European dreams
Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at 2:43PM guestblog by Chris King
It’s the 23rd May. The Year is 1984.
A nine year old boy is watching his mates run around on the stage at the Curzon Cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue. His Mum leans in to him, nudging him on the arm. She asks why he is not up there playing with his mates; why he looks so serious, on this his birthday. She offers popcorn, sweets and a sip of fizzy pop, but nothing seems to wake him from his near trance.
“Come on” she says. “Don’t be sad, do you not want to see the film?”
“It’s not that Mum”
“Well, what is it then?”
“Mum. How are we going to stop Enzo Scifo?”
Some of that has been Hollywoodized for the narrative to introduce this piece, but I did spend the afternoon of my ninth birthday watching the Fox and Hounds at the Curzon. I can’t really recall much about the film, it wasn’t until I saw it on video some months later that I realised the fox…. Well, I won’t spoil it for those who haven’t seen it.
Only one memory burns bright from that day, and “If you know your history” the opening sentence to this piece will tell you everything you need to know.
It’s been all too easy to think of negative things to write about Spurs for my contributions to this site over the last month or so. I don’t get down to as many games as Spooky, so compiling match previews or reports is a bit of an ask, given that we often have to rely on the incomprehensible ‘Mers’ on Soccer Saturday, to fill in the blanks in the wilds of the North.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t change tack. To look both forwards and back; to be like a nine year old again – both anxious and giddy with emotions at the prospect of another massive European night of football for the Spurs.
"It's magnificent to be in Europe and this club - a club like Tottenham Hotspur - if we're not in Europe.... we're nothing. We’re nothing."
That quote comes directly from Bill Nicholson. He’s right. Some would say he was always right where Spurs were concerned. The year after that majestic night in 1984, we had another good run – falling agonisingly short to the eventual champions Real Madrid by the odd goal in the Quarter-Final. We’ve had some moments since then, including the Inter Milan game at home this year – but they have been all too few and far between. We’ve been hopeless in both getting in to Europe, and re-establishing our place once we get there. But it used to be all so different.
There will be people reading this that weren’t born in 1984, let alone got to see that penalty shoot out – who will remember Tony Parks the player rather than the goalkeeping coach. A player, much like Newcastle’s Steve Harper, who spent eight fairly unproductive years as back up keeper – amassing the sort of game time Gomes will do in a less than a season this term. But no one cares about that. All those that saw the game can remember is his one great game. The sight of him diving to his right, getting both hands to substitute Arnór Guðjohnsen’s penalty and pushing it out towards the west stand; reeling off with both hands in the air, before being mobbed by his team mates.
It was our third major cup success in four years (to add to the 1981 and 1982 FA Cups) and I couldn’t imagine it being any different as a Spurs fan. How wrong could I be? Thanks first to Heysel and then one poor mid-table side after another, we only managed two further appearances in Europe in the nineties – neither of which amounted to much; especially given the own goal Stephen Carr conceded in the last minute to send us out away to Kaiserslautern.
Since then we’ve had a couple of decent runs in the now defunct UEFA Cup; but the Jol era aside, it has never really felt as though we were really 100% committed to the task in hand.
That is until this season.
A terrible start to the campaign seems to have shaped our season a touch – hopeless in the opening phase of the first half away from home. But at home, in front of our fans – what a joy it has been to watch European football again at the Lane. Young boys, Twente, Internazionale and Werder Bremen - all blown away by the sort of attacking, entertaining and heart lifting football we’ve craved since those Glory, Glory nights of the 60s, 70s and 80s. We’ve played with a spirit that shows we fear no one, even during those calamitous passages of play – but do pray to whatever sporting or religious deities you hold dear, that no on dives in for a reckless challenge in our box in the opening 10 minutes tonight.
To have the chance to play AC Milan, at the Giuseppe Meazza on one of our biggest European nights since that fateful birthday back in 1984, I can’t but help paraphrase Bill Nicholson’s quote. For it is magnificent to be in Europe, and this club – a club like Tottenham Hotspur to be playing the Italian league Leader in Europe without fear proves we’re something. For even though the internet appears to have written our chances off for tonight at least, especially with the absence of key players – for once, we as fans still all seem to believe. How great is that!
