Facebook
Tap…tap…tap… Is this thing on?
Ahem. Welcome one and all. I hope you’re all clad in your best frocks this afternoon, and, equally, that you won’t be spending the entire time swarmed around the punch bowl. *hic* Because I think you’ll find it quite empty. It’s award season, folks. The WFRF? End of Season bash. The most talked about event since the Wooten Courtney raffle last Sunday. Grab a flute of champagne from the many waiters dotted about the place- see if you can spot Robbie Keane in a penguin suit- and feel free to heckle at any point… Let’s give out some love.
Goal of the Season
Danny Rose vs. Arsenal (April 2010)
The bar was set pretty high from day one. BAE opened the season with the hum-dingiest of hum-dingers against The Scouse and we’ve been gorging on comparable fetes of net plundering ever since. Huddlestone’s pile-driver against Bolton; Kranjcar twanging one past Stoke; Bentley’s dubious free-kick in the bombing of Wigan. All bloody marvellous, all from the chaps in Lily-white. It’s one thing to have such an array of potential goal-scorers in your midst- nineteen in total- but something else altogether when their efforts alone make you grateful for the gift of sight. The winner, though, perhaps just for sheer impact more than anything, is the boy Danny. Debut. Thirty-yards from goal. First-time volley. Off-balance. Against the Enemy? Oooh, don’t mind if I do. Would a goal by any other Rose smell as sweet? I doubt it. Instant hero.
Honourable mentions:
Assou-Ekotto vs Liverpool (August 2009) Defoe vs Hull (August 2009) Modric vs Everton (February 2010) Modric vs Burnley (May 2010) Kranjcar vs Stoke (March 2010) Bentley vs Wigan (November 2009) Huddlestone vs Bolton (May 2010) Bale vs Chelsea (April 2010)
Most Improved Player of the Season
Gareth Bale
Southampton fans would probably argue that he was the cat’s pyjamas long before it finally dawned on us. Before we decided to throw bin-liners full of cash at them for his services only to plonk him on the bench and furrow our brows at his simian features and inability to finish on a winning side. It was only last season that a Saints blogger implored me to keep the faith with the Welsh wingstress: be patient, he said, and Bale will do the business. Well, we did. And he did. And how. If the fuse was smouldering away in the first half of the campaign- quietly hissing, occasionally showing sparks of life in the League Cup- then it set off a rocket at the turn of the year. His rise has been meteoric. Quite comfortably the player of 2010, he terrorised fullbacks on every outing. From Champions League winning Spaniards to relegation fodder, defenders have been left standing befuddled in his wake. Trying to tackle the thin air that used to be Gareth Bale. Bale. Bale.
Honourable mentions:
Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Jermain Defoe, Tom Huddlestone
Game of the Season
Man City vs Tottenham (May 2010)
For spectacle, drama and sense of history, there could be no other game that encapsulated our entire season in the course of ninety- minutes. Everything we’d heaped in up until then- the nine against Wigan, the NLD, beating Chelsea- all could’ve been footnotes in a another trying venture of underachieving had we not done a number on City. The game itself may’ve been as comfortable to watch as root canal work, but the joy at its resolution was one unlikely to be forgotten. For days afterwards the world was a better place; stars fell out of the sky, birds suddenly appeared. All thanks to the gawky loveliness of Peter Crouch and his well placed head. One night in Manchester. A million prayers answered. Glory be.
Honourable mentions:
Tottenham 9- 1 Wigan (November 2009), Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (April 2010), Tottenham 2-1 Chelsea (April 2010) Tottenham 2-1 Liverpool (August 2009), Tottenham 3-0 Man City (December 2009)
Buy of the Season
Sebastien Bassong (Newcastle, £8 million)
Say whaaat? Surely Nicholas Kranjcar- at two and a half million- has to be the embodiment of bang for your buck. Agreed. But quietly going about his work, while the defence crumbled and rebuilt around him in the opening months, the young Cameroonian went out like an old pro. Strong, quick, intelligent on the ball; at twenty-three, Sebastien has the makings of a bona-fide star. Perhaps even enough of one to fill the King shaped hole which will eventually be left gaping in our backline in years to come.
Honourable mentions:
Niko Kranjcar (Portsmouth, £2.5 million) Eidur Gudjohnsen (on loan from Monaco) Peter Crouch (Portsmouth, £9 million)
Player of the Season
Michael Dawson and Heurelho Gomes
I ran this a couple of weeks ago.
