Tottenham Hotspur --- "An Echo of Glory"

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What's the story?
I am a huge Spurs fan and I felt the need to do a story in honor of the 10th anniversary of the passing of the legend, "Mr. Tottenham" Bill Nicholson.

Who am I?
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Even though this story is dedicated to Bill Nicholson, I will not be him. I will be the man who was linked with Spurs and who I thought would be the one to bring us that glory. Mr. Louis Van Gaal will take the reins. Expect interesting tactics, expect risks to be taken, expect the unexpected, this Spurs team will be unpredictable. Have fun reading, try to speculate/advise on some players I should go after in the transfer window. Let the fun begin.

good luck! bring back bale!

Good luck man !

Yesterday, Louis Van Gaal sat down with a reporter from Sky Sports. He covered a number of topics from his relationship with the Chairman, Daniel Levy, to his plans with the current staff, and to the tactics he will implement on his current team.




Reporter: Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur. How excited are you to get life started at the club?

LVG: It was my boyhood club. I have always had an admiration for Tottenham and I wish to bring my past experience and success, and instill it here at White Hart Lane.

Reporter: It was reported that you turned down an opportunity to take the reins at Manchester United to join Tottenham. Can you give us some insight into that?

LVG: Manchester United offered me Moyes' job, but I've been with the biggest clubs already and Tottenham was a new challenge.

Reporter: What is your relationship like with Daniel Levy?

LVG: He was delighted with my loyalty to my boyhood club and I am delighted with his ambition. We do disagree on some aspects however, sometimes the need to commercialize Tottenham Hotspur supersedes our footballing needs. But our ambition is what brings us together, and we respect that in one another.

Reporter: Spurs have undergone a lot of changes over the past year. Each manager tries to implement their own staff and their own philosophy onto a club. However, in the case of which the club has had two different managers fired and two upheavals of staff in less than 10 months, what are your thoughts on how you will integrate your own staff?

LVG: I need time to evaluate not only the staff, but the players as well. That being said, some staff will have to make way for staff that I intend to bring in.

Reporter: And as for club philosophy, can you provide us with some information?

LVG: I cannot reveal my secrets to the opposition.

Reporter: Well can I at least know the goals for Tottenham this season?

LVG: We aim to win all of the trophies.

Reporter: Those are some lofty expectations for a club that finished 6th in the table last season.

LVG: One man once said, "It is better to fail aiming high than to succeed aiming low. And we of Spurs have set our sights very high, so high in fact that even failure will have in it an echo of glory."
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Can Spurs achieve their goals? Who will they have to bring in? What are the secrets that Van Gaal is withholding? Subscribe to find out more.

Just a day after Louis Van Gaal told Sky Sports that he would evaluate the staff before making decisions, an incredible 15 new staff members have been added, while nine were sent packing, including the likes of Head of Youth Development John McDermott and Assistant Manager Chris Ramsey. McDermott expressed his thoughts on his firing shortly after,

"I am disheartened to leave a club like Tottenham Hotspur. We were making progress, in the youth academy, with players like Nabil Bentaleb, and Milos Veljkovic getting more prepared for senior debuts. I am upset that I could not continue on with this project, but I have no ill feelings towards the manager. It is his job to do what he deems best for the club and I wish him all the luck in the world."

Chris Ramsey, however, did not take so kindly to the treatment he received from the club.

"Tottenham Hotspur is a great club. I have been here a long, long time and I will always cherish the time I have spent here. That being said I feel a bit betrayed by Mr. Levy. They ask me to help Tim [Sherwood] with the U21's, I help out. They ask me to become the new Assistant Manager and I help out. But now they ask me to leave. Players can no longer trust that they can build a relationship with the coaches anymore with all of this change. How can one succeed without stability? Why must I go when all I do is what the club needs? How will this new manager be any different?

Strangely, Les Ferdinand and Steffen Freund remain on from the old regime. Replacing McDermott and Ramsey are Rodolfo Borrell (former Liverpool Head of Youth Development), and Steve Clarke (former West Brom manager) respectively.

Is Chris Ramsey right? Are Tottenham doomed to keep changing? Or will Louis Van Gaal provide much needed stability?

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Today the club has announced max deals for Nabil Bentaleb and Milos Veljkovic, and have extended the contracts of Laste Dombaxe, Kenneth McEvoy, Ruben Lameiras, Giancarlo Gallifuoco, and Shaquile Coulthirst. Nabil had received his senior debut last term when Tim Sherwood was at the helm. Nabil was available for comments after confirmation of the new contracts

Nabil: "I am excited to be extending my stay at the club. I feel confident after a good second half of the season, and after a solid World Cup showing from my Algeria. I look to give back to the great Tottenham after all of the faith they have shown in me."

The wake of this influx of new contracts highlights the lack of contracts for other Tottenham players who are entering their final year. Younes Kaboul, Gomes, and Brad Friedel have all been reportedly put on transfer list. Louis Van Gaal declined to comment on the contract situation, but was quick to praise the attitude of Brad Friedel:

"Brad has been fantastic. He not only understands his place in the club (in which French captain Hugo Lloris has the starting position) he also does his best to help our young players grow into future stars. His experience is truly useful to all of our goalkeepers, and I have suggested to him that he should coach at the club in the near future."

So perhaps Friedel is getting set for retirement after this season, but what of the likes of Gomes and Kaboul? Where are their places, or are there none? Subscribe to find out more.

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