Cartilage Free Captain

There were times in 2020 and 2021, when Covid-19 sank into the darkness, that I would visit a park in Connecticut, stare across the pond and out into the sky, look beyond the darkness and ask what lay beyond it. Beyond the darkness there was one voice I heard: Bruce Springsteen’s.

For months I prayed this terrible pandemic would end. I prayed for a sunny day, for the clouds to pass and for the sun to shine through my world. As I dreamt the moments where I crept towards the light on the edge of town, I heard Springsteen’s voice on the other side of it.

And I resolved, dammit, I resolved to see The Boss when the Darkness gave.

It was only four years before then where my father’s copy of Born In the USA became. I would spin it in my flat on Mazenod Avenue, a stone’s throw away from Kilburn High Road and an eternity away from where I wanted to be. I felt so lonely but, as the needle touched the vinyl, the sounds of Springsteen’s America perforated through my tiny flat.

I felt less alone. I felt like dancing.

Fitzie’s track of the day, part one: Dancing In the Dark, by Bruce Springsteen

Bruce Springsteen sings for the kids born on the wrong side of the tracks, for the youths whose draft cards were pulled during the Vietnam War, and for all those running down a last-gasp chance at the American Dream - whatever that Dream might be.

And wherever it might be.

I would sit in my flat, all by myself in London, and dream of a better life. And I would sit on that park bench in Connecticut for this Darkness Got To Give. I dreamt of Springsteen.

Six years later - and after a 70-minute queue to get into the stadium - the Darkness gave.

I missed the first handful of songs of Springsteen’s concert in Washington DC. I entered the Promised Land as The Boss played on the harmonica in the aforementioned song. And then, as Hungry Heart played across the rain-soaked ballpark, the clouds that darkened the skies of Connecticut all those years ago broke wide open. The sun shone through, the rain filled the air.

Because, to me, listening to Springsteen is like listening to the triumphs of a journey and the journey’s destination to come. To listen to him is to listen to sunlight.

And, as the rain fell down in Navy Yard, I felt my eyes well up.

Fitzie’s track of the day, part two: Hungry Heart, by Bruce Springsteen

Perhaps this was the accumulation of years, so many years, of one of the kids to whom Springsteen sings to.

That, no matter what, there’ll be Better Days. The Glory Days may come and go, but Springsteen’s music is inherently optimistic and joyful. And what better, more powerful song to break through the darkness than the fist-pumping Badlands?

Listen to the song, rev up your motorcycle, drive up the I-95 and into the sunset. Break through into the darkness. Break into the night and god dammit, crank up the Springsteen baby.

Fitzie’s track of the day, part three: Badlands, by Bruce Springsteen

And now for your links:

Alasdair Gold: “Why Tottenham want to sign Van Hecke and Senesi and what transfers mean for Vuskovic and Romero”

Big news from the Ornacle this morning — Tottenham Hotspur have apparently placed a bid — and had it rejected — for Brighton’s 25-year-old Dutch central defender Jan Paul van Hecke. If confirmed, Van Hecke would be the second central defender to join Tottenham’s back line this summer, if we include the impending signing of Bournemouth CB Marcos Senesi.

First — Van Hecke is an excellent player and would be a very, very solid addition to Tottenham’s back line. He has one year left on his current deal and has apparently rejected a contract extension. Van Hecke has developed into one of the most well-rounded defenders in the Premier League, with an emphasis on progressive play. That probably means Brighton could be motivated to cash in on him for a decent fee, only to then turn around and sign some nobody from the Danish third division who will become the future best central defender in Europe. It’s what Brighton does. H

But Van Hecke would also serve a pretty important role in Roberto De Zerbi’s back line. De Zerbi has worked with him before as Brighton manager and thus has a pretty good idea of what he can bring to the table — solid defense, ball progression, and most of all, passing from deep positions. He scored 3 goals and tallied 3 assists for Brighton last season, pretty good for a defender. He averages nearly 9 completed final third passes per 90 min and is a FANTASTIC progressive outlet from deep. He’d be a very good signing for Tottenham Hotspur.

