reasons to be cheerful (part 1961)

19.11.2004

... written for disconsolate family and friends the day after the 4-5

1. We got our Tottenham back and actually scored a few goals. Okay, it was Ossie's Tottenham but I actually would rather lose 5-4 than lose 1-0. Winning 5-4 would, of course, be somewhat better...

2. We got rid of Jacques Santini in less than half a season.  Of course we all got a brief thrill out of the idea that he could instantly give us a decent defence, but the wheels had already come off of that policy - there's something in the water at Spurs that makes watertight defending impossible even if on Saturday the defence descended to entirely new levels of farce.

3. We appointed Martin Jol rather than going in search of other mythical White Knights on Chargers or stolid English alternatives.  He's got just as good a track record, speaks English, gets on with Arnesen, understands Spurs' traditions - a much more credible manager.  Let's just hope he can coach.

4. Frank Arnesen.  Not a dud signing yet, with the possible exception of Atouba.  Let all the Little Englanders have their pop at the idea of a Director of Football, but I feel a lot more secure with him at the helm for the duration.  He knows what he's doing.  If Alan Hansen says it won't work, it surely will.

5. The overall quality of the squad.  Call me crazy after a run of five defeats on the spin, but I reckon this is the best, most promising squad we've had for decades.  It only needs a decent coach to knit them together.

6. Erik Edman.  The best Spurs left back since Cyril Knowles.

7. Calum Davenport.  This boy looks really special.  We should recall him from West Ham and start pairing him with Ledley now.  Future/Now.

8. Reto Ziegler.  Finally at Tottenham, an 18-year-old is given his head.  Sweet left foot.  Immediately in a different league from Atouba and Jackson.

9. Michael Carrick.  Quintessentially a Tottenham player.  There may be a bit of bad in that as well as all the good, but he's surely wound up in the right place.

10. Paul Robinson.  Certainly not the best weekend to say it, but still no reason why he can't become the best Spurs keeper since Ray Clemence and possibly since Pat Jennings.

11. Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis.  Both class acts in midfield in their different ways.  And I'm not even mentioning the established reasons to be cheerful in King, Keane and Defoe.

12. The other teams down the bottom are so poor that no matter how long this tailspin lasts relegation is surely an impossibility.

Chris B

Back to homepage