Raised during the Gerry Francis era, these lads are now too old for any more 'character building'. Spurs blog with emphasis on the stars of tomorrow, today #COYS
The impact a new centre-back can have on a team’s progression is not to be underestimated. Take for example Virgil Van Dijk’s arrival at Liverpool FC; propelling them to Champions League glory and not to mention a first ever Premier League trophy. Similar rewards were reaped on the blue side of Manchester, with the winter signing of Aymeric Laporte helping spur City to a record-breaking 100 point campaign.
Toby Alderweireld and Davinson Sanchez both look to be out of favour.
After consistent tinkering of his back-line, it is reasonable to believe Jose Mourinho will be dreaming of capturing a player of kindred talents to provoke a similar effect at Spurs. The Special One has still not settled upon his first-choice centre-back pairing. Eric Dier has only missed one Premier League game this season, yet costly mistakes in big games continue to frustrate the Spurs faithful. Davinson Sanchez possesses the strength and pace that Mourinho demands in order to play a higher line, however his lack of guile on the ball has limited his chances in the side. With the 31-year-old Toby Alderweireld linked to a summer exit and promising youngsters Joe Rodon and Japhet Tanganga still learning their craft, Tottenham’s necessity for a leader at the back has escalated.
It remains to be seen whether Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would sanction a high-profile coup in the January transfer window, however Mourinho will likely be prompting a plan of action behind the scenes. The following are some players that should, and potentially could be on Mourinho’s wish-list in the coming months.
The Dream Options:
Ibrahima Konate
One player who has recently gained many admirers is RB Leipzig’s Konate. At just 21-years-old the Parisian-born defender fronts an exciting crop of Bundesliga youngsters, having made 52 first-team performances for Leipzig. Christian Falk recently confirmed that Konate has a £40 million release clause which can be activated in the summer transfer window. Spurs are said to hold interest along with a host of EPL giants such as Manchester United.
The French U21 international cuts an intimidating figure for attackers, standing at 6 foot 3 and weighing over 90 kilograms. His height offers a dangerous attacking threat from set pieces, as well as a commanding presence when defending them. Konate not only excels aerially, but also with the ball at his feet. The youngster is adept at carrying the ball out of defence, combining his power and close-control to draw pressure and create passing lanes for teammates to occupy. These traits will excite Mourinho, as well as the Spurs faithful, should the club look to pursue Konate in the summer.
Upamecano (left) and Konate (right) have struck up a solid partnership for Leipzig.
Dayot Upamecano
Perhaps the jewel in Leipzig’s crown, Upamecano has attracted suitors all over Europe with his consistent displays at the top level. Falk claims that the Champions league holders Bayern Munich are leading the race for the Frenchman’s signature, with United, City and Real Madrid waiting in the wings.
Upamecano has notched four goals in his time with Die Roten Bullen, but his main strengths lie in his defensive prowess. Mourinho would be attracted to the 22-year-olds electric pace which would equip Spurs with the means to play a higher defensive line. As well as his impressive power and agility, Upamecano reads the game like a seasoned veteran, meaning he is usually a step ahead of the striker. However, when called upon to defend 1V1 dribbles he is deft, yet aggressive and consequently a pain for any attacker
It is unlikely Upamecano will be playing home games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next season. Although, the prospect of regular game-time and learning under Mourinho could prove to be an enticing prospect for the rising star.
Sergio Ramos
Widely regarded as the greatest centre-back of his generation; Ramos has captained Real Madrid over a hugely successful decade. Five La Ligas, four Champions Leagues, two European Championships and a World Cup title are just some of the accolades the Spanish titan has collected. Ramos would certainly bring a winning mentality to N17.
Having established himself as one of the most prolific goal-scoring centre-backs of all time, Ramos is renowned for his attacking threat at set pieces, as well as recently taking the responsibility of penalties and free-kicks. Defensively, the Spanish captain is the original all-rounder; combining aggressive tackling with pace and technical ability, meaning he is rarely flustered. A Rolls-Royce of a centre-back, Ramos’ passion would complement Mourinho’s ‘do or die’ philosophy.
The Guardian have recently claimed that Ramos is unimpressed with Real Madrid’s new contract offer and could be looking for a change of scenery in the summer window. Liverpool and Manchester United have been left on red alert and you’d think that Levy and co will be eyeing a swoop due to the club’s recent relationship with Real Madrid.
Could Ramos be the man to inspire a trophy haul at Spurs?
The Realistic Options:
Merih Demiral
Although he does not quite demand the headlines like the three previous names, Demiral offers a promising option for Spurs. Goal have previously linked the Lilywhites to the 6 foot 3 centre-back, however Juventus were said to be reluctant to part ways with the player. Demiral’s inability to break into the first choice XI of The Old Lady could prove to be a golden opportunity for Spurs to land their man.
Demiral has worked alongside the likes of Georgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci.
At 22-years-old, Demiral will satisfy Levy’s craving for young players with a high sell-on market value. Furthermore, Mourinho will love the pride that the Turk takes in his work; he would rather receive a set of studs to the face than risk conceding. Known for his determination, composure, and tactical assuredness, Demiral would offer a steely yet skilful option for Mourinho’s men.
The temptation of regular first-team football could be enough to convince Demiral to depart Turin.
Milan Skriniar
Another player who Spurs were heavily linked with during the summer window. Fabrizio Romano suggested the clubs could come to an agreement in the January market, although that now looks increasingly unlikely. Mourinho may well bide his time to secure his man this summer.
A commanding leader, Skriniar brings the best out of teammates. He is comfortable with the ball at his feet due to experience of playing as a defensive midfielder. Although, his main fortes lie in his sharp tackling and positional awareness, traits that would bolster Spurs’ defensive ranks.
The rumours of Skriniar’s pending move to North London have grown quiet, as the player has earned more time in an in-form Inter Milan side. However, a transfer should not be ruled out just yet.
Eder Militao
Mourinho could be looking to reuse his Real Madrid contacts once again. Brazilian defender Militao has only made a handful of first-team appearances at the Bernabeu and could look to leave the reigning La Liga champions in this window.
Strong, fast, and intelligent, the former Porto man would tick most of Mourinho’s boxes in order to employ his Spurs team in a more aggressive attacking manner. At 23-years-old, Militao represents a player with promising potential who would not cripple the club financially.
Spurs would face stiff competition from Liverpool, with The Express suggesting Jurgen Klopp could look to secure Miltao’s services in the coming days due to the centre-back crisis facing the Reds.
Could Militao link up with Mourinho in the hope for more minutes?
The existential strands of the away trip all came together.
The well documented family history in their fall from established members of German society to subjects of persecution leaving them with nothing. The elements of the refugee experience as now and in relation to my work. The circular and generational baggage in applying for German Citizenship. The anchor of the trip being to watch my team, known as the ‘Yid Army’ – the collective term used as a badge of honour in response to anti-Semitic abuse aimed at the origins of many of the North London club’s supporters.
A carefully orchestrated trip was also marked by magical unplanned moments; from happening upon people with their own connections to our family heritage, to sharing drinks with Czech namesakes, to waving off the Tottenham players after stumbling across the team’s hotel.
This was to be a journey steeped in spatial history that brought new discoveries of unforetold knowledge and further chronicles of hardship in Germany, to a background of an unfolding global crisis now arriving in Europe.
“I was 8 years old at the time when Hitler came to power in 1933. We were not religious, but we were conscious of being Jewish, because that is what we are, and because we were being discriminated against. We were integrated Germans. However, there had always been Anti-Semitism in Germany. When my father was a boy, a teacher once said to him in his Pirna school ‘Der Jude Hess, steh auf’ (‘Jew Hess, stand up’).”
— Ursula Wellemin (Grandma)
I had been meaning to go to Saxony to explore my roots for a fair while but the far-right surge there had put me off. It would be too depressing, surely? Then Spurs got drawn to RB Leipzig for a Champions League showdown in the state and all that was put to one side.
As the source of some of the best times of all, I have always found convenient excuses to go watch Spurs in Europe, and this trip was an easy case to make – annual leave was, therefore, duly booked. The difference this time was that instead of ‘the lads’, and in contrast to her lack of enthusiasm for the German passport, my Mum was well up for the away trip.
