Sandro Glad to Survive In Tottenham

Tottenham midfielder Sandro's tough to feel excited to be extending his contract at White Hart Lane earlier this month.

22-year-old player was eventually signed a new contract that will keep him until 2015.

"I am delighted with the recognition of my hard work. This signifies that I have done things correctly and I hope I can develop further here. Now I want to go back to court and make a good season," says Sandro.

Stoke City 1 Tottenham Hotspur 2

Saturday, 21st August, 2010

Victory Over Stoke Highlights Progress Made by Tottenham and Bale

Gareth Bale - two goal hero

The win at Stoke City was an important victory for Spurs as it displayed their newly-found appetite to battle away from home against difficult opponents. It was vital to get their first Premier League victory after their encouraging performance against City a week ago and before the early season optimism wavers through pressure and doubts when results don’t go as expected. The battling display showed that Spurs are focused on campaigning on all fronts and not just being selective in the matches where they turn on a performance.

This match was set up for a Spurs’ failure sandwiched as it was between the two European qualifiers against Young Boys of Berne and in previous seasons it would have done. All the ready-made excuses were there – tiredness after travelling to Switzerland, injuries following the disappointing defeat on the artificial pitch, resting players ahead of the vital return game next week, the players distracted by the importance of the next match and Stoke are a big, strong, direct and difficult team to play against – especially at home.

Two years ago, in Stoke’s first season back in top flight football, Spurs and Gareth Bale limped away from the Britannia Stadium battered, bruised, disillusioned and defeated in what turned out to be Juande Ramos’ last league match as Tottenham manager. It was their lowest point – bottom of the league, three points adrift and as Harry Redknapp continually reminded us throughout the remainder of the season – “Spurs only had two points from eight games when I took over.”

As a team, Tottenham were in disarray, the players had lost all confidence and it was impossible to predict where the next win would come from and although it was only October, Spurs looked like a team destined for relegation. In his report on the match Matt Lawton wrote in the Daily Mail, commenting on Tottenham - ‘From the boardroom to the boot room the place is in a shambles; a sorry excuse for a football club that actually fooled itself into thinking it was on the verge of breaking into the top four of the Barclays Premier League.’

As a player, Gareth Bale was struggling as were quite a number of his colleagues. Early in the first half against Stoke Bale was caught in possession on the edge of his penalty area, conceded a rash penalty as he tried to redeem the situation and was sent off. He had yet to win a game in Tottenham colours and after an encouraging start to his Spurs’ career he was struggling to overcome the injury that had curtailed the previous season. On his comeback he was finding it extremely difficult to re-find the form that had had a host of clubs interested in signing him from Southampton. He was struggling to meet the demands of the Premier League and it was so bad that there was media speculation over how long he would remain at the club.

Twenty two months on from that depressing day, Spurs have made tremendous progress under Harry Redknapp who was unexpectedly appointed just ahead of the following weekend’s match against Bolton Wanderers. It brought Spurs’ first win of the season, although Clive Allen was officially in charge for the game. Over the two season’s Redknapp has moved the team forward. His priority in that first season was to avoid relegation and that was achieved although there were hiccups along the way. He has brought in players to strengthen the team, even if at the times they seemed unusual – including re-signing a host of former players – Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch, Pascal Chimbonda and Younis Kaboul. Last season the manager built on that to secure fourth place in his first full season in charge and Spurs’ highest ever finish in the Premier League has brought the team to the verge of Champions League football.

Redknapp now has a squad of players which has made it possible for Spurs to rotate players and play an under-strength team which has had the organisation and ability to give a good account of itself and take three points away from home. The team for the match against Stoke was a selection that took account of injuries and the need to preserve players for the forthcoming Champions League tie. It did not fill one with confidence so shorn, was it, of important players but they played together as a team and earned their success. The football wasn’t pretty to watch but having gained the initiative in the first half all the players worked hard after the interval to preserve their lead and get the win. In previous years that would not have happened – in the past the team would have eventually succumbed to the pressure and taken nothing from the match. Never before have Spurs been in a position to field weakened teams and still win matches. In the pre-season matches it was clear that Spurs had an array of talent available as they sent out a different team for each half and both were able to give a satisfactory account of themselves against top class opponents. It is pleasing that that has now been carried forward into the league games and will enable Spurs to compete at all levels this season. Spurs showed such consistency last season that with additional European games it was going to be difficult to achieve such levels this year but the team have shown that they are capable of producing a result against difficult opposition on the weekend following the European competitions.

