Lear, Mufasa, and now Ledley: the latest tragedy to befall a great King.

Let me start by expressing my familial love for Ledley King. In my lifetime, amidst sulking Bulgarians and downright backstabbing Englishmen, the boy from the academy has been the bedrock of the football team which has seen the investment of far too much of my time and emotion. Recently however, as much as I attempt to suppress such thoughts, I have began to wonder if the King has lost his touch.

In many ways, Ledley King is the epitome of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. Not only has he been at our club since his princely days in the academy; but he is the personification of the ‘if only’ hypothetical. If only our team hadn’t fell sick on the last day of the 2004/5 season, if only Pedro Mendes’ goal was correctly given, if only Ledley King had two knees. The answer to this last question is one which I will take to the grave with me: Ledley King would have been world class. He had everything: pace, confidence, and he could read the game as well as any. Testament to this is the fact that he has been able to keep up with the demands of the Premier League for so long, despite systematically losing his pace over the course of his crippling injury. The King is rightly hailed as a remarkable physical specimen, and I agree that it is nothing short of a miracle that he manages to play the amount of games he does despite his lack of first team training. However, we are all human, and I feel that recently the physical and mental demands of the Premier League have finally caught up with him

Many may refer me to our win ratios with and without Ledley King starting, so let’s have a look at these. Up until the 2008/9 season, Spurs enjoyed roughly a 20% higher win ratio when the King started. In 2009/10 these ratios effectively broke even, and I feel it is fair to discount the mere 6 games in which he played in 10/11. This season however, the advantage has been reduced to just 7%, and the season isn’t over.

I feel it is fair to say that Spurs’ dip in form started regrettably at the hands of North London rivals Arsenal, and this was to be a momentous day for more than one reason. Not only was it single-handedly the worst footballing day of my life, but it was also the first time I have questioned the credentials of our ailing skipper. Granted the entire team was flat that day, and has been arguably since, but Ledley looked seriously off the pace, and he has done nothing to reassure me in the subsequent games he has played in.

I mentioned earlier my familial bond with Ledley. I describe it as so for two reasons. Firstly, he is like a son to me, and just as a parent may be inclined to overlook the various shortcomings of their children, I too have found myself making excuses in the past, to myself and others, for why he increasingly appears to be stuttering. Secondly, while I feel I am entitled to be critical, I will be the first to jump to his defense in any discussion which remotely resembles a footballing debate.

I know it is too early to write him off, and no one would be happier than me if this appears to be a temporary dip in form. Yet I wouldn’t be doing my parental duties if I didn’t at least voice my concerns. Someone asked me today, straight-faced ‘n all, if I would rather Ledley King or Ryan Nelson start on Sunday. To my amazement, I didn’t know what to say. All of me hopes that he starts on Sunday, puts in a heroic performance and makes me look  like an absolute mug. Only time will tell if my worry has been in vain.

May the King live on. Amen.