Boggs tries to hold back the tears as prepares to sleep in his Michael Carrick bedspread for the last time.
The new Tottenham has me excited, Jol has developed the side into one that is tough to beat and entertaining to watch, while Sporting Director Comolli has been astute in the transfer market, picking up quality signings at the right price and even having the forsight to sign Didier Zokora in anticipation of losing Michael the Mullet.
But we’ve only had one good season and I’m much more concerned about the long term. Losing Carrick is painful, but how we are able to react is the litmus test for how Spurs will develop in the coming years. Arsenal have got where they are by selling key players (Overmars, Petit, Anelka) for enormous sums and then using the money to build an even stronger squad. Being capable of doing the same is the only way we’ll ever achieve similar success, regardless of how ‘Big‘ of a club we think we are there are always going to be bigger, and the bids will inevitably come in for the likes of Carrick and Aaron Lennon if they perform at a high level.
I’m not interested in short term success, a couple of good years isn’t going to make up for a lifetime of toss. I want to know that Tottenham have the management in place to handle the brutal world of football, football agents, tapping ups, contract negotiating, lies, deceit and still come out the stronger. Losing Sol Campbell for free was the clear warning sign that the decision makers in place at the time were incompentant and not at all prepared to run a successful football club.
So I’m delighted that a key player has left and that we’ve got a fat wad of cash to play with, because now we’ll see if we’ve really got what it takes to get to the top.
And if we don’t…well…shit.