Roman Pavlyuchenko: Tottenham Hotspur’s 21st Century Cult Hero

On YouTube there is a fan-created compilation than runs through every one of Roman Pavlyuchenko’s 42 Tottenham Hotspur goals. Unlike most similar football videos on the website, it is not soundtracked by bad dance music or often completely unsuitable hip-hop, thematically speaking.

Its creator instead chose Buzzcocks’ 1978 punk classic “Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve).” The song’s shared title and chorus is about as perfect as they were likely to find in evoking the mix of charm and frustration that typified the mercurial Russian striker’s eventful four-year stay with Tottenham.

Pavlyuchenko is back in his home country playing with FK Ural Sverdlovskaya Oblast these days. On Wednesday one of their Russian Premier League rivals CSKA Moscow visit his former side in the Champions League.

Although never a CSKA player—spells with Spartak and Lokomotiv Moscow sandwiched the 34-year-old’s time at Spurs—his compatriots’ visit and Spurs’ elimination from the tournament have brought Pavlyuchenko’s time in England to mind.

His contribution to their memorable 2010-11 run in the Champions League are among several reasons why he stands as one of, if not the cult hero of Tottenham’s 21st century thus far.

A Familiar Face

When legendary Renaissance man Leonard Cohen passed away last month, the former Conservative MP and current Atlantic-crossing political commentator Louise Mensch used it as an opportunity to praise American culture and deride Russia’s as “joyless.”

As many people quickly pointed out, Cohen was Canadian. Mensch has also never likely watched Pavlyuchenko play football if she thinks his country has little to offer.

When the centre-forward joined Tottenham in 2008 he was already familiar to fans.

He had scored twice for Russia in a 2-1 Euro 2008 qualifying win over England a year earlier. At the tournament, Pavlyucheko was part of a Guus Hiddink side that lit up the competition, netting in wins over Sweden and the Netherlands before they lost to eventual winners Spain in the semi-finals.

Signing the then-26-year-old was not quite on the excitement level of another blond-bomber recruit, Jurgen Klinsmann back after the 1994 World Cup. But as tournament-influenced purchases go, it proved one of Spurs’ more notable ones.

Unfortunately for Pavlyuchenko he arrived at a bad time for the club.

The team’s star strikers Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov had left for Liverpool and Manchester United respectively. Manager Juande Ramos’ side were in the midst of a woeful start not ideal for integrating a newcomer such as the Russian international.

Still, his headed goal in the 2-1 League Cup win over Newcastle United was a promising reminder of what he was capable of.

Harry and Pav (And his Translator)

The problem with interpreters? They work harder than the players…@Redknapp recalls Pavlyuchenko’s first day.