So today, as I sit at work – slightly fed up, slightly distant – looking south east out of the window towards Milan I can’t but help being transported back to that cinema seat in 1984. As my mum leans in, nudges me on the arm and asks why I’ve not completed the Project Plan I should have had done by lunch time…
“Come on” she says. “Can’t you do your work?”
“It’s not that Mum.”
“Well, what is it then?”
“Mum. Let me tell you how we’re going to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic…”
Reader Comments (88)
I was there when Parks saved that penalty. A wonderful evening, as was beating Wolves with big Chiv powering in, majestic!
European nights are what we are about and tonight is, well tonight is........
COYS.
Enjoying your work Chris.
Caveat to the article. I'm part-exiled from WHL currently.
Brilliant. Please phone our back 4 and make sure they know how to stop Zlatan aswell. Thanks.
Ah, the memories of Kaiserslautern. Me, my brother a mate were in the pub that night watching the game and waiting for the pub quiz which would take place afterwards.
Such was the disappointment that every answer that we didn't actually know, was answered with "Stephen F'ing Carr".
I evidently haven't watched enough Italian football this season as I'm not actually panicking or worried about how we deal with Ibrahimovic.
I'm slightly disappointed that we aren't in the position where AC's fans are wondering "how do we deal with Gareth Bale", but we'll save that for 3 weeks time.
Maybe they're wondering how they will deal with Lennon, Modric or VdV (we can but hope).
We really did do our utmost to ruin the club in the mid to late 90s. I agree with Bill. European football is what we're all about. Can't go without again.
Tonight we need to play very concentrated specially the first 15-20 minutes. Beware of the referee.
beautifully crafted piece. Thanks for helping me drift away into my own dreamland for 5 minutes. COYS
Longer the game goes on the more confident we'll get, that's if we don't concede early.
Possession, possession, possession. Add to that - we need to be clinical up front. I can see Milan having plenty of chances. Just hoping it's not like the Inter game when every shot they had went in. Spurs and Harry need to prove to us and themselves that we have evolved, lessons learnt.
Us "oldies" will remember the 61-62 season when we got to the semi final of what was then simply The European Cup. After losing 3-1 against Benfica in Lisbon we beat them 2-1 in the 2nd leg and if it hadn't been for some outragous refereeing decisions would have gone on to meet Real Madrid in the final. There was some consolation the following season when we beat Athletico Madrid 5-1 in Rotterdam to win the Europen Cup Winners Cup.
i didn't even read your post! i'm too excited! this is going to be absolutely awesome! 4 and a half hours until we get to show the whole of Europe just who their daddy really is! COME ON YOU SPURS!!!!!!!
I was there, lower shelf next to the triangle at the Park Lane end.
Just wanted to let you all know that really.
Amazing. Simpy amazing.
Aaah Enzo Scifo , the last real Belgian playmaker - surprised you know him actually Chris.
According to their revenue and spendings, Spurs, just like ALL the other world's top 20 clubs, it would be every year a regular team in CL and other international competitions if they had a better transfer policy. Unfortunately all those years they've spent a lot of money to buy flops and players who couldn't help the club to win regularly championships or places leading to CL and other European competitions.
Losing that semi-final to Benfica (even though I was not alive) really depresses me more than anything considering the offside goals given in both games. We could have won it. Shame that. Would have made the early 60s side even more legendary. Considering we could have done the double again in 62.
As soon as I saw the date in the first, my first thought was "Ah, Tony Parks.... what a star."
Glad to see he didn't escape your attention in the piece. Great blog Chris. Beautiful.
Can't wait to see us channel some of that spirit again tonight. For Anderlecht, read Milan.
COYS
Memories of standing on those clattering, wooden, Paxton Road seats straining to see the 1984 shoot-out below are amongst my most cherished. Not least as it was one of the few matches I attended with both my dad and grandad. But that was a long time ago and I see no need to look anywhere but forward these days.
I read in Gazzetta yesterday that Milan will not fancy a visit to the 'cauldron of White Hart Lane' in three weeks' time. The 'cauldron of White Hart Lane'. Makes yer proud.
