Why do Spurs struggle to land the big guns?

Despite manager Glenn Hoddle's optimism, it now seems unlikely Morientes will be joining Spurs from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Last week it was revealed Spurs made a last-ditch bid to sign Brazilian star Rivaldo, but he eventually chose Italian aristocrats AC Milan.

Spurs are now said to be chasing Lazio striker Hernan Crespo.

One big name player does not make a championship winning team. Spurs last won the league in 1961; they promptly bought Jimmy Greaves, my all-time favourite Spur. The team went on to lift more cups, but not the league.

Tottenham's league triumph was built on Les Allen and Bobby Smith! Forest supporters will remember John Robertson & Tony Woodcock - winning the league made them great players. Great players do not make championship winning teams - championship winning teams make great players!

Let Glenn get on with it and save all your energies for supporting those players who wear the cockerel with pride, not whinging on about mercenaries who don't, won't, or can't play at White Hart Lane.
Mark B, Manchester England

Spurs must have one of the fastest growing crop of talented youngsters in the Premiership so I don't really understand why they want to pay masses of amounts of money for mercenaries as Chelsea have done who will not be part of the clubs future.

Success won't come this season and maybe not next but looking at the examples of Man Utd, Liverpool and Leeds it will come. All Spurs fans want is a quick fix. They are in a better position now than they were five years ago but it was always going to take time to build a team from the likes of Kevin Scott, Stuart Nethercott, Dean Austin and Justin Edinburgh. Put faith in the youngsters and see what happens.
Simon, England

I can't help but feel that Spurs' problem lies with the whole backroom set-up. What can the players do if they are playing alongside second rate team-mates?

Spurs sells out, at just about, every home game and still there seems no money to attract new players. The club money makers know this and that is why our team finishes mid-table every season! If we got relegated then the club would have to look at investing money to re-establish ourselves. However, as we have proven time and time again, we are not a football club but a successful business venture for investors. We won't go down and we won't win anything! But, as long as our wages are low and we sell out every week it's good business!!
Andy Smith, England

Spurs are about ten years behind the times. What matters now is the strength of the squad not having one superstar striker. Spurs last "big" signing, Rebrov, was supposed to be one of the best strikers in Europe when he arrived but playing as part of a poor squad he soon sunk to the level of the players around him.
Neil, England

I think the current Spurs squad is one of the strongest for years. Matched with the managerial talent of Mr Hoddle it is making me genuinely optimistic.

The club is showing its ambition, and despite the popular opinion here, they are a massive club. The support is there and with the right investment we can be the biggest team in London, (sorry Gooners) and a decent striker can give us the edge in the final third.
Lance Jeffery, England

Spurs always think they are a couple of big players away from greatness. Their recent history is one of under-achievement on the pitch, managerial and boardroom changes off it, player dissent adds to the problem.

Most big players want the Champions League, Spurs don't even reach Europe often. Stability and development would be better for them. Many think the search for a big name player is a smokescreen, showing ambition without ever getting close to the objective. Another mid-table season beckons.
Michael, UK

Hoddle is the classic under achiever with an over inflated opinion of himself!
Steve, England

Why shouldn't Spurs attempt to sign big players? I think it's called ambition and although Spurs are not one of the Premierships big guns of recent years, they have a duty to their followers to improve and catch up with the top clubs in the UK.

Spurs have proved in the past that we can sign big players and I am sure that Hoddle can still attract the big names. However I don't think more money for a couple of big signings will improve the squad dramatically.
Gary Stevens, England

I'm a Spurs fan and have been for 20 years, but there is nothing attractive about the club, we can't attract the real quality players and recent interest in players is a joke.
Rich Woodhall, England

I do not believe that only world class teams can attract world class players. Spurs are one of the most recognisable teams in the world, with a long list of outstanding footballers. If you can offer any player enough he will come.

Middlesbrough seem to have no problem attracting players so why should Spurs, and the fact that Spurs are a London club is already an advantage.
Paul Brown, UK

It is good to see Spurs making moves to acquire world class players. We have proved that we can bring in quality players, it is just a matter of time till we do.

What a shame that Arsenal fans still don't have anything good to say about their own club, and instead have to concentrate their well educated brains on the state of Spurs. Spurs are on the mend and they know it.
Craig, Herts

If Spurs are "small" or "rubbish", why is everyone writing in to take a slap at them. This is generally what people do when they want to knock down someone or something of greater stature.

A general rule of thumb should be: if the tabloid press condemn it, then it must be the correct course of action. However, it must be said that Morientes isn't even transfer listed nor has he asked to be.

Yet, signings have to be for a reason, unlike Liverpool who are scooping up big names for no real reason, other than to give Houllier a team where he doesn't have to use his broken English.
Andrew, Canada

Spurs are not in Europe, and have had too many false dawns over the last decade. All it needs is ONE big signing, or ONE solid season where we get into Europe, in order to finally convince the stars that we are on the way up, and can challenge for honours.
Philip, UK

Let us not forget that we signed Klinsmann after the '94 World Cup when he was a world-class player and we weren't in Europe. If anything, we are in a much healthier position now than we were then.

