Milk Cup Match Report. Tottenham 4-0 Otago 24/07/12

Priestley(1)

Vincent-Young (C) (2), Lyons-Foster (4),  Ogilvie (3), Walton-Owens (16)

Walkes (6)
Miller (11), Winks (12),

Sonupe (18),               Harrison (14)
Oduwa (15),

Substitutes: Magbadelo (5) Campbell-Young (7) Pritchard (8) Goddard (9) Amos (10) Georgiou (17)

After a competition shocking 7-1 defeat at the hands of American side South Coast Strikers on Monday night, Tottenham reverted to a similar line-up that started the first game, a 1-1 draw with local side County Armagh, and reaped the benefits.

Kodi Lyons-Foster, who impressed on Saturday at right-back, swapped positions with skipper Kane Vincent-Young, both showing their versatility, while Shayon Harrison came in for Anthony Georgiou, in the only changes from the opening game's line-up.

Spurs started brightly, obviously hurting from the previous night's heavy defeat, and kept the ball superbly in the opening 10 minutes, with their Kiwi opponents struggling to get the slightest touch on the ball.

It took almost 10 minutes for the first shot to come, a reasonably tame effort from Emmanuel Sonupe that was easily gathered by Otago's goalkeeper. But the opening goal wasn't far away, as the impressive Nathan Oduwa played Shayon Harrison through, and he finished calmly when one-on-one with the goalkeeper; low into the bottom corner with the inside of his left foot.

Otago began to get on the ball more soon after, and their bright number 12 forced a good save from Liam Priestley low to his right. A second chance fell to the New Zealand team from the next phase of play, and another low shot, this time from the yellow number 28, forced Priestley down for a relatively routine save.

Oduwa, a strong presence up front, continued to cause problems. He was willing to play on the shoulder of the oppositions defence and use his pace, but just as comfortable dropping deep to get on the ball. It was Tottenham's number 15 that carved open Spurs' next opportunity, as he tricked his way past two opponents before feeding William Miller, but his shot whistled just past the post for a goal kick.

A rare defensive slip gave the travelling Otago supporters something to get excited about, but a fine through ball was eventually gathered by Priestley. The young stopper continued to look calm and composed between the sticks, as well as being able to act as a 'sweeper keeper', tidying up any lose balls behind his defence and offering himself for passes from his team.

A second, deserved Tottenham goal arrived before half-time, as Harry Winks played a pacey through ball over the Otago defence and a defensive mix up between defender and goalkeeper allowed Sonupe to tap home from a couple of yards into an open net.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, coach Alex Inglethorpe brought off Kane Vincent-Young, replacing his captain with Channing Campbell-Young, just as he had in the first game of the competition. This led to a slight re-shuffle in defence, as Lyons-Foster moved to right-back, Campbell-Young partnering new captain Connor Ogilvie in the centre of defence.

The second half was interrupted almost immediately, as following an Otago corner, their number 10, Gabriel Schwarz, landed awkwardly and was given treatment on the pitch for over 10 minutes. Both teams tried to keep themselves warm and sharp during the stoppage, while having obvious concern for Gabriel. He was unfortunately stretchered off and given a loud round of applause from the crowd, we wish him well during his recovery.

Otago responded to the injury well, and enjoyed their best spell of the game, firstly forcing Priestley to add to his string of saves when he palmed a shot wide before their number 16, Tommy Kelley, tried his luck from range but saw his shot sail just over the crossbar.

Holding midfielder Anton Walkes, after a solid performance, was then replaced by Luke Amos, a player of immense skill, despite his small frame. Walkes caught my eye due to his game awareness, often covering for one of the centre-backs should the venture up field, or covering for an overlapping full-back. The Tottenham academy coaches will undoubtedly be impressed by this mature performance.

Harry Winks had the games next chance, but his tame shot was easily gathered by Otago's substitute 'keeper Brian Di Loreto.

Two quick changes for Spurs followed, as left-back Amon Walton-Owens was replaced by Joe Pritchard, who had started in central midfield on Saturday. Cy Goddard also took to the field in place of Nathan Oduwa, clearly upset that he wasn't able to add to his goal on the opening day.

