Revolving Daws

There’s more to a football club than its personnel. A football club has an ethos, an identity, a collective characteristic or disposition that defines and bonds those within it. To put it simply, it has a soul (possibly discounting a few I could mention.) Tottenham Hotspur are in danger of stripping that soul away, of selling the very heart from our chest.

For so long, Ledley King was that heart. He was our leader, our talisman, the player who came to embody our club. Now that he’s retired, we look to others to provide that example and that leadership, that identity with Tottenham Hotspur. We look to a strong English nucleus of players who understand the club and its supporters, who appreciate its history and want to play a part in its future. People like Scottie Parker, people like Michael Dawson. Even people like Tommy Huddlestone. Scott’s injured, Daws is being ushered away and Hudd’s stepping off the treatment table and potentially packed off to the Potteries.

We wondered whether Villas-Boas would introduce his infamous high line and how that would affect our less-mobile defenders. There’s your answer. He might not be the quickest and he’s occasionally rash, but Michael Dawson has been a credit to the club with his commitment, his hard work and his attitude. Never do you see Dawson get involved with other players, never is he surly or bitter in interviews. He’s someone who seems to be enjoying himself, showing humility and even humour.

I can see how Hudd might not fit into our new high-energy pressing game. If we’re going to be closing down in packs high up the pitch, we need everyone to be mobile. Mobile he’s not, and he should score a lot more goals for someone with a shot like that. But he can dominate a game with his range of passing, surely a useful weapon in a tight midfield where we need a pinpoint pass to release one of our wide men and open the field up. Surely he’s worth having as an option to change a game, to add a slightly different dimension to our attacks and a tough tackle to our defence. But instead, it looks like he’ll be adding his not inconsiderable frame to the already sizeable bulk of Stoke City’s ranks.

One thing we always accused Harry of was being a player-hoarder. I think it’s safe to say we won’t be saying the same thing about our new boss. You can only wonder who’ll be next out of the door.