I would genuinely like to have seen Alan Hutton succeed at Spurs and indeed, there were times during his stay at the club where he looked like a fantastic player and a real asset. However, now that he has moved on and we’ve had time to fully assess the situation, the simple truth is that these occasions were too few and far between and that he never found the consistency necessary to be considered Tottenham’s first-choice right-back.
Hutton’s had a fair amount to say since he left Spurs to join Aston Villa and his latest outburst has been particularly damning of the club and Harry Redknapp in particular. He has targeted the club’s tendency to excess:
“At one stage there were five right-backs there – me, Kyle Naughton, Kyle Walker, Pascal Chimbonda and Vedran Corluka. In what first-team squad do you ever get that? It’s usually two. I spent four months there doing nothing. It is a massive knock to your confidence.”
He also paints a rather unflattering portrait of Harry Redknapp:
“The last time I spoke to Redknapp, he told me, “I don’t want you to train with us any more. I want you to train with the kids… I don’t think anybody should be treated like that. So many people there [at White Hart Lane] feel unwanted. I’ve never experienced anything like that anywhere I’ve been. Is that a good reputation? I don’t know.”
And there’s plenty more where that came from. He suggests that Redknapp wasn’t approachable and didn’t answer his questions. He suggests that he was frozen out as a result of one poor game (against Fulham last January) and that he was never given an opportunity to rebuild his confidence.
So does Hutton have a point or are his remarks the words of an opportunist trying to claw back some of his reputation? It strikes me that Hutton wasn’t too keen to leave Rangers in the first place. At Rangers he was a top player who really stood out. When he joined Tottenham he was one of a number of players with ability, vying for a position in the squad. In essence when the going got tough, Alan Hutton was found wanting.
The extra competition was too much for Hutton who was never really able to cement a first-team position in the squad. It’s unfair to suggest that he wasn’t given enough opportunities. Hutton may claim that he was cast asunder by the club as a result of one bad game, but this isn’t really the case. Don’t forget that he made 26 appearances for Tottenham last season.
Hutton didn’t just have one poor game, he was subject to a number of them and this would have been on Harry’s mind when he decided that he wasn’t good enough to make it at Spurs.
This may well be your classic, ‘Now that I’ve left the club, I can have a little dig’, but Hutton’s remarks really seem off-base here and strike somewhat of self-pity. I hope that Hutton makes something of himself at Aston Villa, but to criticise Spurs for the way he was treated just isn’t kosher.
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Never heard a peep out of Corluka when he was out of the side, a much better player for the team (always looking to release Lennon)
Hutton has shown his true colours, a real professional does not slate his previous employer as a mark of respect. Take a bow Peter Crouch his behaviour is what i expect from our ex players, never has a bad word to say about his former employers, dont particularly rate him as a player, but as a person he has my upmost respect.
Why shouldnt you. He gets slated. He’s been treated unfairly. He has a right to talk otherwise the club will be left to get away with it. It’s not the first player to state these things about Harry. The sooner he follows Hutton out the better
Funny how the left back position is taken on a regular occasion by the same player. Perhaps if Hutton was up to the mark he would of made that position his own instead of fighting it out with youngsters! This all comes from a guy who beat up his own dad. Hutton would play well then seem to lose it and turn inwards round in circles before being caught on the ball. Too many bad mistakes is why he couldnt hold his place. He is lucky the Kyles were not quite ready or else he wouldn’t of had all those games last season. Too be honest I found him extremely boring as a player
When all is said and done he was shit. This is the real reason he did not get picked. I am surprised he did not beat up Harry like he did his own dad.
The problem wasn’t Hutton’s relationship with Harry, more the fact that Hutton is dogshit.
Hutton dressed as lamb
The rumour on ja606 (from a very reputable source) is that he and Bentley were made to train with the youths because they skipped training to go to a music festival. I think the fact he left that part out is all that needs to be said really.
He fails to mention him and Bentley skipped training to go to the V festival!
