Monday, November 29, 2010

Big Week for Spurs

It's a good time to be a Spurs fan. I have passionately followed Tottenham Hotspur since I was 12 years old and saw them win the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup in person back in the early 80's. Tottenham have had their share of success but not quite delivered in the league, their last championship occcurring in 1961, the year I was born. Admittedly they did win the League and Cup double that year.
Last season they qualified to play in the European Champions League for the first time by finishing 4th in the Premier League. Despite being drawn in the same group as the holders, Inter Milan, Spurs have done extremely well and currently lead the group, having beaten Inter in London a couple of weeks ago.
The last week has seen them play arch rivals Arsenal, and Liverpool in the league either side of a mid-week tie against Werder Bremen from Germany.
The game against the Gooners was atway at the Emirates Stadium, a daunting task considering Spurs have never won there in the league and indeed haven't beaten Arsenal away for 17 years!! By half time we were 2-0 down and looking like continuing the losing streak. But, not this time! Spurs hit back to draw level and then in the final 5 minutes grabbed the winning goal, 3-2. Beating Arsenal is about as good as it gets for a Spurs fan, doing it at their ground and denying them top spot on the table in the process is even sweeter.


 Kaboul gets the winning goal against the Gooners.


Next came the Champions League game against Bremen. A win would guarantee Tottenham qualification for the second round. It was never in doubt as Spurs triumphed 3-0. Top of group A. and be in the last 16 in the competition, awesome. Modric and Kaboul scored against the Germans.

Then last night Spurs hosted Liverpool at White Hart Lane and came from a goal down to win 2-1 and move to 5th in the League. Aaron Lennon scored the winner in the 92nd minute.

I'm a happy man. A few months back, while I was still in Busselton I met a bloke from Sydney, David, who is as mad about Spurs as I am and since then we have been swapping text messages most weeks, discussing the team's great form and wonderful results. It's cool to have a friend who shares my life-long passion for Tottenham.

In other sports news, the NY Giants beat the Jacksonville Jaguars this morning (Melbourne time).

I've got a day off today before another week of early starts, 5.30 tomorrow morning. Next week I finally get a reprieve and have a week of late starts (and finishes). Although I don't like the early morning starts, I do admit there is an upside when I finish work by 1 or 2pm on those days.

Sport Boy and Mrs Holt Press went to Melbourne on Saturday to watch Brody compete in an internation Brazilian Ju Jitsu tournament. Brody is the son of Dave, with whom The Heir works and he and Sport Boy get along really well. He didn't win his bout but they had a great day by all accounts.

Favourite Daughter is still in Halls Creek but has let us know the good news that she'll be flying to Melbourne on Dec 20. It will be great to have her back with the family. Sport Boy in particular will be rapt, he is missing his friends from WA at the moment but having his big sister around will be a real blessing for him.
I'm just about to go and pick him up from school.

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