And then this morning, driving to work, I passed a pub pitching its night's entertainment offering on a chalkboard at the roadside. It said, simply 'Tonight: AC Milan v Spurs' and there it was again. Pride.
I have experienced many feelings as a Spurs fan but pride - genuine, heartfelt pride - has been all too rare.
Of course, this doesn't mean we're going to win the CL or progress any further but that's not the point. We are in the last 16 of world football's premier club competition and we are not afraid.
That's the point. COYS.
Aaah how could i forget , the game that left Belgium in tears , when we were still great in Europe ...Thanks for reminding me Chris
"Aaah Enzo Scifo , the last real Belgian playmaker - surprised you know him actually Chris."
I loved him, Belgian Spur. Was the stand out player that night... and followed him at the WC in '86 as well.
In fact, I reckon my love of the colour purple is all down to him and that Anderlecht kit. His shirt went up for auction on the Spurs site... was just a few hundred pound out of my price range.
i have now read your post, it was fantastic. thanks for the read
We're Spurs not linked with Scifo?
We're linked with everyone, so I guess the answer would be yes.
I was nervous enough anyway.... Yes I was there when Parks saved that penalty and it remains one of my top Spurs moments ever along with Ricky's goal, the 91 semi and (surprisingly perhaps) the league cup final against Chelski. All European matches used to be really special but with the reorganisation of the competitions only the Champions League retains the magic, and even that is diluted by the overblown nature of the competition for the great god TV. But under the lights at the Lane it is still really special. I'm just hoping that our patched up team can keep us in touch so I can enjoy the match in 3 weeks time. The idea of Sandro and Palacios together fills me with dread - but hey I love being proved wrong!!
belgianspur - Surprised we'd know Scifo? The man was a genius. At the age of 12 I wrote a piece for a school project on who I thought were the 10 best players who were going to be appearing in the 86 World Cup. Scifo, I think, was about #6, behind only Maradona, Platini, Zico, Socrates and Rummenigge - and that's a pretty good company to be included in.
And i hate to be a sourpuss but when AC Milan play in that ground it is called San Siro - AC fans would be angry if you d say to them that they play in Giuseppe Meazza Scifo is a hero in Belgium , one of the greatest we ever had and one of the last we ever had befor everything went wrong and money started ruling the game, thanks to another countryman of mine : JM Bosman. But , great piece of writing , cant wait for the game to start
Sorry for the lack of interpunction in my previous post, blackberry and posting here don't add up apparantly
'cauldron of White Hart Lane'
Please please can we have a scoreline tonight that keeps us in the tie, 'cos the Lane will be absolutely rocking for the return.
slightly worrying forward 3 of AC Milan but lennon, vdv, kranjaer & crouch (great in Europe) should keep AC on their toes. Daws playing v well, Sandro if he can do it like he did in the 2nd half at the weekend..we have a decent shout. Bale & Mods back for the 2nd leg please. Gonna go beserk if we score tonight.
Some slightly amusing news on the Twitter front - some Spurs fan has tweeted "To Dare Is To Do" to a huge number of celebrities, many of whom are in the US and probably have NO idea what it means......
Most importantly though he has tweeted it to Lennon, VdV & Pienaar
glory glory hallelujah
We cant win the match tonight. I am not writing this match off, I am being realistic. And I hope Harry is too. We have all - me included - been fooling ourslves in the weeks since the draw was made. "Meelan, old men!", we said. "Hudd will be back, Bale will be on fire, VDV cant stop scoring" we convinced ourselves. "We should start as favourites".
But the weeks went by. Hudd never returned. VDV got injured and stopped scoring. And now Bale and Modders are out. Can we really be playing away to Meelan in front of an audience of hundreds of millions all around the world, without our holy trinity of superstars? Are we really going to play this match with Sandro and Wilson as our central midfield? Its like those dreams you have where you are about to take the stage as lead singer and guitarist in a rock band, and you remember you cant play guitar and dont know any of the songs. This cant be happening, can it?
But hey, all is not lost, as long as Harry is SENSIBLE. This isnt Sunderland or Bolton. Its Meelan. And they are good again. It is a huge step up in class. Which is why I say, we cant win the game tonight...but we can win the tie. And to do that - and you are all going to hate this - we have to bore Meelan out of it tonight. Its 3 weeks till the return. We really should have the holy trinity back for then. So really, Harry, we CAN afford NOT to attack tonight. I know you see it as a badge of honour, but sometimes discretion is the better part of valour. And that sometimes is tonight.
