Surfys Blog

So then now what?

2008-10-23T19:44:00Z

The season that promised so much has gone horrifically wrong. That there are only eight premier league games gone, and the Carling Cup defence hangs in the balance of a tie with Liverpool accompanied by bottom place of in the league and a shaky standing in the UEFA cup. Probably more worrying than the league position is the damning fact that a collection of players assembled for over £100m are at the moment uninspired, out of form, demotivated and shadows of their former selves.

Fingers can be pointed at the departures of Keane and Berbatov, and also questions can be asked about the wisdom of the club in signing so many new players in one close season, without addressing the holes in the squad. None of the above will ultimately have any bearing on the fortunes of the club in the league this season. Relegation, while not by any stretch a certainty, is increasingly a consideration, given not the league position but the performance of management and players.

Fans the length of the country and beyond are bemoaning the lack of cohesion, the lack of passion and the clueless nature of the team at this time, and with good reason. There is some irony that the best performances this season have come from the player alleged to be "the only striker left," that being Darren Bent, and even his performances have not been of a high enough standard. In recent weeks players with huge influence and character have started to fade into the background - Gomes, Woodgate, King, and Jenas, all expected to be big voices in the dressing room, have been notable for their mistakes, poor performances and general lack of passion.

So what steps can be taken, and which should be taken, to instill some of that famous Ian Dowie bouncebackability?

Option 1 is to tough it out and hope that the current regime turns things around. Even the most ardent Ramos supporter must now be starting to wonder whether the spaniard has the wherewithall to bring about the necessary change of fortunes - and with that comes the same question about the backroom staff. The much heralded coaching team of Ramos and Poyet, whilst clearly undermined by the transfer activity of the summer, is now being tested and seems on the face of it to be found wanting.

Option 2 is to break up the management team, and give Poyet and A.N.Other a chance to succeed. This would seem a bit like the legacy of the last 10 years with the retention of Chris Hughton baffling fans for almost a decade.

Option 3 is to change the management. Given the unbelievable media faux pas that Ramos' appointment was, it would be seen as an phenomenal failing on the part of the Spurs heirarchy were they to admit defeat and remove the former Sevilla boss after one year at the helm. Despite the increasing feeling that the current setup is starting to mirror the Christian Gross era, it really is difficult to be believe that Levy and co would take the public humilation that would ensue. The question is will their pride come before the worst fall in 30 years - that being a fall from the top flight?

Option 4 is to take the Middlesborough approach and bring in a name coach to assist the current setup. Boro famously stayed up with Terry Venables in tow, and although El Tel's name has been mooted it is unlikely that Spurs would bring the former boss to the club in any capacity.Talk of sacking Comolli would be meritous given the transfer calamity of this season, however anyone who comes in would find their hands tied until January's transfer window. Thinking beyond this season, Comolli must now be seriously under threat, and a roll for a coach with a reputation for spotting talent might offer an interesting combined role in the future.

None of the above options offer guarantees. Most clubs in Spurs current position who have changed managers have seen a boom associated with the new man's early impact on the players, but rarely do they offer a sustained improvement good enough to keep clubs in the top division.

Are the players good enough? The answer has to be a conclusive yes. A settled and committed side with a clear style and purpose would be capable through shear fitness and organisation of getting results and with those results would come confidence and ultimately the flair so craved by Spurs fans. An unfathomable rotation policy with an unsettled side featuring players played out of position is not a solution. Perseverance with players who are not performing is also not an option - yet surprisingly for a manager so uncompromising that he dropped Paul Robinson unceremoniously last season, Ramos has persisted with poor performing individuals.

From an individual perspective, I am starting to sway towards the belief that Ramos and Poyet are out of their depth - that the ultimate swallowing of pride needs to take place on the part of Daniel Levy, and that along with the departure of Ramos and Co, so must the Sporting Director role be phased out. That its purpose is to ensure that changes in coaches doesn't mean wholesale changes to the playing staff, leads to the question as to whether its being properly implemented by the Spurs senior management - the turn over of players in the last 12 months has been fairly unprecedented and at this stage an unmitigated disaster.

Whether a Kinnear like appointment would appease fans, and more importantly get the results that are required, is debatable. Whatever the case though there is an incredibly urgent need for some decisiveness at the top of the Spurs hierarchy, and soon. Failure to react in an appropriate manner could see Spurs striving to be top four in the Championship next season, not the Premier League.

Looking through the Window.....

2008-02-02T10:35:00Z

Silly season is (almost) over - the transfer window, barring the freak situation with Benjani is closed for business and the rest of the season will be a rumour free easy ride (yeah right!).

For Spurs, this was one of the busier January windows since the system was put in place. Indeed when you total up all player moves, Spurs were involved in 8 player deals - 4 in and 4 out. What most fans will be pleased about though is that the dynamic duo that is Juande Ramos and Damien Comolli appear to be addressing some of the issues that fans have been concerned about for the whole of 2007/08.

