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Who will AVB Here?

4 min read
by The Fighting Cock
Long before the talk of AVB, Blanc and Moyes, whilst Harry Redknapp was still our self-serving leader, I wrote about the players on the fringes of the Tottenham squad – Tottenham and the Missing £40M – and how they may, finally, be moved on this summer. Between wages and transfer income there is a possible […]

Long before the talk of AVB, Blanc and Moyes, whilst Harry Redknapp was still our self-serving leader, I wrote about the players on the fringes of the Tottenham squad – Tottenham and the Missing £40M – and how they may, finally, be moved on this summer.

Between wages and transfer income there is a possible £40M to be gained from selling much of the clubs waifs and strays to help bolster the transfer kitty. Since i wrote this article Redknapp has left and these is now the need for much needed funds to provide a warchest for the next heir to the leather, car seat shaped, Tottenham dugout throne.

However, any new manager will want to assess the whole squad, rather than rely on the word of the outgoing horrorchops. As such players once cast to the scrap heap, may now be given the chance to prove that they aren’t just good for hoofing a ball in to a skip.

Amongst the players that were likely to leave were Gomes, Dos Santos, Bassong, Kranjcar , Jenas, Bentley, Corluka and Pienaar. Of these Kranjcar has already left for Dynamo Kiev, and there has been talk that Corluka is ready to leave for Lokomotiv Moscow. With Corluka spouting about Redknapp and how Modric should leave Spurs, it is unlikely he will be seen dragging his feet around the right hand side of the 18 yard box any time soon.

For Gomes though the new manager may be a lifeline. One of the criticisms of Redknapp was that once you were out, your were out. Cold. Frozen. Gomes, clearly a good keeper who has had his confidence shattered by a series of high profile blunders, could find himself back in the first team. If, as the speculation suggests, the Portugese speaking, Andre Villas Boas becomes Spurs manager he could be just the man to put his hairy masculine Mediterranean arms around Uncle Fester and get him back in the reckoning. Lets not forget that Gomes was in goal when we first finished fourth, and for the great Champions League run that followed.

Another player that has looked like he has been on his way out of Spurs since his parents conceived him is Giovanni Dos Santos. Harry Redknapp took to him like a Robbie Keane Christmas Party. Some average performances, left him looking rather lacklustre, and destined to leave. However, is he really the same player who plays for Mexico? In a green shirt he looks a different player, and perhaps played correctly and given a shot of confidence he could actually fulfil his promise and show some of his international form for Spurs.

Bassong’s future depends more on the future of Ledley King, William Gallas, Jan Vertonghen and Steven Caulker, than on the new manager. Should three or four of those centre defenders find themselves alongside Kaboul and Dawson then it is likely that Bassong will be heading out of White Hart Lane.

[linequote]As such players once cast to the scrap heap, may now be given the chance to prove that they aren’t just good for hoofing a ball in to a skip.[/linequote]

Jenas and Bentley are another two that could see a new lease of life under a new manager. Both have been largely frozen out by Redknapp, and looked uninspiring when they have managed to find their way on the pitch in the last couple of seasons. Bentley was the new Beckham. Sadly the actual new old Beckham would probably do a better job at WHL than the fake old new Beckham. However, Bentley has shown glimpses of the player he showed the potential to be. With it unlikely that many clubs will meet his asking price or be prepared to match his wages, he could find himself still at the Lane as cover for Lennon… at least for the time being. With Parker and Sandro in the middle of the park, along with Huddlestone to come back in to the team, I think that we may have seen the last of Jenas in a Spurs shirt.

As for Pienaar, he is an odd one. Ok at Spurs, superb at Everton. We never really gave him much of an extended run in the side, and you get the feeling that Levy was bargain hunting with the hope of selling the player on, whilst also helping to promote Spurs in the South African market (I haven’t even mentioned Bongani Khumalo!). With Kranjcar gone, Pienaar could see him sell take up the midfield utility player role on the bench, provided he impresses the new manager. Or we sell him back to Everton for almost double what we paid for him. Either way it is a good bit of business.

Of course the new man will have his own players he will have in mind, hopefully a striker will be at the forefront of any new signings as I’m pretty sure Defoe wont fancy playing 50+ games up front on his own next season.

[author name=”Sibs” avatar=”http://a0.twimg.com/profile_images/1991260449/image.jpg” twitter=”SibsTHFC” tag=”Sibs[/linequote]

All views and opinions expressed in this article are the views and opinions of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of The Fighting Cock. We offer a platform for fans to commit their views to text and voice their thoughts. Football is a passionate game and as long as the views stay within the parameters of what is acceptable, we encourage people to write, get involved and share their thoughts on the mighty Tottenham Hotspur.

5 Comments

  1. Ashton
    20/06/2012 @ 10:11 pm

    Good read! I did LOL at:

    “Another player that has looked like he has been on his way out of Spurs since his parents conceived him is Giovanni Dos Santos. ”

    haha! Hope he gets a chance now, he’s a player I think AVB would enjoy.

  2. David
    20/06/2012 @ 10:28 pm

    Great read. Very true but I don’t think AVB or whoever takes over will settle for players as average as Jenas or Bentley , even though they might be useful as cover but they still lack the talent expected from a top four team.

    Gio and Gomes could be possibly like new signings if the new manager gives them confidence as we know on their day, they are good talents.

  3. Benny
    20/06/2012 @ 11:14 pm

    Quality!!!!!!! The suspense of all the change at this present time is killing me this has put everything to rest… ( well at least till tmrw) COYS Forever…….

  4. Will
    21/06/2012 @ 3:43 am

    Pienaar can replace Modric and especially so if you talk to Everton supporters.
    But after AVB started to spit the dummy about other contenders I think that he is kidding himself a little , and especially so with Capoello bein gin it as think what you like, Cappello’s CVC makes AVB’s look like a boy scout

    • sheikh352
      21/06/2012 @ 6:51 am

      As much as there is to be admired in Capello’s CV, how is he, conceivably, the new younger manager, Levy and the Board are looking at, to take us in a “new direction”? At 66, he is even OLDER than Harry. That said, he IS four years younger than Taggart. If AVB is having a sulk, then maybe our Chairman, Lex Luthor, should bone up on his own man-management skills, lest we become the laughing stock that Liverpool became during their own protracted search for a leader.

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