So for my money, Pienaar over Lennon (too lightweight tonight I'm afraid). Sandro and Palacios holding (if thats possible). Plenty of long balls up to Crouch and hope VDV can work some magic from his knock downs. It wont be pretty and it wont be 'Spurs' for sure, but it might eak us out a result worth taking to the Lane. Remember, the likes of Copenhagen were capable of playing this way and holding Barca to 1-0 away. We have far better players than Copenhagen, even with our injuries.
Lets make Milan work for every goddamn opening. No gimmies. No first half collapses. No 'Gomes 30 yards off his line' antics. No BAE slicing cross field passes behind him. No Palacios freezing with the ball at his feet and facing his own goal (belt it out for a throw in, son!). Please, please, no early red cards (Gomes, Dawson, are you listening?). Nothing clever, nothing flash. Dull is our friend tonight. Milan's fans wont mind, they are masters of it. So come on lads, stick to the plan!
1. Only kick the ball forwards. Harder and higher the better. TMP is playing for a reason. Fking use him.
2. Make every single set piece work. And I am including throw ins here. I'm sick of seeing us throw the ball backwards when away from home. Get it into the box!
3. Stick to your positions:
- Gomes, dont leave the 6 yard box. I dont care whats happening ahead of you. It doesnt matter. You are a terrible footballer so you wont be able to help. Stay where you are. You are better conceding one goal than getting sent off after 2 mins. Copenhagen's keeper didnt get sent off after 2 mins at the Nou Camp. It was a pretty important part of their plan infact.
- Sandro, Wilson. Stay central, stay deep. Tackle cleanly, or just get in the way. No freekicks within 30 metres of the goal. Dont get dragged out wide and for the love of god, dont cross half way
- Kranc, Pienaar: only cross half way when we have good controlled posession. When you do, you must get a cross in every time. Get it high, get it central. Their keeper is no great shakes at crosses. TMP is. And VDV will be there to make the most of the mayhem
- BAE, Corluka: dont cross half way under any circumstances. Not tonight. It isnt required.
- Crouch: stay central, stay upfield, but for the love of god, stay onside.
- VDV: Maraude to your heart's content son. Be our free man. Be our HERO.
Come on you Spurs, keep it smiple. The cockerel on your chests will be rebelling at these tactics, driving you forward. Its in his DNA and we love him for it, but really, this is for one night only. Stick to the plan lads. MAKE US PROUD!
Paul F interesting post and a fair bit of sense - but Pienaar for Lenny - no way - the Milan full backs are their weakness and they don't like pace. If Crouch plays he needs crosses. Lenny is the only member of our first choice midfield available (unless there is a Modric miracle) and he's first choice for a good reason.
COYS!
SO excited right now.
I'm glad PaulF isn't coaching our team... where is the passion, the heart, the do-or-die attitude? I would prefer to go out 10-4 rather than 1-0.
There is nothing we should be afraid of. AC should be afraid of us and coming to WHL.
Shame we don't have an athletics track to do a lap of honour...
Jill - I have another view regarding Lennon. While I dont doubt your logic, I look forward to seeing their fullbacks exposed in the 2nd leg, I just dont think we need to take the risk tonight. Bring him on for the last 20 by all means, he will probably have more impact then anyway. But to start with him? It makes for a flimsy ine up in my opinion. Keeping it tight for the opening 30 mins is priority numero uno
bringbackmabbutt - I am with you 99% of the time. Really I am. Jose Dominguez was my fave player of the 90s. My vision of football puts swash and buckle together and glories in their holy union. But not tonight. Not in a two legged game. Save the glory for the Lane. Because lose 10-4 tonight and you may as well go and stick your ticket for the Lane in 3 weeks time down the bog. I dont wanna do that - I paid enough for the f'ing thing! There really isnt any glory in losing a two legged tie within the opening 30 mins of the first leg.
