The North London Reset: Decoding Tottenham Hotspur's £230m Overhaul and Ambition Gap

A final day escaped, a rare clean sheet, and rare scenes of celebration for finishing 70. Serby, that's his team over the line, and if I was those top-down players, who've been an absolute disgrace, this last three months, they should be heading round this stage to those top-down fans and apologising on mass, but at least they have a time now to top them off, but can reset in the summer. Decide who they want on the bus, who they want off the bus knowing that they at least have previally put on. So after avoiding relegation, on the final day of the season, Spurs have hit that reset button with a clean slate in North London. They've raced out the traps in the transfer window, spending over £230 million in the opening weeks, but they haven't signed anyone for over a month, so why have things slowed up? Well my name's Ron Walker, welcome to this Tottenham Hot Spirt summer special podcast. I'm joined by two of the best brains in the business on Tottenham Hot Spirt. Sky Sports News Spurs reporter, Michael Bridge and senior football news editor, Lyle Thomas. Thanks so much for joining us guys. Both are prime to answer some of the hundreds of questions you've been sending us in through the Sky Sports website and app and hopefully give you a bit more optimism about all things Tottenham this summer. Before we get underway though, I've been speaking to former Tottenham player and Sky Sports News regular Jamie O'Hara about his thoughts ahead of the new campaign. I think in terms of the players that we've brought in, you know, like Tanali coming in, Fernandez, you know, we sorted out the back four, you know, I've been really, really happy. Still work to be done. He's still improved, especially in the forward areas, but in terms of a base, what we needed to improve, especially the midfield area, I think we've done brilliant. I like Savinio. I think like what I've seen of him, there's been bright spots, hasn't massively worked for him at Manchester City, but, you know, like Man City did sign him, right? So he's obviously talented football player. We've been interested in him for a while. I like GACPO. I think the problem with GACPO is he maybe needs four or five chances to score one, you know, but he has got something about him, you know, I wouldn't be disappointed in the signing. I think, you know, he's a player who you, I wouldn't mind. I just don't know why we don't go for Marcus Rashford. Like, I really think that Spurs should just go like, how much do you want? How much can we get him for? Can we get a deal in place? I know he's on 350 grand a week, you know, and obviously Spurs maybe potentially can't afford that, but he's such a brilliant player. If you get him out of it with a point to prove, I just think he's still one of the best players around and I just, I don't think, if he stays at Man United, I think he'll play. I think he'll feature. So I just don't know why we've not been interested in him. I don't know his character, maybe he needs an arm around him. I think the Derby is perfect man-manager for someone like Rashford. I think he's a manager who gets the best out of him. I think he'd be, I think he'd be a good signing for us. I just don't know why we've not been involved. Maybe he doesn't want to sign for Tottenham, I don't know, but maybe there's, he maybe looking elsewhere. I'm not sure, but he's on a lot of money. The 350 grand a week is a hell of a lot of money for a player where you're not guaranteed in success. So there is obviously that issue, but I just, the left side is something we still need to address. Matthias Teller is a decent young player, but he ain't the answer, right? We have got to sign someone who's a top draw player, who gets us to another level and really pushes us on. And if we've got the money in, it looks like we have them and we look like we're willing to spend. The servers come out and serve us signing another big player, well, let's go and make something happen. Forget Champions League. No, we ain't getting in the Champions League, there's no way that's happening and we're not good enough. You know, we've finished the 17th for last two seasons, so anyone who's, like, expectation is Champions League. I just don't, I just, we can all dream of that, right? We can see how it's hard to spurs a back Champions League, but we ain't near yet, right? If you look at the four teams or five teams who are going to get Champions League football, they're in better positions than spurs. So we need to improve slowly, gradually, but consistently. And I think if we can get in the top eight, you know, if we can get a Europa League or a Europa Conference League, I think that's a good season for spurs. Give me that over a caribou cup win. Spurs need to be a back amongst getting in European football. And I think if that's where we can get 65 points, something like that, 60 points, I would be more than happy. You know, we can't have another season of being, you know, in the lower half of the table. That's unacceptable. Right, guys, some optimism there from Jamie, but wanting to sign a little bit of a sign of caution, perhaps, about spurs as expectations this season. I mean, with that amount of money that they have spent this summer, where do you think that they should be aiming for this season, Michael? I think they should be aiming for top six. I think they've got an excellent head coach. They've recruited well so far and not been in Europe is going to be key for this football club. The Tottenhotspur should be in Europe every season. They think it's 18 years out of 20 that they've been in it, but there is always