Player affinity

[Mulletperm]

I realised the other day that for the first time in ages, maybe ever, I have no affinity with any of our players.

At a push Lloris , maybe Kane, but that would be it.

Even when we were really awful there would be players I'd consider favourites, but now it's just 'meh'.

There are no really strong characters, they're all a bit vanilla and, well, boring. And I don't see that changing as the personalities aren't there.

 

[Nutter-Naylor]

Agreed. I made almost the exact same post on TFC. Plagiarist! (joke).

 

[Gutter Boy]

Losing Dawson, Sandro and Holtby at the same time was a massive blow to this

I do have affinity with our emerging homegrown players - Mason, Kane and Townsend.

I also find Lloris, Soldado, Lamela and Walker quite endearing.

But I'm still waiting for someone to fill the big Mabbutt > Campbell > King > Dawson void as my outstanding favourite player. Perhaps it might be Dier?

 

[Gutter Boy]

They're all a bit vanilla and, well, boring. And I don't see that changing as the personalities aren't there.

That tends to happen with increased professionalisation. There are no Jimmy Greaves or Paul Gascoignes around anymore. Bentley/Lennon/King were probably the last generation of drinker players.

Anyone who isn't 100% dedicated to their profession gets lost in the race through youth football. Only the most machine-like single-minded, and therefore 'dull' individuals make it. It's the same in all sports - rugby, cricket, Andy Murray, Lewis Hamilton etc.

 

[Mumorn]

I blame the transfer window of 2013. We lost some real good players who cared. Our style of football and those playing it were just not Tottenham.

 

[Raziel]

Similar to GB, think the loss of Dawson, Holtby, Sandro, VDV, Bale in a short space of time hurt the fan connection.

I still like Lennon (seen him grown up), Lloris, Lamela, Soldado because they seem to have a bit more fire, give a **** (to me its obvious it hurts Lamela/Soldado that they aren't doing well)

Kane/Mason as homegrowns

Eriksen should be the one, but he seems so disconnected recently

 

[Ryan]

Affinity usually develops over time, and quite simply none of our players have been here long enough to really have developed any sort of rapport with the club or the fans.

We definitely have some candidates and I think us as fans could sometimes be pretty fickle towards this. For example, Chadli scored against Arsenal and got booked for taunting them in his celebration. If VDV did the same people would have been creaming over it.

One thing I find pretty disappointing is the lack of love our homegrown players get. Kane seems to be developing a cult hero status but fans really haven't reacted to local boys and Spurs fans like Townsend or Livermore that passionately. Obviously not the most talented but I think there's something special about proper Spurs boys playing for us.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Similar to GB, think the loss of Dawson, Holtby, Sandro, VDV, Bale in a short space of time hurt the fan connection.

I still like Lennon (seen him grown up), Lloris, Lamela, Soldado because they seem to have a bit more fire, give a **** (to me its obvious it hurts Lamela/Soldado that they aren't doing well)

Kane/Mason as homegrowns

Eriksen should be the one, but he seems so disconnected recently

Just of interest, why not Townsend? I know he can frustrate, but for me you can tell his heart bursts with pride playing for us, maybe even more than the other two.

I don't particularly connect with Eriksen either. It's no different to say Modric, but he just seems a bit detached.

Fully agree on Soldado and Lamela

 

[Gutter Boy]

Affinity usually develops over time, and quite simply none of our players have been here long enough to really have developed any sort of rapport with the club or the fans.

We definitely have some candidates and I think us as fans could sometimes be pretty fickle towards this. For example, Chadli scored against Arsenal and got booked for taunting them in his celebration. If VDV did the same people would have been creaming over it.

One thing I find pretty disappointing is the lack of love our homegrown players get. Kane seems to be developing a cult hero status but fans really haven't reacted to local boys and Spurs fans like Townsend or Livermore that passionately. Obviously not the most talented but I think there's something special about proper Spurs boys playing for us.

Bitten by too many Marneys, O'Haras, Jacksons, Clemences and Barnards?

 

[diego_maradona]

Lennon.

You remember the good times you've had before. We don't have too many good memories of the new guys just yet, and that's why when things start to go wrong we quickly say bring back the old boys "they know what its about".

I'm very nostalgic about Spurs in general, and I have fond memories of a lot of our ex players. I probably remember them being a lot better than they probably were.

 

[Ryan]

I think it's a shame someone like Rose actually isn't more popular with the fans actually. I actually really like him and think he's been one of our better performers this season.

So many cry out for a bit of passion and fight from our players and he's one that actually looks like he gives a **** and appears to put in a shift every week. He's been with the club for a while, similarly to Lennon he can pretty much be considered 'one of ours' although he comes from Leeds.

Also, that goal against Arsenal is one of the biggest highlights of my life as a Spurs fan, I'll love him forever as a player for that.

 

[Ryan]

Bitten by too many Marneys, O'Haras, Jacksons, Clemences and Barnards?

But should that matter?

Imagine your a lad that supports Spurs, been at the club since you were 8, worked your ass off to play for your boyhood club and then within a couple of games your own fans start hurling you abuse and call you ****.

