CAN SPURS BREAK INTO THE TOP FOUR?
Justin Edinburgh, the former Tottenham defender, believes that new signing David Bentley's prediction that the north London club can finish in the top four has lumped more pressure on the players.
The 38-year-old, who made over 200 appearances for the club from 1990, the season after they last achieved a top four finish, thinks it will take much longer for Juande Ramos's team to leapfrog Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
"We can do anything we want, anything we put our minds to," £17m Bentley said on Thursday morning. When asked whether Spurs could finish in the top four he answered: "It's all there for us - if we're all up for it, it's quite possible."
But Edinburgh countered: "People seem to want us to run before we can walk. I was at White Hart Lane for 10 years, so I know what the expectation can be like. It's difficult for the players and it's a big ask for anyone to break into the top four overnight.
"I would love it if Spurs managed it, and perhaps in time it is achievable, but we really need to add three or four big names to our squad. The first team squad of 18-20 needs to be much stronger if Spurs are going to break into that top four."
This time last year erstwhile Spurs manager Martin Jol splashed £43m on new faces, and high hopes of a top four finish proved woefully exaggerated as they finished 11th, only managing to move out of the relegation zone after 11 games.
"Last year when there was so much expected of Jol's team, they did not deal with the pressure particularly well," continued Edinburgh. "Now we have lost Robbie Keane [to Liverpool], our equal top scorer. If Dimitar Berbatov is not at the club next season, then we will have to find two new players who can score 40 goals.
"Also the new signings are going to take time to settle - maybe even a season. There are exciting times ahead but I think top four this season will be too much of a tough ask."
Justin Edinburgh, the former Tottenham defender, believes that new signing David Bentley's prediction that the north London club can finish in the top four has lumped more pressure on the players.
The 38-year-old, who made over 200 appearances for the club from 1990, the season after they last achieved a top four finish, thinks it will take much longer for Juande Ramos's team to leapfrog Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool.
"We can do anything we want, anything we put our minds to," £17m Bentley said on Thursday morning. When asked whether Spurs could finish in the top four he answered: "It's all there for us - if we're all up for it, it's quite possible."
But Edinburgh countered: "People seem to want us to run before we can walk. I was at White Hart Lane for 10 years, so I know what the expectation can be like. It's difficult for the players and it's a big ask for anyone to break into the top four overnight.
"I would love it if Spurs managed it, and perhaps in time it is achievable, but we really need to add three or four big names to our squad. The first team squad of 18-20 needs to be much stronger if Spurs are going to break into that top four."
This time last year erstwhile Spurs manager Martin Jol splashed £43m on new faces, and high hopes of a top four finish proved woefully exaggerated as they finished 11th, only managing to move out of the relegation zone after 11 games.
"Last year when there was so much expected of Jol's team, they did not deal with the pressure particularly well," continued Edinburgh. "Now we have lost Robbie Keane [to Liverpool], our equal top scorer. If Dimitar Berbatov is not at the club next season, then we will have to find two new players who can score 40 goals.
"Also the new signings are going to take time to settle - maybe even a season. There are exciting times ahead but I think top four this season will be too much of a tough ask."
Labels: David Bentley, Justin Edinburgh, Premier League, Tottenham
