You’ve probably heard the noises that started with Alan Pardew, the West Ham Manager commenting about the fact that the Arse didn’t have one English player on the pitch when they beat Real Madrid. He went on to chew that hoary old nut about limiting the amount of foreign players in order to give young home players more attention and opportunities. This is not a new argument. However, Highbury’s resident French guru retorted that Pardew’s general moaning amounted to racism (proving the theory that Arsene is an arse who works for the Arse). Unfortunately neither of these two men are what you might call eloquent and the public discussion, fuelled by tabloid ?journalists’ descended in a scrum on the halfway line ? and the usual endless tables about who went where and what was paid for them.
In fact both these titans of the footballing world have got it wrong. And I think we know who has got it right; Martin Jol. Now although I am a Spurs supporter I am not looking for a smug berth. It seems to me that the bloke bucked the trend. Whilst Arsene, Harry and half the managers in the premiership were wandering around Spain, Africa, Eastern Europe, and just about anywhere they could find a bargain, Martin stole a march on them. By investing in young English players he took something from right under their nose: a backbone. A stable group of young men playing in their own country with the benefit of their own language and the sort spirit you might not easily find in a different country.
Yet Martin, at the same time, brought in a Dutchman, a Korean and several other nationals including a Swiss and a Canadian (No don’t say it). He has also just paid an undisclosed sum for a Czech 16 year-old. So he is not bound by his ideas and will find talent anywhere he can. The difference is that Martin Jol played in England and has the wit and intelligence to realise that with all the Brazilians and Frenchmen in the world you can’t build a long term side. He also realises that Tottenham Hotspur is above all an English side with a history. Yes we’ve had the Ricky Villas, the Jurgen Klinsmans and even the Ilie Dumetrescues ; players with specialist abilities that have thrilled us down the years and that includes the flying Welshman Cliff Jones. But unlike Arsenal we have never been subsumed by a different culture. Admittedly equally noxious I still prefer Wright, Adams and even the loathsome Keown to the French hordes. At least we had a good reason for hating them.
Wenger has become an iconic French figure by importing talent. This makes Highbury a little less like North London. But the Gooners have only got themselves to blame that half their local kids can’t even pronounce some of the player’s names. I wonder if any of those kids will ever take pitch in the red and white of their famous local club?
By Stephen Baker
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