They Played for Tottenham and Villa

Danny Blanchfower, David Ginola and Alan Hutton have all played for Tottenham and Villa.  For the third successive match, Spurs play a team with former Tottenham players in their squad which always adds an extra something to the contest for both players and spectators.

Danny Blanchflower

One of the most important signings that Tottenham Hotspur have ever made came when the transfer of Danny Blanchflower from Aston Villa was completed in December, 1954.  When he retired through injury ten years later at the age of thirty eight, Spurs had experienced the most successful period in their history with a League and Cup 'Double', a second FA Cup success and become the first British team to achieve a European triumph.

Blanchflower grew up in Belfast and played for his local club, Glentoran.  He was transferred to Barnsley in 1949 and joined Villa two years later.  He was a great 'thinker' about football and wanted to play with style which often put him at odds with managers and coaches.  He complained that in training, players spent too much time on running and were denied the oportunity to practise with a football.

Tottenham manager, Arthur Rowe, signed Blanchflower, a Northern Ireland international, for £30,000 to replace Bill Nicholson who was nearing retirement.  He made his debut at Manchester City in a scoreless draw, taking Nicholson's place, and was ever present for the remainder of the season.  For the next number of seasons Tottenham's performances fluctuated and at times Blanchflower's graceful style of play didn't fit in with the endeavour that was required for a struggle near the foot of the table.

Blanchflower was appointed Captain and liked to take on-field decisions when he thought it necessary but that brought him into conflict with the manager on occasions.  Season 1955-56 was disappointing for Spurs in the League but they progressed to the FA Cup semi-finals.  In the 6th Round against West Ham at White Hart Lane on a very heavy pitch Spurs came from 2-3 down to earn a draw after as captain, Blanchflower, moved centre-half, Maurice Norman, forward to assist the attack.  The change worked as Spurs earned a draw and went on to win the replay 2-1.

They lost the semi-final to Manchester City but a goal down in the final minutes as Spurs battled for an equaliser, Blanchflower again moved Norman, forward into the attack as he had done successfully in the previous round.  It didn't work this time although Spurs nearly managed to equalise but the repercussions of the defeat went further than expected.  Manager, Jimmy Anderson was unimpressed with Blanchflower’s decision to make changes to the team during the game and in the ensuing row Blanchflower resigned as captain and did not take on the role for another two seasons.

Blanchflower won the Player of the Year award in 1957-58 season and captained Northern Ireland to a successful World Cup campaign in Sweden.

When Bill Nicholson was appointed manager, Blanchflower developed a better understanding with him which worked for the benefit of them and the team.  In the pre-season of 1960, Blanchflower boldly predicted that Spurs would win the 'Double'.  They did with a brand of exciting, flowing football that packed stadiums around the country.  The next year they reached the European Cup semi-finals, unlucky to lose to Benefica.  A second FA Cup triumph was achieved and they finished third in the League.  If they had won one of their two games against Champions, Ipswich Town, Spurs would have achieved a second 'double'.  The next year as injury started to take its toll on Blanchflower, he missed nearly half of the season but returned to inspire the team to the European Cup Winners' Cup success.  The following season he retired.

Blanchflower went into journalism and later briefly returned to football management.  On his resignation as Tottenham manger, Bill Nicholson recommended that Blanchflower, working with Johnny Giles, be appointed as his replacement.  The Board of Directors decided against such an appointment.

Blanchflower was one of Tottenham's most influential players and is a 'Legend' so important to the success that Spurs achieved at home and in Europe in the early 1960s.  He made 382 League and Cup appearances in his ten years with Tottenham.

Twenty five years after the Blanchflower transfer, the next transaction between the two clubs saw Gordon Smith arrive at White Hart Lane in February,1979.  A full back, he spent four years with Spurs as they tried to re-establish themselves in the 1st Division.  Injury problems delayed his debut and restricted his appearances so that he only made 45 League and Cup appearances before moving on to Wolverhampton Wanderers.  Not all transfers are a success.

David Ginola who was such a favourite at Tottenham during his three years at the club was transferred to Villa in 2000.  While at White Hart Lane he was a member of the Worthington Cup winning team of 1999 and brought excitement and skill to the team at what was a rather dull period in Tottenham's history.  He was signed by Gerry Francis from Newcastle United, played for Christian Gross and sold by George Graham.  On Graham's arrival it had been widely predicted that Ginola would be one of the first players to leave but he showed great application during this time and worked well for the team scoring a number of outstanding goals.  On returning to White Hart Lane the following season, to play in a rather dull scoreless draw for Villa, home spectators provided their own entertainment by cheering every time Ginola touched the ball.

