Stay Positive: Grading the Tottenham Summer Transfer Window

The transfer window has closed at least for the Premier League. Tottenham had a ton of outgoings and acquired some incoming players, many of whom I'm excited about. 

Outgoings

Although it's still technically a loan to Marseille, Hojbjerg was a solid player for Spurs although he didn't really fit the Ange Ball system. The Danish captain is likely to excel in the French league. 

Emerson Royal going to AC Milian made sense because he's more of traditional right-back. He was a popular guy in the squad, but he's another player who really didn't fit the system. 

Rodon to stay at Leeds United made sense, but I don't think any manager has ever given him a fair shot. Regardless, the fans at Elland Road appreciate him, and I hope Leeds come back up the Premier League next season. 

Spurs paying off Ndombele made a heck of a lot of sense. We moved on from a terrible signing. 

Tanganga going to Millwall will probably work out for him, but I hate seeing an academy player go somewhere else. 

Troy Parrott was sold to AZ for a decent fee and will probably excel in the Dutch league like he did last season. 

Lo Celso finally made it back to Real Betis. I've always liked Gio, and I think he should have played more often last season, especially when Maddison was out. But Lo Celso has his own history of injury problems even though he usually seems to be fit for international duty. 

Bryan Gil going to Girona makes sense. It just seemed like he is not built for English football. 

One of my few criticisms of the gaffer is that Skipp never played in a position that suited him. He's more of a defensive midfielder, but when he played for Ange, Skipp played more an 8 when he's really a 6. I don't get it. 

Manor Solomon is on loan at Leeds and will probably do quite well there. In his first game, he got an assist. With the guys we brought in, he wasn't going to get regular playing time and needed to go somewhere to get back in playing rhythm. 

Why couldn't they find a club for Reguilon? 

Incomings

Bringing back Werner on loan at the club early in the window was a head-scratcher to me. I think he'll do okay for what the manager asks him to do, but my reaction to bring him back was "Meh." They could have done better, but I hope I'm proven wrong. I wanted someone better than okay.

In contrast, acquiring Solanke could prove to be a pivotal signing. I think he's a solid center-forward. 

I love the signings of Bergvall and Gray because they're both young and talented. Bergvall might serve as Maddison's understudy and has looked really good so far. Gray can play a number of positions, but I think he'll eventually settle in as a midfielder. I'm excited about both of these players. 

The South Korean Yang will come in January I believe, and I like him because he's young and versatile, which is a trend among acquisitions under Ange. 

Odobert was a surprise signing, and I think he'll grow into his role as a front-line player either on the left or right wing.

Although he's technically not an incoming, Spence staying helps provide cover at right and left back. And he's English. 

Grade

The transactions of Skipp and Werner puzzle me, and I like the additions of the youngsters Gray, Bergvall, Odobert, and Yang. Solanke was a smart signing. The club also did a strong job of shipping out players who needed to go out a year ago and moving other players to clubs. I grade the Tottenham transfer window a B.  

Random Notes from a Crank

My home state of Iowa has become what my nephew, who is a political consultant, describes as "cold Alabama" from a political standpoint. It's been a red state for way too long in presidential contests, but I realized recently that Mississippi is more progressive than the Hawkeye State in one way. 

The Magnolia State allows medicinal marijuana, whereas Iowa does not allow it. Good Gods, even Missouri allows recreational use of cannabis.   

I'm not a smoker of the Mary Jane, but weed policies seem to be a bellwether of political leanings. And Iowa is going in the wrong direction. 

Out of nowhere, which was a surprise to fans and pundits, Tottenham signed Wilson Odobert as a winger in the transfer window. The young Frenchman is likely to play on the right wing behind Brennan Johnson. 

If the window is closed for Spurs, it's been a good one. However, I'd like to see them sign a center back who can also play left back because I assume Ashley Phillips will go out on loan somewhere even though I think Ange should keep him around with the first team. 

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham's Away Kit

Tottenham's away kit got released recently. You can see it below and read about it on Footy Headlines. 

I dig the new away kit. I like the mixture of three different blues and how the cockerel atop the ball is in the middle of the shirt. 

My only question is why Nike went with the kind of strange-looking v-neck. Why not just do a regular v-neck? I don't understand. 