So first then to the "outs". In total we earned an estimated £10m from the sales of Wayne Routledge to Aston Villa and Jermain Defoe to Portsmouth. On the face of it the departure of Routledge will not have an impact given that under success managers he simply did not figure in first team football - a shame as he is undoubtably a player with great potential but ultimately either not good enough or in the wrong place at the wrong time - the emergence of Aaron Lennon and injury dictating his Spurs career. Time will tell if Villa got a good deal. As for the departure of Defoe - this one will stick in the throats of a great number of Spurs fans, but on all fronts the greater good may well be served - Defoe gets his first team football, Spurs don't lose out financially and the club doesn't have a disenchanted player on their books running down his contract. Whether the loss of Defoe will impact on the attacking prowess of the team remains to be seen, but with Keane, Berbatov and Bent, along with the attacking minded midfield options available to Ramos, you would hope not. A word to the other temporary departures - Paul Stalteri and Antony Gardner - the former will likely get a good run of first team football in a team ultimately destined for relegation, having fallen to third or even fourth choice at the Lane. A chance for a thoroughly likeable, committed but ultimately limited professional to get a chance to find a new club next season. The latter is an odd one. Gardner is not fully fit, indeed some might even say still injured. You have to honest and say that he's unlikely to force his way into Everton's first team, and as such you have to wonder about the logic of this move.

So the dearly departed dealt with, now to look at the new arrivals. Bought for an estimated £22m the club has invested in for new defenders. First to sign was Chris Gunter, a £2m aqquisition from Cardiff - one for the future who is featuring now, he looks talented if raw, but with the ability to play in both full back positions, he is a good prospect. Second to arrive was Jonathan Woodgate. A player with a chequered past, but an honest smile these days, Woodgate has been around a bit, moving from Leeds to Newcastle, to Real Madrid, then to Boro, and ultimately arriving at WHL for £8m. Should he achieve a run of games similar to his one season at Middlesborough, he will become a hugely valued first team player and could well be the leader in the back line so sorely missing in the perpetual absence of Ledley King. Next to arrive for the eyebrow raising figure of £9m is Alan Hutton. Hutton is a "one for now and the future" player - a very talented individual with 6 Scottish caps and given the sum of money spent, the backing of the management to take up the role of right back from Pascal Chimbonda for the next 10 years. Spurs fans are already eagerly anticipating the day a back four of Hutton, Woodgate, King and Bale steps out - on paper surely the best back four for many years.

Last to the table, the classic 11th hour signing for Spurs, was Gilberto Da Silva Melo. Casting aside the stereotypes associated with Brazilian players to look at just the facts, this is a man who has 27 caps for Brazil in a position dominated by Roberto Carlos - that in its self is no mean feat. A left sided player who can play in either the full back or midfield role, it remains to be seen whether he turns into an Atouba or a Bale. You'd love to think it would be the latter!!!

So, looking over the transfer activity you have to think back to the words of Gus Poyet at the end of 2007 after a game at Villa Park. "Enough is enough". Seems that for the likes of Paul Robinson, Pascal Chimbonda, Michael Dawson and Younes Kaboul, its now a case of "Shape up or Ship out". They would do well to heed the advice - because the Ramos train is starting to gain some momentum and anyone not on it will definitely be left behind.

Is Chimbonda to be the First Big Name Ramos Casualty?

2008-01-07T15:53:00Z

Its been duly noted by the new top brass at White Hart Lane that the lost art of defending is at the present time exactly that - lost. As so succinctly put by Gus Poyet after the Aston Villa game, enough is enough.

This would appear to spell the end for some if not all of the current Spurs backline. First in the firing line appears to be Pascal Chimbonda. With the signing of Chris Gunter, and the speculation that the deal with Rangers for Alan Hutton is being revived, Chimmi has been quick to get his name in the press with quotes of his concern at the club's desire to purchase players who play in his position. The alleged answer from the club when asked cited that they wanted to play him in central defence - a likely story! With this in mind you could well expect reports over the next couple of weeks, followed possibly by the realisation of a move for Pascal.

Will he be missed? Honestly not as much as he woud have been had a supposed deal with Chelsea happened 8 months ago. Increasingly of late he has looked an individual, more interested in his own game than the team game, and often indirectly responsible for some of the defensive frailties that have blighted Spurs' season.

Watch in coming days for the re-emergence of the Hutton deal, and if it goes through expect Chimbonda to be making his way for the exit sometime soon.

A much needed win....and more....

2007-11-12T16:38:00Z

Sunday's game at White Hart Lane was, it appears, one of the hardest to watch live (outside the ground) ever. Indeed scouring websites and tv listings, I was reduced to watching the brief, brief, brief highlights on Match Of the Day.

So then we're four games into the Ramos era. I read over the weekend and today also that some people - journalists and fans alike, are not seeing any changes - and that Spurs were simply lucky to come up against a team currently in worse form that they were.

Four games is not a huge amount of time, given the current situation to influence the side. Equally disruptive is going to have been that the four games have been in three competitions, two different countries, and now lead into an International break.

As fans we should be grateful that at this time we are experiencing the usual upturn in form associated with a new manager - 4 games unbeaten is a timely boost, and despite playing poorly for most of the season, Spurs are not out of any of the 4 competitions that they entered at the start of the campaign.

There have already been positives though. Defensively conceeding one goal in four games is no mean feat - especially when the precedent had been conceeding at least 2 per game for the previous ten games. Standard of opposition aside, Spurs have become more miserly at the back. This is a seriously positive step forwards, as are the noises coming from Paul Robinson, that he feels more confident and has apparently been very vocal at the back.