If Gareth Bale thinks back to that early match in his struggle for fitness and form in 2008, he will be doubly delighted at the result against Stoke and his contribution to it. From a player surrounded by doubts he has become the most exciting left sided midfield player currently playing in the Premier League. Since getting back into the team early in the year he has displayed the talent and skill of which he is capable. To date, teams have been unable to find a way to cope with his pace and direct running to score and create opportunities for the team. His two goals were at either end of the spectrum – for the first, he was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time as the Stoke defender’s clearance hit him in the face and rebounded into the goal. The second showed his ability to strike the ball perfectly with his left foot. He met the sublime cross from Aaron Lennon and dispatched the shot past the goalkeeper into the far corner of the net. No goalkeeper would have saved that shot.

Bale is an integral part of Spurs’ newly acquired belief and resilience under Harry Redknapp. He is a member of an exciting team and if successful I mid-week against Young Boys there will be further opportunities for Tottenham, Redknapp and Bale to test themselves at the highest level against top class opposition. It will be an interesting challenge.



Team: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Kaboul, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon (Walker), Huddlestone, Palacios, Jenas, Bale; Crouch.  Subs: Alnwick, Naughton, Bassong, Kranjcar, Rose, Livermore,

Tottenham Hotspur FC

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, commonly known as the Spurs, are an English professional football club from Tottenham, north London, who currently plays in the Premier League. The club's stadium White Hart Lane.

Tottenham Hotspur was the first club in the 20th century to the League and FA Cup Double, the attainment of both games in season 1960-61. In 1963 they became the first British club to a major European trophy case of the European Cup Winners' Cup win. In the year 1970, they won the League Cup twice and were the inaugural winners of the UEFA Cup in 1972 (he was the first British club to two major European trophies). In the 1980 Spurs won several awards: the FA Cup twice, FA Community Shield and UEFA Cup 1983/84. In 1990, they won the FA Cup and League Cup. In 2008 they won the League Cup once, which means that one trophy in each of the last six decades, an achievement matched only by Manchester United won.

The club's Latin motto Auder facer est (literally "dare to do"), and its emblem is a Gamecock standing on a football. The club has a long rivalry with the neighbors close to Arsenal and matches between the two teams are known as the North London derby.

Tottenham are currently seeking permission to build a bigger stadium. Originally it was thought that the team can move to a new site. One possibility for the club was the use of the area where the Olympic Stadium will be built after the 2012 London Olympics, but this would have been to move from Tottenham and the plan was dropped because the stadium will retain an athletics track .

The club said in 2007 that its preference in the first half of 2008 to announce, but this decision was postponed until the fall. In April 2008 it was revealed in the press that the investigation took place into the possible use of the adjacent industrial Wingate. If the building permit and the approval of today's companies have been granted 55-60.000 seat stadium would be built at the current White Hart Lane site.

In October 2008, the club announced that, if approved, the plan was to build the new stadium, just north of the existing stadium at White Hart Lane, the southern half of the pitch the new stadium is located on the northwest corner of the Lane. The unique design of the building, the new stadium adjacent to White Hart Lane to be built as the old facility is still used for the team. During the summer after two thirds of the new stadium was complete, the northern and western state would be demolished and a new pitch laid.

The rest of the stadium would be built in the years to follow. If built, club chairman Daniel Levy has stated that it was not called to White Hart Lane, but instead will be named after a sponsor. Tony Winterbottom, formerly of the London Development Agency, who worked on the development of Arsenal Emirates Stadium, is reportedly leading the development of plans for the new stadium. In December 2008, the design for the new stadium, by KSS Design Group and Buro Happold revealed. An expected date of completion was predicted on October 26, 2009, as the Spurs' chairman Daniel Levy has stated that Spurs would move to the partially built new stadium for the start of the 2012-13 season, the last 56 250-seat location ready for the next campaign.

Tottenham Hotspur 0 Manchester City 0

Saturday, 14th August, 2010

Tottenham Miss Chances to Turnover City

The early lunch time kick-offs matches tend to lack the atmosphere that is generated with an afternoon or evening start.  Whether they're too early in the day for fans and players alike, I don't know, but add the additional matter that it was the opening day of the season so you usually finds both sets of players testing each other out tentatively and cautiously.  So to be told that this game between Spurs and City ended goal-less, one's immediate thought would have been 'Boring.'  (in fact, when I told an enquiring Chelsea supporter the score - that was his first thought)

However, this couldn't be further from the truth as both sets of fans were up for the game and both sets of players set to with an endeavour and energy that belied the fact that it was a hot, humid August day and pre-season training was only just completed.  It was a match that Spurs should have won by a clear number of goals and would have done so had it not been for Joe Hart.  The newly selected England 'number 1' was all that stood between Spurs and a landslide victory or to put it another way, Hart was all that prevented the expensively acquired City team from suffering an opening day defeat of some magnitude.

