FAO Sullivan, Gold and Brady

#4

Welcome to my fourth entry in my International Break diary journals. This one is a video-entry and a message to Sullivan, Gold and Brady.

Enjoy.

You've been watching the fourth part of Spooky's International Break diary journals.

Part one can be read here.

Part two here.

Part three here.

Tottenham till I die

#2

A question was posed on a forum asking why you support who you support. Not highly original, I know, but it's always interesting to delve into the responses to see how other peoples allegiances were birthed.

Your answer ought to be geographically influenced, but commonly it's down to immediate family and on occasions, if you are devoid of having a dad (or mum) or siblings who are interested in the beautiful game you just pick whomever is top of the league. Which is why when I was a young lad everyone in London seemed to support Liverpool*.

*Two minutes silence for their current plight please people. Two minutes.

Of course, not everyone glory-hunts. And many live abroad and simply fall in love with the history or traditions of a club in another country, based on a game they've witnessed or a book they've read or the majesty of a shirt. I appreciate that not everyone is pre-selected.

I had the privilege (curse) of having a family of Spurs supporters around me. I was also born in Tottenham. Well actually, no I wasn't. A hospital on Tottenham Court Road. Well, actually the hospital was just a brisk walk from Tottenham Court Road. Nowhere near N17, but that's just a  technicality. Tottenham Court Road, right? COYS.

My grandfather (God rest his soul) was a keen follower and frequenter of White Hart Lane during the 50's and 60's and my uncle, a fanatic during the 70's hardly missed a game. The latter, the one who influenced me and guided me into the light that is Lilywhite.

No rebellious I want to support someone else or I like their badge so I'm going to choose this lot instead - which wasn't uncommon, again, with people who had no given affiliations to a club when they were old enough to understand and make their selection. A successful team, usually defeating the local team as the winning option if they wished to fast-track themselves to the top tier. But plenty followed their hearts instead.

How some families managed to be split down the middle between two clubs always fascinated me. It's fragmentation that can never be resolved. My dad supports Spurs. My brother. My sister. My uncle's kids. We have no split. I did celebrate Trevor Brookings goal in the 1980 Cup final by running outside into the garden and attempting to head the ball into an imaginary net but that isn't confliction, it's a natural reaction. An acceptable lapse. A Newcastle supporting father and a Sunderland supporting son a story I remember hearing about. They hardly spoke, always fought. Football before family, always.

Reminds me of a bloke who stood in front of me in one of the East stand turnstiles back in the very early 90's. 1991 season I reckon, home to the scum. 0-0. Gooners waving their wallets at us from the Park Lane. Gazza almost scoring an own goal as I stood in the corner of the Shelf side in those cracking days of terraces. So this bloke in the queue had a Spurs and Arsenal badge on his jumper. A ridiculous paradox.

"I support both", he stated proudly.

The steward looked at me and I just blankly stared back. If you support two clubs, two rival clubs, then you've not quite grasped the concept, have you? It's like people who ask the question: Who's you favourite team? There is no place for favourite team in football. If you do it properly, you don't have a favourite team. You just have the one. A relationship for life. No break-up. Plenty of heartaches and headaches, and the two of you are together until your very last breath.

'Yeah, so, I really love Man U but I dig Real Madrid in their all white kit and also adore Wolves because they got a cool name. So Utd are my best, Madrid my second bestest and Wolves my third bestestest. If any of them play each other, I'd like a draw'

If you ever met someone who stated a resemblance of the above, I wouldn't look down on you if you smothered and buried him in a shallow grave in Epping forest. Favourite? There's no room for favouritism. Following the results of your local side, if you perhaps don't actually support your local side isn't betrayal. There are no affairs and no two-timing. 100% unequivocal commitment. You love your team, but you can have a soft spot for your local side. Bit like some Spurs fans I know who watch Barnet or Orient. They don't 'love' Barnet. They would practically (heavily metaphorically) die for Spurs.

However, every now and again we do get some Sol Campbells amongst us. Ooh.

