EYEWITNESS: Tottenham Hotspur 4 BSC Young Boys 0, Champions League Play-Off
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAY-OFF: TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 4 BSC YOUNG BOYS 0
EYEWITNESS REPORT from the WHITE HART LANE
By DAN CARRIER
Tottenham win 6-3 on aggregate
THE stadium DJ put on Chas and Dave as the players walked out, and the party started: it meant we had to wait a little bit longer for that Champions League music that has never been heard at White Hart Lane until tonight, but the record was fitting.
When the theme tune for the live Champions League game on the telly finally came over the tannoy, it hit home that Harry Redknapp’s side had really earned the right to have a chow down at European club football’s top table.
It felt special. It was little things like the swapping of pendants, the Champions League logo on the football, the trade mark embossed flag being paraded in the centre circle, the extra fat programme… they made you realise this was something that little bit different. It is a feeling we’ve waited long enough for.
And there is something special sitting in the press box with a grand stand view and watching the architect of this achievement at work. When Harry Redknapp took over just 18 months ago we were bottom of the league. Tonight, while the fans sung the players names to the rafters, this was really all about the magic Harry has worked.
He has invigorated this group of players beyond belief, made them great to watch, signed carefully and made the most of what he had. Now he has sealed a place for us in the Champions League proper. Just to be at this stage would have been dismissed as a complete fantasy in 2008.
He was up and down in his seat constantly, hoiking instructions on to the pitch and keeping up a banter with Joe Jordan and Kevin Bond throughout.
And his shouted promptings at his charges can be pretty specific. Midway through the first half, he barked at Dawson that the next time he gets the ball to hit it long: Spurs had been in possession for a while, but it was all too deep to be dangerous. Daws followed the order the letter, drilling it to a point on the other side of the pitch where Harry was pointing. It was met by Crouch and he set up Bale for a good chance: Harry sat back down, happy his instructions had been carried out.
Soaked to the skin, rain flicked off his arms as he fidgeted, mentally kicking every ball and making every tackle. He was thoroughly enjoying his first European night.
His team did not let him down. A potential banana skin was avoided clinically through a Peter Crouch hat trick and another goal from Jermain Defoe.
The fans sung ‘We’re all going on a European tour,’ and ‘We are Champions League, say we are Champions League.’ Now we have an autumn of group stage games to look forward to, and have earned some serious money to strengthen the squad with. It’s a dream just to have got this far. Harry’s worked some real magic.
SPURS RATINGS
HEURELHO GOMES (g) 7 (sub Cudicini 45). Hardly touched it, and was hauled off with a thigh strain.
GARETH BALE 8 (Krajcar 81) Outside of the left boot cross on 55 was inch perfect and demonstrates the wingers confidence in his ability. Wonderful to watch at the moment.
TOM HUDDLESTONE 8 Graceful, tidy-up of a pass on 18 minutes had shades of Hoddle. Nothing bothered him.
AARON LENNON 8 Major handful for full back Affolter.
WILSON PALACIOS 7 Crashing about with his usual enthusiasm, but offered a helping hand by his team mates when he got himself in trouble.
PETER CROUCH 9 Early goal set the tone for a well earned hat trick.
JERMAIN DEFOE 8 (Pavlyuchenko 61): Good finish for the second, and carved open a wonderful chance moments later.
MICHAEL DAWSON 8 Always looks comfortable alongside King. Had a lively tussle with Young Boys forward Bienuvenu.
VERDAN CORLUKA 7 Concentrated but had little to do on his watch down the right. Harry grumbled during the game at him for not releasing Lennon earlier.
LEDLEY KING 7 His calmness perforates through out the team.
BENOIT ASSOU-EKOTTO 7 One first half shot looked like it was going in until an unfortunate defender caught it just below the midriff.
Subs: Cudicini, Kaboul, Jenas, Pavlyuchenko, Keane, dos Santos, Kranjcar.
Man of the Match: PETER CROUCH