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Christmas Parties

SUIYHA

SUIYHA

Scott Parker
Manager Andre Villas-Boas will allow Tottenham players to have "two or three" Christmas parties.

The Portuguese's stance contrasts with that of predecessor Harry Redknapp, who confirmed he was cancelling QPR's festivities as they continue to struggle to claw their way off the foot of the Premier League.

"We will try to have two or three (parties)," Villas-Boas said. "It's normal. It's part of our group spirit.

"I don't think it will affect performances. We will try to gather the group, to have dinner together and go on from there."
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http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/8310713/


Interesting one this. I think AVB is trying very hard to not come across as out of touch to the squad and given his experiences with Chelsea is trying very hard to focus on building team spirit. It's a nice idea, but I think I'm in the Harry camp for this.

Harry put on the Christmas party ban in 2009

These parties would normally take place in mid-December, with a few festive Christmas drinks surely likely to take place. Here's our results from December 15th through to our first game of the New Year in each of those seasons:

2009:

Spurs 3-0 Emirates Marketing Project W
Blackburn 0-2 Spurs W
Fulham 0-0 Spurs D
Spurs 2-0 West Ham W
Spurs 4-0 Peterborough W

2010:

Spurs 1-1 Chelsea D
Aston Villa 1-2 Spurs W
Spurs 2-0 Saudi Sportswashing Machine W
Spurs 1-0 Fulham W

2011:

Shamrock Rovers 0-4 Spurs W
Spurs 1-0 Sunderland W
Spurs 1-1 Chelsea D
Norwich 0-2 Sprus W
Swansea 1-1 Spurs D
Spurs 1-0 West Brom W


We seemed to perform very impressively against teams who perhaps were still nursing a hangover the day before in training.

Given his lack of squad rotation for European games, dismissing it as "they'll be ok" when the weekend comes around, and his leniency on issues like this, I do think AVB's non-playing career is becoming quite obvious here as I don't think he really grasps what a difference the slightest bit of fitness can make at the top level. What do you lot think, should they be allowed a Christmas party or not?
 
Much better to have the players enjoying themselves under your eyes, then flying off to dublin for a night in coppers.
 
punk_is_back` said:
Much better to have the players enjoying themselves under your eyes, then flying off to dublin for a night in coppers.
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Ha, forgot about that. Still though, Christmas is the busiest period in the football calendar and it's essential to keep the players in top condition. Last season Chelsea were in 3rd after their Christmas party, having just become the first team to beat Emirates Marketing Project all season. Here's what happened when AVB let them have a party:

Wigan 1-1 Chelsea
Tottenham 1-1 Chelsea
Chelsea 1-1 Fulham
Chelsea 1-3 Aston Villa

That killed their league season. Although it didn't help AVB that he told Anelka, who was hugely popular amongst the squad, that he couldn't come to the party and so they organised a second one behind his back with Anelka.

Imagine what AVB's voice is going to sound like after a heavy night out!
 
SUIYHA said:
Given his lack of squad rotation for European games, dismissing it as "they'll be ok" when the weekend comes around, and his leniency on issues like this, I do think AVB's non-playing career is becoming quite obvious here as I don't think he really grasps what a difference the slightest bit of fitness can make at the top level. What do you lot think, should they be allowed a Christmas party or not?
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Can't agree with this. AVB has grown up as a coach in the modern era, where a high level of team fitness is of the utmost importance. His teams rely on a pressure game which means that fitness levels need to be of a good standard. He worked under Jose Mourinho so will understand the strictness needed in order to develop and maintain fitness levels.

You can look at it the other way and say that having the players all under one roof bonding over a few glasses of champagne is good as he keeps an eye on what they are doing, as opposed to them fudging off with Robbie Keane to Ireland underneath the manager's nose.
 
I don't see how it can ever be a good thing that the players go out and get hammered in the middle of tough period of games. In the modern game, even the smallest things can make a difference, and it is important to prepare for games in the best possible way. AVB even said that they would have two or three parties if I read correctly. It does make me slightly worried. The players can have a party when the season is over, but during the season, and certainly at a busy time of the season, they should be profesional and make sure they are prepared in the best possible way for the games. "Bonding" is simply the oldest excuse in the book for getting tinkled, not just in football, but anywhere else in society.
 
Well maybe there wont be alcohol there? They are allowed to eat right? like have dinner n stuff.

I think two or three is excessive (im sure its just a figure of speech) im sure AVB just means one.

