Tottenham Hotspur FC

Harry Redknapp sees no reason why new captain Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe cannot form a lethal partnership for Tottenham second time around.

Probably because it didn’t work last time mate.

The little and slightly smaller pair have had plenty of opportunities to hit it off as a pairing but it just didn’t happen.

A lot will depend on the we play. We’ve been going from back to front more directly of late. This clearly won’t suit them as anyone who saw us when Robbo used to lump the length of the pitch over the we ones heads.

But Harry hasn’t said anything about the way we’re going to play being the reason Keane and Defoe will be dangerous together. Instead it comes down to, "I wanted them both, I know them and they are good players - good players can always play together."

We wish it was true but if that was the case England would function perfectly with fat Frank and badge kisser Gerrard in midfield. We all know how that one has gone.

Hopefully Redknapp is the man to make it work.

I for one am keeping them crossed.

He is little though.

The big news this year is the return of a few of our old boys. The moves that made the biggest waves happened at either end of the transfer window as a couple of goal machines have come back to their spiritual home.

Defoe and Keane’s homecoming has notched plenty of column inches and split fans opinion. The naysayers see the acquisitions as a backward move, the people for their return think it won’t take as long for them to settle.

What can history teach us about those who return to Spurs?

First up is a man who stole our hearts, broke them then stole them all over again. When Jurgen the German came back to us we were knee deep in a relegation battle. Sound familiar? He went on to score 9 goals in 15 apps and was largely credited with keeping us up in 1998.

Back in 2001 Spurs Hall Of Famer Edward Paul Sheringham came back to the Lane after his four-year hiatus in Manchester. Teddy was one of Glen Hoddle’s and Daniel Levy’s first signings. A crowd favourite if you will. Sound familiar? He came back to propel us to our best Premier League finish at the time and a cup final scoring 22 goals in two years to boot.

Looking at these examples it bodes well yeah? Well there are differences. Firstly we didn’t buy Teddy and Jurgen at the same time. Secondly if we had it would have been a good thing because of their proven partnership together in their first coming. Keane and Defoe have not always faired so well in the same team.

If Jermaine and Robbie could have the same impact as either of these guys, this January’s bit of business will be seen as a master stroke. If not…

Robbie’s back. Yup, somehow someway we’ve signed Robbie Keane from Liverpool for £ 5million less than we sold him for.

Now that’s mental.

For the Spurs squad this has to be good news. Keano is one of the players ‘Arry has been saying we lack. Someone with character a bit of drive and prepared to stand up and be counted (sorry I ran out of clichés).

One question. What the Fratton is Jermaine Defoe going to think? The reason he left us in the first place was because he was behind Keane in the pecking order. The reason Keane left the scousers was because he hardly completed a game. Now history is bound to repeat itself.

I don’t care as long as we get closer to the heights we reached when they were both firing for us.

Welcome back Robbie, Jermaine and Pascal, hopefully your second coming will be more successful than David Pleat’s.

Here’s a round up of all the goings on over the last four weeks.

INS: Jermaine Defoe (Portmouth, £15.75m), Wilson Palacios (Wigan, £14m subject to work permit), Carlo Cudicini (free from Chelsea), Pascal Chimbonda (undisc. from Sunderland), Robbie Keane (£15m from Liverpool).

OUTS: Charlie Daniels (free to Leyton Orient), Kevin-Prince Boateng (loan to Borussia Dortmund), Paul Stalteri (free to Borussia Monchengladbach), David Button (loan to Bournemouth), Troy Archibald-Henville (loan to Exeter City), Hossam Ghaly (undisc, Al-Nasr), Cesar Sanchez (free to Valencia).

Deadly Ledley King looks like he’ll live to play a few more games for us. I feared the worse when he hobbled off against Portsmouth but the hamstring injury isn’t as bad as first feared. It looks like Pav will be ok as well. He went down pretty hard at the weekend but it was only a kick and he’ll be available for selection against Burnley.

If our squad is as bad as ‘Arry says we can’t afford to miss player of that calibre. I’m not entirely convinced by Super Roman but he scores goals and not just the third goal in a four nil win but openers and winners in tight games so the more he plays for us the better.

Get well soon boys.

According to ‘Arry someone has come in with an offer for Hilario. Three months ago that would have been the best news we could hope for but the keepers performances over the last ten games or so have been consistent. We aren’t conceding as many goals, although we couldn’t hit an aircraft hanger with a ukulele, and Gomes has put in a few man of the match performances, especially against Liverpool and United when they came to the Lane.

Surely it’s no coincidence that Gomes’ rebirth started with the arrival of Tony Parks as our goalkeeping coach. So special mention should go to him. Parks is doing significantly better than Sir Les who was brought in as our forwards coach. Since the big man came in our goals have dried up.

Maybe we could send him on a scouting mission. But then again…

Little Jermaine is back, yippee. We’ve been chanting his name since the day he left and didn’t even mind when he scored against us.

The numbers involved are a bit confusing. We sold Defoe for £9 million, bought him back for about £15 million and the word on the street is Pompey hasn’t even paid us yet.  To be fair I don’t care as long as Jermain scores a shed load of goals and has learnt the off side rule.

Hopefully the wee one will be with us for a while now. Like Martin Jol said in 2006, "There's no problem with Jermain. I wouldn't swap him for Miss World - he would probably swap me for Miss World though"

Welcome back son.

United at the weekend and for the first time in a long time I’m not scared. We used to be shit against the big boys but now we struggle against the so called lesser teams. I’m not sure what I prefer.

