Are derbies only important to the fans?

[Sandros Shiny Head]

After watching the NLD on Sunday, I was quite concerned at how matey AVB and Wenger were before the match. And throughout the match, a lot of the players, more so ours, weren't really into the passion of the game. You could tell right from the off that there was a real passion about the Liverpool vs Man Utd game and the managers shared little more than a handshake and at times tempers flared on the pitch. I'm not bothered about how friendly players are in private since they could be ex teammates or international mates but on match day especially against your teams fiercest rivals, there's no need. Anyway I suppose my point is, are derbies on the whole only really important to the fans?

 

[Lufti]

After watching the NLD on Sunday, I was quite concerned at how matey AVB and Wenger were before the match. And throughout the match, a lot of the players, more so ours, weren't really into the passion of the game. You could tell right from the off that there was a real passion about the Liverpool vs Man Utd game and the managers shared little more than a handshake and at times tempers flared on the pitch. I'm not bothered about how friendly players are in private since they could be ex teammates or international mates but on match day especially against your teams fiercest rivals, there's no need. Anyway I suppose my point is, are derbies on the whole only really important to the fans?

I think the derby loses a bit of relevance when hardly any of our team is English. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with our team - it'd be nice if there were more English players but there aren't really enough talented ones out there. Anyway, back to the point, English players more than others realise the significance of the derby. Townsend being a Spurs lad obviously does, and I thought it showed in his performance. Walker and Dawson obviously know what it's about too.

With the other players though they haven't grown up in the country, let alone the fact they've only recently joined Spurs, and so I think to an extent the relevance is lost on them slightly, and maybe once they've been here longer, or even by the time we take them on at the lane and the result matters more it'll be different.

If you want a manager's scuffle, I think the one to look forward to may be the Chelsea game. Regardless of how they speak in the media, I get the impression AVB and Mourinho aren't really too keen on eachother anymore

 

[Sandros Shiny Head]

I think the derby loses a bit of relevance when hardly any of our team is English. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with our team - it'd be nice if there were more English players but there aren't really enough talented ones out there. Anyway, back to the point, English players more than others realise the significance of the derby. Townsend being a Spurs lad obviously does, and I thought it showed in his performance. Walker and Dawson obviously know what it's about too.

With the other players though they haven't grown up in the country, let alone the fact they've only recently joined Spurs, and so I think to an extent the relevance is lost on them slightly, and maybe once they've been here longer, or even by the time we take them on at the lane and the result matters more it'll be different.

I see your point but doesn't the NLD mean the same to someone like Dawson (a northern lad) as say the Milan derby to Lamela?

 

[Lufti]

I see your point but doesn't the NLD mean the same to someone like Dawson (a northern lad) as say the Milan derby to Lamela?

Not the same though - Dawson has grown up in the country, he'll have seen the derby for many years and to be part of Tottenham for as long as he has will have understood what it means. Lamela on the other hand grew up in Argentna, and then played in Rome for 2 or 3 years. Lamela would have understood the River Plate v Boca Juniors derby though