Harry's Evaluation of Sandro

[Biggs]

Redknapp paid £8million for the 21-year-old from Internacional in the summer without seeing him play, other than on videos. But he admits Sandro could break his way into the Tottenham first team if he seizes his Carling Cup opportunity.

Redknapp said: "He looks like Socrates. He runs like him. If he can play like him we'll be all right.

"He does have that funny running action. There were two top Spanish clubs in for him.

"I couldn't get to Brazil with us being in the situation last year where we were trying to finish in the top four. So (chief scout) Ian (Broomfield) went over.

"We spoke to people in Brazil, we spoke to (former Brazil manager) Dunga and they all said: 'You've got a real good one there'.

"Ian saw him four times and he had no doubts. He raved about him. You don't get into the Brazilian national squad if you're a mug, do you?"

Sandro will get his chance alongside other Tottenham youngsters such as 21-year-old Jake Livermore and, if fit, 18-year-old Steven Caulker.

But while Caulker has become the newest youngster to be described as the 'next Rio Ferdinand' it is Sandro's likeness to Socrates, the playmaker who helped deliver the 1994 World Cup for Brazil, which excites Redknapp.

"He's not a Robinho," said Redknapp. "He's a big lad, he gets around the pitch, he can tackle, he can pass it and play.

"He's a box to box midfield player. Maybe an Abou Diaby-type from Ars*nal. A big rangy type of player. A Patrick Vieira-type player perhaps.

"He's totally dedicated to his football. He's not going to go off Samba dancing anywhere."

Redknapp wants to use the match to give first-teamers such as Gareth Bale and new signing Rafael van der Vaart a rest while he intends to give David Bentley a chance, as well as looking at third choice goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa.

Redknapp denies that by playing youngsters and reserves he is disrespecting the tournament.

"If we weren't in Europe, I would have a real go to win the Carling Cup,"

Can't wait to see him play now 

[dedleysting]

He sounds like a monster (in a great way) he could well be a phenomenal signing for us in the not do distant future. A taller Micheal Essian type player with the looks of Socrates 
 

[RiffHard]

He sounds like a monster (in a great way) he could well be a phenomenal signing for us in the not do distant future. A taller Micheal Essian type player with the looks of Socrates 

Hopefully not the lifestyle of Socrates. 

[Gareth Keown]

its the kevin ponce-boateng scenario all over again.... hopefully he can add some running-power into the middle when Jenas has to be rested...

[coolham]

I have seen him play 3 or 4 times and he is a class act boys, like Wilson only faster and more technical, better passer, will do bery well in the Premier L, their was alot of talk as to why he did not go to the world cup with Brazil inthe summer.

[Joe Schembri]

Looking forward to seeing some Brazilian magic tonight

[dedleysting]

Had a hugley impressive debut i believe if you read BBC live updates..

[millers-tach]

I thought he looked very good. Seemed to be blowing out his arse after about 60 minutes but that might just be his crazy running style. He managed to keep going and got around the pitch very well.
 
If he can avoid going to nightclubs with Gio then he may well become a star player for us.

[ugs]

Impressive, after the first 15 minutes or so he started to settle and I saw enough to think that maybe palacious should be looking over his shoulder. Very self assurred and a real tryer obviously needs to work on his fitness but apart from that he looked very classy !!!
 
 

[SomersetYiddo]

From what i saw he had a good debuut and displayed some talent, but not as good as some media out lets are saying he was. His passing and movement was good and he got stuck in! We need more tough players like him to really get stuck in and deliver some hard cut throat game to our squad. I would already start him over Palacios because yet again Palacios looked poor. The crowd thought he was a good addition also.

[Gareth Keown]

not as good as the hype, but then few are..... good enough for the price and will play his role in the squad...

as an alllround CM who can run and close/cover space as well as pass it efficiently, I'd play him ahead of Modric at CM.... but not yet ahead of Jenas and THudd...

[Biggs]

You can tell he is a player who likes time on the ball and that the leagues he played in before are much slower pace than the Prem because he did get caught on the ball a few times.

Thing i liked about him, is how he recovered when he made a mistake. He nearly always got back and got the tackle in every time.

His strength to, really good at holding off players.

A player like him needs to play regularly before we see the best from him.  or he will just get lost in the pack

When he settles and becomes confident, i think Palacios and Jenas need to watch out

[ugs]

not as good as the hype, but then few are..... good enough for the price and will play his role in the squad...

as an alllround CM who can run and close/cover space as well as pass it efficiently, I'd play him ahead of Modric at CM.... but not yet ahead of Jenas and THudd...

If we had Messi in our squad you'd play Jenas before him LOL !!!
 
 

[Gareth Keown]

I would play Jenas ahead of Messi as a CM.

I would play Messi ahead of Jenas as a forward.

you'd even have Messi as the goalie, if that was the only way he'd come to Spurs..

[taimedowne]

If we are going to start buying forwards and playing them in goal we'd be better of with Suarez.