If I were to get a Tottenham jersey, I think this would be the one I would get. However, the damn thing costs $95. That figure is astounding. 

Musing of the Moment: The Summer Transfer Window for Tottenham Hotspur--Outgoings

Tottenham finished fifth in the Premier League, which is probably a fair result considering Ange has installed a totally different system, and we lost the club's best player of all time two days prior to the start of the season. And all the injuries...

Here's my take on possible outgoings from the club. 

I'm an avid watcher of the We Are Tottenham TV videos along with Chris Cowlin and Barnaby Slater's videos on YouTube. I highly recommend them if you're a Spurs fan. Slater's videos, however, are just about transfer rumors around the Premier League. 

Most Definitely Out of the Door

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

He's been a solid squad member for many years, but Spurs can garner some good money for the midfielder, and there are a number of clubs interested. He's wants to play regularly, which is understandable because he's Denmark's captain. He deserves a move away for consistent playing time. 

Giovanni Lo Celso

I've always liked Lo Celso because has a bit of shithousery to his game. But he can never stay healthy, and he's got a year left on his contract. I see him ending up somewhere in La Liga. 

Sergio Reguilon

He's played admirably for Brentford, but he didn't seem to impress Ange. I could see him ending somewhere in La Liga, but he's on high wages, so moving him to a smaller club in the Premier League would be difficult. 

Bryan Gil

It's a shame he hasn't gotten more playing time, but the staff has gone elsewhere for wingers when needed. He's going back to La Liga I suspect. This signing has not worked out at all. 

Joe Rodon

Leeds are staying down in the Championship since they couldn't muster any goals against Southhampton, so I don't know what will shake out here. Leeds fans rate him highly, so I would think he's going there although there may be some competition for acquiring him because he had a solid season in the Championship. 

Japhet Tanganga

I've always liked Tanganga, but he seems to have found a home a Millwall. We have Romero and Dragusin able to play at right center-back along with youngsters Alfie Dorrington and Ashley Phillips as hopeful possibilities. 

Tanguy Ndombele

Acquiring him has been a disaster. And all the loans have been disasters. We need to just cut him. 

Probably Out the Door

Djed Spence

It sounds like he's done well on loan this season. I was excited when Spurs signed him. To me, I think he would be a solid back-up for Porro or even Udogie. However, for whatever reason, Ange isn't impressed by him. There are rumors of attitude issues, but those are just rumors. 

Emerson Royal

He's worked well when he plays although he's limited from an offensive perspective. There are a number of clubs interested in him, so I suspect Tottenham will cash in. 

Troy Parrott

He really hasn't gotten a look from Ange since he was hurt during pre-season. He's a striker who has done well on loan in the Dutch league, so it'll be interesting what happens with him, Scarlett, and Veliz. 

Check the Magic 8-Ball

Manor Solomon

I thought he did well when he played on the left wing in the early part of the season. We got him on a free transfer, but he's rarely seen the pitch because of a number of injuries. I don't know what Tottenham would even get for him in a transfer. 

Timo Werner

The price is right for this guy for a transfer, but I think he's on high wages, which might be a stumbling block. 

Ben Davies

Every manager has liked this guy, and he always works hard for the club. Are he and Son the only guys remaining for the Pochettino era? This season he filled in at center-back admirably, but he does not have the attacking quality of Udogie that Ange's system demands. 

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham's 24-25 Kits

Footy Headlines is at its usual work. Tottenham's home, away, and third kits were leaked by them here. 

Let's take a look. 

Alasdair Gold and the fellows at WeAreTottenhamTV weighed in on these, but I'll do so also. 

There's not much a designer can do to jazz up a team that wears white for its home jersey. It's safe to assume we're going back to navy shorts instead doing the all white kits like they did this season. 

I like this jersey with the navy sleeves and piping down the sides. 

I'm fond of the away kit. I like the lighter blue with navy, and I prefer football jerseys with a v-neck rather than a crew look. If I were to get a jersey, I'd probably get this one. 

As for the third kit, I like the old-school logo and Nike logo facing downward for whatever reason, but I'm not fond of this mint-green look. If Spurs is going to go with green, I'd prefer they go back to the forest green look we had a few years ago. 

