'A million percent'

Udinese 2 Spurs 0

Great interview here from Woodgate. Great because it sums up what's going on perfectly, pretty much how I or any other Spurs fan would describe the on the pitch performances at the moment. Sunday, genuinely is, a game of extraordinary importance. The fact the players are reacting badly to every bit of unfortunate luck or mistake on the pitch doesn't bode well for this game and the games that follow it. 'Losing mentality' Woodgate called it. Sums it up IMO. We are masters of it.

Once again we played a team this evening who were not that great. And yet we had one shot on goal, saw Gomes kill off the confidence we managed to build up in the opening 20 minutes with a howler - giving away the penalty - and then another inept© (copyright Tottenham Hotspur) second half performance topped with a O'Hara red card and a second Italian goal.

There was not a lot on show to suggest we will compete with Bolton. Yes, in parts, we actually played ok. But there was nothing sexy or slick and we looked a hundred years away from scoring. This is what makes it even more infuriating. We are not utterly useless like Derby County were in the Prem last year. But we are just shit enough to always lose, no matter the opposition. Udinese are second in Serie A, and until Gomes dropped a clanger we competed pretty well. Once again, no leader means when are heads go down, they stay down. Woodgate, for all his post-match talk should be doing some of it on the pitch.

What I hope has happened (at the very least) after the game is that Woody has gone mental in the dressing room, swearing/accusing and generally causing a reaction from other players. I'm talking about an old fashion verbal ding-dong, fingers pointing and frustrations aired publicly. The players have to unite and sometimes the only way is for some home truths to be told. Heads slumped, getting showered and dressed and sticking on their iPods is a no-fucking-go.

Ramos and Poyet have to also get in on the act, but somehow I can't see it. Can you?

The flip side to all this (which is still negative in this case) is that Woodgate isn't helping matters by slagging us off to the media. If he is frustrated then maybe the blame game within the dressing room is having the opposite effect because people are whispering their discontent rather than shouting it.

We also have Bentley telling everyone how 'shit' things are at the minute in magazine and radio interviews. It's grim no matter what what you read or hear.

Woodgate mentions Leeds (in the interview linked above) and how they had a better team than we do at the minute and still went down. Nobody is untouchable. On this current form, nobody will want to touch us come the January transfer window. So the players we have will be the players who will need to drag us out of this.

Relegation fight? A million percent, says our Woody rather obviously.

We are a calamity. And once again we move to our next game in the vein hope that something happens. A wink or a wave from the football Gods might just change our luck. Even a drop of piss from the God of War, falling from the heavens and onto our brow will be more than enough.

Sunday is going to be hellish. I have a feeling the God's will be napping.

DML: Editorial

Stating the bloody obvious

I blame Robbie Keane who relegated Coventry and Leeds with each of his departures from both clubs. I blame the Director of Football system that has seen manager after manager undermined. I blame the tabloids, broadsheets, Gillette Soccer Saturday, radio presenters, Sky pundits who all predicted Spurs would finish 5th. I blame Ramos for not elevating the team after the Carling Cup. I blame, fuck it, everyone and everything. The way the wind blows. The raindrops that fall from the sky. My alarm going off on a Monday morning. ITV comedy. Hagar the Horrible. It's all fallen into place perfectly, conspiring to anchor us to the bottom of the Premiership. After years of laughing at West Ham's yo-yoing between the top flight and the league just below it, how the ironic jeers and laughter will hurt when they aim their giddy abuse at us.

What makes it even sweeter for them and even more horrific for us is that there is no Tevez in the Spurs side. And thus far, lady luck has also been non-existent. We can only hope for a goal that never was and a resulting three points, much like the Hammers got up at Blackburn to give us a glint of hope. But at the moment, such a joyful moment seems a million miles away in a far far away land where Spurs fans are dressed like arch angels singing Glory Glory from a hymn sheet, whilst the team swagger around the WHL pitch scoring goals for fun.

