Proven that loyalty is dying in modern football – the example of Fabian Delph

Its silly season just some weeks before the Premier League starts up again. All the teams try to add on with players to sustain their place or get into a better position than last year. Teams that have gotten from the Championship for example Watford have used a tiny fortune on new players. Another team that are trying to be champion is Manchester United who has bought half of central Europe players and part of the Mediterranean countries big players to get into the league of Chelsea and Arsenal again. But this story is about neither. This story will be about loyalty.

Aston Villa is the old aristocrat in the Premier League. The Birmingham club is a royalty in some ways. Not that it’s Reading who has the nickname. But still the history of the club and range of level it has given the league it deserves credit. Times are changing big money has arrived and been here awhile. So that English players are getting rare in the British league of Premier League. Whatever Greg Dyke or Richard Scudamore is saying is because the FA getting loads of money with the TV deals. That is giving the clubs more money but isn’t helping the movement of players that really representing their clubs in the long run. You can’t buy loyalty. Especially when you can go from being a kid in the sticks and in a few years’ time to having a £30k a week and if you switch to the big ones you can get £100k a week.

This story is not about Raheem Sterling. He went as a kid from QPR and built a reputation in Liverpool. Wanted to win things and went to for the highest price ever for a British player £44m to Manchester City. This story that I am telling and describing is about Fabian Delph. Fabian Delph was first as a youth in Bradford City and Leeds. Later he was on a pro contract for Leeds for three years from 2006 – 2009. Delph was in 2009 Young Player of the Year. He went for about £8m to Aston Villa.

So now that we’re in 2015. There is more money in the League. We have title chasers who needs English players in the team line-up. This team is the same as the one who got Sterling. A team that has lost most of their English players in recent years the only player who has stayed through the years in the central team is goalie Joe Hart. Micah Richards went for free from Manchester City to Aston Villa. James Milner who the current manager Pellegrini and former manager Manchini who liked his services still him left on Bosman to Liverpool. They sold Boyata to Celtic as well before this season. The savior was the loan in from New York new club and former Chelsea player Frank Lampard. But now he really went over to the club. So in this sense the whole world has known about that the rich club Manchester City and it’s struggle to keep and getting good British players.

It’s in this context that Fabian Delph comes in. He was the captain in a team that barley saved them last year in the Premier League. Before Tim Sherwood came in there been two and a half years of Paul Lamberts reign. Three years of barley making it and having 2 months without goals last season before Tim Sherwood got hired as manager for the club. Also that the glamour of O’Neill era is totally gone and the owner tried to sell the club for ages. Therefore the budgets and standard of the squad has gone down. There haven’t been much invested in new players for a long time.

So this year’s silly season has been important for Aston Villa. Christian Benteke and Fabian Delph have been rumored away to Liverpool and Manchester City. They are the stars on the team together with Agbonlahor and Vlaar. Even been talk about Vlaar leaving the club.

Seven days ago Fabian Delph said that he would be loyal to the club. As he was proud of being captain of the team at that time the club they starting working on a new contract offer to Fabian Delph so that he would be appreciated at that level. They wanted upgrade the old contract of £30k a week to £80k a week. So that he would stay and feel rightfully earning in the league he has been playing in since 2009.

A Short Timeline: 

On the 11^th July 2015 he promised loyalty to Aston Villa after months of rumors and also closely going to medical in Manchester. This was after he was taken off the official internet page of the club and also in the ads for the new shirt. 

Then later this week on the 16^th July he switched his mind and went on with the deal to Manchester City. Had a medical and is rumored to sign a £100k a week for the Manchester club. Also he is part of filling up the quota of British players in the club. Leaving behind Aston Villa where he was captain.

So now two days after leaving for the second time the Birmingham club in the same summer. We can see why many fans are displeased with Fabian Delph. For a few days ago he promised himself again to Aston Villa. He signed a new contract for the club already in January. He has been a player who captured interest of big clubs for a while. In his contract he had a buy-out clause that Manchester City £8m. This was been met easily and is a cheap transfer for a British player for the club. When the prices of this players are souring look at Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling and so on.

