By Pedro Llave
August 17 2004

As Spurs complete their first game of the season with a respectable 1-1 draw against a revitalized Liverpool side, replete with Spanish players and a new Spanish manager, it was another import from la liga that stole the plaudits. Nourredine Naybet is not the best known of stars in the Spanish league. Nevertheless, his timely interceptions and perfectly judged challenges against Liverpool showed a level of assurance from a Spurs centre back not seen since Sol Campbell departed in so much controversy 3 years ago.

However, before today’s heroics, most of us could be forgiven for being somewhat apprehensive about the Moroccan international. Daniel Levy’s transfer policy had been designed to sign young, British, players with a good sell on value. A non-EU national, moving towards the end of his career, could not be seen as a continuation of this policy. However, Levy is prepared to break his rules for players of ‘exceptional quality’. Saturday’s performance suggests that Naybet could have this extra skill. However, had we taken the time to ask the Deportivo fans they could have told us this weeks ago! Intrigued by the prospect of Naybet signing, I visited a Deportivo website earlier in the week in search of answers. I was received by what could only be described as a cyber ‘wake’ as Spaniards mourned the loss of their defensive stalwart.

Under the user name of “ElHinchaDelTottenham’ I put my year in Spain, and numerous hours squeezed into a tiny language lab at university, to good use.

The questions were straightforward:
i) Does Naybet have any pace?
ii) Can he organize a defence?
iii) Will he be able to adapt?

Here are the responses (translated and paraphrased from the original Spanish)

Autor: MULO (11-8-2004, 14'17).
“Naybet’s still the daddy…”

Autor: POTISHEAD (11-8-2004, 14'41).
"You guys have made a great signing, even at 34yrs old!"
”Positive:
He's speedy enough for his age, talks to his teammates (scowling at them for their mistakes) and commands respect from his rivals.
He usually pops up with a goal or two a season and often starts dangerous attacks.
His performances were overall excellent last season (although he was more aware of the risk of injury at this stage of his career)

Negative:
He made some ghastly errors last season.
Long passing and heading aren't his specialty.
He didn't get on particularly well with his teammates and isn't the man to 'make' a team.”

Autor: J.M.A. (11-8-2004, 18'57).

”Naybet's bloody fast, the only player who used to beat him in races during training was Roy Makaay. He's still faster than the majority of CBs that are currently playing.

He has great vision and tactical awareness and very rarely loses concentration. He is also very comfortable with the ball at his feet.

The only mark against him are his difficulties in adapting and his desire to order everybody about on the pitch - to the extent of making nasty gestures to his teammates (and sometimes the crowd) during matches. However, it all depends on his attitude on joining and whether his teammates/management know how to deal with him.”

Autor: ZURAN (11-8-2004, 19'58).

“Naybet is the king!!! It's true that he's not the same as he was a few yrs ago, but you've got a solid CB that's the ‘dog's bollox’ [a rough translation of 'cojonudo'!], and a true leader - one of my favourite players.

He always scores a couple of goals a season, off the pitch I don't know what he's like, but on the pitch he's given us lots of great moments and I can't understand why he gets criticism from some of the people [on this forum]. Naybet takes the mick sometimes with his ability to cut off opposition passes and clear dangerous balls.

For 1million euros you have a very, very, good buy.

For me, Naybet will always be the king!”

Autor: HOERU (12-8-2004, 16'49).

Selling Naybet for just a million euros is madness! I admit that he's getting on a bit, but I would've demanded at least 3million from Spurs!

A group of posters even produced their own “little tribute to Nourredine” Naybet, praising him for quietly going about his business and helping to build the most successful Deportivo team of all time. Their only lament being that his departure coincided with the meteoric rise of Portuguese star defender Jorge Andrade – thus preventing them from producing one of the best centre back pairings in the Spanish league.

Highly impressed with what I had read so far, I asked them to pick out some key moments from Naybet’s career with Depor. BINHO replied thus:


Autor: BINHO (14-8-2004, 11'59).
I remember his first game for Depor in the Champions League. He’d defended well all match but we were still a goal behind with 10 minutes to go. He ran up the pitch and got us the equalizer – our first EVER goal in the Champions League. His most influential match was against Manchester United. Manchester were winning 1-0 in our own backyard and laughing at us. However, in the last 5 minutes we recovered the match with 2 goals (one from Naybet himself). Naybet is even something of a pacifier, defusing a contretemps between Valeron and Andrade during the 4-0 victory over AC Milan last season, in a manner that allowed both players to feel vindicated.

Conclusion: As the Liverpool match bore out, Spurs have signed a composed, highly experience centre back whose vision and reading of the game is second to none. A born-winner, Naybet will never be satisfied to simply ‘lose’ a match and, as his Champions League experience with Deportivo has shown, he will fight to the very last minute. In superb physical condition and as determined and pacey as ever, Spurs have signed a footballing thorough-bred who should shore up the Tottenham defence well into his 30s.