Knocked out of Champions' League – now who wants to sign up for more?
Published: 14th April, 2011
THE CROW
IF the press and football commentators describe your attempt to win a trophy as an “adventure”, alarm bells should ring loudly. An “adventure” translates as you’ve got no bladdy chance. It’s the world publicly patronising you.
And the press have happily patronised Spurs for their efforts in the Champions League, giving them false hope by pretending that beating teams from Milan still ranks as an wonderful achievement.
Adventures in football, you see, always end up in another compulsory cliché: a rude awakening.
This week, in sub-Almunia conditions, Tottenham with a rude awakening more theatrical than we could have wished for showed once again why they are ill-suited to the stresses of the Champions League.
It’s all been a bit like your cat at home, Tiddles, strolling into the jaguar cage at London Zoo and saying: “Hey, we’re both felines, let’s hang out.” It’s like the maths square in the sixth form trying to hang out with the sports bullies on the top deck of the bus and pretending to like shouty music. Out of place, Spurs were clumped by Real Madrid.
What was amazing about this week’s events was the “funny feelings” so many Spurs fans had before the game as if somehow the 4-0 deficit could be reversed. They didn’t even score once over two legs. Pah-tetic. Sloppy-fingers in goal made sure of the rest and the adventure was over for Spurs another year. For another year...
RICHARD OSLEY
LIVERPOOL’S rout of Manchester City on Monday went some way to easing a frustrating week.
With defeat to Real Madrid and a less than convincing 3-2 home win against Stoke on Saturday, City’s loss gives us a glimmer of hope. It’ll take a massive effort and a run similar to the one we made last year and our fate remains to be seen. What did I want from Wednesday night’s game?
A reaction, a show of pride and yes, dare I say, a goal.
Manchester United’s win against Chelsea on Tuesday wasn’t a surprise. This season probably more than any other has shown what stability and belief in a manager can reap. Reputed to have been one game away from getting the sack, Sir Alex Ferguson’s 20-year legacy to British football (love it or not) is immense.
His team never know when they’re beaten.
He has a squad that plays every single game for the shirt and worryingly they can still do the treble!
As this season draws to a close the pressure of the next has already started.
The country is in financial meltdown, we’re experiencing massive cuts, people are losing their jobs with precious little else on the horizon, yet Spurs want all season ticket holders to renew before the end of May!
I ask why if the season starts in mid-August? I’ll leave you to make up your own minds about that and ask again, what is your football club doing for you?
TONY DALLAS