Therefore with this surprise move that he initially went from Aston Villa to Manchester City is a downer. It kills me a bit by bit because as a football fan we wish to have positive players who have loyalty to their clubs. It’s harder and harder to get by the day. I am not a Liverpool fan, still I wish there was more players like Stephen Gerrard. Fewer players are staying most of the careers in one team instead they are changing for a fortune anywhere else. In the same team its one player that is a standout I have already mention him as a star on the team: Gabriel Agbonlahor is loyal team player with quality. He is one of the few pivotal players you have in the Premier League. And he is a humble and a good guy.

So it’s sadden that the youth talent that came from 2009 came from Leeds went from Aston Villa on 16.07.2015 to Manchester City. So the speeches and quotes of loyalty in the start of the week was utter rubbish. City and Citizens should be happy for this coup. Delph is an amazing player. Always enjoyed watching him playing for Villa so it’s sad to see him leaving a team where he has a major impact and just be pawn on the chess set on the tactical field in Manchester. Like Bony was a phenomenon in Swansea after coming from Twente as a magnificent goal-scorer. He was a machine and a wonder to watch in Swansea. After my reckoning he scored two goals and two whole matches and 8 times substitute for the team.

If Delph will get the same treatment is not something I can proclaim. But that he want has as much impact as in Villa is a simple truth. Because Manchester City have more midfielders and players of quality then Villa, which we all know and also Delph already should know. So that he has changed from being a man and player speaking about loyalty. That loyalty only lasted less than a week. When he again went to City and got the new high paying contract.

I respect even more players like Stephen Gerrard and Agbonlahor, when I see how the summer sales are going. I am sad also by the way Iker Casillas went from Real Madrid to Porto. After winning everything worth having in the club he had been in all career. Stephen Gerrard had the same and even if he left for Los Angeles Galaxy with respect. Casillas went with sadness and not as hero. The same was with Xavi recently from Barcelona to the Middle East somewhere. So seeing players like this staying loyal and only leaving at the last straw of their career. That is because they want to be the main player in a club. And with their legacy they deserve something else then playing second fiddle. Though I hope they will come back to the club as representative and being part of backroom staff in the years to come. I don’t believe that will happen to Iker Casillias.

Delph has to stay somewhere and being loyal to it to get remember there. He has already made a mark in the jersey of Aston Villa. If he had stayed he could be respect and an honorable player in this times when fees and salaries are increasing to fairytale level. Therefore Agbonlahor could be an example for Delph. It’s understandable that certain players using clubs like Aston Villa as a stepping stone to a bigger club. Even if the club it’s like a royalty in the league. Still hasn’t had a top position since Martin O’Neill. Therefore players like Delph could have been a foundation for a bigger team and building a stabile club that could be far away from the three year relegation battle. Tim Sherwood can bring a lot of passion into a team. Still he needs quality and players that are loyal to his vision and club. As every club need. Delph in time he would be seen as a cornerstone in the midfield of the club and remembered as a loyal club player. A player who was there for the team while it was struggling for three seasons to battle relegation and trying to establish itself as a secure club in the league. Instead he went for the quick money in Manchester City. In a club that has won the league twice in last 4 years. They have gotten all the money of the world. But is the epitome of what is wrong in modern football. Though I am not a great fan of Manchester United, I still wish City to win over them, just because of the arrogance of the red devils. Still, the money of City doesn’t by the heritage and history as Villa has. That Delph could continue to be a part of. Especially since he spoke of loyalty recently, then switched and went anyway. Raheem Sterling did everything in his way to get out of Anfield and Liverpool. Delph was different and was silent as silly season went on. The rumors we’re steady. We all knew that City needed British players in this transfer window. They got two now and has Joe Hart. So they got quality homegrown players now.

Nevertheless Fabian Delph has proven that money is more important than leaving a legacy. As so many other players of his time as written before I wish there was more players like Stephen Gerrard and Gabriel Agbonlahor. They are heroes in my football heart even if I am not a supporter of their teams. Because these players are humble and hardworking staying to strive for their teams over time, on the other hand are Raheem Sterling and Fabian Delph.

