The Age of Ange Begins

What a whirlwind weekend in the world of Spurs!

Normally I would jump straight into my recap for matchday 1, but it feels appropriate to at least acknowledge the transfer elephant in the room first (and then move swiftly on), as well as the incoming transfers that arrived just before the season kicked off.

In this issue: Transfer Talk: One major outgoing, four incomings | Brentford Recap | Previewing Manchester United | Kit Room: 2023/24 Away kit review | News From Around the Lane

Transfer Talk: Farewell to Harold, welcome to Ashley, Micky & Alejo—and Grace

The long goodbye finally came to pass.

Harry Kane is officially a Bayern München player, moving to the Rekordmeister on a four-year contract for a Bundesliga-record transfer fee.

He's already played his first game with Bayern, a 0-3 loss to Leipzig in the DFB Super Cup (the equivalent to England's Community Shield). He came on as a substitute but the damage had already been done. As Spurs fans, we should probably breathe a sigh of relief that he didn't win a trophy in his first appearance with his new club. As someone who is also a Bayern fan, I feel terribly conflicted about the whole situation. I can't root against him, but it still feels way too soon to be rooting for him. Alas, that is my cross to bear.

But however we all feel about the transfer and whether or not it's a good thing for Tottenham (or for him), I think it's important to remember that Harry is the protagonist of the story. He wanted the move, and he got it. How we feel about it is kind of a moot point because nobody's wishes mattered more than Harry's. That being said, everyone is entitled to process this unique moment in the club's history in whatever way feels right.

But just to lighten the mood as I transition into talking about more cheerful matters, I have to share the funniest reaction to Harry's transfer:

Never change, Pep.

For better or worse, Spurs will be playing without Harry Kane from now on—barring a return, which he and Daniel Levy have both hinted is not out of the question. Luckily for us fans, we didn't have to wait long to see what a Kane-less Spurs team looks like in action since they kicked off the Premier League campaign the very next day. More on that later, but first let's catch up on the latest incomings, one of whom has already made his Spurs debut.

Youth movement

In the week leading up to the opening matchday, Spurs Men made three new signings: Ashley Phillips, Micky van de Ven, and Alejo Véliz.

Ashley, a center back, comes to us from Blackburn on a five-year contract. He made his Championship debut last season and has also played internationally for England at various youth levels, including captaining the U18s at a recent tournament. He is still only 18, so we probably won't see much of him with the first team this season.

Micky is also a center back and joins us from VfL Wolfsburg, where he was a regular starter. His contract runs for six seasons. He has played for the Netherlands at youth level and made the preliminary squad for the 2022 World Cup, not making the final cut. Micky is known for his superb pace, which will be a huge asset as we transition into playing a high-line defense.

Finally, Alejo is a promising 19-year-old striker joining the club from Rosario Central in Argentina. He is also on a six-year contract. Like Ashley, we can expect him to be primarily playing with the U-23 side. He's particularly adept in the air and is also playing at youth level internationally.

The Women's team announced a new signing as well, albeit only a season-long loan. Grace Clinton joins us for the 23/24 campaign from Manchester United. She spent last season on loan at Bristol City in the Championship alongside Gracie Pearse. The 20-year-old had previously played with Everton in the WSL. Like her compatriots on the Men's side, Grace has featured at youth level for her national team. Although Spurs noted her as a midfielder in her announcement video, I understand that she played as a wide forward on her loan with Bristol City.

I'm a bit puzzled by this loan to be honest, because it doesn't address a current area of need in the squad. And if we're going to be bringing in such young talent, I would prefer for it to be on a permanent contract and not a loan, so that we can eventually reap the benefits of that player's development. Rachel of @spurswomenblog has a good thread on why intra-league loans like this are not ideal for teams outside of the top 4:

One more transfer note: Joe Rodon has gone on loan to Leeds for the season. Good luck to Joe!

PL Matchday 1 recap | Brentford 2 — 2 Tottenham

Mbeumo 26', Wissa 36' — Romero 11', Royal 45'

I have to keep reminding myself that this was, in fact, a draw and not a win, because I was left feeling so positive overall about the performance. So yes, while it's still important to be patient as Ange begins this rebuild & reboot of the mighty, attacking Tottenham Hotspur, I think we should recognize that this first match wasn't nearly as messy as we had all anticipated! There were plenty of reasons to feel enthusiastic about how this season will go.

