Selling Dawson turns Spurs into a club for mercenaries

Hull City have come back in for club captain and centre-half Michael Dawson.

Selling Dawson turns Spurs into a club for mercenaries


As revealed in the recent article Hull to renew interest in Dawson the East Yorkshire club have targeted the Spurs captain after missing out on free agent Joleon Lescott.

Steve Bruce, a former title winning centre-back with Manchester United, knows all about central defenders and has long been an admirer of Michael Dawson. Now with Spurs looking for replacements, Héctor Moreno and Dejan Lovren top the Tottenham wanted list, there is an opportunity to try and take him to Hull City.

Hull have opened talks and are looking to sign Dawson for £4 million. The former England international is now 30 and is Tottenham's longest serving player having been with us for 9 years. He is under contract until 2016 and his departure would rob the club of some of it's identity.

Tottenham would simply become a temporary home for mercenaries. The club desperately needs to find a new breed of stalwarts. Steven Garrard, John Terry, Ryan Giggs, who do you name at Tottenham if Dawson were to leave? Ledley King plays no more and retains status but on the playing side who would you associate with Spurs?

Aaron Lennon has been with us since 2005, Benoit Assou-Ekotto since 2006, Danny Rose since 2007, Kyle Walker since 2008. Jermain Defoe would have been Dawson's natural succsessor but he's gone, the mantle falls on vice-captain Aaron Lennon who despite his years service you wouldn't call Mr Tottenham.

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Do the club need a Mr Tottenham? I think we do so I'd be all for keeping Dawson as a back-up centre-half and the club captain, even if it means having a different on field captain. Would the extra responsibility bring more out of Lennon though?

There may be some of you out there fooled by the fake public relations inspired gesture of kissing the badge, an attempt to show 'love' for the club. Sorry but fans know, a player doesn't need to kiss the badge to show us, Michael Dawson doesn't need to kiss the badge every game, we know he feels. We know he wants to be here with us, not after the next pay packet somewhere.

Don't kiss the badge and then show no loyalty, that simply makes you a con artist, a fake, a fraud. Show the passion, the desire on the pitch, you'll get the bond, if you are genuine rather than just a mercenary here for the money.

It seems more important now than ever that we bring youngster through from the academy so we can retain some identity. He may not have been here long but Bentaleb is a product of that academy and has the right fight, spirit you need in a leader.

He has that winning attitude and is someone Spurs fans can rally round more so than Harry Kane, who has been here longer, but doesn't have the same leadership qualities, neither does Tom Carroll.

We want to produce a production line of talent, that's the aim but for me you need a leader, a player for the youngsters to grow up saying I want to be like him, not right I'm here, who is going to pay me the most? You have to build in the youth a sense of identity, an affinity with the club not just assume it'll be there and to do that then you need club identity and role models.

QPR, West Ham and Crystal Palace could all well be interested if Tottenham do indicate they are willing to sell Dawson. At the moment Dawson is on holiday and hasn't spoken to the club over his future so it's all press speculation. QPR tried to buy him in 2012 but Dawson wanted to stay at Spurs and fight for his place, I have no doubt he will want to do the same again. That is exactly what we need in players.

What Mauricio Pochettino wants, mercenaries or identity, we'll have to wait and see.