- Sep 2, 2003
- 5,850
- 8,794
I’m an old git. I first went to the Lane with my Dad and Granddad in 1968. We stood in the enclosure (2/- to get into the ground and another tanner for the enclosure) and watched a 1-0 win, although I can’t remember who we played. I’m telling you this to give you some perspective, because I’m more excited now about our team – and our club as a whole – than I have ever been. More than when I watched (Sir) Bill Nick’s good team of the early 70s, more than when I watched Keith Burkinshaw’s very good team of the early 80s.
There are a number of reasons for this. First, and most obvious, the team. We all knew last year that we were a better team than the one that got two points from eight games. We all knew that we should be in the top half, and we all knew (or thought we did) that we wouldn’t get relegated. We just didn’t know how good we were. We’re just starting to find out.
This year I have been extremely impressed with our progress. When you watch us play, you can almost see us developing during the games. Last year, after Gomes settled down and recovered from injury, we had a rock solid defence – almost for the first time in living memory – with King and Woodgate at its heart. This year we’ve had King for fewer games and Woodgate for only three, yet we’re still bloody hard to score against. Why? Because we’ve got very good, well-coached players who play as a unit and are supported by a midfield (thank you Mr Palacios) that can defend as well as attack. When was the last time you could say that?
We’ve had some bad performances and results this season (who hasn’t?) but they’re getting to be fewer and farther between. We struggled early in the season against sides with no ambition, who would ‘park the bus’ and play for a 0-0 draw. We’re learning how to deal with that. When teams fancy their chances at beating us at football, they are usually swept aside (yes, you, Manchester City). So we have learned how to play against – and beat – different types of teams setting up in a variety of ways. And with this comes belief; ‘mental strength’ if you like. The type of belief that means that when you are 1-0 down at home in a cup quarter-final against a very solid and pretty talented team, you can raise your game and brush them aside. (With a huge tip of the hat to some inspired substitutions.) The type of belief that means that you can win five games in a row with half of the first team missing. The type of belief that means that you can aim for the stars and know that the moon is the least that you’ll reach.
But that isn’t even the best part. The best part is that this isn’t a one-season wonder, and that we will get better. Consider the ages of those who you would probably call ‘core’ players. Bale is 20, Lennon 22, Bassong and Huddlestone 23, Corluka and Modric 24, Palacios and Krankjar 25. (Our strikers are older, with Defoe the youngest at 27: still short of his peak.) That is at least half of the team aged 25 or under. All very good players who would walk into most teams in the Premier League, and all of them still developing. If we can keep this core together (I realise it might be a big ‘if’) and continue to reinforce it with astute signings such as Sandro and the occasional home-grown player, then the future is brighter than I can remember.
Add into the mix the fact that ours is a very well run club. A club that in around three years will significantly increase its match-day and sponsorship revenue with a new stadium. A stadium which has no doubt been budgeted on the assumptions that we will get knocked out early in the domestic cups and will not get into Europe, thus not putting us in financial peril. This is important not only for the obvious reasons, but also because from 2015 participation in European competition will be dependent upon adhering to new UEFA ‘debt rules’; rules which could prevent clubs with huge debt (currently, for example, including Man Utd and Liverpool) from competing.
Stability is the key. We finally seem to have hired a competent manager who not only knows what he is doing, and is liked and respected by the players, but is not being undermined while he’s trying to do it. I was lukewarm to the idea of Harry Redknapp being our manager, and I don’t like some of the things that he says to the press, but you certainly can’t fault most of what he’s done; he’s been outstanding. I wasn’t sure of the value of recruiting what seems like several dozen former players as (inexperienced) part-time coaches, but it seems to be working. So let’s stick with it. Let’s follow the Levy and Redknapp plans. Let’s develop our core players and add to them with others who can improve the squad and the team. Let’s continue to improve until we get to where we think our great club should be. And let’s push on from there.
The title of this article refers to this season and beyond, so I’ll conclude by what I think will happen in the next few years. There’s no guarantee that it will, and it obviously depends on the club holding its shit together, but this
is the first time that I’ve even dared to dream it.
I believe that we will finish fourth this year and qualify for the Champions League.
I believe that we will continue to qualify for the Champions League in spite of competition from the usual suspects, plus Citeh, Everton, and Villa.