A week went by and the truth came to surface what was important for Fabian Delph. So let’s see how his impact will be in the new squad and I hope that Villa get a new replacement that will stay and build on the new vision that Tim Sherwood has. And yes, I can’t wait for a new season and campaign of 2015/2016 in the Premier League. Rest of silly will be interesting, but I hope that no player plays it out as Delph did. The way he promised loyalty and then in like a windfall going back to Manchester City for a new medical. He has surely signed a new contract and gotten the number and new shirt for his new team. As he left Birmingham and went for the money, if I can advise him on one thing not that I believe he will read a single word I wrote. Fabian Delph shouldn’t speak again about loyalty and love for a club before you actually prove it in action. Peace.

Premier League 2013/2014: My review!

There many out there, but this is mine. How I have seen this season and my thoughts on the madness called Barclay’s Premier League with all its magic and thunder! I will do every team with max 5 sentences which entails the thoughts I have about it and after how it ended first to last.

 

 

Number one: Manchester City

With Pellegrini in charge, the one manager who hasn’t won a title in Europe wasn’t supposed to surpass the former manager Mancini. The team won the League Cup over Sunderland in 2^nd of March. They were having fewer matches and never really on the top, Pellegrini also had a tough spell on the away matches in the start of the season. Nevertheless, with a world-class squad which got better with the players as Negredo, Fernandinho, Jovetic and Demichelis. With a 102 scored goals, controlled play where they achieved victory even with a mismatch’s in the start of the season, then also the important loss at 13. April 2014 this ended 3-2 to Liverpool.

Number two: Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers team which seemed weak compared to other title runner in the Premiership. Getting Sterling, Sturridge and Suarez playing world-class attacking football and at the same time having Henderson to be engine together with the general Gerrard in the midfield of the team. The weakness of the defense with the players who wasn’t up to par with the rest of the Premiership: Kolo Toure, Skretel and Cissokho they got a second place, but also let in 50 goals and scored the magnificent 101! On the 8^th February 20 minutes of top class destruction of Arsenal 4-0 and the match ended 5-1, also with the highest class of attacking football of the league this campaign.

Number three: Chelsea

Jose Mourinho in charge of the greatness and succession, Jose became the happy one this time around. A team who is so great that they has no need for the player of the year for two seasons Juan Mata and got Hazard/Willian/Shurrle to play awesome. Mourinho called Wenger a manager of failure, karma hit him and he got not a cup title, league nor further then semi-final in the Champions League. Wonder if Eto’o, Ba and Torres is sure not happy about the happy one, not even Lukaku will return to Stamford Bridge, sure some of the other will leave as well in the next transfer window. I am sure Chelsea will go after Diego Costa and others to secure a title next year.

Number four: Arsenal

Wenger has gotten the team to Champions League yet again. Today they secured the FA Cup with a 3-2 victory over Hull City. The thing missing was a new striker to be a favored guy besides Giroud – Bendtner is the cloth for the Premiership. ὂzil came from Spanish football and his vision made a difference together with fast moving mid-field and the rise of Ramsey made matches like 19^th October 2013 Arsenal – Norwich showed class an won 4-1. Looking like contenders before the injuries of Walcott and Ramsey hurt the campaign. Congrats Wenger!

Number five: Everton

Roberto Martinez took over the team after a David Moyes who run the club for 10 years. The team loaned Garth Barry (Manchester City) and Roman Lukaku (Chelsea) they both played important roles for the successful campaign, also Stones and Barkley made great progress an did well considering it all. Everton played better then under Moyes and he made his promise making Everton end over Manchester United, though the well-structured defense with Baines, Jagielka and Distin is maybe the best in the league. Martinez did a fantastic job, enough said!!! The losses in the end of season were the reason why the team didn’t beat Arsenal for the last spot to Champions League.

