This season is far from over, but the powers will be planning ahead.
Obviously there's the Harry sitiuation. I think we have to assume he will be leaving. As much as I admire the likes of Moyes & Rogers I think they are a bit of a risk as they have not been tested at the top level. We now have some big players and I think we need a manager with gravitas and experience so to keep the big players onboard (not Rafa)
The Board will be planning the budget for CL footy and non-CL footy. Lets assume we end top 4, we'll need a bigger squad.
There are decisions to be made in the squad, in all positions. What are your thoughts.
Keeper:
Brad. Will we need a new No.1?
Carlo. Do we need a new No.2, or can we leave this dept. untouched?
Centre backs:
Kaboul, has been awesome. First on the team sheet. The rest are questionable.
King & Gallas...do they they still have it? Do we need both?
Dawson. Is he good enough?
Nelson, has he shown enough to stay on for another year?
Bassong...surplus.
Caulker, is he good enough to step up, will he gets the games he needs to develop.
Full backs.
Both BAE & Walker had great season. We need more cover, imagine if either are long term injured?
Naughton...good enough? happy to play second fiddle?
Rose...he's not really a LB. If he had to play half a season is he good enough to do so?
Centre Midfield:
Plenty of numbers and quality. Modric, Sandro, Parker, Livermore.
Huddlestone i think is an excellent player and in the games when teams park the bus, his creativity would be much better than having Parkers industry on the pitch.
Do we need Modric cover?
Wingers:
Lennon and Bale is the best wing pairing in the world IMO.
Bale is a huge influence and you cannot replace that, but do we have effective cover?
Lennon, when he's been injured we have struggled for balance. New RW cover definitely needed?
Rose, Townsend, Kranjcar up to the job....none are IMO.
Forwards.
We have a great selection right now but Ade is not ours and Saha is short term.
Sign Ade or go for something better (at huge cost).
Keep Defoe? Saha?
VDV can be brilliant but he can also be ineffective and hard to drop when fit as he's a big personality...bit like Keane. Move him on while he still has value?
There has been much talk of having a big budget and when you see that we have made £30m in the last 2 windows, plus allowing for CL money and money from the likes of Jenas, Bassong, Bentley and any of the current squad we look to move on, there could well be a +£50m budget for the new man.
I certainly think Levy has restricted Harry's budget with one eye on securing a new manager and handong him money to build further.
I think the onus has to be on top quality but young talent, because when the new stadium expense starts kicking in we need to have young player to see us through rather than expensive "oldies" who need replacing in the next 2 - 3 years.
Where does the money need to be spent? and realistically on who...easy to say Hazard but that could be half our budget gone in a oner!
Season 2012/13
posted on 2/4/12
the likes of Moyes & Rogers I think they are a bit of a risk as they have not been tested at the top level.
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But between them they have managed to beat City and/or Utd. City post money that is and Utd just in general!
posted on 2/4/12
Wow what a change an interesting, well thought out article. Its about football and about THFC, full marks to the OP.
Lots of questions but the key one has to be the manager. Whoever we appoint is a gamble, as we found out with Santini and Ramos, but IMO if we are going to take a gamble lets take it with an english speaking manager not a foreign coach.
The only foreign coach that would interest me is Jose other than that I have seen to many fail in England to be interested in any of the so called top names.
I mean Capello is a top name but I think he is damned useless and I dont give a flying damn what he has won in Italy or Spain.
posted on 2/4/12
Good article Devonshirespur
Regarding goalkeepers, Brad never ceases to amaze me and i think him and Cudicini will be fine for another season. Its certain Gomes will leave in the summer perhaps back to Psv and we need to start looking for a top young keeper with the hope he will be our number one when Friedel and cudicini call it a day.
I cant see Gallas AND nelson being at spurs next season, one will be released along with bassong and Khumolo, with the highly regarded Caulker coming into the first team squad.
I dont know how highly Naughton and smith are rated at the club so we may need to buy a new rb for the departing Corluka.
I think were ok at left back, Rose is an able deputy.
Cm we are strong but every man and his dog knows we need top cover for Lennon and Bale.
My choice would be Hoilett who can play both sides and also in a front three if we are playing 4-3-3
Up front We need to a forward hopefully damaio or Remy and Retain Saha for another season. Keep Defoe.
I hope we can sell or loan - Gomes, corluka, naughton, bassong, Gallas, khumolo, bentley, jenas and dos santos.
Hopefully bring in - New RB, new GK, Hoilett, Damaio
And welcome back Caulker and Townsend into the first team set up.
posted on 2/4/12
the likes of Moyes & Rogers I think they are a bit of a risk as they have not been tested at the top level.
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But between them they have managed to beat City and/or Utd. City post money that is and Utd just in general!
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still doesn't answer the question of how they'd cope with much higher expectations, much bigger budgets, much bigger egos.
Its not quite the same but similar to Roy at Liverpool. He has managed to get a lot more out of WBA & Fulham than he predecessors did with little resources, get them surpassing expectations but when faced with the pressure and expectation of Liverpool he crumbled.
3 or 4 years ago, Moyes / Rodgers would be a risk worth taking, now with so much at stake, entering a key period in our history in terms of the progress, the squad we have, the squad we need and the stadium, we need certainty that we will continue to progress. We need tried tested experienced & successful manager.
posted on 2/4/12
and we need to start looking for a top young keeper
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You may rest assured that is what we are doing. Believe me
posted on 2/4/12
I think the club is in safe hands (pardon the pun) now you are involved in scouting goalkeepers spurcat !
posted on 2/4/12
what about Adler?
I like Vorm too although lots of my friends would prefer Krul...
With a goalkeeper i prefer it if they have played in the prem before. Less of a risk, providing they are of sufficient quality.
posted on 2/4/12
I think Grandspurs summed it all up nicely, shame to hear that Naughton may not be kept on but then at least one of the Kyles came up trumps.
Saha i'm not too fussed about - don't think he should be starting ahead of Defoe anyway. Whether Ade stays or not I still think we need a NEW STRIKER for CL football.
With Bentley surely going to the first bidder, and Gio failing to impress Hoilett would be an excellent acquisition.
Caulker and Townsend back in the squad would suit me fine, still hopeful our partnership with Inter will see us land Damiao in the summer too.
Oh, and thanks for that Spurcat - the old guys could do with a bit of competition!
Happy days.
posted on 3/4/12
Miles ?? Is he gonna be the future No. 1, or not ??
posted on 3/4/12
"shame to hear that Naughton may not be kept on"
Is the blah blah not the other way round (he doesn't want to return) ??