'Stick me in centre-mid'

Wigan was the 'must win match'. We drew it. Then it was Hull. We lost. And then it was Stoke. And we lost again. In that other alternative reality where Bentley is decent, Berbatov was sold at the beginning of the summer and a replacement bought a couple of weeks later along with a defensive midfielder and a tricky creative forward - we are sitting in the top 5 smiling, upbeat and confident. At least somewhere in the multi-verse, there are Spurs fans proud and loud.

In our shaky moments in the past, we've had poor starts but nothing this spectacularly bad. We haven't just started poorly, we've started catastrophically poorly. But anyone who looked beyond the thrashing of Roma in pre-season and Darren Bents prolific friendly form and reminded themselves of the utter lack of cohesion since the Carling Cup final would have seen a team in steady melt-down. Our form has been good enough to take us down all year long. In fact, since our two 5th place finishes, our form has all but gone - other than in patches and some 'big'. The Carling Cup run appears to be nothing more than a blip that blinded us from what was actually going on with Premiership form.

This season sees us at 8 games. Out of a possible 24 points, we've notched up 2. Chelsea are the only 'decent' team we've played. Our fixture list was meant to be quite easy until we played Arsenal (A), Liverpool (H) and Man City (A). All these games coming up after next Sundays mega-game at the Lane against Bolton.

Nothing at the moment suggests we have what it takes to drag ourselves out of the bottom three. From one game to the next, whether it be Poyet saying our performance is unacceptable or Ramos via Poyet saying our performance is unacceptable or Darren Bent (club spokesman) saying our performance is unacceptable - nothing changes come the next game. Apart from the soundbites.

Spurs, with one upfront, facing the might of the Prem league fixture list

Hull, Wigan, WBA, Stoke etc, all have a bit of fight and spirit. Hull are excelling at the moment. Stoke are awful and will probably go down with us, but they still beat us and grabbed all three points. So it's not a given that all the promoted teams will go down, like most other seasons. Not only have we decided this is the season we will struggle epically, but this is also the season that every other team around is strong, determined and 'together'. Shit hitting fan - is an understatement. We are in the deepest possible trouble we've ever been in, since the 70's at least.

I've been critical of the players, and still am. I don't quite see the required urgency and guts and full-blooded 'die for the shirt' siege mentality that's required. Do the players and management think its ok because 'we are Spurs' and 'teams like us never go down' so 'things will change soon'? What happened with being the kings of your own destiny? Then again, maybe the players are not at fault. Playing at 200% might be out of their reach due to the fact that the team is so painfully mish-mashed and out of sorts.

Any club in the Prem would struggle if:

- They have no leader on the pitch

- They lost both of their main forwards who created and scored most of the goals in previous seasons

- Have no defensive midfielder

- Have no midfield that chase down the opposition players/ball

- Play a right-winger on the left-wing

- Have no true left-winger

- Have one main striker who thus far has failed to settle due to playing a bit part since being signed a season ago

- Sold their other striker who is on top form for his new club because he was not required (argue until you're blue in the face, but Defoe rightly would not sign a new contract because we couldn't promise him first team football)

- Spurs believed foolishly that Berbatov would not leave and didn't stop to think that Keane might be subject to a move away, even though we have a 'we don't sell our important players' policy

- Bought a player who has already played 5 months of a season, looks unfit and needs time to settle

- Bought a midfielder who needs time to settle and stick him in a midfield who are not on the same wave length than him

- Sell 3 'decent' squad players who would give competition and options for first team selection

Spurs systematically went about unweaving the tapestry of progression by trying to replace missing jigsaw pieces with termites. It's such a perfect dismantlement of the squad with superfluous replacements drafted in left, right and centre that someone would think it was done on purpose because surely you can't get it this wrong? Agent Comolli and Levy have masterminded one of the greatest clusterfucks of all time. This summer, make no mistake about it, was a unmitigated disaster. Far too much emphasis on the business side of the club, chasing down every last million from Utd for Berbatov.

