We are doing it right.

[D.G.C.]

No doubt everybody is disappointed that we didn't win the league but this slow progress is better than a lightning flash of success because lightning only lasts a short time, just ask Leicester. Under Poch we've gone from 5th, to 3rd to 2nd in his three seasons whereas Conte in his first has won the league. Think of the pressure on him and Chelsea for next season and think of the consequences if he wins nothing, just ask Mourinho.
Manchester Utd under Sir Alex Ferguson won nothing for the first 5 years of his tenure there but slowly built up steam whereas Blackburn flashed brightly then faded which is exactly what we don't want.
Keep going like this and the trophies will come. Softly softly catchee monkey.

 

[Spurlock]

Totally agree with what you are saying. However my concern is keeping this team together. Players are bit more selfish nowadays and chase money or instant success. Back in Fergie's early days...time was always given. The players weren't being hounded through social media formats etc.

I just hope we can keep the squad together, then I will have faith in deliverance.

 

[D.G.C.]

Being in the CL I think we could attract suitable replacements Spurlock.

 

[The RDBD]

No doubt everybody is disappointed that we didn't win the league but this slow progress is better than a lightning flash of success because lightning only lasts a short time, just ask Leicester. Under Poch we've gone from 5th, to 3rd to 2nd in his three seasons whereas Conte in his first has won the league.

Progression may have been quicker but for some classic Spursy events such as :

The 2012 + 2013 seasons, Citeh winning the Sugga Daddy lottery just as
Spurs qualified for the CL in 2010.

 

[D.G.C.]

I'm mainly talking about under Poch RD.

 

[Spurlock]

Being in the CL I think we could attract suitable replacements Spurlock.

Just hope we can stay in it long enough to be seen as an attractive proposition. We need to bulk our squad up either way for next season...I'm happy to buy experience this time around...get some 'been there, done it' kind of players.

 

[Spur of the Moment]

Just hope we can stay in it long enough to be seen as an attractive proposition. We need to bulk our squad up either way for next season...I'm happy to buy experience this time around...get some 'been there, done it' kind of players.

So basically, a Gallas and a VDV for starters?

 

[Dier Hard]

Just hope we can stay in it long enough to be seen as an attractive proposition. We need to bulk our squad up either way for next season...I'm happy to buy experience this time around...get some 'been there, done it' kind of players.

Yep, agree with that.

To actually improve on our first XI is near enough impossible, the level of player up from us is either at a rival or an established European powerhouse.

Though we could do with one or two old heads, just to settle nerves and keep players focused at times.

I'd love for us to be ambitious and look at players like Yaya, Rooney, Alves (if Walker goes) etc. All in the tail end of their careers but their winning mentality and pedigree would be priceless for us. The transfer fees would be nothing, although the wages be problematic but also coverable, especially just for a season or so.

 

[The RDBD]

In the case of Gallas and VDV, it seemed Spurs gave them the combo of both
the chance to still regularly play near the top level + a fair enough wage
to satisfy any "pension mode" mentality.

So again the players with that mindset are what we seek.

It may also be a much easier sell this time. The difference from 2010 is that :

- CL group stage may now be regular rather than a first time
- consecutive PL finishes in 2nd but not that far off the top
- an imminent stadium twice the size of our old one

may interest such players who feel they could bridge the final gap.

Perhaps the likes of Edgar Davids could do the preliminary sell for us.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

I think that we need to continue what we're doing and we'll develop leaders and experience over time.
Finding more players like Alli, Dier, Eriksen and Wanyama will push us on, as will developing more like Kane and Winks.

We made some big mistakes last season, learned from them and pushed on.
We've made some different ones this season, but improved on the flaws of the previous campaign.
We didn't die off at the end and it seemed like there was a real determination to avoid that this time.
Now we just need to make the final step and pick up some silverware.

 

[Citizen Kane]

I'd love for us to be ambitious and look at players like Yaya, Rooney, Alves (if Walker goes) etc. All in the tail end of their careers but their winning mentality and pedigree would be priceless for us. The transfer fees would be nothing, although the wages be problematic but also coverable, especially just for a season or so.

No, NO and Yes.

 

[Citizen Kane]

Upon reflection, I'm far less convinced than I was this time last season that what we needed was a couple of wise old heads around the training ground. Whilst I wouldn't be against the idea, I don't think it is something we should be prioritising.

This season, and particularly the way we have finished it, has shown that our mental strength is improving at exponential rates. As our manager and this group of players get older and more experienced, we will begin to see far more performances like the 2-0's over Chelsea, City and Arsenal, and far fewer of the 0-1 v Spam and the FAC semis.