In other areas, Jermain Jenas must be pleased with his week - two goals and a baby to brighten his mood, and for such a confidence player, it was crucial to see Aaron Lennon getting in amongst the goals at the weekend. Robbie Keane, for once not the scorer, turned creator for the first goal and Berbatov's role was as the ring leader to the whole game. Steed has also played pretty well of late and in Bale's absence has held up that side well. The defence still has a King shaped hole in it - but is looking a little more stable, although even in the brief footage on MOTD there was evidence of the central pairing still not having the best understanding.

People are going to cry out for new signings, and no doubt they will come when the window opens, however there is also a huge need for the players already at the club to be well coached. Whatever the thoughts of the masses on Martin Jol's methods, its apparent that Ramos has already started to install his own methodology to Spurs play, and if the players continue to respond in the same vein, there is no reason for wholesale changes in the January window. Going forward the side looks as good as it has done all season, granted there was never a lot wrong with the attacking play - in midfield questions still remain about the roles of individuals, and apparently the fitness of others - like Tom Huddlestone.

Defensively Ledley King is going to resemble a £20m signing when he returns, and it appears Paul Stalteri when fit is going to offer options other than the staple diet of Pascal Chimbonda. The return to fitness of Gareth Bale will offer a valuable insight into Ramos' thinking - he is the most similar player at Spurs to Daniel Alves, a precocious talent with ability in all positions down the left - Alves was deployed as a pseudo-wingback by Ramos, will he opt to play Bale in a similar fashion?

So then, four games, three clean sheets, a return to form for Berbatov, and a new resolute attitude from all parties - all this leaves the question - how much damage did the first ten games of the season do to Spurs chances? Thats an answer we'll have to wait more than four games to find out.

The Worst Kept Secret In Football...

2007-10-26T09:54:00Z

The public face of Tottenham Hotspur, oft tarnished by rumour and accusation, took another broadside last night. Martin Jol, the alleged "dead man walking", finally was served his last rites. Sadly its unlikely to be the last recrimination in this saga, as the impending appointment of Juande Ramos, while based on good footballing merit, is steeped in acrimony, - for Sex, Lies and Video Tape, think Spurs, Lies and Juandegate.

Martin Jol is not the finished article. Nor is he finished as a manager. As I write this I am willing him to pick himself up, dust off the dutch, and take the Ajax job. I doubt any manager will get a more rapturous reception at the Lane in years to come when one of his sides comes to town.

Back to the finished article comment.

There are three types of fan. The ever happy "we'll be fine" merchants. The pessimistic sort that boos Berbatov for not grinning like a cheshire cat. And the realist who sits in between, contemplating things evenly.

Every one of those realists will have been delighted by our league position these last two seasons. They will have loved the signings and performances of Berbatov, Bale, Lennon, and others. They will have enjoyed the fact that for a large part of the season before last the club was above Arsenal.

However. The big But. This group of realists will also understand that something was missing. Jol for all his personal skills, his affability and eloquence, failed on one or two key points...the big one being the ability to raise players belief to a level that allowed them to compete with the big four. Aspirations are a wonderful thing - but if you are unable to be as articulate to those players charged with fullfilling this dream, as you are with the press, then things are going to come unstuck.

And so was the case.

Now don't for a second understate the role the Tottenham board have played in this. They were clumsy at best, malicious at worst. If Ramos is appointed, it is likely he will succeed where Jol has failed. Wrongly though they have gone about the process of finding a new manager, they have identified someone in Ramos who fits the bill in terms of style, mental strength and conviction. He has the wherewithall to compete with the likes of Benitez and Grant, and could grow into a Wenger or Ferguson. However the bad taste that will have been left in the mouths of fans all round the world, may mean that more than ever he needs to get results fast.

Spurs are in a predicament at the moment. However with any managerial departure comes an upturn in form - usually a 3 or 4 game run - this could easily position the club in the top 10. Any new manager needs to instill his beliefs and methodologies into a club. He brings with him his own trusted people - hence the departure of Segers and Hughton. Ramos will be installed in the next 5 days. He has five games to gain the confidence of the fans or the accrimony will start again.

A final thought for those doubting whether Ramos will arrive in the immediate future. Its the worst kept secret in football that he has accepted the job starting next season. Does he really want to come to the club next season, after a relegation battle or worse still, relegation itself? Spurs are going to pay him a small fortune to take them to the next level, giving him a platform to compete with the best managers in the business in the biggest league in the world. He can't let that pass him by.

A final thought on Martin Jol. He's done enough in around three years to stay in the hearts of Tottenham fans forever. Not necessarily for his team's performances. Nor his tactical prowess. But because of those moments.

Hugging Defoe to him after that tackle

Fronting up to Wenger in the derby

Admitting he was off sex when Spurs missed fourth place

His sneaky fags at half time

His awesome manner and handling of the media

His heart on sleeve approach.

He'll be feeling low this morning - of that there's no doubt.

I won't remember him as a failure though. Just a great great guy.

A Week to Forget....A Weekend to Remember?

