Auf der Piste » "Its a relief. Its hard when you chase and

A year is a long time in the life of a footballer. Christian Eriksen smiles when he thinks back to this time last season. He lived in Amsterdam, where his team Ajax had allowed him to blossom and become one of the genuine young stars in the game. He had joined their famous youth academy in 2008, aged 16, and two years later he was in their first team. That year he was one of 736 players that went to the World Cup in South Africa and he was the youngest of them all. He returned to win three straight Dutch Eredivisie titles with Ajax, during which he had developed into one of the finest young playmakers in Europe. He had become a star in Holland and performed very well on the grandest stage of them all, the Champions League. Still only 21, with one year left on his contract, the Danish creator knew his time with Ajax had come to an end. As the new season started he admits he had multiple offers to choose from. In the end he selected White Hart Lane as the place to continue his growth as a footballer. Now he is a Premier League star. However, the move was not a formality for him. He added: "For me as a person I didnt say yes straight away. I loved it at Ajax and wanted to see what the other possibilities were around me before committing. I decided Tottenham were the best option." Despite his cautiousness, Eriksen acknowledged that the allure of the Premier League is a large one for many players playing in Europe and the pull of London was also a large factor. "Living in London is a pretty big part of it but I am there for the football but, of course, if you are enjoying a good life then it makes it easier for you on the pitch as well." Geography has helped Tottenham in such situations time and time again. They remain a big club, but nowhere near as big for people now in their thirties than those in their sixties, for example. That comes down to the clubs success in the 1960s where for a time they were the standard of English football. Since winning a then record eighth FA Cup in 1991, Tottenham have won just two league cups in the past 23 years, the same as Aston Villa and Leicester City. However, their roots and their location has helped them continuously attract special players to North London, the likes of Ossie Ardiles, Paul Gascoigne, Jurgen Klinsmann, David Ginola; players who have not only been talented but also been pure entertainers as well, who regularly get fans out of their seats. Eriksen looks like he could be the newest member of that class. When the former Ajax playmaker was brought to White Hart Lane at the end of August he was only Tottenhams fourth-most expensive signing of the window; behind Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado and Paulinho. The day he signed, Tottenham also revealed the capture of Argentine Lamela, for almost three times the amount of Eriksen. If Tottenham wanted to keep the Dane under the radar, captured at a discount because his contract was close to expiring, they were certainly doing a good job at it. The moment he stepped on the field he wasnt under the radar anymore. Eriksen made his debut in Tottenhams fourth game of the season, at home to Norwich, and the team had yet to score a goal from open play. The playmaker took 28 minutes to do what Tottenham couldnt do in 270, putting a perfectly weighted pass in to Gylfi Sigurdsson who opened the scoring. In the second half, Eriksen found himself in his office - the central space outside the penalty box - when he switched the play brilliantly to Paulinho on the right side. It was the kind of pass that most players wouldnt have even seen but seconds later Tottenham extended their lead when Sigurdsson tapped home the Brazilians cross at the back post. When he was taken off after 71 minutes, Eriksen got a standing ovation from his new fans. Its a game Eriksen will never forget. "Of all my experiences from the first season, my debut is very high on that list." Afterwards, his manager Andre Villas-Boas called his new star a pure number ten but less than four months later he had been sacked and replaced by Tim Sherwood. Eriksen nods his head when told about how tough it must have been to play under two very different managers with different philosophies. "It was a bit weird. It was even harder for me because I came a bit late and when I got in everybody was used to Villas-Boas and knew him but for me it was new, I learned a lot and then he was gone and I had to learn again with the change but thats football, you know? Of course you play off the coach but as a player you play for the club and if they make a decision then you have to agree with it." It didnt get in the way of Eriksens form as he went on to become the clubs player of the year, putting in many outstanding performances while also showcasing his versatility as a deep-lying playmaker in a match at Old Trafford where Tottenham countered for both goals, with Eriksen scoring one and creating the other. Eriksen, just like anyone at the club, will not use the manager change as an excuse for Tottenhams inability to crack the top four once again but its clear what he wants when asked how his team needs to improve this season. He said: "The biggest thing we need to improve is to find stabilization and avoid those big losses. We need to improve against the top four – thats probably the main thing. Against the lower teams, where we usually get the points, I think we can continue what we are doing but against the higher ones we should perform better." There is no doubt about that. Last season Tottenham lost 6-0 and 5-1 to Man City and 5-0 and 4-0 to Liverpool. Just how much better they perform will be important, not only for Tottenhams place in the league but their reputation amongst players, notably Eriksen himself. With Denmark not qualifying for Brazil 2014, the 22-year-old was able to enjoy holidays in the Maldives and Dubai with his girlfriend Sabrina, where he didnt have to concern himself with another move. He said he enjoyed returning to a full pre-season with this club for the first time and has been impressed with new boss Mauricio Pochettino. Nevertheless, it is clear that should his career trajectory continue it