As others have said, our starting XI is comfortably the best in the league when at full strength. It is a beautifully poised, well-balanced combination of power, pace and precision. Will this still be the case come the end of August? On paper perhaps not, but in reality most of our rivals will be looking to integrate multiple new faces into their line-ups whilst we will hopefully have a very settled group who can hit the ground running from the off.

Our current problem is squad depth, simple as. Thanks to a hapless summer window, we left ourselves badly exposed in key positions -notably up front and in CM. I know I've banged on about this a dozen times, but shipping out Mason, Bentaleb and Chadli and replacing them with 3 completely ineffective replacements severely weakened the squad.

This summer, we need to look to bring in a high-quality CB, cover for Wanyama and proper competition for Kane. I worry that our switch to 3 at the back will put too much of a burden on Dier and Wanyama, so unless we regularly go back to a back 4 and rotate them for the DM position, I'd think that a proven CB would be a wise investment. I personally see Son as the pacy attacking option we desperately needed for much of this season, but could still do with another option of that ilk. The fact that we scored 86 goals this season means that I don't see this as a massive priority.

As far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't be looking outside of the PL for these players. I am sick and tired of wasting fortunes of money on players who tear inferior leagues to shreds then "surprisingly" fail to do so in the PL. There are plenty of excellent players plying their trade at smaller clubs and I think we are now big enough and mean enough to raid pretty much whoever we want and get away with it. I'd be looking at:

Josh King
Harry Maguire
Wilfried Zaha
Michael Keane
Alfie Mawson
Itchy Nachos
Harry Arter

None of them are 'marquee' signings, but all are PL proven and would fit in nicely with our style of play.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Upon reflection, I'm far less convinced than I was this time last season that what we needed was a couple of wise old heads around the training ground. Whilst I wouldn't be against the idea, I don't think it is something we should be prioritising.

This season, and particularly the way we have finished it, has shown that our mental strength is improving at exponential rates. As our manager and this group of players get older and more experienced, we will begin to see far more performances like the 2-0's over Chelsea, City and Arsenal, and far fewer of the 0-1 v Spam and the FAC semis.

As others have said, our starting XI is comfortably the best in the league when at full strength. It is a beautifully poised, well-balanced combination of power, pace and precision. Will this still be the case come the end of August? On paper perhaps not, but in reality most of our rivals will be looking to integrate multiple new faces into their line-ups whilst we will hopefully have a very settled group who can hit the ground running from the off.

Our current problem is squad depth, simple as. Thanks to a hapless summer window, we left ourselves badly exposed in key positions -notably up front and in CM. I know I've banged on about this a dozen times, but shipping out Mason, Bentaleb and Chadli and replacing them with 3 completely ineffective replacements severely weakened the squad.

This summer, we need to look to bring in a high-quality CB, cover for Wanyama and proper competition for Kane. I worry that our switch to 3 at the back will put too much of a burden on Dier and Wanyama, so unless we regularly go back to a back 4 and rotate them for the DM position, I'd think that a proven CB would be a wise investment. I personally see Son as the pacy attacking option we desperately needed for much of this season, but could still do with another option of that ilk. The fact that we scored 86 goals this season means that I don't see this as a massive priority.

As far as I'm concerned, we shouldn't be looking outside of the PL for these players. I am sick and tired of wasting fortunes of money on players who tear inferior leagues to shreds then "surprisingly" fail to do so in the PL. There are plenty of excellent players plying their trade at smaller clubs and I think we are now big enough and mean enough to raid pretty much whoever we want and get away with it. I'd be looking at:

Josh King
Harry Maguire
Wilfried Zaha
Michael Keane
Alfie Mawson
Itchy Nachos
Harry Arter

None of them are 'marquee' signings, but all are PL proven and would fit in nicely with our style of play.

Liked this apart from Zaha...as over rated as Barkley imho

 

[D.G.C.]

I think that we need to continue what we're doing and we'll develop leaders and experience over time.
Finding more players like Alli, Dier, Eriksen and Wanyama will push us on, as will developing more like Kane and Winks.

We made some big mistakes last season, learned from them and pushed on.
We've made some different ones this season, but improved on the flaws of the previous campaign.
We didn't die off at the end and it seemed like there was a real determination to avoid that this time.
Now we just need to make the final step and pick up some silverware.

Surprised you omitted Son Heung Min PNP.

 

[PleaseNotPoll]

Surprised you omitted Son Heung Min PNP.

Son's one of my favourite players, but I think he differs a little from the others on that list.
He was considerably more expensive and a bit more high profile, though possible not in this country.
A tough one to replicate, I think.