2007-08-23T14:03:00Z

All in all its been tough being a Spurs Fan this week. An all out assault by the media on our beloved club has left wreckage everywhere, reputations tattered and torn and a few relationships in need of repair.

In no particular order, this week we have heard:

Jol is off.

Ramos is coming.

Defoe is pissed off.

Berbatov is off.

Bent is pissed off.

Riquelme is coming.

Robinson is crap.

Robinson is angry with the board.

The board is angry with everyone.

The board don't trust Jol.

Jol is in an "untenable position".

Villa are likely to get Curtis Davies.

Ledley King is never going to play again (Alan Brazil - Talksport).

As I mentioned above, there have been better weeks at White Hart Lane. On top of that, this weekend could not herald a more difficult game on paper, with a trip to Old Trafford.

However.

There are some HUGE positives for us.

Gareth Bale played 45 mins at left wing last night for Wales and did pretty well.

Lee Young-Pyo has had another full week's training and should be even more match fit.

Berbatov's agent has come out and said that he has respect for Martin Jol and that there is no problem.

Paul Robinson says the squad is 100% behind Jol - watch for a backlash.

Thudd had his best game in a Spurs shirt last weekend.

Malbranque and Jenas scored seriously great goals.

Dawson is fit to play this weekend.

Man Utd are looking a bit toothless. Now this last one could be a kiss of death, but honestly, Spurs have never had a better chance of beating them on their patch. They are missing key players and the Spurs squad is going to be fired up to make amends for the misgivings of the first games, and to build on last weekend's drubbing of Derby.

A week from now, the transfer window will be coming to a close. We're still I hope in the market for a left winger and maybe more - so lets hope that over the next few days Jol gets the current squad flying, and Comolli goes and gets some serious winged talent!

COYS!

This Jol Stuff Should Stop NOW!

2007-08-20T13:27:00Z

I'm sitting in my lounge right now, in my house I bought in June 2006. The lounge looks great. There are things that are still wrong with it - but compared to the building site it was 12 months ago, its a palace. It took me over a year to get the right furniture, the right curtains, the floor, the tv, the rugs, I could go on.

Not everything in my lounge works perfectly all the time. Lightbulbs blow. The front door sticks when its raining outside. I've spilled the odd drink on the floor and like every batchelor, I am deficient in the gene that empowers people to dust.

My lounge though, to everyone who comes to visit, is lovely.

I can't think of a more apt analogy for the media fueled shite that is bouncing around about Spurs at the moment. Spurs have spent a lot of money over a long time getting in their expensive furniture - the players - and getting that furniture to do the job its supposed to do. Martin Jol has been at the centre of literally everything that has been successful these past 2 years. 5th in the league twice. Do those words not sink in with the cretins calling for his head after two games of a season which so far has seen every single one of the top five from last season drop points? Chelsea. Dropped points. Man Utd. Dropped points. Liverpool. Dropped points. Arsenal. Dropped points. Spurs. Dropped points. Need I go on?

Any rival fan outside of White Hart Lane looking in can see we're onto a good thing right now. Jol, Comolli, Levy, Hughton, all have contributed in their own way to giving the club stability, strength in depth, and genuine competition for places. Its only the idiots who claim to be supporters, who are baying for blood after two defeats. There's a saying that goes "a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." Thats never more true than right now. We've got a top class individual in charge of our team. A man who has integrity, respect and dignity, a man who despite being under pressure still talks to the media, unlike the petulant Ferguson in the case of the BBC, who thinks his sh*t doesn't smell.

Not everything at WHL works all the time. To start a season without 3 left backs, 2 centre halves, and our best winger, only to then lose another centre half and or best striker in the first week, is bad luck. However whereas last season we would have been hoping that Mido fancied playing this weekend, Jol had Darren Bent to turn to. Thanks Damien for giving Martin the players needed. We're supposedly still after a leftie so there's a chance we'll be welcoming someone else to the lane in coming weeks, meaning another of the problem spots in the squad will be filled. Bottom line, we're fans of a club that is doing everything in its power to progress. And if we leave the situation as it is, we will progress, have no fear.

To all the "journalists" who over the weekend have presented their irrefutable evidence that there is a power struggle at Spurs, that mutiny is a given and that Jol is no longer respected, I say bollocks. Any business man worth his salt knows you don't go out and spent £40m on players then sack the coach chosen to manage these players after two games. Jol has spent two seasons and a bit at the Lane, and during that time has forged a strong relationship with the coaching staff, the players, the fans and the board. To suggest that all his efforts have been undone by 2 games, is nothing short of publishing lies.

So to the sensible fan, the confident fan, the faithful fan. I say fair play to you all. Support Jol, support Spurs and watch as once again this season turns into a memorable one. In the premier league. In the league cup. In the FA cup. In Europe.

COYS.

Those special Spurs dates for your diary....

2007-06-14T18:52:00Z

So - what is it - a fortnight or so since the footy season ended with the Champions League final - and lets face us footy fanatics are already starting to get jumpy...

With take overs at Liverpool, Newcastle, Villa, West Ham and possibly Man City and Birmingham seeing their first proper transfer window, this summer promises to be the hardest on record in terms of getting those players to make us a top four side. Gareth Bale is a coup - make no mistake but the over inflation of the market as a result of the money that the likes of West Ham are throwing around in wages terms, means this is going to be a toughy....

