Source: Daily_Mail
Beware the curse of White Hart Lane! Blades pair may regret choosing Spurs
Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker may live to regret choosing Tottenham ahead of Everton if the example of White Hart Lane's recent young arrivals is anything to go by.
While the Merseyside club have a good track record of turning Championship players into Premier League successes (Lescott, Cahill, Jagielka etc), up-and-coming players who have joined Spurs in recent years have struggled to make the grade...
Chris Gunter
Signed from Cardiff city for £3m in 2008
The right back had barely played for Cardiff's first team but was heralded as a future star. He showed signs of early promise in his fleeting appearances but despite becoming a full Welsh international, Harry Redknapp farmed him out Nottingham Forest on loan, who bought him from Spurs last week. Flop rating: 6/10
Andy Reid
Signed from Nottingham Forest for £4m in 2005
The genius playmaker who was going to open a thousand doors and dictate the rhythm of Spurs' play. More like the fat (sorry, big boned) lump on the left wing who couldn't beat a full-back and faded into obscurity at an alarming rate. Sold to Sunderland. Flop rating: 8/10
Ben Alnwick
Signed from Sunderland for £1.3m in 2007
Supposedly brilliant young goalkeeper who was going to push Paul Robinson for the No 1 jersey. Instead, he was farmed out on loan to Carlisle and, when he did make his Spurs debut, had a horror show against Burnley in the Carling Cup. Third choice now. Flop rating: 4/10.
Bobby Zamora
Signed from Brighton for £1.5m in 2003
The future England international who could lead the line and have a frighteningly exciting partnership with Helder Postiga. It sounds ridiculous now but it was supposed reality six years ago. Zamora never settled and after a string of abject performances and only one goal, he signed for West Ham. Flop rating: 7/10
Michael Brown
Signed from Sheffield United for £500,000 in 2004
A box-to-box midfielder whose spectacular goals had alerted plenty of Premier League clubs, Brown was a snip at half a million. Or was he? Despite his obvious talent for picking up yellow cards and a half-decent season under Martin Jol alongside Michael Carrick in the centre of midfield, Brown was sold to Fulham by the Dutchman, who opted for a Jermaine Jenas upgrade. Flop rating: 5/10
Tom Huddlestone
Signed from Derby for £2.5m in 2005
Great on the ball, versatile and if you give him the ball, he can control the game. Unless it's away from home and he has to put in a tackle. So much potential but so little realised. Often out of shape, Huddlestone is nowhere near first choice at Spurs and is constantly being linked with a move away from the club. He'd do better in a slower-paced league. Italy perhaps? Flop rating: 5/10
Calum Davenport
Signed from Coventry for £3m in 2004
You have to get your hands on the young talent before the others do. So step forward, Calum Davenport, a no-nonsense centre-half who would be the perfect back-up for Ledley King and Michael Dawson. Instead, he sat on the bench, went on loan and then, as most Spurs rejects do, he went to West Ham. Flop rating: 6/10
Gary Doherty
Signed from Luton for £1m in 2000
The versatile and prematurely balding defender/centre forward looked like he was straight out of the TV show Faking It. It was certainly the only explanation for him playing top-flight football. Consistent in his atrocious errors and appalling finishing, Doherty joined Norwich, where he is now club captain. The slowest Spurs striker of all time. Flop rating: 7/10
Matthew Etherington
Signed from Peterborough for £500,000 in 2000
The next Ryan Giggs arrived with Posh team-mate Simon Davies thanks to George Graham. It was only a matter of time before Etherington would be tearing down the left wing, terrorising defences and bringing the title to White Hart Lane with his electric pace. Shame he couldn't cross a ball, never looked like scoring and developped a gambling problem. The solution? West Ham. Flop rating: 6/10
Wayne Routledge
Signed from Crystal Palace for undisclosed fee in 2005
It was a long, hard battle to sign Routledge, who was just the tricky winger Spurs needed. His pre-season form was excellent, his injury on day one of the season was unfortunate, his chances of getting back in the team after it ahead of Aaron Lennon were nigh on impossible. So much fuss, so little reward. Went to Aston Villa to make up the numbers on the team bus. Flop rating: 8/10
Gareth Bale
Signed from Southampton for £10m in 2007
It's not every day you beat Manchester United to the hottest talent in Britain. And what a signing he looked like he would be. Bale was superb in his first season before picking up a horrific injury which put him out for almost a year. Then it all went wrong, his average defending was exposed and the fact he still hasn't won a league game for Spurs means he is constantly linked with a move away from the club. Great talent but in danger of being wasted. Flop rating: 5/10