A long ball from Otago, a ploy which was becoming a common thing for the Kiwi's as they tired, caused a moment of panic for the otherwise outstanding Priestley. He raced out of his box to meet it but was beaten to the ball by the Otago striker who cleverly lifted the ball over his head, but didn't have the pace to retrieve the ball and Campbell-Young and Ogilvie combined to remove any danger.

Ogilvie stood out for me against Armagh, and impressed once again as he showed composure and confidence on the ball, way beyond his years. The knowledgeable Windy , mentioned he has always been impressed by the red-headed youngster when he has watched him, and that he looks as comfortable all across the back four as he does in midfield. This is in no doubt down to how comfortable he looks on the ball, an invaluable asset for a defender, who shows his versatility by bringing the ball out of defence and stepping into midfield. Connor Ogilvie is definitely one to watch for the future.

With time running out and Otago looking out on their feet, Pritchard, cutting in from the left, gave them a taste of things to come as he flashed a shot from distance just over. The young Tottenham side discovered their ruthless streak, finishing their New Zealand opponents off with two quick goals.

The outstanding William Miller grabbed the third after some poor goalkeeping from Di Loreto in the Otago goal, as he flapped at a cross and the ball fell nicely for Miller to pass the ball into the bottom corner.

The game was done and dusted with almost the last kick of the game as Amos found Harry Winks at the back post, who controlled the ball majestically before cutting inside his marker and firing through Di Loreto from a near impossible angle. Winks was more than deserving of his goal, as he shone throughout the game alongside Miller in the centre of the pitch.

4-0 didn't flatter Spurs, who dominated the game, and despite the odd defensive lapse, were more than comfortable.

Next up for Tottenham are CSKA Moscow in the Milk Cup Vase semi-final, a game I am unfortunately missing. Should they defeat their Russian opponents they will face a local side in the final, County Londonderry or County Down.

Milk Cup Match Report. Tottenham 1-1 Co. Armagh 21/07/12

Priestley(1)

Lyons-Foster (4), Vincent-Young (C) (2), Ogilvie (3), Walton-Owens (16)

Miller (11), Pritchard (8)

Sonupe (18), Winks (12), Georgiou( 17)

Oduwa (15)

Substitutes: Voss (13) Magbadelo (5) Walkes (6) Campbell-Young (7) Goddard (9) Amos (10) Harrison (14).

(Shirt numbers)

A young Tottenham Hotspur side kicked off their N.I. Milk Cup 2012 campaign with a 1-1 draw against the County Armagh representative side.

Spurs lined up in a fluid 4-2-3-1 formation, which looked more like a 4-3-3 at times. The midfield trio of William Miller, Joe Pritchard and Harry Winks interchanged and rotated willingly and effortlessly when the opportunity arose. All three looked comfortable on the ball, as well as having the energy and effort to retrieve the ball when possession was lost.

Liam Priestley in goal looked assured and he was always willing to accept the ball from his defence as Spurs looked to play out from the back. Kodi Lyons-Foster impressed at right-back as he bombed forward as did left-back Amon Walton-Owens, while both looked competent defensively. Lyons-Foster had a touch of the Kyle Walker's about him as he often over-committed to tackles, before using his pace to recover any mistakes.

Connor Ogilvie, playing as the left of 2 centre-backs, stood out for me. He was calm and assured on the ball and was even able to break forward from deep at times. I've already mentioned on twitter that he looked like the player most capable of making it as a pro, despite not being the Man of the Match on the day.

Nathan Oduwa started the game as the lone striker, but constantly switched with right winger Emmanuel Sonupe and both threatened with their pace when chasing through balls behind the Armagh defence. Left winger Anthony Georgiou looked bright in spells, possessing plenty of skill, but often failing to lift his head when attempting a pass or cross.

It was Oduwa that put Spurs ahead after just a few minutes. Pritchard playing the ball beyond the Armagh defenders and Oduwa finished strongly, low into the bottom corner. He then spun away to celebrate like a pro' in front of the packed stand to the delight of the sprinkling of Tottenham supporters.

Armagh came close soon after though, when a left sided cross found it's way to the back post, but their number 12, Cathal McKenna, couldn't do better with his free header.