Once the fixture was announced, the Sun and Daily Mail reported on the ‘nightmare’ journey Spurs fans would have to make to get to the game. With a £17 flight to where Grandma grew up in Dresden, 50 mins by train away from Leipzig, the fuss was not mine. As any Spurs fan would tell you, the nightmare is usually in the football, not the logistics. Where the fun usually comes before the match however, our plan didn’t necessarily pass for a holiday.
A full-on itinerary of six stops (Dresden – Pirna – Gotha, Weimar – Leipzig – Nuremberg) in four nights was drawn up for my mother – now of free oyster travel age – and I to fully immerse ourselves in our somewhat traumatic heritage in the region…such that being present at another Spurs defeat wouldn’t feel so bad. Or something like that.
Dresden: 7 – 9 March 2020
Mum embarked gamely for the Saturday 7am flight from Stansted. Thinking we were outbound too early for any footy pleasantries or otherwise on the flight, the bloke sat next to me piped up, right on cue. ‘I’m also going on Tuesday, but to Berlin first to spend all my money’ – another one intent on making the most of the trip before the football came. Mum interrogated him about Jose Mourinho, and the man, slightly manic given the hour, was ‘only thinking about the positives’.
We were grateful to Ryanair for ostensibly seating all three airborne Spurs fans together. A good start, although, as can tend to happen to season ticket holders sat beside each other for decades, we forgot to exchange names.
We explored Dresden on the first day, wandering the Altstadt and stopping in the restaurant at Brühlscher Garten, at the precipice of the old city’s fortifications. From our table, Mum could see a menorah through a window of a nearby building. This turned out to be the Dresden Synagogue, which had previously been burned down on Kristallnacht. The gold Star of David now hanging over the entrance to the locked off new building was the only thing to survive.
The throngs at the Winter Market had congregated around the much-needed fires, celebrating the final day of the extended excuse for a Christmas knees up before it was all packed up for good. We joined in with our glasses of Glühwein, to the sounds of techno and German lads falling over each other on the ice rink. It was then back conveniently to the room to stream Burnley vs Spurs – an injury to Steven Bergwijn further ruining any lingering hopes for Tuesday – before frequenting our first of many Bierkellers for some cheese pickled in beer and a portion of Spätzle.
Pirna: 8 March 2020
“On the morning of the ‘Kristallnacht’, the 9th November 1938, I was arrested in our Pirna home by Nazi police as a Jew, in front of my daughters Luise, 8 years old and Ursula, 13 years old and first put into Pirna’s police prison, later into the big prison in Dresden-A. Luise remembers that when her father was arrested, he asked the SS men if he could take his toothbrush.
“Next morning we were marched to the Gestapo yard and told we would be shot. Instead we were transported to Buchenwald Concentration camp by rail under much abuse and menaces by the Nazi guards.”
— Manfred Hess (Great Grandfather)
Awoken by deafening Sunday church chimes, it quickly became clear that it was match day in Dresden. The Dynamo masses were out in full force for their game against Saxony rivals FC Erzgebirge Aue.
A quick Wikipedia revealed Dynamo Dresden to be EastGerman giants with notorious support who have fallen by the wayside since reunification, currently sat rock bottom of the second tier. Before I was tempted to get involved, I had to remind myself that this wasn’t our match day, and since none of our relatives would have been season ticket holders (the club was formed as the Police Team in 1953), the Rudolf-Harbig-Stadion didn’t make the cut for the day’s upcoming activities. Instead, we found our first hipster spot in Ladencafé Aha (a vegan bratwurst Saxon soup for me), which was adorned with pro-refugee decoration and frequented by cycling couples.
Surrounded by the scrunched-up beer cans of the Dresden Ultras, the train to Pirna via Heidenau was unusually tense. The drop in the ocean of time clouding my family’s epoch here and the circumstances of their hasty removal dominated. We sat in the square of the Rathaus and followed the journey to the police station where Manfred was arrested. I followed the steps from there up to what felt like a mini hike to the top of the town. Mum stayed behind. I could later see why.
At the peak was the former fortress of Sonnenstein Castle, turned psychiatric hospital (1811), turned Nazi T4 euthanasia/extermination centre, where between 14 and 15,000 individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as inmates from concentration camps, were killed by malnourishment, poison or by gas chamber between 1940 and 1941. This was one of six such killing centres throughout Nazi Germany. What I could see was a closed pub, a derelict playground and a panoramic view over Grandma’s hometown. In keeping with the rest of the trip, I stood outside to take it in, rather than entering.
I returned to Mum, rather stony faced. A 300ml pilsner didn’t have the desired effect. It was hard not to think of my sister, Sarah, who has Down’s Syndrome. Mum offered a pithy, ‘she wouldn’t have stood a chance’. For someone well versed in the rejection of people with intellectual disabilities throughout history, both textually and empirically, the horror of the centre still completely got to me.
As we returned to our room in Dresden, news flashed across the screens of the reception TVs, which broke the German Health Minister’s statement from Berlin that gatherings of 1000+ should at once be banned. Would it be such a disaster now if the Spurs game was called off? Probably not.
Gotha: 9 March 2020
Saying goodbye to Dresden was more difficult than expected. By the end of the trip it turned out to be the place I’d soonest return to. The best places have a certain dynamic energy to them as Dresden did, and there was plenty more to discover. You’d hope so after a mere two days, to be fair. We didn’t take in the Dresden Hygiene Museum for one, much to Grandma’s presumed disappointment.
As much as there could be, there was plenty of fortune involved in the immediate family’s escape. That much from the trip was clear. Resources, contacts and tip offs were a huge link between the different family members able to escape. It almost goes without saying that some were never able to leave Germany, as was the respective case for family on the Czech side who also perished. The ones I have come to meet had the paradoxical benefit of being able to be ready to escape when persecuted in the window before the Final Solution.
We only had three stops on the Gotha crib sheet. The ‘Porcelain Palace’ at Friedrichstrasse 19, the old ‘Ruppel House’ we could take a snap for cousin Dick in Orange, CA and Café Lösche, a fave haunt of the family, which Grandma remembers fondly. There was nothing left of the porcelain factory.
We needn’t have been looking down at our phones to navigate to the house at number 19 as it was a straight arrow walk from the train station and towered over us as the first grand building on the walk into town. We can’t have been there more than a minute when an elderly chap, by the name of Mauer, came wandering over with a stick and animatedly started involving us in his world.
The man was Gotha born and bred, and his grandmother had worked in the porcelain factory. He was so proud of the heritage. Mum felt slightly uneasy with the fact that his Grandmother worked for Mum’s. He didn’t see it that way. There was magic in the serendipitous nature of the coming together. So much so, it was difficult to know whether it was more meaningful for us or him. There was a great power in this, the feeling that our family had not been wiped from history and it was not just us who were keeping them alive.
A coffee and cake later at Café Lösche and we were back on the train, where news reached us that the game the next day was definitely going ahead as normal, even as others weren’t.
Weimar: 9 – 10 March
From a visitor’s perspective, I have found Germany to be one of the countries most committed in attempting to publicly atone for an ugly past.
Most nations don’t do it at all, commemorating only themselves as victims of atrocities gone by. Straight out the station in Weimar was an outdoor photographic portrait on survivors and where they ended up, that carried on throughout the town. A smiling fellow in concentration camp garb was particularly striking. There were also the gold floor tiles amongst cobblestones that Mum had talked about, but I’d not yet seen, which marked the properties of individuals who were persecuted by the Nazis.
With Buchenwald but 5 km away, Mum was visibly taken aback at the sheer normality in seeing the word on the front of a bus headed in that direction.
Weimar had a noticeably ‘posher’ feel than our otherdestinations. Mum said it was ‘sophisticated’ about a million times. Many students filled the town too – the Bauhaus library faced our hotel. Filling a gap in our itinerary between the must-do Gotha and the Leipzig gig, a friend from Chemnitz had recommended Weimar. It was pretty stunning, a celebration of Goethe and Schiller was everywhere.
By the time we left the Bierkeller on the night before the game, most of the restaurants in the town were shut. It was time to turn in, and in spotting Holsten bottles in the supermarket on the way back to the hotel, a very different type of dread to the one that came over me in visiting sights of family trauma took hold; from tomorrow morning the trip was now to be spoken for by Spurs. It could not be put off any longer.
