I'm often asked the following question...'what makes a club big and who qualifies to be mentioned in that breath? For the last decade or so the 'B4' have been automatic nominees in the 'big club' stakes followed by the likes of a Newcastle, a Leeds, even a Manchester City however these clubs pale in historic comparison to a side that wants more than ever to be taken seriously, Tottenham Hotspur.

So what make a big club and do Spurs have the required credentials?

History, check - Honors, check - Passionate & loyal fans, check - Money, check - A big stadium, negative (but due to change) - Belief that you are a big club, negative!

For far too long there has been a culture of underachieving at White Hart Lane and no amount of Carling Cup success is going to change that. Ultimately there has to be a belief that runs throughout the club. They have to feel in their every fiber that the club, from the tea lady, to the captain, that they are 'B4' material. When this happens, I have no doubt that Spurs will achieve it. If you look to London neighbors, Chelsea, for an example, they didn't have that 'belief' until Jose Mourinho instilled it and Roman Abramovich bought it. Spurs are lucky enough to have their own mini-Abramovich in the form of Daniel Levy but one can't but help wonder if Harry Redknapp brings that same Mourinho aura.

I'm tempted to ask whether the crafty cockney can get the same performances from Carlo Cudicini and Heurelho Gomes as Mourinho inspired from Petr Cech. Will he get the run of games and passion that makes Ledley King one of the most respected center backs in the Premiership in the same way John Terry produces every week for the Blues. Does he have the same confidence in Tom Huddlestone that the 'Special One' displayed in Frank Lampard? Is the love he feels for Jermain Defoe comparable to the affection bestowed on Didier Drogba. Most importantly - can he motivate his team to the heights they produced against Liverpool on the opening day of the season on a consistent basis.

The answer to date is probably no!

Back to back losses against Manchester United at home and Chelsea at Stamford Bridge have shown me that in spells they have the quality but overall they lack the belief. Only by consistently putting quality performances together can that mystical state be attained and the up-coming schedule couldn't be kinder to the North Londoners in that regard. Portsmouth (a), Stoke (h), Arsenal (a), Sunderland (h), Wigan (h), Villa (a), Everton (a), Wolves (h), Man City (h), Blackburn (a).

30 points on offer - what would a United, a Chelsea, a Liverpool consider adequate? At a minimum, 24-25 points would be considered a decent return and even then, Sir Alex would probably have a moan! For Tottenham, this has to be a realistic target and there cannot be a Spurs fan alive that doesn't agree with that assessment.

After seven league matches of this campaign there are plenty of reasons to be cautiously optimistic. Under Redknapp, the ninth, that's right, the ninth manager of this decade, Spurs are finally playing the kind of champagne football that they've so long been associated with. I'm tempted to wonder if Harry has had the old-Spurs captain, Danny Blanchflower's, famous quote inscribed in the dressing room as an inspiration to his players -"Football is about glory, it is about doing things in style and with a flourish, about going out and beating the lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom"

Boredom is not something you'll experience with this current Spurs XI as the goals are flowing in both directions and only Liverpool fans enjoy a higher aggregate per match in the elite division! The key for Harry has been the ability to pick a settled team as eight of his first teamers have been ever present to date, a far cry from last season when Redknapp joined the team from Portsmouth and his injury list resembled a MASH unit. In fact the riches at his disposal have enabled him to build one of the finest squads not just in England but in world football however doubts persists as to whether this is a club capable of making the leap from pretenders to contenders.

When I look at the characters within the team, I see superb footballers but I don't see players that I'd take to war with me. Perhaps over the course of a season, Redknapp, who has never been short of belief, will by osmosis give his charges the right stuff. If he does, look for Tottenham to finally attain 'big club' status.

Until then, I'll see you at the far post.