Guest Blogger

I want to introduce everyone to a new guest blogger who has written his first post today, my very own brother, LT Rip Gordon. He is six years older than I am and is the reason I became a Hotspur supporter in the first place. He taught me everything I know about the game. Unfortunately my brother has real life obligations with a wife and a new house so he can't devote as much time to the rumors and gossip as I can, but his passion runs deep and I am honored to have his input as he finds the time. As you will see, his first post is somewhat depressing, which is the same way every Tottenham man felt this morning, but I assure you he normally views the glass half full. I am going to wait a day to give my insight so my anger and frustration does not get the better of me. Enjoy his post below.....

Why I am Depressed

A Guest post by my own brother and fellow Hotspur fan, Royal P. Gordon IV:

The woes of being a Tottenham supporter are well documented but I feel compelled to explain why life seems a little bleaker after today. Birmingham are dirt. Nuff said. Birmingham is the Hillary Clinton of the Premier League...uglier than sin and for some reason people still seem to like them. Now lets discuss ole' Arry. I liked the starting 11. Very fluid with many attacking options. The game was going very well and I liked our style of play. It all went to hell when Harry subs out Defoe and throws out Robbie "Geritol" Keane. He has no legs anymore, he can't play in the midfield much less up top, and just bitches at the referee. He would be a good fit at Burnley right now. Jermaine was feeling it...don't ever sub Jermaine when he is feeling it! Why would you also sub Bentley when he is playing the game of his life? He hasn't played like that since he arrived and I think he has a decent chance of giving Aaron Lennon a run for his money! Harry, please don't ever use Jenas as a sub ever again! He is not a game changer.

Now let's discuss old Eidur Gudjohnsen. He is one lazy mother and we already have too many strikers. I have no idea what we are thinking. Gylfi...you know I speak the truth. Here is another piece of madness: Younes Kaboul!!! Sure he is doing OK at Portsmouth but that is because he is king of the retards there. We have more kick ass defenders right now than we know what to do with (even though they love to give up goals in f'ing stoppage time!). Younes can't attack either.

Hmmm, Tottenham has me down and it is snowing like a Head and Shoulders commercial outside. I am going to get drunk. I had a couple of glasses of wine with lunch and it felt European and quite relaxing. My wife gave me a weird look but she is cool with it...I think. If it ain't broke, don't fix it I say so I will try to ride the buzz out till the snow stops. This is what Spurs does to me. I like to treat depression the old fashioned way...no Zoloft or Cymbalta for me, just a couple of fingers of bourbon sprinkled over 3 or 4 rocks (doctor's orders). One more talking point...I think bourbon gives me IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). I really love bourbon but am I willing to struggle on the john for it. I'm out. Come on you Spurs!!!

Iceland's Greatest Export at Tottenham

We have been hearing the rumors swirling on the internet about the move for Eidur Gudjohnsen for about a week. My own good Icelandic friend Gylfi Gylfason even gave me the heads up on it. By good friend, I mean he left me to rot in an Icelandic jail overnight a couple years ago, but that's neither here nor there. I digress. I didn't put much thought into the move, but now it has come out we have landed him on loan until the end of the season. We managed to beat out West Ham, who is apparently steaming over our late involvement. Two nights ago, it looked certain Gudjohnsen was heading to the Hammers. He even went in for a medical, but wily ole Harry swooped in to steal them. This is a huge blow for an underwhelming team in a huge need of offensive creativity. You can always count on Harry making a sly transfer move during January. Here are his comments on Gudjohnsen:

"I just thought he's a good player and he can play several positions for us, he can play in a midfield or attacking-midfield role if we want to change our system. We've lost Aaron Lennon [to injury] so we haven't got a great deal of width. We can play a diamond formation if we want to and he can be a big player in that system. So, yes, we took him on loan until the end of the season to see how it goes."

