Anybody wanna Lallana? Should the Spurs make a stealth bid?

Spurs fans have been focused on adding attacking options for the majority of the transfer window, but the majority of that attention has been paid to the striker position. To be sure, cover for our boy Harry Kane is required, but are we really that much more settled in the three attackers behind our star striker? I would say that we have lots of room for improvement in the attacking midfield as well. After all, are any of you entirely satisfied that Lamela, Dembele, N'Jie, or Alex Pritchard should play big minutes this year? I thought not, here's my crazy idea: submit a stealth bid for former Pochettino star Adam Lallana.

Let me disclose that the chances of this actually happening are approximately 1,000,000 to 1. This is an exercise in the "what if" not the "what will." So suspend your disbelief a moment and let's look at the pros and cons. 

The Pros: There are quite a few obvious reasons why Lallana would be attractive to Tottenham. The first, is that he is a former Pochettino player who blossomed under our current manager who clearly knows how to utilize his strengths. Secondly, he is young and English. If you don't think that matters to Spurs then you clearly have not been paying attention over the past 18 months. Thirdly, let's not forget the lad is very talented. He was a borderline star for Southampton only two years ago and his performance catapulted him into the senior English squad. What's more, is that he would fit very well into our current collection of attacking midfielders. Imagine the possibilities of Eriksen and Lallana attacking the opponent in unison. Their interchanges would be as deadly as their strikes towards goal.

The Cons: The largest argument against this is that Lallana isn't really as good as he was two years ago for Southampton. His time in Liverpool has been lackluster so maybe he simply isn't as good as we once thought. He would also command a very high transfer fee given Liverpool's lack of desire to sell to Spurs coupled with the investment they made in the young starlet. Some would even argue that Lallana is too similar to Eriksen and would leave Tottenham too vulnerable on the defensive side of the pitch. The pitch against Lallana would center around his price tag and him not being "exactly" what the side needs (aka a striker).

Conclusion: While the price tag for young English players has been ridiculous of late, I think getting Lallana for around 20M would be a coup. There is some truth to the argument that he and Eriksen playing together would leave us light on the defensive end, but I think the addition of a stronger defensive midfielder would rectify this issue. We would have a squad weighted towards the offensive end of the pitch, but we're Tottenham..to dare is to do, remember?

Truth, Fairness and Daniel Levy

Daniel Levy is an easy target. He is tasked with operating Tottenham Hotspur Football Club in a responsible financial manner in an age where transfer fees and player wages sky rocket. He has an uncanny resemblance to Dr. Evil of Austin Powers fame and rarely engages the fans in any meaningful way. I understand why he frustrates us and becomes the punch line of a variety of jokes. The man even deserves serious criticism for a variety of his choices as Chairman (red on the kit, bowing too much to corporate interests, etc) but I am sick and tired of the venom directed at his negotiation tactics.

I am writing this on the eve of our match against Stoke and the story dominating Spurs at the moment is the possibility of Arsenal swooping in to hijack our long rumored purchase of Clinton N'Jie. This has produced a wave of anti-Levy sentiment citing his penny pinching as the reason for us losing out. The truth is we as fans are likely correct that Levy refusing to cave in on some relatively minor point of negotiation has caused this stress in the deal. Where our fan base is wrong, is when we classify this as some horrible character flaw of Daniel Levy that exemplifies his lack of ambition. 

Let's face some facts here. We are not blessed with the financial advantages of our competitors at the top of the League Table. ESPN recently released their kit valued for the season and we finished sixth in the revenue produced from sponsors. Our stadium size limits our revenue. We are not owned by an individual obsessed with winning at all costs. For us to have the type of success we want (aka competing for League titles and regular Champions League appearances) we have to punch above our weight. This isn't a death sentence but it is a reality we must recognize. It's part of what makes us Spurs.