Number sixth: Tottenham

Andre Villas-Boas (AVB) started as manager after the sale of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid during the summer bought a new squad for 100 million £. The team played so insane at times, the defense was so unorganized that it could have been a team who deserved to be in the drop zone. The chairman cut the cord and hired Tim Sherwood, the lead to Adebayor to settle again in grace and leaving the new guy Soldado to the bricks. The match losses to Liverpool (0-6, 0-5), Manchester City (1-5, 0-6) and Chelsea (0-4), the surprise in this campaign was win over Manchester United at Old Traffod 2-1. Daniel Levy is now shopping his tenth manager for the mighty Spurs, the question is who is next to be axed by Levy?

Number seven: Manchester United

Old Trafford wasn’t the same, the team wasn’t the same, the transfer windows wasn’t the same, nothing was the same Alex Ferguson retired, but David Moyes was the chosen one! Fellaini and Mata was the signings, one magnificent the other one tragic! Old Trafford became a place not to fear anymore; even Swansea beat them there in the FA Cup! Manchester United played with possession for no reason no tiki-taka Barcelona, but the play from 16^th meter yard back to the goalie is a total waste of time and talent! The sacking of Moyes had to come, the one who takes over has to buy a new defense and get them to play attacking football again!

Number eight: Southampton

Pochettino the Argentinian who took the team to new heights with using youth players regularly like Shaw, Clyne, Ward-Prowse, Cork, Chambers and Gallagher! The rise of Lallana and Rodriguez is also astonishing, so well playing is the team that players is now in the zone being sold for a tiny fortune. Pochettino is also on the way to Spurs if he doesn’t get assurance of the mission of a building an amazing squad. Southampton has had an amazing season and can be proud!

Number nine: Stoke

Mark Hughes has taken over after Tony Pulis, because the club wanted to play in more attractive way then long-passes to Kenwyne Jones which got exchange for Odiemwingie and also Assidi (On loan from Liverpool). Adam a former Liverpool player either tackled the opponents, If not he played diligently and proved his place in the team. Stoke did not score a lot of goals, but they did get points and play more possession based as wished by both the fans and board. Stoke made a top ten position something Tony Pulis never achieved, big props to Hughes and his ways with nearly the same players change it and made a great difference.

Number ten: Newcastle

The team under Pardew before Christmas was a team looking like a stellar top six. After Christmas without Cabaye they lost nearly everything except the Cardiff match on 3^rd of May where they won 3-0 and even when Pardew Glasgow-kissed Hull City player Meyler they won 4-1 at KC Stadium and got a 7 games ban. The also fallout of Ben Arfa who would have been the best player since the sale of Cabaye, but didn’t play squat in the end of the season! NeuCastle didn’t become the stellar candidate and gotten all the way Europe, they got the top ten, but not in a way that made the fans see with pride. So even if they get some new singings and end the loans of Loic Remy (QPR) and Luuk De Jong (Boruissa Møchengladback), need a new striker and a creative midfielder. The defense needs also new energy since Taylor and Coluccini is rumored to be out and has also been out of form.

Number eleven: Crystal Palace

Getting up from Championship and started badly in the premiership with Ian Holloway in charge. They lost 7 matches and won 1 in mid-October was at 19^th place. The board didn’t see any structure in the play and hired Tony Pulis, he cleared the squad which was added with 16 new players before the campaign. Pulis in his window got Ledley (Celtic), Dann (Blackburn) and loaned Tom Ince (Blackpool), they all played to part except for Ince. The Palace team got to be a well-structured defense and a team who not only won matches, but surprised Chelsea (1-0) and Liverpool (3-3) which made a difference for the title race, congrats Pulis!

Number twelve: Swansea

A team which played in Euro-League with a limited squad wasn’t up to part in the league at the same time. Michu injured much of the time, but the signing of Wilfried Bony was a great striker who had class both with speed and cold finisher in the box. Michael Laudrup got fired for having too lenient with the squad and except for beating Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup, he didn’t play up to level of last year. Therefore Swansea hired the player Gary Monk to be the intermit manager for the rest of the season and salvage it. The swans picked up the pace and played more than just possession based tiki-taka play, but also win matches.

