Spurs; hard boiled round the edges, gooey centre needs nuts

Jan Vertonghen has signed. He’s been in a perpetual state of signing for what seems like months. You can trace this transfer saga back to Friday 2nd December 2011, when we were first linked. Regardless of how long it took for it to become official at no point did I find myself thinking the usual knee-jerk thoughts as this all played out. You know, the usual agent-mind games that haunt and tease us where we get used in public to drum up interest elsewhere. Here was a player willing to come to Spurs, wanting to be part of our club. Thanks to a technicality, nothing shifted until the player shook hands with the Ajax over a contractual obligation owed. So seven months on, he belongs to THFC. Although until he parachutes onto the high road riding an inflatable cockerel singing Chas’n’Dave I’ll hold back from getting his face tattooed on my back.

12 million Euros the alleged fee. Yet another signing and it’s not even the middle of July yet. Whatever will Jim White and Sky Sports News do when that final fifteen minutes starts ticking away on deadline day? Pre-season kicks off on Monday and the message is one of relentless desire to get all our business done. Although I’m being a tad colourful with the truth as both Sig and Vert were ongoing deals that concluded regardless of Villas-Boas being appointed. It’s the signings made now onwards which will be most telling in how we plan to shape up for the new season.

Vertonghen truly adds another dimension to our centre-back horde. Intelligent, drives forward out of defence (eye for a goal) and a talented left foot - we’ve got ourselves a glamour boy that lives up to the hype. Ajax captain, Eredivisie Player of the Year and (according to Wikipedia) ‘Male Performer of the Year’. Those Dutch love putting it about. He will bring with him not just experience (title winner) but pace – something that Villas-Boas will no doubt require if we plan to play with a high-line (which failed at Chelsea thanks to their distinctive lack of it). A defender that can defend, attack and most importantly consolidate strength at the back. What with Ledley King’s future as a player in doubt. A back four of Walker – Kaboul (Dawson) – Vert – Benny is looking good (full back positions requiring sustained cover).

The key area (thanks to complete lack of depth) is up front. Defoe being the only recognised forward we currently have on our first team books. Adebayor continues to be linked and is on the cards thanks to the success he had with us and the fact that he’s open to returning (the player confirmed this himself back in May that Spurs and City were in talks). This has probably dragged because of the asking price so much like the Vert transfer, it’s going to happen but it might take a few more shrewd manoeuvres from our chairman. We’ll still need another. I’m not too concerned with this conundrum because there is no puzzle to be solved. We might play a 433, we might only need the one ‘striker’ but across the season? Three is the magic number. The ultimate would be a forward that can play on the right hand side, therefore fixing two problems (cover and alternative to Lennon, able to also spearhead the attack). I can remember thinking we needed this last season.

The biggest question however is the one in the middle. The heartbeat of the side is its centre. The phrase ‘build a team around him’ is not something you hear too much of in these modern times. Mainly because there’s no loyalty and players are very career driven meaning everyone is a stepping stone till they reach their ultimate goal. With Luka Modric, you’d love to do just that. Build the team around him. Although building a fence around him so he can't escape would be more apt. He attempted to tunnel his way out last year, but I expect this time when he gets to the barbed wire he'll jump it without crashing his motorbike. The great escape complete. We're left bouncing a ball off a wall in deep thought on what to do next.

Doesn’t score much? Placing that aside, he completes a ridiculous amount of passes and creates chances from open play, more so than most. He is prolific as the heart-beat of the side. Starting from deep, recycling possession and attacking forward space with effect. Under Villas-Boas he, in theory, would be phenomenal as I expect he would be used with far more astuteness. He’d benefit from a more structured system. But alas, it’s all theory because he will end in a different ilk of white shirt next season kicking up a storm. So what do we do?

Thankfully we have our holding midfielders. Scott Parker (the Jedi) and Sandro (the Padawan). We have the industrious ball winners and walls that you shall not pass. Bale will play out left or perhaps inside left. Sig is an attacking midfielder, van der Vaart is talismanic  - but what we need is a player similar to Luka. A conductor. Oscar, the Brazilian kid, is one name touted. More of unknown to most of us, a midfielder that pushes into the penalty area with an eye for goal. Hugely talented and highly rated.

Joao Moutinho is the more obvious target. He’s a Porto player. He knows Villas-Boas. He’d like to work with him again. And, apparently, wants to leave Porto this summer. Central midfielder, adaptable and not too dissimilar to what we currently have in Modric in terms of sheer talent but perhaps with a touch more all action box to box about him. Like Modric he can get stuck in (something that people tend to forget then act all surprise when Luka does it) is disciplined and reads the game extremely well.

He’s a top target for a fair few clubs but if he is available and if we are interested, we’ll have the money to spend and in Villas-Boas we’ll have a potential transfer winning wink and hand shake.

It’s going to continue to be an exciting summer. We’re getting our work done early. Villas-Boas has given everyone currently at Spurs a clean-slate which might impact what players we target in terms of covering the key positions. The return of David Bentley? I’ll believe it when I see it, preferably with no feet on fire and not a skip in sight.

So far so good.

If Carlsberg did transfer windows...

...Tottenham would be barred.

Yesterday Jan Vertonghen was supposedly confirmed as confirmed can be without an official word and practically done and dusted according to Dutch sources. Today? Well today is a different day which means a new set of rules contradicting everything that came before it. The Dutch sources with us much spurt as an empty Ketchup bottle.

Here is the latest information to be shared in the wastelands of Twitter (via @BelgoFoot).

Possibility that will not join #thfc in the summer (sic). Disagreement between player and Ajax. (Voetbalprimeur.be)

Vertonghen says he was promised percentage of fee but Ajax seemingly don't want to pay. Report says his salary was lower than many players.