Leipzig: 10 – 11 March 2020
I don’t often have breakfast, nor do I ever use the phrase ‘breakfast of champions’, but the Amalienhof Hotel had just about the greatest of all inclusive breakfasts. Maybe I was still reeling from my double ice cream lunch in Gotha but there was so much to choose from and, unlike in Madrid where I couldn’t stomach anything on the morning of the Champions League final, I gorged away. We checked out with the sad woman at reception – whose son lives in London somewhere but does not keep in touch with her – and headed back to the station for the MATCH DAY train to Leipzig.
Debussy though the PA, not football chants, greeted us at the Hauptbanhof, where we were stopped by a representative from the German Make A Wish Foundation – ‘but here it is for adults’. The woman was Ukranian originally and moaned at the lack of friendliness in Germany. We agreed. She had enlisted in the army and presumably was doing something about the friendliness from there. Mum gave an overly apologetic and long spiel (during which the outdoor marquee nearly blew away) about how much she already gave to charity, which was lost on the woman, as she said foreigners wouldn’t be allowed to donate anyway. We taught her how to say ‘Come On You Spurs’ and sauntered towards our hotel apartment, which we could already see.
The rooms were pretty plush and over the town we could see Spurs fans slowly congregating and embracing like long lost friends, having no doubt taken different ‘nightmare’ journeys in. The swimming pool in the hotel basement was completely empty and a shade more luxurious than the N17 pre-match equivalent in Bruce Castle Park.
The breakfast had eventually worn off so no better excuse for the always resonant first stroll round a new town, with nothing particularly immediate to do or tick off other than to get some food and see some sights. It was certainly a much friendlier town than elsewhere, and a defiant East German sense of business as usual continued, perhaps a remnant of a closed-off attitude to the impending global crisis.
In the centre of town was one of the weirdest sculptures I’d ever seen. The Giacometti style figure was depicted doing a sieg heil with its right arm, and a clenched fist of Communist solidarity, with its left. I couldn’t get my head round it. Were these things supposed to be on par? A bit ‘problematic’ as they say. Nazi insignia is broadly banned in Germany, but artworks can be exempt. The brutalist Gewandhaus concert hall was around the corner, flanked by the Paulinerkirche, a brazen new Cathedral rebuilt after it was ‘blown up’ in 1968 by the Communist regime.
Mephisto’s figure from Goethe’s Faust loomed large over the city, as if another reminder was needed of Levy’s deal to sack Pochettino and appoint Mourinho. It was time for a game of spot the fans in Auerbachs Keller, Goethe’s favourite 14th Century wine bar, for more Saxon soup, beer and hand washing. My hands were starting to crack. The Guardian sports journalist Jonathan Lieu sat on the next table, later to pen a brilliant piece on the epoch ending match to come.
We happened to walk past the parked-up Spurs coach outside their hotel and got wind that they’d start their gladiatorial departure to the stadium at 7pm. This was a nice little bonus to mark the occasion. I was excited for Mum, who could give the lads a send-off in what was her first away game ever, having supported Spurs since the ‘70s. Likewise, she probably thought it was worth waiting around for my own fanboy purposes. As there was plenty of time to spare, we inveigled a perfect spot at Kaffeehaus Riquet Café, overlooking the emerging hubbub so that we could pop down when need be.
From there, we started chatting to two Jiřís, who had travelled from Prague for the game, mainly to see RB Leipzig’s Patrik Schick. I greeted them with a ‘Dobrý den!’. My middle name is also Jiří!’, to which they responded, ‘we have two other friends called Jiří and we go to the pub as four Jiřís’. The Žižkov locals were enjoying the city, especially so given people were already being turned away at the Czech border as they passed the opposite way into Germany, and their return home wasn’t guaranteed.
With their Irish coffees they didn’t seem too bothered that a return home might not be on the cards for a while. Jiří No. I – who spoke English – said he didn’t like the Czech and Slovak club in West Hampstead because it was full of ‘know-alls’. They wanted us to travel to the game with them, exaggerating how far the stadium was from town, when in actuality it was a 30 min walk at most. Forgetting what bye was in Czech, I signed off with ‘it’ll be 2 or 3-0 to Leipzig’.
With such optimism we took up our planned spots to see off the lads. A Deliveroo cyclist slowed down to a stop beside the waiting crowds. ‘That’ll be for Tanguy’ someone joked to the amusement of those around. Jan Vertonghen’s face appeared from behind a curtain of a second-floor window and the players duly arrived. Lucas and Eric Dier were the ones to acknowledge the fans, whilst the others looked into themselves for some steel and resolve, which based on their faces, didn’t appear to be there.
In Champions League tradition, a bit of Chas and Dave in the hotel room was needed before it was time to be off to the game. I wanted to walk but as we crossed a road – to Mum’s usual dismay – a stadium bound supporter’s shuttle pulled up alongside us. I warned Mum, an away day novice, off this tempting option. It’d be full of boozy lads without room to swing a cat, go the long way around and probably end in a kettle. ‘Let’s get on,’ Mum said. Her funeral. Within seconds Mum bumped into an old colleague from social services and they got on like a house on fire. We gratefully received ‘Fat Blokes on Tour’ badges from Graham, the supporters group he runs. A swig of my Holsten was requested from one of the fat blokes, which had mostly disappeared upon its return.
In a blink, we were outside the stadium. Once there it felt like we were subject to a classic UEFA move. They’d sorted out the fans getting to the ground easily enough, only for unnecessary mayhem to ensue. About 3 turnstiles for over 2000 travelling fans. One fan started chanting that he had a tight chest in the faint hope that in Moses-like fashion, he could part the massive jumble of supporters with virus spreading fears. It didn’t work.
We took up our seats in the first row. With the fans in usual good voice, it felt like it would have been a travesty to round off this special trip merely in the locality of closed doors to our beloved yet flawed Spurs. For the first time all day I started to believe we could do something. At the top of her lungs, Mum joined in with screams of ‘Yid Army’ with a zeal in her eyes I had never seen before. There was a bit more to it this time.
Once this transcendent moment of figurative ethno-based reclaiming of territory amongst one’s newly ascribed tribe had passed, superstition-heavy thoughts returned to the machinations of the game. Even if it started badly, I had faith in the power away goals. And what would be the point of having Mourinho if we just exit the cups as limply as before? He must have something ‘special’ up his sleeves, I thought, while trying to forget that I’d just seen us lose on penalties to bottom placed Norwich. Following what was likely to be the last blare of the Champions League theme for a good while, a bright start encouraged matters, before the expected happened.
Whilst the football was going wrong, Mum started to warn me about the dangers of the drop in front. At 30 years of age I could organise a whole trip, but still have Mum thinking I’d get run over on the way to the game and failing that, I’d end up toppling over the barrier onto tarmac next to the pitch whilst the game was going on. I was more worried about the fan next to us thinking his £10 Spurs Megastore scarf tied round his face would provide any more of a defence to coronavirus than our back line would to Leipzig’s attackers.
The second goal killed the game and at half time, amidst the half-hearted 3-0 down on aggregate to Ajax analogies, I felt compelled to treat Mum to a pretzel to keep spirits up. There was no need, as when I returned to meet Mum, she was deep in conversation with another mate she had bumped into from North London past, this time from jury service. Mum was still full of it, asking the well-travelled Spurs steward if he enjoyed working on all the games. ‘Depends really’, was the fitting but mediocre response.
Once the game restarted there wasn’t much of a reaction and Mourinho didn’t seek to change it, conceding the whole affair at an early stage and making a statement to the board about the car crash of a squad available in the process. Is it even worse when lack of hope is fulfilled or when high hopes are dashed? I don’t know. There were significant anti-Daniel Levy sentiments being expressed in a big way, which has not been the norm. A bloke squeezed past Mum to apologise in advance for his ‘language’, merely because she was a woman, as he called the remaining players who clapped off the supporters, as ‘c***s’.