Martin Marron, Armagh's goalkeeper, made one of the saves of the game to deny Sonupe after he took his turn attacking through the middle, Marron climbing high to tip his shot around the post. Marron was nearly called into action again quickly, as Oduwa raced onto Winks' perfect through ball only to be denied by a late offside flag.

Oduwa had another chance soon after, but not for the last time today, took too long to apply a finish and was denied by a fine last ditch tackle.

Ogilvie gave the ball away with a sloppy pass but wasteful finishing from the home side left his mistake unpunished.

Sonupe then let up Shamrock Park with a fine piece of skill, bamboozling a couple of markers with some clever trickery in a crowded midfield that was too quick for me to even be sure how he managed it. But a drop of the shoulder and a flick of a heel later and suddenly he went from being surrounded to being out on his own, pulling away from his would be tacklers.

Ogilvie then showed good awareness to block a shot that could have called Priestley into action shortly before the half-time whistle. Spurs were good value for their 1-0 lead at the break, and will probably feel they could have been further ahead.

Captain Kane Vincent-Young was replaced at half-time by Channing Campbell-Young, while the red-headed Ogilvie took over the captaincy.

The new skipper was called into action soon after some pinball and sloppy defending saw the ball burst towards the Tottenham goal but Ogilvie tidied up at the back before recycling possession.

Spurs looked set to go 2-0 up at the other end when Sonupe looked to have beaten the offside trap and beat Marron in the Armagh goal, but saw his shot cannon back off the bar. Oduwa was in again soon after a rare long ball over the top from Campbell-Young, but the tall front man pulled his shot wide.

Ogilvie was left for dead after a long Armagh through ball but Priestley produced a fantastic diving save to beat the goal bound effort away from goal and despite regaining possession, Armagh saw their next shot fly harmlessly over the bar.

A second Spurs change saw the dangerous Sonupe replaced by Shayon Harrison before Oduwa was in again. But once again he wanted more time than he had, and his marker recovered well to get a tackle in.

Another substitution from Spurs saw Pritchard replaced in midfield by the exciting Luke Amos, who despite his small frame, dominated the midfield against larger opponents. His midfield compatriot Harry Winks was also replaced by another diminutive schemer, Cy Goddard, who also impressed.

Armagh nabbed their equaliser, against the run of play following a broken period of play as a result of changes on both sides. The subs' had no part in the goal though, as a mistake from Ogilvie, an awkward high back-pass, let the County Armagh striker to beat Priestley to the hanging ball and head into an empty net.

Luke Amos got his first taste of action, as he swapped the ball from his left foot to his right, before chipping an exquisite ball over the top of Aduwa who delayed before crossing onto his markers arms, penalty Spurs.

Oduwa himself grabbed the ball to take the spot kick, but a long delay followed which seemed to frustrate our number 15. Marron dived low to his right to bat away the effort. Oduwa was soon substituted, Anton Walkes his replacement. His disappointment at missing the penalty added to two tame free-kicks from the first half that landed harmlessly in Marron's arms.

Miller, outstanding for the whole game, played through Georgiou down the left, but a fine recovery tackle left him frustrated.

Spurs nearly had an unlikely hero, as Ogilvie raced clear and looked destined to make up for his previous mistake, but could only shoot straight at Marron and penalty shouts from the rebound were waved away.

Luke Amos then tricked his way clear down the right wing before crossing, but committed Armagh defenders blocked the resultant shot. A final chance went begging for Tottenham as Geogiou again beat his man on the left, before putting a fine low ball in which teased its way across the goal but a stretching Walkes couldn't reach it and our young side were left to wonder what could have been.

1-1 is a decent platform to build on, and the gap of technical ability between the two sides was incredible and is a credit to the work being done throughout the Club. There is a clear mantra being taught at every level, making every player in every age group comfortable on the ball with an eye for a pass. As well as the development of the players and exposure to competition football being more important than results, as it should be in academy football.

Any of the starting midfield threesome could have deservingly be named Man of the Match, but my nomination goes to William Miller, who played the full 70 minutes and kept the team ticking even after the substitutions disrupted the tempo of the side. He's a player I'm looking forward to seeing more of and it must be a nice problem for the coaching staff, including ex-Spur Kieran McKenna, to have trying to fit five excellent ball players into three spots.