that year where it's good to have a club reset Manchester United had it last year. They finished third the year before that. I think they finished 15th, you know, everyone talks about Tottenham finishing 17th when they won that Europa League final. If Manchester United would have won that final, they probably would have finished 17th and didn't go on to win their final game. So I look at the teams in Europe this season. You got ball-murth, you got Sunderland, you got Brighton, Palace again. I think they're all going to enjoy it and, you know, and so they should. But I don't, I don't underestimate the Thursday Sunday. I think a season out of it, Spurs should be aiming for round the 5th, 6th or 7th places. Some optimism there, but, like, how much does that depend on the final weeks of the transfer window as well? Because there's still plenty of work to do up in North London, isn't that? Yeah, exactly. I think Spurs have obviously done some great work at the start of the window. I mean, they've shocked really the football world. They've shocked the transfer market certainly with how vigorously they've spent on, and how they've up the wages and really put themselves in the mix for some of the top players on the market. So that's only a good thing. I think that sent a message round to all the clubs. I think Bridgie is absolutely right that playing only once a week outside of the cup competitions is going to be really in Spurs's favour. I think that they need to get the rest of the market right, they need to sort out the forwards, probably get one or two top quality forwards in, I think, which they're trying to do. And if they do that, then yes, Spurs could be a real force. So I think I'd go a little bit further than Jamie and if they do that and the conditions are right, we could see them in the sort of top four top six. Yeah, we talk about those unknowns and, well, in terms of what is going to happen in those final weeks with the forward line, where are we looking at that? Because there was so much optimism at the start of the window with those big money signings of Fernandez and Tanali and Van Hecker as well. And as we said at the top, it has kind of dried up a little bit, where's what's the next step now? I think at this stage of the window, it's a bit of a game and it's a bit like houseselling and buying, you know, sometimes I have to wait for someone to sell their house before buying your house. And I think that's where we see it at the moment. When you're dining at the top table, you're not always going to get the mill you necessarily want, you know, and I think with that, I think top them are going for experienced players, experienced players in the Premier League, which Sandra Tanali is one example. If I told a top and supporter in March that you'd be signing Sandra Tanali, you probably not believe me. And so I'd still like to look on the positive side. The window is not over yet. It's far from done. Every top and supporter knows what they need, top them know what they need and from what the conversations I continue to have and what I've seen so far this summer, I'm confident they'll get that done. January was not on. It was that the mistakes were made and it nearly cost them their Premier League status. But they can look back on that now it's done and they never want to be there again. So I reiterate, I think they know what they need and I'm confident they'll get it. So of those questions that we got from our readers, Daniel, AD McGrady and Mike Thirteen, all want to know when Spurs do have that house completion, who's going to be joining them in there in that forward line? Well, look, I mean, I think it's a year today that Savinio was linked with Tottenham Hotspur. I mean, I think he likes and comments on every Tottenham player's post. There's no secret that he's still wanted at the football club. He wants to join Tottenham, you know, Cardi Gakbo has been mentioned as well. I mean, Liverpool need to do some business. So you need to do some business as well. So there are two names that are being mentioned. There's always one or two left field as well. So there's always going to be first choice, his second choice, his third choice is one thing I'm sure about is that this football club is still going to be top of the agenda on Sky Sports. Now looking at Spurs' current options, Archie, Toby777 and Jaco6573, they've all expressed a bit of concern about Dominic Salanki and Richaelis and I think that's somewhat about form and probably somewhat about fitness as well. Where did you sit on that? Are they right to be a little bit concerned about their ability and whether they can kick on? Yeah, of course they are. I mean, look, Richaelis is an interesting one because you hear one thing where he knows it's time, that this summer's it's time to go, then he's having a time of his life and he wants to stay. Dominic Salanki is a bit of a different one because he was bought for quite a bit of money from Bournemouth and England managers have liked him, but he's not staying fit. He's picked up another ankle injury and that's the frustration and that would be frustrating in terms of for him as well personally and in terms of, you know, you can't really look to sell him when you've got injury issues. So that's an interesting one. I do think Spurs need more up top, whether they get it, better wait and see on that one and in terms of an out and out striker. I think, yeah, you're right and I think as well, you've got to think about the players that were talking about in their positions. I'm a Charleston as a good example. Richard Spence is another good example of, okay, there might be options elsewhere, but what do