Train of thought

"For the first time since I've been at the club, the prima donnas are actually being made to have a double session of training today (morning and afternoon)! Viva la revolution! " – Spurs Lodge Insider.

Not so much an exclusive because everyone is covering the ‘story’. Ramos has told the players (straight after the Rovers defeat) that they have to play not for 60 or 70 minutes but for 90 minutes. More or less tells you that he will iron out every niggling pain in the arse problem that Jol preferred to ignore. Can’t wait to see the response on Wednesday. Confidence boosting thrashing of Blackpool is much needed. As for it being a ‘double session’, here’s hoping that what the Spurs players experienced was actually a normal training session under Ramos.

In addition, we also know he will rotate the team – something that Jol did out of the necessity to keep certain players happy rather than what’s best for the club. Ramos also only gives out the line-up just before kick-off and never changes this particular rule. Nobody is certain to be in the team, though I’m guessing one or two of our players will be first choice every time (if fit) much like Sevilla.

Still can’t see us finishing higher than 10th at the moment. Some tough home games (Liverpool, Man Utd, Chelsea) yet to play along with plenty of potential away day headaches to overcome.

Hola Ramos

Mr Ramos, welcome to the badlands of Tottenham Hotspur. I hope you enjoy your stay. Fingers crossed it’s longer than the standard 2-3 year visit most of our recent managers have enjoyed.

I know you are a proven winner. Regardless of some people suggesting your success at Sevilla is down to the youth structure and other parties and what went on before you arrived there, but the fact is you took a side that were not to great or pretty to the very heights of La Liga managing to beat the likes of Madrid and Barcelona along the way. In addition, two successive UEFA Cup wins playing with a wonderful passing style is nothing to frown upon, regardless of it being a second tier European competition. And one or two other trophies for larks and larfs along with a Champions League spot. Sevilla are renowned for their high tempo short passing style. They are a joy to watch. And that’s down to you.

You know how to motivate. Being a strict disciplinarian (is there any other kind?) your teams work hard and your players work hard for each other.

Now, I know that the next two months will involve you sussing out who is up for the fight and who has the necessary quality to survive as a team member from January and the summer onwards. Fitness levels will need to improve. Players will need to become accustomed to your way of doing things. Like any new managerial appointment there’s a period where you stamp your authority down, allowing the players to see how things will change. But this is one with a difference.

See, you have actually won something. You are considered world-class. We don't usually find such quality in our appointments. Players will respect you. Those that do not, those who fail to lift their game in training and out on the pitch may as well be the first to go. It’s obvious you demand to see pride and spirit in the players under your management.

But this is not relevant. I’m not here to question your abilities or the fact that you will soon see for yourself the mess the first team are in. You will see we can’t defend set-pieces or make the most out of offensive ones. You will note that we are easily bullied in midfield. Our defense is far from being a unit. We have no true balance from the back to the front. No confidence or self belief. No true distinctive style or tactic. Other than giving up a winning position and conceding last gasp goals. Sorry, there I go again. Stating the obvious.

All I want to say is good luck. Levy is a pussycat compared to José Maria del Nido. And Tottenham’s problems on the field are so obvious and blatant that you wont have too much of a problem sorting it out. I doubt you will take much notice of the media or disgruntled fans if it takes a few months to get your ethos working at the club. And my advice would be to do just that. Get on with what you do best, ignore the media and the impatient supporters and in due course I’m certain the results will do all the talking for you. Not to say you shouldn’t brush up on your English in the mean time.

Ramos Released

Free to kill his career at the Lane. Speaking on Spanish radio:

"In professional life, sometimes you are presented with an opportunity that you have to take".

Poyet has been asked by Leeds Utd to 'stay away from the game' tomorrow, so its looking highly likely that this is all falling into place now.

In other news, Spurs are doomed:

Mark Lawrenson wrote:

Tottenham v Blackburn (1500 GMT)

What has happened at Tottenham this season has been nothing short of daft.

I still find it strange that Spurs have got rid of Martin Jol, considering what he has done there the last two seasons.

