Modric gone

From the official Spurs website:

CLUB ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH REAL MADRID AND TRANSFER OF LUKA MODRIC

The Club can announce that it has signed a partnership agreement with Real Madrid FC and reached agreement for the transfer of Luka Modric, subject to medical, to the Spanish club.

The partnership agreement will see the two Clubs working together in respect of players, coaching, best practices and commercial relationships.

Real Madrid FC President, Florentino Perez Rodriguez, said, "The strong relationship and affinity between our two clubs has resulted in the cementing of a longer-term partnership and the successful transfer of Luka Modric. We are delighted to welcome Luka and look forward to working closely with Tottenham in the coming years."

Daniel Levy, Chairman, Tottenham Hotspur, commented, "Luka has been a terrific player for us and, whilst we preferred not to part with him, we are pleased that it is to Real Madrid, a club with which we now look forward to sharing a long and productive partnership."

Luka made 160 appearances for the Club, scoring 17 goals after joining from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2008.

We wish him well for the future.

I do love how the partnership gets top billing ahead of the fact we've finally sold Luka Modric. Will be interesting to see exactly what this entails even though they cite players/coaching/commercial as the basis of the partnership. Working closely with Tottenham in the coming years sounds like we're going to go through further protracted long running transfer sagas. Barca will be gutted, looks like Bale has a moved pencilled in to Madrid next summer. Sorry United, but your days of signing are best players are over. Feeder club? Loan deals? Or another relationship similar to the rather confusing one we have Internacional? Hopefully they (Madrid) will be supportive in terms of aiding us when purchasing South American players (what with the complexities of visa approvals). Otherwise, you'd think this was clearly a one-sided relationship. Madrid will always seek to sign our best players, we'll always end up with their young players/loan deals/unwanted ones. We'll see.

Does beg the question that this 'saga' hasn't been half as dramatic behind closed doors compared to the manner it's been covered in the media. Deal probably agreed a while back, hence the lack of crying from Luka/agent. With money in the bank, I assume it means the replacement is done and dusted. So imminent arrivals to the Lane, I expect.

Onwards. Good bye and good luck Luka. You were a wonderful player, a truly gifted one. Hope you don't warm the bench in Madrid but set the pitch on fire.

Not literally of course, that would be hazardous. And a red card offence.

Hello Goodbye

Like a hellmouth erupting in Sunnydale, it's all kicking off. Except there's no Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Just a bald headed bloke armed with a shrewd grin on his face and some pound notes stuffed in his pockets. Stakes are high. Everyone is holding their hands up to their beating hearts. It's not all done and dusted just yet.

Bassong to Norwich. Not unexpected. A player that cost us £8M and has gone for considerably less. Did not have the best of times at Spurs. Started well, faded, didn't really get a look in. Not a shocker his career in Lilywhite amounted to cameo appearance and grunts of frustration. Marginalised and now gone.

Dawson leaving for QPR (bid accepted) for £5.5M / £7.5M / £9M (depending on source) is one that leaves me with a heavy heart. I love big Daws. His smile, his endeavour. The way he played so majestically alongside Ledley King. Not so great alongside others. A confidence player that many of us wanted to see cement that centre-back position and armband. He came close.

The fact he was the make-weight in the deal that saw Andy Reid sign for us is wonderfully ironic. A great servant to the club, I know that's a cliché, but he was. Struggled with injuries, not the quickest player but one with heart and effort and a player that wore the shirt with pride and celebrated like a supporter when we won. I will miss the bloke dearly. He lives local to me. Last time I saw him in my local Boots I just gave him a knowing glance. Next time, I'll risk a restraining order and hug the big lug. Good luck Michael. Loyal to Spurs. Shame we're not as loyal to him as he has been to us. I guess with Vert, Kaboul and Caulker (and the experience of Gallas) along with the high line pacey tactic, he doesn't fit into the new system. Villas-Boas putting the team first, sacrificing sentimentality for progress. Which is a good thing, but equally a little sad. I said good luck already, I'll say it again. Let's hope we're covered then, what with 38 league games and Europa League and domestic cups. That good luck stretches to Villas-Boas also.