those options look like? You know, is it a good move for him to move down the Premier League on loan to a fuller more to an Everton or to a whoever, these kinds of clubs, or is he actually looking for another step in his career that he would not see as a downward step, but actually something that he feels he deserves. We also know that, that Charleston's always been really keen to make sure he's in the Brazil squad. He'd love to continue to be Brazil's number nine. So that will be a factor in his thinking as well as, if I'm going to leave Spurs, I'm going to be playing for a club regularly, week in, week out at a level that's going to get me in the Brazil squad. So that means it's not just a foregone conclusion for Spurs to say, okay, this club's coming in for you and Richard and say, yeah, I'll go. There's a lot of factors that need to line up, I think, for that to happen. And it's probably true for a few players at Spurs and, like you said, it's buying houses. You might want to buy a house, but you've got to wait for other things to fall into place. Yeah, but both players, they sort of go on a bit of a run and then out of nowhere, they can pick up a hamstring injury and then you're out for six weeks and it's probably derailed both players, Tottenham careers, you know, look, look, both of them, they're on their day players, you know, you know, last season against Bernie, first out of season, Richard Charleston, unbelievable, acrobatic kick, overhead kick, whatever you want to call it, you know, he's got it. He's great in certain moments, he's brilliant in the air, brilliant header at Villa, you know. He's been thanked and well regarded at Spurs for scoring a key goal there. Dominic Selanquin, unbelievable goal against Manchester City, then five days later when I'm at a press conference, I'm told that he felt something in his knee or his hamstring and he's not making that game. I'm not criticizing them because that's not really their fault, it's their bodies, but I just feel like they've not, neither of them have had that long consistent run and my concern is whether you can rely on them long term. I'd love to say you can. I'd love to say you can say that about Destiny of Doggy, but I'm fortunate that you can't. Hopefully we can keep them off the treatment table this season, but looking away from the forward line, we've kind of teased it already in terms of outgoings that we might be seeing Jed Spencer, maybe another few players on their way out of the Tottenham Hot Spurs stadium, but where else do the club need to strengthen in the rest of the window if anywhere? Well, I mean, we've talked about the forward option, so they obviously want to left wing there. They've obviously been looking at strikers as well. I mean, other areas of the field, for me, if Jed spends leaves, I think Spurs should be looking at another right back, but probably looking at someone a little bit younger, someone is a bit more of a development project, maybe. I mean, Pedro Poro is actually one of the few players at Spurs who you can probably bank on is going to play every game. I mean, he hasn't got that injury record that others have got. World Cup winner, I think if you've got Poro as you're leading right back, then having somebody who can come in and be, having him as a mentor and develop for the future would be a good shout. So, but yeah, perhaps right back, where else do you think? I agree if you're on right back. I think they look okay in terms of goalkeepers. I expect Wemma Vicario to move on, Antonin Kinski looks like he's going to have the opportunity to be the number one. The mental strength he's shown since the athletic home Madrid night, and again, made some crucial saves, Wolves away, Kepp Spurs, help Spurs get the three points after that free kick in stoppage time, great save against Leeds, great save against Everton, good on the ball. So, I think he will get the shout. I think Martin Dubravick is a very sensible signing as a number two. And then Austin's not going to worry about being the number three. You know, that's absolutely fine. So right back, I agree with Lyle. I think that might be saying they'll look at Archie Gray might be another option to play there right back sometimes. Then you've got the sense that defense is completely covered and sorted. You know, we know the players that've been brought in, Sonese, Jan Paul Van Hecker, Kevin Dancer will have another season at Spurs, left back sorted, Andrew Robertson, Destiny Adoggy, Ben Davis, Sozer, if he stays, Leeds Link with Moves away. That's me assuming that Jed Spence will go. He might have gone by the time you're all reading it. You're all watching this and all listening to this. Midfield is an interesting one because again, well stocked in the centre, Asandra Tanali, a mum and Fernandez, upgrade times 10, sensational upgrades, great business, that's be positive there. Yeah. And, you know, Lucas Bergval remains at the club early June. You know, I don't think he wanted to lead the club in terms I don't like playing for Spurs. I think it's just concerns about being a regular starter. So, he's a big question mark. Papay Sari is still at the club. And look, you need to remember that there's so many forwards who still aren't ready to play first team football yet. Wilson Oda Bairnjavi Siemens, you won't see them till maybe early next year. Mohamed Kudos hasn't played in pre-season yet. The day in Kudosewski, I'm told it will take still just, it's that's going to take some time. They've got to be really careful with him as well. So rushing. So, again, I'll go back to it, it really is the forward line. It's unbelievable, right? So, for 10 years Spurs had the