Adel Taarabt: It’s Time For Redknapp to Unleash Young Tottenham Star!
Harry Redknapp wasted no time bringing Tottenham’s forgotten stars back into the first team fold when he took over the club, though Paul Stalteri Hossam Ghaly and Kevin Prince-Boateng have since departed from White Hart Lane. Redknapp initially gave squad numbers to 5 players Spurs fans would have felt would never play for the club again. He immediately increased his choice of options and more importantly may have opened the first team door to one of the most talented players at the club.
If there is any manager that can rescue a player’s career then it’s Redknapp and in the case of French starlet Adel Taarabt, we may finally get a chance to see the talented youngster shine in a white shirt. Despite labelling the midfielder a ‘genius’, Redknapp had yet to play him whilst manager of the club. However, the youngster’s cameo appearance in extra-time at Turf Moor showed that the French teenager could yet have a future at White Hart Lane.
Ask the majority of Tottenham fans their opinion of the young star and generally speaking they will say he hasn’t been given much of a chance at White Hart Lane. He was used sparingly by Martin Jol and virtually ignored by Juande Ramos despite the teams indifferent end to the 2007/08 season when the team failed to perform following the Carling Cup win. If ever there was an opportunity to give the youngster a run of games then this was it but instead Ramos decided against it and even stripped him of a first team place in the summer in an effort to drive him from the club.
Despite joining in January 2007 the hugely gifted 19-year-old has yet to start a League game for Spurs after making just 8 substitute appearances. Unfortunately he has not even been given an opportunity to start a match in the cup competitions either (1 FA Cup, 1 Carling Cup & 3 in Uefa Cup). As the confidence drained from the Spurs players following every poor result there was a rough diamond with the belief in his own ability kicking his heels in the reserves. Ok, so Taarabt is not the finished article by any means but the youngster dubbed the ‘New Zidane’ has shown glimpses of his precocious potential in his short appearances in a Spurs shirt and surely should have been nurtured rather than discarded.
His first appearance for Spurs came in a 4-3 League win against West Ham at Upton Park in March 2007. Despite coming in the 87th minute his immediate impact led to an incredible comeback from 3-2 down. His trickery and confidence in winning the free-kick that led to Dimitar Berbatov’s equalising free-kick suggests Spurs had a new star on their hands but his involvement since has been limited. Despite starring performances in a number of pre-season friendlies, the Frenchman has not been called upon and was linked to a failed loan move to West Brom in the summer.
Taarabt has superb technical ability and draws comparison with a certain Cristiano Ronaldo when he first arrived at Old Trafford for keeping possession of the ball more than he should, but surely this can be coached out of him. After all, the natural ability and utter confidence he possesses can’t. Whilst Spurs multi-million pound midfielders looked frightened in possession against Burnley in midweek, the young substitute exuded confidence as he ran at the opposition. Ok so he may have lost possession a few times but his attacking runs laid the foundation for Spurs come-back as he put the home side on the back foot. As Harry looks set to put out a weakened side at Old Trafford we may finally see Taarabt show his promise in a Spurs shirt and may well play himself into the first team’s relegation battle in the process.
Do you think Adel Taarabt has a future at the club? Do you feel his talent should be nurtured or do you believe he’s merely a show pony? Let’s hear your views.
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Tags: Adel Taarabt, Tottenham
January 23rd, 2009 at 14:32
i have been a fan of taaradt since he first played for us. i like the way he runs at the opposition with no fear. like you said he does tend to keep the ball a bit to long and lose it now and again. but i like that in a player it excites me cos if he can do this and find a killer pass every now and then, then anything can happen ie in the back of the net. i think harry should start playing him more even if it is as a sub cos with his enery and fresh legs running at tired legs of the opposition there is a chance of some goals or at least some chances. come on you spurs
January 23rd, 2009 at 14:40
Give the lad a chance. Harry should certainly give him a start. I’m sure anybody out there who hasn’t reconised his talent will be in for a nice surprise.
January 23rd, 2009 at 14:40
yes yes yes yes , we have been pleading with the powers that be to play him , i have even gone to the trouble to phone the club and enquire why he had dropped of the face of the earth. please someone tell me why this kid is not played in every game ,if our staff are not good enough to make this kid a world beater then they should be shot.
