Public Apology

I should know better (though part of me is still screaming that something ain't quite right). Berbatov has finally spoken out about all the rumours, and isn't best pleased that lies are being published about him wanting to leave Spurs. I wonder if the press will cover this story in comparison to the other ones suggesting he hates being at the club. Ironic that yesterday evening I was reading about Ramos suggesting he couldn't keep the player at the club if he didn't want to stay.

Berbs:

"I don't like to speak too much and don't like to be in the spotlight or the papers," said the striker. "I just want to play football.

"There has been a lot of stuff written about me leaving. I haven't said anything until now, but they are now involving my family and I cannot allow that. When somebody is writing lies about my family I must get involved.

"I am my own man, when I want to speak I will and I will tell you the truth no matter how hard it is. That is why I am talking now.

"I want to let everyone know that I am a Tottenham Hotspur player, I love the club and everyone at the club. I don't always smile so much, but that does not make me a bad person.

"I don't smile because we are near the bottom of the table and have not been playing well - I have not been playing well either.

"The worst thing is when someone starts writing lies and when people see that they start to believe it. That really is the worst thing.

"I just want to say that I am here, I am happy here and I will help the club in any way I can," he added, before stating his gratitude for the ongoing support the fans have given him since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2006.

"The fans love the club and they have been behind me ever since my first game. I appreciate them the most and I want to tell them that I am not going anywhere.

"I have a contract and I will give my best, for now it is not going so well for me because all the writing in the papers has been messing with my head and I lost my concentration.

"I don't want to see my name in the papers anymore - I just want to play football and enjoy myself. When I see things in the paper with somebody telling lies about my father, how can I be calm? I am disappointed and I don't understand how somebody can write something like that - it is a lie.

"Bringing my family into it is the biggest sin."

That's pretty conclusive, no? Would someone truly lie about his feelings so publicly? Well, ok, not a good question considering a certain Judas did something very similar a number of years ago. But this seems geninue, and I feel a tad guilty now for believing everything else about the player just because he sulks. Not that I'm forgiving him for his lack of effort and other complaints I have about his form, but I suppose you could argue that his lack of form has more to do with the fact that his team mates are shit and we have high hopes of him to carry everyone on his back due to being some what 'world class'.

I think it's time for his feet to do the talking, and hopefully todays UEFA Cup match and Sundays clash against wonderful Wigan will play a big part in re-building confidence for Berbatov, the team and the fans.

This story is covered by most sports sites (who took the quotes from the Official Spurs site), though nice to see the following in todays The Sun:

"Dimitar Berbatov's brother says the Bulgarian striker has "outgrown" Tottenham and wants to join Manchester United "

"Dimitar Berbatov's brother says the Spurs striker gets "grumpy" when he is not the "centre of attention and main man "

There's an interview with his brother, but no quotes from Berbs, more an opinion from his bro - however, would he lie about family in this manner, blatantly saying that Berbatov wants to leave? See how easy it is to get confused when people are constantly contridicting statements?

I feel dirty that I allowed my frustrations to blind me to simple logic. Just because a newspaper reports something doesn't mean its true. Even and interview with Berbs bro.

And if Berbatov does have personal issues, unrelated to football, these are his own and not for us to judge him. Won't stop the gossip though. And we all know that even when certain people in football say something, it doesn't mean they mean it. Look at Jol and his short stories and soundbites.

I'm gonna wipe the slate clean. Today is a new day. The past is the past.

podcast of the day

Not that I ever post podcasts (maybe I should do my own) but found this of interest:

From this week's Times Podcast:

Guillem Balague: "I was at the Spurs training ground this week. I was amazed that some of the tactical work that Juande was trying to put across to the squad just caught many players by surprise. As if they hadn't done anything for two years, as though they were sixteen again - 'Oh, what's he want us to do? He wants us to run because this is an offensive tactic? Oh right.' It was a bit surprising. I think that is something that will affect the way that Juande will improve the side."


timesonline.co.uk/podcasts/thegame/article2792288

Can't say this is shocking. We have been tragic with tactics for some time, usually saved by fighting spirit, which has also been lost in recent times.

