In just 11 days, will be back in London, lining up against Manchester United in the teams’ Premier League season opener.
Wednesday, Tottenham will be when it takes on the MLS all-stars at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park at 7 p.m.
“It’s interesting timing, because obviously our guys have been back for preseason,” said Tottenham executive director Donna-Maria Cullen. “However, your MLS players are well into their season, so we expect their fitness levels to be really first class. That’s going to make for a very competitive game.”
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Coach Mauricio Pochettino named a competitive travel roster Monday, headlined by U.S. national team star DeAndre Yedlin — who transferred to the Spurs from the Seattle Sounders after a strong showing in the 2014 World Cup — and Harry Kane, who had a breakout 2014-15 season, scoring 21 goals in 34 Premier League games. That earned him the Professional Footballers’ Association young player of the year award.
“It’s going to be a tough game, and that’s what we want,” Kane said. “We need to be testing ourselves to see how fit we are and what we need to work on.”
Last year the MLS all-stars topped German club Bayern Munich 2-1.
“I understand no London club has won the MLS All-Star Game before,” Cullen said. “So we’re hoping to be the first London club to do that.”
Yedlin’s former Sounders teammate Clint Dempsey, a former Spur himself, will lace up for the MLS all-stars.
“I’ve gotten to experience that with Seattle. Now I get to experience it with the all-star team,” Dempsey said of taking on his former club. “It’s a team I enjoyed playing for, have some friends that are on there and look forward to seeing them and catching up. Hopefully it’s a good game.”
Beyond the match, Tottenham has a number of off-the-field goals for its first-ever Denver trip, with grassroots efforts planned to engage fans and the community.
Tottenham will participate in coaching clinics with youth players and Special Olympics events. Tuesday, its players will pass out toys to patients at Children’s Hospital Colorado. They also plan to have an open training session at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Tuesday morning, which includes an autograph and meet-and-greet session with fans.
“It’s very much in our DNA when we visit somewhere, we don’t just go in to play the match,” Cullen said. “For us, part of the whole appeal of doing that and being abroad, particularly in the States, we have a lot more activities and engagements.”
In order to reach that local fan base, Tottenham tapped the Colorado Spurs, a Denver-based Tottenham supporter club.
“The last few months have been insane,” said Tim Caffrey, president of the Colorado Spurs. “Tottenham is really asking a lot of us, but they’re really giving a lot as well.”
a welcoming for the club’s arrival at Denver International Airport on Sunday, a welcome party for Spurs supporters at the Three Lions on Monday night, a “Legends Night” with appearances by former Spurs captain Ledley King and American goalkeeper Brad Friedel at the Blake Street Tavern on Tuesday night, and a tailgate party at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Wednesday before the match.
Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or twitter.com/danielboniface
Tottenham Hotspur roster
Goalkeepers: Hugo Lloris, Michel Vorm, Luke McGee, Tom Glover
Defenders: Kyle Walker, Kieran Trippier, DeAndre Yedlin, Danny Rose, Ben Davies, Toby Alderweireld, Eric Dier, Kevin Wimmer, Jan Vertonghen, Federico Fazio
Midfielders: Nabil Bentaleb, Harry Winks, Mousa Dembele, Josh Onomah, Christian Eriksen, Nacer Chadli, Tom Carroll, Dele Alli, Erik Lamela
Forwards: Harry Kane, Shaq Coulthirst
