My feelings

[Spurs218]

15 months ago we were dreaming. We had everything to look forward to, Champions league football, 40 million pounds to spend and maybe a new ground too. 15 months on and all we've done is gone backwards.
 
We blew the chance, we failed to sign that striker that everybody knew we needed. The club got away without stick last year because everyone was so locked in and focusing on the Champions league. This year they won't get away with that. Yes we've signed Adebayor and he'll be a great signing for us but I still can't see us finishing in that vital top four position. We blew our chance last year and I really didn't think we would get the chance to be back competing for that top four position so soon, but we could have had that chance. That chance was gifted to us by Ars*nal. Ars*nal, a team which seems as though it's going backwards and our chance to grab fourth spot.
 
However, to do this we needed to gamble, be brave in the transfer market and spend big, don't wait for Jim White to be screaming in everybody's face at half past nine on the last day of the window, just do it early! Not buying at least two strikers last season was silly, doing it twice is criminal.
 
I listen to Redknapp talking about the sale of Crouch as if he is selling his kidney and saying "we're overloaded upfront" and I think "how so?"
 

Defoe (Should have been replaced)
Adebayor
Pavlyuchenko
Van Der Vaart (Injured - maybe for a month or two)
 
How does this make us "overloaded"? We need at LEAST four strikers and I can't see how we've got that.
 
I look at our squad and i'm worried:
 

Three keepers - Two who are so old it's just stupid and another one who doesn't want to be here.
Defence - Shambles
Midfield - Quality and can compete with most midfields in the league, BUT, what happens if Bale or Lennon gets injured? Pienaar is injured, Bentley has now gone, Jenas looks like he has gone.
Strikers - (Already mentioned) We could have got somebody like Ruiz for 10 million, top player who can cover two positions and will be a superb signing for Fulham.
 
We promised Modric ambition (although it shouldn't matter what we said to him) Ambition according to Redknapp = Trying to sign Gary Cahill (seriously he said this) We've spent 25 million pounds in three transfer windows..... Some of the money was spent on somebody Redknapp refers as "Corblimey" because he can't say his name..... Where has that 40 million pounds gone we were throwing around like confetti at weddings?
 
For the last year we've had the excuse of "we've got a big squad and we need to sell before we can buy". Looking at the squad now it looks like we have places to spare.....
If we needed to do that then why is it that at 21:46 on the final day of the window are we only now selling these players? What good will that 20 odd million do? Will we spent it in January? I doubt it.
 
Crouch and Palacios = 18 million
Hutton = 4 million
O'Hara = 5.5 million
Keane = 3 million
= 30.5 million pounds.
 
In
 
Parker = 5 million
 
Profit = 25.5 million pounds.
 
Levy will be sleeping well tonight.
 
We haven't just messed this transfer window up, we've messed the last few up.
 
Whatever happened to our saying "To dare is to do"? It should be renamed "To dare is too expensive"
 
Really depressing times 

[aspursfan]

I'm a bit worried that we're going to suffer this season. I'm glad we've moved some of these players on, but frustrated as well. Europa is going to be grueling. It seems like there's a long way to go between our youth players and the first team and if they're all loaned out it's not much good anyway.

It seems like everyone else strengthened and Parker/Adebayor aside all we've really done is get a few players off the wage bill. I do like that we've signed Parker, but I really wish we'd been able to bring in someone like Samba for cover at the back.

[RiffHard]

We've left ourselves awfully thin in all areas except GK and CM. While playing in four competitions, it could backfire on us badly.

Tonight at Stoke:

[a12 warrior]

15 months ago we were dreaming. We had everything to look forward to, Champions league football, 40 million pounds to spend and maybe a new ground too. 15 months on and all we've done is gone backwards.
 
We blew the chance, we failed to sign that striker that everybody knew we needed. The club got away without stick last year because everyone was so locked in and focusing on the Champions league. This year they won't get away with that. Yes we've signed Adebayor and he'll be a great signing for us but I still can't see us finishing in that vital top four position. We blew our chance last year and I really didn't think we would get the chance to be back competing for that top four position so soon, but we could have had that chance. That chance was gifted to us by Ars*nal. Ars*nal, a team which seems as though it's going backwards and our chance to grab fourth spot.
 
