol and Juande Ramos shenanigans. The Mail reporter who was specifically banned was Ashton who wrote the piece yesterday. When Harry took over, he requested the ban be lifted as he is mates with Ashton and particularly with Martin Samuel. Levy agreed to this but it appears Ashton may still hold a grudge.
