The Hoddle of Coffee: Tottenham news and links for Friday, May 27

Good morning hoddlers. I was hoping to save this Track of the Day for the first day of the transfer window. . ... ... it is my favourite Depeche Mode song

It’s been a hell of a week, hasn’t it? But the footballing calendar keeps turning, and so we must turn with it.

With that, all eyes are on the Big Game this weekend. And when I say that, I obviously mean the EFL Championship Playoff Final between Huddersfield Town and Nottingham Forest.

(Watching Madrid-Liverpool once in a decade is more than enough for your hoddler-in-chief).

That’s because Tottenham Hotspur will play either Huddersfield or Forest twice next season (though Champions League could impact the scheduling. Because Tottenham are in the Champions League next season.. because Tottenham finished in fourth this year.)

The financial consequences of Sunday’s final are well-documented. And I would argue whoever loses will not reach the playoffs next season (mid-table at best) - just look at the transfer rumours.

Now, if we are going by form, I would argue Forest were much more convincing than Huddersfield in the playoff semifinals. I understand the Reds had to go to penalties to get to Wembley, but that Sheffield United side (once under Paul Heckingbottom) were a far more disciplined and experienced side than Luton.

And Forest have more attacking threats - Brennan Johnson, Djed Spence, Philip Zinckernagel (just to name a few). But I find them to be a more mercurial side than Carlos Coberan’s Terriers.

It’s not as if Huddersfield have the more attractive players. I would think Huddersfield are the likelier of the two to compete for a promotional spot next season should they lose the final. I mean, Terriers have Danny Ward as their top scorer (14 goals). And he is a solid striker, but I don’t think of him nearly as dynamic as Johnson.

And these teams split the regular season (each won 2-0). So, there isn’t much separating.

Should Huddersfield go up, it would be so exciting to see them in the league against Leeds. And Forest against Leicester would be fun as well (but not as fun as Forest-Derby....).

The Championship Final is always a toss-up, I think, having watched the previous five or six years of it. That’s kind of what makes it so exciting, too.

All of this is to say - I don’t know what will happen final. But I will be tuning in.

Fitzie’s track of the day: Blasphemous Rumours, by Depeche Mode

And now for your links:

Alasdair Gold: What happens next for Tanguy NDombele

Forest chairman says Reds have stuck by financial rules ‘unlike other clubs’

Huddersfield Town have full squad available ahead of Forest clash

Transfer news: Leeds sign Brenden Aaronson from Salzburg