See ya later, Dimitar

"I chose to join Tottenham last season, now I'm staying at the club through my own free will. At least for now. There has been a lot of speculation but all I can say is the club's board have decided to raise my salary.

No one said that United didn't have interest in me and my price in general but it has to be clear that there will not be a move for now."

At least for now. There will not be a move for now. How very reassuring. Let’s not dwell on the reason why Mr Berbatov has suddenly outgrown the club. Or whether his statement is genuine – in that I mean, if he really believes he is staying ‘for now’ or is simply outlining to Man Utd what needs to be done for them to capture him pre-transfer deadline.

Its not like he’s stated, “I’m 100% committed to Spurs. I’m going nowhere”. Its more of a, “Well, they’ve offered me more cash but in all likelihood we wont finish 4th or win anything so maybe come back at Christmas or the summer”.

Better off selling him now and be done with it. Yes, he’s the only world-class player we have. Yes, he gives our play a dimension that no other player can, but if he doesn’t want to be there, why have him at the club?

Players are impatient creatures, worse than the most avid supporter. From a selfish point of view he would see himself better off at Man Utd. And why wouldn’t he? But where has the unselfish modest happy Berbatov disappeared too? What’s with all the Henryesque mood swings at displaced passes?

Reading too much into it, am I? Might well be doing so, but its best to look at the negatives and the worst possible scenario and worry about that, because if by some miracle the opposite happens, at least you’ll feel good about it.

Now some of you will scream ‘hypocrite’ and ask why I have not remained anchored to my original opinion on the player.

Yet again, I’m at ground zero. I was at ground zero at the start of the season (remember?) stating I would give the chairman the benefit of the doubt. And then Jolgate happened. I’m at ground zero again. Not with the chairman. He can go fuck himself.

The players have a responsibility to the fans. They have a responsibility to Martin Jol. And granted, a 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford is a seasoned expectancy for all, but spirit was displayed and regardless of whether it was a penalty or not, Spurs did their fans proud (as did the away support).

Still cant beat the ‘big’ teams though, can we? It’s fine being plucky and unlucky, but it’s not enough. Fulham away HAS to be three points for us. Then it’s Arsenal at the Lane. No pressure then.

With regards to the Utd away game– a good balanced team. Good debut from Bale. Berbatov could have and should have scored (along with Rocha). Even The Gardner played ‘well’. Deserving of sharing the points for sure. When you add back King, Dawson and Kaboul – then you can see that 5th spot is practically a certainty. Anything less and its implosion time.

I still think Ramos is in at the end of the season. Everything is for show. Jol will battle on. Shame we live in an era where 4th spot is deemed the be all and end all. What happened to winning the FA Cup? Getting into a final? Something to write into the history books. Something to remember.

Actually, I forgot. Only top 4 clubs win the Cups. See, special membership is needed for silverware. And at the moment, the ticket to riches is blowing in the wind the opposite direction from where Jol is looking for it.

True Lies

Berbatov's agent is stating that Utd have enquired about the player. Claims Spurs don't want to sell but are set to have a meeting in the next couple of days to decide. Jol tells reporters earlier in the day 'over my dead body'.

What are we witnessing here? If its true and Jol publicly states there is no way Berbs is leaving and also states the player told him that - then why the conflicting information from Emil Dantchev? Is it a ploy for an improved contact? Doubtful, as Berbs will probably leave the club in the summer, as finishing 4th after last weeks circus is a task far too grand (like it wasn't prior to it anyway).

If Levy sells the player to Man Utd then it destroys the club. Jol will walk. Spurs will be left with an ordinary side, and its normal service resumed. Back to the dark ages.

Melodramatic, isn't it? Wouldn't want to disappoint.

Jol Press Conference

Click me: Jol Interview from the Beeb

Looks drained, tired. Angry too. Hides it well behind jokes and mentions of support from 6,000 emails along with the ‘love of Berbatov’. Though it’s hinted (and obvious) that Man Utd have enquired about our beautiful Bulgarian.

Crooks asking the questions. Thankfully, his mug in a pink shirt is not viewable.

Jol saying all the right things, and you almost want to believe that the media took this ‘story’ earlier this week and turned it something one thousand times worst than what it actually was – like taking a mogwai, slapping it about a little and giving it Chinese burns before dipping it in water.

I said ‘almost’. The fact the club waited so long to deny everything says more about the morning after cover-ups and interviews.

Everything spoken suggests nothing has changed with regards to the future. Doubt that will be the case. He is under insurmountable pressure now to claim 4th spot. Unfair and unnecessary pressure. Completely the fault of the chairman. If we crack and it all goes to pieces its down to Daniel Levy.