The question is how Spurs react to his departure, but l think they have good quality and can turn it on at home, even against a strong, organised Blackburn side that will be tough to break down.

Doomed I tells ya.

Whorage

The ITK's are claiming Ramos and Poyet in by next Wednesday. We already know Allen and Inglethorpe are taking charge of Sundays clash against Blackburn. Rovers, I think, are still unbeaten in the Prem. Can't see anything other than an away win. Bar some miracle.

Misery

Not sure where to begin.

Jol was interviewed yesterday (shown in SSN), and he stated various things that were contradictions. Like how we (Spurs) spend more time practising/training set-pieces than any other Prem club. Firstly, how would he know what other clubs do in training? And secondly, OMFG! We spend time practising set-pieces? And yet we hardly ever score from them and ALWAYS concede from them. This is like Jack the Ripper telling everyone he’s actually a great conversationalist.

Martin looked huggered. Completely defeated, his fate blatantly obvious to all. We all know he wont walk (money money money) and we know Levy has no options with who to bring in. So, the cancer continues to spread from top to bottom, from board level to first team and through to the stands where hope has disintegrated into a puddle of shit.

Is he or is he not friends with Berbatov? Who know’s. Everyone’s read about how he apparently asked Berbs 3 times to get up and warm-up. But then Berbatov has looked and acted like a stroppy bastard since pre-season so I wouldn’t blame him. Jol explained the benching down to 'saving him for Thursday'. I wonder if Defoe feels privileged to have been left at home, all in the name of the UEFA Cup.

The confusion continues to drown the memories of what it felt like to be on the up. Once more, I refer you back to the Newcastle game (yes, I have now seen it). Tactically astute is our manager and as for our players, they know exactly what their responsibility on the field should be.

Tainio: "I was surprised I was put on pitch, as I had only trained once after an injury. I went on to play on the wing - which wing it was, was a bit unclear. I think I was told to change positions four times during the match."

It’s Total Football all over again.

The Omnipresent that is Jenas continues to do what he does so well. Nothing. But to simply lay blame on his incompetence (unable to pass or hold onto the ball), to be fair, most of the team were guilty of the same inept display. Again. May as well start copy and pasting previous blog entries to save time ranting about the same thing every week. Then again, it’s therapeutic to laugh at my own misery. Helps to elevate the tragedy of the situation.

So who is exactly responsible for this mess? As manager you expect Martin to oversee and get the fundamentals right:

- Shape
- Passion
- Belief
- Fight

But there’s so much one man can do, because out on the pitch the players are producing nothing more than a Keystone classic whether home or away. Has he really become a bad manager over night? Of course not. Looking at our prima donnas you’d think they were playing to enable those relegation clauses, post haste. All is wrong and God only knows what the psychological shot in the head this will have on the club. Again, amazing how quick you can go from being ‘nearly top 4’ to utter gush. Proving that we were never nearly top 4 in the first place (blame the fans and the media on that one).

Yes we have talented players. But we have no true balance. No true leader. Key positions are weak. And talking of 'no true leader', Jol loves pointing out the fact that we have a leadership issue, but again not his fault that we spent £16M on a striker we don’t need at this current point in time. Talented players – no direction. And the same olde trend is set to be followed. We cant handle or live up to the hype.

Modern day footballers don’t tend to bust a gut for a manager on his way out. And the boards general incompetence with on the field management and football (rather than merchandising) is dragging us down. It always has. The two 5th place finishes flattered to deceive.

We sacked Graham before a semi-final. We gave Hoddle millions to spend when it would seem Levy and his pals always looked to set get rid of him in the 2004 season and did so 6 games in. Then there was Arnesen who’s advice was ignored and Levy drafted in Inspector Clouseau and his magical mystery tour bus. Nine games later he’s gone and Jol is promoted. That’s some shrewd re-structuring there, very slick. No wonder we are hot on the trails of Arsenal. Apparently that’s the reason we have a Director of Football structure at the club. We can replace a coach without upsetting the karma around WHL – and yet it seems to do the exact opposite. To further compound the fact that Levy doesn’t have a fucking clue, him and the board (including Kemsley who apparently has wanted Jol out for an age) knee-jerk after 2 league games resulting in the Ramos fiasco and this rendering our season dead.