I believe that we will win (yes, win) the Premier League in the next three years, and I believe that we will win it more than once.
I believe that we will be capable of winning the European Cup.
I believe that we will do all of this in the style that befits our heritage.
I believe, for the first time, that the future belongs to us. Glory glory hallelujah.......
Audere est facere.
There are a number of reasons for this. First, and most obvious, the team. We all knew last year that we were a better team than the one that got two points from eight games. We all knew that we should be in the top half, and we all knew (or thought we did) that we wouldn’t get relegated. We just didn’t know how good we were. We’re just starting to find out.
This year I have been extremely impressed with our progress. When you watch us play, you can almost see us developing during the games. Last year, after Gomes settled down and recovered from injury, we had a rock solid defence – almost for the first time in living memory – with King and Woodgate at its heart. This year we’ve had King for fewer games and Woodgate for only three, yet we’re still bloody hard to score against. Why? Because we’ve got very good, well-coached players who play as a unit and are supported by a midfield (thank you Mr Palacios) that can defend as well as attack. When was the last time you could say that?
We’ve had some bad performances and results this season (who hasn’t?) but they’re getting to be fewer and farther between. We struggled early in the season against sides with no ambition, who would ‘park the bus’ and play for a 0-0 draw. We’re learning how to deal with that. When teams fancy their chances at beating us at football, they are usually swept aside (yes, you, Manchester City). So we have learned how to play against – and beat – different types of teams setting up in a variety of ways. And with this comes belief; ‘mental strength’ if you like. The type of belief that means that when you are 1-0 down at home in a cup quarter-final against a very solid and pretty talented team, you can raise your game and brush them aside. (With a huge tip of the hat to some inspired substitutions.) The type of belief that means that you can win five games in a row with half of the first team missing. The type of belief that means that you can aim for the stars and know that the moon is the least that you’ll reach.
But that isn’t even the best part. The best part is that this isn’t a one-season wonder, and that we will get better. Consider the ages of those who you would probably call ‘core’ players. Bale is 20, Lennon 22, Bassong and Huddlestone 23, Corluka and Modric 24, Palacios and Krankjar 25. (Our strikers are older, with Defoe the youngest at 27: still short of his peak.) That is at least half of the team aged 25 or under. All very good players who would walk into most teams in the Premier League, and all of them still developing. If we can keep this core together (I realise it might be a big ‘if’) and continue to reinforce it with astute signings such as Sandro and the occasional home-grown player, then the future is brighter than I can remember.
Add into the mix the fact that ours is a very well run club. A club that in around three years will significantly increase its match-day and sponsorship revenue with a new stadium. A stadium which has no doubt been budgeted on the assumptions that we will get knocked out early in the domestic cups and will not get into Europe, thus not putting us in financial peril. This is important not only for the obvious reasons, but also because from 2015 participation in European competition will be dependent upon adhering to new UEFA ‘debt rules’; rules which could prevent clubs with huge debt (currently, for example, including Man Utd and Liverpool) from competing.
Stability is the key. We finally seem to have hired a competent manager who not only knows what he is doing, and is liked and respected by the players, but is not being undermined while he’s trying to do it. I was lukewarm to the idea of Harry Redknapp being our manager, and I don’t like some of the things that he says to the press, but you certainly can’t fault most of what he’s done; he’s been outstanding. I wasn’t sure of the value of recruiting what seems like several dozen former players as (inexperienced) part-time coaches, but it seems to be working. So let’s stick with it. Let’s follow the Levy and Redknapp plans. Let’s develop our core players and add to them with others who can improve the squad and the team. Let’s continue to improve until we get to where we think our great club should be. And let’s push on from there.
The title of this article refers to this season and beyond, so I’ll conclude by what I think will happen in the next few years. There’s no guarantee that it will, and it obviously depends on the club holding its shit together, but this
is the first time that I’ve even dared to dream it.
I believe that we will finish fourth this year and qualify for the Champions League.
I believe that we will continue to qualify for the Champions League in spite of competition from the usual suspects, plus Citeh, Everton, and Villa.
I believe that we will win (yes, win) the Premier League in the next three years, and I believe that we will win it more than once.
I believe that we will be capable of winning the European Cup.
I believe that we will do all of this in the style that befits our heritage.
I believe, for the first time, that the future belongs to us. Glory glory hallelujah.......
Audere est facere.