Writing for eurosport.com,the former Manchester united defender said Harry Redknapp guiding us to the quarter-finals in 2011 was not our best performance in the Champions League but that the 1-1 draw with Real Madrid in the Bernabeu on tuesday was – and we did it with a makeshift team.
However it proved a masterstroke. He goes on to say that we then had two strikers comfortable on the ball,with an appreciation for bringing team-mates into play which in turn made life very difficult for Real Madrid.He reckons the duo caused great problems for Varane (Who scored and og) and Sergio Ramos and the their performance made it look like Llorente had partnered Kane for years.
Parker continues, saying that Pochettino got it right and we deserved our point and all because “we didn’t simply sit back and hope”. He said it was a positive performance, adding that despite Hugo Lloris getting the plaudits, it was in fact a brilliant team display where – for once – the pressure didn’t get to Spurs.
However he does warn that we should not get too carried away. That the return fixture at Wembley will probably be trickier. Parker reckons Real will be less likely to commit as many players forward and leave space in behind. That the momentum is in our favour but if we want to avoid talk of the Wembley hoodoo resurfacing – we can’t afford to lose,even if it is against Real Madrid.
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Parker is annoyed about the almost permanent press rumors surrounding the likes of Kane and Alli. He says the press are trying to cause trouble at Tottenham with their stories about our players and the wage structure etc. He reckons it distracts players, as was in the case of Danny Rose. Parker asks the question “Does an extra £20-30,000 really make a difference when you’re earning close to £100,000-a-week? Does it really make a move worthwhile?”
He thinks to many players nowadays chase the money, rather than looking at what they can achieve, and they should be ashamed of themselves.
Parker continues, asking why would anyone want to leave Tottenham? that Spurs are a club that’s investing in its future – both on and off the pitch – that we are already challenging for the Premier League. He added “If you’re at a top club, playing regularly, enjoying your football and being paid reasonably well, that should be enough… even if you’re being offered more money elsewhere.”
Parker refers to the Danny Rose situation again, that prior to his injury, he had made the left-back slot his own, he asks why would he pile pressure on himself by moving to another team, especially if he is not a guaranteed starter? If Kane ever wants a move to United or Real Madrid, Parker questions would he play every week and that the grass isn’t always greener.
Parker concludes that if Rose and Kane win the Premier League with Spurs, they would surely be held in much greater esteem and that would be better than being just another number at a big club. He ends the piece by saying that Tottenham is a great place to be at the moment – “no-one should want to leave”.
Its nice to finally see an ex pro say something positive, it’s a good honest approach to it from Parker, and i think he is right. Sadly you will get players that will follow the pound signs, and don’t see the bigger picture, to the detriment of their careers. It isn’t always greener and i would agree with Parker that the achievement would be greater at Spurs (to win the league) than at United/City where its almost expected.
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