Number thirteen: West Ham

Sam Allardyce has secured the London team without any issues kept them out the relegation zone. The team didn’t play a fantastic way, Rat was a mistake, Ravel Morrison never got into the team and headed back to QPR. The need for Andy Carroll, Kevin Nolan, Mark Nobel and Downing was showed this year! Hammers didn’t have a real hammer time, but made it well enough and beat Tottenham 3 times this year! The fans are just worried for the slow pace and play of the team when they need more speed and technic to fill the new Olympic stadium in a few year.

Number fourth-teen: Sunderland

A team that was seen as a dead fish in the water with Di Canio in charge and all the new singnings who didn’t show up at any level in the start of the campaign. It got so bad that they hired Gus Poyet to achieve a miracle ending and he did deliver, he got the team to League Cup final where they lost and saved the team from relegation. They had amazing results over 2-1 over Chelsea in April, victory at Old Trafford 1-0 over Manchester United and 2-0 over WBA. Victories that saved the team and the Black Cats, also the run of Wickham in the end of the season was figure that scored the important goals. Poyet made a miracle happen!

Number fifth-teen: Aston Villa

Ricky Lambert former Norwich manager was supposed to make a difference in the team with the new low budgets. Last year the team got saved by Benteke, this year Delp and whatshisname. Back home they played like it was dangerous and havoc place where they would be lost sheep. Whatshisname is Agboniahor and Westwood made sometimes the games interesting, rest of the time played very badly and a reason why they lost 20 matches. If Lambert keeps the job, he has to create magic next year!

Number sixth-teen: Hull City

The team that got promoted last year with Steve Bruce was doomed from the get go. Defense and attacking was made in a way to fit his opponents, either 5 in defense or 3 depending on how it would affect his play. Also the play with two strikers Sagbo and Boyd, the midfielders of Livermore (on-loan from Tottenham) and buying of Huddlestone (Tottenham) made the difference, in the January transfer-window getting Jelavic (Everton) and Long (WBA). Even with the late defeat in the FA Cup against Arsenal, Steve Bruce has achieved something great with this campaign! Salute to Brucey!

Number seventh-teen: West Bromwich Albion

The Birmingham club has delivered reasonable results during recent years, this year it fall a bit apart with the losing strikers like Odiemwingie, Lukuku and Long. Steven Clark got new players but none of them could match the former strikers this was Berahino and Anichebe couldn’t deliver the same kind of force. So Clark had to go and they hired Pepe Mel! The Spaniard didn’t change much and they just made enough ruckus and points to secure the positions and some strange pre-match interviews… Under Clark they one on Old Trafford though 2-1.

Number eight-teen: Norwich

The big buying hoopla with getting Ricky Van Wolfesvinkel and Gary Hooper, Hooper got injured and didn’t fit for the season; Van Wolfesvinkel was the greatest flop of this season. The amazing and great Chris Hughton got fired right before the end of the season when there was no return, and the team didn’t change anything. They had a terrifying end of it all with high end stakes matches and also losing with those close on the table. Neil Adams didn’t make a difference. Alexander Tettey had the goal of the year for this team, but it didn’t save them from the awful relegation and championship to come!

Number nine-teen: Fulham

This year Mohamed Al Fayed got sold to Shahid Khan, first manager of the year was Martin Jol who didn’t make a cut this start of the season, second manager Rene Meulensteen got 75 days, then then the unlucky funny looking German manager Felix Magath got hired to save the team from relegation. Lewis Holtby (on loan from Tottenham), the defender Johnny Heitinga(who wasn’t a worth the free transfer), Kvist, Dempsey(on loan from Seattle Sounders) and the striker Kostantinos Mitroglou (Olympiacos Piraeus) who didn’t even play and he was supposed to be the one take the spot after Berbatov(went to Monaco). Losing 6-0 at KC Stadium with Hull City in 28^th December 2013, then also losing 5-0 against Manchester City at Ethiad Stadium in 22th March 2014 and was March the only points winning over Newcastle 1-0. So there was no question if they we’re going down, there was never plan in the play and without Hangeland in the middle of defense and also weakness in the midfield play were horrible even with some greatness of Sidwell and Dejagah. So bye bye and good luck in the championship!