Plenty of mad love, then, for our World Cup bound stopper. And rightly so. By those semtiments, Gomes should win by a landslide. But it’s Dawson for my money. While the Brazilian’s unfathomable saves against The Arse probably kept us in the hunt, it’s Dawson who’s been the lifeblood of our final leg assault on that Champions League place. When we were looking for someone to turn to- a leader- who would drag us through those closing minutes of a narrow two-one lead- thumping his chest, snarling, pulling up his captain’s armband- Dawson was there to take bullets and see us home. Courageous, spirited, a winner of every ball in the air- he’s the real deal. Showing every bit of his form pre-2006. And then some. If he doesn’t go to South Africa- and, say Carragher does- I’m pulling that effigy of Tony Adams of out of the loft and slapping Capello’s face on it.
Honourable mentions:
Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone, Ledley King, Luka Modric, Jermain Defoe, Wilson Palacios…Harry Redknapp.
That’s it from me. Your thoughts, as ever, are more than welcome. Nay, encouraged.
Part two to follow…
Newsnow
AANP's Book
Superfan
Blog Catalog.gif)
Caught Offside
Football 365
FourFourTwo
MP.IT
Official Site
Seattle Sounders
Football Blips
Football Fancast
Soccerblogs
Spurs News
Tottenham News
I was only saying today that Bassong was the unsung hero of the season.
SO MANY fantastic games and results this season. In my 25yrs of supporting Tottenham, THIS season has been the most enjoyable. To top it off, we only went and reached the promised land of the Champions League.
The pure unbridled and euphoric joy I felt after the Man City game will probably never be repeated. My tears that night washed away all the hurt and pain I’d carried round with me since 2006 and Lasagnegate.
People ask me how and why I continue to support Tottenham. I explain to them that as a Spurs fan you get to experience every single emotion the human body can feel, excitement, optimism, followed by pain, disappointment and hurt have been the most frequentin my Spurs supporting years. BUT this season they’ve been replaced by joy, happiness, glory and unbounded love. To know where you’re going and experience the highs, you have to have visited the murky depths in the past.
Supporting Spurs is an experience that you wouldn’t get at any other club. It’s unique in that we feel EVERYTHING.
I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Here’s to an even better 2010 – 2011
GLORY GLORY TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
How did a team that leaked goals at the most soul-crushing times turn into a team that with 4th and 5th choice CB’s maintained clean sheets? I don’t completely understand it (–gomes–?) but while King and Dawson are obviously the central reasons (outside of coaching), I agree that Bassong was the greatest ’silent’ addition to the team (only one less appearance in league play than Dawson). I agree that his ceiling is very high and it’s also nice having a little pace in the middle.
Also, I am unabashedly biased but an award should be created for Modric to win. He deserves something. I can’t wait to see him in the Champions League. Playing for Spurs. Hee hee.
I long for a good 2010-11. I don’t ask us to win every game and I expect us to be disappointed at times. What I don’t expect is the abject surrenders of Wolves away (it still irks me!), maybe Sunderland and the second half at Burnley, although that doesn’t really count.
I want us to also believe. At times I still question that. This is where we need the new players – those that have won things. People who understand the mentality of winning or those that do not accept defeat.
It’s in the head…
I’ll accept the World Cup as a welcome distraction and time filler, but I’m already thinking of next season!! COYS
Hear hear.
Bit of an odd way to look at our best season in a generation. Why drag up the very few setbacks of the season anyway. Not as if it gives some insight to wallow in misery. It just means you miss the party.
I shall continue to view this season with a warm glow because compared to so many I have seen it was fantastic. Losing the odd game along the way does not ruin it for me. I have seen a whole lot worse though. Maybe you have not.
Some fond memories in what is a very well written piece there Foxy,and If I may I’d just like to add a goal that has stayed in my thoughts since it’s conception making me smile everytime it strolls through the leafy byways of my mind,that being the Niko Kranjcar second against Man City at the Lane,boy was that a piece of momentary wonderment,shear poetry in motion.
Good point. Twas a brilliant goal that. Oop-nutmeg-see’yall later-goal.
It’s funny, last year when I did a similar thing- it took me all bloody day to remember a few of the seasons’ good goals. This year the list could run off the page.
Dawson’s gainst Villa was another I liked.
That’s one of the matches where we didn’t give up. We battered them away for the second half, and at home for the whole match for that matter! At the end of the home match I remember Milner lying down on the grass, absolutely knackered!
So many points lost through goal line clearances and top draw keeper saves,I tell you we could easily have one the league with a little more luck.
Or even won the league,Doh.
Foxy,is there anyway you could find a place on your site to create a “Memory Lane”,or “Reminiscing Spurs” IE, some Youtube footage of the best moments past,individual pieces of skill,goals and saves and the likes? especially that Kranjcar goal.
I could certianly host it. But putting it together might be different bag altogether. My video editing skills are verging on handicapped. Or do you mean a seperate page with individual vids?
Interesting….