Personally im not adverse to them having two or three drinks and just a laugh - they have done well to get to this stage then again the Christmas period I find it to be the point of the season where the table really shapes up and it could really spur a team on
 
King of Norway said:
I don't see how it can ever be a good thing that the players go out and get hammered in the middle of tough period of games. In the modern game, even the smallest things can make a difference, and it is important to prepare for games in the best possible way. AVB even said that they would have two or three parties if I read correctly. It does make me slightly worried. The players can have a party when the season is over, but during the season, and certainly at a busy time of the season, they should be profesional and make sure they are prepared in the best possible way for the games. "Bonding" is simply the oldest excuse in the book for getting tinkled, not just in football, but anywhere else in society.
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"Bonding" is most definitely used as an excuse to go and get tinkled, but are you saying it doesn't work? It's not particularly palatable, but I know I've got on with colleagues much better after being forced to have a few drinks with them. Afterwards, you've got that night or that incident to discuss, and it's a good starting point to build from.

Similarly, in terms of little things making a difference, I agree with you to an extent, but wonder whether your logic can be applied a little differently. Little things can make a difference; for all we know, there are fractions in the squad, and this, pyschologically, is affecting the squad. For example, one player may have two players to pass to and consciously he feels he has no reason to favour one over the other. However, in the second he has to decide who to pass to, he subsconsciously elects to pass to the player he's friendlier with. If after a "bonding" session, the balance is redressed a little, perhaps that might benefit the team?

Of course, even overtly, you wonder how much friendship affects the team. I would have thought it's human nature to try harder for someone you care about. If your mate loses the ball and is going to be made to look a fool, you'll chase after it; if it's that macaron who you've never really liked, there's always that temptation just to not make as much effort. Again, if a bit of bonding can redress that, too, great. There's a lot of talk about managers "losing the dressing room", so I see no reason why this can't be applied to the players losing respect/not liking each other.

Clearly, these things are all about balance and there are a billion things to consider, including just what sort of parties AVB has in mind, and whether the players will do their own thing anyway.
 
Those stats from Spurs 2009-11 are pretty convincing SUIYHA, though I would say you have to place the Chelsea ones in the context of the turmoil that club was in at that time, albeit with AVB being responsible for some of it.

Am I not the only one who has Spurs traditionally do badly over Christmas? It's therefore good to see we now do quite well out of it.

These modern footballers are by and large a helluva lot more disciplined than the average Joe when it comes to going out on the beers, and I would say Spurs are probably amongst of those two. Ironic that our biggest hell raiser was Ledley! A lot of the issues that arise stem from players feeling the need to push the bosses authority, Harry did brilliantly at stamping down on this when some of them pushed their luck with Dublin. AVB is trying a different approach here but the players are onside it seems and ultimately they all know they are playing for their places - just look at Defoe.
 
King of Norway said:
I don't see how it can ever be a good thing that the players go out and get hammered in the middle of tough period of games. In the modern game, even the smallest things can make a difference, and it is important to prepare for games in the best possible way. AVB even said that they would have two or three parties if I read correctly. It does make me slightly worried. The players can have a party when the season is over, but during the season, and certainly at a busy time of the season, they should be profesional and make sure they are prepared in the best possible way for the games. "Bonding" is simply the oldest excuse in the book for getting tinkled, not just in football, but anywhere else in society.
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I agree with you, but I'm not sure what AVB is talking about is getting hammered.
 
King of Norway said:
I don't see how it can ever be a good thing that the players go out and get hammered in the middle of tough period of games. In the modern game, even the smallest things can make a difference, and it is important to prepare for games in the best possible way. AVB even said that they would have two or three parties if I read correctly. It does make me slightly worried. The players can have a party when the season is over, but during the season, and certainly at a busy time of the season, they should be profesional and make sure they are prepared in the best possible way for the games. "Bonding" is simply the oldest excuse in the book for getting tinkled, not just in football, but anywhere else in society.
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bah! humbug!

who knows... maybe they only drink applejuice and tea at those parties ;) :barnet:
 
Don't know where this is from, but it popped up on twitter:

A9-yUjnCUAAKDNd.jpg
 
Hotspur Related has a lot of great photos on there twitter feed. I saw that one on there.
 
Whats the difference between a player getting tinkled up at a party and them getting tinkled up at home with the family? They will enjoy xmas and probably have a few beers regardless of it being at a party or at home.

They are only human and deserve to celebrate xmas just like anyone else.
 
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