“Show ‘em Yiddo, Woolwich is due South”
Posted: Thursday 18 July 2013 by Hellllbender in Labels: achievement, arsenal, fifa, match, soccer, sports, tottenham
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Owing to a mixture of terrible performances (just one win in the run-in), and terrible luck (Chelsea denying the footballing gods, against all odds), Spurs had been thwarted yet again by Arsenal in their quest for Champions League football. Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart left White Hart Lane for greener pastures, and I was left with no option but to curse my luck, for failing me yet again, and myself, for being in love with the daffy old club that is Tottenham Hotspur.
Yes, I am a Spurs fan. And no, there is a lot more to Tottenham than Gareth Bale. True, the Welsh Wizard has single-handedly won us games more oft than not, but that would stamp Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United as ‘one-man-teams’ as well, owing to a certain Cristiano, Lionel and Robin… Sigh, I know, I know. I’m fighting a losing battle. Being a yid around these parts surely isn’t easy; you get devoured by hungry gooner sharks before you can finish saying “Come on You Spurs!!” Look around yourself. All you see is Man United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Man United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Barcelona. And a little more of Arsenal and Man United.
Tottenham’s failure to finish above Woolwich (sorry gooners, old habits), does not help either. Whilst gooners jeer upon learning my footballing ethnicity, others merely give me a sympathetic “tch tch” (not without good reason, I suppose). But then again, I guess that is still better than what I have to endure whenever I go shirt hunting in Rawalpindi Saddar:
“Tottenham ki shirt ho gi?”
“Jee who kia hota hai?”
Or the fact that one of my friends, for a long time thought Spurs and Tottenham were two separate clubs. Or when you Google ‘Spurs’ and Google suggests ‘Did you mean: San Antonio Spurs?’ (truly a face-palm moment). But again, nothing is worse to the ears of a Spurs’ fan than the notorious and horribly obnoxious “Mind the gap”.
Hope is one thing us Tottenham fans are never short of; as we await each fresh season, hope is breathed into us after the bitter disappointments of the previous season at the prospect of exciting players being linked to Spurs in the summer transfer window. David Villa, Hulk, Radamel Falcao, Wesley Sneijder, whom-so-ever not? The hope, however, is pretty much extinguished by the end of July, thanks to the rigidity of a certain Daniel Levy (don’t get me wrong, I have more to thank for this, than complain). Alas, the flame of hope is rekindled when Levy signs two or three players on transfer deadline day for amazing prices (Rafael van der Vaart for 8 million pounds, an absolute STEAL). The same hope flickers on and off in the opening few games of the season owing to a few uncertain performances, grows brighter and steadier as the season wears on and we approach February. Starts trembling in March, completely dies out in April as Spurs choke, and we see a spark or two in the ashes in May, before the inevitable result: Arsenal finish above Tottenham… again.
Now, towards the brighter side. It must not be overlooked that the once immense quality gap (Not so long ago, Arsenal chased titles while Spurs were happy to avoid relegation ) between the two North London based clubs has decreased considerably, up to the point that Arsenal have been finishing just one point above Tottenham in the last two seasons. A sturdier than ever defense, a midfield that could shame Barcelona on its day, a young, bright manager and the jewel in Tottenham’s non-existent crown; - Gareth Bale, can only push Tottenham in one direction: forwards.
A second placed finish is what I predict for Tottenham in the coming season (Arsenal fans, ignore this slight please). For what DO we have if not for hope? Come on you Spurs, show them Woolwich is due South!
PS: I hate it that Dido is a gooner. Pfft.
Written by: Taimoor Malik