best left side forward around in Son, the best striker around in Harry Kane, please come back big, you know, the 25 year old versions of them. So, I'll take the 32 year old Harry Kane as well, Spurs would be absolutely done ready to go. But that's the way it is, isn't it? It's never as simple as that. It's always as simple as that. I want to talk to you about Kinski, because much like what you said about signing to Nali, if I'd said to you at the start of this year, or certainly after that, I'd let it go, Madrid game, that Antonin Kinski was going to be starting the season as Spurs is number one. And that Roberta DeZepi will be quite happy with it, certainly openly and outwardly. You'd have probably asked me if I was all right, and it's been a remarkable sort of return arc for him, hasn't it? I've got so much respect for that guy, and I spoke to him after the Everton game, and he was delayed, he pulled out of going to the World Cup with Czech Republic. And to turn down the World Cup, to have minor surgery, I think again says a lot about him, but I was in Madrid covering it for SkySports menus, and the morning after I've seen tweets, and even from ex-goalkeepers, you should know better by saying that's his career in Europe finished. Come on, come on, because I'll tell you, that was like dancing on ice to that game. Players kept slipping and slipping, Barcelona. They said it the week before in the Coppa del Rey slipping over. And of course, when it's the goalie, it's all on you, isn't it? 100%. Yeah, it was exposed by a team that was in diastrates at that point, really, right, under eagle chewed or so, it was not fair on Kinski, and like you said, it's testament to the character of that player that he's come back in the way, has an also testament to Roberta DeZepi and his coaching methods. Yeah, he certainly wouldn't mind having DeZepi in your corner, would you? Just before we move on to outgoing, there's a great question here from Luke, who asks, if you were the Spurs Board, you add as much money as you want, you can sign whoever you want, but you can only sign two more players this window, who would be top of your list. I think from Jamie O'Hara, it'd be Marcus Rashford times two, but what about you guys? Oh, well, I mean, look, Marcus Rashford, I can understand why he said that, but I think the wages is potentially an issue, but also I think Marcus Rashford or Mark McCarrick wants to give Marcus Rashford another go at Manchester United. I hate the term, like a new sign, but he is a like a new sign, Mark McCarrick, because he's not had the opportunity to apply under Carrick, look, you know, if we're talking fantasy in dreams, I'd say Harry Kane, you've won your trophies in Bayern, you've won your league shields, come back now, because you're adored by everyone, but no, look, that's not going to happen, and he's very, very happy at Bayern, so I'm going to leave it up to them, and I'll tell you why, because I've been impressed with the midfield signings, we'll see what we get, and I have got that feeling that Roberta Deserby in his interviews over the past, this summer, he also knows that he's got a good feeling about what's to come. Yeah, he's certainly excited, fans recently as well, some of his comments, I mean, dropping that bomb a thing in there as well, got everybody really, really excited, look, I mean, if I'm thinking completely neutral and rational about the market, I'd say rational, people might think I'm irrational, saying this, but the spurs are on left wing, all right? The top left winger for me on the market, the moment's Bradley Barcola, he's still not got anywhere else other than PSG, I know he's been widely linked with Liverpool, he's been linked with Arsenal, there's other clubs as well, the spurs want to go out and sign a top left winger, Bradley Barcola is the one for me, now that is me purely speaking from source of opinion. Yeah, I think the left side is forward, it's the one for me, I mean, I have to bring it up again, you've got Eucoolo Sevskis, you've got your Chevy Seamons, but two very senior players who are still so long away from playing first team football again, you're like, you know, what are they going to be like? It's also, I mean, if they are fit, I'm interested to see how he sees the forward lines coming together, because actually if you look at it, if he plays, you know, in number 10 to wingers, where does he see, shall be fit, Simon's fitting in, if he's got a fit, Madison, and a fit Gallagher, and a fit, Coulars Eski, right? These are all players that could potentially play ten, could just potentially play ten, he's played ten for other clubs before, so just Simon's play out on the left, how much does he mix it up? I mean, that could be in Spurs' favour in terms of even just confusing opponents, they play against... Yeah, sure, sure. ..is moving those forwards around, so I'm sure he'd like to have lots, it's disposal and have them all fit, and see where he can fit them all together. Yeah. That's a heck of a five aside team in the physio room at the moment, isn't it? Let's move on to the outgoing, because there's one elephant in the room, we haven't really mentioned too much yet, but Captain Christie and Romero, who looks like he's about to leave the club, feels like, might be the right time? It is the right time. There's no debate about it, it is the right time. You can't keep putting on Instagram your dissatisfaction with your employers, he did it a couple of times last season, I get it, year to forget, we all felt it, but you are the club captain, and it is the right time, whether they get the value for a player if his ability, they're probably not going to, but