I remember watching Eidur when he was at Chelsea and his creativity on the ball was mesmerizing. The other thing I remember was how absolutely lazy he was. After my last ode to Palacios, Eidur is pretty much exactly the opposite. It will be very interesting to see if he actually gets time and how he will fit in with the rest of the team. I just hope to see a little more hustle out of him. Despite the laziness, I like the move for a proven, decorated club player. The last couple of seasons he hasn't seen much time for his clubs, so he also has a great incentive to make an impression and prove the doubters wrong that he isn't over the hill. This move could very well signal the end of Pav's time at the Lane. It is rumored he is heading to Birmingham. This would signal Birmingham's intention to try and really make a full push for a European spot. Pav is not heading out on the cheap so Birmingham would be making a statement that they want continued success.

There is a strong rumor out there that Spurs are shopping Robbie Keane. I caught wind of it on a Spurs podcast I listen to and the source said he got it from someone on the inside. Oh how I love the January transfer proceedings and ridiculous rumors!

Ode to Wilson

One of my many readers thought this could be a tribute to Edgar Davids (pretty good memory by the way). In a way it is, Sam. Wilson Palacios plays the game much like the Dutch bulldog. It's unfortunate we caught Davids so late in his career, because he was a true terror in his youth. As for Palacios, we have him in his prime, and I've never had so much respect and admiration for a Spurs player as I do him.

Palacios is a Honduran international who was bought by Harry Redknapp from Wigan shortly after Redknapp was appointed manager. At first I couldn't believe the transfer fee of around 14 million pounds, but it has been money very well spent. Despite being about the size of Jermaine Defoe, Wilson has become one of the most feared hardmen in the game. If you gave me an odds on bet whether he would get a yellow card in any given game, I'd take it. He never even receives a yellow for dissent, but purely for mistimed challenges, repeated fouling, or professional fouls. His work ethic has rubbed off on everyone and even has big Tom Huddlestone working his socks off. Not an easy feat mind you. If you watch him just casually, you will notice he often gives the ball away. If you pay closer attention, watch how he hustles his ass off to win the ball back. That is a true teammate and work horse. It has been said that Tottenham has not had a true hardman in recent times. We do now.

There was a play against Fulham where someone gave possession away in a really bad spot. The Fulham attacker was running full bore down at our two central defenders and out of no where Palacios came in with a perfect slide tackle to dispossess him from behind. It was a play that won't show up on a highlight reel or receive much attention from the pundits, but it typified Wilson and the kind of all out effort he gives every match regardless of the score. I remember my good ole playing days. I can't tell you how many times I watch Stephen Berlucchi get stuck in within the first five minutes of a match. Immediately the intensity of the entire team would spike up a couple of notches and get everyone in the mood to give full effort. I imagine the same feeling must run through the Spurs team watching Wilson track down any attacker no matter how far away. They must think, "If he is giving maximum effort, then I must as well." At least that was what ran through my mind back then. Again, watch Hudd runs his fat ass up and down the pitch and close down defensively with Wilson around. Go back and watch Hudd when he was paired with Jenas and you can see the difference clear as night and day. You can't put that mentality and motivation on a score sheet, but it is priceless.

Palacios became an immortal Spurs hero in my mind after this story last year. His younger brother was taken hostage in Honduras and there was a ransom put on the brother's head. Wilson ended up paying up the ransom, but the attackers still killed the boy. At 1 a.m. the night before a big Premiership match, Palacios was informed that the police had found his brother's body. I think most people would just pack up their things and head for home, right? Instead, he waited up all night so he could personally tell Redknapp he needed to leave in the morning. He has so much respect for his coach that he didn't want to disturb his sleep. It's absolutely unbelievable. It is a sad personal tragedy, but even in his toughest personal moment, he still put others above himself. That quality is easily seen on the pitch.

Tottenham went from relegation all the way up to eighth this season. That change happened when Redknapp and Palacios both arrived. A coincidence? I think not. His unselfish nature and work ethic has rubbed off on the entire team. The hardman we once craved for is finally here in Wilson Palacios. I will end this with a quote from the gipper that accurately sums up my favorite player:

"Palacios has made a massive difference to this club. He gets on with it, he's strong, he's aggressive - he's what Spurs haven't had. You get a little group who have seen Palacios come in, work his socks off and close down opponents, and it rubs off on people. He's not a big-time Charlie, you need people like that to be successful." Spurs boss Harry Redknapp