Daniel, pray that you have created a monster from this public humiliation and that Jol responds with acute ruthlessness that inspires the players and team forward.

Otherwise, kiss it goodbye.

Justified

Now we have to endure stories of Defoe allegedly telling Jol he won’t sign a new contract, furious that he only got 15 minutes against Derby. On top of this, the rumourwhoring machine has spat out a story that states that after the Everton defeat Berbatov and Robinson had a massive disagreement, which resulted with Jol siding with Robbo.

Again, its been said a million times by a million Spurs fans in the past two days, but only we can take a stable situation and smash it into a hundred million pieces.

Levy's Machiavellian masterplan appears to have fallen short of turning the fans against Jol, but has made his (Jol's) position unattainable and Levy' equally so in the eyes of the fans. Levy and his minions couldn't even get it this right, an embarrassing incompetent plan executed with no precision and has only served to destroy all the work done by our Dutch manager. I'm thankful for it. At least now everyone can see that Levy isn't this whiter than white messiah that will guide the club forwards.

If....and its a huge if.....some of the rumours are true and Jol has fallen out with players and does not command the respect of the team as a whole - there's about a thousand ways of dealing with it without making it look as shambolic and pathetic as its turned out.

It's not Jol who is dead man walking anymore. Its the board of directors. For the first time, I might not be alone in burning my season ticket.

I'm talking big fuck off bonfire over here.

Twisted Conspiracy Theory

Berbs was never injured. There was a dis-agreement over squad rotation between him and Jol. The politics that Mido touched upon concerned how in one camp sits Levy and Comolli and the other Jol, on his own.

Berbs is sent off on a 'holiday', with the cover story of an injury while Levy cleans up the 'mess'. Stories break in the press, leaked by Levy. Berbs agent denies any truth in them, keeping Berbatov 'innocent' while Levy makes his final preparations to oust Jol.

-

It's such an easy life being a journalist. Conjuring plot twists as easy as a magician pulling rabbits out of a hat.

Latest News from the Hellmouth

Its a day of madness in Spurs forums everywhere.

I've written this season off. Just don't understand how the club persist in dislodging any form of consistency. Fact of the matter is, if they keep having to change managers - they are obviously not appointing the right ones. Though on this occasion - they did get it right. Or so the fans thought.

This is why Spurs will never make it under the current dictatorship, IMO. Too much tinkering.

All Levy can do is prove me wrong. But until then, I don't approve of any of this shit. Of course, who knows the real truth behind all this? But I'm willing to bet its 2 or 3 people inside the club who don't like Jol (fickle fickle fans with power) who have done enough to push him out to get their own way.

They finally get the right man for the job, and they push him out.

And now the Beeb are reporting the following:

Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov has not fallen out with boss Martin Jol, according to the player's agent.

Reports on Tuesday suggested Jol wanted to sell Berbatov, who had reacted angrily after being substituted during Spurs' 1-0 defeat at Sunderland.

"One thing I can tell you for sure is that there is not a problem between Martin Jol and Dimitar," Emil Dantchev told BBC Sport.

"They have discussed the football situation but that is normal."

Come on Levy, your turn to come out and say there's no problems between you and Jol. That's not going to happen though, is it? Because the Berbatov/Jol story was leaked as mis-information from inside the club to the newspapers for the sole purpose of adding weight to removing Martin as the manager.

Sickened.

Its all over

One day after the 'Berbs on Bulgarian tv' story was posted in Spurs message boards, the tabloids and broadsheets are running a story about a bust-up between Jol and Berbatov stating that the Bulgarian doesn't want to be involved in a rotation system and that Jol wants to sell him because of his attitude.

You couldn't make this stuff up. How very convenient for this story to appear days after a 4-0 win with the Park Lane singing Martin Jol's name.

Would appear that Levy and the board of directors are getting desperate to make their changes. Martin Jol is a dead man walking.

No official statement from the club to counter or dismiss any of these tabloid/tv/broadsheet rumours. Not a single word. Just relentless propaganda from Levy's war machine. Martin Jol may not even be manager by the end of this week.

What is it about this club that it persistently attempts to commit suicide? What's wrong with consistency? What's wrong with not rocking the boat?

Staggers belief. Oh hold up, of course it doesn't. This is normal service running at the Lane. And with news we have bid for Riquelme - you know that Levy is doing his utmost to weather the storm of disapproval from the Tottenham faithful.