Daniel Levy realizes this. He, more than any of us fights against this financial reality on a daily basis. He and the Club have taken very logical and systematic steps to address these issues. We built one of the finest training centers in the world to attract young (and therefore relatively cheap) talent. Whether we sell them for a profit or incorporate them into our First Team they help us compete financially. We are moving forward with plans to build a new stadium that will drastically improve our capacity for ticketing and sponsorship revenue. The stadium plans likely hamstring Levy's spending even more than normal in the short term but still will provide financial benefit in the long term.

So why do we repeatedly curse Levy's financial conservatism? It's not as if we are not investing money we save on transfers and/or wages back into the Club. Our training facility and upcoming new stadium are the clear benefits of our conservative finances. The millions of dollars that Daniel Levy saves the Club on multiple transfers throughout each season add up and pay for these things. The shirt sales that Khumalo sold in Africa? Those sales may have paid for the physio room in the training center. The money we got out of selling Lewis Holtby after just one season? Perhaps that's a concession stand in the new stadium. The point is that these "little negotiating points" add up to things that Levy sees are crucial to the future elevation of Tottenham.

Him working hard to save us money has undoubtedly cost us players who could have helped our squads over his tenure. Maybe an aggressive bid for Morgan Schneiderlin would've secured us a Champions League place last year. Those criticisms are fair and I will often join other fans in them. What isn't fair, is to paint Levy as a Chairman who doesn't care about winning. He likely cares more than you or I but sees a different path for long term success. He sees a new stadium as the key to making us financially strong enough go challenge any Club in the Premier League. That is why he is a miserly negotiatior. His savings go to strengthen the Club's foundation; not to the pockets of ENIC.

If after the new stadium is built and paid for we still lag behind our competitors in transfer fees and wage structures then by all means, let's fire away at Daniel Levy's ambition. Right now we don't have any reason to doubt his desire to help the Club we love be the world's best. Moving forward let us appreciate the cut throat negotiations that Daniel Levy presides over because each one gets us one step closer to an even playing field. 

There are plenty of justified reasons to criticize Daniel Levy. Lack of ambition for Tottenham just isn't one of them.

Which Striker(s) Should and Will Tottenham Sign?

Tottenham fans worldwide are in agreement that our beloved Spurs must supplement our attack force to mount a heroic assault in the Top 4. A multitude of names have been bandied about but who are the realistic targets? More importantly who are the right targets? Read on to see my handicapping of the main target's odds of signing for Tottenham and the grading of the possible fit.

Target 1- Saido Berahino

Probability of Signing-50%

Fit Grade-A+

Berahino has been a name that has divided fan opinion a great deal. The majority of the debate hasn't centered around Berahino's ability, but rather his rumored 25M price tag. I view this sum as a slightly inflated number, but certainly not out of the realm of reason. If we can get him for around 20M all in I would find him to be a terrific buy. The positives are pretty obvious. He is a fast, Premier League proven striker that has previously established chemistry with Harry Kane. I'm not sure if the importance of finding a partner who plays well and gets along with Kane can be overstated. If we can make a deal that nets us a young, quality player who also makes us more likely to retain our young talisman then we can afford to overspend to acquire him. In fact, we can't afford not to make every effort to bring in the West Brom forward. Of course, U21 strikers who are proven in the Premier League are prized commodities which makes the deal difficult to complete. While I wish it were more likely, it's a 50/50 shot.

Target 2- Charlie Austin

Probability of Signing-20%

Fit Grade-C+

I think the QPR striker is a fine player and I even believe he is an above average Premier League striker. My only concern with him is that he is a poor man's Harry Kane. That in and of itself isn't a bad thing, it simply lowers his value to Tottenham. Given Pochettino's preference to play a single striker he is far from an ideal fit to play with Kane on a regular basis so what would he really be utilized for? He would be an excellent option to provide cover in case of a serious Kane injury and to play in Europa League and Cup competitons but can you really see Daniel Levy paying big money for that? I can't and that's why I see him moving to somewhere other than North London on Deadline Day. He is a good player, but not what Tottenham seems to be a priority at the moment.