However, to do this we needed to gamble, be brave in the transfer market and spend big, don't wait for Jim White to be screaming in everybody's face at half past nine on the last day of the window, just do it early! Not buying at least two strikers last season was silly, doing it twice is criminal.
 
I listen to Redknapp talking about the sale of Crouch as if he is selling his kidney and saying "we're overloaded upfront" and I think "how so?"
 

Defoe (Should have been replaced)
Adebayor
Pavlyuchenko
Van Der Vaart (Injured - maybe for a month or two)
 
How does this make us "overloaded"? We need at LEAST four strikers and I can't see how we've got that.
 
I look at our squad and i'm worried:
 

Three keepers - Two who are so old it's just stupid and another one who doesn't want to be here.
Defence - Shambles
Midfield - Quality and can compete with most midfields in the league, BUT, what happens if Bale or Lennon gets injured? Pienaar is injured, Bentley has now gone, Jenas looks like he has gone.
Strikers - (Already mentioned) We could have got somebody like Ruiz for 10 million, top player who can cover two positions and will be a superb signing for Fulham.
 
We promised Modric ambition (although it shouldn't matter what we said to him) Ambition according to Redknapp = Trying to sign Gary Cahill (seriously he said this) We've spent 25 million pounds in three transfer windows..... Some of the money was spent on somebody Redknapp refers as "Corblimey" because he can't say his name..... Where has that 40 million pounds gone we were throwing around like confetti at weddings?
 
For the last year we've had the excuse of "we've got a big squad and we need to sell before we can buy". Looking at the squad now it looks like we have places to spare.....
If we needed to do that then why is it that at 21:46 on the final day of the window are we only now selling these players? What good will that 20 odd million do? Will we spent it in January? I doubt it.
 
Crouch and Palacios = 18 million
Hutton = 4 million
O'Hara = 5.5 million
Keane = 3 million
= 30.5 million pounds.
 
In
 
Parker = 5 million
 
Profit = 25.5 million pounds.
 
Levy will be sleeping well tonight.
 
We haven't just messed this transfer window up, we've messed the last few up.
 
Whatever happened to our saying "To dare is to do"? It should be renamed "To dare is too expensive"
 
Really depressing times 

What a great post!
 You have captured how every Spurs fan will be feeling today, just where is all the money going?
 as well as trying to buy players on the cheap, all we have is a player on loan who will be gone at  the end of the season a player who will do a good job for a couple of seasons and thats it.
 Anyone who watches the team on a regular basis can see where the problems are so why not the club its self? or are they just taking the big money and the business is in profit!! thats what it boils down to with Tottenham, my prediction for this season 6th / 7th back in the Europa (Worthless Cup) next season.  

[aspursfan]

We've left ourselves awfully thin in all areas except GK and CM. While playing in four competitions, it could backfire on us badly.

Tonight at Stoke:

 

I support the inclusion of this picture.

[Spurs218]

Crouch even looks like a knob in that picture. God i'm happy he has left. Unlike some though I don't say him and will applaud when we play them. s**t player and hated the way we played with him in the side but scored two goals I'll never ever forget. When he scored against City I honestly thought the stand was going to full down.

Wilson - I'll have nothing but respect for you and will sing your name everytime we play you  You gave everything for Spurs and I'll never forget how much respect you showed us despite going through such a tough and tragic time with your brother.

Jenas - Please don't come back.

Hutton - Probably be too pissed to play.

[taimedowne]

I really dont know what to think today. So many players we have been linked with who have gone elsewhere. Look at Suarez ripping teams apart in red, he should of been doing that in Lillywhite. Look at Ashley Young at Utd, and Forlan and Aguero and so many others. What do we get ? Another 'keeper who may be past his best. Actually it makes me laugh that we got Friedel and then Villa replace him with Given. Why on earth didn't we just get Given ? A guy who a couple of years ago we all hated with a passion and who didn't much care for us. And a guy who was player of the year and is supposed to be inspirational but who was so good at that his bloody club got relegated. Oh and a few kids who our children may well come revere as legends but most of us will never see play in the first team. The only consolation is we still look better than Ars*nal. But this season I fear that finishing above them may not assure we get in the CL although it should stop us being relegated.

[aspursfan]

Yea, Friedel instead of Given is mind boggling. Although I do have to say that Friedel has made me feel more comfortable in goal than I felt with Gomes.

