As Tottenham Hostspur finally broke the monopoly of the Big-4 in the English Premier League, iSporter Pulasta Dhar talks about how his second favourite club in England made the rapid rise from relegation threatened to a Champions League club….
Last year, Spurs made significant investments and sales, only to see themselves threatened by relegation by mid-season. It was Juande Ramos’s failure to adapt to the English game after a successful spell at Sevilla and in came the savior Harry Redknapp. Redknapp is extremely shrewd at transfers and getting the maximum out of his players. He did wonderfully well with Portsmouth and when he came to Tottenham, he retained their style of played and just added a few touches of his to their overall game.
The 2008-09 season was defining for Tottenham as they were one of the most active clubs in the transfer market in Europe, buying 15 and selling 19 players in all. Significant names leaving Tottenham in two defining seasons were Paul Robinson, Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane, Jermaine Defoe, Pascal Chimbonda, Tainio, Steed Melbranque and Younes Kaboul.
With Redknapp becoming manager he managed a dramatic return of players with Defoe and Kaboul all returning from Portsmouth with him. Luka Modric, Heurelho Gomes and David Bentley, though bought under the eyes of Ramos, have now become an integral part of Redknapp’s squad. Wilson Palacios was another excellent purchase from Wigan.
Thus, he brought back the nucleus of a squad which was wavering due to so many sales in such a short period. But Redknapp wasn’t done. With the start of the 2009-10 season, he forayed again into the market, this time bringing in Peter Crouch, Pavlyuchenko, Sebastien Bassong, Niko Kranjcar, Kyle Walker and Kyle Naughton. Outcasts were sold and this was done to make the squad trim but still providing lots of cover in every area of the pitch. Lots of loans followed in January and Redknapp is now probably sure of whom the squad needs to keep and whom to get rid of.
Transfers have been very important to Spurs. They might have enviable facilities for the youth team, but they are still heavily reliant on the market for new players. Redknapp has made a squad which is perfect for the rigours of the Premier League- four good strikers, four very good wingers, tons of midfielders and fast paced full-backs. Even if Spurs are hit with injuries, they have players to cover them and this is what has given them the advantage over many teams vying for the 4th spot.
Their core-squad consists of 25 players and they are all rotated, all happy and winning their matches with some exquisite attacking at times.
Their back-four are simply in superb form during the run-in to the season, with Ledley King, who can play one game in 11 days, playing 3 games in 11 and this maybe, through immense encouragement and desire to play in Europe next season. He is one man Fabio Capello will risk in South Africa, with death defying blocks and defensive tackles much needed for England.
The Premier League needs to be happy, because they might have one of the most loved teams in the Champions League next year and competition for 4th place also becoming one of the most exciting in recent times. Don’t be surprised if they turn out in all-white against Real Madrid next year!
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