Johannesburg - All-conquering when they arrived in 1963 after annexing the English League and Cup double, but little more than mediocre in 2003, London's renowned Tottenham Hotspur are seeking to restore their former glory as they embark on a third visit to South Africa to play in the pre-season Vodacom Challenge from July 21 to 28.
Spurs' presence in a tournament which has Orlando Pirates and current holders Kaizer Chiefs as permanent fixtures and is payrolled by the clubs' sponsors, Vodacom, was announced amid traditional razzmatazz at the Emperors Palace Casino on the outskirts of Johannesburg on Tuesday.
Unlike last year's participants, Manchester United, who arrived with a depleted squad shorn of all their 2006 World Cup participants, CEO Paul Barber gave the assurance that Spurs would be in South Africa with "a strongest possible squad."
And this would presumably include tricky Bulgarian international goal-scorer Dimitar Berbatov, one of the sensations of the past English Premiership seasons when Spurs finished fifth in the log behind champions Manchester United and reached the semi-final of one cup competition and the quarter-finals in two others.
Great deal of vibrancy
Other notable players under Dutch team manager Martin Jol include the captain and England defender, Ledley King, Republic of Ireland striker, Robbie Keane, England internationals Paul Robinson, Jermain Defoe, Aaron Lennon and Danny Murphy, as well as the Ivory Coast midfielder, Didier Zakora.
"It has not escaped our attention that Manchester United won the Premiership title after their pre-season tour to South Africa," added Barber, "and we are hoping this will be an omen for us to do the same."
Although an unofficial event and imbued with an artificial element in that the visiting team is assured of a place in the final whether they win their two initial games or lose them, the Vodacom Challenge has engendered a great deal of vibrancy and public support since Pirates won the initial tournament in 1998,
This year's Vodacom Challenge will be launched with a game between Spurs and Chiefs in Durban on Saturday, July 21, with the visitors taking on Pirates at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on Tuesday, July 24.
The perennial crowd-drawing derby between Chiefs and Pirates will be played in Port Elizabeth on Thursday, July 26, with the final at Loftus on Saturday, July 28 between Spurs and whichever of Chiefs and Pirates is more successful in the preceding matches.