It's great we are going after these players, but not entirely surprising we aren't getting them at the moment.
Matt Pooley, England

Spurs are looking to improve, and you do that by getting quality players. The ambition is there, and maybe with the press making the noises about Rivaldo and Morientes, players of equal calibre who want to move will think about Spurs.

Most of the posts here are anti Spurs, so I am guessing your teams are not worth talking about. At least as a team we are looking to move forward and get into the top six. Quality attracts quality and the more we are seen as pushing the boat out and trying to get these players, the more interest there will be at White Hart Lane
Rossi, UK

Spurs are unappealing, yes. But to berate them for trying to pull off these coups is not right. Every club has ambitions and tries to sign players that will improve them. The question is whether these stars can swallow their pride that the lack of prestige of being in a smaller club brings.
K, England

If Spurs fans had given George Graham a chance they might have signed some decent players. Spurs want to sign a �10m centre-forward but they already have one (Rebrov) who doesn't get a game.
Martyn, UK

Why would they want to sign for Spurs when Arsenal are only three miles down the road?
Fozzy, England

Oh dear. Like David Seaman, Spurs appear to be having a mid-life crisis, and it's rather embarrassing to watch. If they want to improve their squad they should sign Ade Akinbiyi.
Orinoco, Birmingham, UK

If Hoddle knew as much about European/world football as the Spurs supporters claim, then he wouldn't have to go for the 'obvious' (and unrealistic) signings but would be able to pick up players like Vieira, Petit, Henry, Pires, Ljungberg,Wiltord, Anelka, Silva, Edu, Lauren, Silva etc all for less than he's proposing to pay for Morientes...hmmm is George Graham still available?
Mark, UK

Spurs are a relatively small Premiership team with limited ambition and a manager with, at best, a mixed record. No top-class player with any realistic ambition would join Spurs.
Damien, Ireland

There's more chance of me waking up next to Cameron Diaz than there is of Spurs signing Morientes.
Paul, London

Despite what some people say, Spurs have always been THE English club who sign superstars - Ardiles, Villa, Gazza, Waddle, Lineker, Klinsmann. I'm sure we can pull it off again and stick it up the muppets who think we're no longer a big club. We still have the pulling power and I applaud Hoddle and the board for attempting these ambitious signings.
Jamie, England

"We're a big Club!" I get sick of hearing those words from fans of Spurs, Villa, Chelsea, Man City, Wolves...These teams need to stop being so arrogant. They have been overtaken by other "smaller teams" and they need to accept this. For goodness sake 100 years ago it was Preston North End's fans shouting "we're a big club"...
Ben Collins, UK

Tottenham need to raise their profile in Europe before even attempting to sign this level of player. They have not been involved in European competition for a number of years (except their Coca Cola winning year) and therefore are have no European profile.

The only recognised striker they have bought from the continent has been a disaster and he has publicly criticised the club. Spurs are trying to punch way above their weight by attempting to sign these players.

They should consolidate and buy decent home-grown talent this year and attempt to qualify for Europe before even thinking about signing this quality of player.
David Pautsch, England

I think it's strange that Spurs are being victimised for trying to sign quality players. Ok, they may not have signed them, but what other Premiership team has signed a superstar apart from United?

We have signed four players this season and we have a crop of fantastic youngsters. The only problem at Spurs is a strange media campaign ridiculing the club for trying to get in some talent, and a few Spurs supporters who are expecting too much.
Michael Edgehill, England

We have some of the most promising youngsters in the Premiership, the likes of Thelwell, King, Davies, Blondel etc. All we need is a couple of big players and we will be in the top six in a couple of seasons.
James, England

The point is not that Spurs are "cursed" when it comes to signing top players - it's simply that they try to pull off more audacious coups than anyone else. This tactic is a hugely uncertain one. If Spurs do actually land a world-class superstar (unlikely) then it could be the propulsion they need up the League.

This will lead to more success, more good players, and the ball is rolling. More likely, however, is that it will lead to a period of frustration, followed by rush-job signings of overpriced journeymen. For me, this sums up the pattern of Spurs' transfer activity over the last, let's face it, 20 years!
Mark, UK

I am sure that the consolidation that has continued at Charlton will make Spurs become the fifth team in London this season. Hurrah!
PJ, UK

Spurs fans have to realise that they are NOT a big club. Why would Morientes want to leave one of the world's top five teams for a second-rate outfit that finished ninth in the Premiership!?
PK, England

Who in their right mind would want to go to Spurs? They are a second-rate team who can't even win the Worthless Cup.
Bomber, England

A January away tie in the Cup against Port Vale or a Champions League game against Man Utd. Tough choice Fernando...
Adam, UK

Before Spurs can attract the big-name players, they must start winning domestic honours and participating in European competition. Rivaldo? Morientes? I think they should hold on to and develop some of the younger talent already in their squad instead of selling such talent prematurely to bigger clubs. Then perhaps the stars would take a shine to White Hart Lane.
Frank Lee, USA

The days of great Spurs signings (Ardiles, Villa, Klinsmann) are gone.
Fergus Elworthy, Ireland

Skonta Riga are more appealing.
Tom, UK

BECAUSE SPURS ARE RUBBISH!
Justin Monck, UK

Spurs simply have done nothing for years and have no pull for any big name players. The notion of their glorious past is just that and is largely meaningless to most current players.
Richard Robinson, UK

Spurs fans are constantly moaning that their side are a "big club" who deserve better than they get. The shocking reality to these fickle supporters is that Spurs is a former big club that is slowly falling from grace, similar to Everton and Manchester City.