Starting XI:

Sure, there were some early-in-the-match jitters—especially from the newcomers—but you could really see the players growing into the game. Speaking of those newcomers, we had four players making their Spurs debut, and three of them were making their first appearances in the Premier League, period. With an average age of 22.7 for those three PL debuts (Guglielmo Vicario, Destiny Udogie, and Micky van de Ven), that's a very young trio of goalkeeper + backline that can continue to develop with Spurs over the next few years. The other Spurs debutant, James Maddison, had swapped one (now relegated) Premier League team to play in lilywhite.

I was pleasantly surprised that all four of them immediately looked at home in a Spurs shirt, especially those that were brand new to the league.

Although we conceded two goals, I wouldn't say that Vicario was truly culpable for either—the first was a penalty, which is never an easy save, and the other was a shot that took an unlucky deflection from very close range. As "Venom" becomes more familiar with his defenders he will look even more confident playing out from the back, but this game was a good start.

Udogie was heavily involved and appears to have made the jump from playing in Serie A to the Premier League with ease. I'm still excited about that backward header he scored in pre-season and hope to see more of that attacking threat from him soon. The most important thing in this first match is that he looked like he belonged, no easy feat for a 20-year-old in the PL.

But the PL rookie I was most pleased with on the day was Van de Ven, despite his deflection being responsible for Brentford's second goal by Yoane Wissa. Other than that one unfortunate moment, I was very impressed by his sense of positioning, his proactive pressing, and his tidy handling of the ball under pressure. Basically, he did everything you want a modern center back to do—though perhaps it would be more apt to compare him to a certain former Spurs center back. Micky didn't look daunted by the PL aura at all, and he has instantly made our defense more dynamic. It's a shame we didn't get to see him alongside Romero for a full 90.

The reason Cuti's game was cut short—right after he scored our first goal of the season—was that Spurs' doctors indicated he needed to be subbed out for concussion protocol. It was pretty easy to tell even watching on TV that something wasn't right from the way he barely celebrated the goal. However, it sounds like his substitution wasn't counted as a concussion sub because of a mix-up with the paperwork, so if he is deemed not to have had a concussion (pretty unlikely, sadly) and is fit to play, he won't have to sit out due to the usual concussion protocol. Whether you look at it as a mistake or a loophole depends on the outcome, I suppose. His health obviously has to come first, so if he is unavailable for the Manchester United game and Davinson Sánchez has to start in his place, let's try to get behind Dav—who wasn't flawless in his substitute appearance, but wasn't terrible either.

Emerson Royal got a deserved (in my opinion) start over Pedro Porro, likely for having the edge when it comes to defensive skill, but he would end up scoring the equalizer just before halftime. That he was even present in the position where he scored from is a testament to how fluid our attack is under Ange's new system. And kudos to Emerson for "playing to the whistle", as they say, because he caught all of Brentford sleeping after an assumed foul on Maddison that wasn't actually called. It was a great shot, too.

Ange made two more subs in the 75th minute to replace Oliver Skipp (who had a good game but was on a yellow) and Son Heung-min with Pape Sarr and Ivan Perišić, respectively. I thought both substitutes played well and it's reassuring to see that we do have quality depth to turn to, regardless of how they played (and how often) last season.

Interestingly, the newcomers seemed to find it easier to adapt to Ange's tactics than some of the players who had been here last season; namely, the forward line of Son, Richarlison, and Kulusevski. They're probably going to need a few weeks to fully unlearn the lingering effects and bad habits from Conteball. Plus, they will need to rework their alignment of chemistry now that Kane is gone, as well as build their partnerships with Maddison as the 10. But truly, I'm not worried about where the goals are going to come from now that Harry is gone. In this game, we got goals from two defenders, but there were plenty of chances generated across the whole formation.

The team pushed to find a game-winner but had to settle for a point in the end. And to be clear, a point away at Brentford is never anything to sneeze at. Their stadium has become something of a fortress for the Bees and we drew both times in this fixture in the last two seasons.