Fact. Jol has over-achieved. The fans got a tad too excitable. The board got too Billy big-boots.

It’s summed up perfectly by this:

Levy has enjoyed popularity over the past few years because he has put up the money - but the buying policy is now under serious doubt - many people claim that Levy wanted the young English talent like Jenas and Bent - and Comolli is bringing in player after player who are not the finished article. Running a club is not just about spending money - people tipped us to break the top 4 just because we had finished 5th and then spent £40m. But look at how Allardyce and Eriksson spent their money and look at the way we spent ours.

When Levy announced we would have a DoF structure I thought who the hell is he to decide that he knows better than the boards of Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea where the manager was all powerful - but we stuck with it and by chance ended up with a good coach. But with this structure there is too much potential for conflict and I fear that as long as Levy buries his head in the sand (or refuses to fuck off) we will slip back to being the also rans of the Prem League once more.

Nothing more to add.

Manager Odds

Evens: J Ramos

4-1 J Mourinho

13-2 M Lippi

13-2 F Capello

8-1 J Klinsmann

9-1 D Deschamps

10-1 L Van Gaal

10-1 G Houllier

12-1 bar

What, no Harry Redknapp? And who the heck is 'bar'? We don't need another Gross thank you very much.

Ramos Denial (again)

When Juande Ramos, the Seville coach, arrived home yesterday after a tense and well-attended press conference, the calls from friends in England began. To his dismay, it was being reported that he had admitted being offered the manager’s job at Tottenham Hotspur — and the Barclays Premier League club were furious.

By the time his words were broadcast on English television later, the media machine could not be stopped, so last night Ramos contacted The Times to claim that a combination of badly chosen words and incorrect translation were to blame for reports that he had not only been offered the job, but that he had described the terms as “dizzying”. In fact, he said, he had never met anybody from Spurs (although he did not deny that someone did so on his behalf), and that there was no such offer.

According to initial reports, Ramos was supposed to have said: “They [Tottenham] made an excellent, dizzying offer, but I’m under contract and my decision is to fulfil it. There was not the slightest possibility that I would accept it because I’m under contract. It did not interest me.” Last night he apologised to Tottenham, who had posted a denial on their website that they had offered the manager’s job, held by Martin Jol, to anyone.

“I did not get offered the Spurs job at all,” Ramos said. “There never was an offer on the table from them. Spurs is a big club and anyone would be interested in the opportunity, but it is not one for me now.”

Above from The Times. If its true, it still doesn't change much in that someone did go to Spain to meet with a representative of Ramos. Whether this was Spurs thinking about the future (i.e. building a relationship just in case Jol left or failed) or whether they went there with the intentions of bringing him over ASAP - is anyone's guess. Flip a coin.

I think from body language, Levy and co are not innocent in all this, but the media have helped to really take the whole story to inane levels.

Don't worry, I'm not going soft. Levy is still in the bad books.

Two truths - One Lie

Ramos (from the BBC):

Sevilla coach Juande Ramos says he rejected a "dizzying" offer to take over from Martin Jol at Tottenham.

Jol's future was in doubt after Spurs lost their first two games of the season before beating Derby.

Spurs were reported to have met the Ramos camp over the weekend before telling Jol his job was safe providing he delivered Champions League football.

"They made an excellent, dizzying offer, but I'm under contract and my decision is to fulfil it," said Ramos.

"There was not the slightest possibility that I would accept it because I'm under contract. It did not interest me or the club.

Levy (from official site):

tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/thanksandfurtherclarification

"To further clarify the situation - the Club wishes to make it clear and unequivocal that no individual was or has been offered the position of manager/coach at this Club whilst that position has been held by Martin Jol. It is wholly inaccurate and inappropriate to suggest otherwise"

Can't even imagine how Jol feels at this moment in time. If another club come in for him, he should take their offer. I would be in full support of his departure if it meant kicking Levy square in the balls. Not that Levy has any.