Levy getting caught up in transfer dealing politics and hypocrisy. Comolli panic buying. And the club generally carrying on like the whole of last season (Jol undermined/sacked, Ramos in, no change in league form) had not happened. On the subject of Martin Jol, he was never destined to succeed because of the exaggerated impatient ambitions of the chairman, Kemsley and Comolli. The Trinity decided that replacing Jol with Ramos would take us to the next level. Error of judgement? Did Jol deserve another season and therefore the FULL backing of Comolli and co? They obviously felt he had to be replaced, and why not with a manager of Ramos quality? And yet look how things have turned out. Hindsight; can't put a price on it.

So why did everyone think we would do well this season? Did they think because Ramos could start fresh, from the opening game of the season that suddenly all things would fall into place? The very fact that the chairman and DoF failed to see the massive cracks in the foundations proves they're just as disillusioned as the most excitable Barcelona shirt wearing Spurs fans.

A look into the future: Levy fires Comolli

Look at the team, the squad we have at the moment. It's basic maths. Last year we conceded a hell of a lot of goals, mainly due to having a poor midfield that supported no-one defensively. Thanks to Berbatov and Keane we scored a shed-load too. Take those two away, improve the defence a little, and we have a team that doesn't concede as many but can't score goals. A team that can't score, by virtue of not being offensive enough will pile on the pressure for the defence - who are still not supported by the slow, sideways playing midfield. It's a formula for failure. Epic epic failure.

To compound matters ever more, we hoof the ball up to Bent. Hoof it. No style, no system. For 20/30 minutes or so against Stoke we played the ball around quite well and created chances. But it was still lacklustre. Inept. It's like an 9 inch dick, limp and flaccid, in the Playboy mansion. Viagra left at home. Utterly fucking useless.

Ramos, 10 wins in 36 (stats might be off, but just browse the BBC if you want to cry into your keyboard) has tragically shown us very little. He maybe strict. He might have sorted out the diet, got us fit. But like many clubs who get themselves into a low-confidence situation, sometimes no amount of tinkering can get you out. So you need to let go of the manager. As drastic as it may seem, as much as you might wish for some consistency for once - a completely new man at the helm might wake the players up. Yes, the same players who can't quite perform one week might do brilliantly the next for a new manager. Then again, it might take a bit of time (much like it took Jol when he took over from Santini). So if we do get rid of Ramos, will the next man in be able to afford 5 more games without a win? Well? So do we get rid of Ramos? Teams stay up or go down based on decisions like this.

The bigger question is whether the current crop of misfits have it in them at all. King, 'our leader', is nothing more than a part-time player. He will never be 100% fit. And the club knew this last year, and probably the year before. We should have looked to bring in a genuine replacement. We haven't. Woodgate is beginning to suffer because of the dross playing around him. Bale, with zero Prem wins under his belt, looks average since returning from his injury. Did he recently sign an extension to his contract? No Man Utd move for you on this form Gareth. I hope the injury he has recovered from hasn't taken away his mojo. As for Zokora. He's an athlete, but not a footballer.

Doncaster away. 'ave it.

And Jenas? Since he was a teenager he's been told he's a class player. He'll be something special. But he has never shown belief in the hype surrounding him. He has the qualities, physically, but mentality shows very little to suggest he will ever be anywhere near world-class. He struggles to be anything near top 8 class most weeks. Having him as vice-captain tells you everything you need to know about our predicament and status.

Bentley has been non-existent. Played out of position, he should still roll his sleeves up and give it a go regardless. But then is David a 'roll the sleeves up' type of player? Lennon has been the one bright spark (even if that spark consists of running really really fast). Gio is a luxury who is a little out of his depth and considering the form of his team mates, it's asking a lot of the youngster to carry the weight of expectation in his shoulders. Frazier Campbell on loan is the icing on the cake. And you know it is. A Utd kid as one of our main three strikers. Classic.

