JUAN TO FORGET, SPURS
I can't see any glory at White Hart Lane
BOOKIES are offering 50-1 for Tottenham to win the title. Generous, but don’t throw good money after bad.
I asked a bookie pal of mine if Spurs were a horse in the Derby, what that price would tell him.
Basically a 50-1 shot confirms the current form compared to the favourites doesn’t stack up.
Form over the last year had been nowhere near consistent enough and, lastly, the owner just wants a nice day out.
I hope the bookies are proved wildly wrong and that Spurs do march on and make a real go of it. But I can’t see it.
And I’m even beginning to doubt their ability to be within touching distance of the established top four.
Spurs really have missed a trick. They’ve been more concerned with making legal points than amassing enough Premier League points to be taken seriously.
How pathetic to pursue Manchester United through a Premier League ‘court’ over allegations Old Trafford tapped up Dimitar Berbatov.
If they’re going to sell their star player, do it, get the money and move on.
After all, how exactly did they land Juande Ramos from Sevilla last year? Even worse was the sale of talismanic skipper Robbie Keane to Liverpool, the very team Spurs could realistically leapfrog into the Champions League.
Ramos was impressive in the way he settled the club down after the messy exit of Martin Jol.
When they beat Chelsea in the Carling Cup Final, there seemed an even greater case for optimism.
Despite a lacklustre 11th place finish, they got down to business early in the summer.
They brought in the likes of Luka Modric, goalkeeper Huerelho Gomes, Giovani, David Bentley and John Bostock.
But with a heavyweight like Keane gone and Berbatov going, Spurs are relying on Darren Bent for goals.
A year ago he was the fourth choice striker.
I hope I’m wrong but since their day in the spotlight at Wembley Spurs look as though they have take one step forward and two steps back.
That is not good for the competiveness of the Premier League because the title race becomes a mere procession.
And why the fifth favourite in a field of 20 is regarded more as a donkey than anything approaching a thoroughbred.
Now you can shout at Shep! He'll be online from midday today (Sunday, August 17) so click here to tell him what you think.
