Kane Reign? How long will Harry Kane and others stay at Spurs?

If you have been a Tottenham supporter for any length of time you've had to deal with the pain of player loss. Whether it was Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid or Michael Dawson's sentencing to Hull you have seen a beloved Spur leave your Club of choice. With that in mind, what's the career expectancy of our current first team? Who's here for the long haul and who might be gone sooner rather than later? Enjoy our Blog's predictions on every current first team player!

Goalkeepers

-Hugo Lloris- Much speculation has centered around the French captain's future in Lillywhite, but I am more optimistic than most about him staying for the long haul. I believe we are a Club headed towards Champions League qualification and if that's true, Hugo will be hard pressed to find a better situation. A seismic move to PSG, Real Madrid or the like would pry him away from us, but I think there's a fair chance that he remains our starting keeper for five plus additional years.

-Michel Vorm- Vorm gets too much stick from our fans for not being Lloris, but he's a solid keeper in his own right. I can't see him being satisfied to be a second choice keeper for very long and I think he was brought here to protect against a Hugo departure. As soon as one of our young keepers is ready to ascend to the second spot, I think Vorm is a goner. Put his life expectancy at two years.

Defenders

-Kyle Walker- I get that Kyle Walker isn't exactly a cerebral defender, but most are way too hard on the guy. He's a freak athlete at right back who provides real width and can put in a good challenge in defense. He'll always be prone to switching off, but honestly, if he was 100% in focus all the time he'd be playing with Bale in Madrid. He will last at Tottenham five more years until at the age of 30, his elite athleticism begins to wane.
-Jan Vertonghen- Another sometimes enigmatic defender, I believe Vertonghen's status has been settled quite well after the addition of his Belgian teammate, Toby Alderweireld, to play along side him. There's always the chance he could run off to a bigger club, but I think he's safe for one more contract at Spurs so let's put his expectancy at four years.
-Danny Rose- He was a revelation for Spurs last season after he was given a contract extension that was universally maligned by fans. I think his status is safe through the remainder of that five year contract, but perhaps surprisingly, I think he's done after that. His diminutive stature coupled with his lack of skill on the ball makes him particularly dependent on his speed. Once that starts to go, he will go downhill quickly and be sold off. Call him safe for four years provided his health holds up.
-Eric Dier- I think the 21 year old is set to be a Tottenham cornerstone. I feel his future is definitely as a starter at center back as opposed to the midfield role he is currently immersed in. I've surprised myself even with this prediction, but I feel as if his expectancy is about eight years. He's one of the guys I'd feel most comfortable letter your kids become attached to.
-Ben Davies- He had high expectations coming in from Swansea, but he's been underwhelming at best. I think he's got one more year until we find a younger, cheaper deputy for Danny Rose. I think he's better than he's shown thus far, but he's a short timer.
-Federico Fazio- Not as bad as he's looked for us, but he's a ridiculously bad fit for Pochettino's high line. I realize the West Brom deal has apparently broken down, but I can't see him here past January and he certainly could leave in the next week. I'll call his expectancy six months.
-DeAndre Yedlin- I am not one of the people who believe the American was purchased just to sell shirts. I think the US fan base is more sophisticated than that now in terms of who they will support. They can see the games easier than most Brits given the available TV platforms. I think he's a three year Spur though. He will likely spend at least this season out on loan and then I think he's got a chance to serve as a back up right back until a youth team player knocks him off. Give him three years in our shirt and then back to MLS or a lower Premier League club.
-Kieran Trippier- This will surprise some people. I think his expectancy is capped at two years. His lack of athleticism keeps him behind Kyle Walker and ultimately, DeAndre Yedlin. He's a really skilled player and will be sold for a nice profit, but if Walker and Yedlin progress as we expect, they will pass the youngster by.
-Kevin Wimmer- Despite our recent ineptitude at signing center backs I think Wimmer has a chance to stick around. I don't think he's an every week starter, but I believe his expectancy is at three seasons until a Bundesliga Club overpays for him. He'll be good business and a solid backup, no more, no less.
-Toby Alderweireld- I'm afraid I don't see Toby at Spurs long term. He's shown a willingness to move around (three clubs in the last three years) and his skill on the ball will be attractive worldwide. Expect him to join the litany of players sold for a large profit after two years starring for Spurs.

