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Hugo Lloris: Is it time to pass the baton?

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Hugo Lloris is one of the most respected man in world football and has been a principal presence at the last line of defence for Tottenham Hotspur, but with time it’s getting glassy that it might be the beginning of an end to his career with the North-Londoners.

Wait, he is only thirty-three! Goalkeepers don’t age till atleast thirty-five. Now, I’ve no doubt on Lloris and whether he could be Spurs’ first choice unless he personally feels he can’t. Knowing Hugo and the man he has always been, if he would feel being lacking even a percent of fitness or ability to stand inbetween woodworks for Tottenham – he would come forward and veto a move away from N17.

Lloris has always been someone who boasts lightening reflexes and has a formidable voice from the last line of defence and in the dressing room. He is a leader that won World Cup for France in 2018, a voice everyone at Tottenham respects and definitely someone who would walk through fire for the badge.

Let’s remember how Hugo Lloris took the baton at the White Hart Lane

20 September 2012. A young Frenchman, who has impressed his way from Olympique Lyonnais to North London was handed a debut for his new employers in the Europa League fixture against Lazio. Was he impressive? – Well, he did keep a cleansheet as Spurs drew 0-0 to l Biancocelesti’s.

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And talking about how much he impressed, 7 October 2012. then manager Andre Villas-Boas handed Hugo Lloris his Premier League debut against Aston Villa ending Bradley Friedel’s run of 310 games wearing gloves for Tottenham. Hugo kept a clean sheet as Spurs won 2- 0 against Villa that noon.

That outing against Aston Villa was start to something, an era – if you’d like to call that now, as Hugo Lloris has gave the club a whole set of “new benchmarks”, something which he promised while extending his contract at the White Hart Lane in July 2014.

Blast from the Past, complemented with current rumours – Is it time to pass that baton?

Eversince the arrival of Jose Mourinho, Tottenham are linked with numerous goalkeepers in a short span of time. It looks like any young goalkeeper who made a couple of saves is someone Spurs are trying to bring in to North-London. Well infact, Paulo Gazzaniga was termed as heir to Lloris’ throne back when the Frenchman was down injured and the Argentine youngster was making the most of his time as first-choice.

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Gazzaniga did salvage Spurs on consistent basis when he was on the pitch, in fact a fair amount of Spurs faithful weren’t happy to see Lloris back in the goal because all Paulo did during his short span wearing the gloves. And Lloris didn’t get back into his A-game after the injury and was highly criticized when Spurs were shattered in hands of Red Bull Leipzig in the second round of Last-16 stage of the Champions League last month.

Well, now you cannot take an eye upon someone like Hugo Lloris for a long time, as a player of his caliber has rare bad days and that night against Leipzig was only one of those days. But that did start a debate, is it time for Lloris to pass the baton in possibly Paulo Gazzaniga or anyone Mourinho seems credible enough to bring in?

In my opinion, even if it’s not time to replace Lloris – its actually time to find a successor, someone who could fill in for him for a considerable amount of time. Coz’ it won’t be hard to find someone with mantle enough to replace him.

And in fact, Hugo won’t even exceed his welcome. In an interview with France Football back in September, Lloris talked about how he would like to explore his options and summing new experiences. In the same interview he also stated that he is not looking to retire at Tottenham with his eyes set on United States to salvage some year out of him at an elite level.

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