Mbulelo Mabizela, Helder Postiga and John Bostock all arrived at Tottenham Hotspur with high hopes, but where are the Spurs flops now?
Tottenham are currently the only unbeaten team in the Premier League, sat second in the league following five wins on the bounce, having inflicted Pep Guardiola’s first defeat as Manchester City manager and their new stadium is coming along nicely.
Things haven’t always looked quite so rosy for Spurs though, and as the international break draws to a close and the return of the Premier League approaches, we take a look at the unusual careers and predicaments of three Tottenham flops, namely Mbulelo Mabizela, Helder Postiga and John Bostock.
Mbulelo Mabizela
Mabizela celebrates scoring for Tottenham against Leicester
Mbulelo Mabizela may go down as a Tottenham flop but his solitary goal for the Lilywhites was an exceptional one, equalising away at Leicester City in a game Spurs went on to win 2-1. The versatile South African joined Tottenham in 2003 having played against them for Orlando Pirates in a pre-season friendly, a game in which the Pirates won and Mabizela was the outstanding player on the pitch.
History teaches us that signing a player off the back of playing well against you is a dangerous game, and so it proved with Mabizela. He played only 7 league games for Spurs in two years at the club, before heading to Valerenga of the Norwegian Tippeligaen. Since then, the former international has played for a series of South African sides and is currently plying his trade with second division outfit Royal Eagles FC. Now aged 36, Mabizela retired from international football in 2008, having won 45 caps for Bafana Bafana.
Helder Postiga
Helder Postiga poses alongside Glenn Hoddle upon signing for Tottenham
Arguably the most exciting of the three signings featured here at the time, Helder Postiga was just 20 years old when he joined Spurs in 2003, and one of the most exciting prospects in European football. A £6.25 million signing from Porto, Postiga had scored 22 goals in 58 games for the Portuguese giants, but couldn’t transfer that form over to the Premier League, managing just 1 goal in 19 outings for Tottenham.
Spurs sold Postiga after a single season at White Hart Lane, ultimately not taking too much of a loss on the forward as he returned to Porto. Since then, Postiga has played in France, Greece, Spain, Italy and India. Despite his club struggles, Postiga has racked up 71 caps and 27 goals for Portugal. The 34-year-old is currently in his second spell with Indian Super League outfit Atletico de Kolkata and is back scoring regularly.
John Bostock
Former Tottenham midfielder John Bostock
There has been real excitement about John Bostock at so many stages of his career. He broke into the Crystal Palace first team at just 15, making him their youngest ever player and also their youngest starter. Well physically developed and clearly technically gifted, Bostock didn’t look out of place in the Championship during his 4 outings for the Eagles, prompting interest from the footballing world.
Bostock’s move to Spurs was a controversial one which angered a number of people at Crystal Palace, none more so than club chairman Simon Jordan. Ultimately, Bostock never made his way into the Tottenham first team for a league game, despite his clear talent. During his five loan moves, Bostock showed glimpses of brilliance but never consistency, and in 2013, he joined Antwerp.
It was some fall from grace, but showed a determination to grow as a player and make it within the game from a player who’s attitude had been questioned by some. Antwerp have a fine reputation for developing players, and Bostock was no exception. He spent a season there, before joining OH Leuven, where he stood out, earning a move to his current club RC Lens in the summer.
Which Tottenham signing were you most disappointed to see ‘flop’ at the Lane?
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