So what has the football world offered us this week? Darren Bent is likely to become the highest paid player in London outside of Chelsea Village if he joins West Ham - though cynics will say that the hammers are setting themselves up for a fall, you have to say that its probably a good time to be a hammers fan...linked to everyone and anyone decent. Personally I think it remains to be seen whether Curbs can handle the inflated egos and the expectation that the money is going to bring - consider him my outside tip to be an early season sacking....

Other than West Ham's perpetual forays into the transfer market, today saw the launch of the absurdly copyrighted fixture list. While we can expect it to change instantly due to live tv and european dates, there are indications once again that if we can sustain a strong position throughout the early months, come the Spring of 2008, we could well be in for another strong finish - culminating with the hopefully significant visit of Liverpool on the final day of the season.

Other dates for your diary then:

A tough opener at the Stadium of Light on August 11th - likely to be moved for Tele's Roy Keane love-in..

A trip to Man Utd two weeks later on the 25th August.

A month into the season on the 15th September an early look at how we will do against the Goons this season - this the home fixture....hopefully old Terry Henry will be in Barcelona house hunting between appearances for Catalonia's best...

The return fixture on the 22nd of December - indeed for the first time I can remember both North London Derbies will be played before Christmas....

An away trip to Villa on Jan 1st 2008....set the year up boys come on!!!

11 days later we're off to Stamford Bridge where the new "budget Chelsea" will be starting to contemplate the departure of half their first team squad to the African Nations....could be time to break another hoodoo!!!!

Man Utd come to town on February 2nd, in what hopefully will be a game with huge significance to us in our slog to get into that top four slot....here's hoping...

A week later and the Chelsea tractors will roll into WHL, intent on rectifying Lennon's day from last season....here's NOT hoping!

The final big fixture I already mentioned - 'pool at home on the last day of the season.

As always with Spurs, its not just going to be about those games listed above - season after season we've seen unforgiveable slip ups against relegation candidates and perennial strugglers - this season if one thing is sorted on the results front it has to be that - if we learn to defend better as a unit though we should not fear the Fulhams, Wigans and Derbys - they will simply not have enough to break us down.

Oh and how could I forget - those magical European nights, the League Cup and the club's traditional stronghold - the FA Cup - surely its time we brought that beauty back to the Lane - 1991 is so last century!!!

COYS!!!

A backwards glance and a smile....

2007-05-26T14:04:00Z

A look at the trusty Topspurs.com site shows that 23 years ago this week Spurs were playing Anderlecht in the UEFA cup final. In what was Tony Parks' finest hour, Spurs were winners of what was then a massive and properly valued competition - not the ugly sister of the Champions League that its latest incarnation represents.

23 years is a long time in any walk of life - but in footballing terms its an eternity. Players who were playing for the club at the time include Hoddle, Clemence, Mabbutt, Perryman and Roberts. All five were talismen for Tottenham - steeped in the club's playing tradition and folklore. Perryman's record of 655 league appearances bears witness to a time when loyalty to a club was more important to a player than the pay packet, a time when Spurs conjured images of flowing attacking football, of uncompromising defenders, of heroic goalkeepers, and a team that harked back to the great team of the sixties - pass and move personified.

Why the comparisons then? Why dredge the history books to compound the frustration of a generation of teams since that have failed to reach the same heights?

Easy.

The cup win in 1984 was 23 years after the great team of 1961. Now 23 years on from that great day against Anderlecht, there are rumblings from White Hart Lane that Spurs are on the verge of creating a special team again.

Try this - for Clemence read Robinson, Perryman read King, Mabbutt read Dawson. For Hoddle read Berbatov. Chrissie Hughton played left back for us on that thrilling night - we can but hope that we can one day look back on Gareth Bale with the same respect.

Footballs not the same game as it was 23 years ago - so further comparisons hold little value. What cannot be denied however is that since the creation of the premiership, there has never been a stronger Tottenham. On and off the pitch. A few seasons from now I fully expect to see the team, clad in that historic all white kit, walking out onto the award winning turf at the 55000 capacity Lane, with our award winning Stewards holding council, as they do so telling Ben from FTL to sit down or face losing his season ticket. The occasion - A Champions League Semi final - 2nd Leg. 50000 Spurs fans will be roaring the roof down, presenting one of the most intimidating atmospheres in European Football. Forget the Bernabeu or the San Siro, the prawn cocktail brigade of Old Trafford and the Christmas Carol that is a Silent Night at the Emirates. Spurs will be revered, feared, respected and admired.

The wheels are already in motion - we have a top class backroom staff, a clear transfer policy which is starting to pay dividends, the financial clout to contend with the "new money" of the Abramovics and Glazers of this world. Most of all in Dimitar Berbatov we have a talisman - someone who in years to come fans of all clubs will look back on in the same way as Eric Cantona, Gianfranco Zola, Jimmy Greaves, and yes - Glenn Hoddle.

I'd love for this not to be a dream but a reality - and for the first time in 23 years of following Tottenham Hotspur, I'm confident that it will be.

COYS!