Next up for Tottenham on Monday evening are the South Coast Strikers from USA in Limavady at 7pm. They will undoubtedly be hoping to win their next game, as the Milk Cup's format dictates that the four teams with the highest points total enter the semi-finals. The next four highest ranking teams then enter the Milk Cup Globe semi's etc.

It was a pleasure to watch some of the younger players that little is ever written about. There is plenty of fine footballers in the making, in that team, which can only bode well for Tottenham's future.

What Next For David Bentley?

David Bentley. The heir to David Beckham's throne on the right side of England's midfield. So it was written. But it didn't quite turn out that way.

Bentley started off at Tottenham's North London rivals Arsenal but made less than 10 first team appearances for the Gunners between 2002 and his permanent move to Blackburn Rovers in January 2006.

There was a loan spell at Norwich City for their ill fated Premier League season in 2004/05, and he impressed enough to earn another spell on loan in the top flight with Blackburn the following season. Then Rovers manager Mark Hughes saw enough during those first few months to want Bentley at Ewood Park long term and after signing permanently he marked his new contract by becoming the first player in Premier League history to score a hat trick against Manchester United, helping Rovers to a 4-3 win.

Seasons 06/07 and 07/08 saw Bentley's stock rise further with a string of spectacular goals and numerous assists and boy hood club Tottenham Hotspur came calling in July 2008 and parted with £15 million for his services. Bentley described the move as a dream and it looked like a perfect fit for both parties.

Bentley struggled during his first season, often played out of position and after the manager that had signed him (Juande Ramos) was sacked, he became a bit-part player at White Hart Lane. New manager Harry Redknapp watched Bentley score a stunning 40 yard volley in his first game in charge, a memorable 4-4 draw with Bentley's ex-club Arsenal, but quickly grew tired of Bentley's lackadaisical attitude and style on the pitch. Many fans commented that Bentley had all the talent, but needed to cut out the flicks and tricks and stick to what he was good at. Sound advice, but it fell on deaf ears.

For all the hype that surrounded Bentley during his early career, he has only managed to play for his country seven times, the last of those coming way back in August 2008 during a 2-2 friendly draw with the Czech Republic.

A rare run in the Spurs side came during their successful 09/10 season when he featured on the right of midfield and impressed after seeming more determined to work hard and put the team first. Aaron Lennon's return from injury saw Bentley return to the shadows though.

Two loan spells away from Tottenham followed for Bentley, firstly in the Premier League for the second half of 10/11 at Birmingham City. Despite being named Man of the Match on his debut against rivals Aston Villa, Bentley struggled for form and consistency during his 15 appearances for the Blues, managing just one goal and no assists.

The start of the 11/12 season saw Bentley loaned to London rivals West Ham United, recently relegated to the nPower Championship. He made just 5 appearances for the East Londoners before a knee injury seemingly ended his season. He was however, unexpectedly named in Spurs' revised 25-man squad list for the Premier League in February, but, more surprisingly, didn't make even a brief cameo.

David Bentley has found himself grouped with the likes of Jermaine Jenas, Sebastian Bassong, Giovani Dos Santos and Heurelho Gomes, the so-called 'dead wood' at Spurs. The majority of fans have been expecting most, if not all of these players to have been sold for the past few transfer windows, but other than the odd loan, all five remain at the Club.

But in an exclusive interview with the People, Bentley has revealed he is ready to start again at Spurs, after assurances from new Head Coach André Villas-Boas has given him a 'clean slate' to start over at White Hart Lane.

Bentley discusses how the media, and the fans, have portrayed him in the wrong way, denying claims he's a 'party boy' and how Redknapp didn't communicate with him when he was left out of the squad. Makes you wonder if he regrets soaking Harry after our 1-0 win over Manchester City at Eastlands. It also makes you question Harry's world renowned 'man-management' skills, were they just a myth? Did they only work if you were one of his favourites?

After seemingly having been written off by the media and fans alike, could Bentley be about to make a comeback in the white of Tottenham. New boss Villas-Boas likes to play with quick wingers, usually on the opposite side to their preferred foot to maximise goal scoring potential when they cut inside, and Bentley has never been know for his pace.

