Buying British.

[THFCSPURS19]

That is just the type of character this team of twilight looking pussies need.

Should we get Charlie Adam as well while we're at it.

 

[DuDe]

I'm sure if we had kept Sherwood in charge we would have had a better balanced squad.

What was the fabled list that Sherwood had compiled again?

OK, there is one of two things going on here, now ...

1)

2)

 

[HairyHotspur]

I didn't like Sherwood as a bloke but I think he would have at least built a tough,competitive team.

 

[tiger666]

I'm sure if we had kept Sherwood in charge we would have had a better balanced squad.

What was the fabled list that Sherwood had compiled again?

Yeah you were his greatest supporter.

Sherwood is a Gooner.A DIRTY GOONER.

How is he working at our club in the first place?He lucked out when another self confessed Gooner gave him a job.

We have to employ REAL Tottenham men to look after the football side of the club.

 

[DaSpurs]

I didn't like Sherwood as a bloke but I think he would have at least built a tough,competitive team.

Same. He made some shocking decisions/observations, but he also made some very logical ones.

 

[HairyHotspur]

I didn't like Sherwood as a bloke but I think he would have at least built a tough,competitive team.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Is Kevin Davies still around?
How about:

Robinson

Walker Dawson Shawcross Rose
Lennon Adams Jenas Townsend
Davies Austin

Loads of British bulldog fighting spirit - Hazzah!!!!

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

I didn't like Sherwood as a bloke but I think he would have at least built a tough,competitive team.

This i can't disagree with.

 

[DaSpurs]

Is Kevin Davies still around?
How about:

Robinson

Walker Dawson Shawcross Rose
Lennon Adams Jenas Townsend
Davies Austin

Loads of British bulldog fighting spirit - Hazzah!!!!

"4-4-facking-2" is dead man. But we could/can still have a realistic yet better side than what we have now:

Lloris
Walker Shawcross Dier Rose
Livermore Mason
Townsend Ward-Prowse Redmond
Kane

Would take that side any day over what we're currently seeing.

 

[eddiebailey]

Obviously we need more cheap foreign imports, like Paulinho, Soldado, Lamela...

 

[danielneeds]

This is bunkem. It's easier to build a dressing room culture with British players, there are plenty of foreign players who've become mainstays at their clubs, people who've stayed a long time and been leaders. It's about good scouting, and finding the right people who want to lead.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

"4-4-facking-2" is dead man. But we could/can still have a realistic yet better side than what we have now:

Lloris
Walker Shawcross Dier Rose
Livermore Mason
Townsend Ward-Prowse Redmond
Kane

Would take that side any day over what we're currently seeing.

Mid table.
Probably more fun to watch though.

 

[DaSpurs]

Mid table.
Probably more fun to watch though.

Certainly no better than sixth, but I also think no worse than eighth.

 

[Sevens]

With our current scouting "restructuring" in the offing,I was wondering how people felt about what type of players Tottenham should be looking to buy.

I would prefer that we bought British players and supplemented them with our own youth players.I know English players come at a premium but we have always traditionally had a good mixture of British players at our club and I think that it's the lack of British players that is part of our problem at the moment.

We seem to have lost our identity over the past couple of years and slinging up some "to dare is to do" placards around the place is not enough.Our true identity needs to be reflected on the pitch.

There is little doubt in my mind that generally foreigners don't tend to care about the clubs they play for outside of their own country. Despite being occasionally interviewed about it and speaking to the contrary it's clear to me that Klinsmann doesn't give a toss about Spurs. Vieira doesn't give a toss about Arsenal etc.

But sadly I don't think many English players give a toss about the English clubs they play for either. I personally feel that players now play for personal glory, each other and money. For a lot of foreign players I think coming to the Premiership and earning a shedload of cash and a big signing on fee IS their dream. Once they're in the Premiership their career ambitions are fulfilled. Obviously this isn't all foreign players that come into the Premiership but it's certainly a fair chunk of them. But I genuinely believe that a lot of British players have exactly the same mentality.

As for the purchasing strategy it does all come down to the quality of the player and how much they care about their own professionalism. Scott Parker gave 100% for the club. David Bentley had a lot of talent but didn't have the mentality.

It's really over the last two years our strategy has changed though, so there is time to go back to it if required. I think the difference between now and 10 years ago is that we're generally better so young English players won't necessarily be an improvement on what we have. People quickly forget about the players that don't make it with us (Fryers) but we are still buying young players like we did in the past. It's just that the first team is stronger so they don't automatically get in the first team early.

 

[Sevens]

Seeing as England are shit and the other British teams are worse, I'd rather get foreign players with premiership experience personally.
There's the odd exception to the above, Gareth Bale, but by and large, British footballers are just bang average and over priced.