Back on Top of Fourth

Recently, the Navy has been very kind of my support of Tottenham and today was no exception. It was one of the few times I was pleased to be off the flight schedule. Spurs battled Fulham at the Lane and two somewhat fortunate goals saw us take fourth place in the Premiership outright. The Little Engine that Could (Luka Modric) somehow out hustled Riise from Fulham to send a half volley into the Beanstalk (Peter Crouch) who nicked it past Schwarzer for the first. It was the type of hustle goal we needed badly after being held scoreless in the last two League fixtures. We dominated the half hour and Fulham was lucky not to be down more than one at the half. Our second goal came from the most unlikely of sources in David Bentley. A set piece deflection off of Riise's head saw the ball go past a helpless Schwarzer. The last half hour was largely uneventful as we cruised to a 2-0 win.

"I couldn't more surprised if my head was sewn into the carpet." That famous quote in Christmas Vacation pretty much sums up my thoughts on seeing Bentley in the starting eleven and then actually scoring a goal. Bentley has been a primadonna off the field and every time he seems to be on the cusp of breaking into the lineup, he ends up pissing off Redknapp. With an injury to Lennon and Krancjar sick, the bastard actually took his chance. Am I happy that he scored? Hell yes! Was I even more excited that everyone rubbed his head and tried to mess up the silly haircut he's carrying? Yes I was. The past four days have seen two members of the squad who seemed to be out the door actually deliver for the Lily whites. First Pav, now Bentley. They both could be saying farewell, or they could be gaining some favor in Harry's eyes. The next fifteen or so days will likely determine their futures.

Tomorrow, I will be writing an ode to a player I feel has been the most responsible for the turnaround at Tottenham. We went from the depths of relegation to challenging for a Premiership place. Who can it be? I'll leave you guessing....

Thoughts on Leeds

I woke up just in time to catch the Leeds game this past Saturday. At the end of the game, I was pretty morbid. Giving away a last second penalty to offer Leeds a lifeline in a replay hit me almost as hard as the previous night's bourbon. I spent a day of reflection however to give my honest thoughts.

First of all, Gareth Bale is an exceptional talent. His attacking prowess as a left back is unbelievable. I would keep Benoit Assou-Ekotto as the first choice back, but I would give serious contemplation towards moving Bale into the left midfield slot. He runs at defenders fearlessly and the balls he whips in are top class. His defending is still slack at times which is why he doesn't play ahead of BAE.

Another thing that shocked me was how Roman Pavlyuchenko somehow produced a moment of brilliance in the first minute he was on the pitch. How sweet that must have felt for him! Pav has been an afterthought all season long with rumors constantly swirling about him moving on to another club during this January transfer window, yet he still has that striker's instinct. It was a lovely step-over and classy finish. It really makes me wonder if we should be shopping him around so vigorously with Keano's dip in form.

Leeds' striker Jermaine Beckford is the real deal. I didn't buy into the hype surrounding him after the Man U game, but he proved me wrong. He was putting himself into great positions and harassed our center backs all game long. Why in the world did Dawson have to lunge at Beckford in box in the last minute? Stay on your feet son. It almost reminded me of the Australia-Italy World Cup game in 2006 when the Australian defender left his feet to make a challenge and ended their World Cup dream. It was a clumsy challenge by our young captain, but you have to tip your hat to Beckford. He played a great game and his penalty showed the confidence he has. I think it is safe to say that we will see this youngster in the Premiership sooner rather than later.

On Tuesday, Spurs play Fulham at White Hart Lane in what I consider a must-win. Fulham is missing Zamora and Dempsey, so their attack is severly crippled. Now is the time to jump on them and get back to our winning ways. My prediction: 3-1 Spurs. Come on you Spurs.....