It does, however, bring up some questions as the opening of the transfer window beckons. Specifically, I wonder about the futures of both Cuti Romero and Luka Vuskovic, but moreso I wonder about whether this signifies that De Zerbi is planning on Tottenham playing with a back three formation next season. We know De Zerbi likes progressive play and buildup, and he’s mentioned his preference for a defender with good passing metrics — Van Hecke certainly meets that brief. You can see a potential starting lineup with Van Hecke, Senesi, and Micky van de Ven anchoring the defense, with Destiny Udogie/Andrew Robertson and Pedro Porro operating as wing backs.

The article doesn’t say how much Tottenham’s bid was, only that it was below Van Hecke’s value and was rejected, but talks continue. And if talks are continuing, that means it’s very likely that Van Hecke will eventually be sold for a reasonable fee. Ornstein also notes that Van Hecke is one of three Brighton players, along with Bart Verbruggen and defensive midfielder Carlos Baleba, expected to leave the club this summer. Not coincidentally, Spurs have been tentatively linked with all three players.

If Spurs are able to land and sign both Van Hecke and Senesi before the transfer window even starts, it’s a significant overhaul of the defense and could signal that De Zerbi is planning on selling Romero after the World Cup. As for Luka Vuskovic, he could come into the team as a reserve CB, or head back out on loan for another year of seasoning at a top continental European club. Or, as is the running joke at Carty Free Towers, maybe De Zerbi will just play him at striker. I think he could do it.

We’d also be adding another tow-head to compete with Sweden international midfielder Lucas Bergvall (and, technically, also Richarlison). Spurs Women have become known as the “blonde ponytail club” for the number of (frequently Nordic) players with similar hair color and styles. Why not the men, too? More blonde bitches for Tottenham Hotspur!

Good morning, everyone.

We’re still in the weird space between the end of club football and the beginning of the World Cup, so we need to find other things to talk about.

How about college baseball? Okay, if you say so.

There have been a few major developments in the NCAA Division 1 Championship this year. Are any bigger than the St John’s Red Storm advancing to the Super Regional?

St John’s advanced to the next stage in the College championship by beating Florida State twice and by beating Northern Illinois.

Now, I have no idea how this tournament works. Apparently a win in the super regional takes the Johnnies to the College World Series, except that it’s actually like eight or so teams.

Anyways, this is the best season St John’s has had in years. So it’s an exciting time for us. Get hyped!

Fitzie’s track of the day: Dirty Laundry, by Bitter Sweet

And now for your links:

Alasdair Gold: “Vicario, Kinsky and Austin - If Tottenham and De Zerbi will keep, sell or loan their goalkeepers”

The Guardian: “Millwall publish ‘Pride playbook’ to help clubs form stronger links with LGBTQ+ teams”

BBC: “The anatomy of a Golden Boot winner - and who could win it in 2026?”

After an underwhelming spell on loan with Tottenham Hotspur this spring, there doesn’t appear to be a world where Spurs end up re-loaning or signing PSG winger Randal Kolo Muani this summer. That’s not at all surprising, as despite getting numerous starting opportunities in Tottenham’s run-in, ol’ Randy Kilo Miami disappointed, scoring one goal league goal and one assist despite making 21 starts. Not great!

It appears that another club is interested in Randy, though, and it’s a familiar one to him — Juventus. According Sky, Juventus want to bring Kolo Muani back to Italy in what would be his second stint after spending part of 2025 on loan there.

Why am I writing a quick article about a loan player nobody especially liked and whom Tottenham aren’t interested in signing? Well, it’s a slow news and I figured someone would find it interesting. Even if we don’t find Randy particularly interesting anymore, he’s still a human being and I hope he’s able to find a club that fits his skillset and that he can use to kick-start his career. Italy is a slower league and I wonder if he’ll be better there than in the Best League in World Football.™

Good morning everyone and welcome to the latest edition of Fitzie’s Film and TV Reviews, where your hoddler-in-chief reviews things he’s seen on both the big and small screens.