And back to Levy and Comolli. Judge me, he said (Daniel), on the players that are sold. That was his response a while back relating to a statement about Spurs being a selling club. Which we quite blatantly are. But if you do have to sell, then bloody well replace the outgoing players with incoming quality.

Levy, Kemsley and DC went after Ramos, for the big step up in class (citing a 'world class' manager was required now rather than later). Whatever was happening behind the scenes (Jol/Berbatov/Comolli etc) the club - the people in charge - have mismanaged us to the brink of the Championship. Did we really have the right to move on from Jol so quickly?

Now Levy is pondering on the severance fee he will have to dish out to Ramos if he is forced to sack him. And if he does that, he'll have to sack Comolli (as Levy has told us all Ramos is Comolli's choice). Not that ridding the club of DC will do anything drastic to our on the pitch performances. With no more patsys left, Levy - accountable for all decisions - will then logically need to scrap the DoF position and draft in a chief scout to help the newly appointed 'manager'. And who would be the saviour? Would anyone want the job considering the chairman is such a destructive force?

Now I know what some would say. Levy and his financial skills and astute business sense was the reason we challenged for 4th place in 'that season' and that it's down to him we have been looking to make a move to a bigger stadium (or expand WHL). Remember even Jol gave him some credit at the end of one season, with the crowd (not me) responding with a chorus of support. But considering the support this club has and money made from tickets/merchandising etc, it's what you would expect from the chairman. It's the other decisions and the way we do our business, football wise, which he must be judged on. Unless you are willing to blame completely (and its a blame game we are all involved in) Ramos for the position we are in.

Levy dragged the Berbatov saga to the very death for an extra £6M or so. Was it worth it Daniel? How many millions will be lost for finishing in the depths of the Prem table? How much more would be lost with relegation? Shareholders happy? Don't be avoiding that phone call from Joe Lewis.

Bouncebackability

I joked a while back that us going down was the only way to rid the club of Levy and all the delusions of grandeur that this club is guilty of. I suggested the club needed the most cruel of baptisms so we could be reborn, and take nothing for granted as a consequence. But who, hand on heart, would want to see their club relegated? Aside from the fact that most of the players who got you relegated would be sold, you'd have to deal with every day life outside the top flight (at least we won't have to listening to Andy Gray commentating on our games).

And if preparations are spot on you could do a Leeds or a Man City, rather than bounce back first time. Last time ('77) we did bounce back first time. And signed two Argentinians and went on to plenty of Cup glory and beautiful football. But times have changed. This is the modern game, that is made up of the Sky 4 and the rest of the Premiership battling out for 5th and 6th. The top 4 are so far ahead of everyone, and with billionaires grabbing up other clubs faster than you can say 'credit crunch', we will be so far away from what we aspire to, it will hurt more than castration to think one summer of discontent has buried us 6 feet under.

Going down is simply not acceptable. Other fans would say the same about their club. Stoke, Hull and WBA fans would hope that other clubs struggle and they somehow survive. Or perform like a dream and pick up Prem-place saving points nice and early (Hull). We've spent millions. We've had the backing of pundits and fans. But we deserve nothing if we don't play like we care and believe we belong. Too big to go down? You have to play big to stay up, and we are nothing more than small time at the minute.

Woodgate has come out in support of Ramos. Citing 'togetherness' and making bold statements such as 'I think we will stay up' and 'There's no doubt about it, everyone thinks we should and I think we will'. Ramos on the other hand prefers to be far more honest (pessimistic) telling us 'I am worried about the situation. At the moment it is terrible'. 'No shit Sherlock moment' right there for you. With the Bolton game taking on the 'Biggest Game in our History' tag, a Levy mass/demo protest is planned for Sunday. A demo? How come I didn't think of this? Now call it extreme if you like, but I propose we hit Levy hard, and we hit him fast, with a major, and I mean major, leaflet campaign.

