Razzle Dazzle Spurs Legends

No matter the result when the final whistle blows, regardless of whether the team actually lifts any silverware at the end of a season, the one thing many Spurs fans crave is to simply be entertained. Fortunately, over the years we have been blessed with a fine array of exceptional talents, individuals who could turn games in an instant with one flick of the boot.

Individual flair often seems to be frowned upon these days, in an age of modern football demanding peak physical condition and more emphasis on teamwork, often at the cost of less risks being taken. This is akin to our own search for the ultimate football betting guide, covering the most reliable and trustworthy betting sites, accompanied by reviews for where to find the most competitive odds and offers.

As we ponder on how the 2021-22 season will ultimately pan out, while frustrated supporters bemoan the lack of razzle or dazzle in the current squad, let’s take a look back at three amazing players. Above all else, this trio of Tottenham legends were capable of thrilling fans in the stands, leaving them enthralled and eagerly anticipating matches, regardless of the results.

David Ginola – French Flair

Famed for his “because I’m worth it” L’Oréal shampoo ads, Ginola was a football personality who just oozed style and class. The Frenchman had already showcased his extravagant and exciting attacking play at Newcastle United, before Spurs coaxed him to London for the bargain price of just £2.5 million in July 1997, where he continued to produce moments of pure joy.

Spurs never finished higher than 10th in the Premier League while Ginola was at the club, yet they were truly mesmerising to watch whenever he played. This was a Tottenham side packed with supremely talented individuals, although that was perhaps the problem insofar as building a cohesive team, because the sum of all parts never truly clicked into place.

Ginola did help Spurs to win the 1999-2000 League Cup, beating Leicester City at Wembley Stadium, having beaten Liverpool and Manchester United on their way to the final. Much to his own disbelief and that of the fans, Tottenham sold Ginola to Aston Villa in July 2000, albeit leaving plenty of cherished memories from his three stellar seasons at the club.

Paul Gascoigne – Crazy Genius

Ironic that before Ginola made his way south from Newcastle United, an even greater entertainer had taken exactly the same path a decade earlier, when Paul Gascoigne rejected Manchester United to join Tottenham Hotspur instead. Widely considered to be one of the most technically gifted English players of all time, Gazza was always destined for stardom.

Under the flamboyant coaching eye of Terry Venables, the full array of skills and talents Gascoigne boasted was allowed to shine brightly, which in turn made this phenomenal player an icon of his generation whilst at Spurs. Whenever the ball was at his feet, Gazza was a football genius fuelled by enthusiasm for the game, capable of producing magic at any instant.

At his peak with Tottenham and England, putting fear into rival defences for club and country, Gazza was almost like a wild element nobody knew how to stop. Unfortunately, he would eventually be stopped in the 1991 FA Cup final, during a crunching challenge with Nottingham Forest defender Gary Charles. Although he did recover from the serious knee ligament damage, Gazza was never the same after departing for Lazio the following year.

Glenn Hoddle – Visionary Maestro

There is a harsh truth to Glenn Hoddle in that while he remains a Tottenham Hotspur legend, the full depth of his talents was neither fully appreciated nor understood, neither by his boyhood club or the national team he represented 53 times. Hoddle was ahead of his time and while that may sound cliché, it’s entirely true whenever looking back at such an abundantly gifted footballer.

“Hoddle was a gifted footballer who played in a way that belonged in Europe rather than England, 30 years before the game in this country caught up with his vision and creativity.” This comment in a review of Hoddle’s autobiography by The Guardian, perfectly defines the player who always knew he was a number 10, an authentic string-pulling attacking midfielder, during an English football era when 4-4-2 was the standard shape and long-ball tactics were deployed.

While he was a fantastic player for Spurs and will always be considered amongst the greatest, it can be equally saddening to consider what the club might have achieved, had his full potential been realised at White Hart Lane. When “Glenda” the “luxury player” moved to AS Monaco in 1987, not without irony, it was Arsene Wenger who unlocked the full potential Hoddle could offer, unleashing a visionary playmaker who helped them win the French title.