we need to look at this, and you know, it's very similar to Jed Spence, the foreign market, and the money Syria has in Germany, and it's compared to what we have in the Premier League, is going to make a difference, you know, Luke of Vuskovich, who made any competitive appearances for Tottenham, will probably be sold for higher than what the club captain will probably go for, because he's gone to a Premier League club. So, I think it's best for all parties that he leaves, I think the fans of probably 99.9% of fans would say agree with that, I'm sure we agree as well, that on his day there aren't many better, he doesn't really make any mistakes for Argentina, I think just in terms of Tottenham, it just feels like it's just his job. Ability-wise, Christian Romero has got it all, but in terms of his, you know, the rest of it, I mean, there's just a lot of question marks there, you know, and I think it's time to move on from that era of spurs and move on to a new era of spurs, which has been shown by some of the players that they've brought in, not just to have an impact on the field, but have an impact on the dressing room, and really try and sort that area of the club out. So, yeah, I mean, factually, what we know at this stage, what we reported, Bridgie, we've reported that a flow income would be an active discussions with spurs at the moment about doing a deal for Romero, edging a bit closer all the time, I think, probably expect more talk to be going on as we sit here at the moment as well, then we wouldn't be surprised to see a conclusion come for that one at some point in the next few days. Now, one user by the name of the Craigie boy wants to know why a World Cup winner with three years left on his deal is being sold so cheaply. Do you think that, although this athletic home adrid move really does suit all parties and it's a great club to be going to, there might have been a bit more interest and a little bit more of a bidding war had he not had so many misdemeanors, I suppose, on the pitch over the last couple of years at spurs. Well, I think Paul Skolz or Nikki Bart have openly said that they'd have taken him at Manchester United, you know, to play alongside Lissandro Martin as, but if I'm in the Tottenham ballroom, I'm saying, well, that starts at 70 million, okay? So, it's a bit like the Jedspent situation, if Liverpool or Everton or whoever came in for Jedspence, I'm starting at 50 million. It's only six years of age, I'm an England international, I can play right or left back, right? I've come off a good World Cup. As I've said, it's different in other leagues. They don't have the money like they used to have, you know, the Premier League continues to thrive. So, it has to be different. So that's where I look at it. If he didn't have such a checkered few years at spurs, I just think he might be able to come on that sort of feeling. Yeah. Possibly, like I said earlier on this, on his day, on his day, he's probably under 40% of the time. Yeah. Look, I was watching the Manchester United game at Old Trafford and I know there's a lot of rivalry between Brazil and Argentina, but I feel like he has like a laser beam put on him. So, as you see, he's a Brazilian international, customer of bang, what are you doing? Yeah. And that's four games bad. For me, there was one example, really, and that was when it was in the Nottingham Forest game. And when Tottenham needed to beat Nottingham Forest, and they lost three nil at home, I think it was the second goal. And it was actually quite a top figure in the football industry that said to me, we could go back and watch that goal and watch what Romero did or didn't do for that goal. And I watched it back and I watched him and it was arm thrown in the air. It was not tracking the player back who I think ended up putting the ball in the net. It certainly ended up contributing to the goal. And you think that's spurs when they need their captain the most. They're only one nil down under the coach and you need your captain to turn in an absolute blinder when you need it most. And he just wasn't there in that particular moment. And so for me, I think that says it all. Also, before we move on, I was at a press conference on the Friday before the Everton game. The two days before this massive football club might have been relegated. I mean, the traction from March to then about spurs, potentially going down. I mean, I mean, meetings about how they're going to cover Tottenham Hotspur as a Premier League club on Sky. I mean, yeah, we had to have those being unbelievable, right? And one of the questions, maybe to revert it as a two or three of them about about Romero going to watch a team in Argentina and training there. Or is he going to watch the club who pay his wages? I'm thinking this is so wrong. Like this club, this needs to be about the Everton game who's playing survival. This shouldn't be about a player who is not playing Sunday. For some reason, that was one of the, on the other top of the agenda. And it didn't sit right with me. A couple of reasons that why I think everyone's on board, including Romero himself. Why it's probably a good time to part ways this summer. Jed Spence, not quite as black and white that one, especially coming off such a good World Cup, Marky G 74 has been in touch to say he's not best pleased about the valuation of Jed Spence. Although there was a time not so long ago, you wouldn't have been turning, no one would have turned the nose up at 30 million pounds. This is almost actually in some ways had a bit of a World Cup premium because he had such a good tournament in spells. No, I can't understand the spouse fans being puzzled. It's