Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Spurs Stars to Exit Without Europe?

We have been somewhat spoiled here at the club over the past couple of years with being in the UEFA Cup. Yes, it is the ugly stepsister to the Champions' League, but it is still a European competition, which I am sure has helped attract some players to the club. Now that it is almost assured that we will not be taking part in the new Europa League next year, will we have any players who want to make for the exits?

The UEFA Cup is not the Champions' League by any stretch, and I doubt players are so enamored with playing in that extra competition that they will want to leave, but if European competition from other clubs is offered to them, would it make it easier for them to want a change?

Two perfect examples would be Luka Modric and Aaron Lennon. Both are world class players that can shine on the stage that Europe brings, and if clubs like Liverpool, and Juventus come in for them in the summer, dangling Champions' League places, will they still commit their future to the club? I would certainly hope so, but I know that there is a price for every player. I didn't think Robbie Keane would make a move last year, but the price was right, but that is a bad example since he's back now. But if Liverpool came to Mr. Levy with a 20-22 million pound offer for Lennon, it would make the chairman consider it, and probably tempt Aaron into a new challenge.

I truly hope that's not the case, if WE want to play in the Champions' League, we most hold onto our stars that can thrive on the European stage, such as Modric and Lennon. Robbie has committed his future to the club now it seems, and Ledley King is the heart and soul of the club, so I would doubt they would be moving on. But to get back in Europe next year and ideally compete for a League title one day, we must hold onto these players, no matter the price, because whomever we would buy to replace them would be a poor man's version at best of the player that we had just sold on.

On a separate note, it looks like David Bentley will fall up so to speak, into Champions' League football next year, or at least the Europa League. With Harry seemingly set to sell him, the rumors have been hot and heavy that Aston Villa would be happy to end his London nightmare. That is something impressive, fail at one club and go to another higher up in the table.

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