Given the manner of the performance, and what with how the trip had gone, it somehow felt like the game meant less than usual. And that was without the prospect by then that the Champions League might not finish properly this season anyway. I would return to work wanting to share everything about the trip when usually it’d be a case of hiding from non-Spurs fans and Spurs fans alike to bury my head from any football chat. I was still in a huff for the rest of the evening, mind. Poor Mum.
Nuremberg and the return home: 11 March 2020
The next morning was dedicated to reflection, curry wurst comfort eating and satiating Mum’s new found obsession of Ampelmännchen at the DDR shop, before we headed to Nuremberg.
Nuremberg was chosen first and foremost because of the £9.99 return flights. Not to rest on our laurels however, and in light of Mum’s never-ending energy levels/willingness to jump from plan to plan, with a few hours to spare ahead of our flight we thought we’d go to one last meaningful landmark.
The Justizpalast was the venue of the Nuremberg Trials from 1945 to 1946, when the sovereign state of Germany was put in the dock for conspiracy to commit international crimes, crimes against peace, war crimes and the commission of crimes against humanity, in a symbolic advent of international law. Nazi defendants were prosecuted and executed in the city where citizenship and further hitherto inalienable rights were taken away by decree from Jews. A fitting closure of sorts to the trip.
Oh, and why not one last Bierkeller in another stunning Altstadt? The excellent Restaurant Nassauer Keller zu Nürnberg ticked all the boxes for the finale. The Greek waiter thought we were Greek and in unfortunate punts as first guesses, we mistook each other for fans of our respective rivals; Arsenal and Olympiacos.
Every flight from the airport but ours – which might as well have been a Spurs fan charter – was cancelled. As we got on the plane, amid the usual post-defeat chat, a unique complaint could be heard about ‘f***ing Lady Gaga’, which somehow made sense as a dig at the club’s direction and Levy’s lack of reinvestment.
We returned to what felt like 60s sci-fi dystopia of Stansted staff shaking hands with their elbows and dire warnings of what life was going to be like for a while. There was schadenfreude in the audible domino-effect rejoice of flight goers checking their phones to see Liverpool had also gone out. Fans can have as short or long a memory as they like. A good thing, as there has been no football to go to en masse since.
This is an extract from alonger piece documenting Dan’s trip to Germany. Please contact.lilywhiterose@gmail.com if you would like to read the full version.
With the January transfer window now just over halfway through, James Hicks looks at the different ways that Spurs could line up by the start of February, including a few familiar faces as well as new signings.
Keeping The Faith
Although results haven’t been going the way that fans would’ve liked them to recently, this team is 4th for most goals scored in the Premier League, 3rd for least conceded, and the 2nd least conceded from open play behind Manchester City.
Against Sheffield United on Sunday, Steven Bergwijn showed signs of promise to be able to become the third attacker that Tottenham so desperately need to perform alongside Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son and help the team with goal contributions.
Tanguy Ndombele scored a outrageous chip over Aaron Ramsdale at Bramall Lane and is looking fitter than ever, completing 90 minutes of football against the Blades and slowly showing signs of progression with his fitness which I’m sure every Spurs fan is loving to see his improvement and adaption recently.
WHAT. A. FINISH! 😍
From a tight angle Tanguy Ndombele has lifted it over Ramsdale and dropped it right in the bottom corner, with the outside of his foot. Stunning.
The defence is always a major talking point of the Spurs line-up no matter who’s playing and I would argue that this is our most experienced back four, Sergio Reguilon and Serge Aurier give us the width and pace we need in the full-back positions. Toby Alderweireld and Eric Dier have been Jose’s trusted partnership this year and their record from open play speaks for itself, conceding the joint least goals from open play, but as everyone knows, set pieces are a huge problem, an issue perhaps which could be solved with the next line up.
2. The Midfield Trio
This was the line-up Spurs fans were most looking forward to after the close of the summer transfer window with a little twist.
In this scenario, Marcel Sabitzer would join the front three in replacement of Steven Bergwijn, with the Austrian – who has a year and a half left on his contract at RB Leipzig – finally making the move having been linked with Spurs on and off for some time.
He would be a great addition to the squad and would provide a player who is extremely versatile where he can play whether it be just off the strikers in the 10 role, out wide either side of a front three or even central midfield. Sabitzer is flexible and can help with goal contributions from anywhere on the field with the 26-year-old producing 17 goal contributions in 32 games in the Bundesliga last season.
It is more likely, however, that Spurs and Levy will attempt to sign Sabitzer in the summer due to his contract situation, replicating what happened with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg negotiations due to his lack of contract, where Spurs ended up with what is looking like a bargain in the Dane.
Another attraction of this team is the midfield three everyone couldn’t wait to watch play together this season in Giovani Lo Celso, Ndombele and Hojbjerg. The trio have only started together once all season, against LASK in the Europa League where it never really gelled, however with Ndombele fitness now ever increasing hopefully when Lo Celso returns from injury we’ll be able to see these three together in action, a spectacle many Spurs were extremely looking forward to.
In defence I’ve partnered Joe Rodon next to Dier after his impressive performance in his second league start against Sheffield United, in his brief cameos in a back four this season he has been really impressive and arguably deserves a chance at a long run in the team, with Jose Mourinho evidently undecided on who he is going to partner alongside Dier in a back four.
Joe Rodon vs. Sheffield United:
◉ Most recoveries (9) ◉ Most clearances (4) ◉ Most aerials won (4) ◉ Most interceptions (2)
Mourinho first debuted Spurs playing three/five at the back against Wolves, where again Spurs conceded from a set piece, however against Sheffield United it look much more assured and controlled posing the question whether it’s worth playing that formation?
Keeping the same front three – which I would say is the best – and a midfield pivot of Ndombele and Hojbjerg, would help to provide the foundations which this team is built on.
Both Reguilon and Doherty were bought over the summer from Sevilla and Wolves respectively, however we have hardly seen either of them play in a position that they thrive in so much as a wing-back. They both offer great pace and crossing ability for one of the forward three to get their head on, especially Reguilon as seen against Fulham.
Last season Doherty had 12 goal contributions in 50 games for Wolves, while Reguilon had eight contributions in 38 games, at the moment Spurs’ highest goal contributor apart from Son and Kane is Ndombele on four, this is something that Jose needs to find the answer to and quick.
By playing this formation it would give Doherty and Reguilon much more license to get forward without having to worry as much about their defensive duties, instead helping Spurs when they go forward, this could help produce many more goal scoring opportunities with crosses and runs from both wing backs.
With the three centre-backs, it would be fair to say Rodon has more than earnt his chance in defence, here he would be alongside Dier and Japhet Tanganga, Tanganga has severely struggled for game time this season due to a back injury he suffered earlier in the season. However with him now slowly progressing back into the set-up and his superb performances last year he also warrants a chance at centre-back especially with all of Jose’s chopping and changing he has been doing recently at centre-half.
4. The Return of DESK
Is the return of DESK a possibility for Mourinho and Tottenham? Christian Eriksen has been heavily linked back with a move back to White Hart Lane after failing to impress at Inter Milan since his transfer last January.
Dele Alli has suffered a similar dip in form since last season, but is still putting up decent numbers when being put in the team with four goal contributions in twelve matches. What Dele needs is a sustained period in the first XI where he tries to rediscover his form with the full support of his manager and he’ll get back to his best.
Dele, Eriksen, Son and Kane, if both Dele and Eriksen were able to rediscover their form this front four would be formidable and could possibly resolve Tottenham’s reliance on solely Son and Kane to provide goals.
Alderweireld partners Dier in defence in this team, both of whom are accustomed to each other by now having played together for nearly 6 years, many of which have been spent alongside one another at the heart of Spurs’ defence.
Would the return of Dele and Eriksen help to improve Spurs’ creativity moving forward?
Playing the understudy to Harry Kane is a bitter-sweet situation for any young striker. On the one hand, the prospect of learning from one of the Premier League’s all-time prolific forwards. On the other, a distinct lack of Premier League minutes. Furthermore, the Spurs talisman does not look like slowing down this season. With 18 goals and 14 assists in 26 games, the England captain has been in scintillating form for Jose Mourinho’s side.
