Fulham Video

All the goals from the 5-1 thrashing at the Lane.

Aftermath of Birmingham Defeat

It would be easy to focus on the negatives from Sunday's crushing defeat. Conceding a late goal again, losing Keane for 3 more matches, losing Bale for who knows how long.

Interesting, though, has been the a change in formation and strategy that Ramos has been employing recently. This Guardian article recounts some of the recent aggressive attacking play of Spurs, likening it to Mourinho's start at Chelsea. Not only has Ramos started three strikers, but he has also moved Bale into attack, played Lennon at right back for a stretch, and juggled our defensive line.

One thing is for certain: while shortcomings at center back and defensive midfield have forced his hand, Ramos is adapting, playing Spurs' best players and emphasizing their strengths until defensive reinforcements can arrive.

The Chairman Speaks

Levy spoke at the annual shareholders meeting and gave the papers plenty to talk about. Of course some journalists used the Chairman's statements to draw unsupported conclusions, such as the Guardian here suggesting Berbatov may depart in January. Actually, Levy wouldn't deny that hypothetical so it must be true.

Here is Levy's full statement to the board.

Of particular note was the Chairman's efforts to dodge responsibility. Levy denied that the board played a role in the club's poor start and also put the decision to hire Ramos at Comolli's feet. Levy suggested it was the decision of the Director of Football to hire the Spaniard and that he would have a lot to answer for if Ramos doesn't succeed.

There has also been much speculation recently about the resources Ramos will be provided in the transfer window. If there is disagreement, I expect to see Ramos trying to sway the board through public opinion. I'm sure the board is still sick over the leaks with Jol and hopes to avoid this kind of situation. At issue appears to be whether Ramos can bring older players to the team who can not be expected to bring any return in future transfer dealings. If this is really a point of contention, I expect we'll hear more about this.

Hammers Game News and Viewing Options

With Malbranque and Kaboul out, it appears that Boateng will get a start tomorrow against the Hammers. While we're still waiting for the Taarabt start promised by the Daily Mail, there is a good chance that Boateng will play, given that he played in defense and midfield for Hertha last year.

So in the lead up to tomorrow's game you have Curbishly admonishing Bent for spurning West Ham for Tottenham. This from his weekly press conference. There is also the story of Matt Etherington, who couldn't break into the Spurs first XI, and believes it's the fault of the foreigners in the league. I wonder why that didn't hold Jenas, Lennon or Huddlestone back.

And for a few good profiles, there is this Times piece on Ramos, and this one on Antonio Escribano, our new dietician.

The game is tomorrow at 8:30am EST on Setanta with a replay at 1:30. You all are welcome to watch on broadband in the morning. I may catch the afternoon game.

COYS!

Robinson Dropped - It's All About Training and Commitment

Paul Robinson has been dropped from today's final Euro 2008 qualifier against group leaders Croatia. While it seems this is a poor time to make such a move, the Telegraph reported that the Spurs keeper performed abysmally in training leading up to today's match. This is an issue that continues to plague Tottenham.

Before Ramos' arrival, Spurs players lacked fitness under Martin Jol and suffered many late game collapses. Upon taking charge, Ramos started two-a-day training sessions and recently brought in a club dietician.

But there may be a deeper issue here beyond fitness. Training is about more than just running and doing drills. It is the time to improve skills and learn. It is also the time to develop a team understanding of how to respond in pressure situations. The effort a team exerts in training carries over into match day. If a club does not take training seriously, they do not develop consistent habits and teamwork leading to mistakes and poor decisions in matches.

Robinson's error-filled session on Monday reflects several years of Spurs' lackadaisical approach to training. Defoe once skipped a team meeting to watch the latest episode of Big Brother and joked about it afterwards - and this was a player fighting for a first team place. Ghaly was so uncommitted to training at Birmingham that his transfer was canceled after only one day.

It is the manager that sets the tone for a club. He sets the standard for team conduct and must demand the highest standards from his players. Jol does not appear to have sufficiently demanded hard work and commitment from his squad.

Training is also where the manager develops player skills and this also suffered under the Dutchman. Jol's helpless admission, "I am sh**ting myself every time someone has a corner against us," underscored his inability to improve the club's match preparation. But more importantly, individual players did not develop under Jol. Lennon never learned to cross the ball. Huddlestone did not become a strong tackler. Jenas did not learn how to control the midfield. Left-sided midfielders always played out of position. The defence did not learn to work together. Leaders did not emerge. There are many young players with considerable talent at Spurs, yet they have not improved under Jol.

