Neil Vaughan from Spurs News has kindly answered our questions ahead of Sunday’s game at White Hart Lane as Swansea City face Spurs.
Neil Vaughan from Spurs News has kindly answered our questions ahead of Sunday’s game at White Hart Lane as Swansea City face Spurs.
1. How has your pre-season been? Have you, the fans been encouraged by your transfer activity and the performances in the friendly matches?
I tend not to read too much into pre-season. We played a couple of games in Hong Kong which resembled a swamp and a beach – too many friendlies these days seem to be PR/sell merchandise campaigns rather than anything else.
As for our transfer activity, it seems Daniel Levy has got tourettes with his credit card this summer, we’ve brought in some quality signings in the form of Soldado, Paulinho, Chadli and Capoue, and there’s talk of more to come.
2. Obviously Gareth Bale is the main talking point, how much has this had an effect during the pre-season preparations? What’s your opinion of the whole thing, Should Spurs cash in if he shows no desire to play or hold their grown over the player?
The club and player have handled the situation well. Bale has kept quiet on the matter which has helped us to do our business in the transfer market, without having to worry about inflated prices due to an impending world-record fee amount for Bale. It could have been a situation where he kicked up a fuss like Suarez.
Our chairman, Daniel Levy is notorious for squeezing every penny out of clubs in terms of transfers. If he does go, it will be for a healthy amound and he’ll go with the blessing of the fan.
3. What are your thoughts on your manager? How would you rate him after last season and where do you expect Spurs to finish this year?
AVB is a master tactician, he is methodical in his preparation for each match and is known to be in the training ground before anyone else. In comparison, Redknapp’s tactics were not his strongest point and it ended up costing him his job with us. I honestly wouldn’t trade our manager for anyone elses in the league.
With the investment we’ve made in players the top four has to be the aim, anything else is a failure. I think we’ll finish fourth and finally finish above the bunch at the Library.
4. If Gareth Bale was to leave, what player would you look to to boost your hopes of a top four finish?
Realistically every Spurs fan knows deep down that Bale is going. Levy, Baldini and AVB have been conducting most of their business before the deal to Madrid is completed. We’re linked heavily with a move for Roma’s Erik Lamela who looks some player. No player can replace Bale, but we seem to be a stronger squad with the additions we’ve made.
5. What are your strengths as a team?
We have a fantastic goalkeeper who there are no worries about. The spine of our team is great, Kaboul, Dawson, Vertonghen are excellent defenders and we have an abundance of talent in midfield with the likes of Dembele, Paulinho, Capoue, Lennon etc. We pass the ball well, and finally in Soldado we have a striker who can put the ball in the net.
6. And weaknesses that Swansea City should look to exploit?
Our full-backs are fantastic going forward, but not so much defensively. Walker had his lapses in defence last season which cost us a few times, while some people are still questioning the decision to start Danny Rose at left back.
7. Your thoughts on Swansea’s progress in the Premier League? Can they match some of the pundits’ high expectations this season and finish in around 6-8th place?
Like ourselves, you love to pass the ball around and it’s refreshing to see. Playing rugby teams like Stoke City brings out the worst in us, so Sunday is set up to be a fantastic game between two sides who like to get the ball down and get on with it.
A top eight finish would be a fantastic campaign for you. However I’m not sure there’s enough goals in the team if your forwards go through a rough patch, plus the demands of the Europa League. I’m saying 9th.
8. With the amount of money being spent on player’s wages in football these days, the Swans would benefit from a wage cap in order to compete better with their rivals, is a wage cap a good idea that you would welcome to the Premier League?
There’s no doubt that the financial side of football is out of control, your average hardworking person struggles to afford to get to a match and a third choice goalkeeper is earning more than £50,000-a-week. There seems to be too many loopholes in the Financial Fair Play rules for anything to be done with a firm wage cap. It’s a good idea, but one which I cannot see being enforced heavily any time soon.
9. How do you see the game going? Swans tend to struggle at Spurs, are you expecting another win? Give us your score prediction.
It’s going to be a tight game. Both sides will be high on confidence after their wins in Europe, the White Hart Lane crowd will be in fine voice for our first home game of the campaign and I think we’ll edge it 2-1, with Michu giving you an early lead.
Thanks to Neil Vaughan from Spurs News for his answers. Our answers to his questions will be available at the link above soon.