No club in the Premiership thinks more of themselves than Spurs and perhaps now the reality is hitting home people can't take it. No real youth prospect, best players over 35. Why would Rivaldo or Morientes even consider joining a shambolic set-up such as that?
Colinos, England

I think you have to look at the commitment of the whole board. Hoddle obviously wants to coach a team capable of qualifying for Europe. Unfortunately, you have to spend to attract the quality players and until the club do that we will be known as the nearly club.
Colin Jennings, England

Have you seen the new shirt? Disgusting. Some of our local clubs wear better quality shirts than that. Tottenham used to have an image that was second to none, now they look like a club struggling to survive.
Stefan Taylor, England

Of course they are unappealing. Why would a world-class player want to join a team that is not in any European competition, and has no real chance of making the Champions League in the next three years?

It is the Champions League that matters to these players - just look at Rio Ferdinand for confirmation.
Rob, UK

Spurs have nothing to attract foreign players at the moment. The only thing they are attracting is derision from the fans of other London clubs as Spurs slowly turn into the laughing stock of the capital.
Leigh, England

All Spurs need to do is sign one decent player. Then they will be one of the best teams again. I hate to say it, but when Dennis Bergkamp joined Arsenal, they were nobodies and he was a big player.

By signing him, other big names started to sign for them as well, obviously thinking, "if Dennis is there, then Arsenal can't be that bad. Give Spurs some time to buy the one big player, the rest will come, the trophies will come and then everything will be history.
Rhys, England

We need to be playing European football - then we can pull in big names. Losing the final in Cardiff has meant that we not only missed out on silverware and Europe, but we also missed out on players we wanted to sign.
Dave Wayland, UK

Despite the disappointment in not being able to sign any of the players that we have been linked with recently, it is encouraging that contrary to the latest vile tabloid assault on Spurs, we are chasing the right kind of players for once.

But we have to be realistic at White Hart Lane. Who's going to play for a team who aren't in Europe? Sadly, it shows that players are more concerned with their pockets than their hearts. If Morientes doesn't want to play for Spurs, let's find the young ENGLISH talent that is the future of football in this country!

And please lay off of us for a while. Why not investigate the appalling disciplinary record of Arsenal last season and see how they kicked their way to the trophy!
Dan, England

The only way a world-class player is going to move to the Premiership is if he is guaranteed a degree of success, be it at domestic or European level. The only clubs capable of attracting these calibre of players are the top five. The rest are left to dream what may be and, in Spurs' case, they will be dreaming for a long time.
Ross Cumming, Middlesbrough

Despite being a life-long Spurs fan, I can nevertheless recognise that the attraction of joining Tottenham is somewhere on a par with West Ham and Sunderland. We have not challenged for the title for 15 years, have been in European competition only once in the last 10 years and forever seem engulfed in in-fighting and 'transition periods'.

For all of Glenn Hoddle's musings about our being a 'big club', this is simply us trading off former years of success, because to look at the credentials of big club status (top- class players, financial muscle in the transfer market, 40,000+ stadium, competitions won), then sadly we have become relegated to the levels of the also-rans.
David Du Bunsen, England

When Glen Hoddle first went to Chelsea he was just finishing his playing career and was recognised world-wide as the best English player of his era. Consequently, he was able to attract big stars like Ruud Gullit and Vialli.

However, players such as Morientes and Rivaldo probably never saw him play in his heyday and perceive him to be a good manager at a good club but nothing more than that, and certainly not appealing enough to leave the European Champions for.
David Harvey, England

It's all a publicity stunt! Spurs get Rivaldo or Morientes? Who next, Ronaldo?
Shahid, UK

Signing Morientes is too ridiculous to mention. He's world-class and we sadly don't attract such players anymore. Our North London rivals put us to shame. We haven't got the money or the status.
Alex, UK

The one and only reason that Spurs cannot attract the big names is that they are not in any European competition and until they are, they won't have much chance in signing the big names like Rivaldo.
Phil, England

I think it's probably because we're not very good. World-class players will be looking to move to world-class teams and unfortunately we're not one of them.
G, UK

A player who is at the peak of his career is highly unlikely to leave the European Champions to join a side who have only been in Europe once in ten years. The only way a club could attract a player in those circumstances is to pay exorbitant wages, which Spurs are unwilling/unable to do.

Therefore, you can only conclude that they knew we would never get the player and it's all another publicity stunt. Having signed two major sponsorship deals in the summer the fans want to know where the money is and selling the only decent assets we have, Carr, Anderton and Sullivan, is not the answer.
Simon Burden, England