And the shit has hit the fan

A Bulgarian browsing a Spurs forum takes acclaim for this piece of newsworthy info:

Berbatov gave an interview to the Bulgarian New Television yesterday. On the question whether he is going to stay at Spurs he said: There are still 12 days till the transfer window closes. I do not exclude the possibility for moving to another club.

He didn't say the usual "I'm happy at Spurs". He looks as if something has happened during the summer. He may be disappointed with someone/something at Tottenham.

Let's see how long this little gem takes to hit the mainstream media. The above was posted on Glory-Glory.co.uk (where else?) at 4 hours ago.

The interview was broadcasted on New Television (Нова телевизия) in Bulgaria, The World of Sport (Спортен свят), at 14: 30 PM ( yesterday afternoon).

The name of the journalist who conducted the interview was Krum Savov (Крум Савов).

Now. This might be nothing more than made-up bollocks. It was posted on a forum so theres a 97% probability rating that its exactly that. But regardless, someone will see this and tell people who will in-turn tell a bunch of other people. And like a wildfire, it will spread. So, as I said, let's see if this makes it way to the back pages of the tabloid newspapers. And if it does - see how easy it is to push any information (true or false) into the public domain and therefore cause further dis-information and propaganda.

Yes, I see the irony in what I'm doing. But it serves a purpose to prove a point.

Berbs Out

2/3 weeks is the apparent timeout Berbatov will have due to injury (groin), compounded with Kaboul (hamstring) being layed-off for up to 4 weeks.

Would appear that Berbatov's injury is an 'old problem', suggesting he has not been fully fit. Off to Germany he goes to to visit a specialist. All we have to wait for now is the possibility for him to be out further because of an op.

Thankfully, Gareth Bale (someone who can take set-pieces) and Young-Pyo Lee (someone who is better than Stalteri/Gardner) are both expected to be back soon. Dawson also is on the road to full recovery.

Praise the lord.

The Two-Face Perspective

Issue #1
The Problem with Berbatov

"The Problem with Berbatov"

Harvey Dent: So, Berbatov. Class player who will continue to blossom with life in the Premiership. Twenty-three goals last season, I expect more, especially in the league.

Two-Face: Yes. With another club. Did you not see him on Saturday? Sitting alone in the tunnel, on steps behind the rest of the Spurs line-up. Alone. Isolated.

Harvey Dent: He was psyching himself up for the game. Contemplating. Not for the first time.

Two-Face: Psyching? Oh is that what you call it? I'm sure he was contemplating though; 'What the fuck am I still doing here?'. Psyching didn't help him much out on the field, did it?

Harvey Dent: That's because he was surrounded by teammates who let him down.

Two-Face: He's been letting himself down since the start of pre-season. Lethargic and disinterested. It's probably dawned on him that its far easier going to a club that's the finished article. Then he wouldn't have to carry the weight of his average team mates on his shoulders.

Harvey Dent: That's perposterious. He only said a few weeks ago that team spirit at the club was good and that the new players had been made to feel welcome at the club. He's obviously happy.

Two-Face: Ha! And did he tell you that himself? Of course not. You just happen across an interview on the Spurs website. All players have a duty to say something for the benefit of the club and its news section. Bent was brought in for big dollars as the replacement for the Bulgarian. It was self-admittance that the club wont be able to keep Berbatov which proves they club don't have the belief to match Berbatov's ambition of playing in the Champions League.

Harvey Dent: All summer long, he never once suggested he wanted a move. And the one club who wanted him according to the press have now got Tevez.

Two-Face: Doesn't mean they wouldn't say no to Berbatov. Tevez is a completely different type of player. And other clubs wouldn't turn their face away from him either. And, if you want to be pedantic about it, not once all summer long did Berbatov completely dismiss leaving. Players are fickle creatures with self-preservation being their number one priority.

Harvey Dent: You're basing all this on him sitting down on some steps pre-kick off.

Two-Face: Body language. You can tell a lot from body language.

Harvey Dent: Your assumption is based on one match, 90 minutes of football.

Two-Face: Pre-season too.

Harvey Dent: Many players avoid excelling themselves in friendlies. Why would you wish to possibly injure yourself?

Two-Face: Bent excelled himself. He didn't get himself injured.

Harvey Dent: He has something to prove having just arrived.

Two-Face: So, you admit that Berbatov believes that he is more important than the club itself.

Harvey Dent: I never said that. How did I say that?

Two-Face: By suggesting that Berbatov will be selected no matter what his form is because he is some kind of talisman, a self-proclaimed/supporter-proclaimed world class player.

