http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums News on the Spurscommunity Front Page en Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:43:05 GMT vBulletin 1 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/images/makemoney/misc/rss.jpg http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85195&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 13:12:24 GMT *SC Update: The Big Move is Imminent!* (http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85191) SC Update: The Big Move is Imminent! ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News Geez http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85195 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85188&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:17:13 GMT Source: London 24 Harry Redknapp admits that a change in formation is behind Tottenham�s recent resurgence, and concedes that �it�s hard to play... Source: London 24

Harry Redknapp admits that a change in formation is behind Tottenham�s recent resurgence, and concedes that �it�s hard to play 4-4-2 these days�.

Buoyed by the success of his open, aggressive 4-4-2 formation in the 5-0 victory over Newcastle, the Spurs boss stuck with the same plan against Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton � and lost all three games.

That was followed by a disappointing 1-1 draw with Stoke at White Hart Lane, giving Spurs a tally of one point from a possible 12 in the Premier League.

But Redknapp has now changed tack, opting for a 4-2-3-1 system which was born in a 2-0 win at Norwich in December � and the result is a rejuvenated Tottenham who earned a crucial point at Stamford Bridge before beating Bolton and Swansea at the Lane.

�I thought it [the formation] suited us at Chelsea especially,� said the manager. �You get outnumbered in the middle if you play with two central midfield players, so we matched them up in the middle of the park. It gives you a lot of control of the game playing that way.

�It�s hard to play 4-4-2 these days. You can get away with it sometimes, when you are on top of games. But against better teams, when they play three in there, it can make it very difficult.

�With this system, you have an extra player in there and you can get more control of the ball, and more control of the game really.

�Ade [Adebayor] has done well up there on his own in the last few games � I thought he was excellent against Chelsea. So it�s a system I like.� ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85188 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85187&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:15:24 GMT Source: Telegraph Antonio Conte, the Juventus coach, has emerged as a potential candidate for the Tottenham Hotspur manager�s position if England... Source: Telegraph

Antonio Conte, the Juventus coach, has emerged as a potential candidate for the Tottenham Hotspur manager�s position if England take on Harry Redknapp this summer.

Last month Conte steered Juventus into their first Italian Cup final for eight years with a 2-2 draw against Milan. The 4-3 aggregate win was achieved after extra time, whereupon Conte declared: �We haven�t done anything yet.�

But something is certainly stirring at Juventus and it is in Serie A that Conte�s achievements have been most noteworthy.

In 30 matches this season Conte�s side are unbeaten, with only their high number of draws � 14 against 16 wins � keeping them two points behind Milan at the head of the table.

The path to the Premier League for Conte, who rose to prominence with Serie B promotions during short spells at Bari and Siena, seems assured.

The 42-year-old former Italy international midfielder, who ended his career at Juventus after making more than 400 appearances in the black-and-white shirt, is understood to be taking English lessons.

However, Tottenham deny having made contact with Conte or any other prospective post-Redknapp candidates.

It is said their recruitment procedures will only get under way once the Football Association�s intentions over the England vacancy become clear.

Indeed, Redknapp�s status as the bookmakers� favourite for that role appeared at least initially to destabilise his squad following Fabio Capello�s resignation in February.

If Wembley�s supposed interest in Redknapp materialises into a job offer, there is no guarantee that � having vacillated between enthusiasm and doubt about the England job � he would accept it.

In that event, or if no FA offer were made, Redknapp will remain Spurs manager into next season. Otherwise, Spurs expect that, if their manager does leave, the vacancy would attract significant interest from leading managers.

That much has been signalled by the number of approaches the Spurs chairman, Daniel Levy, has received amid the England speculation surrounding Redknapp.

Everton�s David Moyes has been linked with the role, as has Brendan Rodgers, but the Swansea manager said yesterday he was in no rush to leave the Liberty Stadium.

He has won rave reviews this campaign for his side�s Barcelona-style passing game.

�I take great satisfaction in my job here and it�s nice and humbling whenever people are saying nice things about you,� said Rodgers, �but for me there are many great managers at this level.

"My only concentration and focus is on our next game and trying to make sure that we can maintain the standards that we have set all season.

