Premiership Review: Surprise package Spurs

By European Football
April 29 2006

At the beginning of the season, I bet fifty pound that Newcastle, even with the drawback of Souness would finish above Spurs, well here I am a few months later fifty pound poorer and a bit wiser. It was not that I expected Spurs to do badly; I thought they would improve, perhaps even sneak a European place, but what they have achieved is far beyond my expectations.

In Martin Jol they eventually seem to have a steady manager, capable of good decisions and decent tactics, admittedly his interviews are so interesting I tend to have to overdose on Red Bull to get through them, but personality isn’t everything I suppose.

The relegation of Defoe to a cameo role, while at first unexpected has allowed a partnership between Keane and Mido to build. Defoe, who for me is not a bad player, but over-rated in the extreme, will possibly move on, but I would suggest that the money for him Jol could use to find a more than capable deputy.

My main worry if I was a Spurs fan (and as I will never forgive you lot for Chas and Dave so I thank god I am not) is could you do an Everton?

It is looking increasingly likely that you will achieve Champions League football, but are you really ready for it?

Obviously there is still the question that if Arsenal wins it will they pinch your place? But I can’t help but feel Spurs may struggle to get through the qualification rounds, depending of course on the vagaries of the draw.

All that is by the by though, it has been an excellent season, and in Jol it eventually looks like there is a man in charge who will build Spurs into a real force again, while playing some attractive football along the way.

My surprise team of the season goes to Spurs.

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