I think the word to describe our transfer activity would be underwhelming. I suppose it sounds like we were close to bringing in Cahill with Bassong going to QPR. If that had happened I would have felt better. I bet that's going to have done wonders for Bassong's morale.

[baldbloke]

15 months ago we were dreaming. We had everything to look forward to, Champions league football, 40 million pounds to spend and maybe a new ground too. 15 months on and all we've done is gone backwards.
 
We blew the chance, we failed to sign that striker that everybody knew we needed. The club got away without stick last year because everyone was so locked in and focusing on the Champions league. This year they won't get away with that. Yes we've signed Adebayor and he'll be a great signing for us but I still can't see us finishing in that vital top four position. We blew our chance last year and I really didn't think we would get the chance to be back competing for that top four position so soon, but we could have had that chance. That chance was gifted to us by Ars*nal. Ars*nal, a team which seems as though it's going backwards and our chance to grab fourth spot.
 
However, to do this we needed to gamble, be brave in the transfer market and spend big, don't wait for Jim White to be screaming in everybody's face at half past nine on the last day of the window, just do it early! Not buying at least two strikers last season was silly, doing it twice is criminal.
 
I listen to Redknapp talking about the sale of Crouch as if he is selling his kidney and saying "we're overloaded upfront" and I think "how so?"
 

Defoe (Should have been replaced)
Adebayor
Pavlyuchenko
Van Der Vaart (Injured - maybe for a month or two)
 
How does this make us "overloaded"? We need at LEAST four strikers and I can't see how we've got that.
 
I look at our squad and i'm worried:
 

Three keepers - Two who are so old it's just stupid and another one who doesn't want to be here.
Defence - Shambles
Midfield - Quality and can compete with most midfields in the league, BUT, what happens if Bale or Lennon gets injured? Pienaar is injured, Bentley has now gone, Jenas looks like he has gone.
Strikers - (Already mentioned) We could have got somebody like Ruiz for 10 million, top player who can cover two positions and will be a superb signing for Fulham.
 
We promised Modric ambition (although it shouldn't matter what we said to him) Ambition according to Redknapp = Trying to sign Gary Cahill (seriously he said this) We've spent 25 million pounds in three transfer windows..... Some of the money was spent on somebody Redknapp refers as "Corblimey" because he can't say his name..... Where has that 40 million pounds gone we were throwing around like confetti at weddings?
 
For the last year we've had the excuse of "we've got a big squad and we need to sell before we can buy". Looking at the squad now it looks like we have places to spare.....
If we needed to do that then why is it that at 21:46 on the final day of the window are we only now selling these players? What good will that 20 odd million do? Will we spent it in January? I doubt it.
 
Crouch and Palacios = 18 million
Hutton = 4 million
O'Hara = 5.5 million
Keane = 3 million
= 30.5 million pounds.
 
In
 
Parker = 5 million
 
Profit = 25.5 million pounds.
 
Levy will be sleeping well tonight.
 
We haven't just messed this transfer window up, we've messed the last few up.
 
Whatever happened to our saying "To dare is to do"? It should be renamed "To dare is too expensive"
 
Really depressing times 

Agree with everything apart from Adebayor being a good signing. Just wait and see.

Mr levy does not share our ambition. He has been reported to say that we needed to ship players out because of poor club finances. Well we haven't hardly spent anything in the last few years and we still have the CL money. So where has it gone !!

LEVY OUT !

[Ballyer Spur]

  This transfer window only goes to prove yet again if proof is needed that Harry is a big man at a small club with his wheeling and dealing and man-managing has beens to get the best out of them (short term) in Championship or mid table mediocrity.  He has no idea of how to adjust to aTop Club mentality and s it is sad to say this but maybe Europa League is the height of our ambitions.  It is so frustrating because riding our luck in CL last year we came  close enough to dare to dream while doing our damndest not to qualify by getting 4th place again.  Only the fact that I have supported Spurs since '67 and am used to false dawns and heartbreak I would be livid but the sad fact is that I am resigned to batlling it out with Wolves and Wigan for mid table mediocrity again.    Another year of what might have been.  We deserve better.