Midfielders

-Erik Lamela- I want to like Lamela sooo badly, but I'm almost entirely out of hope. He will go to a softer league and light it up and people will argue for the next decade about whether or not we should've held on to him, but it's not working at Tottenham. I believe he has this year to build up some value and will show more flashes, but still be sold at a loss next off season. If you like the young Argentine, enjoy him this year, he's gone after one more season.
-Andros Townsend- While I still have a sliver of hope left for Lamela, I'm over Townsend entirely. His problems are 100% related to his selfishness. For a while I gave him the benefit of the doubt in calling it confidence, but his desire to shoot at all times has annoyed me, and more importantly Pochettino, to the point where I think a departure in January is likely. His expectancy will be six months of cup games.
-Mousa Dembele- We all keep waiting for Mousa to kick on, but we've waited too long. He's a serviceable squad player, but he will want more of a role than that. After this season we'll oblige him and someone else will overpay for his flashes of quality. His expectancy is one more year of never dribbling into the final third.
-Nacer Chadli- The Dolphin causes fans to cheer and curse almost at the same time. He can go through games entirely anonymous then pop off for a meaningful goal. I don't think that's enough given his time and location on the pitch and I suspect Poch doesn't fancy him all that much either. Put his expectancy at two years and then he'll be sold for a nice profit. He's more Clint Dempsey than Jay Rodriguez and that means he'll be out in 24 months.
-Christian Eriksen- Good news for all those who criticize the Dane for not being physical enough. You won't have to watch him past the next three years because he'll be playing for a bigger club after being sold for 40M. Enjoy our midfield standout while he's here, but I don't think he will finish his contract.
-Ryan Mason- This is one of the tougher predictions. At times, he looks physically over matched for top flight football but his determination and craft make him a standout at times. His longevity at Spurs, perhaps more than anyone else's, depends on what we're able to do in the transfer market. If we spend heavily in the defensive midfield and crowd him out, someone will make an offer too good to be true. Otherwise, he could be a regular starter for the next eight years. I'm going to land in the middle at four years with the thought that he'll be good when healthy, but injuries will make him surplus to requirements. Someone will overpay for the English midfielder to be an every week starter and Levy will make a deal to benefit all parties.
-Nabil Bentaleb- The Algerian star had a great run of form last season, but I'm not entirely convinced it was more class than form. I think he is a quality player, but I wonder if his opinion of his own abilities are higher than that of Pochettino's. I'm betting that's the case, and he will play a significant role until he is sold for a hefty profit in two years. Might be wrong here, but he just doesn't seem settled despite the new contract.
-Tom Carroll- He won't be at Tottenham long and despite Tim Sherwood's prediction, it won't be because of a sale to Barcelona. I think Carroll is a Premier League squad player whose tiny stature makes it almost impossible for him to compete in the midfield every week. Still, he's got some use, and my bet is that in January or next summer, he'll end up playing a prominent role for a newly promoted Premier League side. Set the expectancy at one year.
-Dele Alli- The first of hopefully many Mitchell signings at the Club, he has the look of a world class midfielder. I will put his expectancy at seven years and that might not be enough. If I had to bet on who our best midfielder will be when we open our new stadium I'd be sorely tempted to bet on Alli over any of his current competitors. I'll put the mark at seven years and hope it's even longer.
-Aaron Lennon- He's been a great servant to Tottenham, but his time has passed. I'm not a great fan of his unceremonious exit (ie not being given a squad number) but there may be more to Pochettino's disdain for Lennon than we know. At any rate, his expectancy stands at about two weeks.
-Alex Pritchard- His projection is a little like Ryan Mason's. It's difficult to project because of his youth and the possibility of others being bought at his position. Pritchard, just today, signed a four year extension and I think he'll be able to see that out at the Club. After that, he'll likely be replaced by a better and/or cheaper option. Set the expectancy at the four years his contract allows.
-Clinton N'jie- Speaking of difficult projections, it's really hard to make a call on this one. He ticks all the boxes of a Mitchell quality signing, but we've seen very little of the Cameroon native to know whether or not he'll stick. He signed a five year contract and I'll set the expectancy there as a testament to my confidence in Mitchell and his black box.