not just about being with good at the World Cup, he's 26 English and you've seen other values and deals and I can understand why they're questioning it again, I'll go back to it. If it was Liverpool, sorry to keep using Liverpool as an example, but I would double it. It would be at least 50 million for me, he plays right back left, back 26. But there isn't that, there aren't the clubs in-frim as it stands, it's in to Milan. And he wants to go to Inter Milan. Yes, I think Spurs, I think the owners are showing that they are being pragmatic about things and being pragmatic about how they want to achieve their objectives. So what they want their squad to look like and what they want Roberto, a deserving squad to look like. And if that doesn't really include Gede Spence, obviously they brought in Andy Robertson as a left back, there's lots of options, the left back where Spence filled in last year. Pedro Poros, your first choice left back, you know, is Gede Spence going to play every week in that Tottenham team? Probably not, so he needs to move on for regular games. Now seems to be the right times, probably helped, but it's actually that he's had a good World Cup. You know, whether it into Milan would come to the table or not, if he hadn't, remains to be seen. So, sorry, what we'd never find out, but he did have a good World Cup and the point is in Milan are at the table and that seems to be where he wants to go. So you have to be pragmatic about it and as Bridgie touched on, you know, he's hitting the nail on the head really with the state of play and the foreign in the European marketplace that there's just not a great deal of money there. Is this a sign maybe you talk about the pragmatism of it, of Tottenham being a little bit more ruthless than they have been at times, sometimes with their outgones? Yeah, I think they've, yeah, I mean, we've seen a change, but also, you know, they've brought some decent money in as well. I think Vuskivic, you know, I know some were a bit concerned that he might turn out to be great, but he made it clear he wanted to leave despite there being an agreement with his representatives that, you know, you'd go on another loan and all of a sudden he said, they've turned around and said, no, we want to go. And I think they've got a good money for him because Bridgie, I don't, apparently he's not completely ready to be a first choice at Brighton. I think Will Lancashire was as a decent fee, although that sort of split opinion hasn't it, but although 20 million for it, or potentially 20 million for a, for a championship striker. Yeah, I can understand why that is split opinion as well, but Spurs have, look, Spurs at the poor record of selling players and there was a mission that they need to sell better. They're not the only club that need to sell better. I think one of ours was record sales was not Oxide Chamberlain. And I was like, is it something obscure like that? But, you know, so, you know, Spurs are selling better. You know, we can all debate about the fees, but they're certainly getting people out who they want to get out and they're turning down things they want. You know, we were told at the start of the summer that Luke Spurgval won't be sold as it stands. And he hasn't been, despite people saying, oh, yeah, he's going, he's going, well, he's still there at the moment. And Neil's asked about other outgoing potentially this summer. He said, Spurgval, I suppose from a numbers perspective, when everyone is fit and even without everyone being fit, you've got the two new midfielders who've already come in this summer. Where does he fit into that? Well, he's, you can play as a six, he can play as an eight, he can play as a ten, but he's very highly regarded by Roberta Deserby. I don't think he asked to leave because he doesn't want to play for Tom Hotspur Football Club. I think he just had concerns about two very big midfield signings coming in. The problem again, you've got is that Tottenham on in Europe this season coming up, you know? So it isn't going to be one game a week, but I'm going to be honest, if you don't mean to be a miserable person, because I'm not a naturally miserable person, but there's not going to be a situation where everybody's fully fit. That's not football anymore. You're going to get niggly injuries. You're going to get a couple of injuries as much as Tottenham have investigated and doing their best for the not as many ACLs or this or that, you're still going to get injuries. So if you play well, you're going to be around the first team. So I like Lucas Bergwell, but I would like to see a bit more from him. And that's because I see there is something in him, but there are times where I haven't seen enough of him. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh, I don't know. No, I mean, he's still young. Yeah. He's still with whole career ahead of him. I don't know why he's in such a rush, if he is, to be assured of playing regularly somewhere else. Obviously every player wants to play as many games as possible, I get that, but Tottenham also need to have some healthy competition for places. It can't be, this is the established first team and that's it. Bergwell needs and should be looking at it like the gauntlet's been laid. The standard bearers are there. Sandra Tonali, Taze Fernandez, Connor Gallagher, Rodrigo Bentonco. I can get to where they are. I can surpass them. That's the challenge for him. And on the one hand, if I was advising him, I'd say you should relish that challenge. I'm not. Let's see if he's listening to his podcast, because I suppose as well, you've got Taze Erby making a name for himself when he was at Brighton for the