Why I am a Tottenham Supporter

My brother once asked me why in the world we were Hotspur supporters. It is so much easier to be a fan of a team that has had prolonged success or a team that has low expectations. If you support Manure, Chelski, ARSEnal, or Liverpool, you have become too accustomed to winning. You no longer appreciate the wins over the Birminghams and Boltons or battling Aston Villa or Everton away and getting a point. It is expected to do well anytime you play, home or away. Now, as a Spurs supporter, you take nothing for granted. The beauty is that we spend a ton of money, just as much as the Woolwich Wanderers (Arsenal), and yet can't seem to regain the glory of the past. It creates so much promise and hope at the beginning of each season to spend the money on big name players, and then so much despair when we can't rise to that promise. As a result, I end up appreciating every win and taking nothing cheaply. I want to watch every game because I don't expect any result against any team, but I long for success. The club will never be held down by low supporter expectations or giving up on the dream of Champions League qualification. What fun is constant success? Even after the terrible result against a weakened Liverpool today, I still have a craving to watch the FA Cup game this Saturday at noon against Leeds. We had a great opportunity to end Liverpool's season and couldn't take advantage. Such is the life of a Tottenham supporter. I will continue on...Come on you Spurs!

There is good news for the other team I support though. The United States has seemingly dodged a huge bullet in regards to Clint Dempsey's injury. It looks like he won't need surgery on that knee and could possibly return to play again this season for Fulham. Even Oguchi Onyewu gave positive news concerning his injury. I am still holding my breath, but for now, the outlook for our stars is positive. I'll take the positive news about the United States injury report for the loss to Liverpool. I'm an American before a Spur supporter. Country over club and never the other way around.

Dempsey and Donovan

It looks like we aren't going to find out any more news about Dempsey's knee until tomorrow. As we like to say in the Navy, stand by to stand by...

It has been revealed today that Landon Donovan has hinted that he would like to stay in England longer than the current loan deal. Major League Soccer has dealt with this before with David Beckham and so they had to expect this kind of comment to be made. Everton's manager David Moyes has inserted Donovan right into the starting line up and has helped them get two great results at the Emirates and at home against Manchester City. Put yourself in his shoes for a second. Landon comes over, immediately sees playing time in the best league in the world, and more importantly, has played a role in turning around Everton's season. You can easily see why he feels pumped up at Everton. He has lived a fairy tale so far. Donovan has been known to be emotional, so the report is nothing unexpected in my eyes.

From a business prospective, the MLS was very smart to sign him up for four more years and then loan him out where he could raise his value. The longer you have a player under contract, the greater the potential transfer fee. If he can continue to shine and impress at Everton, you can bet on Everton or another club approaching the league with an offer. If Altidore went for ten million dollars, how much would Donovan go for? My best guess is that Donovan would be able to leave at a minimum fifteen million. He means a lot to the MLS and is a big part of its marketing.

Boaz Myhill and Dempsey Make for a Terrible Weekend

I didn't need the heroics from Myhill. It was always going to be tricky encounter especially with the Liverpool game on the horizon. The players had to have had that in the back of their mind. This is the type of game that seems to always trip us up. We have had a lot of trouble against teams that pack it in and this was no different. I am too depressed to further comment on that....

I am worried that this blog very well could have resulted in a Sports Illustrated cover-like jinx on Clint Dempsey. I had just named him one of the top 5 players in CONCACAF and then he blows out his knee. If Donovan rips his Achilles in Everton's next game, the blog is done. I can't have American blood on my hands, especially considering its a World Cup year. Without Charlie Davies and Dempsey, the US offensive outlook is bleak. I was underwhelmed by our performances in qualifying and if it wasn't for Donovan's Herculean efforts, I'm not so sure we make the top 3. Let's pray this scan tomorrow comes out with positive news.

Dos Santos Loan, Joe Cole Coming in?

Those of us in the States know Giovani dos Santos all too well. He pretty much single-handedly won the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup for Mexico. I can't stand seeing him on the pitch for the Mexicans, but I would love to see him get more time at Spurs. He is dangerous on the ball and will run at defenders all day long, but the big knock on him is his lack of defensive prowess. He has been listed as an offensive midfielder and when he suits up for Tottenham, he normally plays on the left. If we sell Pavlyuchenko over the transfer period, everyone assumes Harry will be forced to bring in someone to replace him. I have a crazy idea...look within the team you have. Dos Santos can easily play up top and is one of the top 5 players in CONCACAF alongside Wilson Palacios, Landon Donavon, Clint Dempsey, and Kenwyne Jones. He is the best player on the Mexican team and will be a handful in the upcoming World Cup. Why can't we give him a chance to become the 4th striker on our team? Since he's not a strong defender, put him up top and let him create. We have seen how dominant he can be in the international game when given a run in a team. I understand his game is different from Pav and Crouch, but you can't tell me Dos Santos can't hold up the ball.