Spurs Connections in Villa's Current Squad
Aston Villa's current squad contains three players with Tottenham connections in their past record.  Jermaine Jenas who is unavailable for this match as he is on a year long loan agreement with Villa joined Spurs from Newcastle in 2005.  He played in the Carling Cup win of 2008 and in the following season's losing Final team but has been a peripheral player at the club for the past two seasons.  A player of skill and endeavour, he too often failed to influence a game as much as his ability suggested he should and recurring injury problems restricted his appearances for Spurs as it has done at Villa.

Alan Hutton also joined Villa in August.  His transfer was completed as Kyle Walker who had finished last season on loan at Villa returned to White Hart Lane to claim the first team place and as former Tottenham player, Luke Young left Villa Park to sign for Queen's Park Rangers.  Hutton joined Spurs from Rangers in 2008 and a few weeks later was part of the Carling Cup success.  He fell out of favour following Harry Redknapp's appointment and went on loan to Sunderland.  It had been anticipated that he would leave sooner but he returned to the team in the first half of last season but out out again to Vedran Corluka.  A deal for £3 million was agreed with Villa in the summer and he expressed his disaffection for Spurs and the manager in articles in the press following his departure. 

Darren Bent was not happy at Tottenham following Harry Redknapp's quote after the striker missed an obvious goal scoring opportunity against Portsmouth.  He had joined Spurs from Charlton  Athletic in 2007 when Martin Jol was manager.  He never found his true goal scoring form with the club as he competed with Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermaine Defoe for a place in the team.  He was an unused substitute for the 2008 Carling Cup Final but played in the following year's losing team.  He finished leading goalscorer for Spurs in 2009 with 17 goals in all competitions.  He joined Sunderland in the summer of 2009 for £10 million after he had attracted attention with his infamous quotes on Twitter about which clubs he did and didn't want to sign for.

Since moving away from Tottenham Bent has shown much greater endeavour when playing against Spurs than he ever appeared to do when wearing the white shirt of Tottenham.  In his first game for Sunderland at White Hart Lane he lost his personal battle with Heurelho Gomes who saved his penalty awarded for what to many appeared to be a dive. as Spurs won 2 - 0.  However, in the return match he was fired up and scored two goals in the opening half hour, including a penalty.  In his continuing penalty shoot-out contest with Gomes, he lost out as Gomes saved two of the three penalties awarded as Spurs lost 1 - 3.  He joined Villa in January, 2011 for £18 million and has continued to add to his England appearances.

And there were Others
Other players who have worn both the claret and blue of Villa and the white of Spurs include:
Steve Hodge, Andy Gray, Colin Calderwood and Oyvind Leonhardsen. 

Older Players
Older players included Jimmy Cantrell who spent the early part of his career with Villa.  He joined Spurs in 1912 and was still an influential centre forward as Spurs won the 2nd Division in 1920 and the FA Cup the following season.  He was a few weeks short of his 39th birthday when he played in the 1921 FA Cup Final win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.  He retired in 1925 and played his last game for Spurs in April, 1923 - the oldest player to play for the club.

Cyril Spiers joined Tottenham from Villa in 1927 after a serious injury had led the Midlands club to believe that he would never be fit enough to play again.  However, he underwent surgery and after a successful trial joined Spurs.  He was their regular goalkeeper for over four seasons and was released in 1933 having made 169 League and Cup appearances.

Billy Cook and Ronnie Dix also served both clubs.

Tottenham's Home League Record against Villa

Another weekend of catch-up for Tottenham as their home game against Aston Villa has been moved to Monday evening for live television coverage.  Spurs, as they seek to continue their impressive Premier League form, will know what to expect from a team put out by Alex McLeish.

Tottenhan Hotspur v Aston Villa

Aston Villa come to White Hart Lane with the knowledge that Tottenham won the two matches last season with Rafael Van der Vaart scoring all four Spurs goals.  They will be hoping that he doesn't recover from the injury he received in the Holland match last weekend while every Spurs supporter will be wishing him a speedy recovery.  

Villa with Alex McLeish in charge are currently in 8th position with fifteen points.  They remained undefeated in their opening seven games of the season but only managed two wins.  They have yet to win away from Villa Park but are proving difficult to beat with four draws and their only defeat coming at Manchester City (1 - 4).  They drew at Fulham, Everton, QPR and Sunderland.  Their home record shows a defeat against West Brom, draws with Wolves and Newcastle while defeating Wigan, Blackburn and Norwich City (3 - 2), in their last game. 

