A Touch of the Devine

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.

Interviewing Erik Edman

This week, I had the pleasure of interviewing former Spurs left back and 57 cap Sweden international Erik Edman on Last Word On Spurs.

We discuss:

• THAT goal at Anfield
• Playing under Jacques Santini and Martin Jol
• Pedro Mendes at Old Trafford
• 2002 & 2006 World Cup & Euro 2004
• THFC 9-1 Wigan

You can listen again here: https://audioboom.com/posts/7584261-erik-edman-special

Wigan: How a must-win became a draw

Too Similar to Everton

A side worthy of Champions League contention should make the most of an early goal. The old adage that a team is at their most vulnerable having just scored has reared its ugly head the last three times we’ve found ourselves ahead. We may be showing character and a never say-die attitude expensively absent from performances last season, yet recently when scoring first, we have quickly given away sloppy goals. This occurred both against Everton and Basle where instead of building upon an early lead with sensible possession as to frustrate opponents, we find ourselves at square one shortly after, another clean sheet escaping us. Having been the subject of sucker-punches, we have struggled to re-assert dominance in these games and have been picked off easily.

As fun as late equalisers are, there should be no need to rescue games in the dying embers. AVB made an effort to improve focus in the latter stages of games and needs to do the same for the period immediately after scoring.  Despite our dearth of traditional striking options, we have been scoring enough goals to win matches, but do not defend well enough to do so. AVB’s game is one of attrition, something which worked so well against City, but like the Everton game, in order to get regular 3 points in the manner the Gooners do, we tend to simply leave ourselves with too much to do.

Corners

With a manager famed for attention to detail at the helm and surrounded by an entourage of Portuguese coaches some of whom I do not know the name of (plus Steffen), one would think we that our side would be prepared for the eventuality of defending corners in our football matches. Apparently not. At such a crucial stage in the season, we have conceded 5 goals from corners in the last 6 games, and it would have been 6 in 6 were it not for Hugo’s heroics from a Tevez header.

Our schoolboy-esque inability to defend corners is all the more galling when witnessing our own tame attempts at the other end. This is something that disappointingly has not improved one iota since Harry’s reign (except Caulker 3x attempts vs the Hammers). All we need is someone on the back-post when we face one, and someone on the opposition ‘keeper when we take one. This recent record is appalling, and needs to be arrested immediately. Failure to concentrate at corners cost us the Europa League and could yet put pay to another top 4 quest.

Marquee Signing

Kyle Naughton

In the DW ‘marquee’ (a rare treat of an in-stadium function room with Sky, pies and pints), I let out a pre-match groan when official team news filtered through. Again, AVB had decided to part with BAE in spite of a strong second half showing against Man City, thus consigning us to the shaky back-four showings that are all too prevalent when the lesser Kyle is in the side at LB. His naïve positional sense was shockingly exposed in ITV coverage of the Basle 2nd leg, and he has been at the heart of some shocking defensive performances this season in games at Leeds and Inter. He is ok on the ball but his lack of awareness is not something he can compensate with searing pace like Walker, and it also seems to blight him when in his rightful RB position. BAE has never been reliable away from home but his inclusion does not constitute an experiment in the same way Naughton’s does. At Wigan, again it did not pay off – he was caught out leading to the corner in the first half and was beaten far too easily before McManaman rifled in Wigan’s second goal. BAE’s introduction in order to pose more threat going forward paid dividends but was a waste of a substitution – he should have started.

Yes, even more so over the Summer?

Bale

It is an all too familiar sense as a Spurs fan to have a glorious ‘season defining win’ such as Sunday’s, only to be followed up with crushing realities associated with a subsequent performance like that on show against Wigan. I found something strange about Bale’s contribution in both games. Where it looked like Gareth was suffering from tentativeness during his return from a nasty looking injury, he suddenly blew away Kompany & Co when it mattered.  There was no such instance in Lancashire. Why was this? Bale seemed to be fine darting behind City’s defence to dink over Hart but with an extra week of recovery under his belt, failed to, and hardly attempted to beat any man at Wigan. As the game wore in, this appeared to be down to lack of effort more than anything. My old man offered a cynical explanation – Bale has been advised by his representatives not to risk getting another dangerous injury whereby he could jeopardise a big money summer transfer.  I guess we shall see in the remaining games and any subsequent transfer activity as to whether his theory has any prescience. It’s a depressing thought.

Movement

Otherwise, there was lots of effort, but too much mediocrity on show. I’m not convinced Parker would even get into the Wigan side, and I’m mystified why he ended up in so many advanced positions – anyone but him. We all know that if Scott finds himself in the opponent’s penalty area, he still treats it as the centre circle, attempting to hold the ball until he has done at least one pivot. Similarly, Holtby and Dempsey provided huff and puff but little end product – the cry for the width and pace provided by Lennon should have been answered at least ten minutes earlier. The Spurs fans cut frustrated figures looking over at a ready Azza, whilst the ball stubbornly stayed in play. Like at WHL, Kone, was impressive, running Dawson particularly ragged. It looked like Daws and Kyle lost their heads towards the end – one of Waker’s many 2nd half fouls was one in which he was actually given the free-kick that lead to the equaliser. We’ve never relied on Martin Atkinson for accuracy.

Dembele’s loss was a huge blow.  Huddlestone’s passing was great but we were over-reliant on him pinging it about in place of clever movement and incisive passing in the final third. Defoe must have made the same direct run off the shoulder of his defenders a hundred times, pointing and expecting Hudd to pick him out with an impossible delivery each time.  Jermain found himself in good positions at times, especially in the 1^st half, yet seemed to lack half a yard to pull away from defenders. On strikers, Adebayor’s omission was telling. AVB was obviously desperate to drop him as soon as the available squad personnel permitted. And quite rightfully so.

Thank you Wigan

Away from the draw that could nevertheless have easily ended up as a win or defeat, it must be said that there are few places, if any, in the Premier League with a friendlier set of staff and fans than those at Wigan. This has struck me on numerous trips to the JJB/DW, especially during a trip to the player’s lounge. The predictable bad press Wigan get due to their small status and turnout belies the fact that they truly relish their status among the traditional greats of football and they go out of their way to make the away day experience – more than ever an exercise in exploitation – as memorable and comfortable as possible. The pre-match and half time Tamla Motown hits certainly help.

On our way to the turnstiles, we were compelled to commend the atmosphere at Wigan to the ‘Marquee’ front of house Mick McCarthy lookalike who revelled in friendly chit-chat with us outsiders. Having earlier observed Orwell’s heavy-going study ‘the Road to Wigan Pier’ and a crime novel leaning out my jacket pocket, he asked ‘you’re not expecting the match be that boring are you?’. Whilst complimenting the treatment of supporters to our new Northern FOH pal, we were interrupted by another fan thanking for him the loan of a mobile two years earlier when he had ticket trouble. MM remembered. It still remains an undervalued concept by authorities in this country that if football supporters are treated with respect, they will behave.

And of course, in return for Wigan being so welcoming, we have obliged in providing them with 4 points this season. It could have been 6.

@dan2fc