Despite all the criticism leveled at the board for the clumsy way they handled Jol's firing, it was a move that needed to be made. There is a core group of promising young players at Tottenham. The only way they will reach their potential, and for the club to achieve Champions League football, is through strong leadership and a commitment to player development.

Robinson's recent demotion in the England squad suggests that some players have yet to shed poor training habits. Ramos has a very good record of player development, turning Alves into a world class player and getting the most out of Kanoute and Baptista. Let's hope for Robinson and the rest of our young team that the Spaniard is able to instill the commitment and intensity needed for Spurs to reach their tremendous potential.

International News, Spurs Transfer Speculation

With the international break upon us, most focus is on transfer speculation. However there is a bit of newsworthy national team items.

As the FAI seeks a new manager for the Irish national team, the opinion of Robbie Keane has been sought which has yielded public comment about Jewell and Jol.

Other news has Darren Bent on his way to international service along with Jermain Defoe for England's crucial Wednesday clash with group leaders Croatia. With Euro '08 qualification at stake, these two are eager to make their mark.

And to the transfer news. There is plenty of news about who Spurs are targeting. I'm including some of the tabloids too.

David Villa, Valencia, 30M
Quotes from the agent are in Sky Sports citing News of the World and the Telegraph citing Spanish press. Unclear about the sources here, but it suggests that Spurs are not going to let Berbatov leave without a replacement in mind. It is also unclear whether this is a transfer preference of both Ramos and Comolli.

Armand Traore, Arsenal
Denilson, Arsenal
Martin Laursen, Aston Villa
Daily Telegraph
Without quoting other sources, the Telegraph reports on Spurs interest in the above players. Citing Espanyol's refusal to deal defender Dani Jarque, the paper reports that the team has watched out-of-contract Laursen at the recent Birmingham derby. Laursen is a talented defender, for certain, but his injury problems are familiar and unwelcome to Spurs fans at the centre back position.

Diego Capel, Sevilla
This is reported by Sky Sports quoting Spanish Marca, but has the player denying his interest in leaving Sevilla.

Julio Baptista, Real Madrid, Daily Star Sunday, 5M
Ramos managed the player at Sevilla before his move to Arsenal when he was a Tottenham target. Given the source, this seems rather speculative.

Abou Diaby, Arsenal, The People, 7M
Given his current team and the source, this seems highly implausible.

Response to Carrick

Someone fed a response to the press suggesting Spurs' interest in bringing back Carrick to the Lane. The Daily Mail reports that Tottenham is willing to pay 18 million pounds for him.

This is refreshing news for a few reasons that have nothing to do with Carrick actually returning to Spurs. First it demonstrates that Tottenham will respond in kind to those trying to undermine the club. Second, the story was splendidly backhanded. The article actually highlights that Carrick has lost his starting position, his playing time is on the wane, and he is actively seeking to remedy this away from Manchester United.

I don't know if we can credit Spurs management for drawing attention to Carrick's diminished role while appearing to flatter him with an offer, but if so it's certainly an improvement.

Carrick Woos Berbatov

Sky Sports reports that Michael Carrick is trying to lure Dimitar Berbatov to United. Of course, after the Ramos affair, it's difficult for Spurs fans to get indignant about someone trying to pry their away one of their top employees. While it doesn't seem like United has tapped up the Bulgarian, their intentions seem a bit clearer.

Although I haven't seen the context of Carrick's comments, it is unlikely he would make a statement like that out of the blue. Moreover, the timing was peculiar. A day after all the papers covered Berbatov's commitment to the club, these unsettling comments were made.

Let's hope Berbatov really has committed himself to Spurs. This kind of speculation is not helpful as the club is turning its season around.

Berbatov Impressed by Ramos

Sky Sports has excerpts from an interview with Berbatov who has plenty of praise for Tottenham's new manager. As quoted from a Bulgarian website, the striker explained:

"My first impression of him is that he's an incredible person.

"As a character, he talks to everybody on the team personally. He is a man who tries hard and he wants to help the team very much. He's the perfect one for the job."

