The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham Hotspur news and links for Wednesday, October 7

Hello, all!

Tottenham is celebrating the one year anniversary of hosting NFL games at the new stadium with a giveaway of ... this. I can’t say I like it.

Ramble of the Day

I will refrain from being harsher about the above item of clothing, and will instead deflect to something I like. I have long been an admirer of Tottenham’s training tops, and they added a lot of really great items this season alone. I have to say I hope they’re not using all the good designs this year, but regardless, I’m pleasantly shocked at the volume of great training looks this year.

Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

Navy has always been a good primary color for the club because it pairs well with a lot of different colors, and training gear provides a unique platform for colorful experimentation. This is a pretty good shade of pink, and works well as both a primary color on a top and a fantastic accent on a top or a pair of pants. I am really loving that stripe on the upper arm and thigh.

Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

The European training gear pleasantly surprised me, because I didn’t actually know it existed. I think I’d normally not care very much for the darker blue that is the base of this outfit, but it pairs very nicely with the light blue sleeves. Again, I like the stripe and like that the two training outfits are clearly part of the same collection without feeling like copycat designs necessarily.

Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images

I’m going to ignore the fact that I’m slightly confused by Joe Hart’s one sleeve look, but this is another solid training top with one of my favorite colors to pair with a dark blue, yellow. I’m not completely sold on the yellow stripe on the sleeve, but the simplicity otherwise works quite well for me.

Photo by Tottenham Hotspur FC/Tottenham Hotspur FC via Getty Images

The primary pre-match training top is probably the hardest sell, but also is the only venue where a design like that is acceptable. Stick it on a kit, and it opens up the design to more criticism, but experimental without being outright ugly works for a training top. I think I like the stripe on this one, and as I already mentioned, that dark blue and yellow work very well together so they make the best out of a possibly questionable design. It probably helps that professional athletes are modeling it, but the end result isn’t half bad.

Here’s hoping Spurs and Nike didn’t use up all their good training designs this year.

tl;dr: I really like Tottenham’s training gear this season.

Stay informed, read this: Molly McElwee on tennis player Martina Trevisan, who made her first French Open quarterfinal this year after overcoming a battle with anorexia for The New York Times

Links of the Day

Liverpool’s Xherdan Shaqiri tested positive for COVID-19.

A federal judge in Nevada will hear arguments related to the hush money agreement Cristiano Ronaldo offered the woman who accused him of rape in 2010.

PSV signed Mario Götze to a two year deal.

Phoenix Rising’s Junior Flemings received a six match suspension after directing homophobic abuse towards San Diego Loyal’s Collin Martin.

Manchester United kits with Tobin Heath and Christen Press’ names outsold male players’ kits in the days after their signings were announced.

David Squires covers the weekend’s lopsided Premier League results in his latest cartoon.

A longer read: Louise Taylor interviews Aston Villa manager Gemma Davies on her rise to coaching in the FAWSL at age 28 for The Guardian