�I have been here a couple of seasons and we have had success here. There is always gossip and speculation, which you can�t do much about, but I love it here and hope to continue.�

Meanwhile, Rodgers believes Premier League player of the month Gylfi Sigurdsson is Swansea�s very own Frank Lampard. The 22-year-old Icelandic midfielder, who is on loan from Hoffenheim, scored his sixth goal in 11 league games against Spurs on Sunday.

�It is a great honour for him and shows the level the team have been at as well.� said Rodgers. �He has been a wonderful acquisition, I knew what I was getting and he has delivered brilliantly.

"Hopefully he can continue that until the end of the season.

�He is in the Frank Lampard mould, he gets into the six-yard box, is willing to get his shot off and can score with his head like he did at Fulham.

"I�m not saying he is as good as Lampard but he is that type of goalscoring midfield player.� ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85187 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85185&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:10:38 GMT Source: Daily Express EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR will put his future on hold in the hope that Jose Mourinho succeeds Roberto Mancini as Manchester City... Source: Daily Express

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR will put his future on hold in the hope that Jose Mourinho succeeds Roberto Mancini as Manchester City manager.

Real Madrid boss Mourinho, who is a long-standing fan of striker Adebayor, would want him back from his loan spell at Tottenham if he replaced the under-fire Mancini at the Etihad Stadium. ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85185 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85184&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:09:43 GMT Source: Daily Star MANCHESTER CITY�S stars fear *Roberto Mancini�s decision to axe *Emmanuel Adebayor could cost them the title. Now they want... Source: Daily Star

MANCHESTER CITY�S stars fear *Roberto Mancini�s decision to axe *Emmanuel Adebayor could cost them the title.

Now they want him to swallow his pride and recall Adebayor at the end of this season.

Adebayor was allowed to join Tottenham on loan for the campaign after falling out with the City boss.

The Togo striker has been a huge hit at White Hart Lane, scoring 13 goals in 27 appearances.

Some of Mancini�s squad reckon the move has come back to haunt the Italian, who is facing a striker crisis as City�s title challenge goes into meltdown.

Sergio Aguero has been sidelined with blistered feet, Edin Dzeko has failed to score in seven games, Carlos Tevez has been missing for most of the season and looks off the pace and Mario Balotelli has become a liability.

Adebayor was popular in the City dressing room and Mancini�s treatment of the former Arsenal star last summer angered most of the squad.

Adebayor cost �26m from the Gunners in 2009, but fell out of favour when *Mancini brought in Dzeko and *Balotelli.

Mancini told Adebayor he could leave last August

He axed Adebayor from the summer tour of *America and made him train with the reserves and kids, which was the final straw for the striker.

A club source said: �Ade is a very popular lad and his team-mates were *genuinely sad to see him loaned to Spurs at the start of the season.

�What really annoyed the players was the fact the manager made him train with the kids and completely blanked him once he decided he was not in his plans.

�He was basically made to feel like a second-class citizen.

�The players would have Ade back in a heartbeat. We are crying out for a *regular goalscorer and a lot of the problems are in the striking department.

�The players say they miss him and have been impressed by his all-round contribution at Spurs.� ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85184 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85183&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:07:42 GMT Source: Daily Star REAL MADRID believe an offer of �16.5m will land them either Glen Johnson or Kyle Walker. The two men top the shortlist of... Source: Daily Star

REAL MADRID believe an offer of �16.5m will land them either Glen Johnson or Kyle Walker.

The two men top the shortlist of players wanted to fill their problem right-back slot this summer.

Jose Mourinho has decided former Liverpool defender Alvaro Arbeloa is not up to the job.

And he wants to raid the Premier League for a replacement, with Johnson and Walker on his radar.

Madrid have already set aside a �16.5m fund to sign one of the two, but are confident of netting a bargain once talks get under way.

They face a fight to take Walker, 21, away from Spurs after his breakthrough season at White Hart Lane.

Walker was dubbed the new Roberto Carlos by the Spanish press after impressing against Spain for the Under-21s last summer.

Since then he has gone on to become a Spurs regular and break into the full England squad, and is expected to go to Euro 2012 this summer.

