While Jermain Defoe was sending out some mixed messages over how he sees his future, Rafael van der Vaart insisted that he wants to stay at White Hart Lane.
Some sections of the press argued that VDV would be the first to seek a move after Tottenham failed to finish in the top four but the Dutchman claims this isn’t the case: “I won’t be looking to leave Tottenham to play in the Champions League. I have only been here one year. I have enjoyed my year and we will see what next season will bring.
“We always want to play in Europe. It is good to have the experience from the Europa League and it would be a nice title to win.”
VDV arrived at the end of August and quickly became a fans favourite. Lately though he has attracted some criticism from certain fans over fitness and the suggestion that he upsets the balance of the team.
Fans from outside the club are amazed to see any concerns over Rafa and it certainly looks like the player himself is happy at White Hart Lane for 2011-12 and maybe beyond. Now is the time to get the strikers we need to bring the best out of Van der Vaart, for he really is a player that needs a team built around him.
I love vdv, but I’d be more concerned with making sure Modric stays and build a team around him…
Agreed
Agree with Lee!
Seriously? Build a team around VdV – he’s gonna be getting on – he’s prone to no show up – and only lasts 75 mins when de does…
ur mad mate.. people were still talkin about building an england team around gerrard this world cup and hes older than vdv.. equally as injury prone.. the guy needs abig pre season.. hes been sat n his back in the spnish sun for a year..we get hi fit.. his passion and class will make other teams sick!
He is the leading scorer and not by chance..If harry doesn’thave the balls to drop unfit /under performing players, then you cannot blame them when they are not in form/fitness.
AS good as modric is, his goals didnt flattered to deceive as far as spurs’ prem has gone this season. Without Vdv Modric and Bale, this season would have been over at xmas..
he must stay and if there is a problem with team selectio, that usually is the responsibility of management.
*Haven’t*
You all need to look at some stats because you will find we got fourth last year with these players missing Van at Madrid Bale turned up in january Modric out with a broken foot for months. This year we Missed Huddlestone four moths and counting Defoe two months of a three months injury King seven months Kaboul eight weeks Woodgate all season except one match players Loaned players upset Defoe Pav Kranjcar Hutton Palacios Sandro a late developer . The one thing that can ruin a team is getting the wrong player who you build the team around instead of having a team he can play in an this is what happened yes it worked for a bit and we won a few games but for a full season it was doomed to fail. This is the reason why Van had played at the biggest venue in the World and then he landed on our door in a late bid to play in the champs league he knuckled down and said all the right things he even said we where better than Arsenal and we could win the league and there was the problem evene when he played bad Harry played him and left Defoe and others out causing discontent. He even told Harry to stop hooking him and when he did he walked down the tunnel after he was subbed. Then he said his family missed Spain and he did this was another indication he and his family where not settled. He has caused divisions in our team and god knows what he has said to Bale about leaving and Modric but Defoe and other players have suffered along with our season from playing to Vans STRENGTHS he has scored goals but i believe Defoe and Crouch wold hae scored if Huddlestone and King where in the squad. i Looked at our team last year in my old magazines and tyis was our best attack Lennon Huddlestone Palacios Modric then Lennon Hudllestone Modric Bale and if you look at all our games the main man was not Modric or Bale Lennon But Huddlestone because we won with any combination with Big To Huddlestone in the middle and another startling fact when he has played in defence even with another novice he has not bean on the losing side remarkable but true we also won with other players in the middle like Kranjcar Jenas Palacios this is a player you could assemble a team around not Van who nneds a special 451 we hardly win with. Verdict 442 or sell
SPURS MUST KEEP AND BUILD THE TEAM AROUND BALE , MODRIC , VDV , SANDRO , GALLAS , DAWSON , EKOTTO , KING , HUDDLESTONE , LENNON , THUS NEEDING 1 KEEPER , 2 CENTRE BACKS , 1 MIDFIELDER , 3 STRIKERS .
When we said ‘build a team around him’ we weren’t really stating that VDV was our best player, only that he’s the type of player that you do have to build a team around to get the best out of.
This has been fairly evident this season where we’ve either struggled to fit him into a 4-4-2, or our strikers have struggled to adapt to playing in a 4-5-1. Our point was that if he’s staying, we have to buy the right type of striker(s) to be able to accommodate him in his best position.
When you think of the amount of goals he’s scored in a season where we’ve often found it difficult to get the right blend, it would be very interesting to see what he could achieve with a better striker in front of him.