My brother-in-law knew someone who, after a depressing Saturday at the Lane in a depressing season (I guess the mid-90's), and partly thanks to some peer-pressure from outside his group of friends, 'quit' supporting Spurs and not long after ended up an Arsenal fan. Quitting because your team lost? Spare a thought for supporters of clubs who never climb out of the lower tier divisions. The spirit of Benedict Arnold lives on with some.

I knew someone a few years back, a Hammers fan, who revealed he was a Spurs fan when he was a teenager but ended up following the Irons because his group of mates got involved with the ICF and he was more interested in the friendships and fighting than the football. It was, to him, more about being part of a group. A hooligan rather than standing on his own every Saturday at 3pm. Each to their own I guess.

My personal favourite (I'm using that word here because it's in context) has to be the story about these two blokes (in Leyton at the time), one of whom was completely disinterested in football and the other a West Ham fan. They both lusted after this one girl who was an Arsenal supporter. And both of them became gooners as a consequence to win her over. They both actually dated her, one after the other (she went out with one, dumped him then went out with the other one). The two blokes even had a punch up at one point outside the local pub. Heated stuff. The bloke who supported West Ham and defected for the sake of having her thighs wrapped round his back, paraded himself  in a JVC shirt often without shame.

It's a bit like shitting yourself in public whilst wearing white trousers. You will never live it down. Nobody will forget the humiliation. The white trousers are bad enough, but the diarrhoea? It will define you forever. How could anyone look you in the eyes and take you seriously after something like that? You would automatically lose all credibility. For life. A few years later I spotted him back in a West Ham shirt. Pathetic.

You simply cannot disdain the fabric of football and the lack of its complexities relating to allegiances. It's quite simple. You choose your team and are bound to them for life. No get out clause. That's it.

As for me, I have an almost five month old baby daughter (I've managed to part name her after our beloved club - work it out yourselves) so getting her to follow the Spurs might be a difficult task if her mother pampers her with shopping trips, Jimmy Choos and Gucci handbags when she's old enough to succumb to the frivolous vanity driven past-times of womanhood. However, there is hope. When she was just two months old, she projectile vomited when Cesc Fabregas appeared on the tv during a Sky Sports News report. There's hope for my THFC family bloodline yet.

TTID.


You've been reading the second part of Spooky's International Break diary journals.

Part one can be read here.

International heart-break

#1

International break. It's no longer about whether England perform solidly and win and more so a thoroughly painstaking experience looking through your fingers as you cover your face with your hand gagging on your heart in mouth, hoping/praying/sacrificing the Arsenal supporting neighbours cat to pacify the footballing Gods type of evening in.

We (The Tottenham) have got plenty of international players. But it's the ones who represent England that tend to come back with missing limbs and shrapnel embedded in their splintered bodies. This time round, we have Huddlestone, Lennon and Crouch representing. Some of you may argue that your concerns will be more focused on the likes of Bale and van der Vaart. Both more likely to play a part for their nation. I think. You know what, I haven't even checked the fixture list for midweek and next week. I'm that frigging professional. The fact of the matter is, you and I will both be hoping for no injuries more so than looking out for actual results and performances. The priority is club over country. Again.

We don't want our merchandise returned damaged.

So, what to do in the mean time? Not a lot. Other than endure the time out from the Premier League by going for brisk walk in the park and writing poetry for your lover. Perhaps the weaker amongst you will try to pretend you do care about Fabio and the boys because you prefer to dance with the devil and watch the game with a machete in one hand and the neighbours cat in the other.

I sadly can't muster up the will power at the moment to ready myself for the torment of watching the live coverage.

Okay, you got me, I've misplaced my machete.

My attention, to be perfectly honest with you, will be firmly stuck on another type of kick-off altogether this weekend (rather than the one against Montenegro on Tuesday 12th). I'm talking about the live X-Factor shows that begin on Saturday. Yes, you heard me right. I said, X-Factor. I said X-Factor on a Spurs blog. I've gone and done it now, I've pulled you all outside of the boundaries of sports writing and into off-topic discussion. Don't shake your head at me. Hey, stop spitting at your monitor screen, calm down will ya!