amount of changes he made, even just in the Premier League. So there's going to be minutes shared around, isn't there, throughout the whole team. One player who'd imagined will be starting a lot of games will be the new captain, which we imagine there will be if Christine Romero moves on as we expect. Jessica Smith's asked if James Madison will be captain, but of course we've seen Mickey Mandeven sign a new contract recently. Is he the natural option? This is a brilliant question, because James Madison is very much a sense of everything in the dressing room. He's a good character. He's someone I've got to know well, and I hope for everyone to take that. He's going to stay fit this season. He's not going to play every game, because he's had such an awful injury. I think he will be part of a new leadership group, whether he's going to be captain or wait and see, because I think you've got Mickey Vanderven, who signed a new deal, and let's not forget that, because he looked to be on the way out in February and March time. He was unhappy, worried about the direction of the football club. I think Andrew Robertson will be one of the vice captains. You've got options, but I know James Madison has been talked about a lot, and they've been people on social media who've said he's been appointed to captain, so we'll just wait and see on that. Mine for most of you, that hadn't been decided, but of course you cannot confirm a new captain when you've got your current captain still there. That's one of the reasons why I also think that they want to get this from error situation done, because Brentford is ticking the 22nd of August. They want to get this sorted. They also need to get it right. You want to choose the right. As a big decision, they've got to get it right. Who do they want their archetype to be? Who do they want people to be looking at as the pro in the dressing room, who's going to be able to command that dressing room, and Robertson is a good shout. He comes with a lot of credentials from me. I wasn't a Liverpool captain, but I think he was the vice captain. He was known a Liverpool for really being an anchoring point for the players in that dressing room. He really commanded a lot of respect to Liverpool, and that's one of the reasons why Spurs are brought him in. Then one more point on the captain's seat, so whether this is Troy or not, I don't know. It deserves it to me that he was going to make Kinsky captain against Wolves. It didn't happen in the end, but he was seriously considering it. The captain who's been supposed to captain for preseason, despite a lot more senior players around, has been Archie Gray. He's always got his reasons. Archie Gray was catching against the Taffa at the training centre. You had a lot of more senior players and Archie Gray around for that game. He'll make a decision. He won't go around asking too many people his opinion. I think he'll go, I've got a reason, and that's who I want. He might employ it. He might select two, or wait and see. I think Madison is a favourite if we had a bookish chart now, and obviously it's been a lot of noise on social media, but Vandavena signed a big new contract. He's going to be centre of everything. As Lyle said, Liverpool are going to miss Andy Robertson. I don't forget. I wanted to bring Andy Robertson in last January, and one of the main reasons I was told is because that room needed more leadership. Now, let's move on to the players that are already there, and we haven't touched too much on Mattias Fernandez, and his arrival this summer, but Dylan 74 wants to know where you think he fits best into this first team, because he played in a few different positions at West Ham and Salamton during his time, hasn't he? I think you can fit into a few by the looks of it. I mean, you can play number eight. You can play as more of an advanced sort of eight, ten, or a number ten as well. You could even come and play in a double pivot if they wanted to alongside a tonnale or a benton core or something like that as well. I think he's got that to his game. Again, he's somebody who has got a lot of developing to do at the same time, clearly a lot of quality, but still quite young. He's been at two relegated clubs, so he's shown what he can do in sort of fits and starts, hasn't he? Yeah. Now it's there for him to really pick up the mantle and establish himself as a top Premier League player. I mean, you talk to coaches, scouts, managers, people in boardrooms all over the Premier League. Mattias Fernandez has long been talked about in a lot of circles as being one of the next top players to come through, despite playing for Salamton and West Ham towards the foot of the table for the last two years, and Spurs has had a long term interest in him as well. So, there's a lot to come from him, I think, and certainly if he can score more goals like he did in that preseason friendly, which wasn't bad at all and nicely timed at being televised as well, but everybody excited and what a goal it was to, if he can convert that into the Premier League, then happy days for Spurs fans. Yeah, I've had a couple of people in the club sort of thinking, I've said to me, we knew he was good, but we are the best and what we thought. So I'm excited to see him. Courage in science. And he... I want to do again, then. Well, got to do some admin as well. Got to do some admin, you can watch that goal on the Sky Sports website, he's a cracker as well. Right, got a bit of a fancy moment for you, a scenario which is a dream to Spurs fans might not seem like such a reality, but imagine an entirely fit Tottenham squad. How do you think Roberta Deserby would line everyone up in his