Over priced maybe, but also I do feel British players have become under rated by the footballing fashionista. Paulinho is a Brazilian international and yet he hasn't demonstrated that he is better than Ryan Mason. Dembele, Capoue and Stambouli are all technically inferior to Huddlestone (and probably worse players too). For me Dawson is miles ahead of Kaboul (but then I've always had a downer on Kaboul) and from what I have seen Dawson is comfortably ahead of Fazio too.

I think if Lamela was English and putting in the performances he has been then our fans would have turned on him long ago.

 

[Sevens]

We need players with character, regardless of nationality.Rooney is England captain - hardly suggests a wealth of leadership and character among English players....

Agree with this to an extent. I don't know whether it's because they are all trained in PR now or because money quickly erodes their desire and passion but I think the problem is actually global.

 

[Sevens]

Honestly, I don't think British recruitment would make a difference. Our most consistently 'up for it' player of recent years was VDV. I think it's a state of mind, not a condition of birth as to whether you really feel that drive to win for us.

I think people often mistake passion for being "up for it". Passion and chest thumping doesn't necessarily equate to determination or will to win.

 

[TottenhamMattSpur]

Over priced maybe, but also I do feel British players have become under rated by the footballing fashionista. Paulinho is a Brazilian international and yet he hasn't demonstrated that he is better than Ryan Mason. Dembele, Capoue and Stambouli are all technically inferior to Huddlestone (and probably worse players too). For me Dawson is miles ahead of Kaboul (but then I've always had a downer on Kaboul) and from what I have seen Dawson is comfortably ahead of Fazio too.

I think if Lamela was English and putting in the performances he has been then our fans would have turned on him long ago.

Sadly we've mostly bought crap foreign players with no premiership experience.
What looks good for Corinthians or a French side doesn't always look good in the premiership.

On a side note, anyone having real problems using SC on a mobile?

 

[yankspurs]

Mid table.
Probably more fun to watch though.

That is mid table, at its very best, tbh. Livermore has found his place at Hull, a lower to mid table side. Shawcross is not really a mid table player, IMO. I think Townsend's potential is probably mid table, but if he wants to reach it, he needs to stop shooting so often, pick his head up and make smart decisions. Redmond, I am not quite sure on, but he looks an exciting prospect.

Only players in there who could have potential to be at top 4 competing level, IMO, are Kane, Mason, Dier, and Ward-Prowse. Walker and Lloris are top table players, obviously.

But right now, IMO, that side is no where near 6th. Maybe 8th, solely because Lloris is one of the best keepers in the world. But probably more like 10th.

In truth, I'd like to strike a balance between foreign imports and homegrown players(who dont necessarily have to be British). But being completely honest, if England's recent call ups competed in the prem as a side, does it get 4th? I'm not sure they do. Theres really no top top top English player. Rooney, the best English player, was the last player to really have that potential but for for what ever reason didnt come close to reaching it.

Between this current english group really not being that great as a whole and clubs tremendously overvaluing their british players, it creates a perfect storm for clubs to look outside of England to buy players. Hopefullly the group of guys coming through the ranks are good enough to buck that trend and create more of a balance with foreign and domestic players in the league.

 

[DaSpurs]

That is mid table, at its very best, tbh. Livermore has found his place at Hull, a lower to mid table side. Shawcross is not really a mid table player, IMO. I think Townsend's potential is probably mid table, but if he wants to reach it, he needs to stop shooting so often, pick his head up and make smart decisions. Redmond, I am not quite sure on, but he looks an exciting prospect.

Only players in there who could have potential to be at top 4 competing level, IMO, are Kane, Mason, Dier, and Ward-Prowse. Walker and Lloris are top table players, obviously.

But right now, IMO, that side is no where near 6th. Maybe 8th, solely because Lloris is one of the best keepers in the world. But probably more like 10th.

In truth, I'd like to strike a balance between foreign imports and homegrown players(who dont necessarily have to be British). But being completely honest, if England's recent call ups competed in the prem as a side, does it get 4th? I'm not sure they do. Theres really no top top top English player. Rooney, the best English player, was the last player to really have that potential but for for what ever reason didnt come close to reaching it.

Between this current english group really not being that great as a whole and clubs tremendously overvaluing their british players, it creates a perfect storm for clubs to look outside of England to buy players. Hopefullly the group of guys coming through the ranks are good enough to buck that trend and create more of a balance with foreign and domestic players in the league.

We finished sixth with a far less functioning side that one above. The whole point is that performance in this league is not entirely due to quality. Mason, Kane, and Townsend's (if you care to get past the skying of shots and have a look at opposing back lines when he dribbles at them) performances are indication enough that often passion is of far greater substance than quality.

When did Livermore, Thudd, and Parker get turned over by Chelsea, Liverpool, and City in their last few years with us? Conversely, how many times did midfields of Capoue, Sandro, Dembele, and Paulinho get turned over? All those international performances, and yet their performances were worse in the Premier League.

This isn't FIFA where a numerical rating decides everything, and this is the point being made often in this thread.