During the ninety minutes, Heurelho Gomes made one comfortabe save while Hart rescued City on a number of occasions and Gareth Bale hit the post in the first half.  Spurs started the better and put City under immediate pressure with their midfield quartet, Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Luka Modric and Bale, controlling the game and creating opportunities for themselves and for the strikers, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch.  On numerous occasions Hart was required to make vital saves to keep his side in the game.  Twice he denied Defoe and also saved a 25-yard drive from Huddlestone.  It was a matter of when would Spurs score but throughout the game it wasn't to be.  In the second half, Hart saved shots from substitute Palyuchenko and in added as Spurs put together a good move on the right, Pavluchenko fired in a cross towards Keane and as the ball was blocked it dropped in the centre of the penalty area to Bale who should have scored but fired wide.

On another day, against a different goalkeeper, Spurs would have won.  It's two points dropped from spurs view, especially as they have reaped points so abundantly from City in past years, but forCity it's like a win so little have they taken from Spurs over he past decade.  As long as the top teams take points from each other as Liverpool and Arsenal have just done, this result confirms that Spurs are carrying on from where they finished last season and there is certainly much to look forward to in the next nine months.  If a clinical goal scorer could be acquired before the close of the transfer window then Spurs might not suffer so many frustrating afternoons as today proved.



'Results on the first day of a football season are no guide whatsoever to how a campaign will pan out.' - Jim Holden (Daily Express)

A very positive start from Spurs - now it's that very important Champions League qualifying game against Young Boys, Berne on Tuesday evening.

Echoes of Glory 1960-61

At half-time Spurs paid a fitting tribute to the 'Double' team. Players from the team or representatives of the former players and manager were introduced to the crowd at half-time to mark the 50th anniversary of the satart of that famous season, 1960-61, when Spurs won the League and FA Cup double.

Those present were Peter Baker, Maurice Norman, Mel Hopkins, Dave Mackay, Cliff Jones, Les Allen, Terry Dyson and Terry Medwin.  Tribute was paid to the 'late' Bill Brown (goalkeeper) - Ron Henry who was too ill to attend was represented by his son, the 'late' John White was represented by his wife and Bobby Smith had intended to attend but was unwell.

The 'late' Danny Blanchflower was represented by his son who carries out the FA Cup while the 'late' Bill Nicholson's daughter brought the Football League trophy to the proceedings.

All received a tremendous reception from the fans most of whom stayed during the interval to watch the tribute.  It was quite a moving experience and brought a tear to the eye.

Team: Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, King, Assou-Ekotto; Lennon (Dos Santos), Huddlestone, Modric, Bale; Defoe (Keane), Crouch (Pavlyuchenko).  Subs: Cudicini; Kaboul, Palacios, Bassong.

Spurs' Goals for the New Season

Another summer anticipating new signings at White Hart Lane draws to a close with nothing to show, as yet, but expectations for the new season remain high. It will be difficult to maintain the level of consistency shown throughout the greater part of last year when European games are added to the fixture list but that’s what Tottenham have been striving for over the past number of years. It’s fitting that Tottenham embark on their first season in the Champions League in the year that marks the fiftieth anniversary of Spurs’ greatest ever year and team – the 1960-61 ‘Double’ side. The team that earned Spurs a place in the European Cup and did so much to emblazon the name of Tottenham Hotspur across Europe and worldwide.





As the legendary Bill Nicholson said, “It's magnificent to be in Europe and this club - a club like Tottenham Hotspur - if we're not in Europe, we're nothing.”



Once again Spurs have that chance in Europe’s top competition and the opening matches of the season will go a long way to define the success or failure of the season that lies ahead. Failure and we could repeat the Everton scenario of their Champions League year, while success opens up bold, new horizons. There are the crucial qualifying games against Young Boys Berne to reach the group stages of the Champions League and three vital Premier League games before the end of August. Last year Spurs took nine points from the corresponding fixtures and to maintain a position in the top four that level of consistency is going to be vital. To fail in these games could really dampen the spirit of optimism surrounding the club and spectators as the season opens.



To date, transfer activity for Spurs has been limited to rumours of possible targets and probable departures. Presumably, the Chairman will be activating his usual ‘last-minute.com’ policy once he is aware of Spurs European status in the last week of August – Champions League or Europa League.



Spurs immediate goal for the season must be to reach the group stages of the Champions League with a long term objective of building on last season’s progress by maintaining their top four position. However, that will not be an easy task with Manchester City signing players for fun and lavishing excessive salaries upon them while Liverpool are determined to revitalise their flagging fortunes under Roy Hodgson and are fortunate to have retained their star players. If Spurs are unable to achieve these short and long-term targets Daniel Levy may regret his unwillingness to speculate in order to strengthen the team this summer.



There is much to look forward to this season and there is a great buzz of expectation around the club at this moment in time. Spurs are in their strongest position for many years and it is to be hoped that they will progress to an even higher level and by next May will have some silverware to show for all their efforts.