Darren Bent and Gabriel Agboniahor are joint top scorers with five goals each.  Bent who for some unaccountable reason always seems fired up when playing against Spurs, scored twice against Norwich with Agboniahor getting the other.  Stiliyan Petrov has scored two goals while Richard Dunne, Emile Heskey, Barry Bannon who may be available, and Stephen Warnock have scored one each.

McLeish made a number of signings during the summer.  He has added experience to his squad rather than rely on the younger players who have come through the Villa Academy in recent years.  He signed Shay Given to replace Brad Friedel who arrived at White Hart Lane on a free.  Moving in the other direction, Alan Hutton joined his former Rangers manager for £4 million and Jermain Jenas went on a season long loan deal.  Hutton who spoke out against Harry Redknapp after his departure from Spurs will, like Bent, feel that he has a point to prove against Tottenham.  Jenas who came on as a sub against Norwich, following injury, for his first game can not play as he is on loan.  Villa have a very experienced defence with Dunne and James Collins in the centre.  Charles N'Zogbia was signed from Wigan to bring pace and creativity to the midfield as well as his goal scoring touch.

Alex McLeish's teams are hard working and full of endeavour so Tottenham know that they will make it difficult for them to play their fast moving game.  They have plenty of experience and will look to stifle Tottenham early on and look to score on the break and from set pieces.  

Premier League Home Record v Aston Villa 

P  19  W  8  D  7  L  4  For  28  Ag  22

Home League Record v Aston Villa 

P  68  W  34  D  14  L  22  For  131  Ag  120 

Last 6 League Games v Aston Villa at White Hart Lane

Oct. 2010  PL  Won 2 - 1 Van der Vaart (2)

Villa went ahead after sixteen minutes through Albrighton but Van der Vaart equalised before the interval.  He scored the winner with fifteen minutes remaining.

Feb. 2010  PL  Draw 0 - 0

Villa frustrated Spurs with a tight defensive display with Friedel playing his part as they earned a point. 

Sept. 2008  PL  Lost 1 - 2  Bent

The Monday night televised match in the early stages of Tottenham's 'two points from 8 games' start to the season under Juande Ramos.  Reo-Coker scored after five minutes for Villa and Luke Young increased their lead early in the second half.   Darren Bent scored a consolation goal with three minutes remaining. 

Oct. 2007  PL  Draw 4 - 4  Berbatov, Chimbonda, Keane (p), Kaboul

Another Monday evening match for Tottenham's 125th Anniversary game.  Dimitar Berbatov gave Spurs the lead after twenty minutes.  Villa quickly equalised and after an hour were 4 - 1 ahead with Paul Robinson culpable for a number of the goals.  Things were not going to plan on Spurs' 'big night' but a late rally saw Pascal Chimbonda pull one back with twenty minutes remaining, Robbie Keane scored from the penalty spot on 82 minutes and Younes Kaboul led rapturous celebrations after his goal in added time.

Dec. 2006  PL  Won 2 - 1  Defoe (2)

The Boxing Day match saw two second half goals from Jermain Defoe enable Spurs supporters to enjoy the festive celebrations.  Gareth Barry replied with a late goal.

Jan. 2006  PL  Draw 0 - 0

Thomas Sorensen almost single-handedly earned Villa a point they didn't deserve.  Tottenham fans simply couldn't believe that their team had failed to score in a game which they dominated and where they had created so many chances.   

Memorable Games at White Hart Lane

There have been a number of high scoring games between the two clubs but even though Spurs have had home advantage, they haven't always come out on top.

Tottenham's last big win was in April, 2005 when they won 5 - 1.  Fredi Kanoute scored twice, with Andy Reid, Ledley King and Stephen Kelly, his only goal for the club, getting the others.

In April, 2000, I watched Tottenham totally dominate the game for an hour and be two goals ahead through Stefan Iversen and Chris Armstrong.  Spurs then conceded a controversial penalty for Villa score four times in twelve minutes to take the three points.

 

Gerry Frances was managing Spurs for the first time in October, 1994 but Villa scored three times in six minutes midway through the first half.  Teddy Sheringham scored before the interval and Jurgen Klinsmann added a penalty early in the second half.  With less than twenty remaining Spurs levelled through an own goal and looked to have earned a point until the third minute of injury time when Villa snatched the win.

Villa won 5 - 2 in April, 1992 when a Gary Lineker goal and another own goal were all that Tottenham could manage.

In March, 1966 the match ended 5 - 5.  Spurs scored three in the first fifteen minutes, were 4-1 ahead at half-time and 5-1 up after five minutes of the second half.  The scorers were Alan Gilzean, Jimmy Greaves, Frank Saul, Laurie Brown and Jimmy Robertson.  Then came the Villa fight back.  They scored three goals in four minutes, equalised with 11 minutes to go and should have won when with three minutes remaining Tony Hateley was clean through, took the ball around Pat Jennings but hesitated and allowed Alan Mullery time to recover and clear.