Certainly Spurs fans hope this to be the case. Berbatov's play this past weekend was spectacular as he set up two of the four goals and his sublime touch seems to have returned. Even a few smiles cracked through his recent sour demeanor.

Wigan Highlights and Post-Match Interview

Highlights from the Wigan match. Also an interview with Poyet afterwards.

Spurs v. Wigan

The match is live only at:

Lucky Bar or
Summers

But the replay is at 6pm. Who's in?

The Family Berbatov

If the Mirror is to be believed, then our suspicions may prove correct that much of the transfer speculation from Berbatov's brother and father is unwelcome by the Spurs player.

The Mirror article today introduced the third Berbatov to the discussion, the player's mother. Mrs Berbatov was clear that her son intended to play out his contract and the other meddlesome family members should keep to themselves.

Given Berbatov's recent comments, it would seem that this may correctly point to his feelings about the matter. The media he appears to be most upset at is not the English speaking media for bringing his family into the matter, but Bulgarian TV which invites them into the studio whenever they air Spurs matches.

If true, this is certainly welcome news to Tottenham fans. Holding onto Berbatov has to be a top priority for the club.

The New (Fitness) Regime

The Telegraph and others are reporting that Juande Ramos has let Huddlestone know that he expects peak fitness from his team and that the midfielder's playing time is at risk at his current weight.

The Daily Mail reports that Derby are ready to step in with a 4 million pound offer for their former player. Let's hope that Thud takes the challenge and gets in top shape.

Still more in the Berbatov saga. While his brother is quoted by the Daily Mail as saying the striker is depressed and has outgrown Spurs, the Bulgarian himself says that he is happy at Spurs, but disappointed in the lies the press attributes to his family.

But is Berbatov perhaps angry that the papers are reporting his families lies? It's odd that a number of his family members have reportedly gone to the press about this. Are there hangers on looking for a payday? Are they trying to help him make up his mind to leave rather than conveying his feelings?

One might infer that, when Berbatov claims that he is his own man (Telegraph), he may actually be saying that his family doesn't make football decisions for him. Given that he's 26 years old, that would make a bit of sense.

Berbatov Exit? Spurs Exerting Control of Situation.

The Telegraph reports that Berbatov's father announced on Bulgarian TV that his son wants to leave Spurs in January. Apparently, soon after making these comments, the father and Berbatov's agent flew to London for further talks with the club.

While the last bit was reported by the Daily Mail, it seems likely to be true. If Tottenham are to get good value for Berbatov, he can't be seen forcing his own exit. Spurs likely told the family to keep quiet about the Bulgarian's intentions unless they seek to undermine his departure.

Tottenham seems likely to be threatening Berbatov's representatives, suggesting the club may hold onto the sulky striker. They have him under contract for a further two years and are under no pressure to deal him.

Chances are good that Spurs have said they will sell him only at a certain valuation. If Berbatov undermines that value by continued poor form or through unhelpful public statements from his representatives, then Tottenham may decline to sell.

This statement by Kanoute's agent quoted in the Sun suggests that Comolli is also leaving his options open for a January transfer.

UPDATE: Soccernet reporting that Ramos would not stand in the way of Berbatov departure.

Official Word: Berbatov Staying

After showdown talks with Spurs management (Comolli) and Berbatov's agent, the official word is that Berbatov is staying with Spurs.

That's reassuring. Sort of.

You wouldn't have expected them to say that he was leaving soon if he was. Tottenham likely have a valuation they are seeking in the transfer market, but if Berbatov keeps sulking his way through the season they will not get as much for him.

Chances are pretty good that Comolli told Berbatov's agent that the Bulgarian will never get dealt below the club's valuation. Hopefully the Spurs Director emphasized that if Berbatov continues to play listlessly not only will he never achieve Champions League with Spurs, but he won't get dealt to a CL team either.

Middlesbrough Highlights

These are a bit truncated, but were the only highlights I could find online.

Spurs Tomorrow on TV

Spurs-Middlesbrough is at 11am EST tomorrow morning and will be televised locally at:

Lucky Bar
Summers

FYI: The Man U - Arsenal game is live at 9am. That is the Setanta match. I vote for Lucky Bar. Who's in?

Video from Carling Cup Match

Post game commentary from Poyet and Grayson.