In my defence, I watch it for the pure cynicism that it evokes from me, as it's the most fabricated, contrived show on television and somehow people who tune in seem to either not care about the big con and the awful set-piece acting and scripted pretences or just accept it for what it is and watch it regardless for the kicks provided by the soap opera dramatics it positively drowns in. Bit like following England I guess. You might ask why, if I know its such a shallow show, why would I still tune in just to anger the blood to boiling point? I guess it's because I can scream and shout at the stupidity and the egos without the back draft of worrying about the end result. Oh hold up, that's just like following England again.

However, the Three Lions have Ashley and X-Factor has Cheryl.

No contest.

How can I possibly resist the beauty of Tweedy as she subtly looks down at the sheet of paper in front of her, eyes glistening with concentration, and looks back up again to the contestant waiting nervously on stage as she reads out the highlighted-for-her-attention relevant sound-bite to exuberant applause from the studio audience.

Hating on International break? A million percent yes from me.

You have been reading the first in the series of Spooky's International Break diary journals.

Observations

Some observations and statto type stuff. Not that they need highlighting, but in case you've just woken up from a coma, read on. What with the fabled International Break now upon us, many will want to avoid slipping into a coma so best to keep talking about Spurs. No chance of boredom what with all the various arcs and sub-plots doing the rounds over in N17.

Goals Conceded, Goals Scored

Only Chelsea and City have conceded less goals in the league than us. But the former has scored almost double the amount we have. Sort of great, sort of not. Make-shift defence currently getting away with it or doing a sterling job. Depends on how deep you analysis from one game to the next. Down to bare bones, yet we keep plugging away. As for our forwards and lack of goals...

One Goal

Seven Prem games in and the collective force of Defoe, Crouch, dos Santos, Roman and Keane have given us the one, single goal between them. If forwards are not scoring, then you have to look at their all round play to justify their inclusion. JD is injured. So that leaves just Crouch who does assist, at the very least. And he's good with his feet too, apparently. You know, for a tall bloke.

One Point

One point gained against Wigan, WBA and West Ham. And yet we find ourselves in the top 5. Man Utd haven't won away from home yet and are third. Either the league is very average or super competitive. The only thing we should be gutted about is that we are just as slow out of the blocks, stuttering away, much like 99% of the league.

What if...oh what if, we had hit the ground running and changed up a gear earlier in the season? This old season of seven games of age.

At the minute, even Chelsea who have stormed ahead, don't look out of this world amazing. They don't have to be. Man Utd, are looking mid-table. How's that for controversy. Fergie will have to sign 3/4 of our players in Jan to juice up his side again. Batten down the hatches, Daniel.

So, with us and 4th spot, it's going to be about who starts to pull away from their competition, and thus applying the pressure on the chasing pack. The alternative is, this stop-start we've got in the Prem at the moment which everyone seems to be embracing, continues, which will mean this season might well be the most open ever. More so than last season. Can you handle that? I'm still holding out with my prediction that we'll finish about City and we'll finish in the Top 4. Again. There is something eerie about the Prem this season.

England squad

Crouch is joined by Huddlestone and Lennon. May the Gods have mercy on us this time round. We're a big club now, right? Can they not all pull out due to slight knocks?



International Rescue(d)

W.B.A. v Spurs Preview

International break over. And we have around 14 weeks worth of injury layouts as a direct result. But don't fret. Engerland are back baby!

Dawson. Defoe. Not available. Michael for eight weeks. Jermain for six. No point theorising whether JD should have just gone with the surgery pre-England games, as the injury keeping him out is a new one.

Bare bones? Pushing it a little with that sound bite. We have depth, supposedly. Well not supposedly because we proved we had it last season when we were written off a few times. Our neighbours have their own plight to contend with too, so there's no point in what ifs and wtf's. But there's three points in WBA away. At least there better be. Hopefully. Chin up.