In the ground, support the team. Outside, protest to your hearts content.

Someone should have a quiet yet stern word in the ears of the management and players because they don't quite grasp the reality of the situation. At the time of writing Newcastle are beating City 2-1, which means we are 5 points adrift of 19th spot.

Rock'n'roll. City just equalised. 4 points off 19th spot.

Crisis? What Crisis? Oh, that one....

5 games in and already whispers of 'crisis talks' are doing the rounds. I don't tend to believe such things, simply because I'm sure the chairman meets his manager on regular occasions, and in this case what exactly can he complain about considering the mis-management of the summer transfer dealings?

Why are results so poor?
Why are our new players not settled?
Why isn't the team playing a cohesive brand of football?
Why aren't we scoring any goals?
Why aren't we in the Top 4?

Now, the anti-Ramos amongst you might suggest that our form in the Prem since he took over has been anything but spectacular - even with Berba and Keane in the side (towards the backend of last season).

Regardless, taking this season into account only - most of the above 5 questions can be linked to the fact that we simply did not prepare for the start of this season in the right manner. I'm talking about dithering with signings. It's been mentioned before, so I won't go back over the mistakes made. Not in great detail that is.

Ramos does however need to get the best out of what he has, unless of course, he can't be arsed. But other than media rumours (all denied) there isn't much to go on other than maybe Poyet's dejected face in post-match interviews.

The players need to step up with the effort, regardless of selection. But selecting the right balance would also be a welcoming addition to our climbing the table. 'An understand' is required for any set of 11 players out on the field, to function in the right manner. Football 101 people.

A crisis talk at this stage is unlikely. Re-visit this after the Carling Cup game against Newcastle and the UEFA Cup match, with Pompey sandwiched between.

Lose all three, then media pressure along with supporter outbursts, might get trigger-happy Levy all guns blazing or see Ramos leave yet another club behind due to lack of botheredness.

For once, I'd like to see the trend bucked. Just like Utd did with Fergie. Not that I'm suggesting for a minute we have the basis for future dominance. Two wins on the trot is the only kind of achievement I'm gagging for at the minute.

As for the those questions -

1. Why are results so poor?

Results are poor, but we haven't been thrashed or out-played off the park, we've just been mediocre to the extreme. Not creating enough chances to worry the opposition which means the opposition only need a couple of decent efforts to notch up a win. Confidence has played a part, or lack of. Fundamentally, results are poor because the team is not playing like a team. Probably the only side in the Prem that has no cohesive style of play or balance backbone.

That's actually both embrassing and worrying. Regardless of the cock-up seeing us sign no class DM, if the player we have bought have come in to do a job, then the job has been left undone.

Too many luxary Rolls-Royce textbook Spurs signings. No hard grafters, to plug the holes.

Levy/Comolli are to blame. But then it's difficult to say blame also doesn't sit with Ramos. How much say he has in the signings (he is meant to have a big say, as Levy stated that the DoF works with the coach to sign players). So either Ramos was happy with the dealings come end of transfer - or he was not. If he was not, then that's going to affect our on-field performances. It's not too diffcult to state this considering our results. Ramos is chopping and changing far too much.

Is this meant to be another transitional season? If so, then enough with the 'we can finish in the top 4' - when clearly getting out of the bottom 4 is proving more difficult than some would think.

Regarding the transfer policy - it's possible the players Ramos wants, which Comolli attempted to sign, are unavailable or still 'on the cards'. Regardless, there is such a thing as 'secondary' targets. I refuse to believe that there is a lack of quality - as Levy suggested. If these guys are working hard to bring in the players - they are not working hard enough.

2. Why are our new players not settled?

Bentley - Played out of position. Therefore, uncomfortable and trying way to hard to impress, resulting in woeful 'never beat the first man' corners and set-pieces.