What I really want for an away or third kit is a purple one. 

Musing of the Moment: Life after Kane

It finally happened. Harry Kane is departing Tottenham Hotspur for Bayern. 

It was iffy whether this move was actually going to happen, but at least Daniel Levy got the fee the club needed to depart with its greatest player in its history. 

I've watched the videos from the various YouTube pundits bemoaning the loss of Kane. 

It's a brutal loss, but I'd rather get money for him leaving now rather than him moving to Manchester United or, for God's sake, Chelsea after the season is over. I could not stomach seeing Kane in a Chelsea kit. That would be a major kick in the short and curlies. 

Not all is lost though. 

Richarlison will move to the position that he's actually best at playing--as a number 9. While he had an underwhelming campaign last season, I'm confident he'll be a positive force without now being under the shadow of Kane.

He's Brazil's no. 9. His performance last season was shite for the most part, but he didn't get regular playing time at all under Conte due to injuries and Conte being Conte. He was not able to establish any kind of rhythm as a player. 

The money from the sale of Kane to Bayern could help Spurs sign another center-back, which is sorely needed. I like Micky van de Ven, but we need another swift and strong center-back although I still have hope for Tanganga. 

In addition, part of the funds could go toward acquiring someone like Gift Orban and/or Brennan Johnson. 

If Spurs decide to sell Hojbjerg, they could also go shopping for another midfielder. 

It appears Tottenham is going through the rebuild that Pochettino called for years ago--just this time without Kane. 

Time to move on and trust the fun system that Ange has created. 

We aren't going to be a football club that relies so heavily on one player to score. I suspect the goals will be spread around. 

Stay Positive: Postecoglou to Tottenham

After seventy-some days after Conte and Spurs parted ways, we finally have a new manager. It's the Australian Ange Postecoglou. 

I was intrigued by both Nagelsman and Slot, but Slot just used the Tottenham's interest to fatten his wallet with a new deal with his Dutch club. For whatever reason, Spurs didn't pursue Nagelsman. 

With Postecoglou, he's won everywhere he's been, and he's often taken over clubs that were absolute messes. 

It's safe to say that Tottenham is a mess. With no European football, they have a bloated roster in need of cleaning out. 

In addition, the recent signings of Spence, Udogie, and Porro were for the previous manager who employed wing-backs. 

The new gaffer is likely not to use wing-backs extensively since he usually plays a 4-3-3. 

So it'll be interesting to see which players move on after he takes the helm and evaluates the current players in the squad whether they played this season with Spurs or on loan to some other club. 

As much as I found Mourinho and Conte to be intriguing managers for the team at time (and I wish Levy would have at least let Jose try to win some silverware), I tired easily of their brand of football. Their sides, for the most part, play a boring type of football. 

I'm a pragmatist by nature, but not when it comes to world football. 

At least with Postecoglou we know he'll employ a high-energy, offensive brand of offense. 

At first, it was reported that the deal with the new manager was for two years with an option in the third year. However, those reports were wrong. He has a four-year contract. 

My hope is that "Big Ange" clears out players who need to move on, reintegrates loanees who will help the team, and implements the system that he's used at various coaching stops. 

I'm sure there will be some rocky patches early on, but at least I'll be interested to see some offensive football from Spurs. 

It's going to be a summer of change at Tottenham, and I see that prospect as a very good step in the right direction. 

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham Hotspur, Conte, and the Future

When I started watching Premier League football, I had no idea that the team I would pick, Tottenham Hotspur, would provide so much drama over the past few years. 

I guess I should have done more research into the squad. I simply saw them as a consistently good club that had a good chance to improve and contend. That was during the middle of the Pochettino era. 

One of the best journalists who covers the Spurs beat, Alasdair Gold, has a good article up on Football London that gives a fair history of the current situation with Antonio Conte: "The Inside Story as Daniel Levy Faces Major Decision To Call Time on the Antonio Conte Tottenham Era." 

The pundits have covered Conte's explosive press conference after the terrible draw against Southhampton at great length - much writing and speculation and tongue wagging has been had. 

It appears to be a foregone conclusion that Conte is out. It's just a whether a question of when: soon or later like after the season. 