Hail the new age, hey?

No Diggity

One minute, Jol claims there wasn't a problem with Berbatov, the next he says there is. Make your mind up, Martin. First he claims he didn't have to ask Berbatov to get up and warm-up in the game against Newcastle. Now he claims that's exactly the case. In his new book. Yes, a book. Probably had an extra chapter added to it recently.

He harps on about Berbatov being a bit like Cruyff. 'Gifted'. But apparently, not a figher. So, why the fuck play him week in and week out? Bit of a contridiction there Martin. Either he is good for the team or he isn't, yet you had no problem playing him and yet now suddenly you reveal he isn't a fighter. Excellent selection work right there. Stick the ones with no heart into the team to lead us.

In addition to all this, today Berbatov Senior is apparently telling everyone his son wants out THIS January.

"My son doesn't feel happy at Tottenham any more. He wants to leave."

If that isn't 'ITK' I don't know what is. In addition (the Daily Mirror) add a nice little quote from a club insider (made up) stating:

Sources close to the striker added: "Dimitar is telling everybody that he doesn't want to stay and would like to leave in January.

"He feels that he made a mistake in the summer by not asking the club to sell him when Manchester United were interested."

Thank you for stating the obvious.

Berbatov can go. World class player when he feels like it, horrific attitude towards the club. Shame really, its been a while since we've had a geniune world class player at the club, and it might be a while longer before we get another. Though he hasn't done his reputation any favours with his sulking. But then he is bound to suggest that Spurs haven't done him any favours with their politics.

Jellied eels? No thanks

More speculation, this time about the potential re-building of White Hart Lane and who Spurs may have to ground share with. BBC run a news item on 'Inside Sport' last night, and the Mihir Bose 'understands' this with another insightful article on the Beebs football pages.

Firstly, nothing new. Spurs will either move away from WHL for a couple of years while it's rebuilt and ground share or Spurs will remain at the Lane while a brand new stadium is built from scratch. We all knew this, it's obvious that Spurs will either re-develop their current home or move on. What is new in the way of information is that we have apparently we have Tony Winterbottom (who played a role in the development of Arsenal's ground) on board who is looking at how WHL can expand to 52,000. Also, Paul Philips (a project manager, again involved at the Emirates) and Ken Shuttleworth, an architect who is the right-hand man of Norman Foster who worked on Wembley.

All very good. Dream Team in place. All we need now is the decision on whether we stay or go. Don't want out of WHL. I'm a sentimental bastard. If we did move then ground sharing isn't something I'm looking forward too. Have to scoof at the idea of sharing with West Ham United. I can see the police loving that idea. Getting to the ground on match days would probably involve the odd ambush and flare-up. Imagine playing at Upton Park in a 'home' match against Chelsea. That's one three-some I'd gladly say no to. Better still, when WHU play as at Upton Park in our 'home' game and they turn up with 20,000 away fans. Wear your colours for that early kick-off.

Other suggestions have us playing outside of London at Watford or Reading. Don't really approve of that either. And as for the Emirates, no thanks. Even though, of all the potential clubs we could share with that would give us the least amount of trouble in travel. Wembley would have to be the number one choice. But the FA seem reluctant to help out.

Will be interesting to see if the club decide to ask the fans what they would like with regards to having the ground expanded or move to a new location in Enfield. Bose states that Spurs would prefer to remain at the Lane. Hopefully this is the one thing Levy won't let me down on.

Comolli: Berbatov Stays / The Times: Berbatov Goes

From the club that brought you the excellent 'We Never Spoke to Ramos' and 'Martin Jol has our full support' statements, Damien Comolli proudly presents a Dont Worry Production, straight from the heart of the Lane (but failing to appear on the website in an official capacity):

"It is simply not an issue. I met with Dimitar's agent today and he assured me Dimitar is not looking for a move in January and simply wants to concentrate on helping the team push up the table.

