'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Looking at the title, you may wonder, what crisis? Such headlines usually suggest shortage of numbers, but can’t they even suggest a problem of plenty?
Tottenham Hotspurs bought the French international, Hugo Lloris, from Olympique Lyon for a fee about 9 million pounds in the final hours of deadline day. The following announcement was made on Spurs’ official website:
“We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Olympique Lyonnais for the transfer of goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.” This was followed by comments by Lloris about Spurs being a very ambitious club, and his willingness to give his all for Spurs. Such circumstances, when a club buys a goalkeeper on deadline day, would almost always mean that he is going to be the No.1. If not, of all players, why buy a goalkeeper on deadline day? It seemed obvious to many that Lloris would straightaway walk into the starting XI, with Brad Friedel relegated to the bench. But that hasn’t transpired.
As it stands, to date, Lloris has played just once for Spurs, a Europa League game against Lazio. A flash point occurred when he didn’t start a recent League Cup game, with the manager opting to give game time to the 3rd and 4th choices instead. For now, Lloris is willing to fight. But how long will this uncertainty last? Brad Friedel’s form is keeping him out, and though the veteran is 40, he still is one of the league’s best keepers. He still has the reflexes and the agility to pull of amazing saves, and can command his defenders well. If he carries on in this kind of form, he may have a couple of seasons more left in him!
In my opinion, signing Lloris was bit of a mistake (I am not at all saying that this was a no-brainer). Here are a reasons why.
1. Friedel’s situation:
Put yourselves in his place. Age is not on your side, but everything else is. You are the number one, and there is no pressure on you. You have just had a decent season (no howlers anywhere, and for a goalie, that is decent enough, isn’t it?) and looking forward to being between the sticks as the undisputed first choice for another season at least. Then, no matter who the club signs in your position, you are always sure that they are just backups to you.
Now that is exactly what even AVB would be thinking. He would not want a player 6 years older than him to instigate a revolt against him, would he? On a more serious note, he has managed to keep Friedel happy, assuring him of his position, and on the other hand, explained to Lloris that he is “one for the future”, as Friedel will definitely retire in at the most 3 seasons.
2. Spurs already have 2 good backup keepers:
Prior to signing Lloris, Spurs had a highly experienced Carlo Cudicini as 2nd choice, and once No.1 Heurelho Gomes as 3rd choice keeper. Having 3 decent enough keepers for one position is always sufficient for any team. So why sign another one?
So, as of now, Spurs have 3 other goalkeepers, the No.1 above 40 years of age, and 2 above 30. Now add a fourth keeper of 25 years of age, and you already have a problem of plenty in your hands. It would be difficult to manage even in FIFA, right?
The only solace Lloris can now take would be the fact that he is young and has been marked as “one for the future”. He must be patient, warm the bench for this one season, and then think of seriously displacing Friedel. He will eventually get his chance.
Spurs have done the right thing in signing a young, highly rated, international goalkeeper, for the future. What they should have done was to look at the present, and immediately loan him out to his old club Lyon for this season for reasons mentioned above. That would save the problem of plenty, and also keep him happy, being the No.1 at Lyon. Instead, they now find themselves with an aged keeper in his best form, a former No.1 as 4th choice, an experienced league winner as 3rd choice, and a young, recently signed French international as 2nd choice who has played just once for Spurs in 1 month. AVB must manage this carefully, one wrong move, and Lloris may well hand in a transfer request in January! I still wonder, was the Hugo Lloris signing recommended by the manager, or was it the chairman’s call?
A case of a right thing done at the wrong time? What do you think?