We’ve got a good handful of movies and television programmes to catch up on since we last checked in. I would say most of the stuff I’ve seen has been only okay, so if you have any recommendations please send them along to me.

Hacks (Season 5): The final season of the comedy series starring Jean Smart as Deborah Vance, a Las Vegas comic, and her asssitant-turned-writer-turned-confidant Ava Daniels (played by Hannah Einbinder). The final series follows Vance’s blacklisting from late night and her triumphant return. It’s never easy finishing a series, and there were times when I felt the writing felt a little bit too forced, but overall a solid showing. The final episode was particular strong balancing melancholy, humour and some touching moments.

Survivor 50: In the Hands of the Fans: Much better than I feared, but faltered towards the end and failed to trust the players to actually play the game. Plus, 26 days doesn’t work as a format - especially with its largest cast ever. Still, it was fun to see legends like Ozzie and Colby return to the island one last time.

The Rooster: This is clearly HBO’s answer to Ted Lasso and Shrinking. It stars Steve Carrell, who returns to teach at a university with his daughter Katie Russo (played by Charlie Clive), who is going through the dissolution of her marriage with Archie (played by Phil Dunster of, yes, Ted Lasso). It’s an unchallenging series that’s easy to get through. It’s nice to see Carrell do some more comedy after his dramatic roles, but there isn’t a whole lot there.

Taskmaster (Series 21): The latest Taskmaster installment features a stacked cast, led by Kumail Nanjiani, Joana Page and Armando Iannucci. Some of the tasks feel a bit flat but it’s Taskmaster - it’s always great fun. Joel Dommett and Amy Gledhill are great to watch also.

Silicon Valley: It took me a while to get into this one, but I’m liking it. I’m currently in the middle of Season 4. The character who I struggle with the most is TJ Miller. He seems like a popular guy within the broader fanbase, but I’m having a hard time with him. The others are all great fun though.

Nuremberg: A trainwreck of a film that doesn’t know what kind of film it wants to be. Russell Crowe does an admirable job playing Herman Goring in the film that focuses on Goring’s testimony during the Nuremberg Trial. The writing is just awful, though, and Rami Malek’s performance as psychiatrist Douglas Kelley feels so contrived. There is very little to like about this one. Of all the movies documenting this period in history, you’d be forgiven for giving this one a pass.

The Hand of God: I wanted to enjoy watching Paolo Sorrentino’s love letter to Napoli, I really did. But I just couldn’t. This film captures the period when Maradona signs for Napoli, but also the simultaneously cruelty and mercy that fate offers. I’ll give it another chance, but right now it’s tough. I know I’m the outlier here.

And now for your links:

If you would like an exercise on how to create a transfer rumor with minimal effort, the answer it seems is “be Gianluca DiMarzio and write one sentence about Guglielmo Vicario possibly going to Juventus.” That’s what we’ve got in this particular rumor, and yet here I am writing it up because, honestly, it seems pretty plausible.

Here’s what DiMarzio says about Vicario, run through the Google Translation Machine:

On the list for the door is also William Vicar of Tottenham, who the club continues to rate.

I could talk for several paragraphs about Vicario, how it sure seems like he’s out the door after a fairly underwhelming season capped by a late injury that just maybe put him behind Antonin Kinsky in the keeper pecking order, but we’ve heard all of that before. DiMarzio says that Vicario is a secondary option for Juventus as they search for a new keeper, but their primary target is Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez, currently at Aston Villa. And that’s pretty much it!

So instead let’s talk about the absolutely amazing discovery I made when I ran this article through Google Translate — apparently “Guglielmo Vicario” translates directly to “William Vicar” in English, and I’m kind of amazed I didn’t realize this before! Here at Carty Free Towers we latched on to “Googly Elmo” as a slight mispronunciation of Vicario’s first name, and as is typical for us we bit on that like a dog with a bone.