On Monday evening Tottenham fans will be hoping that Harry Redknapp is well enough to return to his managerial duties after his surgery and that the players returning from international duty are free from injury and can maintain the form they show for their countries.   They will be looking for two names, in particular, who make all the difference to the team - Ledley King and Van der Vaart.  They will want Spurs to produce their brand of fast, tricky football for the whole game and not just one half.  In recent games after gaining the ascendency they have put themselves under pressure by conceding from a corner and then had to battle to retain their advantage.  Free-kicks and corners will again be an area of concern as Villa are a team who focus on taking advantage in these situations and have the players who can cause problems - Dunne, Collins, Warnock, Bent and Agboniahor.  

A win is vital as Spurs strive to keep up with the top teams while still retaining their game in hand which has been re-scheduled for early January.  It is a game Spurs will feel that they should win but Villa will make it very difficult for them to take the three points. 

Kyle Walker - Tottenham's Rising Star

Tottenham's young full back made his full international debut for England in their win over Sweden at Wembley.  Not content with that, he was selected as the 'Man of the Match' for his performance on the right side of defence where he also put his attacking tendencies to good purpose.

Kyle Walker - Man of the Moment

Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker who was named the 'Man of the Match' for his performance in his full England debut against Sweden has made rapid progress in three years.  On 15th November, 2008 he made his Football League debut while on loan at Northampton Town and three years later, to the day, he was playing for England at Wembley.

It must be difficult for a young player to get noticed at Tottenham at the moment with so many stars vying for the limelight but Kyle Walker has managed it this season as he establishes himself in the right back position at White Hart Lane.  With things looking up at Spurs at the present as they continue on their eight match unbeaten run in the Premier League, star players are queuing up to make the headlines.

Emmanuel Adebayor made a scoring debut back in September, Ledley King has emerged from the treatment room to lead the side on this exciting run, Gareth Bale has refound his goal scoring touch as well as the form which made him the talk of Europe twelve months ago, Rafael Van der Vaart scored in five successive League matches while Jermain Defoe has scored twice having come off the substitutes' bench.  Scott Parker has put in outstanding performances alongside Luka Modric in midfield, while Brad Friedel's performances have belied his forty years as Aaron Lennon has recovered from injury and is returning to his best.  However, Walker has created his own headlines with his exciting play and made himself an instant hero among supporters by scoring the winning goal in October's victory over closest rivals, Arsenal - for a Tottenham player, there's no better way to make news.

Even during this international break, Tottenham players have been to the forefront - Bale starred for Wales, scoring and creating goals in their win over Norway, Scott Parker was excellent in England's unexpected win over World and European Champions, Spain and Luke Modric was the star of Croatia's win over Greece in the Euro2112 play-off match.  All were named as 'Man of the Match' for these performances and then Sandro scored his first goal for Brazil to keep his name to the fore.  It would have been sufficient for Walker to make his full England after a brief appearance against Spain when he replaced Parker, but not wanting to be outdone by his more experienced colleagues he had to turn in a 'Man of the Match' performance to make his own statement.

Kyle Walker grew up in Sheffield and developed his football through Sheffield United's youth system.  In November, 2008, at the age of eighteen he went to Northampton Town on loan to gain some League experience and made nine appearances before returning to Bramall Lane where he made his debut in an FA Cup tie the following January.  At the end of the season, he made his League debut for United in their final two matches as they battled to make the Championship play-offs.  Having achieved that, Walker retained his place for the play-offs, appearing at Wembley in the defeat to Burnley.

The following July, after just that handful of appearances for United, Tottenham signed the 'two Kyles' - Walker and Naughton for a fee of £4 million each, seeing off Everton who were interested in signing Walker.  As part of the deal, Walker returned to United on loan for the 2009-10 season and he played regularly at right back, making 26 appearances.  He was unexpectedly recalled to White Hart Lane in February, 2010 as cover when Alan Hutton went on loan to Sunderland.  His Tottenham debut came at the end of March against Portsmouth and he retained his place for the next game at Sunderland. 

The following season he went out on loan to further his league experience and spent the first half of the year, helping Queen's Park Rangers in their pursuit of the Championship title.  He was highly regarded for his performances there and the club were disappointed when Tottenham recalled him and arranged a loan spell at a Premier League club.  Walker played 15 Premier League games for Aston Villa, scoring once and again received favourable reviews for his attacking play.  He was called into  the England squad by Fabio Capello but didn't progress into the team.  During the summer he went with the England Under-21 side to the European Under-21 Championships and was included in the 'Team of the Tournament'.