But I cannot see him sticking around. I don't know how he goes back into the dressing room after calling players "selfish." That's a statement to make to people face to face, not in a press conference, especially a press conference before the international break in which he has no contact with them. That move seems very calculated to me no matter how he is described and passionate and emotional. 

I like Conte to a degree. He obviously has a strong track record. But here are reasons why his regime has not worked out (even though, if you think about it, Tottenham are still current in the top four): 

• For someone who fancies himself a defense-first coach, the team this season has given away an astonishing amount of goals. They've scored a lot, but still, they have given away too many goals. A lot. 
• He's too rigid with his tactics. He almost always plays a 3-4-3, which I like as a system. However, when Spurs have played teams with a lot of midfielders, it seemed obvious to me that we should have switched to a 3-5-2 in matches, for example, against Arsenal.
• He doesn't give young players or newly acquired players enough playing time. A prime example is Djed Spence, the England international who is starting regularly for Rennes. Another example is Richarlison. He's had injury problems for sure, but when he's been available, he needed to be used more often. Oh, and Danjuma. 
• As much as I like his passion, he spins out of control too often in public. The obvious example is the last press conference, but over a year ago think about the press conference after the loss to Burnley. This dust-ups are good for journalists but not for the club. 
• As much as his criticism of players rings true for some I think, he has to have lost the dressing room. And even if he stays around, consistently not addressing his contract and future at Tottenham has made his players, I would speculate, think he won't be around next season. 
• He doesn't seem to care much or be concerned much with developing academy players. 

So let me speculate about the future.

Tottenham needs someone who plays attractive football. They need someone to develop the academy and see his job as a long-term project. 

I know there are reports out there that some people on the Tottenham board are not as sanguine about this prospect as many of the club's fans, but I think we need to go back to Pochettino. 

He's a solid coach who wants to be at Tottenham. 

He directs a squad that usually plays attractive football. 

He will be involved with developing academy players. 

Also, the club he returns to is significantly different than when he left since they have a much larger scouting staff and a strong Managing Director of Football. And they seem more liable to spend money. 

The main issue I see is that the players who have been acquired over the past windows under Conte were acquired for Conte's system. 

However, I think players like Gil, Spence, Bissouma, Sarr, Scarlett, Udogie, Richarlison, Kulusevski, and Skipp, et al. would flourish in his system. And probably some others in the army of loan players, someone like Reguillon, might do quite well. 

Hire Pochettino. 

Musing of the Moment: Adopting British Terms

Since I watch Premier League football (we Americans just need to stop calling it soccer) and watch YouTube programs devoted to matters related to Tottenham Hotspur, I've been picking up a number of British slang terms and commonly used words as I watch the videos. 

I'm interested in expanding my vocabulary by adding certain words and vulgarities/insults from the Brits.

Here's a list of them I'm targeting to add to my lexicon:

• Fancy: I like the word as an option for "like" or having a desire, such as "I fancy how you look today."
• Rubbish: It's a word for trash, but I like how it also means nonsense. 
• Gutted: The term means that someone is extremely upset. 
• Bollocks: This word refers to one's balls, but I guess it also is a general term for expressing anger
• Daft: It's a term for being a bit stupid or silly.
• Dodgy: The word mean something akin to "sketchy." 
• Whinge: This odd term means to whine. 
• Shambalic: Football pundits often use this word when a team's performance is terrible or in shambles, such as "their defense was shambalic." 
• Knackered: It means exhausted. Alasdair Gold uses this quite often in his videos. 
• Shag: Nooky. To make the "beast with two backs." To fuck.
• Box clever: This term means to do something smartly.
• Gaffer: This word means manager, coach, or director. In football, it means the head coach. 
• Wanker: It's an insult meaning jerk or asshole. This is one of my favorites, you wankers.
• Mental: The word means someone has gone crazy, such as "He's absolutely mental." 
• Muppet: The term indicates a stupid person, not one of Jim Henson's creations. 

Random Notes from a Crank

Mother Jones has an interesting article in the Jan-Feb issue. The online title of the article is "Heavier Storms Are Here. Rain Gardens Can Help." The author, Jackie Flynn Mogensen, relates how San Francisco has done some great work using rain gardens to soak up the rainfall from heavier storms. 