Just think it's a shame really

 

[Gutter Boy]

Lennon.

You remember the good times you've had before. We don't have too many good memories of the new guys just yet, and that's why when things start to go wrong we quickly say bring back the old boys "they know what its about".

I'm very nostalgic about Spurs in general, and I have fond memories of a lot of our ex players. I probably remember them being a lot better than they probably were.

I don't like what I've seen of/heard about Lennon as a person. He's got that whole spice boy thing about him. I know Hudd (who I liked) was his accomplice, but at least he had a bit of charm.

For me Lennon's career will be remembered as unfulfilled potential.

I think it's a shame someone like Rose actually isn't more popular with the fans actually. I actually really like him and think he's been one of our better performers this season.

So many cry out for a bit of passion and fight from our players and he's one that actually looks like he gives a **** and appears to put in a shift every week. He's been with the club for a while, similarly to Lennon he can pretty much be considered 'one of ours' although he comes from Leeds.

Also, that goal against Arsenal is one of the biggest highlights of my life as a Spurs fan, I'll love him forever as a player for that.

Again like Lennon, Rose is a personality thing. He just comes across as a bit of a nasty piece of work.

But should that matter?

Imagine your a lad that supports Spurs, been at the club since you were 8, worked your ass off to play for your boyhood club and then within a couple of games your own fans start hurling you abuse and call you ****.

Just think it's a shame really

Yeah agree. You can't really imagine Saudi Sportswashing Machine or Liverpool fans turning on one of their own, no matter how much they are struggling.

I'm so ashamed of the treatment Townsend gets.

 

[AdamB]

I realised the other day that for the first time in ages, maybe ever, I have no affinity with any of our players.

At a push Lloris , maybe Kane, but that would be it.

Even when we were really awful there would be players I'd consider favourites, but now it's just 'meh'.

There are no really strong characters, they're all a bit vanilla and, well, boring. And I don't see that changing as the personalities aren't there.

I agree, and this is why the boo-ing at games is worse that probably should be the case. There are few icons at Spurs who people love any more - we just see a random bunch of individuals

 

[markysimmo]

Lloris, Mason, Kane, Lamela are my favs

 

[Gutter Boy]

I agree, and this is why the boo-ing at games is worse that probably should be the case. There are few icons at Spurs who people love any more - we just see a random bunch of individuals

Which other clubs have personality players anymore?

Even outside our club, Zabaleta and Demichelis are the only (non-ex-Spurs) players I've got much time for.

You get foreign robots or nasty chavs. Cultured homegrowners like Mason, Townsend and Kane are a rare thing.

 

[LCLC]

That tends to happen with increased professionalisation. There are no Jimmy Greaves or Paul Gascoignes around anymore. Bentley/Lennon/King were probably the last generation of drinker players.

Anyone who isn't 100% dedicated to their profession gets lost in the race through youth football. Only the most machine-like single-minded, and therefore 'dull' individuals make it. It's the same in all sports - rugby, cricket, Andy Murray, Lewis Hamilton etc.

Don't agree - you can be a strong personality and not be a wild character. Also king wasn't a big drinker.....

For example if we were arsenal fans, I imagine we would feel a real affinity with the likes of Wheelchair, Ramsey, mert, Gibbs, Ox etc. Added to cult heroes in Sanchez etc and you see that they have a great squad of players who the fans respond to.

We literally have no one. Not one leader, not one cult hero and (as of yet) an established youth system player/s

 

[Raziel]

Just of interest, why not Townsend? I know he can frustrate, but for me you can tell his heart bursts with pride playing for us, maybe even more than the other two.

I don't particularly connect with Eriksen either. It's no different to say Modric, but he just seems a bit detached.

Fully agree on Soldado and Lamela

No idea re Townsend, think its partially he frustrates, partially my snap judgment on him as the next classic English unfulfilled talent.

To me, he and Dembele have so many tools, but just no brain to use them, and I don't even know if they get it ..

 

[paxtonwolf]

I realised the other day that for the first time in ages, maybe ever, I have no affinity with any of our players.

At a push Lloris , maybe Kane, but that would be it.

Even when we were really awful there would be players I'd consider favourites, but now it's just 'meh'.

There are no really strong characters, they're all a bit vanilla and, well, boring. And I don't see that changing as the personalities aren't there.

Spot on. If somebody asked me who my favourite player was right now, I honestly couldnt pick one right now. Bit by bit it seems my favourite players are being sold off one by one, or not getting picked

 

[elltrev]

If I had to put the players in 3 tiers, from most affinity to least:

Tier 1
Lloris
Rose
Dier
Mason
Dembele
Lennon
Lamela
Chadli
Soldado

Tier 2
Walker
Naughton
Vertonghen
Kaboul
Capoue
Townsend
Kane

Tier 3
Vorm
Davies
Fazio
Chiriches
Stambouli
Eriksen
Paulinho
Adebayor

But Lloris is the only one in that top tier that I feel loads of affinity for.

It's funny how some players attract affinity whilst others don't - 100% independent of actual talent.