"He is on a long-term contract with us and Juande (Ramos) sees him as an important part of our plans."

You heard the man. He will not be looking for a move in January. Yeah sure, Comolli mentions 'long term contract' but if Berbatov was planning on staying wouldn't he publicly deny the rumours? Wouldn't his agent do the same? If Spurs were confident he was not looking to move on, wouldn't Comolli clearly state 'Berbatov will not be leaving Spurs, not in January or the summer. He has a contract and he is committed to it' as means of burying the uncertainty?

No, instead he simply tells us that the player won't be looking for a move in 'January'.

"No ones looking....I could jump over and the fence....and BE FREE!!"

This is then followed up by the usual textbook tabloid/broadsheet article (no quotes or proof) that Berbatov is leaving the club and in the summer. Maybe the journo (in this case The Times Gary Jacob) has also noted Comolli's 'January' statement and gone to town on it in a creative frenzy or maybe he can put two and two together and work out the fact that there's more chance of Levy growing hair on his head than the Bulgarian remaining loyal.

For your reading pleasure, here's the article:

Dimitar Berbatov free to leave Spurs if they miss out on top four
by Gary Jacob

Dimitar Berbatov has sought assurance that he will be able to leave Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season. Emil Dantchev, his representative, met Damien Comolli, the Tottenham sporting director, yesterday to discuss the Bulgaria forward’s future.

Berbatov has been unsettled by Tottenham’s refusal to allow him to move to Manchester United in the summer as well as his club’s poor start to the season.

United first made an approach for the forward towards the end of the last campaign, in which he scored 23 goals in his first season after his move from Bayer Leverkusen. Tottenham were unwilling to sell him, not least because supporters would have questioned their ambition after the departure of Michael Carrick, the England midfield player, to United a year before. But the club are believed to have come to a gentlemen’s agreement that he can leave for a large fee if Tottenham fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.

There is the prospect of the striker asking for a transfer in January, but Comolli says that was not on the agenda during talks yesterday. “It is simply not an issue,” Comolli said. “I met with Dimitar’s agent today and he assured me Dimitar is not looking for a move in January and simply wants to concentrate on helping the team to push up the table. He is on a long-term contract with us.”

If we miss out on Champions League football? If? LOL. Good one Gary. If.....if all the above is true then that speaks volumes for the type of man Berbatov truly is. A let down. An a-typical modern day footballer with no true heart or commitment. Tevez never sulked last season. He got on with it. And yes, he looked far far better than he actually was because he was playing in a team that were simply woeful in every possible way, but he gave 500% for his club even though he knew he was off. Berbatov has given us an epic sulk. Nothing more. Well, apart from several flicks that have led to goals from Robbo hoofs up the field. But I'm sure post-Ramos it's gonna be a bit more attractive. Whether Berbatov has a change of heart or not, remains to be seen.

Fact is, he has the power to make all the rumours and tabloid guess work go away by simply telling us, in his own words. "I'm not leaving Spurs".

So, Dimitar...anything you want to share with us?

Berbatov. The man with a face like a slapped arse.

A player in lilywhite should be 100%. Not 99%. Not 70% and without doubt not 30% which is what most of our players are on at the moment.

If Berbatov has gone against 'character' (remember, he has harped on about rejecting Utd for Spurs - and its well documented he is a modest down to earth man) and he wants out, then fuck him. For all his posturing and pretty boy looks, if he's gonna play with a dis-interested and negative attitude then I don't want him there.

If he now believes he made a mistake joining us and not going to a Champions League side instead, its because of the one season of success he had at Spurs - so surely he should continue to represent the team and build on that reputation? He signed a contract. But what does that matter in the modern age of football when players are more important than the clubs.