Strikers

-Emmanuel Adebayor- Barring a massive Juju reveral he's on his way out the door. He's been banished with the youth and I am not even sure that's far enough away from the first team. The sooner he's gone the better but of course, his wage demands make any move complicated. Our best hope is that a high dollar club loses a striker to injury and panic loans Adebayor for cover. Think this may happen in January though I hope I'm wrong. Set the expectancy at six months.
-Harry Kane- Many of you will disagree with this. I think Kane has the largest expectancy of any of our current first teamers. I'm going to put his expectancy at a whopping twelve years. I suspect that many of you think he'll be snapped up well before then, but I disagree. First off, I don't think he's going to hit 31 goals in a season again any time soon. Even when he scores say, 20, this season it will be viewed as sub par and will cool his stock. He will never be a hotter commodity than he was this summer and we seem poised to hold on to him through that. Secondly, I buy into the belief that Harry truly is one of our own and will be happy to be a one club player. Perhaps I'm falling in love with a narrative, but he seems a much simpler man than Gareth Bale or Luka Modric. He isn't worldly and that's part of his charm. I don't think Real Madrid or Barcelona is his dream like they are for so many of his peers. That leaves large English clubs ie Manchester United as the only real competition and I think Levy sees so much value in Kane that he'll refuse to sell. I believe that deep down Levy regrets selling Bale even at the massive price for which he was sold. He can understand the value that a superstar like Kane brings to the Club and as a result, he'll want to hold on to that as we move into the new stadium. That should buy enough time for the rest of the squad to catch up talent wise and compete for Champions League on a regular basis. Once that's done, United's position won't be superior enough to unsettle our Harry Kane. Book him for twelve years.

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.

It's Not About Race: Why Spurs fans prefer Soldado to Adebayor

Both Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado are seemingly at the end of their time as Tottenham strikers but almost universally, fans wish Soldado the best while hoping Adebayor is finally consumed by the Juju. Why do Spurs fans remain sympathetic to Bobby while burying Adebayor?

Right off the bat let me address the possibility that this is based on race. I imagine for some fans this might be the case, but I don't see it as the primary motivation for many fans. I think the cultural relatibility of Soldado for most fans is significantly higher than Adebayor's given their backgrounds but at best, that is an undercurrent for most.

The real reason behind the difference between the two in fan's minds comes down to visible effort in the pitch. Close your eyes and think of Soldado....chances are the image in your mind is of his face marred in angst after a near goal. Now do the same for Adebayor...you likely get an entirely different image. Perhaps you are like me and are cursed to see the image of he and Sherwood locked in salute, maybe you see him loafing after a loose ball or even in an Arsenal kit. The point is we have always been convinced of Soldado's effort and care for his performance while Adebayor has frequently been absent both physically and emotionally.

The psychology behind this is pretty straightforward. We can all relate to Soldado as a man who gives his best effort and is suitably frustrated. Who among us hasn't tried their best and failed at something? On the other hand, there are precious few Tottenham fans know what it feels like to squander enormous talent while being made rich with zero apparent misgivings. Adebayor is the classic villain while Soldado represents the quintessential Everyman hero. It is a story old as time. To sum it up, we like Soldado because he gives a damn. We ridicule Adebayor because he doesn't.

