It only seams like the other day when we had Harry as a Manager, VDV, Bale and Modric. The chairman that some people think is actually good for the club, sold all 3 players, sacked Harry, employed the Portuguese idiot, and allowed Baldini to sign 7 donkeys that had never kicked a ball in premiership football.
Funny how it gets twisted to suit. Levy did well to hold onto both Modric and Bale a season longer than was expected, considering the lack of CL football that fulfils the ambitions of excellent players. He also got a big wedge for those two, so much so that we've made up for the donkeys that we've wasted money on in the past.
I think you'd struggle to find many posts on here from when Harry was sacked which suggest that, again, the board did exactly what the fans wanted. Redknapp was good for us, but had no interest in taking us further and started damaging the reputation of the club with his gabbling. He made his own bed.
In addition, I've said before, but at the time Harry was sacked (started even beforehand!) people were on about people like Lambert, Moyes and so on, but the majority wanted AVB - a promising manager seen as unfairly sacked and given no chance at Chelsea.
Then, fans want us to spend every penny of Bale's transfer and some, so we did - on players that, for the most part, everyone would have jumped at the chance for. I don't envy Levy for the job he has to do, he's gone a great job and there's no pleasing some people on here.
Makes me think the average age on here is 12 based on the short sighted crap that gets said...
On topic, the squad could be considered as average at the moment, based on form, as our defence is shot. Unfortunately, AVB might have been on to something when he tried to ditch Dawson as he's not a consistent player, but we've also been unlucky this season with Kaboul and Vertonghen being crocked, and the latter being disinterested (judging by his media comments and form). The only areas we have that are close to strong are GK - Hugo being a top keeper and Brad being a great backup IMO - and Midfield, but again Sandro has been injured and its questionable what our best lineup actually is...
I think the key issue is completely based around training: I think neither AVB's experience nor backroom staff were good enough for the team and it's possible that it's to blame for the injuries. I also think the key factor in our fragility currently is the signs that the quality of the coaching staff is still poor.
I mean, if Tim & Les were world class coaches then I'd have expected either Harry to have used them in that function more at Spurs, or have poached them to QPR. The team play like they're in school, and Tim worries me when he suggests he just tells them to "go and play well" - top players need an influencial mentor as a manager, not a counsellor. The benefit of a world class coach coming in would be the potential of world class coaches following.