Uninspiring League Cup Victory

Ramos' first game on the touchline was an anxiety filled match as Spurs managed to put just two past 20th place Championship side Blackpool and yielded far too many opportunities on goal for the lower league strugglers.

Seething on the touchline throughout the second half, Ramos witnessed firsthand the defensive frailties plaguing Tottenham. Without Robinson and the crossbar to deny Gary Taylor-Fletcher's two fine headers in the second half, Spurs may have found themselves trailing.

Ramos was so annoyed with the shaky defense that he subbed out Kaboul before the full hour replacing him with Tainio. Chimbonda moved to the middle pushing Teemu to the right. It is unclear whether the Finn figures to spend more time in defense or if Chimbonda may spend more time in the middle of the pitch, but the message seems clear: tentativeness and mistakes will not be tolerated.

Keane scored another route one goal off a Robinson goal kick and a Berbatov flick. Upon replacing his two strikers, the manager had a handshake for Keane, but the cold shoulder for the Bulgarian.

Match Reports:
Telegraph
Times
Guardian
Independent

Little Player Movement Likely with Ramos

While much speculation has emerged about Ramos bringing Sevilla players to the Lane, and with Ladbroke's anticipation that Spurs will be the top spenders in the next transfer window, the likelihood of these events transpiring actually seems remote.

Del Nido certainly wouldn't be in any mood to deal with Tottenham, as he is already considering pursuing tapping up charges against the north London club. It is also worth noting that Spurs already have established players at the positions Sevilla's stars occupy.

Moreover, Levy and Comolli have revealed that a "football management group" will collectively identify transfer targets, a continental structure meant to maintain stability in a club through managerial changes. No influx of Dutch players followed Jol to the Lane and it is unlikely that Ramos will be indulged either. It is also likely that no major transfer activity will occur during the January window as a manager's overhaul of the squad runs contrary to the continental management structure.

Despite suggestions in some corners, the team's playing style is unlikely to undergo radical changes with the managerial transition. Jol and Ramos both favor attacking football. Jol's teams lacked consistency, discipline and preparation. These are elements that Ramos can add to the club without much player movement. Ramos may also contribute more to player development. Jenas, Lennon, Huddlestone, and Defoe have not shown the progress that should be expected for young players. They have not developed a greater understanding of their positions or grown into leadership roles.

Frankly, the team needs more quality in the middle. Ramos may be able to demand more out of his players than Jol did and develop young players into stars. With Taarabt, Boateng, Pekhart, Rose, Dervitte and Berchiche waiting in the wings, let's hope this is the case.

Fitness Issue

With the number of points lost to injury time goals, it is not surprising that one of Ramos' first steps as new manager was to bring his fitness coach from Sevilla and to instill two-a-days.

There was every indication that conditioning was a problem with Spurs. Recall Hossam Ghaly's failed transfer to Birmingham. Bruce sent him back to Tottenham and cancelled the transfer after the Egyptian refused to do basic fitness training.

Consider how Mido, Huddlestone and Reid have all had such a hard time keeping off weight. In a top flight club, players should not have the chance to get out of shape.

One further point also needs to be made. Spurs players are too injury prone. Certainly much is made of the Premier League's packed schedule. Yet, it is also true that injuries follow a lack of fitness. Players in peak physical condition are less likely to break down. This includes strength training in addition to cardiovascular conditioning.

If there is one immediate impact that Ramos may have on the team, it is with discipline and fitness. Sometimes matches are won and lost in the last five minutes. Tottenham have been consistently losing those matches. These first few practices may seem grueling to Spurs players, but they'll be grateful for them at the end of the season.

ugghh

Yet another injury time goal allowed. To date that's Sunderland, Fulham, Liverpool and Blackburn. Eight points dropped due to last minute defensive lapses. Those eight points would put Tottenham at the top half of the table and five points out of Europe.

Perhaps it was telling that Jenas was left on the bench. Zokora looked rejuvenated and a number of players performed with added intensity. But telling was how the team closed. And it can only be concluded that Spurs have forgotten how to win.

Tottenham fans must hope that Ramos can instill a better work ethic in the team and restore the pride that Spurs players should have to wear that shirt.

Spurs watching in DC

Lucky Bar - 11am.

Do Spurs Have a Manager?