Number twenty: Cardiff City

The welsh team that went up from the championship with Matt Malkay who tried to defensive and secure the tenure in the premiership they we’re on safe ground the owner Tan couldn’t handle his ways! So he fired Malkay who got Caulker, Bellemy, Mutch, Noone and sure got Marshall there! Ole Gunnar Solskjær got hired and didn’t make a change. First playing aggressive and possession based while just being over the relegation zone. The players bought in January weren’t making much except for Dæhli the talent who nobody expected. The loaned players like Zaha and so on didn’t make a change and Kenwyn Jones(Stoke) didn’t do anything, so Cardiff deserved to go down, good luck in the championship in the red color whose supposed blue!

Peace!

AVB og 2013 mange manageres fall i PL!

Premier League idag uansett hvordan resultater du har oppnådd. Så kan det ende med ditt fall. Bare ett par dårlige kamper og feil, så ender på sidelinjen som keeperen Hart i Manchester City. Tidligere i år fikk Crystal Palace manager Ian Halloway sparken. Etter 9 kamper og 8 tap. Som ny-opprykket fra Championship før sesongen, selv med nye spillere gikk det feil. Galskapen var enda villere i Sunderland med Paolo Di Canio som skaffet flere spillere før sesongen. Reddet klubben akkurat ifjor fra nedrykk. Derimot kunne ikke klare å snu klubbens resultater. Nå har klubben fått en ny manager i Gus Poyet som kom fra suksess i Championship med Brighton & Hove. West Bromwhich Albion(WBA) som har hatt suksses ifjor med topp plassering og med imponerende angrepsspill av både leiesoldaten Lukaku og Odemwingie siste nevnte solgt til Cardiff etter illojalitet for å selge seg selv til Harry Redknapps Queens Park Rangers. Steve Clark har til nå klart på 16 runder fått laget til å ende opp en sikker 16 plass – som blir sett på som underparig.

I så hensende så har også Martin Jol just nå nylig fått sparken i Fulham. En klubb som er veldreven i London og også for ikke lenge siden fått nye eiere. Fulham som har de siste sesogene har vært midtsjikte lag i ligaen. Etter den sesongsstarten ligger nest sist. Dette kunne ikke den nye amerikanske eieren godta. Dermed måtte styre se seg etter en erstatter får å få skikk på resultatene. Martin Jol fikk fyken og nye treneren Rene Meulensteen ble ansatt kjapt.

Stoke som ifjor var ledet av forsvar taktikkeren og kontringsvillige Tony Pulis. Byttet ham ut med Mark Hughes for å få mer fart i angrepsspillet. Dette har ikke skjedd. Derimot har Tony Pulis funnet seg til rette i Crystal Palace som har funnet formen etter fallet til Ian Halloway, Chamackh har begynt å score.

Ikke at noen av disse fallene er den store grunnen til hvorfor jeg kommenterer den kjappe sparkingene av trenere i Premier League. Det går kjappere enn tidligere. Nesten på nivå hva som pleier å skje i Serie A. Hvor man har regler om at i en sesong kan en klubb ha max tre managere. Dette vil si at fra slutten av sommervinduet for salg til sommervinduets start så kan Inter ha tre trenere. Er dette målet til FA og Premier League klubbene?

Tottenham er siste i rekken som sparker sin trener. Dette etter å ha sendt Harry Redknapp på dør ifjor. Etter å ha vært misfornøyd med at han ikke klarte å få klubben blant topp 4 og sikre Champions League plass. Derfor ble det den da sparkete unge Andre Villas Boas(AVB) fra Chelsea som ikke fikk anledning til gjøre noe med laget. Som veldig mange andre trenere har opplevd under Roman Ambramovich. Slik som Avram Grant, Ray Wilkins, Guus Hiddink, Roberto Di Matteo og Rafael Benitez. Chelsea har virkelig byttet managere ofte. En av disse var AVB som deretter fikk ta over Tottenham etter Redknapp som senere tok over QPR.