[Derry-Yid]

Yea, Friedel instead of Given is mind boggling. Although I do have to say that Friedel has made me feel more comfortable in goal than I felt with Gomes.

Man City were never going to sell Given to a top 4/6 team...it was just not going to happen..think back to the time Fergie wouldnt sell Heinze to Liverpool...same scenario.

Agree about Friedel he looks far more assured than Gomes ever did...people are saying hes to old...how old is to old for a goalkeeper?...look at Van Der Sar last year,same age as Friedel...top top keeper...if we can get 3 or 4 years out of Friedel it wont be a bad free transfer! 

[Derry-Yid]

It is so frustrating because riding our luck in CL last year we came  close enough to dare to dream while doing our damndest not to qualify by getting 4th place again.

I wouldnt call topping our group and getting to the quater finals - riding our luck!....we lost one match in the group at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza...a match we could have drawn...we were very very good value for that 1st place imo.

4th place was always going to be hard to get the following year as man city spent 150+ million to get it...something that we cant do...we just cant compete with City when it comes to spending its a simple as that.


 

[dimexi]

I wouldnt call topping our group and getting to the quater finals - riding our luck!....we lost one match in the group at the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza...a match we could have drawn...we were very very good value for that 1st place imo.

4th place was always going to be hard to get the following year as man city spent 150+ million to get it...something that we cant do...we just cant compete with City when it comes to spending its a simple as that.

 

Yes we did do well whilst in the champions league and yes it was hard to compete with free spending Man City last year. We tried hard but didn't quite make it.

However, there were two occasions when we could have given ourselves a better chance. Firstly was last January, when we were still in with a chance and secondly the last transfer window when we had the time to build a team that could compete this season.

Finally, I think that your point about city is well made, but we do not need to beat Man City to fourth spot as it is Ars*nal who are the weakest link and even Wenger has managed to find a pot to P1ss in. Last year Harry was talking about us competing for the title in the next couple of years, I haven't heard him say that for a while. I don't want us to go and break the bank and be a Man City or Chelsea but I want us to be able to bring in 1 or 2 quality signings each year, slowly creating a 'team' that can challenge. We are not doing this and this is the most disheartened I have been as a Spurs fan because we were on the edge of something great and we have blown it. Top six if we are lucky I am afraid!

[millers-tach]

First off- brilliant post 218 you cover every point and hit all the obvious shortfalls of our team.
 
Where i think everyone (apart from Levy) lets their heart rule their heads and wallet is when it comes to finances. We have our player salary/turnover ratio just about where it should be, it cannot be substained at the levels we as fans would like.
 
It is easy to say speculate to accumulate but that doesnt gaurantee any better return (although i agree it increses the chance of a better return) we only have to look at many clubs in the past. The real problem and what may kill the game is all the top end crazy money and the fact 3 teams have 25 excellent players in their squad not just 5-6 surrounded by some good ones.
 
I know this has been posted before and its a real tough read if you dont understand finance but give it a go, it will give a really good insight to how a club runs, how our competition runs and why finances are being restrained as until we have a new stadium we have to punch well above our weight to achive 4th!
 
http://swissramble.blogspot.com/search/label/Tottenham%20Hotspur
 
Even accounting for 38mill taken during CL run etc we have to accept the club doesnt make that much money and with a new stadium to be paid for I like the fact Levy is trying to juggle/balance everything.
 
The people i feel sorry for most are obviusly the fans paying good money for season tickets and follow us away but that is the life of a fan......not every club can win.
 
Our wage bill is over 40mill a year less than Arse and Poo, to even compete shows what a great club we are, never mind the fact it is less tan half Utd and s**ty.
 
In short i see a long hard season and wish we had another top class striker as well as another quality CD but alas we have to go with what we have.
 
COYS

[Spurs218]

The people i feel sorry for most are obviusly the fans paying good money for season tickets and follow us away but that is the life of a fan......not every club can win.

Hey I've been to away days where we've had Gary Goherty either at CB or upfront so I won't moan too much 

I don't understand the money situation and I won't pretend to. However, I get annoyed when i'm told "need to sell before we can buy". "We need 2-3 players and one or two real quality players". We sold players but we sold them in the last hour so we obviously had no time to buy anyone else.

I don't know that we didn't try and sign real quality, but, we've had two seasons to make this key signing and we've failed to do it again.