The mass amount of water would normally just run off into storm sewers and flood various areas. As she states, "Rain gardens soak up downpours, filter pollution, and offer habitat for pollinators."

The article led me to another one in Mother Jones: "Have a Yard? Consider Adding a Rain Garden," which provides information about resources and rebate programs. If I lived in Chicago, I could get a free rain barrel. 

I've been thinking about getting a rain barrel for years, but I've never gotten around to it. 

A word I need to work into my lexicon more is shite, the British term for shit. It just sounds classier than shit. 

Since I watch and listen to the Premier League and the fellows who post regular videos on WeAreTottenhamTV and the Grumpy Pundits program on SiriusFC, I've also picked up some British terms, such as "fancy," "big up," and "bullocks." 

Some British take special glee in being able to say "bullocks" for American audiences since apparently they cannot say that word on British airwaves or TV.  

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham's Transfer Window So Far

One of my favorite words I discovered after I started following real football (soccer) is "shithousery," which is defined by Urban Dictionary as "underhanded conduct or gamesmanship in a sport, with the intention of gaining an advantage." 

The club I follow religiously, Tottenham, apparently is signing a guy who has a bit of shithousery in his game, Richarlison. He's a player who can play a center forward when Kane isn't playing and will play as a winger when Kane is at the tip of the attack. 

Spurs have had a fun summer transfer window to follow with five signings so far if Richarlison and Lenglet come through the door, with the last guy coming over on loan from Barcelona. They need to sign a right wingback or two, and the deal for Spence is going quite slowly. 

As for outgoings, Bergwiyn is going to get bought from someone, and Winks is likely to go to a different club. I'd like to see Spurs keep Rodon and loan him out somewhere to get playing time. We'll see what happens with Emerson Royal and Reguilon. 

I'd like to see Tottenham sign Eriksen as a creative midfielder, but rumors on that front have gone very quiet. 

I suspect we'll see some surprises before the window closes. 

COYS

Random Notes from a Crank

 As a follow up on the my Music Friday post, here's an op-ed from the Daily Eastern News: "Thoughts and Prayers Isn't Enough." 

Fuck your thoughts and prayers.

This is a fun video to watch if you're a Spurs fan. 

Here in East Central Illinois, the candidates for the GOP primary for governor and  House reps are trying to out-crazy each other. The TV political ads are nonstop.

Darren Bailey is a ultra-conservative moron, and Richard Irvin is a scam with well-endowed backers. And Mary Miller, she's downright nuts. 

Representative democracy can do better. 

You realize how often you wash your hands when you have a band-aid on one of your fingers. 

Random Notes from a Crank

With the Packers losing at home and the unvaccinated Aaron Rodgers not throwing a TD pass, that offense and Rodgers really could have used ... a shot in the arm. 

The Washington Post has a good article about the game: "How the 49ers Beat the Packers in the Lambeau Field Snow."  The 49ers went old school against them. As Sally Jenkins says, "The moral to them [SF], with their bandaged-handed quarterback and their toss sweeps, is that football is still a hitting game, and still a game won as much by the unglamorous men as the glamorous." 

This not-so-recent article from New York Times Magazine, "What Teenagers Are Learning from Online Porn," is revealing and can be used to make a good argument for smart, comprehensive sexual education. 

Tottenham Hotspur hasn't done squat in the January transfer window so far. There are craptons of rumors and supposed reports out there on the InterWebs, but nothing has transpired yet. It's frustrating. 

When I picked Spurs to be my main club to root for in the Premier League, someone had compared Tottenham to the Minnesota Vikings in some online article I read, and I think that's a pretty apt comparison. 

They have a number of excellent and good players along with a strong tradition, but they'll often disappoint you. 

I've been commiserating with Ben and Sim on WeAreTottenhamTV during the window. Those fellows do some fine work. 

Random Notes from a Crank

I am against a verbal trend among sport broadcasters. When a player suffers an injury, many of these talking heads leave off the word "injury" in their reporting. For example, a broadcaster could be talking about a player who has an ankle injury, and the person says the player has "an ankle." Of course he has an ankle. In fact, he has two of them. What he has is an ankle injury, not an ankle. 