He does however, have great ability with the ball at his feet. He can pick out a great cross or a pass with ease and has the ability to find the net too, be it from open play or from a set piece. It remains to be seen who Villas-Boas will play in his three man midfield. But looking at Bentley's career pre-Tottenham, and during his rare good performances in a Spurs shirt, while there is an obvious lack of pace, he's still sufficiently mobile and has been utilised more centrally on a regular basis. Defensively he may not be as aware as the likes of Scott Parker, Sandro, Tom Huddlestone or Jake Livermore, but if he played as the furthest forward of a trio, he could use his vision and technical ability to unlock defences. With two compatriots with greater engines than Bentley, his defensive work load would be reduced and while not shaking his defensive duties entirely, he could preserve his energy for attacking, spreading the play to the wings and trying his luck from distance.

A solid pre-season of training, matched with some game time, could bring Bentley back into the fold under 'AVB'. While he may not be every fans cup of tea,;he is one of us, a Tottenham supporter.

And there's nothing quite like watching one of your own.

The Chairman's Dealing With It

André Villas-Boas has today been confirmed as Tottenham Hotspur's new Head Coach on a three year contract. I know, you know that already. By now I'm sure you also know everything else that every other blog and media outlet has regurgitated and forced upon you.

• 34 years old.
• Opposition scout for José Mourinho at Chelsea and Inter Milan.
• Won four trophies in his solitary season with FC Porto and remained unbeaten during their successful league campaign.
• Bought out of his Porto contract for 15 million euros by Chelsea.
• Sacked from Chelsea less than a year into this three year contract.
• Glaring failure outside of Portugal and doomed to fail before he's even begun at Spurs, or so the nation's media would have you believe.

What does all this mean for Spurs then?

The thing that has stuck out for most people since the appointment is 'AVB''s job title; Head Coach.

Harry Redknapp was the first man in charge of Spurs for many years without that title, gone was the meddling Director of Football, Harry was in charge of everything. Wasn't he?

Chairman Daniel Levy has seemingly been in charge of overseeing the ins and outs at Tottenham since Damien Comolli left back in 2008. Every interview from Harry during the summer or January  transfer windows also seemed to end with his faithful Spurs catchphrase; 'The chairman's dealing with it.'

Could we now see a change to how things are done at Spurs. Will AVB be working with a new Director of Football or will the rumours of a transfer committee turn out to be true?

Talk that Technical Co-ordinator Tim Sherwood would be appointed AVB's DOF seems to have cooled, but it still seems apparent that Sherwood will be handed a more senior role within the Club, and could be involved with the transfer committee. But who else? AVB will obviously have a say in who the Club signs, with the apparently imminent signing of Gylfi Sigurðsson likely to have been at his request. Daniel Levy is also likely to take part in any decision making. While Club Secretary Darren Eales also seemed to have heavy involvement in any purchasing done by Spurs.

A new head scout could be appointed, to also consult with the board. Graham Carr of Newcastle United, and once of Spurs, would have been an excellent candidate for this role. But after signing an 8 year contract extension recently, it seems unlikely, which is a huge shame because his track record for the Magpies in recent seasons has been superb.

Villas-Boas is likely to add to his backroom staff, with fitness coach Jose Mario Rocha and opposition scout Daniel Sousa already on board. Any further additions are likely to give us an idea as to how transfers will be handled.

I will also be interested to see who is appointed as AVB's assistant head coach. Could this be the post for Sherwood? Clive Allen is also still with us, surviving Redknapp, Bond and Jordan's dismissals. If Sherwood moves up, he could return to his previous role of working with the reserve team, or the Development Squad as it is now known.

Various sources and journalists are reporting that AVB will be handed a hefty war chest to mould the team how he wants to and we've already been linked with lots of names.

Moutinho, of Porto, a player once bought by Villas-Boas, seems to have timed his recent quotes well, mentioning how he'd work with AVB again in the morning. If Luka Modric, as expected, ships off to Madrid, he would be an ideal replacement. There are sure to be other names linked with us in the next few weeks, including a few we might not expect.

Tom Huddlestone is the latest Tottenham player to be linked with a move away from the Lane. Ex-Spurs Head Coach Martin Jol is rumoured to be keen to bring Huddlestone to Fulham, likely as a replacement for the departed Danny Murphy.