Johnson�s situation is different as the 27-year- old has struggled with injury at Liverpool this term.

He signed a contract extension in June 2011 but would be a cheaper option than Walker because of his age.

Scouts from Madrid have watched both players this season, and the club will decide which way to go at the end of the season.

Also on Real�s radar is Ajax defender Gregory van der Wiel, but sources in Spain feel he is more likely to join Chelsea.

Last night Real beat Apoel Nicosia 5-2 with Cristiano Ronaldo�s double helping them to seal a semi-final clash with Bayern Munich.

The tie was effectively over after their 3-0 first leg win in Cyprus.

Ronaldo scored once in either half just to make sure with the other goals from Kaka, Jose Callejon and Angel Di Maria making it 8-2 on aggregate.

The visitors held their heads high with consolation goals from Gustavo Manduca and Esteban Solari�s penalty. ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85183 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85182&goto=newpost Thu, 05 Apr 2012 07:06:20 GMT Source: ESPN Gareth Bale has revealed he turned down the chance to join Manchester United, fearing he may have struggled to nail down a regular... Source: ESPN

Gareth Bale has revealed he turned down the chance to join Manchester United, fearing he may have struggled to nail down a regular start.

After a tough transition to life in the Premier League, Bale has blossommed and is now one of the most talked about players in world football.

He is a key figure for Spurs and has attracted interest from the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan, but he could have been gracing the biggest stage in English football had he answered Sir Alex Ferguson's call in the positive.

"Man United were interested in me but I wanted to play first-team football," Bale told Match of the Day magazine. "I thought I had a better chance of getting that at Tottenham.

"The manager at the time, Martin Jol, told me he wanted me to go straight into the first team."

Bale is a key figure for Wales but he could have been pulling on an England shirt.

"That was an emotional debut," he said of his 2006 international bow against Trinidad & Tobago. "When I came on I knew I was the youngest ever Wales international, at the age of 16.

"I'm a proud Welshman - that's why I didn't choose to play for England. I could have, but I'd rather be Welsh!" ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85182 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85178&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:00:15 GMT Source: Metro Slaven Bilic wants to succeed Harry Redknapp if he leaves Tottenham to become the next England manager. The Croatia coach was at... Source: Metro

Slaven Bilic wants to succeed Harry Redknapp if he leaves Tottenham to become the next England manager.

The Croatia coach was at White Hart Lane on Sunday to run the rule over Luka Modric ahead of the European Championship finals in Poland and Ukraine this summer.

And he revealed before Spurs� 3-1 win over Swansea: �I would be very interested in being the Tottenham manager, they are a major club with a bright future.

�But [Spurs chairman] Daniel Levy needs to be convinced I am the man for the job.�

If Spurs appointed former West Ham and Everton centre-half Bilic as their new boss it would be a major boost in their battle to keep Modric at White Hart Lane.

The midfielder has been linked with summer bids from Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea but Bilic said: �Everyone knows huge clubs are interested in Luka but what I told him is that he should not forget how big Tottenham are.�

Spurs are set to offer Modric a bumper new contract at the end of the season if they qualify for next term�s Champions League. ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85178 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85177&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:56:13 GMT Source: Sky Sports Split loyalties for defender. Brendan Rodgers has spoken to Harry Redknapp about bringing on-loan Tottenham defender Steven... Source: Sky Sports

Split loyalties for defender.

Brendan Rodgers has spoken to Harry Redknapp about bringing on-loan Tottenham defender Steven Caulker back to Swansea next season.

The 20-year-old centre-back has made a big impact at the Liberty Stadium this season, adapting well to Swansea's style of play and forming a strong partnership with Ashley Williams at the heart of the defence.

And while Spurs are unlikely to want to sell the England Under-21 international, Rodgers is hopeful of securing an extension to the player's loan spell with the Swans.

Rodgers said: "I spoke to Harry at length (following last weekend's 3-1 defeat at White Hart Lane), and just generally he understands Steven has had a fantastic season and it will be between now and the end of the season before they determine where he will go, it will depend on the club and where they are at.

"He has made a massive jump in his career through playing games here, and it's down to where they see him fitting in there next season.