We've been dicked a few times in this fixture when Albion have been EPL present. It's tiresome. So regardless of whether Harry opts to try 4-5-1 with van der Vaart behind Pav/Keane/Crouch (pick one) or if he opts for the more traditional 4-4-2 and possibly starts with Keane and Crouch - we need to win this. Obviously. Champions League next week, games coming in thick and fast, this is what we worked so hard for last season to achieve and be part of. So, it's down to pre-match preparation, mental strength and desire. Then the application on the pitch. Professional and confident application. Not sure I can handle another Stokesque away win. We also need to get the Wigan defeat out of our system.

I feel for Daws and JD, what with some peach CL games up ahead. But usually, it's at these pivotal moments when expectancy remains high, but we remain a touch nervous. Could do with some rejuvenating magic from somewhere to re-kick start the season.

Harry has to get it spot on with formation and players. It's quite possible that some of our players will be rested/kept safe (King, vdV, the Croats) for the Germany trip. Also interesting to see who starts in goal for us. But let's just say we look to play a strong side rather than patching up the first team with current bench players.

4-4-2: Would have to be the usual Lennon/Palacios/Huddlestone/Modric line-up. Then it's either Keane/Pav and Crouch up front or one of three up front with vdV (in the hole). Bale left-back. So, sort of 442, but playing out as a 451 if the Dutchman starts.

4-5-1: (or whatever bastardised version it appears as) would have Palacios possibly sitting deeper as part of the five with an actual middle four just ahead of him consisting of Lennon, Hudd, Modric and vdV. Bale left-back again. One man up front. Whether its Moddle or vdV on the left, that's up for discussion.

I'm undecided who would work best as a lone forward (which is why I asked you to pick one earlier).

As for the usual forward conundrum, one or two Spurs fans predicting (wishing) a renaissance from the Orish forward. Others willing that Pav is given the chance. On the subject of a lone man up front...

Pav's movement and hold up play concerns me at times, but he strikes me as a player who might just score a few. Crouch has the intelligence to do a good job up there, but he's not as instinctive as Defoe in and around the box and has always been a better partner rather than the man leading from the front. Although I reckon he'll continue to prove me wrong in Europe.

Which leaves Keane. Who might, just might work if he remains more forward rather than spend time dropping deep to collect the ball. Although, perhaps with our new progressive Dutch maestro, we might see a more fluid style of play that sees our midfielders attacking the box more than in previous tactical set-ups. In my head, I can see how it works. Depends on how cautious Harry is and how much of his mind is on the CL rather than the EPL (I hope it's a one game at a time strategy).

Gallas also likely to debut.

I guess I'm quite undecided on this. Which is fine, because I'm just a fan and not the one that matters. I doubt Harry will be chalk boarding the night away. Down to trust now. What excites me is that there is a multitude of options available to us. Very adaptable players we possess. Got to get it right and play our best formation, home/away/in Europe - and stick with it. People wondered what the point of flirting with Joe Cole was, knowing his presence would perhaps cause middle field selection headaches. He wasn't signed. van der Vaart was. Wondering to continue until 3pm Saturday.

WBA haven't lost at home for a while. They are organised and it will be a good three points if we earn them.

COYS.

England? Whatever. Come on you Spurs.

The dust has settled. But now we have even more dust to deal with. Millions upon millions of pesky particles, clogging up everything in their path and our sight, leaving us with very little to see. We are helpless. Not a lot we can do about it either, other than remain patient for the gust of wind which will thankfully divert the dust storm away allowing us to once more see clearly again. Unfortunately we won't be saved until the 11th of September. Until then, joy-riding tumble-weeds is as good as it's gonna get.

Yes, ladies and gentlemen. It's that time again. Welcome to the International Break.

Jesus wept.