Aston Vila were keen to retain Walker for another season but Harry Redknapp had other ideas as he started the young full back in the opening match of the season although he had to go off at half-time as he was unwell.  He missed the defeat to Manchester City but has made the right back position his own with experienced Vedran Corluka having to be satisfied with a place on the bench.

Walker is an exciting prospect who is rapidly gaining experience.  He is confident in his play and his ability, constantly looking to get forward to create opportunities for others.  He is developing a good understanding with Aaron Lennon on the right wing which has to be an important element of his game so as Tottenham get the best out of the winger.  Walker's forward play has seen him involved with the goal scored by Rafael Van der Vaart at Blackburn and it was his attacking exploits which played a prominent part in the lead up to the first goal at Fulham where his pull back went to Lennon who set Bale free to score.  Walker has great pace when going forward and his shooting ability saw him deceive Arsenal's goalkeeper for the winner at White Hart Lane.  Defensively, he is still learning his trade but he is able to use his great pace to get back and recover his position and retrieve the situation.

Full back has often been a position where Tottenham have struggled to find players of the required standard but if Walker continues to learn and progress as he has done in recent years then Spurs have an excellent prospect on their books for many years to come.  With Bale and Lennon on the wings, supported by Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Walker from full back, there are exciting times ahead for Tottenham supporters.

The Decline of Bassong at Tottenham

Sebastien Bassong apologised to his colleagues for the elementary error which led to the free-kick from which Rubin Kazan scored the only goal in the Europa League match on Thursday evening and saw Spurs lose their unbeaten record.  The defeat meant that Tottenham slipped from top of the Group A to third place and they will need to defeat the new leaders, PAOK Salonika, in their next match to give themselves a chance of qualification to the knock-out stages as winners of the group.

Sebastien Bassong Apologises for His Mistake

Sebastien Bassong

Ahead of the Europa League in Russia, there was a poignant headline in the London Evening Standard, 
'It Hurts that my Tottenham Career is nearly over.'   
 (Read the full story here)

The headline screamed all that has been wrong with Sebastien Bassong over the past year at Spurs.  He has lost confidence and has clearly given up.  It had all started so well at White Hart Lane for Bassong who joined Spurs in the summer of 2009, following Newcastle United's relegation.  Bassong had been one of the few players to come out of that season with some credit in what had been a terrible year for the club.  His centre back partner, Fabricio Coloccini, had been widely criticised but now as Bassong looks troubled, Coloccini is receiving the plaudits as Newcastle maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

Bassong made his Premier League debut for Tottenham in their opening day win over Liverpool at White Hart Lane, heading the winning goal from a corner and becoming the tenth Tottenham player to score on their debut in the Premier League.  That season he went on to make 28 League appearances and was comfortable in his partnership with the other centre backs, Michael Dawson, Ledley King and Younes Kaboul, as the team finally broke in to the top four and achieved their goal of Champions League football.  He was ahead of Kaboul and only lost his place when King returned for the final few games of the season.

The following year, King and Dawson started as first choice but when they were injured early in the new season, Bassong returned to the team and was involved in of the early part of the Champions League campaign, scoring the first goal in Berne as Spurs recovered from a three goal deficit in the Qualifying Round.  The arrival of William Gallas increased competition for places and Bassong was no longer guaranteed a starting place or of stepping in when someone was injured.  This uncertainty seemed to drain his confidence and when called upon it affected his performances and saw him more often among the substitutes as Dawson, Gallas and Kaboul claimed their places.  In his performance at Blackpool as Tottenham looked to push on towards a second successive Champions League place, his uncertainty was particularly evident as a poor team performance saw Spurs lose 1 - 3.  Returning to the side, Bassong gave away an early and unnecessary penalty to set Blackpool on their way.

Bassong's appearances had been greatly reduced in that second season and there was talk of a possible transfer away from White Hart Lane.  In fact, at the end of August, he appears to have been only a signature away from joining newly promoted Queen's Park Rangers but Tottenham's inability to reach agreement with Bolton Wanderers over the signing of Gary Cahill, saw them decide against his transfer and retain him as cover at Spurs.

Sebastien Bassong comes across as a genuine fellow, he's not brash and when he's relaxed he has a smile on his face and appears very pleasant.  However, on the pitch, he looks as if he's carrying all the cares of the world on his shoulders, he looks tense, nervous, unsure of what to do and so afraid of making a mistake that it affects his judgement and all round play.