Modric - The 'too lightweight' for the Prem is a fallacy. He can handle himself just fine. But obviously needs time to adjust, like many players do. Not everyone settles in their first game or two. Those that do, do so because the team they are in is brimming with confidence. Modric is playing in a midfield with no support. He is doing work he should not be doing. His task should be to create, run the show. But with such a disjointed middle four, he is lost amongst the confusion. This is where a true DM would have helped the lad settle into the team. It's not been a great start. But blaming him is pathetic. Remember the abuse Carrick got? Its deja vu.

Gio - A young lad, more an impact sub at the moment. Can't be critical of him at all at the moment. He isn't the finished article by a longshot, but once (if) the team start to play with style then he will flourish, much like Lennon did in the '06 Season.

Ramos has to be responsible with this side of things. The Bentley situation is not a good one. Gomes is fine, clanger or no clanger. Corluka looks a safe bet alongside Woodgate.

3. Why isn't the team playing a cohesive brand of football?

When the summer began, you had the feeling that when Chimbonda, Steed, TT and Kaboul all left - we would be replacing the lot of them with 'squad' players, to make sure we had a squad of depth (to allow for injuries and competition). But now you wonder why we let the likes of Steed especially (our hardest worker last season) go so easily. When all this has achieved is a negative impact.

But depth of squad aside, selection wise - thing's are simply not great. If the midfield doesn't work then there is simply no pattern of play that allows players to settle into a rhythm. The front one (or two if Bent starts with Pav) is lacking understanding - which is, well, understandable. Losing Berbatov and Keane (how many times has this been mentioned now?) has impacted us greatly. So, instead of drying those tearful eyes, we seem to be unprepared for each game. There is no spark to ignite or inspire. With those two former players (Keane coming deep, Berbatov creating) there was a style of play that allowed all the players to take their roles within the team and push forward with meaning.

Now, we have two players upfront who have no support. A midfield with a poor excuse for a DM and no consistent attacking/creative option (apart from Lennon, if he starts). So all the defence can do is defend, and they don't do that especially great.

Every club has the balance, even if they are shit, they have the players in the positions the team needs to allow them to function. Some function ok, others well and others on a different level altogether - mainly because of the players they have selected. We just have a group of players, who look like they have all turned up for the first time at Hackney Marshes for a kick-around.

The irony is, the players who have left, have been 'replaced' by better quality. At least, you would think that on paper.

Again, shame on Comolli and Levy for their transfer 'mare. But Ramos must know his squads strengths and play to them. I'm glad to see O'Hara in the team. Might not be great by any means, but he has bite and energy. Lennon has to start, ahead of Bentley. If Modric comes back into the team, then Ramos has to decide who will protect him and do the midfield donkey work - but even more important is that the midfield must chase all the balls, close down the oppposition and work for each other. Modric, Lennon, Gio etc can then work towards supporting the front two players.

But all this is obvious, no? Surely the manager can see this?

Most important, due to the predicament, is the three points, no matter how. Spirit and urgency, and a bit of luck - and then consistency with the team selection to allow for that fabled 'gel factor' as the team 'get to know each other better' and begin to take shape as a unit.

We can then hopefully look to next season for that push for '4th spot' (top end of table). Unless Hutton and Bale get sold to Man Utd and Jenas finally makes that move to Real Madrid.

4. Why aren't we scoring any goals?

Same as above really, re: Decimation of the front two. Still, if you spend practically £30M on two forward players, you'd think they would develop a decent understanding sooner rather than later. But, as above, the midfield have to chip in with creating openings. And thus far, there has been very little going on.

It's all linked. Team selection> team structure > midfield balance > working partnership upfront.

5. Why aren't we in the Top 4?

What, bottom 4 isn't good enough for you? It's still got the number '4' in it.