Lastly let me say to critics who will defend Adebayor due to his personal difficulties you can save your breath. I know that Adebayor's family is as crazy as a box of ducks and that he has done a great deal of charitable work. Ever wonder why we seem to know every twist and turn of Adebayor's life? We know because he wants us to see his personal life as a justification or counterweight for his lack of on field performance and effort. I don't blame him for the strategy but let's view it for what it is. It's a public relations strategy from his agent not a series of heartfelt mea culpas.

So fellow Yids continue on wishing Soldado the best while hoping the Juju finally does Ade in. After all, he once played for Arsenal. Do we need a better reason for our disdain?

"Boogie Clown," Sacramento Kings to be featured in new reality show!

Breaking news from Sacramento tonight as the makers of HBO's "Hard Knocks" series have struck an agreement with Kings new owner, Vivek Ranadive to carry the groundbreaking new series "Boogie Clown" documenting the NBA's most unpredictable franchise during the upcoming season. See the list below for the top five episode summaries sure to entertain NBA fans during the 2015-16 season.

1. The Emotional Goodbye- Witness the emotional farewell of George Karl after he is fired after the Kings get off to an 0-1 start. Karl actually appears awake for the firing as Vivek cites the brutal win loss record as the reason for the abrupt dismissal. "We signed big time free agents and our expectations were clear. We didn't sign Rajon Rondo to be coached by someone who will finish his career with zero wins," said Vivek. Rondo was particularly upset at Karl's dismissal until Boogie explained to him that the departing coach was not just "Coach Cal after he got old and ragged lookin."

2. The Awkward Reunion- Emotions are running high when the Nuggets, coached by former Kings leader and now Nuggets head man Mike Malone visit Sacramento for the first time. The situation is even more riddled with tension since Vivek has recently appointed himself as the team's head coach. Boogie complicates the situation further by repeatedly walking into Nuggets team huddles to talk to Coach Malone. Vivek mistakenly believes that Cousins is only doing so because he can't see him so he orders Vlade Divac to let him ride on his shoulders for the second half. The episode ends on a high note as the Kings win on a last second Rondo underhanded free throw.

3. Vivek's Waterloo- Vivek's dream of revolutionizing the NBA comes to a screeching halt as his two revolutionary resolutions are voted down at the NBA Owners Meeting. His first resolution, introducing a second basketball to the game at all times is defeated unanimously. His second resolution, an attempt to institute a designated offensive player did garner modest support from the Heat and Lakers. The chance to let DWade and Bryant make max money and just play offense is owerwhelmingly supported by fans of the two teams. Wade causes a minor stir when he is caught on camera mouthing, "wait, I'm supposed to have been playing defense?" at the vote's announcement. The episode closes with an odd revealing of Vivek's Stauskas tramp stamp as he walks away dejected and broken.

4. Kings And Queens- Miffed by their all star snubs, Boogie and Rondo spend the All Star break together in Las Vegas. The trip goes well until Rajon assaults a poker dealer after the dealer suggested he do something other than pass. Boogie has an outstanding trip until he runs into old nemesis Isiah Thomas at a strip club. The two have words but ultimately reconcile after Brad Stevens and Omri Casspi surprisingly arrive at the Club together and help the two truly communicate for the first time. The episode closes with Omri driving Boogie and Rondo out of town on a trike just ahead what they believe to be an angry senior citizen biker gang (which is just a Shriners Parade in actuality).

5. Belinelli Ball- The entire team turns out for teammate Marco Belinelli's charity gala. Unfortunately, the guys don't understand that the event, entitled "3 for Gs" is a benefit for homosexual men in poverty and not, as Rondo originally believed to be "an event for gangstas that can't pimp it no mo." To no one's surprise, Vlade Divac has the best time of the event until he is awkwardly purchased by Vivek in the date auction. An awkward situation turns truly bizarre when Vivek gazes lovingly in Vlade's eyes and utters a heartfelt, "Stauskas" as the final credits roll. 

I hope this whets your appetite for what will be the season's biggest new series, "Boogie Clown" airing concurrently on HBO, NBATV and the Oxygen Network. Keep your eyes on the balls!