Fonseca and Tottenham Transfer Talk
Fonseca and Tottenham Transfer Talk
Let's first talk about Paulo Fonseca, a far better coach than our name orientated fans believe.
To condemn a man without a trial is against decent principles, but that's exactly what a section of our fans have done and do on Twitter on a daily basis.
Why, well because they wouldn't be happy if they couldn't find a way to criticise every decision Daniel Levy and ENIC make.
A bunch of pub footballers who think they are experts in coaching and running multi-million pound businesses.
Some of our fans are just an embarrassment
Now I did a little piece on him but #FonsecaIn - MLj on Twitter lists a few more reasons why Fonseca is underrated by those who haven't bothered to do any research.
In January this year, Fonseca's Roma had created the most qualitative chances this season of all clubs in the top 5 leagues in Europe. They also outscored Juventus in the 19/20 season.
Fonseca has won 9 trophies, just like Conte. Ten Hag has won 5. Pochettino has won 2. His 9 trophies are the Portuguese Cup, 1 Portuguese Super Cup, 3 Ukraine League titles, 3 Ukrainian Cups ( 3 Doubles), 1 Ukrainian Super Cup.
Fonseca also is the youngest manager of those mentioned.
When Fonseca joined Shakhtar Donetsk they hadn't won the league for 2 years. Fonseca won it 3 times in a row, indeed he did the double 3 times in a row. Shakhtar had only done the double 5 times in the previous 30 years.
This season, 2020/21, without Fonseca, they also finished 2nd.
His 3 Ukrainian Cups in a row were with a 7-0 goal difference and again, they haven't won it since Fonseca left.
In 2017, Shakhtar inflicted Manchester City's first defeat in 29 UEFA Champions League matches to secure their place in the last 16 as Group F runners-up behind Pep Guardiola's side.
At Braga, Fonseca won the Portuguese Cup for the first time in 50 years for them, a fourth placed finish and the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
As manager of Portuguese third division side Desportivo Aves he gained promotion and took them to the quarter-finals of the Portuguese Cup twice.
He has done all this playing attacking football that is a joy to watch.
Last season at Roma he was beset by injuries and an ageing squad who struggled with so many games being crushed into a reduced length season.
At those times you need a fit squad and a big enough squad to rotate, with injuries Fonseca didn't have that luxury.
Important to look at the reasons why things happen, but alas the vocal Twitter kids don't bother.
Paulo Fonseca will not be accompanied by his longtime assistant Nuno Campos.
The two-year contract with a one-year option is rather like a trial period that won't cost us financially, as other managers have, if we decide to part company.
Hopefully things will go well though. I think all fane will start to enjoy watching us again, if they give the guy a chance, which plenty of idiots on Twitter seem unprepared to do.
There are already reports in Italy, namely Il Repubblica, suggesting Fonseca wants Spurs to look into signing three Roma players;
- 23-year-old (24 next March) Spanish international (1 cap) central midfielder Gonzalo Villar
- 25-year-old (26 next April) Italian international (6 caps) centre-back Gianluca Mancini
- 24-year-old (25 on 19 June) Italian international central midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini
Tottenham Transfer Talk
Tottenham and Everton are in the hunt to sign 23-year-old (24 next March) Uruguayan left winger Diego Rossi from Los Angeles FC.
Tottenham have been scouting 23-year-old (24 next April) Argentina (5 caps, 2 goals) and Stuttgart centre-forward Nicolás González.
Juan Foyth has joined Villarreal on a permanent basis after his season long loan for the purchase activation amount in the loan agreement of €15m (£12.86m - US$18.19m - AUS$23.54m).
Spurs also received a loan fee of €1.5m (£1.29m - US$1.81m - AUS$2.35m) after joining Spurs in 2017 for £11.7 million.
Total income Spurs received for Foyth, €16.5m (£14.15m - US$20.01m - AUS$25.89m).
Injuries reduced his season to starting 29% of games last season. He missed 18 Bundesliga games with torn muscle fibres, torn muscle bundle and a ruptured intraarticular ligament initiation in the knee.
González has scored 23 times and had 10 assists in 79 games for Stuttgart for whom he has shown he can also play left wing, second striker and left-sided midfield.
It's suggested that €25m (£21.46m - US$30.27m - AUS$39.28m) + bonuses would secure him.
Napoli are reportedly interested in 31-year-old (32 in August) French international Moussa Sissoko who had told the club he wanted to leave prior to the end of the season.
He isn't happy sitting on the bench again but whether that changes under a new manager only time will tell.
Obviously his agent will have a chat with our new Football Director to gauge the water and new manager when he is officially appointed.
In Portugal, Sporting have agreed a fee of £10.3 million (€12m - US$14.53m - AUS$18.86m) for former Spurs player Marcus Edwards.
Tottenham have a 50% sell-on clause so will receive £5.13 million (€5.98m - US$7.24m - AUS$9.39m).
Add that to the £12.86 million for Foyth and Spurs have £17.99m (€20.96m - US$25.38m - AUS$32.93m) in the transfer kitty from player sales.
Calciomercato in Italy report that Juventus are actively looking to sell 23-year-old (24 in July) centre-back Merih Demiral.
The Turkish international (22 caps) is a player Spurs have been following for a while now.
He is right-footed, joined Juventus in the summer of 2019 and is under contract until 2024.
Juventus want to reduce their wage bill and reshape the squad after Pirlo's unsuccessful brief stint in charge.
They wish to return to having a strong Italian base and feel some of their high earners are earning too much and do not bring enough value to the squad.
In Serie A he appeared 15 times, started 26% of games and played 27% of minutes.
However he was injured for 11 games with muscle fatigue, Corona virus, thigh problems and a muscle injury.
He played 6 of the 7 first games before injury, then was on and off the bench before more injuries and finished the season on the bench.
In all Demiral was the bench for 11 games and substituted on 5 times.
Juventus have set a minimum €30m (£25.75m - US$36.33m - AUS$47.13m) fee on him.
Spurs New Goalkeeping Coach
Tottenham have employed a new goalkeeping coach for the Under-23's with the remit of developing an England and Tottenham goalkeeper.
The Press and Journal has a piece worth reading on this with quotes from the man in question, Dean Brill, formerly with Leyton Orient.
As a coach, I can relate to his feeling terrific when one of his charges succeeds, it really does give you a buzz, be it a sporting achievement or whatever field you're helping others in.
If more people were less selfish and helped others more, they wouldn't be so negative all the time.
Ryan Mason has returned to his role as Head of Player Development (U-17 to U-23) and Ledley King will remain as a coach with the first team under Paulo Fonseca.
Duncan Castle from the Times is making a guess, not realising Mason wasn't a part of the first team coaching staff before.
It was announced when he was appointed Interim Manager that he would return to his former role and the club have not indicated that that is going to change.
I'd like to hear from someone more reliable than Castles before believing Mason is leaving his Head of Player Development role.
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