On a purely emotional note, I loved that Son led the team over to the away fans for the pre-kickoff huddle. You really get the sense that they understand the importance of the traveling support and wanted to show their appreciation. And even though there will be some fans who are frustrated with the club because of the Kane transfer, I believe the majority of fans are fully bought into the new "project" under Ange. Let's try to keep that positivity going, shall we?

SAtP Player of the Match: James Maddison

With two assists and plenty of other bright moments besides, Maddison is the clear player of the match for me. You wouldn't know this was his first Premier League game with Spurs; he looked so comfortable in the team. We have long needed a creative spark like him in the midfield, and he brings a certain calmness on the ball that seemed to help his teammates settle into the game, too. If it's not too late for me to make another prediction for this season, I would say that Madders is a strong candidate for the Playmaker of the Season award. Fingers crossed, anyway.

Manager Talk: Honesty is the best policy

I can't overstate how refreshing it is to have such a straightforward, no-nonsense manager like Ange Postecoglou after the painful years of José Mourinho and Antonio Conte. While Ange is very honest in his press conferences, it's more of a transparency matter than a "no filter, no tact" situation like it was with those previous managers.

He's not going to throw players under the bus, either. You get the sense that he fully backs the players he selected and trusts them to get the job done, even while making a few mistakes along the way. As a manager known for giving young players opportunities to thrive, having patience with players as they develop would seem to be a prerequisite.

Micky has only had three sessions with us so I could have waited to put him in there, but my feeling is he will be a very good footballer for us and the quicker we introduce him to Premier League football the better he will be.

At the same time, he was open about the fact that Eric Dier is on the outside of the matchday squad looking in but has the opportunity to change his status by working hard in training, much like every other member of the team. The squad is operating as a true meritocracy for the first time in quite a while (and let's be real, Kane leaving is a significant factor there).

I also appreciated his candid comments on the situation around Cuti Romero's potential concussion.

He got a head knock and it was pretty clear. The medical team were monitoring him as he progressed from there and then he scored with his head. They were pretty sure we needed for his own benefit to get him off and obviously what we know about head injuries, for me it is not even an issue. We will always err on the side of caution.

Cristian, the player is not the one you listen to in those situations because he doesn't know what is going on either, so I thought it was pretty clear what we had to do. Disappointed that we apparently filled out the wrong slip and it was not a concussion sub. In this day and age where what we know about head injuries, if we are going to worry about what form we fill out, I thought it was pretty clear what happened but hopefully he'll be okay.

He's absolutely right that the decision should not be up to the whims of a manager whose priorities won't always align with the player's health, although I think it's fair to say that Ange does value player health over results.

Well, exactly that is where people like me should shut up and listen to the doctors so that is what I'll do. We've gone beyond the stage of managers or players try to get funny about these things. It is clear the protocols are there for a reason and the welfare of the player is paramount so that decision will be made by people who know about this subject far more than I do.

Ange arrived at the club during a time of great upheaval, but seems well-suited to guide the squad through it, all while reassuring fans that maturity and common sense have returned to the management role. The fact that just one game in he's already fostering exciting football on the pitch is just a happy bonus—one that we've been waiting many years for.

Previewing PL Matchday 2 — Manchester United

Well, I'm feeling a lot more optimistic about our chances after watching Manchester United's first match against Wolverhampton. I didn't know "Fergie Time" could also include avoiding penalties, but here we are.

Seriously though, Wolves got cheated out of a draw and you'll never convince me otherwise. And while the Wolves fans can feel aggrieved that their team didn't get a point in a game where they had done more than enough to deserve the draw, United fans should be feeling concerned that it took such an absurd lack of intervention from VAR to escape such a result.

The player in the middle of all the controversy was the United goalkeeper, André Onana. He just joined from Inter Milan to become the new #1 keeper in lieu of the departing David de Gea. While he showed many times during the game the potential positives that he can offer, there's also a recklessness to his game that is sure to be a liability more than once this season.

Much like Spurs in our first game, United's only goal came from a defender, Raphaël Varane. His fellow defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka provided the assist on a cross from out wide, not dissimilar to the second goal we conceded to Brentford, just an aerial cross vs a low cross along the ground in United's case. Something discrete for Ange to drill the defense on in training, then. Winger Alejandro Garnacho will be a particular concern for our backline due to his daunting pace, technical precision while dribbling & crossing, and powerful shot when he cuts inside.