Target 3- Clinton N'jie

Probability of Signing-50%

Fit Grade-B+

Most are pretty down on the young Cameroon striker signing for Tottenham and I think that's grossly unfair both to the player and the Club. If you are viewing N'jie's signing as the total sum of the Club's transfer plans then you are right to be disappointed. However, I don't think that is anywhere near accurate. Instead, I choose to view the young, pacy prospect as more of a wide developmental prospect and less of a backup striker. Given our lack of pace on the wing, he profiles as a player who can really help our squad now and in the future. Is he the answer to our needs? Who can know at his age, but he is worth a punt. I am, however, more skeptical than most about the chances of this deal happening. He is reported to be in London for his medical, but we haven't seen so much as an airport photo yet. Add the lack of that photo with the reported quotes from his current Club's president about there being no bid from Tottenham and it equals significant skepticism.

Target 4- Javier Hernandez

Probability of Signing-10%

Fit Grade-C

The Man United striker has struggled to find a home as of late and has recently been named as a Spurs target. I'm not entirely sure I buy this, but I'll indulge the press in this space. Much like Austin, I think he is a fine player but question his fit with Tottenham. He doesn't have the red hot motor that Poch requires as a pressing striker but does have a nose for goal that can't be denied. He would be fine as cover for Kane but not ideal. I can't see United offering us a cut rate deal that may strengthen us so I feel the odds of this coming off are quite low. Perhaps this could happen as a last resort on Deadline Day but let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Conclusion-In all likelihood we may end up with a striker and wide forward whose name hasn't reached the rumor mill yet. Berahino still represents the best case scenario we know about but perhaps Pochettino's "private target" will surprise us all!

The Tottenham Chase: Has the Champions League ruined our club?

In philosophy I am generally in agreement that sport, and football in particular, has fallen victim to over commercialization in recent years. Even beloved Tottenham now charges forward with plans for a new stadium and a transfer policy designed to profit the ownership group above all else. Yet one criticism of Tottenham by many traditionalists really irritates me. The notion that the pursuit of Champions League football has ruined Spurs is simply the anthem of those bereft of ambition.

I get the basic argument. Finishing top 4 has become an obsession and we have only managed to achieve Champions League qualification once. As such, our other seasons have been failures. What's worse is that many of our seasons are over well before the end of our fixture list because we are too far out of contention. Many even argue that given our financial limitations we will continue to struggle to finish in the top 4 behind our richer peers. I won't even delve into the intricacies of how the cost of Europa League participation drives some people mad. My question to those who feel this way is simple: what in the hell do you want us to strive for?

People who detest our obsession with CL Qualification want you to believe they are staying true to the Club's history. The game is about the glory, to dare is to do, etc line up nicely with going full tilt after trophies but isn't pushing for Champions League really going after the biggest of trophies? I'd like to win a FA Cup (and end our trophy drought) as much as the next guy but that is trying to win an English trophy. By simple logic isn't the quest to win a European honor more daring? What seems more glorious to you: a FA Cup final versus Burnley or a Champions League knockout match versus Roma?

Even worse are you Spurs fans who abhor the CL ideal because of our inability to compete with other Premier League Clubs. Shame on all of you. If we can't finish in the Top 4 then surely we can never challenge for a Premier League title. Why not drop down to the Championship so we can go after a League Title? Do we have an easy road to a League title or even a top 4 finish compared to richer teams? No, but we are Tottenham for God's sakes!!! There is something special about our Club. Whether you think it's the gleaming white on our kit, the magic of White Hart Lane or the spirit of our fans there is something amazing and utterly unique about Tottenham. If you don't believe that unique quality can help us "punch above our weight" and compete at the highest levels of football then I pity you. Your experience as a Spurs fan lacks the best thing about my fandom: the belief that there is magic in Tottenham.

Many of you will read this and laugh at what you perceive to be my naievety. You have my deepest sympathy. I go into every season daring to dream of a magical run to the Title or at least Champions League qualification. You begin the season sadly waiting for failure. Remember why you fell in love with Tottenham in the first place, dare to be special....dare to be Tottenham.