team? It's time 11, Bridgie. Yeah, well, you think you'll go Kinski and Goal, Pedro Poro, Van Hecker, and Van De Ven will be the new Tobiard of Errode in the Anvatongan, and you got the quality of Sinesi waiting to get in. Look, I'm going to be downbeat here, I worry about Destiny of Doggy's injuries, I hope I'm wrong. So, I'm Andy Robertson to start a left back, Sandra Tanali and Fernandez in the middle. This is where it gets hard, isn't it? You've got everyone in now? It is. Yes, hang on. Five, six, seven. You don't need a 10, so maybe I'm thinking, I'd love to, yeah, is this if everyone's fit? Everyone's fit. I know, it's difficult to imagine. I mean, look, Madison wasn't ready to come back at the end of last season, but he's showed in minutes here and minutes there that he's got one second more than others, so I'd make Madison the 10. I think Tell is going to have a good season. I think you might surprise a few, because I think a couple have already said he's not good enough. I think he could have a decent season, but this is where it shows Spurs Need More, because I was quite quick on the midfield and the defence. Yeah, it's the now, it's the end itself, yeah. I mean, if it's all goodness, well, let's hope Diane Kulosefsky is the player he was, so you'd have him on the right of the forward line, wouldn't you? Mm-hmm. Kudus 10 or Madness 10, I don't know, what would you do? Did you have your Siemens 10? It's tricky, I mean, yeah, it's a great question. Would you go Madison 10, Kulosefsky, right? Try and play Kudus left or Siemens off the left, Madison 10 and Kulosefsky, or I think I'd be going to serve Kudus off the left. He'd played there for a bit of West Ham, he'd never been quiet because he was there. If we're talking in a cold, hard light of day now, with the jury being out on what kind of a player Kulosefsky's going to be when he comes back after so long out, you might have to say Kudus as you're right, Winger. Yeah, that's fair. Madison as you 10, and Siemens off the left or tell one of the two of those really at the moment. You can see why they really want to get another top left Winger, because you want it to pick itself. That answers. Why are you supposed to need that left Winger? You're giving us a fantasy thing where everyone's fit, and we're still trying to work out those together. Still sort of the problem position. Yeah. And then you'd want to strike or upgrade, but I'd probably go so Lanky over Richarlison if both were fit. Okay. Well, let's look at expectations, because for the moment not everyone is fit, and they are still looking to improve that forward line. But before today's show, we put our poll asking Spurs fans for their expectations for this season. 74% of people think European qualification must be the aim. It was pretty much neck and neck between the Champions League and the Europa League. We've sort of touched on this already, but where do you think that balance lies? Or if England can get five spots again. If you're spending that money, you have to be going for it. Yeah. I think that's fair. Oh, absolutely. Yeah. It is. You know, Tottenham are going out and signing players who are ready and established and experienced now. Players in their prime, which is what they didn't do before. And the countless managers prior to deserving were frustrated that the club was talking the talk. We want to compete for trophies, but not walking the walk in the transfer market by buying the kinds of players that will get that. I mean, I'm sure Antonio Conte or somebody or Josie Moreno or Ange Postercoglu were looking at the kind of players that they've signed this somewhere and thinking, why didn't I get Sandro to not leave? So I didn't get my tears for Nandes or at least the ones that they were asking for to get spurs up into that top group. So they're competing on the wages level now with the top clubs, they're competing for the kind of transfer market, transfer their targets that the top clubs do. So they've got to be looking to compete at the top of the table with all those clubs, just as simple as that for me. And without any Europe to worry about, is this a season where Tottenham start thinking a little bit more seriously about the cups because I mean, as a club that has recently won the trophy, but has gone so long as we don't need to remember beforehand, how much I mean, it's invaluable silverware of any kind, isn't it? I know people won't believe this, but I'm 40 years old age, right? And when I was growing up, my dad used to, we used to love the fact that spurs had won the FA Cup more than anybody that is now, I think, Arsenal. And they've not won the FA Cup since 1991. That is a disgrace. It's just a disgrace. Tottenham Hotspur love the FA Cup, the fans love the FA Cup. I still watch the third round draw. You know, okay, it's not the competition it was, but it's, you tell that it's a crystal palace, you know, and, you know, that's why Pep went for every domestic trophy. He loved the Carabell cups and the FA cups. You're absolutely bang on, and I expect to see a strong-ish side when they play Chatton at home. No slip-ups? No slip-ups? Get into that next round and go for these cups. You heard it here first. Silverware perhaps back on the cards for Tottenham this season. Now they start their Premier League campaign against Brentford on Saturday, the 22nd of August live on Sky Sports, remember to stay across Sky Sports News, the Sky Sports website and app to hear all the latest about the spurs, stories and transfer news from these two gentlemen and the rest of the Sky Sports teams. Thanks to Michael and to Lyle and Jamie O'Hara for all their insight, and we'll see you again soon.