Mason Mount didn't look particularly threatening on his debut for United, in my opinion. He will obviously need time to build some chemistry with Casemiro, but Spurs would do well to exploit that disconnect.

I don't think I would make any changes to the starting XI if I were Ange, though I could see the argument for having Sonny and Richy swap positions. Otherwise, I think it's good to continue giving last game's lineup a chance to build up their partnerships and let the new signings bed in with further confidence. I would like to see Giovani Lo Celso come on as a sub in this match, however; he performed so well in pre-season and I'd like to see if he can replicate that form against PL opposition, where he was not as consistent in the past.

Having Ange's new-look Spurs playing their first home game of the season will be a huge advantage over United. I understand protests are planned before the game around ticket pricing (rightfully so), but I am confident that the atmosphere during the game will reflect the current enthusiasm around the actual football from the team and the manager.

Our last matchup with United at home was a 2-2 draw, so let's hope for all three points this time around.

Kit Room: 2023/24 Away kit review

The release of the new away kit was kind of overshadowed by the Kane transfer, but at least it got the spotlight of getting its debut in the first PL game of the season.

My grade: B+

Pictured above is the "Stadium" version, not the "Elite" version the players wear, which has some textural detail to the main fabric. But even without that extra flair, this is still a great kit for fans. The overall classic vibe will make it one to sport at games or your local supporters group watch parties for years and years to come. The color palette is somewhat moody and looks really sophisticated on the pitch. The subtle pattern on the sleeve trim is one of my favorite details, along with the holographic badge and Nike logo (which I already extolled in my previous review of the new training gear). I'm usually not a huge lover of collared kits, but this collar is simple and small enough that I don't mind it. The only thing I would have changed to upgrade this kit would be to swap the triangular detail near the collar for an actual button placket, whether functional or not.

This fake magazine cover from the launch video was cute. But the best part of the new kit is how good the players looked playing in it on Sunday. Classy, classy vibes:

News from around the Lane

As if multiple transfers, a kit launch, and the first game of the season weren't enough to talk about, there was a slew of miscellaneous Spurs news since the last issue. Let's start with the most energizing bit.

A changing of the guard

The club announced on Saturday that Son Heung-min had been named captain by Ange Postecoglou, replacing Hugo Lloris (who is not out the door yet but is unlikely to be staying at Tottenham).

It's Sonny's ninth season with Spurs and he has more than earned this distinction. Time and time again, he has put the team on his back and provided the big, important moments. So many of us have been feeling like he should be next in line for the captaincy for a long time, particularly after he signed a new contract in the midst of the turbulent time ahead of the 2021/22 season, and led the team in goal-scoring in that Golden Boot-winning season—as Harry Kane sat out the beginning of the campaign trying to force a move to Manchester City. The streets will never forget, as they say.

But besides the numerous times he has shown up for Tottenham when it mattered most, he is also the longtime captain of his national team, South Korea. Son is inarguably the most qualified to take on the leadership mantle at Spurs.

Ange also named Cuti Romero and James Maddison as Sonny's vice-captains. Initially I thought it was a bit strange to have a player who is brand new to the team in Maddision given that responsibility, but he's certainly not new to the league and seems to have fully embraced Tottenham already. Plus, it makes sense to have some leadership presence in each area of the pitch (Cuti in the backline, Madders in the midfield, Sonny in the forward line). And for Romero, this could be a tempering influence on his on-pitch behavior; less reckless challenges, more putting the team first, in other words. There's no question that he is well-liked in the squad off the pitch, and he is a World Cup winner, after all.

It's important to acknowledge that had Harry Kane stayed with the club, he would inevitably have been named captain because of the numerous times he had filled in for Hugo Lloris in the past, as well as his status as England's captain. But with Kane's decision to take on a "new challenge" and make way for the Son leadership era to begin, it feels like Ange is consciously shifting away from the idea of a singular leader who is the club’s talisman (as it would have been under a Kane captaincy) towards recognizing the importance of the collective. His tactical system doesn’t work with individuals who are disconnected from the common goal, and that will be reflected in the leadership group helmed by Son but diffused across the whole squad. They've all been asked to take responsibility for the team's success and make the dressing room their own space in which to support each other. And damn it, I think that's beautiful!

