It's games like this that make managers like Harry rue participation in the Europa League. If we had lost our final game of the season and Liverpool had won theirs, then it would be Liverpool jetting off this week to Thessaloniki while we put our feet up and prepare.
Oh well, I believe that no true Spurs fan can tire of Lilywhite nights in Europe. Be it in Milan or Thessaloniki, there's something about European nights. It may not have the glitz and the glam of the Champions League, but Spurs belong in Europe and I for one am looking forward to it.
So what to expect? A spot of digging online tells me that PAOK finished 4th in the regular season of the Greek Superleague, behind the 3 Greek teams that people have heard of, Olympiacos, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens. PAOK beat Ukranian side Karpaty Lviv 3-1 on aggregate in the last qualifying round and are seeded 3rd in our group. I can't say I've heard of anyone in the PAOK squad, but striker Dimitris Salpingidis has almost 50 caps for Greece and seems to be their main man. A word of warning, don't spell Salpingidis wrong in google, as I've also discovered that Salpingitis is 'an infection of the uterus lining, fallopian tubes, or ovaries'. Lovely.
Nevertheless, the little I've seen of Greek football reminds me of Turkish football, the fans will be loud, the atmosphere will be intimidating, particularly if, as expected, Harry throws the kids out there. But barring any major hiccups, there isn't anything in PAOK to really trouble us.
So who will we see in Lilywhite? Harry has suggested that not many of the players who featured against Wolves will even travel to Greece, what with the small matter of the Scousers on the horizon. Van der Vaart isn't even registered to play in the Europa League and I very much doubt that the likes of Bale, Modric and Adebayor will be risked.
So kids it is? This may resemble a school football team going on tour for the first time. 24 hour coach journey, Gio drinking vodka and coke at the back disguised as regular coke, Harry Kane doodling on a sleeping Joe Jordan, Andros Townsend winning the 'pull a moose' competition at a Thessaloniki club after the game, and sitting at the front will be a handful of grumpy looking seniors, Pav and Bassong trying to sleep.
I'd like to see Gomes start. He may have lost his place and seems to be on his way out, but I still have a soft spot for the Brazilian loon. A strong performance will at least keep Big Brad on his toes.
At the back expect starts for Corluka and Bassong. If Danny Rose is still injured then maybe we will see Townsend continue at full back, a role he played with mixed results against Hearts. With Dawson out for 2 months, Gallas on the missing persons list and Ledley doubtless back in bubble wrap, Kaboul will probably partner Bassong.
The rest of the team frankly I have no idea. Tom Carroll, Ryan Fredericks, Harry Kane and Soulyemane Coulibaly were all conspicuous by their absence from a Spurs XI draw with West Ham yesterday, so we could see at least one or two start, with the others possibly on the bench. Livermore will return to the starting lineup in midfield and Pav will probably start up front. I would certainly like to see Gio start and at least see Yago Falque at some point. In the very least, PAOK will be as confused as to the Spurs starting XI as we are.
Let's be honest, speculating as to whether the likes of Carroll and Coulibaly will feature is a lot more fun than expecting starts for people like Jenas and Hutton isn't it?
The order of the day will be to avoid injuries and give the kids a chance to impress. With winnable home games against PAOK and Rubin and what should be a home and away banker against Shamrock, defeat will not be the end of the world. But it wouldn't help fragile morale ahead of Liverpool would it?
Thursday nights. Channel 5 (Or ESPN, whatever). Embrace it. European glory nights. Let's enjoy it.
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