Potential Signed - Now Bring Us Some Experience Damien!!!

2007-05-25T10:39:00Z

At time of writing this article, Gareth Bale is all but a Lillywhite. Kiss of death or whatever, lets hope this is not Chamot mach 2. However, working on the assumption that we are going to have the South Coast Big Club's latest prodigy, casting an eye over the Spurs squad we're in need of a couple of players who have been round the block.

Check this as a likely first team next season - with obvious omissions.

Robinson

Chimbonda

Dawson

King

Bale

Lennon

Jenas

Zokora

*******

Keane

Berbatov

Now take the same lineup and measure seasons in the premiership.

Robinson (5)

Chimbonda (2)

Dawson (2)

King (8)

Bale (0)

Lennon (2)

Jenas (5)

Zokora (1)

Keane (7)

Berbatov (1)

Our likely first 11 is going to have only four players who have played 5 seasons or more in the top flight.

Now offset that against our two big targets next season - Arsenal and Liverpool. Look at their teams and they are similarly placed - for Liverpool, Gerrard, Carragher, Riise, Finnan and Bellamy come to mind. How many of them will be at the club come August remains to be seen. Arsenal have a couple too - Ljungberg, Henry, Gilberto, for example. IF we are to bridge the gap between us and these two teams, we need to have more experience of the Premiership than them - with quality to match. Ultimately Manchester Utd won the Premiership this season with Van Der Saar, Neville, Ferdinand, Silvestre, Giggs, Scholes, Carrick, Smith, Saha, Solskjaer, Brown and a couple more all in and around 5 years experience. Chelsea might have bought the premiership in their first two seasons under Mourinho but the lack of experienced players in depth cost them hugely at crucial times this season - no more so than when the likes of Terry were out.

Spurs have had two top senior pros at the club since Jol arrived - Nourradine Naybet was the first, the second the more controversial Edgar Davids. These players were forever being cited as being "a great influence on the youngers members of the squad" and although in the case of Davids his petulance outweighed his value towards the end, he was a central figure in last season's rise to fifth. This coming season, if Spurs are to bridge the gap to fourth, or even third if Liverpool have a season of transition with piles of cash coming in, then some experience is key. In sheer quality terms, signing Bale and a quality left winger, will bring us even closer to the ability of our rivals above - what won't be guaranteed though is the will to win - the ability to know how to win in certain situations, to win ugly and to win when its far from deserved.

Who that experience will be - remains to be seen - but its central to Spurs hopes of taking that next step that they do acquire someone who will boss the side in times of need.

Martin Jol - The Man For Spurs

2007-05-17T18:04:00Z

I read this article earlier today.

http://www.spurs.vitalfootball.co.uk/sitepage.asp?a=65931

Like many fans I am sure I felt compelled to shoot this insane bit of "writing" down and show it for what it is - pessimistic negativity of the highest order.

Martin Jol joined the club in the aftermath of one of the worst seasons in modern memory at White Hart Lane. Woeful personnel, along with alarmingly obscure management from David Pleat had left Spurs in the mire - the team had no confidence, no direction and a lack of quality in all positions.

In an attempt to appease fans who were calling for a big name manager to return the club to former glories, Daniel Levy brought in Jacques Santini - outgoing French national manager and World Cup winner. Santini was to be assisted by Martin, with player scouting and signings to be overseen by Frank Arnesen. A matter of weeks into our most defensive and dull season on record, Santini departed, enabling Arnesen to promote Jol to the position that he considered Jol should have had in the first place. A signing spree in which 11 players were brought to the club ensued, and from the point that Jol took over Tottenham began to climb the table, demonstrating a renewed passion and desire to win, coupled with new players starting to bed in. Arnesen's departure was untimely and unexpected, yet Jol came through losing a strong supporter of his and continued, this time with the scouting and signing role taken by Damien Comolli. The purchase or Dimitar Berbatov - who bought into the club, the history, the current style and most of all the manager, is something that Jol should be emminently proud of.

The performances offered by the team this term have been of a generally higher level than last season - especially in the cups. Once again there was some bedding in time for the likes of Berbs and Zokora, but to claim as the above article did, that we have reached the limit of what Jol can achieve at the club is laughable. Judged simply on statistical merit, Martin Jol is the best manager we have had in over a decade. Our league positions in the Premiership pre Jol traditionally have been 8th to 11th - now in two full seasons, we have seen our stock rise and our position follow suit. 5th represents the best of the rest - the ultimate position from which to launch and assault on getting into the top four. This process didn't happen over night - it took almost three years of scouting, signings, training, coaching and motivating. To suggest that the club should now rip the manual that has got them to fifth up, is crass and ludicrous. Further investment from the board in the players still lacking from the team, in the mould of what Jol is looking for, is patently the only way to go - to bring in another manager who would then break up the squad, the ethos, the style and spirit potentially would be footballing and commercial suicide.

The platform we have built as a club this past three years IS the result of a 5 year plan to get us into the champions league - judging on performance so far, with the right signings, Jol could easily achieve that one season early.

COYS

European Tour 2 - The Revenge....

2007-05-14T23:08:00Z

A final day to remember the length and bredth of the land, dominated once again by Terrence Brown's crooked dealings, and a final day for Spurs that actually couldn't have gone much better.