Also beautiful: the announcement photos.

Needless to say, I think Ange made the right choice with his captaincy trio.

Tottenham's Premier League squad list revealed

The club shared the full squad list for the 2023/24 PL season, along with the players' shirt numbers.

There are quite a few players still on the list that we can reasonably expect to depart before the end of the transfer window, including Hugo Lloris and Tanguy Ndombele.

A few other notable observations:

• There are six goalkeepers, including youth keeper Luca Gunter who impressed in the U18s cup title run last season

• Harvey White did not make the cut this year, suggesting he may be going on loan or even making a permanent move soon

• This preliminary list will be whittled down to the final 25-man squad at the conclusion of the transfer window; the current list stands at 36 players

Carabao Cup second-round draw

Since the Men's team is not in European competition this year, we get the privilege (or misfortune) of entering the League Cup in the second round. Who knew it was split into North and South at this stage of the competition? Not me!

Regardless, Spurs were in the draw for the Southern division. We will face Fulham away to begin the pursuit of the first domestic cup of the season. Definitely not the easiest possible opponent for such an early round, but I suppose it'll be more satisfying to do it the hard way.

World Cup update: Spurs edition

Since last writing just after the group stage, only Beth England remains in contention for the title.

Luana Bühler's Switzerland were knocked out by Spain in a 1-5 loss. Luana was an unused substitute, so at least we don't have to worry about her having aggravated the knock she picked up in the group stage. Let's hope she arrives fit for the pre-season and can make a strong start at her new club!

Becky Spencer and Drew Spence both played the full 90 in Jamaica's 1-0 loss to Colombia. That was the first goal they had conceded all tournament, and they can hold their heads high after making history with Jamaica's highest-ever finish in the World Cup. They proved that the US and Canada aren't the only relevant teams in the Concacaf region anymore, alongside Haiti and Panama.

Rosella Ayane's Morocco fell 4-0 to France. Ros came on as a substitute in the 64th minute, the most game time she'd seen since their first group stage game. I'm sure she will have been frustrated by her own performances, but the Moroccan team as a whole can be very proud of reaching the knockouts for the first time ever. Their success can serve as a blueprint for women's football in the MENA region and an example of how much progress can be made with proper federation investment.

Bethany England was the only Spurs player to suffer the particular torture of a penalty shootout in the round of 16, but she handled it with her typical confidence and composure in front of goal, converting her penalty as England overtook Nigeria 4-2 from the spot. Then in the quarter-finals, her nation beat Colombia 2-1 after conceding the first goal. She didn't have much chance to make an impact, only subbing in at the 90th minute.

Beth and her teammates will take on Australia in the semi-final mere hours after the publication of this issue, so by the time you read this you'll probably already know the result! I hate to be disloyal to Beth, but I'm personally rooting for an Australia home World Cup win at this point. But if England do get past Australia, I wish them the best of luck against Spain. Jorge Vilda cannot win this tournament under any circumstances.

Spurs sign safety charter

I was gratified to hear that Tottenham became the first football club to sign London's Women's Night Safety Charter, an initiative to ensure women feel safe in the city at night. By signing the charter, the club has pledged to take several steps to support the initiative, including staff training, encouraging reporting of incidents in and around the stadium, and providing evening programs for safe participation in sports. As Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is a venue that hosts not just football games but also concerts and other events, it's particularly important to make this commitment. In addition, Ben Davies has been named as a champion within the organization to support the club's efforts under the charter.

While this is a worthy initiative, it should only be the foundation of the club's efforts to make football a more inclusive space for women-identifying fans. As one Premier League club continues to play an accused rapist and another considers bringing a domestic abuser back into their squad, Spurs need to make it clear that respect for women is a key value of the club and its players. That's going to require an education component as well, especially at the Academy level as they have an important duty of care in molding those young players.

Whew! That was a lot, but I guess the first weekend of the PL season was always going to be an eventful one.

Let's wrap things up with a quick grab bag of photos, including Spurs Women training ground camaraderie, a snapshot of one of Skipp's pre-season goals against Barcelona, Madders looking every bit the vice-captain in the new away kit, and a familiar face.

Always and forever,

COYS

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