If he does not move in summer, Vertonghen says he will be happy to join #thfc in a year's time, out of contract.

His argument is with Ajax so won't sign without OK from them. (apparently)

Probably means he's at the Lodge passing his medical as we speak. Well no, he isn't. But at least that's where he would like to be. He wants to join. That's one positive from this messy saga we can embrace and hold onto with dear life. It's extraordinary how with each passing transfer window, everyone seems to be privy to information on prospective transfers but nobody actually knows what is going on.

As for the more important managerial appointment, the continued rumour is that AVB can't sign until July 1st when his contractual obligation with Chelsea supposedly ends.

Nothing is confirmed until said player is holding up the Lilywhite shirt and smiling. Nothing is confirmed until the club call a press conference to reveal the new man at the helm.

Until then, our misery continues.

Hacked

More hacks than a Friday 13th movie

You'd think that with Harry Redknapp's departure the tabloid hacks would welcome the amount of free time he now possesses to grace their pages further with insightful gems on how and why Spurs are about to collapse in on themselves and be relegated as a consequence of our chairman's ruthless (not not so ruthless in reality) actions. But alas, their favourite son appears to be imprisoned like Zod in the Phantom Zone, waiting for escape. So until they are distracted with the continuing adventures of Arry they are chugging away at us like a locomotive heading towards a damsel in distress (in this case Levy in drag tied to the railway tracks).

They (the hacks) are basically perpetuating the full collected edition of Harry Redknapp's deflections and fallacies as they build up the strength to pack a punch at the unlucky sod that dare take the job vacated at the Lane against the wishes of the almighty press gang. They're already bitter about Hodgson. Swing and they'll still probably miss. They're already throwing rabbit punches and striking below the belt.

Our players are apparently gutted that Redknapp has gone yet the same players believed him to be on his way during the FA and England debacle last season. Chelsea players scaring off Spurs players? Yeah, because nobody knows what happened in the dressing room at that club with the old guard sabotaging the efforts of the new man who was given the impossible job of changing things and changing them fast. Spurs are a club that have swagger in abundance when confidence is high, what we lacked was tactical astuteness when it mattered most. Balance and shrewd calculated pragmatism as opposed to confusing selections and kick and hope.

This Week published a short article on Spurs fans being split and referenced this excellent article via The Fighting Cock, only to side step the positive write up on AVB and concentrate more on a single comment by a reader that stated appointing AVB would be like the "second coming" of the much-ridiculed Christian Gross*.

The agenda is an obvious one. We'll have to be thick skinned about it.

*They've now amended the original article to reflect the positive article they linked to.

AVB remains the 'favourite' to be appointed although everyone is getting linked with Spurs supposedly approaching half a dozen targets. I still believe Levy had his contingency planned a while back. Probably the moment the esteemed Redknapp turned down a new Spurs contract to opt for the certainty that was the England job. The very same one Levy priced him out of.

Don't mess with bald men.

Elsewhere...

Euros

Bendtner has been fined and handed a one game suspension after he revealed an unauthorised sponsors logo on his pants during match against Portugal. The fine? 100k. Far more serious crime this than being a racist which will only cost your nation between the region of £25k - £30k.

As for England. We're not very good but yet it's quite fun watching us attempt to score one more goal than the opposition. Expect us to get dicked severely soon.

Modric to Madrid (of La Liga) according to Luka's mate Mate Bilic. Such a good mate they named him Mate just to emphasis how in the know Mate is on his mate Luka. Would be no surprise if he was sold, it's what we're expecting. He's in his prime in terms of selling profit margin potential. The stance was made last season with the Chelsea saga and our refusal to let him go, ironic with the seasons finale. Had we made it into the CL there might be reason for him to stay. Although as discussed countless times before, this is more about the money and wages he can earn (and how much his agent can take in said transfer).

Do I believe the 'deal is close'? Do I believe in the validity of a 'swap deal'? Of course not. More likely the agent has had words to drum up a bit of hype, post- Croatia v Spain match. Until the player is gone, he's a Spurs player, so I'd rather wait on official word. Until then he's a bundle of money to be made by the club just in time to bulk up the incoming managers war chest.

But if you did fancy a cheeky bid...

As for Vertonghen, we've been told 'it's practically done' for the past month. So Expect him to sign any day soon. Any day now. Soon. Literally waiting for the ink to dry. Until then you'll have to entertain yourself with such exciting news as 'Nelsen to QPR'. Hedonistic.

Understanding the Jan Vertonghen transfer saga

The transfer negotiation between Spurs and Ajax...

Daniel Levy: That's my bid.

Ajax: It does not meet our valuation for the player.

Daniel Levy: Okay. I will raise it by one pound.

Ajax: Rejected.

Daniel Levy: I will raise it by a further single pound.

Ajax: No.

Daniel Levy: I'd like to add another pound to the total offered.

Ajax: Someone get me a coffee.


Several weeks later...


Daniel: I raise the bid by another pound.

Ajax: No, I mean...hold on. Yes, okay. Accepted. You have met our valuation for the player. Now we must discuss the payment plan.

Daniel: Ten million carrier pigeons each carrying a pound coin on their back, blindfolded and with a drop of ketmaine injected into their...

Ajax: No.

Daniel: Tesco coupons to the value of the agreed transfer sum.

Ajax: No.

Daniel: Vintage Kenner Star Wars action figures, still wrapped in original packing to the value of the agreed transfer sum.

Ajax: Would that also include the Millennium Falcon from Return of the Jedi?

Daniel: No.

Ajax: Okay. Then my answer is no.

Daniel: Two crates. One crate has the full amount in copper coins. The other contains a box set of the full series of The Wire. You won't know which is which. Noel Edmonds will ask you to select and...

Ajax: Another coffee please.