The games are coming thick and fast. After our home loss to Wolves, we barely have time to recover and reorganise before travelling across London, to play in front of an empty White Hart Lane, against Tottenham. Ahead of the game I spoke to lifelong Spurs fan Ode Ogwu to talk about the game and the season.
First of all, are you enjoying the return of football to our lives?
Of course, aren’t you?
Not so much after Saturday, no. Will the break have any effect on the outcomes of our football competitions?
Well, the enforced break has meant we’ve been able to get key players back from long term injury: Kane, Son, Sissoko, Bergwijn. So we should be stronger.
I presume you watched your game at the weekend. How did you enjoy the presentation/atmosphere?
It’s fine, with or without crowd effects. The important thing is that football is able to take place in a safe environment. The presentation in all other respects is pretty much the same.
How are you getting on with Jose as manager? Should Pochettina have been sacked?
He splits opinion. But I like his football astuteness. I think many fans would except that things were deteriorating under Poch and ultimately Levy made the call. Most Spurs fans were deeply saddened. Poch is loved, he took us to the top of the mountain and it was great. For a brief moment it felt like Spurs were the centre of the universe.
Is Mourinho a better long term option in the mind of Spurs fans, given your ‘push and run’ history, and Jose’s cautious (to say the least) attitude?
Again, this does split opinion. But winning games helps. The truth of the matter is, we are not as good as we were. We’ve lost balance in the team. The loss of Dembele, Erickson, Trippier has been a key factor together with the ageing Vertogen, Alderweld, Rose. We stood still for a moment and others overtook us. Jose now has to rebuild the side and that won’t be easy. I’m behind him, and so are most I think. He was brought in to win and this may be his biggest career challenge to date. He won’t have the money others have. Style is relative to winning / losing. When you’re winning it feels great and when you lose horrible. We’d all like the perfect outcome of winning in style. I love the fact that Spurs have always tried to play with flair.
Talking off managers, what if anything did you think of the decision to reappoint David Moyes as our manager?
That’s a difficult question. When a manager becomes your manager you take time to find out about him, listen to what he says, watch and analyse what they do, beyond the general chorus of opinion. I haven’t done this with Moyes. I would have preferred a young up and coming manager but that’s also a risk, one you have to weigh up. West Ham are in a dodgy position and perhaps a safety first approach was taken. Under Pelliegrini it looked like you were building a talented team but it just never took off.
You’ve had two great seasons consecutively, but this one looks to be not so good in comparison. Where do you expect Spurs to finish the season?
Spurs have been in the top four and therefore Champions League for the past 4 years and have qualified for Europe via Champions League and Europa League every year since 2010-11. Levy has been building the club, it’s infrastructure, finances and profile to compete with the big money clubs over the previous 15 years. This year will be a set back I think and realistically I wouldn’t look beyond the Europa League spots while of course hoping for a Champions League spot. It’s very tight and we would have to leapfrog Man.U. who are looking decent again (false dawn one hopes!)
While we’re at it, who (apart from Liverpool) are going to occupy the next 4 places, given that Man City’s place in Europe next year could be up for grabs?
It’s difficult to see any of the top 5 teams seriously crumbling and those outside the top 5 making up the gap. I would give Wolves an outside chance along with Spurs. Hey, this is football and anything can happen.
Predictions for relegation spots?
Difficult again. The best footballing side in the bottom half Spurshave played is Norwich and I will be sad to see them go, as seems likely. Aston Villa don’t look like they’ve got enough. The third spot is anyone’s guess from Brighton in 15th place / 32 points down, which includes Watford, West Ham and Bournemouth. Above Brighton are Southampton on 37 points and another win should see them through.
Harry Kane or Gary Lineker and why?
Harry Kane – He’s one of our own.
Harry Kane or Glen Hoddle?
Well they are both our own but Hoddle takes seniority over Kane simply because he comes before Kane – Kane just needs to continue being great for Spurs. It’s all about what he does next.
Any particular memories of Tottenham/West Ham games of the past?
I used to go to Upton Park quite a lot as a lad of 10-13 years of age with a mate whose dad used to take us – they were West Ham fans of course. Billy Bonds, Harry Rednapp on the wing, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters before he came to Spurs and of course Bobby Moore. But my clearest and favourite memories are more recent. The 2-3 at your ground this season was great in so far as it was Jose’s first game. But the two games that stand out were at Upton park: 2007, Score 3-4 to Spurs, Stalteri scores winner in 94th minute and 2013 3-4 to Spurs, Bale scores screamer to win the match in the 90th minute. But West Ham have had some notable victories over Spurs too – who can forget Lasagne gate, which cost Spurs a place in the Champions League on the final day of the 2005/06 season.
Yes Lasagnegate, was great I woke up that morning heard Spurs players were all sick, and incredibly we were 6 – 1 against to win. I was straight down the bookies. I used to sit behind the goal near the away fans, and the noise during that game was the loudest I’ve ever experienced. How will Spurs line up against us this week? Line up/ Formation?
We started off against Man U on Friday with a back 4, two holding players in Winks and Sissoko, 3 attacking midfielders in Lamela, Son and Bergwijn, behind Kane. I would expect Le Celso to feature probably in place of Lamela and Jose will need to decide whether to bring in Ali and sacrifice Son or Bergwijn. Or bring in Ali for Lamela and leave out Le Celso. Kane looked well off the pace against Utd so it’s not impossible he may play around with the attack but I would expect Kane to Play. He may tinker with the back four too. I think Tobby Alderweld may partner Dyer at the back. The full backs Davis and Aurier. If Jose loses his head a little he may dispense with one of the holding players and go for a more progressive midfielder alongside a holding midfielder. I’d like to see Ndombele feature at some point – what a talent.
You must be quaking in your boots at the thought of playing West Ham at the moment, are you going to be able to prevent us from taking all 3 points away from White Hart Lane? Prediction for score please.
2-0 Spurs!
Many thanks to Ode for his time. Let’s hope we can snatch a point. 1 – 1. _COYI _