Johan Lange - Technical Director

[Muttley]

You kind of have to teeter on the line of bloated to have the correct number of players. In reality it only ever really feels bloated when you have a lot of deadwood because then there are just masses of the squad not being used.

This time around once Reggie goes plus a few others (I would be quite ruthless in terms of whom I would try and get a fee for) I think we will be balancing things well.

This is the squad though

Venom, Kinsky, Austin, Forster, Whiteman, Keeley
Porro, Spence, Robson
Udogie, Reggie
Romero, VDV, Danso, Davies, Dragusin, Phillips, Vuskovic, Dorrington
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergval, Gray, Devine, Abbott, Craig
Kulu, Madds, Donley, Olusesi
Sonny, Johnson, Odobert, Yang, Moore, Solomon, Gil, Ajayi, Werner
Solanke, Richi, Scarlett, Lankshear, Veliz

There are 44 names there, and we only really see 4 or 5 that naturally roll off end of contract or loan / buy.

Definition of bloated this time is really about the youngsters. As you say, it's not like before when we had 5 or 6 seniors out on loan because we couldn't find buyers. Doesn't mean we don't need to tread very carefully with the U21s though.

Take GB's number above. 5 out of contract only brings us down to 39, and that is if Davies actually goes. I think he'll stay. Solomon and Gil will get us down to 37/38. Craig and Robson will inevitably go and bring us to 35/36. That doesn't put as at 1 in, 1 out unless we loan 8-10 of our youngsters, some of which have already spent time away getting ready for the 1st team. Just selling Richi and Biss doesn't solve it.

Take Phillips as an example. He would have spent the last 18 months on loan. Is he expected to spend 30 months on loan before he can take a 1st team slot? Why would you stick around? Donley doesn't strike me as the type to

The club have some tough but healthy choices to make in my opinion.

 

[Gutter Boy]

This is the squad though

Venom, Kinsky, Austin, Forster, Whiteman, Keeley
Porro, Spence, Robson
Udogie, Reggie
Romero, VDV, Danso, Davies, Dragusin, Phillips, Vuskovic, Dorrington
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergval, Gray, Devine, Abbott, Craig
Kulu, Madds, Donley, Olusesi
Sonny, Johnson, Odobert, Yang, Moore, Solomon, Gil, Ajayi, Werner
Solanke, Richi, Scarlett, Lankshear, Veliz

There are 44 names there, and we only really see 4 or 5 that naturally roll off end of contract or loan / buy.

Definition of bloated this time is really about the youngsters. As you say, it's not like before when we had 5 or 6 seniors out on loan because we couldn't find buyers. Doesn't mean we don't need to tread very carefully with the U21s though.

Take GB's number above. 5 out of contract only brings us down to 39, and that is if Davies actually goes. I think he'll stay. Solomon and Gil will get us down to 37/38. Craig and Robson will inevitably go and bring us to 35/36. That doesn't put as at 1 in, 1 out unless we loan 8-10 of our youngsters, some of which have already spent time away getting ready for the 1st team. Just selling Richi and Biss doesn't solve it.

Take Phillips as an example. He would have spent the last 18 months on loan. Is he expected to spend 30 months on loan before he can take a 1st team slot? Why would you stick around? Donley doesn't strike me as the type to

The club have some tough but healthy choices to make in my opinion.

Not being in Europe will screw us even more so with trying to find playing time.

 

[billyiddo]

Venom, Kinsky, Austin, Forster, Whiteman, Keeley
Porro, Spence, Robson
Udogie, Reggie
Romero, VDV, Danso, Davies, Dragusin, Phillips, Vuskovic, Dorrington
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergval, Gray, Devine, Abbott, Craig
Kulu, Madds, Donley, Olusesi
Sonny, Johnson, Odobert, Yang, Moore, Solomon, Gil, Ajayi, Werner
Solanke, Richi, Scarlett, Lankshear, Veliz

I've put in bold the players who i think are either definitely loaned or sold in the summer.

 

[Gutter Boy]

Venom, Kinsky, Austin, Forster, Whiteman, Keeley
Porro, Spence, Robson
Udogie, Reggie
Romero, VDV, Danso, Davies, Dragusin, Phillips, Vuskovic, Dorrington
Bissouma, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergval, Gray, Devine, Abbott, Craig
Kulu, Madds, Donley, Olusesi
Sonny, Johnson, Odobert, Yang, Moore, Solomon, Gil, Ajayi, Werner
Solanke, Richi, Scarlett, Lankshear, Veliz

I've put in bold the players who i think are either definitely loaned or sold.