"He will be going back to Tottenham for pre-season, it will then depend on whether he is seen as one who will be part of their squad, whether he is going to play or whether he needs more games.

Great asset

"For me, he is a young player, he is 20 years of age, who the more he can play the better he will become, and he will become a great asset for Tottenham I am sure.

"He could well come back on loan next season whether it will be here will be another question, but that will be nothing that will be answered until they bring him back in, have a look at the squad they have got and take it from there."

Caulker himself is continuing to focus on his short-term goal - picking up points with Swansea.

"We aren't mathematically safe yet, so we still want to get a few more points on the board, but after that we'd like to finish as high as possible," he said.

"If we can do that, then it would be a great end to the season and a successful campaign overall as well."
Watching brief

Caulker had a watching brief for Sunday's game between Spurs and Swansea at White Hart Lane, as he was unable to play against his parent club.

But the youngster felt the visitors did themselves justice, as he added: "Obviously, it was a difficult game for the lads and my loyalties were split, but I thought that it was a good game for the neutrals too and at 1-1 it could have gone either way.

"I think that a large part of our success has been defensively as well because we've managed to keep 12 clean sheets this season.

"Not only have we kept the ball and attacked well, but we've managed to keep it steady at the back too.

"I played against Swansea last season and they were strong both on and off the ball then as well, which has continued this year in the Premier League." ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85177 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85175&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:11:04 GMT Source: Official Site Kyle Walker has been voted Player of the Month for March. The full-back enjoyed a fine month and took 45.34 per cent of... Source: Official Site

Kyle Walker has been voted Player of the Month for March.

The full-back enjoyed a fine month and took 45.34 per cent of the votes from fans here on Xtra, via @SpursOfficial on Twitter and on our official fan page on Facebook.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH - MARCH - KYLE WALKER

March's vote turned into a battle of the full-backs as Benoit Assou-Ekotto pushed Kyle all the way and was second with 20.46 per cent.

Gareth Bale, Scott Parker and Rafa van der Vaart completed the top five.

Here's the top 10...

Kyle Walker 45.34
Benoit Assou-Ekotto 20.46
Gareth Bale 8.08
Scott Parker 6.86
Rafa van der Vaart 3.30
Louis Saha 3.18
Jermain Defoe 2.94
Luka Modric 2.69
Younes Kaboul 1.96
Ryan Nelsen 1.83

GOAL OF THE MONTH - MARCH - LOUIS SAHA v BOLTON

We narrowed March's GOM to two goals - a straight vote between Jermain Defoe's second goal in the 3-1 win against Stevenage in the FA Cup fifth round and Louis Saha's strike in the 3-1 win against Bolton in the FA Cup quarter-final.

It was a close call throughout but Louis' 25-yarder eventually ran out the winner with 57.26 of the vote to Jermain's 42.74. ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85175 http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85174&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:09:48 GMT Source: Official Site

Harry Redknapp said he was never in any doubt that we'd turn performances back into results.

Much was made of our run of five games without a win in the Premier League between the derby defeat at the Emirates and Sunday's victory against Swansea.

Few could argue that displays against United, Everton and even Stoke deserved more and we then had the better of a goalless draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

We followed up by booking a place at Wembley in the semi-finals of the FA Cup with a quarter-final win against Bolton and then Sunday's fine 3-1 win over Swansea.

"I never felt we played badly, we were just unlucky," reflected Harry. "We�re playing well and we had a good week with Chelsea, Bolton and Swansea.

"I've been at clubs where the players look like their confidence has gone, but this lot have been fantastic, knocking the ball around in training and I just felt we were playing well and needed a little luck. I never had any doubts."

The win against Swansea took us level again with Arsenal in the battle for Champions League qualification.

"The key is finishing above Chelsea and Newcastle as well," said Harry.

"Four teams are scrapping it out and there's not a lot in it with seven games to go, us and Arsenal level, five points to Chelsea and Newcastle.

"Now we play Saturday and Monday, a long trip up to Sunderland, Norwich at home - two tough games. Everyone will be juggling their resources. It will be the survival of the fittest." ]]> Spurscommunity Front Page News mawspurs http://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=85174