Somewhat predicatably the usually toothless Man City contrived to score - something that they have resolutely tried not to do this season with some success. Such was the surprise when Mpenza scored that the City players looked at each other as if to say "what do we do now?".

But enough about them, and enough about our balsawood defence. Once again it was the Keane and Berbatov show - the pairing firing Tottenham into fifth place for the second consecutive season.

In what proved to be Stuart Pearce's last game in charge of the Blues, Spurs dominated the early exchanges and although pegged back before half time the game played out to the best possible conclusion - European Tour 2 - The Revenge.....

With Everton, Pompey, Bolton, Reading, Arsenal and Liverpool all drawing, Spurs were in actual fact the only team in the entire top 10 to win on Sunday. 7 points taken from a possible 9 in just six days was a fantastic achievement after playing an epic 59 games this season.

Martin Jol sounded suitably proud in his end of season address to the White Hart Lane Faithful, congratulating the fans on their support and expressing a desire to "do even better" next season. Amen to that!

An amazing campaign punctuated with some incredible nights both at the Lane and away - with talk of the new stadium, increased revenues and profits, and the promise of yet more European glory next season, the future's bright - the future's lillywhite!!!

Phil Stoker

Surfless

Last Stand....

2007-05-12T15:14:00Z

Hot on the heels of the draw with Blackburn, Sunday sees Manchester City come to town for the last installment of this season. With just a point needed to secure European qualification and three likely to be enough to get Spurs up to a last season-matching 5th place, its a fantastic feeling to know that for the second season running we're in contention for something going into the last game of the season.

Thursday's game against Blackburn didn't go entirely to plan - principally because Rovers came out of the traps faster than we did - however the longer the second half went, the more Spurs looked like the only winners - as indeed they would have been but for Keane's shot hitting the post.

Man City are a poor football team currently. With the exuberance that came when Stuart Pearce was appointed, you would have thought that they would have built on a glut of good youngsters, the coffers swelling with the millions received from the sale of Shaun Wright-Phillips and a passionate and inspiring manager.

Its not really gone that way though. Disciplinary issues once again deprive City of the talismanic Barton, their forward line is responsible for the lowest EVER goal return in home matches in the top flight, and should investors come in during the summer to take the club over, the presence of Pearce at the helm come the first game of next season is far from a certainty.

City will likely play a 4-5-1 formation with Mpenza playing a loan role up front supported from the flanks by Vassell and Sinclair. In midfield veteran big nose Didi Hammann will almost certainly get the nod in the absence of Barton, with youngster Ireland and the allegedly disfigured Dabo completing the central areas. At the back they will have supposed Spurs target Sylvain Distin, alongside Richard Dunne. With Isaakson now seemingly the first choice keeper and full backs Ball and Onuha completing the lineup, they don't on paper pose a huge threat, especially with their lack of firepower.

Spurs are going to be without Steed Malbranque - the frenchman limped off during the game on Thursday - and his obvious replacement Hossam Ghaly may not feature given the petulance he showed for becoming a "subbed sub" in the same game. The midfield lineup will be decided by the fitness of Jermaine Jenas, should he be fit then expect Tainio to move to the left of midfield with Lennon on the right and Didier Zokora completing the central pairing. Antony Gardner did nothing to indicate he will lose his place at left back so the back four will likely remain the same with King, Dawson and Chimbonda. Which attacking pairing Martin Jol selects remains to be seen - Jermain Defoe has chipped in with some valuable goals recently and with Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov the current joint players of the month, whoever of the three features is going to cause problems for the Man City backline.

A word about Paul Robinson also - if he completes the game he will have played every minute of our league campaign, and after a shakey start to the season he has in recent weeks begun to look back to his best - not more so than with his wonder save against Middlesborough.

Just 90 minutes left then - and with a win guaranteeing European football next season, motivation is not likely to be lacking. One final push to make our 125th anniversary season a European one - surely we should expect nothing less?

Match Preview - Blackburn (H) 10th May 2007

2007-05-08T22:09:00Z

A whole season has 3420 minutes, plus stoppage time. 38 games to define the summers of thousands of fans, 205200 seconds to decide the bragging rights and define the state of mind of a club going into yet another cycle of the beautiful game.

We're down to 180 of those minutes now. Just 10800 seconds lie between Tottenham Hotspur FC (founded 1882) and another European adventure. 2 matches in which the 06/07 season will be defined. Some will still claim it a failure. Its 8 years (around 4204800 seconds give or take) since Spurs last added to the trophy cabinet. Others will cite the signing and performance of Dimitar Berbatov as having made our season.

But its not over yet. The first 90 of those 180 minutes looms...

Blackburn come to town with their own agenda. Having gradually improved since a poor start to the season, they now find themselves within touching distance of an unlikely 7th place. This game therefore is not a formality. Just like Monday's game, where both Spurs and Charlton had so much to lose in defeat, so on Thursday night do both teams once again still have something to play for.

Monday's game will be fresh in the thoughts. In some ways it was a microcosmic look at the season as a whole - extravagant flair football in spells, with some frankly seat of the pants defending at times looking like undermining all the attacking merit. For every moment of genius from Berbatov and Keane, there was a moment of trepidation from Dawson or Robinson. A lack of cutting edge from the hosts has to be considered as much a contributing factor in the clean sheet, as the defending.