Oh how terrible – have to play with the youths, sit on your arse for four months… yet still get your 1.5m-2m quids a year. Feel real sorry for ya.
The reason why Harry didn’t answer your questions is you forgot to bring your translator with you.
JUxta & Catcher. Great posts. Hutton’s delusional. He had plenty of chances and didn’t take them. Don;t blame Harry for blanking him. I probably would too.
He was great going forward but couldn’t defend and that lost us a few games. If he had the right attitude he could be a top player but obviously prefers to blame others for his own failings.
It wasn’t exactly the stiffest competion in the world! All he had to do was be better than Corluka at defending.
Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker were kids, being loaned out. Pascal Chimbonda was good 1st time round under Jol bu wanted out and dropped down a league
Leaving Vedran Corluka who’s hardly greatest and played center back half the time anyway.
We wanted 4th and wouldn’t have got it playing Hutton for 30 matches a season
I would love to attack Hutton here, he was not good enough but thought he was a legend (David Bentley anyone?) However, he is not the 1st player to have a dig at Harry. All the players that he does not rate say the same thing, he stops talking to them, Gio and Pav had said the same. Even Keane said it just before going to West Ham. Perhaps he has a point which is why Harry cant squad rotate.
Perhaps the reason is Pav and Gio are not good enough. Last Europa game they were the worst performaers. The kids did better.
Kyle Walker pisses all over Hutton, so does Corluka and by the looks of him, Kyle Naughton is much better too.
Hutton was terrible for Villa against QPR should have given away 2 penalties, Bentley cant get in West Hams team, Lansbury (Arsenals youth player) keeps him out………maybe there is a reason they were training with the kids.
Jenas, OHara, Palcios, Crouch, Bentley and Hutton all wernt good enough and were universally hated by spurs fans.
Pavlyuchenko is the next one to go due to bad attitude
Pienaar needs to pick up the level of his performances when he is back
Giovani and Bassong need to prove there worth
Other than that I am completely staisfied with every member of our squad which is only because, the crap 6 have left
I’d agree that all six weren’t good enough, but I think to say they were all universally hated by Spurs fans is a bit strong! Palacios in particular was very popular and was exactly what we’d needed for years when he first came here and sadly, after his personal tragedy, never regained his initial good form, despite most of us willing him to do so.
I think universally hated is rather strong. We may not have appreciated them as players but hated?? O’Hara was unlucky that there was a good midfield in front of him but he always tried hard. Palacios was universally liked until the tragedy that befell him. Jenas on his day could be the best player on the pitch – fans were more frustrated by him as they knew what he could do.
Tried really hard every game
Was never found wanting defensively
Always dependable
Terrific
He was a drunk! Had a fight outside a bar in Barnet FFS. Good riddance to bad rubbish! He should have gone to Munich … at least theyve a huge beer festival every year!
hutton non football violence against his father,didnt help his cause.i remember going back many a spurs player putting the boot in on a player on the floor.dureing a match.he never played for spurs again.football is the sport of mainly working class people.we all detest the primitives among us.
Poor man management is Harry’s way. If you are one of his boys it’s all well and good if not you are nothing. Look how he treated Niko and Seb last season who were both KEY to us finishing fourth the season before. Who then got about 10 starts between them the following season. He refuses to rotate, don’t confuse this season’s play “$hit teams in cups”, as such. Therefore if you are out of the team you have to wait for injuries to get a chance, no other top 6 club operates in such a manner. It is the way small teams operate as they don’t have large squads full of quality players. It’s the manager’s job to make everyone feel part of things and that there is a chance for everyone to play their part. Not just his favourites!
Jay is an idiot. Speak for yourself as real Spurs fans don’t hate players that wear their shirt. I think the only people that are universally hated are imbiciles such as yourself!
He is now at a club where he is sure to get picked as they have no one better to choose from, he has found his level but I am sure that he will not stay there for long as apparently he is a miserable guy to be around and that is not good for the dressing room anywhere.