I think it would be a huge mistake to lose Tom from our ranks. He's one of the best passers in the Premier League and he's so effortless with his shooting. He's undoubtedly deadly from long range and when the ball falls to him outside the penalty area, most fans are expecting something special. He doesn't always find the net, but he usually succeeds in leaving a few opposition players crumpled in a heap.

He looks like he could fit into AVB's tactics, employed in either of the deeper lying midfield slots, and his eye for a pass will definitely be a required weapon if Modric does leave.

AVB is likely to get a proper look at the majority of our squad when they return to training next week, and who knows who will suddenly find themselves as a major part of his plans, or not as the case may be.

Giovani Dos Santos? Jermaine Jenas? Heurelho Gomes? David Bentley? Rafael van der Vaart? Jermain Defoe?

One thing is for sure, today, exciting as it has been, is unlikely to be the most eventful day at White Hart Lane this summer.

Set Your Sights High, Mr Levy

Fellow blogger Ben McAleer wrote a great piece this week about the new manager, whoever he may be, needing a great deal of patience (read it here).

I couldn't agree more. We as football fans are fickle at the best of times and being thrown into such a state of uncertainty following Harry's departure this will only be amplified greatly.

Even those of us that were happy to see Redknapp leave Spurs will admit to having had our doubts over it truly was the best move for the Club. From a personal point of view, the longer we remain without a manager, the more I wonder what  chairman Daniel Levy has planned for us.

I am convinced however, despite moments of weakness, that we'll be better off in the long run without Harry. That phrase; long term, leads me back to Ben's article. Whoever comes in and takes over, whether it be in total control or under the stewardship of a Director of Football, will have a long term strategy that will hopefully see Tottenham compete at the top during their tenure.

But this could come at a price. I'm not expecting, unlike some of you, that we will drop out of contention at the top of the league and return to our glory days of mid table obscurity, but we could finish outside of the Champions League places for at least one season as the new man attempts to stamp his authority on the team and implement his tactical approach on the team.

We can't see this as failure though, we must see this as part of the plan, building for the future. Calling for patience is all well and good, but a lot of fans are prone to knee-jerk reactions. But if the development is clear to see, I would like to think our supporters will back the manager and not jump on every little mistake and call for his head if there is a poor run of results. I can't imagine seeing as poor a run as we did from February onwards this season again any time soon.

There seems to be three main candidates for the post. David Moyes and Laurent Blanc could be in line for the job, but are unlikely to want to work under a D.O.F. and would want total control of the team and recruitment. This goes against Levy's apparent desire to return to the continental model and employ someone to oversee the transfer side of the Club. Which leads me to believe that ex-Chelsea and Porto boss Andre Villas-Boas is favourite.

Some media outlets, particularly in Europe, are leading us to believe that a deal is already in place, but won't become official until July 1st due to an agreement with Chelsea as part of his dismissal in March.

The talk of our players not being keen on AVB's return to London makes me laugh. Luka Modric being one of the names mentioned, is it not ironic that he was desperate to work with him a year ago, but not now. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Chelsea weren't that far behind us when Mr Abramovich sacked him. With, in my opinion, a vastly inferior squad being carried by a few headline names.

His record at Porto was fantastic and with the backing of our board, the players and a good working relationship with a Director of Football, if we have one, he could transform us into a fantastic, competitive side.

I've heard arguments for Moyes and Blanc, neither which inspire me with much optimism or excitement. Blanc has a good record in France, and with his international side. Personally, I think he will remain in his current role, a win tonight against Spain would add backing to his cause though.

Moyes is a talented manager. He's worked wonders at Everton on a limited budget and kept them competitive in an unforgiving league. To me, he's the safe choice. Which leads me back to the quote that inspired this blog.

Bill Nicholson only ever wanted this Club to succeed. To be willing to gamble and reap the awards. Moyes isn't a gamble. We'll probably stay around our current position. I don't think he'll take us to another level.

AVB has the talent, tactical nous and most of all the desire to succeed that could push us on to that next level. His 'failure' at Chelsea means he has a point to prove, he didn't become a bad manager over night.

So, Mr Levy and the board, set your sights high, gamble, and bring in a man to build a legacy at our great Club.

To dare is to do.

Grave Digger

There's an idea for Harry Redknapp now he has left Tottenham Hotspur. Grave digger. He'd be perfect for it. He's dug one already; his own.

