There is a whole lot of uncertainty at Spurs right now- from the manager to the players.
Harry Redknapp, Luka Modric, Rafael van der Vaart, Gareth Bale, Steven Pienaar, Niko Kranjcar.
A mixture of names who fans would like to stay, and some they will feel mixed towards.
Yet it seems every single day there is more uncertainty at Tottenham.
What needs to be done, is for somebody to actually commit their future to the club, and we’re not talking about Kranjcar – let him go!
Redknapp’s future is up in the air with contract talks ongoing, Modric wants out, while there have been stories Van der Vaart flying about all week.
What needs to be done is for one of the above to sit down, and sign a new contract. Once one does, the others may just follow suit, but right now there is a bit of a stand off.
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The arrival of Jan Vertonghen would be a good marker to lay down, but for now that transfer is yet to be completed.
Most interesting were Harry Redknapp’s comments yesterday, where he described the Champions League as ‘overrated’.
We doubt Gareth Bale agrees, and nor does Luka Modric. The Champions League is the biggest stage, the competition players dream of winning, and Redknapp should not underestimate it’s importance.
This type of talk only hints at a lack of ambition from Redknapp, it clearly wasn’t a thought through comment, but supporters are right to ask whether the manager has the drive to take Tottenham to the next level.
Redknapp was continually changing his targets throughout last season, one minute talking up third as important, then talking for the title, then hailing the achievement of finish fourth.
Yes Spurs are incredibly unlucky not to end up with Champions League football next year, but they know third place was theirs for the taking, and they only have themselves to blame.
The dissent among some sections of the support is clearly taking on it’s own role in the dressing room, with Modric wanting out and speculation over Van der Vaart increasing.
Come to think about it, there are very few areas of the Tottenham team where there is certainty right now. Brad Friedel is 40, Emmanuel Adebayor has not been tied up for next year. Defoe will want to leave if he does not get first team football again, and Ledley King’s future is also in doubt.
The manager needs to address all of these issues and take the club forward.
There are doubts over whether Redknapp will ever be able to crack into the top two and challenge for the title. Hopefully he will have learned from his mistakes this year; fans must remember the positives as well as the negatives.
As Liverpool found, there are very few top level European replacements ready to step into the breach and take on a new challenge. Spurs could look at Rafa Benitez perhaps.
If Redknapp stays and signs a new contract, he needs his star players to follow suit and commit to the club.
Anyone who doesn’t should be sold and the club should re-invest the money in new players, Spurs need to be pushing in the same direction. Right now Daniel Levy has to decide if under Redknapp the current direction is up or down.
What lies ahead for Tottenham?
image: © Shiraz Chakera
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