By Deep Blue
August 2 2005

Ok so this is ANOTHER article about Mr Davids, I would hold back on slitting your wrists just yet as you are going to have to build up a tolerance to this kind of thing. Why? Because when we finally manage to overpower him and pin him down long enough to put a spurs kit on him. We will have added something we have not had in the squad for a very long time (arguably since before the prem began) and every spurs fan knows this. We will have a midfield destroyer and not just that, a WORLD CLASS midfield destroyer – an even rarer breed.

"dental work was a major consideration for the medical..."

What makes him this? Well to begin with his work rate and tanacity, yes we have seen the likes of Brown and perhaps now Tainio who run all day and sweat blood and born triers loved by the club like Freund (shooooooooot). Chasing the ball and putting people under pressure as soon as they get it. Had that, got it now…

Ok then how about his technique and ability on the ball? We’ve had our fair share of gifted players too, wonderful prancing gazelles, bounding along with the ball creating magic. Unfortunately they usually lack the work rate and bite of the Browns of this world and to often in our recent teams, there have been to many of them on the pitch at once, allowing most teams to walk through our midfield unchallenged. Davids has both work rate and ability.

"..never touched him guv.."

Is that it? Well no, he knows how to put a challenge in and shield his defence when we don’t have possession. “Ah” you cry “Carrick did that last year..”, yes and admirably so, but his tackling and defensive play relies on good positioning and nicking the ball away or intercepting the pass. Davids can do this too, but unlike Carrick he can also land a crunching, wince inducing challenge, that strikes fear into everyone on the ball when he is near them. We have had no one else, for a very, very long time who draws this respect/fear out in the opposition. Player such as Roy Keane have shown just how effective this can be in the premiership

The bit that separate Davids from the crowd and excites the spurs faithful is this, the dark side, the eye of the tiger. Do not confuse this with the likes of Savage, Dickov and such like. This isn’t just a mean streak, a dirty player who lacks ability and makes up for it with bile. Davids rage and “Pit bull” like playing style, is tempered by the will to win at all costs. Almost every great player has that dark side (Pele, Maradona, Bergkamp, Van Basten, Shearer…) the deep seated will to win and don’t you dare get in the way of their glory. It is this so evident trait in Davids that lead Mr Contra to describe Davids as “a psycho, a violent man who can hold a grudge”, something which when aimed against your opponent this can be an asset (especially if they are scared to be on the receiving end of it).

"The peace cup was considerably larger the following year.."

Too many good players with real ability lack this and sadly because of it will never make that step up, from good, to exceptional. In our ranks now young Ledley (although we are running out of years to call him this..) is a prime example. Watching him play you are almost desperate to see this dark side in him emerge, to fly in to the odd tackle when it arises with gritted teeth, thundering in and winning the ball but clattering the opponent in the process. Too often he is over composed and considered and it is this trait that I fear will stop him becoming the player we all want him to.

Davids, for the first time in years will bring this hunger and drive- the eye of the tiger into the club. I suspect that the big man Jol hopes that having him play with our young and impressionable squad, will mean that this trait will stay long after the “psycho” Dutchman leaves us, hopefully with a trophy or two under his arm.