Jol's exit must be followed by a quick managerial hiring otherwise the team may find itself in a season-long relegation battle unsettling its top players.

Let's hope the Telegraph's report that Ramos has already been signed is correct. Reuters is reporting that Ramos unilaterally rescinded his Sevilla contract. The Independent reports that he announced on his website he was headed to London. If there is a legal challenge, this could get very messy.

Sevilla president del Nido is known to be a very difficult negotiator and it is unlikely that he let his manager go mid-season without a prospect to replace him and substantial compensation. The best hope is that Spurs became so desperate to resolve the coaching situation that they coughed up whatever cash Sevilla was asking.

Curiously, Edgar Davids was critical of Jol, suggesting that he had every right to expect the sack given his results this term. What makes this so surprising is that Davids is an Ajax player and the Amsterdam club is Jol's most likely destination.

The word is also that former Spurs player Gus Poyet, an assistant coach at Leeds, will fill in as number two at Spurs to help Ramos communicate with the English speaking players. However, Poyet and his current club had no indication he was in Tottenham's plans and professed no contact from the London club. Leeds soon changed course, though, and suggested he would not be on the sidelines for their match tomorrow against Millwall.

Ramos is supposed to be in the stands for Tottenham's Sunday game against Blackburn. Hopefully he is well received. Hopefully he is signed by then.

Jol Out. Ramos In?

Jol dramatically stepped down as Tottenham manager, tendering his resignation before the UEFA Cup loss to Getafe. Clive Allen, manager of the reserve squad, will fill in as caretaker manager for Sunday's Blackburn match.

It is being reported that Juande Ramos, Sevilla manager, is poised to take over at White Hart Lane. Former Spurs (and Chelsea player) Gus Poyet is mentioned as a candidate to replace Hughton as number two.

The home loss in the group stage UEFA match was almost secondary. News emerged about Jol's departure at half time leading the home supporters to cheer Jol for his contributions to the club and to boo Levy and the board.

The supporters had to recognize, however, that once the manager had begun to lose the dressing room, his fate was sealed. Berbatov's reluctance to warm up as a substitute in the Newcastle game is the type of behavior that cannot be tolerated on a winning side. Yet, he's the quality of player Spurs cannot afford to lose. His inclusion in the starting XI for the Getafe match was an indication of the board's influence in team selection for that match.

It is that development in particular that made an expedient resolution to the manager issue imperative.

Let's hope that the reports of Ramos' pending arrival are true. Spurs are adrift now. Absent a top flight manager in this situation would have the team hemorrhaging talent.

Board Movement and Newcastle Game

The Board had two interesting releases over the past week. A few days ago the word leaked out that Paul Kemsley was leaving his post at Tottenham's board to manage his U.S. investments. This news was followed by the publication of the team's latest financial report showing Spurs have netted record profits.

These two issues raise some interesting questions about the club moving forward. Kemsley was known both for being caught on film wooing Ramos in Spain as well as for his efforts planning for a new stadium.

With many stories about the team's pending sale, it's interesting to note that the latest rumor involves Kemsley joining current Newcastle owner, and lifelong Spurs fan, Mike Ashley in a Tottenham takeover bid.

Is this a wind up in advance of tomorrow's game against Newcastle? There are already a number of other intriguing factors leading up to this match.

Jenas returns to Newcastle.

Jol says Newcastle wishes they were Tottenham.

Allardyce talking about exposing Spurs weaknesses.

Tomorrow's game is on Setanta broadband at 2pm and replayed at 8pm EDT. If anyone needs access, contact me.

A comparison of contrasts

Contrary to conventional wisdom, players' comments from Chelsea and Tottenham suggest that Spurs are the team most likely poised for sustained success in the Premier League.

One needs only compare the public comments of Spurs players to Chelsea's. The rumors are that England captain John Terry is set to follow Mourinho on the way out of Chelsea. Didier Drogba today proclaimed that:

"(Chelsea) know of my desire to leave. I won't go back on this decision... there's something broken with Chelsea."

- Guardian

'(Drogba) wanted to leave Stamford Bridge since the day he arrived'

- ESPN Soccernet

Contrast these statements with those of Tottenham players. You won't find an ill word spoken of Jol by any of the players. All of the teams leaders have publicly lined up behind the Spurs manager.

