Spurs fans here in the Transfer Tavern still shudder when they are reminded of the summer of 2013.
With a pocket full of cash from the Gareth Bale sale (okay they spent before, but the knew it was happening!), the Londoners went out on a transfer spree, signing a host of players from all corners of the globe as they set about building a side under Andre Villas-Boas that could compete for Champions League football and perhaps even the title.
Alas, it didn’t quite work out with the bulk of the big money recruits flopping at White Hart Lane, including Paulinho.
The Brazilian hung around at the club until 2015 when he moved to Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande, but despite his Far East adventure he still gets into the Brazil team now, and on last night’s evidence it’s easy to see why…
Brazil’s Paulinho kicked off his hat-trick against Uruguay last night with this absolute rocket! pic.twitter.com/khP4mEAXih
— Top Eleven (@topeleven) 24 March 2017
The midfielder netted a hat-trick (including the rocket of a goal above) against Uruguay in World Cup qualification action in an all-round fine performance.
To say Spurs fans are stunned at seeing a player who could barely pass the ball five yards in the white shirt do this for one of the best footballing nations on the planet is an understatement, and they’ve taken to Twitter to vent…
Paulinho scored a hat-trick for Brazil! pic.twitter.com/PUtl8qad9u
— Adam Thomas Warlow (@AdamWarlow3) 24 March 2017
I see Paulinho scored a hattrick for #Brazil yesterday. Pity he couldn’t do it for us !! #COYS
— James McNair (@thephantommajor) 24 March 2017
Didn’t watch the match but tell me that wasn’t the Paulinho that I think it was who scored a hat trick
— Duke Silver COYS (@therealtak15) 24 March 2017
Paulinho
— TAS (@coys100) 23 March 2017
Still amazing that a regular starter for Brazil (Paulinho) wasn’t good enough for Spurs. #UruguayBrasil #COYS
— RootlessCosmopolitan (@LI_Matt) 23 March 2017
@Tim_Vickery As a Spurs fan Tim you must have been wondering if that was the same Paulinho who played for us!
— Dan (@hicksydan) 24 March 2017
Can’t be the same bloke. Doesn’t even look like him. Biggest coward I’ve ever seen in a Spurs shirt #Paulinho https://t.co/8Uwe7OVQRA
— Boggo (@Boggo1) 24 March 2017
What the hell happens when players come to Spurs? Paulinho banging them in last night for Brasil, was awful for us!
— Jamie O’Loughlin (@jayemfree) 24 March 2017
Paulinho scored a hat-trick for Brazil last night.. I genuinely thought he was relatively decent, however under poor management at Spurs.
— Mark Chappell 马克 (@ChappellMark) 24 March 2017
Can someone please tell me how the same Paulinho that played for Spurs scored a hat trick this morning in a WCQ
— Christian Bertacco (@Tarco_Bell_Ski) 24 March 2017