The red nosed raindeer is trying to get in our heads talking about taking Campbell back which we should ake as a compliment. He won’t talk about you unless he sees you as a threat. We need big games froour big players. Modric lookslike he’s getting close to the bloke we saw in Euro qualifying and it’s time for Bentley to deliver for longer than the time it takes to embarrass the arse from half way. Hopefully today’s the day.

Check out the vid below, it’s a Hoddle round up but the goal on 33 secs is the peach of a volley he scored against united many moons ago. Bentley if you’re reading, watch and learn.

Not strictly anything to do with us but apparently the small club in Fulham aren’t going to throw money at all their problems anymore. We’ll see in January but if that realy is the case look forward to plenty more days like this.

He’s short,
He’s fast,
He scored against the arse,
Arron Len-non, Aaron Len-non

The chant may not work musically but it doesn't make it any less true.

The we man with the quick feet has found some form again since Redknapp’s arrival if we can keep him close to his best we’ll do well this season and he could force his way back into the England team.

One of  the things I love about the little fella is he’s got an awfully deep voice for his stature. It sounds weird, in a good way.


Keep up the crossing practise Aaron we can’t wait until your doing stuff like this every game.


We love you Aaron.

Honorary Hotspur Jimmy Bullard just keeps going up and up in my estimations. A few months ago I posted a chant that the Fulham fans sing to the Maggie Thatcher impersonator.

Jim Bullard Bullard
He’s better than Steve Gerrard
And Thinner than Frank Lampard
Jim Bullard Bullard

Jimmy’s response is so good that I stole it from the quotes section of another website to bring to you.

Take it away Maggie.

"It's a blinding song but only half of it is correct. I'm not sure I'm better than Steven but I'm definitely thinner than Frank"

Legend.

Saying "go on, go on go on, go on" has never really been commentary but the portly Spurs chap is my hero. His reactions mirrored mine exactly on the night.

I'll never get tired of watching this.

Respect to all the Spurs fans who made it to the game last night. A midweek fixture in the north east for a game in an empty stadium doesn’t really appeal yet Juande’s blue and white army could be heard singing throughout. If I’d paid the half a million quid or so to get up to St James’ and watch that first half it would’ve put me off leaving the house for life but the hardcore were there for the team which makes me feel frankly ashamed of myself.

I did the eight hour trip to toon town at the weekend and it’s not easy. Anyone who made the trip there, back and went to work this morning deserves the ‘Graham Roberts Medal of Honour’.

Thanks for representing, all Spurs fans collectively owe you one.

I so wish Kammy was my mate. I'd give up two memebrs of my current family for him to be my uncle. It would be unbelivable.

Mohammed Ali Amar will always be loved at White Hart Lane. He played in the '91 Cup winning team, scored a spectacular volley against Liverpool and bagged a hatrick in a cup game against city.

But he'll be most loved for something he did in the 1995 Cup Winners Cup Final when he wasn't even a Hotspur. It was so good a "Nayim from the halfway line" chant doesn't have to come out against a*senal.

The last time I heard it we were away at Leicester.

Legend.

Don't let me ruin for you, check out the story here.



And here's the goal in all it's glory.

This little chav is in with a shout of being the greatest Spurs legend of the modern era.

Here's a lesson in receiving instant hero worship.


Still he's got a little way to go before he reaches this rude kid's status.

In January 2002 the mighty Spurs broke a 27 game hoodoo by spanking Chelsea 5-1 in the Worthington Cup semis. There were several heroes in Spurs shirts that night but none more inspirational than Gustavo Augusto Poyet Domínguez the motor mouthed ex Chelsea fan favourite. On 83 minutes Gus was subbed off and left the pitch with a skip and a jump whilst punching the air. The Chelsea fans were incensed.

The Tottenham faithful had witnessed the coronation of a new legend.

During another false dawn of the Hoddle era Gus was a bright spark for us. Poyet scored 14 goals in his debut season for the Lilywhites and was captain during the 02-03 campaign.

After performing miracles coaching Swindon and Leeds Gus came back as 1st team coach and has been entertaining us in post match interviews ever since. His influence on the current squad can’t be underestimated but more importantly he’s about on the odd occasion we beat Chelsea.

You’ve got to love the man they call Radio.

Occasional shampoo salesman and full time footballing genius David Ginola was the sort of player Spurs fans have been brought up on. Bundles of flair, not that much fight but for every no show away to Barnsley there was a maestro performance at home to, well Barnsley.

His goals to games ratio wasn’t spectacular (13 in 100 apps) but his overall contribution to the Tottenham cause can’t be underestimated. In 1999 when Ginola shimmied his way to the PFA Player of the Year Award we had an average to poor squad. Yet we were the team to stop man u from an unprecedented quadruple when we put the mancs out of the at the QF stage on route to winning the League Cup.

Ginola was one of the few bright sparks during a thoroughly miserable time for the Mighty Spurs. We had George Graham as our manager, Tramazzani was still a lillywhite and our best players were constantly injured. But you could always rely on a “Gin – The Tonic” headline on the back page of the red tops when Dave skinned four players to earn us a draw at Palace.

He was so loved he’s even got his own song. Listen to it here.

Thank Yahweh for the fleet footed Frenchman. He’s a legend and, yes, he’s worth it.

North London natives since 1882, 1919 still not forgiven, Bill Nicholson – best ever, push and run, Greavsie, Gilzean, year ends in one. First British team to lift European trophy, first double winners. Hoddle, Waddle, Chas and Dave, cups, Ossie’s dream, “Is Gasgoine gonna have a crack? He is you know.” Klinsman’s dive, entertainers, decline, love a moan, false dawns, now’s our time, maybe next year, sell best players or walk for free. The Tottenham way.