Both teams have plenty of talent on their rosters, but these player comments suggest that the two teams are headed in vastly different directions. All of the talent in the world won't amount to anything if the players don't want to win for the manager.

Robinson Out!

The Guardian is reporting that Paul Robinson is out for Monday's upcoming game at Newcastle. There are the obligatory words of support and references to a calf strain injury, but hopefully this marks a decent run in the first team for Radek Cerny.

When first joining Spurs from Leeds, Robinson was in top form, making incredible saves and winning games. Yet Robinson not only fails to deliver Tottenham those extra points anymore, his performance regularly costs the team points.

Gerrard offered some thinly veiled criticism of the Spurs keeper following last night's disappointing defeat to Russia. After not holding onto another long drive, the rebound of which resulted in an easy tap in, Gerrard suggested that, "Paul will feel disappointed with the second goal."

Plenty has been said about the quality of the Spurs defense and shortcomings in defensive midfield contributing to Robinson's difficulties. But some facts are unassailable. He has problems holding onto the ball and long range shots cause him more difficulties than they should. One wonders if he needs contact lenses.

Many have never seen Cerny between the posts, save for an odd Cup appearance in which he was seldom challenged. Monday's game against Newcastle should provide an idea of what our other options Spurs have in goal.

Transfer Rumors

Today's Euro qualifier between Russia and England may provide a glimpse of Tottenham's latest transfer target. Russia captain, and Zenit St Petersburg winger, Andrey Arshavin is apparently in transfer talks with Spurs. The attacking left sided player may have some fences to mend before coming to the Lane, though, as he had these words to say about Robinson before he was aware Spurs were tracking him:

Arshavin said: "I believe England do not have normal keepers. Robinson, putting it mildly, is not the strongest representative of his profession."

Here's a clip compilation of the Russian.

Defender Transfer News

Setanta Sports reports that Chimbonda feels he missed out on a "massive opportunity" to move to Chelsea over the summer transfer period. This piece comes amid reports that the right back is about to sign a contract extension with Spurs to increase his wages. The Daily Mail is also reporting that defender Ricardo Rocha may be on his way back to Benfica following a string of disappointing performances for Tottenham.

Klinsmann for Spurs?

Well, there's a lot of ground to cover, and this piece in the Guardian seems to hit most of the major points. While the headline is about Klinsmann's indication that he is willing to succeed Jol, the main issue here is the pending sale of Spurs. The board are seeking the new stadium, Champions League football, and a high profile coach to improve the value of the club.

A couple very interesting points in this article are worth highlighting. For starters, Klinsmann says he told Chelsea he would not work with Avram Grant when they sounded him out for Mourinho's replacement. Moreover, he went a step further stating that, "you are on a lost track already if the president chooses the players or you don't have that power." Of course, that would rule him out of working in Tottenham's continental system and put him in direct conflict with Comolli. So unless this quote is inaccurate, it would seem there is little chance that Klinsmann is really interested in becoming Spurs manager.

The article also discusses the profound disappointment among Chelsea players in the abilities of Avram Grant. Startlingly, it appears in the first match the Chelsea gaffer managed, he selected a side with ten players, explaining to the team that they were to play a 4-4-1. Frankly, it seems far more likely that an accent or language difficulty yielded this confusion, but with this story finding its way to the press suggests that the players or others on staff are actively seeking to undermine the manager. Apparently Tottenham is not unique to this problem.

Should Robinson Be Benched?

Yikes! Look at this poll in the Guardian. And this is for Tottenham not England. If you didn't see his howlers against Villa, highlights are here.

Villa Game Video

Contact me offline for the link to the Aston Villa game. I found it archived. I have yet to watch it, but the link includes the whole preview, the 125th Year Anniversary proceedings and the match itself.

Coming off the heals of the poor defending display against Villa comes news that Ledley might not play at all this year. While this shouldn't be a huge surprise, this comes as crushing news given our poor form at the back. Maybe that money spent on Bent might have prised away Micah Richards or Curtis Davies at the beginning of the season.

And the latest in the coaching rumors are that Spurs made an astounding salary offer to Ramos - 6.2M pounds annually. How he can turn that down is beyond me and maybe he hasn't. Although Tottenham dispute the offer, it seems to have been covered widely.