Ironically, one of the positives surrounding the young players who have appeared in the Europa League team, has been their confidence and self-belief which belies their tender years.  They have not been phased by the thought that they are playing in the first team or that it's an important European competition or that they're playing with experienced Premier League players and internationals or that that their opponents are internationals.  They have set aside all such concerns and performed admirably with very satisfactory results.

However, Bassong has looked so on edge in his manner and in his play.  Even as captain, he seemed unsure what decision to take when he won the toss.  In the matches he's played, this has led to errors in his passing, putting team mates under pressure with a misdirected pass or one played too short.  Clearances have given the ball back to opponents and maintained the pressure on the Spurs defence. Even basic areas of his game have been affected - his first touch putting him under pressure as happened in the home game against Rubin Kazan.  As the visitors increased their attacking intent in the second half, a ball was passed back to him but he somehow stood on it and was immediately under pressure but managed to rescue the situation with the help of a colleague.

The inevitable mistake from which he couldn't recover occurred in Russia.  As the under-strength  team held out in the second half against the increasing threat of Rubin Kazan, Gallas managed to head a dangerous cross to Bassong who was alone in the centre of the Tottenham area.  He took a touch and then a second but this one was too strong, resulting in the ball getting away from him and as he dived in to retrieve the situation, he brought down the home player.  He was booked and Rubin Kazin scored the only goal from the free-kick.  It was a needless free-kick to concede and Spurs paid dearly for Basson's mistake.  After the game, Bassong apologised to the team but it has been a mistake waiting to happen for some time.  In his general play in Russia, playing beside the experienced Gallas, he had appeared more confident than on some previous occasions but his mistake took away from his overall performance as did a later misjudgement which played young Dean Parrett into trouble and could easily have led to another goal.

Bassong has taken on a persona similar to Heurelho Gomes when he is not playing well.  He seems to have accepted that his time with Spurs is over and is waiting to move on during the transfer window in January.  This attitude is having a telling affect on his play and for a player who started his career at Tottenham in such a positive manner, it is sad to see him so out of sorts with his football and so uncertain and lacking in confidence.  It would appear that Bassong is now among a number of players who have lost the confidence of the manager with little future for them at the club.  Some, like Alan Hutton and Robbie Keane have already moved on, others like David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas have gone out on loan while Bassong and Gomes remain, waiting for their time to come to depart through the door marked 'Exit'.

Alan Hutton Critical of Harry Redknapp

Alan Hutton has spoken out about his time at Tottenham and his sense of feeling unwanted.  His criticism is contrary to how the general public regard Harry Redknapp who is lauded for his man-management skills and his ability to bring out the best in his players.

Alan Hutton

Alan Hutton is a player for whom Tottenham made a number of approaches before finally signing him from Glasgow Rrangers in January, 2008 for £9 million.  The player had twiced turned down the opportunity to move to London but Juande Ramos was eager to sign him and he went into the team immediately and after two games was picking up a winners medal at Wembley as Spurs defeated Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final.

Hutton is a strong running, attacking full-back who has won 21 caps for Scotland.  His time at Spurs has been interrupted by injury but the arrival of Vedran Corluka provided competition for the right back position and Hutton became the back-up.  In February, 2010 he went on loan to Sunderland but returned to Spurs in the summer, although it was widely thought that he would leave the club.  However, during the early part of the next season, he had a time in the team and scored two goals but a poor performance in the FA Cup defeat at Fulham saw him dropped from the team.  He started only one more game in the final months of the season and at the end of August he joined Aston Villa where he was re-united with his former Rangers manager, Alex McLeish.

Competition for Places
There was much competition for the right back spot in the Tottenham team. As well as Hutton and Corluka, Spurs had Pascal Chimbonda, Kyle Walker, Kyle Naughton, Chris Gunter and Younes Kaboul who could play there as well.

Hutton complained that Harry Redknapp didn't communicate with him, made him train with the youth players and of feeling unwanted.  He indicated that there were other players at the club who were in a similar position.  Hutton has been a player on the fringe of the club for some time and was obviously surplus to requirement.  This greatly affected his confidence and ability to play.

Hutton's opinion of Harry Redknapp is different from the widely held view of him as a manager who will encourage a player and put a caring arm around them in times of difficulty.  Redknapp is lauded for his man-management skills and is regarded as a manager who could lift and inspire the England team in a way that previous managers have been unable to do.  Fabio Capello is frequently criticised for not understanding the players and it is to Redknapp that many expect the Football Association to turn when the current manger's contract expires in next summer.

Spurs 'Lost XI'

Tottenham's Missing Players

Concerns are mounting over the number of highly paid international players who have been lost at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club for some considerable time.  These players continue to receive their highly exorbitant salaries without having to kick a football in anger - we'd all be up for a job like that.

