Spurs: Redknapp tactically reveals Tottenham secrets

 

 

Tottenham Hotspur are a top footballing institution that has played host to some truly exceptional talent, but for whatever reason those stars continue to showcase adversity towards silverware.

Even Harry Kane – as one of if not the greatest players the club has ever produced – could not fire them to trophy success, even when supplemented by stars such as Toby Alderweireld, Heung-min Son and Christian Eriksen

Going back even further, and world-class players such as Robbie Keane and Gareth Bale could only combine for a sole EFL Cup in 2008, which actually marks the last time the club lifted a cup.

It has been a long, barren period for the Lilywhites, and one which manager Ange Postecoglou will rapidly seek to rectify. Given the blistering start enjoyed, there is every chance he could be the man to instigate that.

However, as is often the way with these bigger clubs, plenty of potential superstars have slipped through the net, either failing to reach their potential or moving elsewhere to earn unbridled success.

There are arguably few greater examples of the former than Kevin Prince Boateng, who actually enjoyed a brief stint in N17 before moving onto the glamour of AC Milan, Barcelona and Schalke 04 among others.
“I regret a lot of things,” noted Boateng in 2016.

“When I was younger I didn’t work hard because I could rely on my talent. That’s not the right way. I wish I’d worked harder, but it was normal then because I was the boss of my town and had money and fame.”

A midfielder destined for the stars, he had already garnered widespread attention as a teenager for Hertha Berlin, earning his move to England.

Martin Jol sought to praise his new acquisition, lauding the recruitment team’s work in snagging such a future star:

“He is an attacking midfield player, very strong and that is one of his main assets. In Germany he is regarded as one of the biggest talents, we recognised this and went in for him.”

However, a lack of first-team minutes staggered a promising career, and after making just a handful of appearances he would depart, first on loan to Borussia Dortmund, and then to Portsmouth on a permanent deal.

It could be argued that his spell at Fratton Park marked the standout of a fluctuating tenure, in which he would score five and assist three for a squad barren of creativity before financial troubles resigned them to relegation.

Every disappointment marked a new opportunity though, and thus a switch to Genoa and later AC Milan kickstarted his love affair with the Italian giants.
Winning Serie A with the Rossoneri and being named in the Serie A Team of the Season was not enough to keep him at the San Siro though, as he would then seek out Schalke 04, before settling at UD Las Palmas for another sole campaign.

Somehow the Ghana international continued to fail upwards though, with the pinnacle being his loan stint at Barcelona. Although incredibly brief, it marked an exceptional peak for a career that would then go on to list Fiorentina, Besiktas and AC Monza as his new homes.

One of the generation’s most nomadic stars, bouncing around the top level, the 36-year-old would call time on his career back at his boyhood Hertha Berlin, having amassed 520 club appearances, scoring 76 and assisting 56.

A classic case of what could have been, his is one of the greatest examples of wasted potential, with that hype first kickstarted by Spurs’ 2007 acquisition.

How much did Spurs buy Kevin Prince Boateng for?
With many standing up and taking note of the skilful midfielder tearing up German football, it was only right that a significant fee would tempt Hertha Berlin to sell.

So, for Spurs to unload an impressive £5m fee marked a huge outlay at the time, and a hefty investment with the potential to earn huge returns.
However, Boateng would certainly fail to live up to expectations, making just 24 appearances for the north London giants and failing to score a single goal. Harry Redknapp was not to hand him any further chances too, sanctioning his exit to the club he was once manager of.

How much did Spurs sell Kevin Prince Boateng for?
Just two years after that deal, the Lilywhites had seen enough and were willing to do business for their 15-cap flop.With Borussia Dortmund failing to cough up the cash demanded, Pompey would swoop in and secure his services for just £4m, at a £1m decrease from the £5m paid in 2007.

Why was Kevin Prince Boateng worth that much?
There are many factors that combined in Italy to make this the most successful period of his personal career, with growing frustrations over a failure to realise his potential likely high on his list.

The creative midfielder was forced to declare for Ghana after numerous failed attempts to play for his nation of birth, Germany, and at 23 years old he was neither one to watch nor an established superstar.

Admittedly, Boateng was merely a washed-up wonderkid with seemingly little time left to recapture what made him so special.

So, amidst all the seasoned old veterans that inhabited AC Milan, his energy, dynamism and unbridled creativity was a breath of fresh air. Although he would never realise those immense expectations placed upon him as a youngster at Hertha Berlin, it is fair to say that perhaps Spurs should have given him more of a chance to flourish as a youngster in an effort to reach that level.