The understudy in question has certainly given Mourinho another viable striking option. Carlos Vinicius has hit the ground running since his loan switch from Portuguese giants Benfica. He has netted six times whilst laying on a further three assists for teammates in as little as nine games for the Lilywhites. Remarkably, the Brazilian has only started five games for Spurs in all competitions, a testament to his knack for scoring goals.
The 6”3 target-man hasn’t always been primarily focused on scoring. During his youth career, he was largely employed as a central defender due to his height and athleticism. He made his senior debut in 2017 as a defensive midfielder for fourth-tier Brazilian side Caldense. A move to Gremio Anapolis saw Vinicius play as an attacking midfielder before completing his rapid positional journey to become a forward. A switch to Europe saw the striker join Portuguese side Real SC. A £4 million switch to Napoli resulted in impressive loan moves to both Rio Ave and Monaco. Vinicius eventually signed for Portuguese champions Benfica in the summer of 2019. Notching 18 goals and 5 assists in 32 league matches for The Eagles was enough to convince Spurs chairman Daniel Levy into a year-long loan with a £45 million option to buy this summer.
Spurs fans have grown familiar with seeing Vinicius bring down long-balls and link play. These characteristics make him a useful weapon for when Mourinho’s side cannot play a counter-attacking game. As well as his strength and aerial threat, Vinicius has a respectable burst of pace and is technically adept to dribble at speed. This dimension to his game provides a more than valid attacking alternative for days in which Harry Kane and Heung-Min Son are struggling to convert.
During his stint at Benfica, Vinicius was primarily utilised as a striker in a 4-4-2 formation. Mourinho has employed the same formation at points in his successful spell at Inter Milan, as well as currently in North London. The prospect of having both Kane and Vinicius to deal with is a headache for any centre-back partnership. Due to his pace and impressive agility, Vinicius also occasionally occupied a wide attacking birth during his time in Portugal. This gives the Special One a more combative wide option compared to the trickery of Steven Bergwijn, the raw pace of Lucas Moura, and the intelligence of Gareth Bale.
The current situation is beneficial for both the club and the player. At 25-years-old, Vinicius is entering the golden years of his career. Having been given a chance in the Premier League, he will feel he has to seize every playing opportunity that comes his way. Furthermore, having a hungry striker seeking to prove he belongs at the top level will only benefit Spurs. Time will tell if Vinicius has impressed enough to warrant a permanent switch.
With first Dane Scarlett and then Alfie Devine breaking the record for the youngest player in Tottenham’s history (and in Devine’s case, youngest goal scorer as well), and a clutch of other young players gaining first-team experience, Spurs’ academy prospects are looking as gifted and plentiful as they’ve ever been.
Fast forward ten years and it’s unlikely that Harry Kane will still be leading the line at the age of 37, so we look at the players who are set to make the step up. Given the talent coming through, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that our line up will be full of Hotspur Way graduates in a decade’s time.
This is our dream team 2030/31.
GK – Brandon Austin, 31 (age at the start of the 2030/31 season)
It’s a crowded field when it comes to Spurs’ goalkeeping prospects, with no less than nine Academy players on the books. However, it is England Under-21 stopper Brandon Austin that we feel has the best chance of making it in the first team.
Austin has been on the bench in four Europa League games this season and has been the first choice with the Under-23s, making eight appearances in the Premier League 2. He spent the second half of last season on loan with Danish side Viborg FF, impressing as he made 14 appearances in the NordicBet LIGA.
The next couple of years could be crucial for Austin – aged 22 and with his contract up in 2022, he will want to impress to prove to Jose Mourinho that he has what it takes to succeed Hugo Lloris and Joe Hart as they enter the autumn years of their careers. If he does so, he could be between the sticks come 2030/31.
Although primarily a right-back, the Edmonton-born Lusala is comfortable playing right across the defence. He has a touch of Kyle Walker about him, his pace and athleticism down the flanks standing out – his three assists in five Under 18 games demonstrate his ability going forward.
Already capped at youth level by England, we expect him to have formed an exciting full-back partnership with Dennis Cirkin by 2030/31.
Also look out for Kallum Cesay
CB – Malachi Fagan-Walcott, 28
It’s another Edmonton boy – Malachi Fagan-Walcott.
A former 200m sprint champion, Fagan-Walcott is a quick, powerful defender, but is also good in the air and reads the game very well. He has suffered from a knee injury this season, but he turned out regularly for the Under-23s last year and even made his first-team debut against RB Leipzig as a late substitute. He has also been called up to England Under 15s, 16s, 17s and 18s.
Fagan-Walcott’s idol is Ledley King – if he can go on to be half as good as the great man, he will have a very successful career in lilywhite.
Aside from Oliver Skipp, Japhet Tanganga is the player with the most top-level experience in this group. Having made his debut in the EFL Cup in 2019, Tanganga has gone on to make 17 appearances for the senior side.
A versatile player comfortable playing right across the back, Tanganga has appeared for England at every youth level from the Under-16s to the Under-20s, and was called up for the Under-21s, but had to pull out due to injury. He signed a new five-year contract last summer and looks set to become a mainstay of the first team squad for years to come.
Hackney-born Tanganga joined the club aged just 10 – by 2030 he’ll have been with the club for two decades.
Over two and a half years ago, I attended an Under 15s/16s game against Ipswich Town. A fair few players stood out in the 6-1 win – Luis Binks, Harvey White, J’Neil Bennett, Max Robson and Chay Cooper all shined. But it was our left-back that day who you instantly knew was destined for something special.
Dennis Cirkin is a future England international with a staggering array of attributes. His reading of the game, technique in both defence and attack, work-rate, surging runs from deep and ability to score and assist offers an all-round package rarely seen in someone so young.
Although he has yet to make his competitive first-team bow, Cirkin appeared in the friendlies against Ipswich and Reading and has been named as a substitute on a handful of occasions. Despite the presence of Ben Davies and Sergio Reguilon, it will be a matter of time before the England Under-18 left-back makes his debut.
When he does, he’ll be one step closer to making that number 3 shirt his own for the next decade.
Not my words, but those of Jose Mourinho, a man who knows a thing or two about these sort of things. After being with the club since 2013, Oliver Skipp made his debut as an 18 year old for Spurs, going on to make 23 appearances in all competitions over the next two seasons.
He has made a huge impact on loan with Championship side Norwich this season, quickly establishing as an indispensable member of a side pushing for promotion. If they go up, it may well that Skipp remains with the Canaries to get a full season of Premier League football under his belt.
Whether or not Skipp returns to Spurs next season, there is little doubt that the England Under-21 midfielder will be the heartbeat of our midfield for a decade to come. Like Jose, we believe he’ll be our captain in 2030/31.
Also look out for Jamie Bowden
CM – Alfie Devine, 26
At just 16 years and 163 days old, Alfie Devine became the youngest player in Spurs’ history. The youngest goalscorer in Spurs’ history.
Devine is an all-action central midfielder, his energy matched by his creativity and his ability to appear in and around the opposition penalty area and score goals. The England youth international has had a meteoric rise through the Spurs ranks after joining the club last summer, performing at Under-18, Under-23 and senior levels with distinction.
Along with Oliver Skipp and Harvey White, Devine represents the future of Spurs’ midfield.
A versatile, set piece specialist, comfortable in possession with and a wonderful left foot, White made his debut off the bench against Ludogorets in November before making his first start against Marine in the FA Cup.
Although he has been in and around the first-team squad for much of the season, White has underlined his creative potential with the Under-23s, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in just 11 games.
White was recently called up to the England Under 20 squad and he certainly has the talent to continue to move through the ranks to become a Tottenham and England regular by 2030/31.
Also look out for Max Robson
RF – Jamie Donley, 25
If our fan’s main Academy interest was Troy Parrott last season, and Dane Scarlett is this season’s, 2021/22 will see the focus switch to Jamie Donley.
Donley joined Spurs seven years ago from Colchester Villa YFC. As an Under 8, he scored a barely believable 175 goals from midfield. You read that right. 175.
Donley has only just turned 16 – and is the youngest player featured on this list – but his ability is obvious. Already this season, he’s scored 17 goals in just 12 games for the Under-16s, and has played three times for the Under-18s, scoring on his debut against Leicester. With Dane Scarlett likely to step up to the Under-23s by the end of the season, we expect to see Donley fill his shoes.
