Spurs to visit SA for third time
Brad Morgan
6 June 2007
South Africa's Vodacom Challenge has attracted another high-profile English football club to follow in the footsteps of 2006/07 champions Manchester United, who participated in the competition at the beginning of last season. Tottenham Hotspur has confirmed it will be touring SA for the third time in the team's history.
Unlike the Red Devils, who brought out a watered-down team devoid of its 2006 World Cup players, Spurs will be bringing out its "strongest possible squad", according to Tottenham CEO Paul Barber.
Barber noted that United won the English Premiership title after their pre-season tour of South Africa, and said he hoped it would be similarly fortuitous for Spurs. There would surely be a long list of clubs queuing up to play in South Africa if that dream came true!
Uefa Cup place
The 2006/07 English Premier League season was a good one for the club, as they secured fifth place in the league - behind
the big four of Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal – and earned a place in next season's Uefa Cup. It was the second fifth-place finish in succession for the side.
The club was also lauded for playing an attractive brand of football.
Included in the Spurs' lineup for South Africa is Dimitar Berbatov, who made a massive impact in his first season with the club. The Bulgarian international attracted the attention of Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool after scoring 23 goals.
A selection to the Professional Footballers' Association Team of the Season also confirmed Berbatov's impressive and consistent form.
There is quality throughout the team, however. Captain Ledley King plays in central defence for England, and other Spurs players with English caps to their name include goalkeeper Paul Robinson, striker Jermain Defoe, winger Aaron Lennon and midfielder Danny Murphy.
International stars
Didier Zokora is
a star in Ivory Coast's midfield, Teemu Tainio plays in midfield for Finland, full-back Pascal Chimbonda is a French international, Robbie Keane plays striker for the Republic of Ireland, Mido stars for Egypt in the same position, and recently signed Welsh international Gareth Bale was a highly coveted acquisition from Southampton.
When Tottenham last toured South Africa in 2003, they beat Chiefs 2-0 in Cape Town before losing 2-1 to Pirates in Durban.
They will face the same two South African outfits in the Vodacom Challenge, but Spurs' place in the final of the competition is already assured; essentially, Chiefs and Pirates will be battling for the right to face the English club in the final.
Schedule
The first match takes place on Saturday 21 July at the Absa Stadium in Durban, with Spurs and Chiefs in action. On Tuesday 24 July it's Tottenham versus Pirates at Newlands in Cape Town.
The Amakhosi and the Buccaneers then meet
in Port Elizabeth on Thursday 26 July. Whichever of the two South African clubs has been the more successful in the first three matches will then meet Spurs at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday 28 July for the title.
Last year, Chiefs fell to Manchester United in the early going in the competition, but then defeated the English giants 4-3 from the penalty spot in the final.
In further good news for fans, the organisers of the Vodacom Challenge say ticket prices will be considerably less than they were for the visit of Manchester United last year.
Spurs and SOS Children's Villages
Tottenham already has a presence in South Africa. In March, the club announced a long-term charity commitment to fund a children's home in Rustenburg in North West province, working in conjunction with SOS Children's Villages.
Using fines meted out to the team's players, the club is supporting the home. Spurs' legend Gary Mabbutt visited South Africa to meet
with SOS workers and the first children to arrive at house number six, the club's nominated house.
SOS Children's Villages International is the world's largest orphan and abandoned children charity, helping children whose parents are not there for them. One of the organisation's biggest supporters and an official ambassador of the charity is former Bafana Bafana captain Lucas Radebe.
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