If Redknapp brings in a replacement, send Dos Santos out on loan. Let him develop and raise his value at another club. Portsmouth is dying for a player like Giovani, and the most recent rumor has him going there. He would greatly benefit from playing in the Premiership rather than going into the lower leagues again. Whatever you do Harry, do not sell him prior to the World Cup! Harry is obviously too smart in the transfer market to allow that though. On another note Harry...you can swindle other clubs, but the tax man is not to be messed with.

As for the Joe Cole rumors, I think he is a fantastic talent. You are also messing with a player who has seen great success at Chelsea and probably wouldn't enjoy seeing the bench. His addition would create some serious competition for a place on the outside midfield. Modric, Lennon, Kranjcar, and Bentley (at least for a little while) would all be in the running. I would be very careful with this pickup. His wages would be high as would his expectation to start. Chemistry is a tricky thing and the last thing Spurs need is drama.

David Bentley, A Bust?

As a Tottenham supporter for many years, I have seen my share of flops at the club. From Rebrov and Postiga to Hossam Ghaly, the previous decade was littered with players that arrived to the club with high expectations only to deliver performances that were far below the hype. There is one player on the current Spurs side that most supporters have already labeled a flop, and there is no debate that he has not played to the 15 million pound transfer fee we paid for him back in July 2008. David Bentley looked the part during his time at Blackburn, but the move to the Lane has sent his career into a tailspin. I think the DUI most recently just about sums up his time so far. I take a different look into the transfer however, and feel the 15 million pounds has actually partially paid itself back in a different sort of matter. And in a round about way, I wouldn’t consider the transfer a total bust in the eyes of a supporter.

While Bentley hasn’t played to the high expectations, his arrival did light a spark under Aaron Lennon. Lennon’s form faded towards the end of the 2007-2008 season and many were worried he wouldn’t be the same after the Euro 2008 snub. The purchase of Bentley was another sign that the young lightning-quick winger might have lost the confidence that made him so dangerous. Fast forward to the 3-0 drubbing of Manchester City where he terrorized Sylvinho, and what you are seeing is a player brimming with confidence and a much improved final ball. What changed? You could possibly point to Redknapp’s appointment as manager or a better supporting cast. I think it has to do with one thing, Bentley’s arrival.

In horseracing, the great ones have a competitive fire that drives them on when they go neck and neck with another horse. It is that intangible quality that makes them winners. Rather than shrink at the sight of an opponent, they rise to the occasion and raise their performance. In a sense, Bentley was the horse brought in to challenge Lennon on the right wing. It would have been easy for Lennon to give up or feel disheartened. Instead he fought to keep his place in the team and has found the form of his life. I say that Bentley’s threat brought out the best in Lennon. Now, Lennon has raised his value at least 15 million pounds. While Tottenham will no doubt lose money on Bentley when he is finally sold, I think we have ended up with arguably the most dangerous right winger in the game. A winger, I hope, that does not see the pitch on June 12th against the United States.

Obviously I am not in the locker room or even in England for that matter. This is merely a theory and an effort to take the positives from the Bentley Experiment. No matter what his form has been attributed to, his resurgence has been a major reason why Spurs are in the top 4 race. Now that the injury bug has hit him, let’s hope he comes back as strong as he left and that Spurs can continue the momentum.

Welcome

There are very few things that I am absolutely sure of, but one of them is that I am the only Tottenham Hotspur supporter in all of Kingsville, TX. As a US Navy pilot flying the British made T-45C Goshawk, I feel like I finally have the connection necessary to start releasing my ideas to the world about the British game. This blog will likely be focused on responding to the rumors and activities surrounding the mighty Spurs. Yes, it will be biased. I'm not going to try and convince you otherwise. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the roller coaster ride of a THFC supporter stuck in south Texas....