Giancarlo Galilifuoco - from Aussie junior football to Spurs

A kid from a junior club in Australia to the Under 21's at Tottenham, that's quite an upheaval, that's quite a journey but it's the one made by Giancarlo Galilifuoco.Playing for the Sutherland Sharks juniors, a team from south of Sydney, he travelled to Italy for a trial and received a call from his mate and Spurs youngster Massimo Luongo.Q - How did a youngster from Sydney get to end up at Tottenham?“I was trialling in Italy but I was signed to...

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A pat on the back

It is always pleasing when you watch a Spurs performance and listen to experts who make the points or inform us of events that you yourself have been making.It vindicates your opinion, it shows your readers you know what you are talking about, that you are not just a supporter taken in by a show pony, a flashy eye catching display, that you can look deeper, the way a coach has to.Time to pat myself on the back then. Our last 2 performances have seen TV experts expressing my opinions.I watched Etienne Capoue in his half hour cameo against Crystal...

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Carroll, Gallas, Lamela, King, Spurs XI v Dinamo Tiblisi

Tottenham Hotspur's bright young prospect Tom Carroll is rumoured to be in talks with Crystal Palace over a loan move.I have to admit I have been expecting this to happen earlier. Carroll going on loan to a Premier League club and getting a seasons football under his belt returning a more complete player ready for next year make perfect sense, or it did to me at the start of the window.It makes even more sense with the players we have and are signing.Also At Palace Ian Holloway has met with William Gallas about playing for them. He said he was...

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A teamsheet pointer for AVB

The team for tonight against Dinamo Tiblisi at White Hart Lane, which is again on ITV4 by the way, is a tough one to call. That's not going to stop me though so let's look at some options.Spurs hammered their opponents 5-0 in the first leg which gives Andre Villas-Boas the choice of playing a strong team to gel or giving players a break. His other option is to select players working on their fitness as they come back from long term injuries and develop some youngsters.Brad Friedel I am expecting to start in goal tonight to give Hugo Lloris a break...

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Eriksen, Sigurdsson, BAE, Rose, Chiriches, Lamela, Bale, Adebayor

It's been quite a transfer window with a transformation of the squad. We have not just changed players, we have bought upgrades, young upgrades with years ahead of them, years we hope of success.So what is the latest news.Well Spurs opening bid for 21 year-old Danish international Christian Eriksen of £6.9 million (€8.03m) was rejected according to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf but Daniel Levy has agreed a fee of £10.29 million (€12m) with his Ajax...

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Mortgage done, survey done, transfer on

After a couple of articles on Daniel Levy, the masterstrokes he has played in the development of Tottenham Hotspur and in the transfer market this summer we'll have a look at why transfers take so long.Previous Articles:Daniel Levy - you're hiredTransfer Window MasterstrokeWherever you go around the net you see thousands asking why hasn't player X signed yet or player Y had his medical when it was reported he would be. The answer is simple.Buying...

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Ljajic leaving Fiorentina this window + Chriches update

Fiorentina owner Andre Della Valle expects Spurs, AC Milan and Liverpool target Adem Ljajic to leave in the next few days.The Serbian was not in his sides squad on Monday to face Catania and was told he would be put up for sale if he didn't sign the contract extension he is currently refusing to sign."The boy is a bit nervous, and Montella [Fiorentina manager] has decided not to bring him here."In the coming days he will almost certainly leave Florence. Not selling to Milan? Never say never."The 21 year-old could be available for around £7.5 million...

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Benzema no to Arsenal, Caulker, Chiriches

Benzema no to Arsenal."We can't stop the rumours. But I tell you: Karim will not go to Arsenal. It's never been a question for him and no contact has been made. He will stay at Madrid."The probable arrival of Gareth Bale at Real Madrid doesn't threaten him at all. Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale will play on the wings and Karim in the centre. Karim could very well finish his career at Real, the club of his dreams," Benzema's agent Karim Djaziri has said.Steven Caulker wishes Spurs well."I knew what I was coming here for and I am not looking back. I...

