On the latest episode of the Last Word On Spurs podcast, Ricky Sacks and Lilywhite Rose’s John Wenham welcomed former Tottenham Hotspur defender Michael Dawson on as a guest.
The current Nottingham Forest ace discussed a number of topics during the show, which was titled ‘Michael Dawson – Special’, one of which was the signing of Rafael van der Vaart. The Lilywhites completed the signing of the Dutchman from Real Madrid in 2010 for just £8 million and he quickly went on to establish himself as a fan favourite with the Lilywhites.
Here’s what Dawson had to say about the signing of the midfielder on the podcast:
“Incredible, what a signing. Spurs could really bring in an unbelievable deadline day signing. Rafa coming through the door, again, was like, wow. The quality that he had, the skills he had, was just amazing. He carried himself like he was a big player and he never disappointed. [A] serious talent in training, he would take the ball in areas that other players wouldn’t. So, [he was a] massive signing.”
TIF Thoughts…
Despite being with Spurs for just two years, before completing a move to Hamburg, Van der Vaart clearly made a big impression on Dawson and the Lilywhites faithful during his time there, making 77 appearances in all competitions, contributing 28 goals and 18 assists (per Transfermarkt).
Is van der Vaart a Spurs legend?
Yes
No
The 37-year-old clearly felt the same way too, describing his time at White Hart Lane as the best of his career in an interview last year (per Evening Standard).