The Club Speaks

An official word, from the club....a bit late in the day:

The Club is aware that there has been much speculation over the past few days in respect of our Manager, Martin Jol. As you know, the Club does not respond to speculation, but we do feel in this instance it is important to clarify the current position. Manager Martin Jol and Assistant Manager, Chris Hughton met with the Chairman, Sporting Director Damien Comolli and members of the Board today – discussions were held re-confirming our aims for the season, the development of the full potential of the squad and taking the Club forward.

“We have had two good, progressive seasons with fifth place finishes. I am an ambitious Chairman, we are an ambitious Club and we want Champions League football at White Hart Lane,” commented Chairman, Daniel Levy. “We, the Board, owe it to the Club and the supporters to constantly assess our position and performance and to ensure that we have the ability to operate and compete at that level. We have made a massive investment in the squad and as a result we have the best squad of players this Club has had for over 20 years and they are equally hungry for success and silverware. For that we need our management and coaching standards to be of the highest quality such that players can fulfil their potential and we can compete with the best. We have discussed all of these expectations with Martin and he has confirmed to me today that he feels he is equipped with a squad and a determination to take on that challenge.”

Martin added: “We had a full and frank conversation and I fully understand the ambitions of the Club – they are the same as those of the supporters. He has put a lot of hard work into this Club and with the squad of players we have assembled, it is realistic that we should look to challenge for a top four position and I have assured him and the Board that that is what I shall aim for.

“The last two seasons we have finished fifth and this season we start with an even better team. So we should be optimistic. Yes, it is pressure to deliver, but that is what we managers should expect. Hopefully all the media will relax now – all I shall be concentrating on is each and every game.”

This statement does nothing more than confirm every two-bit rumour that has been dropping from the skies like diseased pigeon shit for the past week. The board has no faith in Jol and this statement illustrates 'crisis talks' with the big Dutch bear to hand him his task: Finish 4th or else. The statement offers nothing. The English press, tabloids and broadsheets, have every right to rip us to shreds after this self-mutilated mess especially when the chairman/directors offer the fans and the world a complete non-event of a statement.

Damage has been done. Might even be the case that he has decided to go/been pushed and that as part of the compensation package he has to stay in charged till Ramos arrives. Sorry, for a moment I thought I was presenting Sky Sports News.

Top 4 finish? Is he 'aving a larf? Thats mission impossible. The chairman appears to be demanding something that not even the most hardcore Spurs are. Ramos has obviously told Jol to come back in 2008.

Disgraceful.

EDIT: Round about the same time over in Spain, the Seville chairman, Del Nido, has held a press conference announcing that Ramos is staying for at least another year.

Never saw that coming.

Afternoon Update

News items from the Evening Standard:

- Jol on his way out
- Repeats of the Berbatov/Jol row story
- Ramos has had an offer from Spurs and will give an answer in two weeks. Wants to compete in the Super Cup v AC Milan on Sept 1
- A 'Source' close to Ramos says 'meeting/offer did take place'
- Tottenham wanted to keep it quiet. Ramos is unhappy with 'behind the scenes' problems at Seville and is thinking very hard about offer
- Ramos started taking English lessons last year

So, we are set to get rid of Jol BEFORE Ramos agrees to join? And if Ramos takes the two weeks to decide, then goodbye transfer window deadline. Wonderful timeframe there to get this problem sorted.

If true......it's comedy. I swear, I'm on the verge of becoming the most anti-spurs spurs fan of all time. Like I said. Season over. Another transitional period brought on by directors who think they are bigger than the club, and more important than the fans. They have fucked it up...again.

Levy continues to groundhog day us over and over again:

Graham - Sacked a week before an FA Cup Semi Final against Arsenal. Perfect timing.

Hoddle - Was at no point backed 100% in the transfer market and was then sacked 5 games into a season with no replacement lined up. Everyone believed (from the stories pouring out of WHL - that Hoddles ego was the problem and that he was at fault for signing the wrong players).