All this talk of 'top 4' is media hype, not helped by the players and management. It's not really an expectation from the fans. It was under Jol in the first of our two 5th placements. Because we sat in that position for 4 months. But this season, even with the positivity we all had, nobody felt it was going to happen. 5th spot, yes - of course, why not. Historically, the clubs who battle for this place changes every season. Like it will do this year. And again next year. Its a cert. Spurs though - on paper - are always made fav's. Although Man City will most definetley take that honour going forward. And Villa, for their steady progress.

Levy - like any other ambitious chairman - will have 'top 4' as the mission to be accomplished. But making it a reality is something else. And making the same errors each summer will do nothing to progress the team.

We should be 4th or thereabouts had we started well (based on a dream I had). We could have had 12 or so points had we swaggered from the start.

Boro away, winnable - but tradtionally a draw.
Sunderland home, - win.
Chelsea away, - draw.
Villa home, - draw or win (based on previous seasons).
Wigan home, - win.

11 points. But that's based on the expectations relating to money spent. The team has deserved NOTHING on performance. All this 'they gave everything' sounds more like 'we don't know what's wrong and we can't stop the rot'. It's scary if you spend some time thinking about it.

We haven't swaggered since the 5-1 against Arsenal, and the Cup Final. A cameo here and there since. But nothing else. Levy has to sit back, supporting Ramos and Poyet in private, and let the two of them do what they have to do to get us up and running. Comolli has to allow Ramos to make suggestions for the Jan window (how bad is that, season under way and we are having to think about bolstering our team already). And as for the fans, more of the 'We are Tottenham' than the dismay and groaning at mis-placed passes.

Tomorrow, the circus is in town. Visiting the local circus. Clowns taking centre stage. Yes, it's Newcastle away, defending the Cup we won so brightly last term. Its a must-win....(to follow on from the 'must win' games against Villa and Wigan).

Is this the turning point? I hope so. Because going to Poland to win is going to be hellmouth.

COYS, yeah? Anyone?

~Spooky

Start of the season curse

2006-7 p6 W1 D1 L4

2007-8 p6 W1 D1 L4

2008-9 p4 W0 D1 L3

If we defeat Wigan at the Lane on Sunday and then draw the next Prem game - it will be our best start in 3 seasons.

Crisis, what crisis? This is just normal sodding service.

Bizarro World

The timeline, so distorted and confusing. But then nothing is simplistic with Spurs.

At around 5pm Ladbrokes stopped taking bets on Ramos being the next manager, apparently most of the money coming from Fleet Street. The game kicked off without this making the headlines, but the story managed to leak out during the game. Perfect timing. Initially we were led to believe Jol tendered his resignation. Cue ‘how can he quit then manage the team for the evening?’ questions. As the game progressed, he remained glued to his seat. Looking sad, despondent and generally a beaten man. That went hand in hand with the Spurs performance. No shape no dominance. 1-2 score-line, only our second ever home defeat in Europe.

The 'rumours' continued. Ramos in with Poyet as his number two. Next week? In the summer? No one knows yet. But if we have to wait until the sun is back in the London sky, then welcome to the hellmouth.

An hour or so after the final whistle Spurs release a statement telling us that they asked Jol and Hughton to ‘step down’ after the game. Curious as it looked like this might have been agreed earlier on in the day. Especially reading Jol’s body language during the match. All in all, exactly the kind of inept (there’s that word again) handling we have come to detest from Levy and his board of directors. What a mess.

No hair, we don't care

However, I’m not going to start slating him or Kemsley. Not yet. I prefer to just say, thank you. Thank you to the first manager in an age that the fans loved and adored. Thank you for two 5th place finishes. Thank you for the hope and pride you gave the home faithful. Thank you for the progression.

Yes, it turned to shit in the end, and fuck knows how you even managed to stay on considering the bastards stabbed you in the back months ago – but you did and you will not be forgotten.

Thank you Martin Jol. And all the best for the future.

You took Spurs as far as you could. Lets hope that this is not as far as the club can actually go. Because if Ramos fails then we've hit a bottleneck.....which means we may as well let go of the dream and support West Ham.