Moving on...

Adebayor finally signs. Yes, it's not a dream. It's happened. He even tweeted about it. Unless his account was hacked again. But no, it's done. For £5M. With City set to fork out the same amount in wages to the player. Modern football is very confusing and very expensive. For some. Levy seems to enjoy the game. It means we have strength up top for WBA on Saturday. Adebayor gave us assists and goals last season. We'll have to wait and see if VB was serious about having Harry Kane as his 3rd choice. If so, then we have our three strikers for the season. Except when you look at them, it still feels weak in depth. We need another forward. A striker, a more robust intelligent poacher. Okay, so now I might be dreaming.

As for midfielders, Huddlestone and Jenas linked with loan moves away although these persisted as rumours with no follow up after the 'stories' broke. Luka Modric mean while first made an appearance in Spanish football newspaper Marca, only to then be revealed as a three year old photograph that had been photo-shopped. Then an appearance on the Madrid official website, hidden away but discovered before being removed. Image below (courtesy of Sibs who was quick to screen-grab it):

We await for official confirmation. Then the only thing that matters. Movement for a replacement.

Good day for the chairman. Good window in fact if you add up the money so far which you hope goes back towards supporting the coach as an ample war chest - Corluka £5M, Niko £4M, Pienaar £4.5M, Bassong £6M, Daws £9M (tbc) and Modric, £35M with any luck.

A step forward for the club, moving closer to fixing up the squad but still plenty of question marks. All to be resolved, answered with time.

Ten days time. Tick tock.

Luka transfer saga countdown to deadline day

10th August - Real Madrid make another 'final offer'

11th - Tottenham reject it

12th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

13th - Tottenham reject it

14th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

15th - Tottenham reject it

16th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

17th - Tottenham reject it

18th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

19th - Tottenham accept bid...then send follow up fax stating "LOL, BARE JOKES, NO DEAL, SOZ"

20th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

21st - Tottenham reject it

22nd - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

23rd - Tottenham reject it

24th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

25th - Tottenham reject it

26th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

27th  - Tottenham reject it

28th - Real Madrid make 'final offer'

29th - Tottenham spend the day mulling over new offer, which is less than original 'valuation of player'

30th - Tottenham grudgingly accept bid, Modric sold, Levy fails in last gasp deal for João Moutinho. Re-signs Saha.

31st - Nothing happens

1st September - Spurs start Jenas in central midfield as playmaker against Norwich, with Kane upfront for the injured Defoe. Club 'Hopeful' in completing deal for Adebayor in Jan transfer window

Modric

Luka move to Madrid facing the Ax'el

Witsel to La Liga? Luka move off? Get Real

Modric faces the Ax

And so on...

Another day, another ridiculous twist in the Luka Modric saga. This time linking Madrid with a 40 Euro bid for Axel Witsel of Benfica. If there isn't a more blatant piece of transparency in pressuring Levy to say yes to their Luka bid, unless of course you believe we have in fact accepted their bid, one to the tune of £36M which is edging far closer to our valuation of the player.

Confliction!

The Dinamo Zagreb sporting director has revealed it's done and dusted (he'll know because his club is due £2.5M or so from the transfer). Which then pushes the bid back towards the £30M mark and a long way from the £40M. Either way £36M is a win win for us, minus any payments to be made to the club we signed him from. Madrid (Marca) are supposedly saying they've got the better of us. I tend to side with the theory that Levy has a £5M or so buffer - player valued at £40M, will accept £35M. Madrid have been well below that for the best part of the summer. Have they finally just accepted they won't defeat Levy on this and no amount of bluffs will influence the outcome that we want to see played out?

So it's just another day and nobody has a clue what is truly going on. Everyone claims to know but all the rumourwhoring and subjective commentary and guesswork is there to simply fill up our Twitter time-lines via the journalists and reporters that are no different to the message board 'in the know' communities. It's just stuff, fluff to fill the empty space between the present day and the official club statement that will finally end this sorry saga. A paradox because all that empty space currently resembles a padded room rammed with foaming loons accepting their strait-jacket imprisonment.