And finally this entry from the Overstating the Obvious category features the Daily Mail headline, It's official: Tottenham are the most stressful Premier League team to watch. No kidding.

Jol on Defoe

Jol addressed the issue of Defoe's petulant display upon being substituted by Keane in the Carling Cup victory over Middlesbrough. It's worth noting, of course, that Keane's introduction was the sparkplug that led to our two late goals.

Audio

Taraabt to Start Against Middlesbrough Today

The Daily Mail is reporting that Taraabt will make his first start today in the Carling Cup match.

He will likely play on the left. His preferred position in the center behind the two strikers. You may recall in the West Ham match last year he played in this area of the pitch and helped turn that game around. He earned the free kick from which Berbatov scored the equalizer and played some great balls through to the strikers.

He has great skill on the ball, but when we have brought him on as a substitute this year, he has run around like a chicken with his head cut off in search of goal. Hopefully, a start will enable him to settle in and demonstrate the distributing prowess he appears to possess.

Encouraging Words from Berbatov

It's worth knowing there is some good news to report for Spurs. This comes from a Sky Sports Berbatov interview in which he expresses his loyalty to Tottenham.

"Loyalty is important to me and there is a debt to be repaid. Spurs wanted me no matter what - where were these other clubs then?

"If I leave it's because I'm no longer wanted. I won't ask for a move. I'm very settled here."

Remarkably, he suggests he wasn't sure he would be a success in the Premier League.

Rank Amateurs?

The news of the weekend was that Levy rushed together a 5 million pound offer for Mourinho just hours after his resignation. Some papers are reporting that Levy called the Special One's agent five times to present the offer. While this is confounding for a number of reasons, perhaps this provides a little bit of hope.

For anyone who has followed the transfer history of Abramovich at Chelsea, it is clear that he does not allow his players to move to his rivals. Spurs fans should be well acquainted with this process as Damien Duff's transfer mysteriously hit a road block. Consider also the number of other players that came to Chelsea seeking to play in the Premier League and have had to move to other leagues upon departing Chelsea.

The confirmation of such a substantial severance package for Mourinho could only mean that the manager had to give something back in return. That something likely includes a non-compete clause restricting his future employment by competitors for a period of time. While there are varying suggestions as to the length and the extent of these restrictions, it would not be surprising if the term was a couple years or longer. 17 million pounds is a lot to pay for anything less.

Which brings us back to the purported Spurs offer. If true, this would represent an astonishing level of naivete or desperation. Levy should know Mourinho would never be allowed to manage a London rival. And that an agent would only gladly trumpet the approaches to his client.

The one thing that makes this type of desperate approach seem likely is the word that Levy is trying to lure a top flight manager to make the imminent sale of the club more appealing to potential investors. We can only hope this is true.

The clumsy boardroom machinations at the start of the season have disrupted the team and probably dashed any chance to break into the top four. Maybe the approach to Mourinho was a fabrication by an opportunist agent willingly reported by a careless media. The problem is, because of the boardroom's recent poor form, this story is believable and that severely compromises the ability to attract a new manager and transfer targets.

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club deserves top-flight professionalism at all levels and the boardroom has let down its supporters badly in this regard. Let's hope they can recover or yield to another management team to allow this team of great talent reach its potential.

Bolton Game - Viewing Options

NONE. Nowhere.

Lucky Bar, Summers: No.
Setanta Broadband: No.
Sky Sports UK: No.

We're going to have to wait for the highlights.

Goals from the Spurs UEFA Cup Match

In case you didn't see the action in the Spurs 6-1 thrashing of Anorthosis Famagusta, here are the goals. Keane's goal was set up by a pretty good pass from Benoit Assou Ekotto. It's good to see that we have him back and that he is attacking well down the left side. If Bale stays healthy, I believe we are well set with Lee and Assou Ekotto overlapping down the left.

The two goals from Defoe were top notch. He's definitely making his case for a run in the first eleven.




Online Videos by Veoh.com

Defoe and Everyone Else Scores

Entertaining White Hart Lane, Spurs put up six against an overmatched Cypriot team in our first UEFA Cup match. We can only hope that the Spurs follow up this victory like they did last year when our UEFA Cup successes led to movement up the table in the Premier League.