I think I've also complained about how sports commentators like to use the term "washed" for the extra syllable phrasing of "washed up." If someone is washed, that term means they've undergone some kind of cleansing process. Washed up means that a player is no longer playing at the level of play he or she is accustomed to. 

Tottenham Hotspur sacked Nuno. I liked Nuno because he was not a bullshitter, but he was not the right man for the job, unfortunately. It sounds like they're in talks with Conte. 

The debacle last night in the Twin Cities makes me question why I ever became a Vikings fan. They lost to a team led by a QB who had only thrown three passes in the NFL. Zimmer better start winning, or he's going to be out of job like Nuno.

Musing of the Moment: State of Tottenham Hotspur

I came across this article, "Son Heung-min Often Eclipsed by Kane but Can Dazzle in His Own Right," in The Guardian about Tottenham's Son. He's a huge star in his native land, but he has taken the backseat to Kane. As the author states, Son is "a Tottenham man to his bones, and one who actually wants to be there." 

If I ever buy a Tottenham jersey, and I'd get an away kit, it'll be a Son jersey. 

And as we saw in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League match, Kane is back. We'll see if the January transfer window tempts Man City to actually lodge a suitable offer for him. In Kane's statement, he said he's staying this "summer." 

My hope is that Spurs win some hardware finally this season, and that result makes Kane stay for good. 

Regardless, Dele looks like he's revived his career after being in Mourinho's doghouse during that failed regime. 

We'll see what happens at the end of this transfer window, but from the sound of it, all of the French-speaking players look like they're potentially on their way out of N17. 

Ndombele will the most difficult player to move because of his huge wages. 

The sad deal with him is that he's a fantastically talented player, yet he never seems to impress any of the managers. Jose got some good performances out of him, but from the look of it, Nuno isn't putting up with his crap. 

Musing of the Moment: Tottenham Defeat Man City

With Harry Kane not in the lineup, Tottenham defeated Premier League Champions Manchester City 1 to nil. 

In contrast to the team's play during the Mourinho regime, Spurs played with spirit and grit. Man City did want they always do--dominate possession. So Nuno set up a formation you don't see that often, the Xmas tree formation: 4-3-2-1. 

The often derided duo of Sanchez and Dier played quite well, so hopefully they will continue to do well under the new manager. 

Tanganga earned "man of the match" with a stellar performance of flummoxing Graelish and Sterling on the left side. 

Two players who rarely get much attention, Moura and Bergwijn, had outstanding performances. Bergwijn should have tapped home a goal to put Tottenham up 2-0, but he missed wide left. Dinking a volley over the keeper would have done the job. 

I enjoyed Son playing in a striker role. I think can play anywhere up front. 

If City really want Kane, they need to put together a serious offer soon, so Spurs can find someone before the transfer window closes. 

Musing of the Moment: Start of the Premier League Season & "Sold"

The Premier League season got off to a crackin' start yesterday with Brentford, who haven't been in the top flight level of English football for 74 years, beating dreaded Arsenal 2-0. 

Here are the highlights. 

Meanwhile my beloved Spurs take on Man City tomorrow as the Harry Kane saga drags on. I doubt Levy sells him to Man City. It's too late in the transfer window, and Tottenham have not added a striker to their squad yet. They would surely have to add two strikers if they were to get rid of Kane. 

Rumors abound about which striker/s Tottenham could add, but it's mid-August, and the window closes at the end of the month. 

Two ¶s above I used the word "sells," which is a term that always has not sat well with me. In international football, when teams get rid of a player to another team for a substantial fee, the going term is that player gets "sold." 

The term sold has always sounded a bit slave tradery to me. Ick.

Perhaps we can replace with traded or transfer? For example, one could say that Tottenham transferred Harry Kane to Man City for a fee of 150 million?

Semantics, sure. But I like transfer better than sell. 

Random Notes from a Crank

We spent over a week in Panama City Beach, Florida for a travel baseball tournament. Unfortunately, when we arrived, we caught the end of a tropical storm, so many of our games were delayed and moved to later days. 

We went to a tournament that had teams from over 20 states, but every team we played was from Georgia. How annoying. 

With one team we played early on, their head coach and fans displayed the worst sportsmanship and fan behavior I've ever seen. The head coach should have been ejected. He was constantly bitching about balls and strikes and was a whiny, mumbling mess when he was coaching at third base. 