I'm still hurting bad from the World Cup debacle. A shambolic display by the Three Lions, moaning and groaning, swollen and bleeding paws. No Androcles to pull the thorns out. We would have won it had we taken early season Ballon d'Or candidate Theo, no doubt. I'll be watching on Friday, but can't say I'll be doing so with much excitable effort. I mean for a start, no Tommy Huddlestone. He's got no experience, they say! How can he gain experience if he's not selected, they shout back! New England; my hairy backside. First Hoddle, now this. C-O-N-S-P-I-R-A-C-Y.

I want to skip this international BS and jump straight back into my much needed fix of EPL and guaranteed redemption (don't let me down) from our players so we can quickly forget about the Wigan hiccup. Will probably spend the time between now and the weekend after next downloading Sasha Grey's complete back catalogue and trying to blag myself an iphone 4 (seriously, I will whore the blog out sponsorship wise, for an iphone 4, so get the **** on it, I'm this cheap and this desperate. For the record, all disposable income goes on baby spooky who spends all her disposable time disposing herself in nappies. iphone 4 required for development work for this blog, and stuff).

Any ways, low point moment out of the way, I may as well take this opportunity to reflect on the transfer window that has just closed up.

How thin is the line between happy and sad? Very thin. Had we not gone in for vdV, we'd all be near suicidal about the lack of anything sexy happening and how we've blatantly missed the opportunity to really give 4th spot and the CL a right royal go by not purchasing a brand spanking new unlocker-of-doors type of player.

Cue flashback  to windows of the past. Blue screen of death. Reinstall required. No CD or cab files found. Downgrade to ME. Might as well go back to pen and paper.

But this time round we didn't disappoint. We got ourselves a last minute nifty upgrade. An unexpected service patch. Rejoice.

Spurs and their roller-coaster. It never stops, so you can never get off it. We have riches of talent and versatility and lush tactical candy to gorge on. Between now and Xmas, it's down to Harry to work out the best formation for domestic and European tasks in hand. We need to be able to flow, swagger and kill.

We can then re-visit the forward conundrum in the new year. 4-5-1 might mean we need a further upgrade in the striking positions. By 'might' I mean 'FRIGGING SIGN SOMEONE YESTERDAY FFS'. Why say this when the players (minus Keane) got us 4th last season?

Do you really need it answered? Go on then.

It's mainly because Keane is spent, Pav is not excelling in any great way, Crouch is great to have in the squad but isn't prolific but might be on our continental travels, and Defoe will always score (as well as always lose out to the offside flag). It's about ambition on and off the pitch. When you endeavour to step up a level, then you need to step it up in terms of quality. And it's all a bit mis-mashed in this particular area. More than decent. Honestly, feet firmly on ground, it's a good strike-force. But that shouldn't stop us improving it more so.

Obviously, it's all within our means. We can't attract top top TOP end quality, but you feel there is a next-level-forward that would fit the role perfectly at WHL. I think. Someone out there, must be one. If our scouts are struggling they should wait for Football Manager 2011 to be released and sign any European striker with a current rating of 170 with a potential rating of 188.

Is Andri Sigporsson available?

I guess we'll just have to wait for the right player and have faith in us finding and signing him. In the mean time, players like Keane (rejuvenation) and Pav (confidence) might yet prove to be useful if their personal demons can be defeated. Jig Robbie jig, damn it, jig! Pav, something in Russian Pav, something in Russian, and Louis Vuitton manbags!

But let's worry about this only if we have to, only if we mis-fire up to the opening of the next window. In the mean time, on with gorging on creative cake.

Huddlestone. Lennon. Bale. Modric. Kranjčar. dos Santos. van der Vaart. Ridiculous (still waiting on Premier League ratification on the last one).

Embrace the lack of egos (we'll have to wait and see how long vdV behaves himself). But for now, we have a team. United, with less of the Utd and more of the Hot. The giant has woken up. Granted, he's still in his pyjamas and slippers, but it's only a brisk walk to the bathroom to freshen up. No falling asleep on the toilet, k? Get dressed, dapper, and get to work.

All smiles thank you very much, because we can't be not smiling. You've heard the song.