This isn't an anti-Redknapp piece, not at all. I'm incredibly grateful to Harry for the job he's done at Spurs. He came in (2 points from 8 games, remember?), stabilised a team going the wrong way, and pulled us back up the league.

I don't think any of the fans or the board expected us to move on so quickly in 2009/10. 4th place saw us qualify for the Champions League for the first time in the modern era. Harry brought us some memorable nights in that competition. 3-4 at the San Siro versus Inter. Beating them 3-1 at the Lane. And of course winning 1-0 at the San Siro against AC Milan.

We also consistently competed with those big four clubs that we had struggled against for so long. We've recorded wins against Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal, home and away, as well as Chelsea at home. Manchester United remains the only scalp we were unable to take.

But in 10/11 we faced the same problems as this season, though this season we were able to find different excuses. The team's form fell away in March. Our Champions League exploits may have taken their toll on the squad, but you have to question why it happened the next season too, at almost exactly the same time. It couldn't be coincidence, could it? Unlikely.

Watching the problem arise in 11/12 again, Redknapp was powerless, seemingly, to prevent the slump and seemed devoid of ideas.

I suggested Harry could work as a grave digger for a few reasons. Most importantly, he let the England saga roll on for so long. As fans, I think we would have appreciated some honesty early on. He could have come out and said, 'Yes, I'd like the job, but I won't be discussing it again until after the Fulham game and I won't be meeting with anyone.' Brilliant, let's finish the season, then worry about it.

That didn't happen though, and it disrupted our season badly. He's told us he didn't agree that it did, but he was told by those around him it did.

Harry also failed to make the fans feel part of it. Everyone on the social networking sites has said the same thing; with Harry, it was always them, never us. That's how he talked about the fans, or sometimes worse, the team. The Club, and the fans, stuck by him through his tax evasion trail. He was inundated with messages of support and thanked us following his trial's completion. But that was seemingly forgotten very swiftly, as he started to bat his eyelashes at England.

His short term planning also didn't help his cause. He always seemed to be preparing to only be here until the end of the season. Ryan Nelsen and Louis Saha, our January signings, failed to inspire the majority of fans, especially given the names we had been linked with.

If Harry wanted to stay at the Club as much as he said he did recently, he should have felt that way even when there was a chance of managing England. He won an FA Cup with Portsmouth, but he made his name at Spurs. His comments just made us feel like second choice. And no man is bigger than the Club. If he didn't want to commit while there was the possibility of a better offer, then he shouldn't be at the Club.

A new manager will hopefully be given a long term contract and be given financial backing, as well as some patience from the supporters. Alan Pardew was given a surprising five year contract at Newcastle United and given substantial backing from Mike Ashley. The player and mentality he has brought to the club has changed their fortunes massively.

Should it be Moyes, Andre Villas-Boas or Martinez, let's get behind them, back them, and support the club, not just the manager.

It's Martinez for me. This article goes a long way to making a decision for me. He, like Brendan Rodgers, could go on to become one of the best managers in the world, let's just hope he can achieve it at Tottenham.

Could do Better

We've gone from having three proven Premier League and international strikers to being left with just one; Jermain Defoe.

Defoe is a bit of an enigma, he's in the top 10 all time goal scorers for Spurs, yet many supporters don't seem to rate him, or write him off when he gets caught offside for what seems like the thirtieth time in a match.

I've seen plenty of our fans say we could do better than 'JD' and that he should be improved upon, but one thing none of us can deny, is his love for Tottenham Hotspur. It's refreshing to see a player take the Club to heart in the way he has, much like Michael Dawson has.

Lets look at the stats; he scored 11 Premier League goals this season from 25 appearances, not a bad record. Even better when you consider he only started 11 games and came off the bench on 14 occasions. 3 goals in the FA Cup and a further 3 in the Europa League gives him an impressive 17 goals in all competitions from 22 starts and 18 substitute appearances.

Overall for Spurs, Defoe has scored 118 goals in 298 appearances, yet we still tend to question him at every given opportunity. The main problems most have with Defoe is his undeniable greed. We saw Gareth Bale berating him after he chose to shoot, and miss, rather than play the simple ball to the Welshman for what was a much easier chance. Defoe just shrugged. He's spoken many time of his relationship with ex-Arsenal striker Ian Wright and how the most important thing he taught Jermain was to always hit the target, something he seems to take to fair on occasions and just shoots for the sake of it. But then, you don't score if you don't shoot right?