From the Daily Mail comes the story that Defoe found himself in Jol's doghouse because he thought it was more important to watch the TV show Big Brother instead of attending a team meeting. Perhaps even more disconcerting was that the coach actually tried to schedule the meeting around Defoe's TV viewing schedule. Really.

The news that Mourinho is due a 25 million pound payoff as part of his severance package, complete with a confidentiality agreement, likely means that the Special One has agreed not to coach any other big team. Including Spurs. One would expect the Portugal job would be available. Or the England job.

Jol Seeking Legal Guidance

There is a Daily News story that Jol is seeking legal guidance from the League Managers' Association regarding what he believes is his imminent departure. An interesting tidbit from the piece is that the six games that Tottenham has given Jol to prove himself is actually the amount of time they expect to elapse before Juande Ramos can free himself from Sevilla.

Of course, Mourinho's sudden departure from Chelsea will prompt all kinds of speculation that he is the next Tottenham manager.

Ramos Stirs the Pot

While in town for Sevilla's midweek Champions League fixture against Arsenal, Juande Ramos has revealed his interest in managing in the Premier League. Of course, this is read by most to mean Tottenham. Is he really trying to unseat Jol? Signal his continued interest to Spurs? Put pressure on Sevilla? Difficult to be certain, but it must be unsettling for Jol. It appears the Dutchman has one less vulture to worry about, however, as the Daily Mail reports Klinsmann is holding out for a Champions League club and fancies his chances at Chelsea.

Having a continental structure separating the manager and player acquisition means that when the manager is in trouble, you never run out of news and rumors about transfer activity. So here's the latest on the player front.

The Sun has been reporting that Spurs are after the top scorer in the U17 World Cup, Nigerian Macauley Chrisantus. Apparently Real Madrid and Liverpool have joined Spurs in pursuit, but Tottenham has bid 1.5 million for him.

Fallout from another crushing defeat

The defeat to Arsenal was hard to take, but it did confirm that some of the problems bedeviling the team have not been worked out yet. Despite Jol's admission "I am sh**ting myself every time someone has a corner against us," we have not improved our defense in deadball situations and gave up another cheap goal with Adebayor's header. Our center midfield also failed to put the necessary pressure on Fabregas and Flamini and gave them enough time on the ball to dictate the game. We also failed to close on the ball outside the box and continue to give up those long range shots that trouble Robinson.

Yet, it seems that after the devastating loss to the Arse, Jol will still be around for a little while. Sky Sports reports that the board is committed to the Dutchman and is giving him one more month to prove himself. The Guardian says he has until the next international break. Other stories are making the rounds that Jol sought to leave Spurs before the beginning of the year and sounded out opportunities at Dutch clubs and another Premier League club. This was attributed to Sky's Sunday Supplement (their version of ESPN's Sports Reporters), but I haven't seen it in print anywhere.

An interesting twist is that Seville's Juande Ramos will be arriving in London tomorrow. For the Champions League fixture with Arsenal. Don't expect any new negotiations between the board and Ramos, however, as some reporter is likely to be tailing him wherever he goes.

Derby Eve and Spurs Defender Arrested

On the eve of the London Derby, as speculation abounds around Martin Jol's future, comes the news that Chimbonda was arrested and questioned in the government inquiry into football transfers. Spurs were certainly eager to deflect negative press coverage with this story about Chimbonda's trip to a primary school and Jol's decision to select him tomorrow suggests the club is confident it will not affect his play.

The Guardian reports that police are interested in Chimbonda's move to Wigan not Tottenham. The Times suggests that Chimbonda is not a target of the investigation and, while unfamiliar with the British legal system, I wonder if he was arrested or simply brought in for questioning.

The Independent has a description of the alleged targets of the investigation:

The police have been investigating suspected tax fraud and money laundering – which covers such matters as tax evasion or taking a back-hander in a deal – in relation to player transfers.

The inquiry is thought to focus on two deals in particular: Amdy Faye's £2m move from Portsmouth to Newcastle United and Jean-Alain Boumsong's transfer from Rangers to Newcastle for £8.2m. Both took place in January 2005.

Better news is that, for the first time this season, Spurs will have their first options available to start on the wings. Against the Gunners the pace of Lennon and Bale will probably not provide a great advantage, but their attacking speed in future fixtures should be lethal.

Wenger will go with second-choice keeper Almunia, as Jens Lehmann has been ruled out with an elbow injury.