Blackburn however are not Charlton. They are a progress, aggressive team, with a blend of youth and experience, a young manager and ambitions to continue to improve. Just like Spurs. With talent on both flanks in the form of the coveted Gamst Pedersen, and the precocious Bentley, cultured passing in the middle of the park from the likes of Tugay and solid if unfashionable defenders like Nelsen and Samba. Their manager has worked with the best in the land, and has proven that he can get the best from his players. And, possibly most poignant - Rovers have not played since Saturday. two full days more time to rest up in preparation for the visit to The Lane.

This might have the hallmarks of being a doom and gloom preview. Far from it - Personally I think we have everything that it takes to beat Blackburn. The likelihood is that Malbranque will start in place of Lennon, and the left back slot may well go to Anthony Gardner, but the core of the team will be the same as the side that has only lost one in 10 games.

Martin Jol has his doubters. I'm not one of them. However the likeable dutchman has got to get the very best out of the team on Thursday night, including refining the defensive side of Spurs game. He has to send out a side that is intent on once again proving that, those monopolizing four aside, Tottenham are the Best of the Rest. Another season in the UEFA cup will further feed the desires of fans, further feed the wishes of the board, and further feed the career intentions of those cultured stars coveted by others.

180 minutes to go Martin. Lets hit Blackburn where it hurts and show the footballing world we're still on the up.

Who would have guessed?

2007-03-12T13:11:00Z

24 hours on from Sunday's cup quarter final, and the dust has finally started to settle on a pulsating game full of incident, drama and discussion points. Top of the tabloid press are the alleged comments from Jose Mourinho casting doubt as to the honour of referee Mike Riley's mother - but as usual with the chosen one, its deflecting the attention away from argueably the best away performance by a side at Stamford Bridge this season.

Spurs, for 70 minutes at least - were mesmeric. Despite a raft of injuries, including the absence of our own talismanic defender, Spurs outclassed Chelsea in every department for over an hour. The champions, with home advantage, two days more preparation time and boasting a first eleven priced at in excess of £200m, were unable to cope with the guile and craft of Mssrs Berbatov, Lennon, Ghaly and Zokora, and were forced into finishing the game with just two recognised defenders on the pitch, such was the need for power up front. Strikers Shevchenko and Drogba were largely ineffective, and while Robben seemingly had the ability to ghost past Stalteri at will, the end product from the dutchman was largely disappointing.

Chelsea elected to field Michael Essien in central defence, in preference to Khalid Boularouz - memories of the dutch defender's pedestrian performance against Spurs at White Hart Lane still lingering in the mind of Mourinho. At half time, this decision looked to have backfired with spectacular consequences - Essien had put through his own net, been part of a "yours" no "yours" slapstick routine with two team-mates allowing Hossam Ghaly to burst through and score Spurs third goal, and been slow to react to Aaron Lennon's through ball for Dimitar Berbatov to open the scoring after just 5 minutes. The ghanaian must have wondered which way was up at times during a game where he played in four positions - centre half in a back four, right of a back three, left of a back three and for a brief time in his preferred holding midfield position.

Spurs lined up with 4-3-1-2 formation - Tainio, Zokora and surprisingly Ghaly playing narrow in midfield, with Aaron Lennon roving in the hole behind the front two. Ricardo Rocha played alongside Michael Dawson, with Stalteri at right back in for Pascal Chimbonda. Given the nature of the game the inclusion of Rocha, Stalteri and Ghaly raised a few eyebrows with Spurs fans....but all three showed great determination and belief, in a first half that should have ended 5 or 6 - 0 to Spurs. Instead they had to settle for 3-1 - a Lampard toe poke stabbing a fortuitous equaliser on the quarter hour mark. Catalyst to Spurs dominance once again was Dimitar Berbatov - another high class performance full of control, vision and confidence, qualities which sadly seemed to leave the pitch with him when injury forced him off just past the hour.

The second half started with stories of a spat between referee Riley and Mourinho , however if you want to read about the latest soap opera story eminating from Chelsea Village, buy the Sun. In footballing terms, the tie became much more even, and once Berbatov had departed, increasingly one sided, as Mido was unable to emulate the bulgarian's hold up play, looking distinctly off the pace at a time when he was needed most. Mourinho had four forwards on the pitch by now, with Kalou joining Robben, Shevchenko and Drogba. With just Carvalho and Boularouz as recognised defenders, chances to hit Chelsea on the break were going to be there for the taking, and but for the width of the cross bar late on, Jermain Defoe might have snatched a fourth, having earlier missed a great headed chance when set up by Ghaly.

With Lampard taking advantage of a miscue from Drogba which fell kindly for him, and Kalou capitalising on a defensive lapse by Dawson, the game was levelled at 3 all, an outcome that leaves both managers contemplating yet another fixture log-jam. Credit to Martin Jol for sending his team out with such an attacking desire, and credit to Mourinho for pulling his side back into the game. The replay - on Monday 19th at White Hart Lane, promises to be another fascinating tie, and one that Spurs will fancy they can get a result from.