Defoe, as our only senior striker, is sure to stay next season, especially given the tragic death of his father this week, he's bound to be keen to stay close to home and not risk uprooting his family and moving away.

But where do we go from here? Harry Kane and Cameron Lancaster both made first team debuts this season; Kane impressing in Europe and then on loan at Millwall, while Lancaster made a solitary appearance as a sub' against Wigan. Lancaster is sure to be sent out on loan next season to gain first team experience and it remains to be seen if he is seen as part of the future of the Club, or was it simply needs must at the time.

Kane scored an impressive 9 goals in 27 appearances after joining Millwall in January and caught the eye of many Spurs fans with his impressive finishing and work rate he was reported to be showing in the Championship. Kane's future is uncertain, he could end up back in the Championship on loan, or ideally for Spurs, at a lower end of the table PL club next season.

He could, of course, stay with Spurs for the first part of the season and be heavily involved in our Europa League campaign again if Harry chooses to use the competition as a way to blend our youngsters in with the first team again. I'd like to see him get some game time again, probably in the Championship as he doesn't look quite ready for the Premier League and it would be a shame to watch him sit on someones bench all season.

Adebayor has told the twitter-verse his representatives are in discussions with Spurs, so a deal will hopefully happen. I was very impressed with Adebayor after he joined on loan from Man. City. I'd watched him for years score goals against us and wasn't sure he would be accepted at Spurs, but after watching him chase down every Villa defender during our 2-0 win at White Hart Lane in November I knew he would be just fine.

His finishing leaves something to be desired, but a record of 17 goals in 33 appearances in the league begs to differ. But he's not just a goalscorer, add to his 17 goals, 11 assists, and you've got the perfect front man to play as a lone striker. But not all Spurs fans are as accepting. His indifference in front of goal, as well as a tendency to go missing from games saw some supporters label him, like Defoe, as not good enough, 'could do better'.

Better? I struggled to find anyone, within our alledged price range, that would be a marked improvement on these two. Not to mention the allegedly released Louis Saha, who most fans never took to, but I saw as a player who wouldn't need to play every week, but could still come off the bench and score a goal out of nothing, see Bolton at WHL in the FA Cup. He almost had a touch of the Berbatov's about him, but most fans were quick to write him off.

Loic Remy has been touted, along with most other strikers in Europe that have batted their eyelashes at the Premier League. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is most fans choice, but I believe his wages to be beyond our limit; he earns a reported £90K per week at Schalke. His scoring record, however, is superb; 248 in 377 appearances. If Levy is going to show ambition this summer, he's a signing that would mark a real statement of intent, but paying those sorts of wages could have a negative effect on the Club overall, with current players looking for parity with their own contracts.

Steven Fletcher, of Wolves, has been mentioned too, and while he might not excite fans in the same way Huntelaar might, he's a proven Premier League striker that has managed double figures in the PL in consecutive season despite playing in a struggling side. Who knows what he could achieve in a strong, positive team. Like Saha, he's unlikely to be first choice, which he may be happy with, but probably won't kick us on to the next level.

Dimtar Berbatov is likely to leave Man. United this summer, and personally, I would love him back at the Lane. He was a breath of fresh air at Spurs and formed a fantastic partnership with Robbie Keane during his time here. Wages again could be a stumbling block, along with many fans contempt for the Bulgarian after he forced a move to United in the summer of '09.

Demba Ba is a favourite of mine as I've said before, I'd like him at Spurs. His Newcastle and Senegal team mate Papiss Cisse is an excellent striker too, but we seem to have missed out there and he seems keen to stay at The Magpies.

Llorente has been linked with us again, seems to happen every few months now. A strong European Championship could add to his fee so we may miss out there too, if he even is a target that is.

I'm hoping to be pleasantly surprised by a relatively unknown striker during the Euros that we'll hopefully try and get, but I wouldn't put my money on it.

Lets just hope we don't start September with Fraizer Campbell on loan and another returning striker none of us wanted. Rasiak?