Pleat - Placed in charge of the first team for a whole season. WHY would anyone wish to do that?

Santini - Brought in, probably because the other 10 targets all rejected a move to WHL. Santini appeared to completely mis-understand what his powers he had at the club as coach, thinking he was in fact manager. Huge huge mistake of an appointment.

Jol - Brilliant appointment by... Frank Arnesen. Levy seems hellbent on ridding Jol from the club. Yes, Jol...the best thing to happen to this club for 20 or so years.

If Ramos joins Spurs he will be Levy's 6th manager. Thats the sixth man employed by Levy. And in that time only Jol has actually made progress and appeared to know what he was doing. You cant dismss two 5th spots and the fact that the fans are singing their hearts out for a bald Dutch man who starts every sentence with 'no'. We are not an easy lot to please. We have got it right, Levy, you smug sonofabitch. You haven't.

6 managers. And 3 directors of football. That's some nailed on stability for you there from DL.

Levy might know his way around wage structures and releasing funds to purchase players but appears to lack basic footballing decision making instincts on how to leave a coach alone to run the team. Which, is ironic, as the whole point of the DoF system is that the club buy the players and the coach works with them and everyone gets on famously. Its obviously not working. Not because the system is at fault, but because the people in place away from the first team are mugs.

I'll leave you with this for the time being. Posted by Cule-Spur on gg.net. Some of this is already being reflected in the Spanish media and in England.

Of course, that overlooks the possibility that Comolli is possibly restricted by the general lack of faith at board level with Jol. I mean, if Jol tells the board that he wants Downing, Boro quote £12m, Levy tells Comolli he isn't spunking £12m on Jol's target unless he (Comolli) rates him aswell, Comolli says he doesn't rate him, and that's that.

Endless permutations. Maybe Comolli comes back and says, "we should get Ben Arfa". Jol says, "I want Downing and if you get Ben Arfa, I'm not going to play him - he's too lighweight for our midfield", etc.

It's all clear as mud, as I said earlier. Whichever way you look at it though, it's not a question of Jol or Comolli, simply because even if you remove Comolli there are still clear problems with Levy/the board and Jol's relationship.

Ramos has a year left on his contract but it is a rolling contract and the whole set up at Sevilla is fairly complicated. There is a rift between Ramos and club President, Del Nido, over the terms of that contract. Ramos, justifiably, feels that he should be given a fairly substantial and long term deal for all that he has acheived. Del Nido, on the other hand, is an egomaniac ( possibly the biggest arsehole working in football with the possible exception of Calderon and Taxi Shinupwhatsisface). Its not just the issue of the contract but the fact that Del Nido parades himself around as if he is soley responsible for the club's success.

I can't comment on the Tottenham end of things as it falls well outside my remit, but I can shed some light on things at the Spanish end. As I understand it, and this comes from very close to Ramos, the meeting that took place was staged by Ramos' agent. His agent contacted a couple of contacts in the Mardrid press (one of whom I spoke to Yesterday) and made it known that the meeting was taking place, who would be there and even where they should stand if they wanted a photo.

The idea, on the eve of the Supercup final, was to place pressure on Del Nido with Ramos making it clear that he is in demand. Tottenham have been chatting up Ramos for a long time. Not neccesarily with an eye to making a firm move but rather to developing a strong relationship with arguably the most promising manager working in the game right now.

Before everyone gets on their high horse and starts screaming about loyalty to Jol etc etc - lets be very clear. This game is a business. Tottenham should be applauded for developing a strong bond with a manager who is so highly sought after. It shows forward thinking and shrewd business sense. There is no loyalty in football and six months is an eternity.

When Levy started chatting up Ramos who knows what the next six months promised - Jol could have quit, gone to Manchester United, fallen out with all and sundry or, god forbid, been hit by a bus. Remember how when we signed Berbatov he revealed that he chose Tottenham because we had been after him for a long time and that our interest was genuine and that the way we had courted him was impressive.