Kind of similar to your World Cup post at the top of the page where we could just click on it and browse all the classico moments,you could call it ” Memory Lane.” or ” A walk down White Hart Lane. “
It’s a great idea. One that I shall certainly be claiming as my own
Seriously, though, I like it.
Super smashing lovely great.Just keep me in mind when you make your billions and I’ll let you off the hook.
I second this. Fab idea.
Even if we use it as a place to post yoochoob links to clips.
Sorry Foxy + Foggy. Only the 3 of us on here at the mo, and I’ve had enough for the day and am going home!!
…and then there were 2!
Cheerio.
There is not many times when a written word or description is 100 percent correct Foxy but you have managed it here well but together insight to our roller coaster season . Why not publish a book about Spurs football Blogs or have the best blogs award the most funniest and best Technical there is some funny ones and some good managerial ones . Once again WELL done the sly one foxy.
Aaaw Dav. I’m touched. Truly.
I agree with just about all of that Fox, but POTY for me is the mad Brazilian, Heurelho da Silva Gomes. His saves have been incredible all year and I firmly believe we won against the red shite because of his late game heroics, and he continued the heroics against the Chavs and City. A good keeper can get you an extra 10 points per season; can you imagine our season if Ben was our keeper for any length of time?
When you think of how far he has come from the joke of 2 years ago (worst keeper in league according to that retard Hansen) to the commanding presence between the sticks he is now, it’s nothing but remarkable.
Reina and Given get all the praise but for my money there isn’t a better keeper in the league.
I totally agree – the whole team have been brilliant this season, and I do feel slightly churlish just picking one name, but if pushed, I can’t really see past that crazy Brazilian bastard.
Despite the fact we lost the game, I think he is responsible for one (or two) of my fave moments of the season, the absolutely outrageous double penalty save against Darren Bent – His face was a proper picture, poor old Darren.
Heurelho, I salute you!
Sorry to arrive late on the scene Fox but late night business, getting gigs, has meant I’ve only just got to the blog. I just feel proud and very happy, enhanced, no doubt, by my sax player, a Citeh fan , ringing me up the day after the match to say, “Good morning you b’stard”. Great season and I really feel that we will go on from here. We really can challenge for the top,the title. Looking forward to next season and delighted that some are recognising that Ledley really is one of the best central defenders in the world.
Thanks for a great blog.
COYS
Kenny thanks for dropping by, mate. I too am a child of the night. Your words are welcome anytime around these parts
You know, I can’t remember which game it was but there was one goal that I think deserves a mention for the pure team brilliance. It was that Modric goal. You know the one where he, Corluka and Kranjcar were dinking it around in little triangles as they worked it into the box and then Modric just pinged it in off the cross bar. Made in Croatia. Beautiful goal.
Also, I think we need an award for most underappreciated player of the year. For me that would have to go to Peter Crouch. I get sick of hearing people slag that guy off. He’s not a particularly sightly player, and he isn’t one who scores bags of goals, but the bloke puts in a lot for the team and has great feet. Very important player for us.
Hey Fox – how about a tab up there for transfer speculation and news? Keeps it neat and tidy and we can all have a good laugh about the more crazy paper talk and share the joy of a good signing or two. Perhaps more importantly we can console one another if some big spending bastard comes and poaches one of our heros (frantically touching wood right now . . . . just realized how dirty that sounds . . . . oh well).
Good call. I shall make it so..
That was against Everton, and all highlight clips ruined the goal by cutting short the beautiful flowing passing moves in the build-up.
Makes you proud to be a Yiddo, that kinda play.
I have watched Spurs since ‘56 (OK, my Dad took me to one game in ‘49 and I was six …..) and this season, whilst being excrutiatingly painful at times, is up there with 60/61 as a great experience. My only hope is that this is the BEGINNING of something rather than, as in 61, the start of a slow decline into ‘almost’ territory. We have so much potential, and here’s hoping that we go on and on. It won’t be easy, because there is so much more to play for and the competition is much better now than it was then. But much of our team is young and capable of development, and the new ground and training camp can’t be bad either. And the experience of the recent past helps us all to feel realistic as well as hopeful. YIDS!!!
Lovely stuff. Thank you.
Someone’s just fallen into the punch bowl and broken their leg Foxy.
Fill it up mate,it’s dangerous.
Best moment of the season for me was watching Pavlyuchenko’s face change from wonder to bafflement as Harry gave him last minute instructions as he came on.
You know the old one finger raised on each hand and crossed over several times.
Don’t forget people that those that don’t remember the past. the good and the bad bits are bound to repeat it. both the good and the bad.
Can’t stop. Saturday afternoon , close season, got to put some Tesco time in to put some credit in the bank for the World Cup.
Blogs a good un.