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Keeping players is vital.
Players don't have the loyalty of fans. If someone offers to triple your wages, it can be hard to refuse.
We also know the club will sell if the price is right. With the new stadium costs to consider, if world record fees are offered for the likes of Kane or Alli, it will be hard for the club to refuse too.
But I hope Spurs do keep this squad together. Football is always more interesting the more teams are able to compete.
Even though I support the wealthiest club in the world, I'm not comfortable with increasingly richer clubs being able to monopolise the best players by paying exorbitant transfer fees and wages.
I should add that I don't exempt Spurs from the same criticism. All the way down the pyramid, richer clubs can and do stamp on the aspirations of small clubs in the way that they use their wealth in the transfer and wages market. Spurs are in that group of clubs getting ever richer while clubs lower down get poorer. It would be nice to see some levelling of the playing field at some point.

 

[remembercolinlee]

Disagree Luke. Unless the players kick off then we will not sell. We sold Berbatov cos he refused to play for us and only had 2 years left on his contract and Carrick cos he was in the last 2 years of his contract and was refusing to sign a new one. We refused to sell Modric when he effectively went on strike but made an ageement yo sell him abroad if we failed to get CL football. Bale was sold after he made it clear he was going to go to Real Madrid so we reached agreement for him to sign a contract and go the following season just like united did with Ronaldo.
Walker may be kicking off (if the reports are true) and Toby is in the last 2 years of his contract. But everyone but Toby has 4 years left on their contracts so we are in a strong position.
Financially it makes more sense to keep our players even if world record bids come in for them as shirt sales, merchandise sales, ticket sales at wembley and then our new ground will all be better with these players staying.
It will only be necessary to sell if players kick off in my opinion and apart from possibly Walker that does not currently seem to be an issue.
As for the trebling of wages...if you are on
£3-4m per year and most of our squad are and on 5 year contracts then they are already set for life as are their families. I would hope that the chance to win trophies at spurs and to play CL football at Wembley then at our new ground over the next 2 years would mean that they are willing to give it a go. Most are young enough to give the project 2 years and if we do not deliver they can then move on.
But then again ... as a spur I would think these things!

 

[humanbeingincroydon]

Liked this apart from Zaha...as over rated as Barkley imho

Yet not as overpriced as Barkley, for some reason.

 

[littleDinosaurLuke]

Disagree Luke. Unless the players kick off then we will not sell. We sold Berbatov cos he refused to play for us and only had 2 years left on his contract and Carrick cos he was in the last 2 years of his contract and was refusing to dign a new one. We refused to sell Modric when he effectively went on strike but made an ageement yo sell him abroad if we failed to get CL football. Bale was sold after he made it clear he was going to go to Real Madrid so we reached agreement for him to sign a contract and go the following season just like united did with Ronaldo.
Walker may be kicking off (if the reports are true) and Toby is in the last 2 years of his contract. But everyone but Toby has 4 years left on their contracts so we are in a strong position.
Financially it makes more sense to keep our players even if world record bids come in for them as shirt sales, merchandise sales, ticket sale at wembley and then our new ground will all be better with these players staying.
It will only be necessary to sell if players kick off in my opinion and apart from possibly Walker that does not currently seem to be an issue.
As for the trebling of wages...if you are on £3-4m per year and most of our squad are and on 5 year contracts then they are already set for life as are their families. I would hope that the chance to win trophies at spurs and to play CL football at Wembley then at our new ground over the next 2 years would mean that they are willing to give it a go. Most are young enough to give the project 2 years and if we do not deliver they can then move on.
But then again ... as a spur I would think these things!

Yes, but the issue you've raised is how players can force a move if they are determined to and how the club has to be pragmatic.
I've no reason to think any player wants to leave now or in the future.
But Spurs have a wages structure. Some players are greedy.

 

[Citizen Kane]

Liked this apart from Zaha...as over rated as Barkley imho

I can certainly see where you're coming from but I tend to disagree.

As for Barkley, my main gripe with signing him (other than the fact that he is, as you say, horrendously over-hyped) is that we are spoiled rotten for options attacking through the middle. Alli, Eriksen and Lamela are all better than Barkley, as is Son who is best when cutting inside from wider positions. What 'gets me' about Zaha is his willingness to skin a player down the flanks; something we can't really do unless Rose and Walker are playing. And even then, if the opposition are of a high quality and said WB's have their hands full (cf. the game at Anfield. Also the game at Palace hinged on two key moments: one when Sakho went off, but before then when Allardyce told Zaha to switch flanks and target Walker who was on a yellow. Spent the rest of the evening in Kyle's pocket having had Davies on the back foot for the entirety of the first half), we lack a player who can truly get in the faces of the opposition defense, give them something to think about and stretch them across the width of the pitch to open up spaces in the middle for our less pacy players to exploit.