There's no doubt something is wrong with him this season. I heard whispers of personal problems, unrelated to football, but going from the incidents with Jol you suspect its more to do with the politics of the club and the tactics on the pitch. Maybe that's the reason he wants out. A player of his quality - a world class player - deserves the ball played to feet and not hoofed up field.

If you want, we can all hope that Ramos joining will place an end to all that happened before and if Berbatov reclaims his past form, we'll all be laughing again....at the opposition, rather than our inability to win games.

The Biggest Game in our History™

Tottenham v Wigan.

We need this. Three points. Clean sheet. Confidence booster. Yes, it will be against another struggling team - but who cares? We need that 'swagger' back. We need to brush them aside. I'm not talking in the manner we beat Derby earlier in the season. I'm talking about utterly tearing them to pieces.

This season, due to commitments outside of football, I have missed the Cup games. I was also not present at the Derby win. I have yet to see Spurs win a game of football in the Prem- season 2008.

If Spurs fail to impress in this game, then Ramos has a mission impossible to get these over-paid, passion only in sound-bites, sulking mega-stars up to an acceptable standard.

I want to see them sweat blood. I want people watching the game highlights on MotD that evening thinking they've just tuned into a trailer for Frank Millers '300'.

Maybe Ramos should pluck a fan from every stand in the ground and take them into the dressing room pre-game and let them have a word with one or two of our players.

"Get a fucking grip" - is what I would say. Its a game of football. You don't suddenly turn shit over night, and if the reason for it happening has gone - then skip the transitional period and just play like your life depends on it, because we support the team like our life depends on it and its about high time you fucking gave us something back, you miserable excuse of team. I'd probably slap Berbatov across the face, get him all fired up. And I'd also slap Dawson. No reason, just has that type of face.

Spurs 5 Wigan 0 is the headline I want to be reading come Monday morning after the game.

This time last year we beat Chelsea 2-1

Remember remember, the 3rd of November....not quite the same is it?

Boro 1 Spurs 1

One point gained or two points lost?

Another performance lacking any of the sexy qualities we would wish to see in a Spurs performance. Dawson still on roller-skates, along with one or two others who appear to have yet awaken from their deep sleep. It’s night terrors week in week out for the Spurs fans. Yes, we got pegged back by a ‘beauty’ from an ex-Spurs player. If we’re not conceding comedy goals were conceding contenders for goal of the month, with their own back story for added effect.

Two games unbeaten, so can’t be that downbeat about it. Still can’t see where a big confidence boosting victory is coming from.

Ramos starting Bent and Defoe suggests he is using his opening few games to suss out the players. Doubt he learned that much on Saturday, equally so when the disinterested Berbatov came on whom apparently was set for a meeting with his agent yesterday about his future at Spurs. Don’t care how good a player you are, if you don’t want to wear the shirt then get the fuck out. Hopefully his mega-sulk hasn’t knocked off £10M from our asking price.

What's more frustrating is the fact that once more we take the lead and fail to keep it. Stat attack:

This season, we have taken the lead in 8 games out of 12. Only Man Utd and Arsenal have done so more often than us (with 10 and 9 respectively). Not surprisingly we have the lowest % rate in the Prem for winning a game we have taken the lead in. That's how vulnerable (shit) we are.

We covert just 13% of our leads into three points. That's relegation form right there for you.

Elsewhere, Jol wants to return to Spurs at some point in the future (surely he is taking the piss?). He is still the king of the soundbites. His interview in The Observer is a strange one. Remarking about how Berbatov came to him this season and said ‘I want him to achieve things’. Think Jol must have reminded him he still plays for Spurs.

And this sums up the big man:

A master of the one-liner, Jol jokes about that affinity. He is dressed in a burgundy shirt, similar in colour to Arsenal's centenary kit of two seasons ago. 'This is the first time I wear this colour, it's unbelievable,' says Jol. 'But that is what they put into you when you are at Spurs. If I would have £2billion I would buy Arsenal. And I'd make a big parking place from the Emirates and make a new stadium for Spurs. Or for another club, you know. That is a nice one!'