Always good value, Jim.
And not just Tesco Value.
Love the post and agree with all in regards to the ups an downs.But have difference of opinion with Aran about 2MP. I hope to God we sell him in the summer!! He falls over if someone farts on him, trips himself up with both his left feet, the majority of his headers are to the other team and playin him from the start of a game resticts our freeflowing passing football which has lit up the EPL. I know some will agree and others not, but hey it’s just my two penneth. The future’s bright the future’s Lilywhite…
I still believe we can play attractive and decisive football with Crouchy in the team,I mean when he plays for England we never resort to the long ball do we ? Our own players mentality must then take a different approach to his presence on the field.
Totally! I often ponder why our players resort to the long ball when Crouchy is on.
PC is a completely different player when the ball is played to his not inconsiderably sized plates of meat.
Harry’s slated us for it before – so why are they not coaching it out of the lads?
Are you about Foxy? Ohhh the transfer window is hotting up already,where’s your tab at the top of the page? Tremoulinas,James,not to mention the Turan deal that looks completed.
I’m about, Foggy, but only in spirit.
Fret not, however. The transfer tab will be up in all its glory quicker than you can say Messi to Tottenham.
And there’s your first rumour
Okey Dokey,just a thought though,when you add a name to the transfer page it would be interesting if we had a piece from youtube so that we could see the player plying his trade so to speak,a few of the other blogs have done this and it makes for a more detailed study.What say you?
Heads-up for any iPhone owners. The Tottenham Hotspur App is now only 59p. Was something silly before but well worth a purchase now in preparation for next season.
We’re the bookies favourites to sign Joe Cole, apparently.
I saw that too. I’d be very happy with that. For starters at least.
I too can see this hapenning. Rather a decent purchase at a bargain price hopefully – Arry will know what to do with him.
He’d need to near-as-damn-it halve his wages though – I do believe he’s on £100k a week over at that team in Fulham.
To experience the honour of playing for the mighty Spurs, he’d be on £60k tops – unless our shiny bald headed leader decides to up the ceiling (don’t do it, Daniel!).
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before,but apparently we’re about to make a serious bid for David Villa.
Yeah, that’s an odd one. Either we have a really good sponsorship deal in the pipes or something very odd is going on.
No no no. You’ve got it all wrong. The story should have read David (skipmeister-extraordinaire) is off to Villa.
Yeah, I read that too – Barcelona don’t stand a chance of getting him now he knows we’re sniffing around…
Off to Barca for £34m.
Nice.
WFRF. What still no transfer page with video links? Or a video links page in it’s own right?
You and that man you call your IT guru are getting a bit slack it seems. What are you doing with your time, going to work or something immoral like that?
Bah!
Ooh you are demanding
Yes. My day job does rather get in the way somewhat. But, the people have spoken, so I’m not one to shirk my duties. What was did Tacitus say? Give them bread and circuses?
I’m here tomorrow so things should *fingers crossed* get moving.
Anything else why I’m here? Perhaps smell-o-vision avatars?
I should start charging membership fees
A foot rub would be nice…….
Ah, was that out loud? I totally meant to think that
A service your good lady should be providing. Or is she not speaking to you after last month’s events at the Lane?
Nice avatar by the way Seattle,very appropriate as the dragon of a top four club has now been rendered slayed by our very own hand.Who is this knight in white my dear fellow ? Sir Thomus Huddlestone per chance ?
Perhaps our very own forum ?
The villagers are getting restless Foxy. They might go all 1848 on your ass. There’ll be brioche in the air tonight.
England had no revolution that year. It was 1882 that it all kicked off.
Brioche in the air. Apparently that was the news from the Emptycrates this morning when Whinger found out he was losing his captain to Barca
Revolution? You call that a revolution?! Ha! That’s like calling a croissant a boomerang!
You’re saying that the year of Spurs inception isn’t a major landmark in the map of football?
Heresy! Bobby Buckle would be turning in his grave.
I’m a controversialist.
Oh dear,I feared this might happen,the lack of football has started to affect a few of us.Don’t worry peeps not long to go now only twenty three days,nine and a half hours,twenty minutes and six seconds counting,la la la la la la.heyyyy la la la
INTERESTED IN NEW KIT???? TRAINING WEAR HAS JUST APPEARED ON WEB SITE!!!! CHECK THE LINK http://shop.tottenhamhotspur.com/spurs08/detailfash.php?type=FASH&code=PT211011&proddesc=White+Puma+Training+Walk+Out+Jacket+2010%2F11+%28Adult+Sizes%29&supercategory=BRN00087&branch=&wcategory=CAT00349&catdesc=&super=0080BRN00087~0080CAT00349&treecode=TRE00030
Sorry for the caps excited!!!!!