Before the announcement of today's team, a few words of thanks to some former members of the Spurs 'Lost XI' who have gone off to pastures new.  First, the captain and founder member of this illustrious team, Robbie Keane who after many years of service and goals took off to his 'boyhood team', Liverpool, where they destroyed him and returned him six months later, as damaged goods.  His days became numbered when he masterminded the infamous Christmas 'golf' trip to Dublin.  Harry Redknapp was not best pleased so Robbie went off to his other favourite team Celtic on loan, became a Hammer but with even less success and is now plying his trade with David Beckham for LA Galaxy.

Vice-Captain, Jonathan Woodgate has been an outstanding member of the 'Lost XI' for much of his time with Tottenham.  Most consistently over the last eighteen months when he managed to play for only fifteen minutes in Milan in the Champions League.  Having travelled the world, possibly at Tottenham's expense, in search of a remedy for his numerous injury problems, he has now taken up service with Stoke City in both the Premier League and Europa League.  In a short period of time he has managed appearances at such exciting places as Aldershot, Stoke, Split and Norwich.  Perhaps he'll appear at a ground near you, any day soon.

Team News:
Heurelho Gomes is a recent recruit for the 'Lost XI'.  Last seen sitting on the bench at Old Trafford following his uncertain display in the Europa League game at Hearts.  Not seen for the return match when Carlo Cudicini played with Brad Friedel who had made his debut in the defeat to Manchester United, among the substitutes. One wonders, nay speculates, if Gomes is to be long with us or is he destined to return to Holland where his idiocincracies are less problematic.

Alan Hutton, a combative defender, is a long standing member of this squad.  He first appeared surplus in early 2010 when he went off to Sunderland but returned and while making an impression with a couple of goals, all was not well.  A few appearances for Scotland later, rumours persist of his imminent departure but he's still 'lost' at Spurs.

Ledley King

Ledley King has been part of this team for long periods of his Tottenham career.  For the past number of years he has struggled to play regularly due to numerous injury problems and operations but he did manage to captain Spurs to their Carling Cup success against Chelsea at Wembley in 2008.  Unexpected appearances in the final two games of last season saw Spurs win at Liverpool and against Birmingham to claim a Euopa League place.  Another operation and he has gone missing again but is the newly appointed captain of Spurs 'Lost XI'.

William Gallas is a new recruit for this team.  Having signed from Arsenal last year he put in many stirring performances in the face of seeming injury difficulties.  Hardly a game passed without Gallas limping off for running repairs only to return a few minutes later,  bandaged and strapped up ready for action.  Many commendable performances followed and they were greatly appreciated by the Spurs faithful.  Eventually, the injuries caught up with him and he missed the final two matches of a long season.  Now missing at the start of the new season, he takes his place in the 'Lost XI'.

Sebastien Bassong had a commendable debut season for Tottenham but on occasions last year he looked lost all over the pitch, especially on a cold evening in Blackpool last February when Tottenham's claims for a top 4 finish started to unravel.  Still looking unsure and uncomfortable, it looks as if his future at Spurs could be short as talk continues of a central defender arriving at White Hart Lane.

David Bentley has been a member of the Spurs 'Lost XI' for most of his Tottenham career.  A few short periods of action on the pitch have been followed by spells of inactivity.  Last season spent on loan at Birmingham didn't help and talk of inauspicious performances for the Spurs XI seems to guarantee his regular availability for our little team.

Jermaine Jenas

Jermaine Jenas is a happy member of our team who is frequently absent through injury for some time each year.  He failed to impress on-lookers when given a sudden opportunity on the big-stage against Real Madrid last April.  Injury once again has reduced him to sitting on the bench as the new season starts with younger players eager to show their worth.

Wilson Palacios, like Bassong made a commendable start to his time at Tottenham but in recent seasons he has found it more difficult to hold down a place in the team.  Even the intervention of his mother failed to inspire him and he has become more isolated as Sandro has become accustomed to Premier League football. With limited opportunities, he may prefer to forgo the pleasure of appearing for the 'Lost XI' to turn out in the Potteries.

Luka Modric, the recipient of the members Player of the Year award in May, has become an unexpected member of the 'Lost XI'.  He has either had his turned by Chelsea or has sustained a convenient injury, depending on which story you believe, as Tottenham's season has got off to an unconvincing start.  How long he will remain part of the squad is uncertain.

Giovani Dos Santos was last seen starring for Mexico with wonder goals in the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the summer.  He had a half season on loan with Racing Santander last year but has seen little action for Spurs in spite of his fine credentials on signing from Barcelona.  A move away to a team in Europa may be more may appropriate for his talent.

