Roberto Soldado, Etienne Capoue: do these names talk to you? There are many others; these names gave vain hopes to Tottenham’s supporters and emptied the club’s vaults. How many other Stambouli and co will sign to wear the lilywhite shirt, before the club’s masters’  stop their buying spree demon?

Marseille’s Florian Thauvin, seems to be the latest whim of Tottenham’s Scouting Squad. No one is disputing his talent or technical ability, but that’s not good enough, not in a team needing urgently winning spirit and good behaviour in the dressing room.

The French midfielder,( born January 26, 1993)  and has among his silverware the Trophy for Best Newcomer in Ligue 1 and the World Cup Under 20 of the same year.

The youngster that columnist Andy Brassel described as “a wide player who is left-footer with fine acceleration and jaw dropping close control” and  by some others as the new Thierry Henry, had a difficult start; he contracted a serious stress fracture and the medical staff were pessimistic about his  sporting future, but in the end he bypassed this penible situation successfully.

The young Orléanais started his career with Grenoble Foot 38, but after the club’s relegation in France’s Amateur Ligue 2, he signed his first professional contract with Corsican side of Bastia FC.

A year later,(Jan. 2013) he signed a four and a half  year deal with LOSC Lille, (3M Euros transfer fee) but stayed in Corsica on loan, till the end of the season.

All good, one  might say; a big club, a nice salary for a 20-year-old, the beginning of the 2013-14 season should be like a dream come true, yes but… Thauvin changed his mind ! Adieu the remaining four-year contract and Lille’s fog,  Bonjour Marseille’s  Sun and more generous wages !

Of course Lille’s owners weren’t in the same wavelength and refused to let him go, but that didn’t stop Thauvin; La Gréve (strike) is quite popular in Voltaire’s home country: he refused  to do any training and in the end Lille let him go, gutted by the player’s behaviour, but the 15M Euros transfer fee, paid by Marseille, put a sunny smile to the club’s accountant face.

The two seasons spent at The Vélodrome weren’t as the player and his agent had hoped for; Thauvin’s rotation from good to bad and then again, under three different coaches, his verbal altercations with his teammates and especially with Dimitri Payet, trying to hit Mathieu Valbuena after a game gone wrong, the youngster just can’t accept the dressing room’s rules! This season he was  Manager’s Bielsa golden boy, playing well or not, but that didn’t stop him to declare, that if “Bielsa’s staying next season, I’ll go play elsewhere”(L’Equipe).  Never happy, no matter what!

Marseille would be happy to sell him, if the price is right, but will it be ? The player’s stats aren’t good: 35 L1 games, 5 goals, 3 assists. Rumors about Tottenham willing to pay 15-20 M Euros are running galore. Oh My God,  another one? Will they  ever learn, that for one Lloris, there are dozen players, talented of course, but not keen enough to pay back the club’s faith?

If Florian Thauvin  comes to North London, he will treat Spurs as a stepping stone, as he did before  with his other clubs and will go on strike once again to achieve his projects.

Tottenham’s owners should not only watch the  players’ performances but most of all their behaviour on and out of the pitch, thus avoiding any more heartaches!

HERE’S THE PLAYER’S HIGHLIGHTS :

Obviously, Florian Thauvin needs a new jersey ! The question is,  will he have  the one he’s hoping for?

Editor’s note: Thauvin won’t be part of the team for the  game vs FC Metz (1/5/2015) 

Categories: opinion

Tags: Bastia FC, Florian Thauvin, Ligue 1, Losc Lille, Olympique de Marseille, Tottenham Hotspur