If the England youth international keeps scoring every time he moves up a level, we could be left with the mouth-watering prospect of a lethal Donley – Scarlett – Parrott forward line in 2030/31.
Also look out for Jack Clarke
ST – Dane Scarlett, 26
After his five goals against Newport in the FA Youth Cup, we posted a picture of Scarlett next to one of the great Ronaldo. It might have been a bit tongue in cheek, but if he keeps scoring at his current rate, the comparisons will only continue.
Scarlett has been in lethal form at youth level this season, scoring 19 goals in just 13 games, including three hat-tricks. As evidenced by his strikes against Newport, the England youth international’s goal scoring instincts are outstanding – his third goal in particular, a Cruyff finish, was sublime.
His record as Spurs’ youngest player may have only stood for two months, but we expect to see the name ‘Scarlett’ featuring on Premier League scoresheets for years to come.
Although Troy Parrott’s recent spell at Millwall hasn’t gone to plan, we’ve got to remember he’s only 18. Injuries have disrupted his time there and he has often been played out of position – even Kane’s loan spells weren’t always an unqualified success.
Parrott remains a major talent – he’s already received two caps for the Republic of Ireland – and his natural ability will hardly disappear after only a few months. Let’s not forget, this is a player who made his debut for Spurs at the age of 17 and spent most of last season in the first-team squad. He has also scored 31 goals in just 38 games for the youth sides since joining the club in 2017.
With the right support and opportunities, we have little doubt that, in time, Parrott will blossom into one of Tottenham’s leading players.
Although Spurs’ last Premier League fixture was an emphatic 3-0 win over Leeds, their previous four game winless streak was a clear downturn in results from their pre-Christmas charge to the top of the table. Not only did Spurs fail to keep a clean sheet in that period, they have only scored 1.25 goals per game in their last eight games – 30.9% lower than their overall average for the season.
However, there are still a number of reasons to be optimistic that Spurs can return to the apex of the Premier League. Aside from a manageable four point gap, the form of a certain few key players and the culmination of Spurs’ long-term strategy might suggest that a league title is closer than it may seem.
Jose Mourinho’s Second Season Successes At every single team Mourinho has managed he has finished first in the league in his second season, apart from at Manchester United. Astoundingly, Mourinho dubbed this second place finish as one of his ‘greatest achievements’, and has since stated that his current Tottenham squad is superior to that of the United team that he managed to finish second with. Although this is not empirical evidence that Tottenham will succeed, few know more about the game than Jose – who averaged a trophy every 34 games at one stage in his career, and no team has seized the opportunity to pull away at the top of the league thus far.
Spurs sat in pole position after 12 games played, and in the 15 full seasons Mourinho has completed as a manager, his team has finished in the place he currently sat after 12 games 12 times, winning nine of those seasons. All managers take time to implement their philosophy and style of football, and some of the more reactionary Spurs fans need to trust in the process of one of the greatest managers of the modern era when results don’t go as expected.
The Resurgence of Eric Dier One year ago, Eric Dier was seriously struggling for gametime and had faced a lengthy injury layoff. Forgettable midfield performances in the twilight of Mauricio Pochettino’s reign had changed the public opinion on Dier, from an exciting, versatile youngster to a player who epitomised Spurs’ defensive frailties in the last year under Poch – a regression in performances and consistency. However, the departure of Pochettino gave Dier a chance at redemption under Mourinho, who publicly wanted the signing of Dier at Manchester United.
Whilst Dier didn’t instantly adapt to the new centre back role with ease under Jose, his post lockdown form has been sensational. Still only 26, Dier has been one of the most consistent defenders in the league this season, and has forced his way back into the England XI. A typical Mourinho central defender; tall, strong and intelligent, Dier has been the focal point of the second best defence in the league this season, and having a resolute defence is key to challenging for league titles.
The Kane and Son Factor
The inclusion of this mesmeric duo shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone reading this list, Kane and Son are simply world class. They have combined to create 13 goals for each other this season, equalling the seasonal record for a duo after only 16 games. Now only 3 behind Drogba and Lampard’s all time record of 36, the pair are on course to create 30 goals for one another this season alone. For once, it truly feels as if Spurs can beat anyone in the world with these two on the pitch.
Harry Kane has been in arguably the best form of any player in the world this season, with 21 goal contributions in 16 games, and his new dynamic role has highlighted his incredible passing abilities on the ball without his monstrous goalscoring record drying up. Son Heung-min’s finishing has been nothing short of ridiculous, outperforming his xG (Expected Goals – amount and quality of chances created for him) more than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues in 2020, ahead of the likes of Messi, Ronaldo, and Harry Kane of course.
With two of the best attacking players in the world, a strong defense and one of the greatest managers of all time, it does seem as if Spurs should be competing for the league if they can find consistency.
The Mercurial Tanguy Ndombele For me personally, Tanguy Ndombele is the player which I find most fascinating in this burgeoning Spurs side. Whilst appearing to never be fully fit and struggling to show his skills for a whole game, his talent shines whenever he touches the ball. One of the most naturally talented players I have watched pull on a spurs shirt, it suddenly makes complete sense to all Spurs supporters as to why Daniel Levy smashed Tottenham’s transfer record to pull off an eye-watering £57 million deal for the Frenchman. With last season’s fallout with Mourinho behind him, Ndombele has already achieved six goal contributions in all competitions this season, as many as he returned in the entirety of the 19/20 campaign.
Spurs Are Still Improving Mourinho’s appointment on 20th November 2019 signified a dramatic culture change for Tottenham Hotspur’s squad. The appointment of a serial winner was a statement of intent, the club objective was now solely focused upon winning a trophy. The tactical style of Mourinho is a polar opposite to that of Pochettino, more pragmatic and defensive, which requires a number of transfer windows to implement. It is worth remembering that Mourinho has only had 2 windows and has been disrupted by Covid-19, whilst also needing to change the mentality of the team. The additions of Hojbjerg and Reguilon along with the resurgence of both Dier and Ndombele have been very impressive, and it is also worth remembering that this squad will only improve the more they play together.
It remains difficult for Spurs to win the league this season, given that this is Mourinho’s first full season and the team is still transitioning. not to mention the depth and quality at our rivals’ disposable. Nevertheless, to be just four points away from league leaders Liverpool with a game in hand is still a good position – especially when taking the dismal performances against Leicester and Wolves into consideration. In my opinion, you can expect Tottenham to still be in the top four come the end of the season, and will be going toe-to-toe with the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City. Furthermore, the league is completely open this season with all of the big six dropping points on a regular basis. We can at least hope, right?
The youngest player in Spurs’ history. The youngest goalscorer in Spurs’ history. At just 16 years and 163 days old, Alfie Devine has entered the record books.
Since, his transfer from Wigan in July last year, there has been a great buzz around the Warrington-born 16 year old, with fans desperate to see the England Under-16 midfielder turn out for the first team in a competitive fixture.
Devine is an all-action central midfielder, his energy matched by his creativity and his ability to appear in and around the opposition penalty area and score goals. He comes from a sporting family, his father Sean playing Rugby League for St. Helens in the late 80s/early 90s.
In a way, it is fitting that Marine were the hosts for this record-breaking evening. Devine was in Liverpool’s academy before being released when he was 11, so to make his mark on Merseyside would’ve felt extra special.
Shortly after Devine’s release from Liverpool, he joined Wigan and rapidly moved through the ranks, making his Under-23 debut aged just 15. He was also a member of Wigan’s FA Youth Cup charge to the quarter-finals, a run that also included a 2-0 win over Tottenham in the Fourth Round. Devine appeared as a substitute in that game against a Spurs side which included the likes of Harvey White, Dennis Cirkin and Luis Binks.
Six months after that game, Devine joined Spurs for £300,000, with the club quickly securing his signature ahead of a number of other suitors, including Chelsea. Although that still sounds like a decent sum for a 15 year old without a senior appearance to his name, Wigan’s financial situation forced the club into selling for a vastly reduced fee. Currently languishing second from bottom in League One, it’s not too fanciful to think that Devine would’ve already made a dozen or more league appearances had he remained at the club.