AVB ble lovet tid. Han klarte ifjor å sikre klubben Euro-league og respektable resultater i cupene. Før sesongen i år solgte Tottenham deres viktigste spiller, den kreative og spennende spilleren Gareth Bale til Real Madrid. De samme pengene er blitt brukt på 7 nye spillere på både midtbanen og spiss. Disse har ikke slått igjennom selv om mange av disse var spillere med stort potensiale fra både Brasil, Spania, Danmark etc.

AVB ble sett på som en overgangsvinner i sommervinduet blant de øverste og store klubbene. Akkurat som Chris Hughton som tok over fra 2012 for Paul Lambert som for tiden er manager i Aston Villa. Chris Hughton har hatt enormt press, men ting ser ut som at det går bedre nå som en av de innkjøpte spissene Gary Hooper har begynt å score!

Det er her AVB har hatt stress. 16 kamper 15 mål. Flere kamper avgjort på straffer. Soldado som kom fra Spania har ikke slått helt igjennom. Defoe som ikke har hatt anledning til støtte Soldado. Paulinho og Eriksen har gjort det helt okay, men ikke like teknisk suverne som forventet av både Tottenham og ikke minst også alle kommentatorer til ligaen.

AVB har hatt press etter stortap hjemme mot West Ham – Hvor innleide Ravel Morrison viste klasse. Manchester Citys Pellegrini hadde en triumf hjemme med å slå samme laget 5-0. Helt overbevisende. Problemet til Tottenham, har vært at midtbanen har ikke tatt del i forsvarsarbeidet til laget som gir mye rom til motstanderen før 16 metersfeltet.

AVB har som skrevet at de har sletet med å bare score 15 mål. Man har hatt mye moro med at Stokes keeper Begovich hadde scoret like mange mål som spissene til Chelsea. Nå spøkes det med at Luis Suarez har scoret flere mål enn Tottenham til sammen. Det er her momentet ligger. Styret og Levy forventer morsom angrepsfotball. Dette har ikke AVB levert i år. Selv om de ligger godt an på tabellen. Selv foran Manchester United. De har kommet videre i Euro League. De er videre i FA Cupen og Liga Cupen. Selv om resultatene er svake i ligaen har de likevel klart å ta poeng og forsatt med i kampen om toppen av tabellen. Selv om det er ett stykke opp til Arsenal og Liverpool.

AVB fikk aldri tid og ro til å bygge laget. Selv om fikk kjøpt en gjeng spillere. Har han ikke fått roen til å styre som Brendan Rodgers i Liverpool og før dette i Swansea. AVB fikk bare en kort rolle til å styre. Fikk styret til å selge Bale til Real Madrid, og kjøpe spillere fra resten av Europa. Brukte samme summen på disse som selve salget.

AVB fikk sjeldent velge spillere i forsvar pga skader. Der de ikke forsterket laget før sesongen. Lloris keeperen har vært agressiv. Dette har kunnet skadet og mistet poeng på å hoppe ut i feltet med mer kraft enn David James i sine glansdager.

AVB har dermed kommet på listen av managere som har mistet sin jobb i 2013. Den begynner å bli lang. Det er bare vente på neste styreformann som mister tillit til sin utvalgte leder. Virker ikke som bygging og tillit til topplederen gjelder lenger. Bare kjappe lettkjøpte resultater gjelder. Ikke bygging og steg for steg. Tottenham kan sikkert velge i kandidater som vil lede klubben. Likevel så er det ett risiko prosjekt. Fordi man vet ikke om man kan leve opp til det som forventes av Levy samtidig som Manchester City, Chelsea og Liverpool er velfungerende maskiner, med sine problemer selvfølgelig.

AVB sorry for din korte tid og liten tillit. Håper du får bygget en klubb etter ditt ideal senere. Om det er i Italia, Spania eller Frankrike. Fordi britene virker ikke som de har tillit til deg.

Peace.