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Daniel Levy - you're hired

Gianluca Di Marzio, who is a reporter for Sky Sports in Italy, claims that during the Spurs/Roma Erik Lamela discussions the idea was mooted of swapping left-backs Federico Balzaretti and Benoît Assou-Ekotto.With Benny surplus to requirements now at White Hart Lane Balzaretti would be a cheaper replacement, his salary was £24,760 a week in 2012. Di Marzio explains that the idea is only at discussion stage and that swap deals are notoriously difficult,...

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Transfer window masterstroke

Clubs are starting to circle waiting to pounce before the window shuts, but they are circling Real Madrid.The Goon Squad are said to be interested in two, but who would be interested in the Goons, nobody has so far.It would seem this transfer window has been waiting for the sale of Gareth Bale to ignite other transfers. The hierarchy at Tottenham have played a very good game by making them all wait.Given that Bale has already said goodbye to some...

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Soldado and Vertonghen

New signing Roberto Soldado has begun his preperations for our next game. He is being told of the importance of the London Derby, as are all the new signings, by his teammates so that the atmosphere doesn't take them by surprise."Yes, my team-mates have told me what the derby means. Tottenham against Arsenal is one of the most beautiful games for the club and everyone who has come in from outside will want to play in it."It's the game with the...

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Transfer options round-up

Willian is not to be, he would have been excellent for us but not to worry, move on to Pjanic, Eriksen is still a possibility.There are plans in place for these disappointments happening. We have gone into this window with a strategy and we have been carrying it out with the backing of Joe Lewis.Daniel Levy is prepared to pay more than he would normally do for certain key players and has done so. Soldado is an example of that as was Willian. These were signed because the club have the utmost faith in AVB, not that he makes all the transfer decisions,...

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The Townsend Debate - his game minute by minute

Andros Townsend is a player who divides opinion among the Tottenham faithful. The Lennon haters want Townsend to replace Lennon, the Lennon lovers think Townsend isn't up to the required standard for a top 4 Premier League side.He played against an awful Dinamo Tiblsi team in the Europa League qualifier away from home on Thursday and the 5-0 scoreline tells you all you need to know about the opposition. Now there will be plenty of sites who will...

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AVB praises Townsend

Andre Villas-Boas had praise for Andros Townsend after his man of the match performance against Dinamo Tiblisi in the Europa League tie. There will be an article posted at 9am on Townsend and his minute by minute performance last night, the 39th minute was hugely significant.Speaking after the game about Townsend AVB said:"Andros has been working well in training, so we felt it was time to give him an opportunity and he did very well. If we have the type of performance we had to today (from him) we can always count him."For all the young players...

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Spurs XI guess

Picking the team AVB may pick tonight is a tough one, far tougher than usual. There are so may question it raises and so many options it's not easy to know which ones he'll go for.Do you give Friedel a game?Rose or Naughton?Should Kaboul or Vertonghen start?Should Sandro and Capoue start?Do you pick a near 1st XI to help them gel quickly?Soldado or Defoe?The objective is to win the tie over two legs. Defeat away must be avoided and a win gained if possible. Scoring away is another consideration if the game is a draw. What will AVB do?To try and...

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VIDEO of Under 21 win, Bale, Willian, Lamela

Let's start off Thursday with some video highlights of our Under 21's 6-3 defeat of Manchester City, a game in which Harry Kane grabbed a hat-trick. Right having cheered you up lets get on to the other news, Bale, Willian, Lamela.Franco Baldidi is racking up the air miles travelling around Europe and putting together the transfer deals for Levy to sanction and finalise.A 5 year deal for Willian sorted with wages in the region of £85,000 a week, passed to Daniel, on then to Erik Lamela, not in Rome though and not in London but in Madrid.Baldini...

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Roberto Soldado

Roberto Soldado became the 74th player to score a debut goal in a competitive game for Spurs.He showed intelligent movement and created opportunities for himself which augers well for the future, it's something the side have been lacking up front. His 50th-minute penalty means he has now scored 11 in his last nine games in league football, scoring 10 in his last eight La Liga games for Valencia.The two penalties he has taken have showed what a cool...