As it was, Devine moved to Hotspur Way in July and began training immediately with the first-team, even making appearances in the pre-season friendlies against Ipswich Town and Reading. Even though Devine only turned 16 on 1 August, this was no great surprise. Jose Mourinho had met the player personally when completing the transfer and clearly saw a player with all the necessary attributes to make it as a top-class Premier League footballer.
Although Devine started off with the Under-18s this season, but by November had been promoted to the Under-23s. While he scored on his Premier League 2 debut against Derby, it was against Chelsea that he really made his mark. Fronting up to 124-cap and multi-trophy winner Petr Cech made for a wonderful image, before a pretty filthy lunge on Danny Drinkwater earned him a deserved red card. However, for the 75 minutes before that Devine stood out for his all-action performance, totally bossing Drinkwater – an England international and Premier League winner with over 300 senior appearances to his name.
Mourinho – hardly one to discourage a competitive streak in his players – clearly felt that Devine was now ready for more and promoted him to train with the first team squad after the game. With that in mind, his appearance against Marine came as no great surprise to the observers of Spurs’ academy. It was immediately obvious that Devine was head and shoulders above those at Under-18 level and, even though he is still closer to 15 than 17 years old, he has looked more than comfortable with the Under-23s. Mourinho clearly has a plan for him and it was felt a matter of time before he made his first team debut.
Along with Oliver Skipp and Harvey White, who made his first start against Marine, Devine represents the future of Spurs’ midfield – Jamie Bowden should also be considered as part of that group. Of course, with Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Tanguy Ndombele, Moussa Sissoko, Harry Winks, Giovani Lo Celso to navigate past, finding a regular starting spot may be a tall order in the immediate future. Like Skipp, a loan spell may be necessary to aid their development in the short-term, but this clutch of extremely promising footballers have a very bright future in lilywhite.
As with Dane Scarlett – who had set the previous record for youngest player in Spurs’ history in the Europa League against Ludogorets just two months ago – there remains a long-way to go before we watch Alfie Devine week in, week out in the Premier League, but make no mistake, this kid is special. Very special.
Prior to the opening goal, Spurs were extremely dominant on the game in the first twenty minutes creating a few good opportunities all of which was halted by Vincente Guaita. However once Kane scored, in typical Mourinho style Spurs sat back and tried to protect a one goal lead, which was a huge mistake, whilst the Lilywhites were in control of the match, they should’ve killed the game off instead of sitting back as soon as taking the lead. The fact that the game was away at Selhurst Park and Palace’s first home game with fans back certainly had a part to play in the Palace’s effort as a team, with Palace dominating the end of the first half and the majority of the second.
You could sense in the stadium that the fans could feel a goal coming and were willing the team to go and get that goal whereas before it would’ve almost definitely been easier to defend against a Palace team who were getting frustrated that nothing was coming off for them. The fans tipped them over the line so to speak, with the pressure that ensued before the goal.
Hopefully Spurs and Mourinho take this into account and don’t sit back once scoring the first goal especially after being on the front foot since the start of the game, obviously against ‘Top 6’ teams Mourinho will stick to his counter-attacking football but Spurs need a Plan B when coming up against teams such as Palace who will happily play Mourinho at his own game and sit back deep, typically where Spurs seem to struggle.
Dier on freekicks
So far this season, Spurs have had a magnitude of different free-kick takers in Kane, Son, Bale, Højbjerg, Dier, Lo Celso to name but a few. Dier’s free-kick in stoppage time was an unbelievable strike only denied by a brilliant save for Guaita who, his error in the first half aside, stole the show.
Previously Dier has shown his quality over free-kicks with a strike against Russia at the Euros in 2016 the first one that comes to mind, over a dead ball Spurs don’t have an out and out specialist and Dier definitely has a strong claim to be over free-kicks as opposed to others who have previously been sometimes wasteful in good positions. But with Dier’s strike only being stopped by an extraordinary save from the Palace goalkeeper after looking certain to head for the top corner and give Spurs a dramatic winner, he has put down a great argument to be on free-kicks, in my opinion Bale or Dier should be on free-kicks around the penalty area.
The return of Dele Alli
Dele Alli made his first Spurs Premier League matchday squad since the demolition of Manchester United at the start of October where he came on as a sub. However, with the absence of Carlos Vinicius and Gareth Bale, Alli found himself making the bench and was also preferred to Lucas when Mourinho made his substitutions after Palace’s equaliser which is very interesting after rumours midweek of a move in January away from Spurs with the Englishman strongly linked with French giants PSG with a loan move.
As soon as Alli was introduced to the action he was thrown in at the deep-end and was left with a two on two defensively where he perfectly timed his tackle and quickly moved the ball forward once, he won possession. What surprises me the most is the fact Alli was trusted by Mourinho of trying to find the winner for Spurs but wasn’t involved at all in the Europa League game against Antwerp on Thursday in a game which arguably he could’ve started, showing his relationship with Mourinho is an extremely complicated one.
It will be very interesting to see what happens in the coming weeks with Alli prior to the January window especially with the absence of Europa League football until after close of the transfer window. Is Mourinho working him back into his plans? Is he helping to get him match fit in order for him to be sold or go on loan? Only time will tell.
Absence of Carlos Vinicius
In contrast to the return of Dele Alli to the matchday squad, Vinicius found himself missing out. With no reports of any sort of injury it seems that Mourinho just didn’t include him in the 18 who travelled to Palace. The Brazilian was also brought off midweek during the victory of Antwerp not even a minute after his goal, albeit it was a tap-in, a decision which was questioned by many fans.
Against Palace, Mourinho instead opted to have three defenders on the bench as opposed to Vinicius so who knows what’s going on with the Benfica loanee who I would argue has been very impressive in his appearances since joining Spurs. Again, much like with Alli only time will show what Mourinho’s plans are for Vinicius and whether he trusts him or not.
He has yet to start in the Premier League and has only made one appearance from the bench against West Brom where I personally would argue he helped to change the dynamic of the game, leading to Kane being able to score a late winner after Vinicius occupied a centre-back giving Kane more space. Who knows whether Vinicius would’ve made a difference against Palace today but it would’ve certainly offered a different dynamic.
Title race talk too early?
As Jose Mourinho said himself Spurs are only a “Little Pony” in the title race and the disappointing draw against Palace may reflect this. Spurs have now dropped six points against Newcastle, West Ham and now Crystal Palace, games that they should be winning if Spurs want to win the league.
With Chelsea losing, Fulham holding Liverpool to a draw and both City and United dropping points on Saturday, Spurs will be kicking themselves that they were unable to further open the gap between the sides. With the midweek fixture against Liverpool in the back of everyone’s minds and now especially important after todays result. The game is a must-win in order for Spurs to be taken seriously and mount a serious title challenge this season.
20th November 2019. José Mourinho is presented to the world as the new manager of Tottenham Hotspur.
It would have been a barely believable statement had it been made less than six months previously. Mauricio Pochettino had just taken the club to their first ever Champions League final and it was hoped that he would lead the club into a glorious new era in their wonderful new home.
It wasn’t to be. The 2-0 loss to Liverpool sapped the energy and confidence of a team and a manager who had taken Spurs to new heights, with the attempts to refresh the squad coming too late to prevent the slide. Pochettino left the club after a five game winless streak with the team in 14th position.
In many ways Mourinho seemed to be the complete contradiction to Pochettino. Friction with senior players were par for the course during his most recent spells at Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester United, and there were major doubts about his commitment to bringing through young players – his treatment of Luke Shaw, in particular, was uncomfortable viewership. His defensive style of football was a far cry from what Spurs fans had grown accustomed to, and while Pochettino built himself into the DNA of the club, Mourinho rarely stayed anywhere for more than three seasons. Then there was his history with Chelsea. Enough said there.
But Mourinho was also a serial winner. For all of the joy Pochettino brought to our football club, he couldn’t get the team over the line and secure that elusive trophy. It had been eleven years since Spurs’ last and even that was only a League Cup. The wait for a League title had stretched to nearly sixty years and the whole club still seemed to be reeling from the Champions League final loss.
Mourinho had been brought in to win, to find the final piece in a puzzle that already included world-class players, stand out training facilities, a growing global reach accompanied by lucrative commercial sponsorships, and arguably the best new stadium in world football.