But William Vicar? Holy crap! That has so many possibilities — Willy the Priest, Bill Vic, Pastor Will — I’m a little disappointed that he might be actually out the door this summer and I won’t have enough time to actually maximize this revelation for clicks and views on the blog dot com.

“William Vicar” is one of a few soccer names that are great when run through the translation machine. The most famous one might be former City keeper Willy Caballero (“Bill Knight”), but there’s also Vincenzo “Vinny Italy” Italiano, and Niccolo “Nicky Beans” Fagioli, plus plenty others. Willy Vicar though stands out, and I’m so disappointed in myself that I only now came to this epiphany.

Alas. Anyway, Vicario might be sold.

You might look at Tottenham Hotspur’s renewed interest in Manchester City winger Savinho as reheating an old rumor from last summer, but as far as I’m concerned the Bat Country gods can reheat this rumor multiple times and serve it up to me in a trough as the finest vintage transfer slop in the world. The latest, from Fabrizio Romano, suggests that negotiations are underway to bring the 22-year-old winger from Manchester City to North London, and that Savio wants to come.

I love it. This was the one signing I wish had gotten done last summer because Savinho is an outstanding prospect. It sure looked like he was on his way last summer before Manchester City pulled the plug after a couple of injuries, claiming they needed Savinho for depth. Then they basically parked him on the bench — he played only 821 minutes and scored his two goals in the EFL Cup against Huddersfield and Brentford.

None of this should be viewed as a knock on Savio, who is (still) one of the brightest young winger talents in the Premier League right now. The fact that City basically wasted a year of his development is stupid, and they’re dummies who should just sell him to us this summer as punishment for the crime of being stupid doody-heads.

Would I take Savio as Tottenham’s big winger signing this summer? You bet your ass I would. He’s got all the tools needed for success, he’s only 22, can play on either flank (and in the middle), and I think he would absolutely cook with good service under Roberto De Zerbi’s tactics.

There’s no mention of transfer fee, which I say suggests that this is the major sticking point in negotiations, but if it takes £50m to sign him, then Spurs should just do it. He has a higher pedigree than Wilson Odobert and Mathys Tel and I would say a MUCH higher ceiling. What he needs is first team minutes, and there are few big clubs as prepared to offer them as Spurs this coming season. Let’s get this one through the door.

good morning hoddlers!

It’s the offseason, which means it’s running season. But does running season ever take time off? No!

You might remember that your hoddler-in-chief ran his latest marathon on 4 April in 3:02. Three minutes north of the sub-three barrier. I’m not giving up hopes in my chase for a sub-3 and I think it’s doable. It’s just going to require some more work.

I’m currently in-between training blocks (assuming I’m running another marathon in the autumn, which I haven’t decided on yet). There are a couple stages to this, but I’ve finished the first one which is the recovery phase.

The recovery phase lasted a couple weeks longer than I anticipated due to a weeklong holiday and an illness. But I set a goal: To run another half marathon before June. I didn’t want to race it, I just wanted to run the distance and keep my racing edge.

So I woke up at 4.30am on Sunday and ran a half marathon two hours later.

Distance: 13.1 miles

Time: 1:27.42

Average pace: 6:41/mi

While I ran 14 miles the other week, this race was the most intense run I’ve done since marathon day. Thirteen sustained miles at a sub-7 pace, with the first 10 around a 6.35/mile pace. It was only in the final three miles where I learnt that my legs still aren’t fully there.

This was actually a pretty frustrating morning, all things considered. Here’s a list:

A mass start of runners on a narrow trail as opposed to a staggered start time. A

A group of 10K and 5K runners further up ahead who I had to dodge both coming and going (and several of whom wouldn’t move after I called on them to pass).

I was in a leading pack with two different runners. They made me lead for the first eight miles of the race so I had to all the heavy lifting. This includes dodging the 5K and 10K runners, navigating rocks and puddles and large cracks, finding the easiest path and spotting two deer crossing the trail. They eventually sped ahead after Mile 8 which, fine, I had no interest in chasing after then. But if they could run that fast they should’ve helped out.

A flock of territorial geese.