Its the same thing - In football contacts are everything and if for whatever reason we find oursellves managerless on any given day then its reassuring to know that the club has a strategy.

Now back to my little tale as I have it in Spain. John Alexander gets the phone call and trundles along to the Alfonso XIII hotel in Sevilla. ;This is where it gets interesting. According to a Marca journalist - who is running this today - Ramos' agent was expecting a coffee and a natter (as has happened on numerous occasions before only without the cameras lurking). Totally unbeknown to him , Alexander turns up with Kelmesly who offers Ramos a 4-6 year deal along with a gargantuan salary. I've spoken to the journalist - Mercedes Torrecillas (she knows Torres- Ramos agent- well and works the daily press brief in Seville) and She has given me her word that Torres insists on that he was not expecting an offer just a chat.

Further, he tells her that Spurs have given Ramos until the end of the week to decide. The size of the offer has left Ramos tempted - but at the moment he is leaning toward staying in Seville - although he will see how the news of Spurs' offer plays with Del Nido.

I know the above is all a bit Tom Clancy but that is how it works. I don't do ITK know shite and nothing in the above will not surface as copy over the next 24hrs ( In Spain anyway) - I've just sought confirmation frm some of the characters involved - that is all. They are journalists and football agents so we are just an estate agent short of the axis of evil. Take it or leave it - its just what is being said in Spain.

For what its worth, with regard to Ramos - he is a fine coach who has won trophy's in one of the best leagues in the world and taken some impressive scalps. His footballing philosophy would put a smile on old Sir Bills face - score one more than the opposition and then score another one just to be sure, the best form of defence is to attack, attack, attack. He accepts nothing but sheer bloddy minded grit and determination to go with it and like Sir Bill is not averse to giving out a rollicking after a 3-0 win.

There is a proviso - he owes a lot of his success to his sporting director at Sevilla - Monchi- and it is hard to gauge how effective Ramos would be without him - he supplies Ramos with some fine players on a budget that makes Bolton look like Chelsea. Further, prior to Seviilla, Ramos past is somewhat chequered and he has not always been so succesful, there are a couple of blemishes here and there.

There's meant to be a board meeting this evening, with some saying Jol will be out of a job by 11pm. Whilst other rumours suggest he has '2 weeks'. Its all pretty much guess work from everyone - fans and media alike.

We won't know until the club or Martin Jol says something, but the fact nothing has been said all day today would suggest that once more, its all gone pear-shaped.

Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur.

Ramos linked

Didn't take long for whispers of 'crisis talks' (The Independent) and this 'In the Know' whorage has even made its way over to Wikipedia:

I have it on good authority from someone connected to Joe Lewis that communication between BMJ and the board has broken down and that a replacement could be announced by Saturday and that replacement is Juande Ramos. I must stress that I do not usually post rumours and I will believe it when I see it but the guy was adamant it is true so thought I would share this one.

At home to Derby on Saturday will be the single most important 90 minutes of Jol's reign. I can't believe for a second that Ramos would leave Champions League football for North London. Although Ramos himself admits that the Spurs board contacted him last year. Levy, you dirty dog.

But how wonderful it is to see that the 'ITK' characters are now apparently adding 'weight' to these rumours, hoping to score some points from the desperate Spurs fans needing some kind of quick fix of hope.

Dragon1 on COYS:

ok here goes

ramos would love the job and we would like him but it aint that simple

i cant go into things but it is complicated so martin will be given a little longer, he certainly will still be in charge for sat

What a crock of shit. Sorry, but that's just BS.

Its text book classic 'Oh, let me link a manager who is being linked by every man and his dog, but then cover myself by using the 'the board will give him time' so that if he does well, and Jol stays then its because the board changed their mind on it - meaning I was right in the first place. If he doesn't, he'll get sacked, because that's what chairman do, right? So, when Ramos comes in (the obvious choice) I can claim to have been ITK about, and therefore get several cyber-pats on the back and people telling me I'm a legend' trick in play.

Everyone thinks they're a Daily Mirror journalist.