Peter Crouch is another newcomer to this select squad.  After making a goal scoring appearance in pre-season against Athetic Bilbao and with his understanding with Van der Vaart and his usefulness against Continental defenders, it appeared that he would continue to play a part at Tottenham for the foreseeable future.  However, after three games he has failed to appear and speculation of future dalliances with the Potteries continues.

Substitutes:
Ben Alnwick signed from Sunderland in a swap for Marton Fulop - Spurs didn't do well in that transaction.  He has spent most time on loan around the lower divisions of the Football League and will probably be off again on his travels very soon.

John Bostock came as a young player from Crystal Palace but has failed, to date, to live up to his early hype.  He became Spurs' youngest player when appearing in a European game in 2008 but has failed to impress in subsequent spells on loan at League clubs.  A young player who at present seems to have lost his way.

All clubs are facing the problem of players who are surplus to requirements, but for top clubs with big squads paying high salaries it is becoming more difficult to move players on as they see out their long contracts.  Tottenham have a squad of players who are earning high salaries but are not having to give anything to the club in return - it must be a great life for them, as long as they don't mind not playing football regularly.  It's something Tottenham have been trying to remedy in this current Transfer Window by removing some of them but now into the final few days of August, it would appear that there will be quite a number of them still available for selection for the Spurs 'Lost XI' in the coming months.

Europa League - Tottenham Hotspur v Hearts

Opportunity for Young Players and Squad Members
 

With a five goal advantage going into the second leg of their Europa Cup tie at White Hart Lane against Heart of Midlothian, Harry Redknapp should have the opportunity to rest some of his first team squad and replace them with younger players and those members of the squad who haven't played so far this season.  It was his stated intention to use the Europa League for this purpose and this would seem to be the ideal opportunity.  Development Squad manager, Tim Sherwood, also indicated that some of his players would be used in these games.

Following the draw which paired Spurs and Hearts, a journalist based in Edinburgh who covers the Scottish club's matches was speaking on Talksport and he indicated that Hearts aimed to put in a good performance but realistically regarded the tie as an opportunity to make some money as they knew that there was a difference in class between the two clubs.  He couldn't have expected his words to be proved so accurate in the first game where Spurs were so in control for all but the opening minutes of the second half.

Hearts will come into the second game determined to make up for their lacklustre performance at Tynecastle and as they play for their pride they will give Spurs neither the time nor the space they afforded them in the opening match.  Redknapp will look to put out a balanced team with younger players supported by some of the experienced members of the squad.

Possible Team Selection
Having lost out to Brad Friedel at Old Trafford, Heurelho Gomes could return in goal behind a back four which could include Michael Dawson as captain.  Sebastien Bassong who looks set to leave the club before the end of the transfer window will probably partner him.  Danny Rose could replace Benoit Assou-Ekotto at left back and look to build on his promising performances in that position at the end of last season.  At right back, depending on Kyle Walker's recovery from sickness which required him to be substituted at half-time on Monday evening, Vedran Corluka or Alan Hutton could come in to replace him.  Hutton who is likely to leave would have the opportunity to play against his fellow countrymen.  Unfortunately, on the team news on the official THFC site, Rose is listed as injured with an ankle problem.

In midfield Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone may get some time as well as Jake Livermore who has looked comfortable in the team and may look to add to his experience with another game against Hearts.  Dean Parrett, the England Under-20 player who ended last season on loan at Charlton Athletic may make another European appearance to add to his two games in 2009 against Shakhtar Donetsk.  Andros Townsend who scored on his debut for Spurs in the FA Cup against Charlton Athletic will probably replace either Gareth Bale or Aaron Lennon in the team.  John Bostock and Tom Carroll will hope to get some game time having been on loan during recent seasons.

Bostock, has made three substitute appearances for Spurs in UEFA Cup games and when he made his debut in November, 2008,  against Dinamo Zagreb at White Hart Lane he became the youngest ever First Team player in a competitive match.  At the age of 16 years, 295 days, he beat the previous record held by Ally Dick since 1982.

Harry Kane

Roman Pavlychenko will probably be given his first start of the season and many hope that young Academy player, Harry Kane will get some time in this game.  Kane has just turned eighteen and has been a prolific goal scorer at every level of youth football.  He has had experience on loan with Leyton Orient and has scored regularly for the Development squad and Spurs XI teams this season.

Spurs look sure to progress to the Group stages of the Europa League and the young players will want to take this opportunity to show their ability and to impress so they will want to do it in style by winning the second leg and not limping there on the back of a defeat to their Scottish visitors.  A win would lift morale following the disappointing defeat against Manchester United and prepare everyone for more difficult games in the next few weeks.