I think Devine and Vuskovic could be involved in the first team squad next season. Vuskovic in particular we're not allowed to loan out next year, unless its abroad, which probably doesn't suit anyway.

I wonder if Devine (or maybe even Donley) will take Maddison's spot as Kulu's back-up?

 

[Muttley]

I think Devine and Vuskovic could be involved in the first team squad next season. Vuskovic in particular we're not allowed to loan out next year, unless its abroad, which probably doesn't suit anyway.

I wonder if Devine (or maybe even Donley) will take Maddison's spot as Kulu's back-up?

I just have a feeling Devine isn't destined to be a Spurs 1st team player. Don't know why. Just an instinct.

 

[braineclipse]

Overall a good January transfer window imo. Short term hopefully fixed three problems. Backup goalkeeper, backup CB and another attacker with at least the potential to start games semi regularly. Longer term may be quite a bit more depending on how these players develop and on if Tel joins permanently in the summer or not.

More business earlier would have been better, but always difficult. Even two days earlier for Tel seemingly wasn't possible. Wouldn't have wanted us to go for an inferior option earlier and not getting Tel.

 

[Denmark Spur]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1886857042180395178

 

[thfcsteff]

Hallelujah!!!!

Johan speaks to Spurs TV. Excellent piece, explains the club perspectives on January deals, recruitment strategy, loan strategy, steps within the club in terms of playing staff structure...this is EVERYTHING I was hoping the club would've done, and finally, here it is.

All questions answered and no more assumptions necessary!

 

[Muttley]

Johan had to come to Spurs and teach us how to implement an "evidence based architecture".

My favourite words of the entire interview. I bet Levy was scratching his head when Johan came out with those words in his interview.

It is a very good interview from a smart guy who understands this business.

 

[tommysvr]

Hallelujah!!!!

Johan speaks to Spurs TV. Excellent piece, explains the club perspectives on January deals, recruitment strategy, loan strategy, steps within the club in terms of playing staff structure...this is EVERYTHING I was hoping the club would've done, and finally, here it is.

All questions answered and no more assumptions necessary!

Nothing new. He's done it for the last two windows. Hence all of the "why doesn't someone other than Ange speak!" criticism during the window was a bit weird.

 

[thfcsteff]

Nothing new. He's done it for the last two windows. Hence all of the "why doesn't someone other than Ange speak!" criticism during the window was a bit weird.

Whether it is new or not, this specific time was when he most needed to speak and be heard. And he has.

I think it was perfectly acceptable to think that other people should've spoken besides Ange during these specifically tough times.

 

[tommysvr]

Whether it is new or not, this specific time was when he most needed to speak and be heard. And he has.

I think it was perfectly acceptable to think that other people should've spoken besides Ange during these specifically tough times.

"Hallelujah!!!!" made me think you were saying it's some sort of miracle that Lange spoke, so I was just pointing out he's done it before.

On the second point, what would they say? "We have a plan and we're trying to sign the players we want." Does that really help? Who does it appease? The complaints would just flip to "stop talking and sign some players!"

Damned if they do, damned if they don't. I'm of the opinion that talking about this sort of stuff is pointless. Either you sign players or you don't. We will literally never know the truth behind 90% of it, and that's fine.

 

[thfcsteff]

"Hallelujah!!!!" made me think you were saying it's some sort of miracle that Lange spoke, so I was just pointing out he's done it before.

On the second point, what would they say? "We have a plan and we're trying to sign the players we want." Does that really help? Who does it appease? The complaints would just flip to "stop talking and sign some players!"

Damned if they do, damned if they don't. I'm of the opinion that talking about this sort of stuff is pointless. Either you sign players or you don't. We will literally never know the truth behind 90% of it, and that's fine.

I have written a couple of posts expressing my disappointment that the club did not have some sort of reaffirmative voice whilst Ange was taking all the hits. Someone to go on Spurs TV and just discuss/re-outline the project and the rebuild. I wasn't talking about discussing transfer plans more than subtly letting fans know there is an aligned strategy.

No matter.
This has now been done (the interview does all that) and that's a good thing. Ange's name has been recirculated in a club positive/aligned fashion.
So now if people don't like what they're seeing, they're reminded there's more than one man/one reason for it. And vica-versa.