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Press Conference ahead of Europa League tie

The Spurs press conference before the Dinamo Tiblisi Europa League qualification round game featured Andre Villas-Boas and Younis Kaboul. It began with questions for Younis.He was asked if the strengthening of the squad would allow Tottenham to go further in competitions at home and abroad this season:"We are going to carry on like last season. We will take every tournament seriously with complete concentration."Our target is to go as far as possible in every competition.We are trying to build something at Spurs. Big squad with good quality. Now...

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Gylfi Sigurdsson

Last season Glyfi Sigurdsson was like a fish out of water. He was stuck out on the left and struggled but did score some important goals for us towards the end of the season. He could have left in January when Reading bid £10 million for him but the word is AVB likes him and Spurs decided not to let him go.In the latter pre-season games and against Crystal Palace we have seen him in the number 10 role, playing in the hole between the midfield and...

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Bale to Madrid to happen soon

Bale to Madrid to happen soon.Very interesting what Guillem Balague had to say on TalkSport that Real Madrid asked Gareth Bale to play for Wales and not for Spurs to show he was not injured and wanted to leave but he refused. There are a few people still left who are clinging to the belief that he is injured, but quite frankly they are not being honest with themselves in my opinion.Bale did zero promotion for Spurs whilst in the Far East, not one...

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Holtby, BAE, Willian, Lamela, Capoue, Raul, Bale, Defoe

Little snippets from around the internet say that:Andre Villas-Boas tells us that Lewis Holtby has returned to training after the knee injury he suffered at the European Under 21 Championships where he was captaining Germany earlier this summer. This is a big season for Lewis who hopes to go with the full national side to the World Cup in 2014. To do that he will have to perform well for us when he gets the chance and force AVB to keep...

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VIDEO: Transfer target Todor Nedelev £2.18 million winger

A report from Bulgaria suggests we are close to reaching an agreement for a young 20 year-old winger, Todor Nedelev. The suggested fee is £2.18 million (5m Belgian Lira).Seen below playing for his club Botev Plovdiv, he certainly looks as if he has some talent from this You Tube clip even taking into account the poor defending. A major attribute though is his ability to use both feet, something that never ceased to amaze me with professional footballers paid vast sums of money to be the best they can be. Would you not become proficient with your...

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Parker leaves, AVB and Jan Vertonghen

Scott Parker has signed a 3 year deal for Fulham. QPR were going to pay £2 million and we wanted Fulham to pay £4 million so the final fee, which is undisclosed will probably be £3 - 3.5 million. Thanks Scotty.Q - AVB, have Spurs bid for Willian? A - "No, no."Q - Do you admire the player?A - "Yes. This is a player who I have spoken about in the past, not very long ago. He is a player who I appreciate. He belongs to them and I respect them so I wouldn't like to extend myself too much."Q - Will there be new signings?A - "We haven't finished....

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Halilovic, Bale, Willian, Fryers

Croatian news outlet Jutarnji are claiming that Alen Halilovic's family held talks on Friday at the Maksimir Stadium and agreed terms on a transfer to Tottenham. Until now his father has not wanted him to join Spurs wanting his son to play first team football now.They go on to claim that Hallovic will now stay at Dinamo Zagreb, where his Dad is a coach, on loan until he is 18. The deal would mean the best of both worlds for Dinamo Zagreb. Their chairman wants the money and he'd get that plus the player for another year.Another Croatian news outlet,...

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AVB, Holloway, Souness views, player success stats

Andre Villas-Boas was happy with Spurs opening performance against Crystal Palace on Sunday. The Palace defender shouldn't have had his arms in the air outstretched covering an area so there can be no complaints, not that that stopped Ian Holloway complaining of course."(It was) a good performance," Villas-Boas said. "There's always a surprise factor to Palace because of the amount of signings that they have brought (in) and the fact that we don't know them as well as the other teams so I'm extremely happy with the performance."We had good chances...

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