might be difficult for Tottenham to continue to keep hold of him next summer if they are unable to get into the Champions League. Unusually, Eriksen is a player who has already experienced the emotions of the club games greatest competition before stepping back into the Europa League with Spurs. "The Champions League is great. Things are always much bigger, the ceremony, the press, the fans, its a stage where everyone wants to play and hopefully we will be there next season." One would imagine another standout season for Eriksen would put him next seasons Champions League with or without Tottenham. Matt Slauson Colts Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. Matt Slauson Jersey . Both sides came closest to scoring in the first half, when Roma had a goal from Mattia Destro waved off for offside and Inters Rodrigo Palacio headed high. "A draw was a fair result. Neither squad had many chances," Roma midfielder Miralem Pjanic said. http://www.coltsofficialstore.us/authentic-kemoko-turay-colts-jersey/ . Even if he is shooting 38 per cent from the field overall this season, the Utah Jazz rookie always feels like his final shot is going in. Ryan Grant Jersey . -- Max Gilbert captured his first pro victory at the Tour Championship of Canada. Colts Jerseys . Every. Single. Game. Thats 1,230 in total to cover the regular season. The man is Corey Sznajder, a soft-spoken 23-year-old Salisbury University grad who lives in Annapolis, Maryland and has been charting zone entries and zone exits throughout the NHL. I love big projects, he said. No kidding. At the 2013 Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, I met Eric Tulsky, who presented research on the value of controlled zone entries (short answer: about twice as valuable to enter with control of the puck rather than dumping it in) and Sznajder had charted a couple hundred games that were included in that study.DENVER - One moment, Jason LaBarbera was heading to a Halloween party with his minor-league teammates. Two hours of sleep and two long flights later, he was in Denver to serve as a backup for the Anaheim Ducks.And then, just before the opening faceoff, he was told he would be starting in net — his first NHL game since last December.The emergency goalie came to the rescue, too, stopping 16 shots as the Ducks beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Sunday night.This wasnt exactly what LaBarbera was envisioning even 12 hours earlier.All of it is kind of goofy, LaBarbera said. Ive been around a lot, but Ive never had to deal with something like this.LaBarbera made an unexpected start after he arrived earlier Sunday from Norfolk of the AHL. He was supposed to be the backup in place of Frederik Andersen, who was scratched due to leg tightness.He got the start when John Gibson sustained a lower-body injury in warmups. Things got so crazy that goaltending consultant Dwayne Roloson even dressed, and was the backup in case something happened to LaBarbera.No need to worry, though. LaBarbera was on his game, even if he allowed a fluky goal early. That was just nerves.LaBarbera showed no signs of fatigue, even if he was playing for a third straight night. He made 36 saves and earned two wins for Norfolk over the weekend. He carried that momentum to Sunday and earned his first NHL victory since Oct. 7, 2013, when he was with Edmonton.Im still in la-la land, LaBarbera said.Defencemen Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler scored their first goals of the season 1:44 apart in the second period to give the Ducks a lead that LaBarbera protected. Corey Perry also scored for the Ducks, who went 3-1 on a four-game trip.Dennis Everberg scored his first NHL goal, and Nathan MacKinnon added another for weary Colorado, which also lost at St. Louis in a shootout on Saturday.Colorado didnt really challenge LaBarbera all that often, especially in the second period when the team was outshot 12-2.Two shots on a guy, who obviously got called up at the last second, isnt good enough, forward Matt Duchene said. We just lost thhe game in the second period.ddddddddddddhe Avalanche had their chances to tie it late. Anaheims Francois Beauchemin drew a high-sticking penalty with 3:07 remaining, and Semyon Varlamov went to the bench for an extra skater, giving the Avs a 6-on-4 opportunity. But Colorado couldnt capitalize.Its not always going to go our way, and its when things are not going our way we try to force plays, push plays, coach Patrick Roy said. This is where we get into trouble.Varlamov was kept busy all night, making one sprawling save after another. He couldnt help the Avalanche procure a point, though, the first time in seven games the Avalanche failed to get at least one.Varlamov finished with 30 saves.Anaheim dominated the second period, with Lindholm scoring on a pass from Patrick Maroon, who was behind the net.Moments later, Fowler gave the Ducks a 3-2 lead by driving in on Varlamov, faking one way and tapping the puck into the net with the goalie on the ice.Colorado got on the board 2:18 in when Everberg banked a shot off the boards and back to himself in order to get around a defenceman. He then lined a shot that squeezed past LaBarberas pads.A quirky goal that could have rattled LaBarbera, but didnt.Ive been around enough. You just kind of realize the circumstances and go, OK, whatever. This is really goofy, but keep playing. Dont worry about it, LaBarbera said.As for what is next with LaBarbera, well, he wasnt quite sure. Is he heading back to Anaheim with the team?Im assuming so. But I dont know, he said.Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau eased his mind.Until we get both goalies healthy, hes with us, Boudreau said.NOTES: Anaheim D Bryan Allen (lower-body injury) joined the team, but remains on the injured list. He has been in Norfolk on a long-term injury conditioning assignment. ... The Ducks open a four-game homestand Wednesday against the New York Islanders. ... Perry leads the league with 11 goals. ... The Avalanche turned aside five power plays, stretching their streak to 25 straight kills. ... MacKinnon has four goals in three games after starting the season in a slump. 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