January 23rd, 2009 at 14:44
This lad has been treated poorly by the club, he should have had a run last season post the cup final, he has talent, coach him and bring out the best. Huddlestone and Modric looked frightened at Burnley this boy didn’t at all even when he was kicked!
January 23rd, 2009 at 14:47
Adel is potentially a great player, I thought he helped turn the Burnley game in our favour and would love to see him get a full 90 under his belt. Def one for the future..
January 23rd, 2009 at 15:01
Adel is a massive problem for the club and I believe he should be getting regular first team football infront of decent crowds on load somewhere. He is definately a massive talent and his silly mistakes will slowly improve with regular first team football but he could prove to be a massive problem if he plays anything more than a cameo role for Spurs at this moment in time. He will definately pick up the team when they are playing badly with his confidence like at Turf Moor but is still too selfish in posession and his shooting outside the box when there is a pass on needs to be addressed. I don’t think we’re in any position to start bedding young players in, we need the older more experience lads to step up.
January 23rd, 2009 at 15:11
Taraabt is one of my favourite players on the team. Him and Dos Santos shoudl be given more of a chance to prove their worth. They are amazing talent and can really light up and change the flow of a game.
January 23rd, 2009 at 15:14
I want to see a lot more of Gio as well!
January 23rd, 2009 at 15:28
He is quite a strong lad too not like Gio who is too small and lightweight
January 23rd, 2009 at 16:29
I can see why he hasn’t started because his style will cost the team goals. But in the long run he’ll become a superb talent. We just have to make sure its with us!
January 23rd, 2009 at 16:45
Taraabt is one of my favourite players at Tottenham and I absolutely think he should get more appearances in the team. He is an amazing talent and I think that Redknapp needs to nurture him and bring him up to be the player he can be in the future. I think the same goes for Giovani dos Santos.
January 23rd, 2009 at 18:20
Adel taarabt is exactly the type of player we should be nurturing for the very near future. Arsene wenger excells at finding nurturing and using these type of players.If as a club we are going to progress ,we will need to bring players through the ranks as well as buying for millions of pounds.If our coaching staff are unable to hone his skills and turn a rough diamond into a gem ,then maybe its time to look at our coaches and coaching system.It seems to me as a life long spurs fan and supporter that we develop far too few youngsters or unknowns.Give this kid a chance when it is reasonable to do so.Maybe Boateng could have shone if he had got a run instead of a few minutes here and there,they rated him in Germany and their league is a reasonable standard.Arsenal under wenger have played good football and with some success albeit not recently,without spending massive amounts of money in comparrison to us. Assess the kids,reserves,youth and squad players but give them a chance.Darren bent was overpriced and he was not a Berbatov but he has scored goals for us and previous club.You only have to look at last season when did he get a chance,but after the Bulgarian left us in the lurch and Keane went to his boyhood heros[oh really],Darren bent is expected to start scoring.It doesnt work like that.I as a long suffering fan want to see us buy what we need now but look to the future as a buy and develop policy.If it means spending more than 15million on a player it must be better in the short term than playing in championship.What bright spark let Malbranque go,at worst he was agood squad player at best a regular first teamer,i can only remember him having one bad game.This is only my opinion but many of my spurs supporting mates agree.Make our year win the cup for us and play with the passion we feel for our club,make the knockers eat their words
January 24th, 2009 at 05:29
Play him & Dos Santos. Yes we have a few problems in as much that we are carryting several lightwieght players !!?? Our skipper is on his last legs(sorry Ledley)our midfield is shakey to say the least and our top goalscorer is about to be shown the exit door to make way for Harry’s missus BUT….FFS we are TOTTENHAM we have history and hope all we need is the heart to FIGHT and the will to WIN imagine a fit Gomez and back line,some muscle in the midfield with the speed and determination of Lennon on the right and Dos Santos on the left, Crazy Paving and the little Yid up front. All we need then is the best fans in theworld (which we are) a few lucky breaks and some belief COYS
February 1st, 2009 at 18:31
I THINK ADEL TAARABT WILL BE AN EXCELLENT SOCCER PLAYER ,BUT HE NEEDS TO CONCENTRATE ON A EASY PASSES FIRST ,I V SEEN HIM ON ACTION, HE HAS A ZIDANNIAN TALENT AND HE NEEDS TO KNOW WHEN TO USE IT.
August 5th, 2010 at 01:34
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