Harvey Dent: No, just that his quality is not in doubt. He proved that last season beyond doubt.

Two-Face: Neither is Bents quality in doubt. Look at his goal scoring record from the past 2 seasons. And as for Berbatov, he was sublime last term, but that will be forgotten if he fails to ignite this season.

Harvey Dent: Of course he will ignite. Why wouldn't he?

Two-Face: Not if he isn't happy. He didn't look happy getting substituted. That might happen often this season out of the necessity to keep four forwards happy when only two are needed at any given time. And igniting is also dependent on the rest of his team starting a fire.

Harvey Dent: That doesn't even make sense. Look, there is nothing to suggest that theres a problem with Berbatov. Nothing.

Two-Face: Have you seen him smile yet?

Harvey Dent: Have you seen any Spurs players smile yet?

Two-Face: I don't think anyone at Spurs is smiling at the moment.

Harvey Dent: There you go.

Two-Face: The more they struggle, the more detached Berbatov will feel and that will come across in his performances. That happened last year. With the Cup exits. It was almost like he saw himself as one entity and the rest of his team mates as a separate entity, laying blame on them. Suggesting they need to do the improving to be up to his high standard. Do you know what that is?

Harvey Dent: Enlighten me.

Two-Face: A crack. A crack in the glass that will soon shatter. He sees himself as being worthy of more. Like Carrick before him.

Harvey Dent: Carrick? Carrick is a midfielder.

Two-Face: Yes, but he too out grew the club and moved on.

Harvey Dent: But he never claimed publicly to be happy at Spurs and content. He was a model professional, but stayed clear of announcing loyalty because he was always destined to move on. You are basing everything on the last month or so of pre-season. Little insignificant incidents that seem to be your foundation for the argument. But think back to what Berbatov talked about prior to pre-season. He's a modest man. He isn't the a-typical footballer.

Two-Face: Being modest doesn't mean being content with mediocrity.

Harvey Dent: I beg to differ. He isn't one to turn him back away so hastily.

Two-Face: Doesn't look like we are going to see eye-to-eye on this.

Harvey Dent: Doubtful.

Two-Face: (flicks two-headed coin)

Harvey Dent: Well?

Two-Face: Scratched face up.

Harvey Dent: Looks like we'll have to revisit this then.

Two-Face: We will. I'm sure of it. If he's still wearing Lilywhite.

Second Issue released next week.

General Round-Up

Berbatov

Remains a class act. Some quotes from a recent interview:

“Look, last summer when Spurs told me they were willing to pay £11m for me, I asked them if they were off their heads. Now the word seems to be that my value is £40m and that’s simply an abnormal sum of money.”

“With regards to the whole Manchester United business, I just have to say that I’m very happy at Spurs. Even more importantly, I recognise that Tottenham has given me everything in order to make my time in the Premier League a success and I feel stupendously grateful to them. So I’m happy where I am.”

“The atmosphere at Tottenham right now is absolutely unbeatable.”

“The fact I feel adored by the fans and I’m feted by the media hasn’t changed me and it will not do so. I’m the same guy. I rest and lead a simple life off the pitch"

How wonderfully beautiful it is to see a player with such modesty and eloquent class. And a player who appears set to remain at Spurs, rather than take the easy route out to a 'Top 4' club. The rest of the players have to focus the same way he does with each game and challenge. Anything less is an insult IMO.

Spurs beat St.Pats 1-0

Kaboul looked good. Bale didnt. Bent scored. Taarbat looking lively again. Thats it. I can't be arsed with friendly games. Get the players fit, get the new players to fit into the system. And thats it.

Transfer Rumours

No word on Boateng. Though historically, Spurs take 120% longer than any other club to sign a player.

I've noticed we have been linked to Freddy Adu, who was previously linked with Wigan. Not sure about signing this 36 year old MLS reject. Yes, he has wonderful wonderful stats in FM2007, but the reality is far less exciting. He's American.

A word from a former hero

GRAHAM ROBERTS believes chairman Daniel Levy must not allow Dimitar Berbatov to join Manchester United. The former Spurs hard man commented: “If Spurs ever sell him, the chairman should be shot! You never sell your best players and he’s the best they’ve got.

Finally, a kindred spirit with the same passion for the club I have. Graham, if you're interested, e-mail me. I know a decent outfitter that offers fishing, shooting and hunting. We'd have a blast. But obviously, we would need to retain an element of professionalism. Especially with rifle and hand-gun practice. We wouldn't want the embarrassment of a Hinckley/Reagan incident.