The short-term brief, however, was to drag Spurs into the European places, a must for a club who had accumulated significant debts in building the aforementioned stadium. The football wasn’t always pretty, and the defence remained porous at times – eight clean sheets was the lowest total since 2010/11 – but it was a small achievement in itself to move a team low on form, confidence and energy from 14th to 6th.
The 2-0 victory over Manchester City, courtesy of a memorable debut goal by Steven Bergwijn, was a highlight, but it was the form after the season’s restart which really underlined the recovery. In nine games Spurs lost just once, with five wins – one of which being in a North London Derby – and four clean sheets sealing European football for another season.
The summer transfer window proved to be the real watershed moment, however. Uncharacteristically, Spurs moved quickly and decisively, securing two new full backs, cover for Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris, a promising young centre back, the marquee signing of Gareth Bale and, arguably most significantly, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, a player who has already established himself at the heart of the side.
As well as filling the gaps on the pitch, Mourinho looked to address the much sought after but statistically unquantifiable qualities of ‘leadership’. Højbjerg is the obvious embodiment of that, but in Joe Hart, Bale and Sergio Reguilón too, Mourinho brought in players with experience of winning major trophies. Added to the mix are international captains Kane, Lloris, Heung-Min Son and Serge Aurier, plus the competitive drive and experience of Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld. There can be few complaints now that this Spurs team is lacking in the right mentality.
Mourinho has also shown that he has evolved tactically too. There was a belief in some quarters that the methods which had made Mourinho one of the most decorated managers of all time had grown stale, that managers like Jürgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino had moved the game on. Against Manchester City, however, Mourinho underlined why he remains one of the leading managers in the game.
The defensive solidity that epitomises all of Mourinho’s teams still remains central to his ethos and the ease with which Spurs soaked up City’s attacks was striking. Dier is repaying the faith shown in him and was immense on Saturday night, making block after block after block. Højbjerg continues to marshal the side brilliantly leaving Kevin De Bruyne isolated and frustrated. And, while Kane rightly gained plaudits for his defensive display, hard work and tactical nous runs right through the team.
As well as epitomising Spurs’ relentless pursuit of defensive perfection, it was also Kane who showcased the evolution of Mourinho’s tactics in attack. Kane’s game has reached another level since being deployed in a deeper position by Mourinho. He should now be described as a complete forward and can rightly lay claim to being one of the top 10 players in world football.
Against City Kane looked to reinforce that status, pulling Rúben Dias and Aymeric Laporte – a £120 million central defensive partnership – all over the pitch, rupturing Guardiola’s high pressing game and leaving acres of space around them. Both goals resulted from Mourinho’s game plan and Manchester City’s defence – and indeed Guardiola – were left unable to respond.
Of course, Kane was already an exceptional player when Mourinho arrived, with his dedication and professionalism ensuring that he would’ve continued to excel as he entered his peak years. But Mourinho’s finessing of Kane’s positioning has seen marked improvements in both his individual performances, and the team’s as a whole.
It is not just Kane who has taken his game to another level. Lloris is having his best season for some time, regaining his trademark calming influence on the team as a result. As previously mentioned, Dier is repaying Mourinho’s faith and is getting better with every game at centre back. Son has been the clear beneficiary to Kane’s deeper positioning and together they have formed the most devastating strike partnership currently playing in the Premier League. And Tanguy Ndombele is now regularly showing his talent – you’d frame his pass to Son for the opener and put it on your wall at home if you could. Mourinho’s tough love looks like it’s paid off and you suspect there is even more to come, a mouthwatering prospect.
The performance against City was a culmination of the progress that has been made defensively. Sure, Mourinho would like to improve on the number of clean sheets Spurs have kept, but the nine goals conceded is the fewest in the Premier League. But for the aberration against West Ham, that figure would’ve been even lower. They are scoring plenty of goals too, the ruthless six goal dismantling of Manchester United being an obvious example. 2.33 goals per game is Spurs’ best ratio since the Premier League era began and dispels the notion that Mourinho is content to squeeze out stodgy 1-0 wins.
Granted, there is a long way to go. Spurs may be top of the league, but they are less than a quarter of the way through a long season unlike any other. While a number of players have found their feet in new Mourinho era, others like Harry Winks, Davinson Sanchez and Steven Bergwijn are yet to recapture the form needed to break into the first team on a regular basis. Meanwhile, despite flickering back to life at the start of Mourinho’s reign, Dele Alli seems to have entered a permanent state of decline. It’s becoming increasingly hard to see a way back for a player who, at the age of 24 and with nearly 40 England caps to his name, should be entering the best years of his career.
But the early signs are good and seems to be a different Mourinho to the one we’ve seen for much of the past decade. He feels revitalised and happier. He’s still evolving tactically, and continues to show that he can not only compete with the ‘new’ generation of managers, but he can dominate them too. He’s quickly built a squad with depth in every position, the team is defensively sound and still scoring plenty of goals. The vast majority of players have recovered their form of old, while some like Son and Kane are now the leading players in the Premier League and among the world’s best.
Perhaps Mourinho may not bring as much unbridled joy as Pochettino did and his strong connection with Chelsea will always sit uncomfortably – the two may well be correlating factors – but, with football fans being as fickle as they are, joy will be unbridled and his time at Chelsea will serve as a footnote should he lead Spurs to a long overdue trophy.
Who knows, that could include a Premier League title. The thought doesn’t seem so fanciful with Mourinho in charge.
Given the 2-0 victory over Manchester City which sent Spurs top of the Premier League, it is understandable that the Under-18s’ win over Southampton didn’t get much of a mention. However, for keen followers of Spurs’ youth teams, the performances on display in the 7-0 victory only helped reinforce the excitement surrounding a number of players.
Two players in particular stood out – midfielder Alfie Devine, an England youth international, is a precocious talent and has already appeared for the senior team, albeit in pre-season friendlies. It is considered a matter of time before he appears in a competitive game, despite only turning 16 in the summer.
But it is Dane Scarlett, the scorer of four goals against the Saints – including a hat-trick of headers – who is the focus of this article.
Like Devine, Scarlett is a 16 year old England youth international. He also appeared in the pre-season friendlies against Ipswich and Reading. But while Devine is a box-to-box midfielder whose technical ability is matched by his relentless work rate, Scarlett is a natural goalscorer, with his four goals against Southampton taking his tally to ten in just eight appearances this season.
Scarlett first appeared for the Under-18s at just 15 years old, making four appearances and scoring his first goal at that level against Aston Villa in October 2019. However, a horrible knee injury in the following game ended his entire season.
It says a lot about his character and his talent that, not only did he battle his way back to full fitness, he also forced his way into Jose Mourinho’s pre-season plans making two appearances.
From there he has made up for lost time. He is currently the highest scorer in the Under-18 Premier League, with highlights including a goal in the 2-0 win over Arsenal and a brace and two assists in the 4-1 thumping of West Ham.
He is moving through the age groups for England, scoring for both the Under-15s and Under-16s. He would have made his debut for the Under-17s this autumn too, but had to settle for training matches against Derby Under-18s and Reading Under-23s. He still scored though.
We will not be falling into a lazy cliche by touting Scarlett as ‘the next Harry Kane’ – he is just 16 years old and it adds unnecessary pressure and expectation. To compare a player who has yet to make a single senior competitive appearance to one of the best centre forwards in world football is patently ridiculous.
However, there are certainly encouraging signs that Scarlett has what it takes to make it to the top. The sheer weight of goals he scores certainly doesn’t hurt and, as mentioned previously, he showed great character to come back so impressively from a serious knee injury. Jose Mourinho, one of the most decorated managers in history, has clearly seen something he likes, and training alongside Kane can only have a positive influence.
For now though, Scarlett will first look to make the step up to the Under-23s and, if he continues to be so prolific in front of goal, it will be a case of when, not if. With Scarlett not turning 17 until March, it is unlikely that we will see him in the first team squad this season, but between Scarlett, Troy Parrott and Jamie Donley, the future of Spurs’ strike force is looking very bright.
There is still a way to go, but you feel we won’t have too long to wait until we see the name ‘Scarlett’ appearing on a Premier League scoresheet.
Lilywhite Rose 