If only he was as good a manager as he was dealing with the media.

Spurs now have the following fixtures, up and coming:

Tel-Aviv (A) UEFA
Wigan (H)
West Ham (A)
AaB (H) UEFA
Birmingham (H)
Anderlecht (A) UEFA
Man City (H)
Pompey (A)
Man City (A) League Cup
Arsenal (A)
Fulham (H)
Reading (H)

Need to bag 3 or 4 wins before we face Arsenal. Because if we don’t, it means no improvement has been made, and they will no doubt rape us at the Emirates.

Worst. Season. Ever.

Jol has another dig at Comolli

Regardless of what Jol is saying in the press (its all Comolli's fault for buying players he didn't want), it doesn't hide the fact that he is laying blame elsewhere while on the pitch the team fell to pieces. Yeah sure the drop to 3rd from bottom can be seen as a knock-on effect from the troubles behind the scenes but it seems Martin is hellbent on deflecting responsibility to others rather than looking at his tactical naivety, even for a second.

See how easy it is to yo-yo between differing opinions on this matter? It's well documented in other blog entries and I think now Jol should simply move on (hopefully he'll get the Ajax job at the end of the season) and let it be.

We will soon find out who has the biggest say in transfers this January. I'm sure the signings will fit into the Ramos mould. Of course, maybe Comolli has learnt a lesson or two with what's happened with Jol and will now sanction exactly what the manager needs. There's no room for error and I doubt - after the Jol farce - that DM and DL will take any risk to upset the brand spanking new error. I mean era.

Spurs 2 Championship Blackpool 0

Looks like Ramos will have his work cut out initially, with having to wait for the return of certain players along with the Jan transfer window before he can truly begin to shape the team to his liking.

Positives

• We won
• We didn’t concede (thanks to the woodwork)
• Robinson made two world class saves
• Lennon looks lively again
• A little bit of ye olde confidence restored

Negatives

• Robbo slipped when attempting a kick
• Kaboul had a nightmare (and managed a yellow card too)
• Defence easily beaten (remember this was against a Championship side)
• Not the performance I would have expected (where was the ‘fire in the belly’?)
• An average Premiership side would have beaten us

Ramos Watch

• Ramos wears a suit (it’s better than those silly Spurs baseball caps and tracksuits)
• Ramos is vocal and quite passionate during the course of the game. Its good to see a manager kick every ball rather than be a spectator
• Ramos appears the type to sub off any player that is not pulling his weight no matter what name is printed on the back of his shirt
• Made early substitutions (57th, 60th, 72nd) – took Kaboul off who was woeful, Keane having seen enough of him to warrant a start on Saturday (obvious one) and Bent on for Berbatov to give him a chance to impress

His comments:

"On the positive side the players showed great willingness to play and fought hard for the victory, it was physically very hard especially as it was only three days since the last game.

"I suppose the negative side is that Blackpool had three or four chances to score and we shouldn't allow those chances.

"The game was how we expected, Blackpool are from a lower league but they tried as hard as they could and gave everything.

"It was very important to get a victory to give us more security, to calm the players down a bit and give us confidence. The last results have been quite negative and we needed to stop that run of results, so to get this result was vital."

Makes me a little happy, ignoring the average performance he manages to place a little perspective to the evenings result. Realist. Pragmatic. Won’t really see the difference until after Christmas when fitness levels have improved vastly and Ramos training methods begin to show their true results on the pitch.

Spurs are bottom three because they have been toilet. Lose against Boro and its going to be a long cold winter. Draw or even a win, then confidence might result in a far quicker transition from the depths of the Prem to the dizzy heights of 15th.

The current squad, minus one or two players got us to 5th last year so the goal is to get these underachieving millionaires to fight their way back to respectability.

Good luck to the man in the suit.