As for England. If I want to watch a*seholes getting licked, I think I might just stick with Sasha thank you very much and not bother with ITV.

COYS.


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Roman's Never-Ending Story

It's international break which means it's time for yet another episode in the long running snooze-fest that is Roman Pavlychenkos statuesque escape from White Hart Lane. Roman usually doesn't have a speaking part, with his agent left to do all the on-screen talking. But as we near the finale, he appears to have stepped up, giving us a virtuoso performance full of determination and intent.

"I want to leave the club. It is impossible to remain there under the circumstance I find myself in. I have been sitting on the subs' bench for half a year and as a result lost a place in the starting 11 of the national team. And now hopefully we will get to the World Cup - who will rely on a forward who does not play? I want to play and not just warm the bench. Immediately after the games with Slovenia, my agent and I are flying to London for purposeful negotiations and I want to take part in them personally…"

And so forth. It's a little bit Brando in Apocalypse Now.

There's no doubt this series has been a disappointment. No major twists, no big surprises. Just the same drawn-out sub plot that neither excites the viewer or leaves them drooling in anticipation for more. And the reason is oh so painfully obvious. The supposed main supporting cast member (our Roman) has been relegated to nothing more than an extra. Background fluff that has resulted in nothing much in the way of screen time so that we can perhaps find out more about him. The cameos are obviously not enough, and having him appear every now and again has never proved to be a fruitful exercise. The viewers haven't seen enough to want more and rest have seen enough to not care for more.

Some might argue that we are seeing is reminiscent of the infamous canned show which starred the Ukrainian forward Sergei Rebrov. That particular series was left to stagnate whilst everyone waited for improvement that was never forthcoming. A spin-off series where he found himself lost on an island made of Lego surrounded by incomprehensible hostiles was equally weak in narrative.

It's simply not been right from the off. If he's signed for £14M and is apparently out of sorts at the start of his contract and then hardly given a chance to make amends a summer later, then he is bound to look lacklustre when he is given a rare opportunity to shine. It's a catch 22 and a stronger player might have perhaps taken those opportunities and done more with them. Then again, if it's decided to bring back a former star and offer him a bumper package that includes a starring role in every single episode - then I guess you'd be more demoralised to see someone who is obviously more out of sorts than you, get preferential treatment.

Controversial stuff.

Fact is, those same signs of mediocrity are still there to be seen. The lad should never have left Russian television in the first place.

Crouch bested by David Beckhams beard

England win. Crouchie scores two goals. Barry performs well. So obviously, David Beckham is awarded the man of the match by Steve 'Peter Crouch would have got it but he turned me down in the summer so...you know...' Bruce. Excellent. It's been a week of insightful insightfulness, topped by Phil McNulty's blog that included this gem:

"If Rooney is fit and in form England are contenders to win the World Cup. If he is not they are not - it is as stark as that"

On the nail stuff from Phil there. His clarification on the subject of our chances remains essential reading.

"If England turn up in South Africa and don't manage to miss their plane, they might stand a chance of winning it if they peform and win all their games"

That's a preview of his next one.

IMO, the only thing worthy of discussion from last nights 3-0 win against Belarus is Beckham's beard. Absolutely tremendous effort from the great man. Completley untrimmed around the sides making him look like a metrosexual Wolverine, with an additional ginger tinge on his moustache. It's actually more Adam Ant than Adamantium.

He was ok when he came on. Did spark some life into the side, but arguably nothing spectacular. Still, no bitterness. We all love Becks. But anyone would think he re-invents silce bread everytime he pulls on an England shirt.

Elsewhere, apparently Adriano has been offered to us for free. Which is a bit like two Irish blokes in a white van stopping you in the street and asking you to take a look at some laptops - for such a cheap price it's practically free - and you think its too good an offer to turn away and part company with your money to then find that when you open the case two Evian bottles of water are staring back at you.

International break is OVER. Rejoice.

Woodgate is on the mend. Modric is a couple of weeks away from a return. And King might just play against Pompey.

Happy days. Let's get back to business.