This is 2 legs, this is Europe, this is AC away. Fail to keep it tight and it could be over by half time. We need to keep it alive for our big guns to come back, at our sacred home, on our beloved soil. Do that and they wont know whats hit them. That, my friend, will be the glory. There and then, we will dare and by God we WILL do. Not tonight. Tonight the head rules the heart. As I said, for one night only.
Great write Chris. We're a similar age,nine years old when we won the UEFA cup = a long time ago.
Memories of that game, thinking Graham Roberts was the man and the penalty shoot out. My memory is poor at the best of times, wish there was more in my head.
These nights are great and hopefully we can get them back to the Lane on level terms and put another Glory night into the history books. Block 32 here I come!!
COYS I feel positive about tonight.
Can't remember the movie - memory again - but there's a line "I feel like a kid again". That's me that is.
One of the best first halfs I ever saw Spurs playing. So proud of them. So proud.
Roll on another half in the same fashion, and let steamrolled at WHL.
So proud of the Spurs!
...steamrolled THEM....
Give the bloody ball to Lennon!
I told you we'd deal with Robinho & Ibrahimovic, not that they've given us much to deal with so far.
Come on You Spurs, let's have another 45 mins like that.
No one believed me when I said we could deal with them.....
GET IN THERE YOU SPURS!!!!!
PaulF - we can't win???
Someone needs to slap Gattuso good and proper........
Absolutely fvcking brilliant.
Every Spurs player gets 10 out of 10.
Gattuso and Flamini are scum.
no words to express how i feel tonight, even Crouchy played brilliant..........
Once scum, always scum..Flamini.....................
I hear Jo Jordan is waiting for Gattuso outside the ground!!!!
“Mum. Let me tell you how we’re going to stop Zlatan Ibrahimovic…”
Fantastic performance from back to last - a bit one dimensional, but one goal to take back to the Lane is better than anyone of the non-believers gave us.
So which of our quality 14 men on that pitch is our one man team?
How would they have coped if Bale had been bombing the left, with Azza down the right?!??!
was ibrahimovic defoe in disguise tonight???? always offside then a disallowed goal.
Bale would have run their right flank ragged tonight. So much space for him to exploit.
He has 3 weeks to recover for the return leg.
WE ARE A PROPER TEAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant. So proud of the boys today. Worked their socks off all game. Is it too early to suggest that with our full strength team we could make the final at Wembley?
I saw the game live here at 4 am and
1. Superb result. Everyone played well. Good to see Sandro, Kranjcar, and Woodgate all come in and do a good job. Hope VdV is okay. Gomes with a couple of good saves.
2. Flamini is scum. To deliberately try to injure and then behave as he did is disgraceful. VdV very vocal is asking "Why you do that?" whilst putting his arm round his neck!
I think the ref got it wrong and should have sent him off, but see point 5 below.
My worry is that Corluka was getting a good run going in the team. He was in a special boot. I do hope he is all right.
3. Gattuso is worse scum. But his losing control helped us immensely. Ray Wilkins (commentator) mentioned that by getting angry but within control, Gattuso managed to spur his team to up their game. But losing his temper (with of all people that shrinking violet Joe Jordan) made him look like a thug to the rest of the world. That head butt was the icing on the cake. Even Pavlyuchenko looked shocked at the headbutt!
4. I do hope UEFA give both of them long bans. If not then someone should write in to complain.
5. Disallowed goal. We got lucky the assistant has sharp eyes and had the balls to disallow for pushing. Cauldron atmosphere, baying home crowd, lesser officials might have wilted.
We now have a one week break until Blackpool next Tuesday. Enough time to get some rest. After that another break until the return leg? I dont know if this long break is a good for us. We have momentum. 4 wins on the trot. I suppose it gives Bale and Modric and VdV time to recover, but would like to be fair to Kranjcar and Sandro who have done well in their absence.
COYS
Im suprised we managed to "compete" what with not getting the OP and all.
Boom : )
COYS
We can compete now because HR and Mr Levy have put together the strongest team/ squad I have seen at Tottenham in almost 50 years.
Something the Levy haters might like to dwell on.
The question is, if we stay at WHL playing in front of 36,000, will we be able to compete in 5 years ?
Let's enjoy the moment, nights like this do not come along very often.