Even though my legs didn’t have it that day, and despite some of the troubles on the trail, I’m really pleased with the day. My time was only 45 seconds slower than my personal best which, considering I wasn’t running at a half marathon effort, I’m very excited about.

So what’s next? I’m going to take it easy the next week or so and possibly switch back to running four days a week and lifting twice a week. And then I’m thinking about a short training session to get that half marathon personal best, which might transition to the next full marathon training block. Still lots to be decided.

Fitzie’s track of the day: ideations on rain, by Duval Timothy

And now for your links:

The Telegraph: “England land in US as Harry Kane admits: We are expected to win World Cup”

BBC: “Southampton owner will not sack head coach Eckert”

The Guardian: “Michail Antonio: ‘In football, no one really cares about you as long as you perform’”

Remember David Bentley? That’s a name that should take you back. Back in 2008, Bentley was one of the hottest names in English football after a hot streak at Blackburn Rovers that saw him score 8 goals and tally 13 assists in 2007-2008. He was considered one of the best young footballers in England, and in the summer of ‘08 Tottenham snapped him up for what was then a fairly astronomical fee of £15m.

Well, to say Bentley flamed out would be putting it mildly. He scored exactly two goals in three seasons (though to be fair one of them was this goal in a North London Derby that ended up 4-4 and that should cement his place in Spurs lore forever).

Bentley was sent out on loan for a few seasons, was released by Spurs in 2013, and eventually retired from football in 2014. Now he’s back — in a video posted on his personal Instagram, Bentley announced that he was just coming out of a meeting with Roberto De Zerbi and that he’s apparently been hired as Tottenham’s new “Positivity Coach” and Player Liason.

Now, I have no idea what a Positivity Coach is or does, but I imagine he’s being hired to touch base with players and make sure the vibes are in the proper alignment and in cohesion with the zodiac or something. Whatever. Doesn’t really matter, does it? It’s good when the club brings back former players in leadership roles, and while Bentley will probably never top the list of Spurs fans’ all time favorite players, he’s proper COYS through and through (despite being an Arsenal academy grad).

You can see in this video how excited he is to join the club in this new role and how much respect he has for Roberto De Zerbi as a manager. I’m all for it! Let Old Man Bentley be a Vibes Guy for the club, sounds good to me! He can hang out with Ledley and Michael Dawson and drink beers while reminiscing about the good old days, and then put his arms around the shoulders of guys like Pape Sarr and Archie Gray. Positivity Coach? Thumbs up from me.

Remember all of those reports coming from A Bola and other outlets in the Portuguese media that suggested that Joao Palhiniha was keen on a return to Sporting, his old club, at the conclusion of his season-long Tottenham Hotspur loan? Welllllllllllll Fabrizio Romano has something to say about that, and that is that Tottenham would be Joao’s first choice of clubs should he have any say over the matter.

So this kinda makes sense, honestly. Palhinha’s agent is likely doing his job and securing multiple options for Joao. Bayern sure seem like they’re keen to get rid of him entirely, so staying in Germany doesn’t seem to be the answer. Roberto De Zerbi has mentioned in press conferences and interviews that he’d like to keep ahold of Joao next season; Tottenham have a €30m purchase option at the conclusion of his loan but those are generally guidelines, and if they’re interested Spurs will probably try to negotiate that price down.

But the Sporting rumors also appear to be a thing; Romano suggests that they’re his backup plan should a deal not work with Tottenham or if Spurs decide they’d like to move in a different direction.

I’m a little torn on this. I like Palhinha and he’s been pretty good for us in what has been a terribly constructed midfield. I think he could be a plus add for Spurs if they pair him with a dude who can actually pass, and it’s nice to have a defensive midfielder who can pop up now and then with a goal. He’s also a solid leader and a nice guy, so he’s not at all without value.

What we don’t know is whether De Zerbi agrees or if he feels like he needs to make room in the squad for new additions. But it sounds like, if we want him, we can get Palhiniha permanently. Or maybe just on loan again. Who knows!