They stopped the game for a while because they thought our team were getting strikes that weren't strikes. But they were legitimate strikes. And he mumbled something about our team having the umps "in our pocket."

Yes, that's it. Prior to driving 12-13 hours, we somehow found out the refs we would have in pool play and paid them off. We paid off refs from Florida when we're from east central Illinois. Yes, that's the ticket. 

Thankfully, that band of assholes got bounced out early from the tournament because they lost their next two games in elimination play. 

Jackasses. 

If you're from Georgia, you should really be worrying about the state government curbing your voting rights - not balls and strikes. 

Driving home through the Florida Panhandle was annoying with so many clowns still having their Moscow Don signs up. Whenever I see campaign signs for that clown, all I think is "Losers." 

After a long delay, Tottenham finally a new manager, former head coach of the Wolves, Nuno Espirito Santo. 

Nuno wasn't obviously the first choice of the Spurs, but he might be the guy they actually need. 

Having watched the Wolves for a good while, his teams didn't exactly have the "free-flowing" acumen that some of the other possible managers' squads epitomize. But we'll see how he adapts to the squad the new managing football director (Paritici) puts together. 

The transfer scene will be full of speculation for the Spurs. The biggest question mark is what happens with Harry Kane. Man City have already offered 100 million for him, which Tottenham rejected. But I'd take a sweetened deal for Kane for that money with Sterling and Stones thrown in. 

The more interesting movement to watch is which players move to other clubs (Aurier, Winks, et al.) and which players they bring in. From what I read recently, Paratici has already been hard a work trying to find center backs and a striker. I'd like to see them sign Connor Coady from Wolves. 

Hopefully Nuno will get Doherty playing like he has in the past for him. And I hope Nuno gets Dele Alli back to being the player he can be. 

Nuno is known for working with what he's got and not bitching about what he doesn't have. I want to see Doherty, Rodon, Dele, Bergwijn, and Tanganga improving in a significant fashion. 

And for me, I want to see Lo Celso and Ndombele working together well in midfield. 

Random Notes from a Crank

If you're someone like me who gives a damn about our planet, read Ben Ehrenreich's "We're Hurtling Toward Global Suicide" in The New Republic. It a solid, sober article about the climate crisis and how one underlying assumption is highly problematic.

Most climate models and climate change purveyors still assume unlimited growth in relation to finite resources works. It doesn't. 

I've been watching the European Championship 2021 so far this summer, and it's been fun. Ronaldo's Portugal won the last one.

Here are the teams I'm rooting for. I like England's squad because they have mainly Premier League players, but I also Denmark since I'm part Dane and Wales because I like Gareth Bale and Joe Rodon because of their affiliation with Tottenham Hotspur. Denmark, unfortunately, had a massive scare with what happened to Christian Eriksen. 

If I'm a betting man, I'd put my money on France. They are the front runner in the competition. 

Musing of the Moment: Harry Kane & Tottenham

As various reports have indicated, Harry Kane apparently wants to move on to a different club.

As it normally does, The Athletic is doing some fine work on this story with all kinds of reasoned speculation where he might go if he indeed does get traded/sold to another club. 

Apparently he wants to stay in the Premier League. 

As reports indicated, Chelsea and Manchester City seem like the most logical landing spots for Kane. However, I don't Daniel Levy striking a deal with Chelsea, a North London rival of epic proportions. 

If he were to go to either of those clubs, the Spurs better get one hell of a haul in return either in players and/or lucre. 

In either case, it would be the rich getting richer as both clubs are incredibly wealthy because of their owners. 

Manchester City would be the club I would bet on him going since Aguero is no longer going to be on the squad. 

A recent reporter in The Athletic stated that he thinks the most likely scenario is that Levy doesn't move Kane at all this transfer window and instead waits until next summer's transfer window once various clubs have recovered from pandemic-induced financial straits.  

Regardless, I'd hate to see Kane playing for another club. 

However, when they picked Mourinho, they picked a gaffer who did not let the team have any kind of coherent offensive philosophy. 

For me, I don't think Levy will give in to Kane's demands, especially in such a depressed market for transfers. If he does, I suspect it will be Man City. Which pisses me off.