When will it end? When it ends. How will it end? When a bid is accepted.

That's how simplistic it is. It's a connect-the-dots puzzle, easy enough completed, just needs a pencil. What we've got instead is a dozen or so people throwing paints and crayons at it.

My ultimate wish on all of this? That would be Madrid not really interested in Luka, doing Levy a favour for first refusal on Bale in the future. Let it drag to the depths of deadline day and beyond, leaving Luka anchored to Spurs once more. Probability? 0.1%. But a boy can dream.

The fling is over, now for the rebound

I was sat in a pub in Gatley, Manchester watching the second leg of our quarter final against Real Madrid. Every ten minutes, I quietly whispered to my Mancunian mate, "If we score a goal in the next five minutes, we might just have enough time to make a comeback". I repeated this line up until the 91st minute before finally surrendering any possible hope of over-turning the mighty four nil first leg deficit. I wasn't drunk. Hardly drunk. I wouldn't even call it optimism or delusion. Just whimsical dreaming.

I sighed and applauded. It all ended anti-climatically in the end, the strength of the visitors (and the lack of lady luck) meaning there was no full blooded highly implausible and improbably attempt of a comeback that perhaps a single early goal would have given us. Instead a single howler of a goal for the visitors finally laid to rest one of the most enthralling début seasons the Champions League has ever seen. And as much as I'd have loved to see us up against those possession pests from Barcelona, it's not to be. Not this season.

Perhaps in the not so distant future we'll have grown in maturity further and improved our quality in certain positions to once more do battle with the very best Europe has to offer. Two games, five goals conceded but arguably only one great goal scored against us - the rest, poorly defended or errors. That's not bad going considering what happened in the Bernabeu and the fact that we lived with them in the return and applied plenty of effort with that telling cutting edge. We might have still been outclassed over the two sets of 90 minutes even if Crouch had not been sent off. We'll never know. And that's where the frustration festers. Madrid are hardly a shabby outfit themselves. Credit to them and Tottenham's future manager.

What?

It's been a grand old adventure. But it's been so much more than that. We've proved we can compete at the top. Not quite with the very best but we still reached the quarter-finals when all believed we'd only manage to finish third in our group. That deserves a smile or two. Along with the good this campaign has done for our stature and name. The impact of Gareth Bale. The memories of being 3-0 down in the qualifiers, the San Siro, the 3-1 Inter win, the San Siro again. The goals scored 'for' during the group stages. The entertainment and refreshing attacking mindset of Harry and the players. It's been wonderful. Memories of standing in the away end at Upton Park in 2006, banished forever.

We've lived the dream, lost our cherry. But I don't want another adventure. I want sustained participation, at the very least, every other year if not every year. In fact I don't want it refereed to as an adventure again. Adventures are a once in a life-time occurrence in some far off fantasy world. We got into the CL because we deserved it and we got as far as we did because we deserved it. And the fact we even entertained the possibility of making it to the semi-finals (perhaps had we faced Chelsea) doesn't just speak to me, it sings.

Seasonal battles on the continent with this team continuing its progression forwards, building on the foundations we've set as a club these past two season that wants to be successful and wants to aim even higher. The culture of comfort is dead. It lived long enough. Too long. Onwards with the next chapter.

Long live the desire to dare and to do. And come on you Spurs.

One last swashbuckle, Tottenham?

I guess my predicament can be compared to Aron Ralston, pinned between a boulder and a canyon wall with no means of escape. Other than attempting to cut my arm off. Although the analogy doesn't quite stretch to limb-losing I do feel completely isolated and any attempts to survive appear to be futile.

Whilst White Hart Lane is rocking to the tune of five home goals, I'll be up North. I haven't even got time to craft another chest thumping battle cry. Although it's hardly the occasion for one. We're 4-0 down. The odds on over turning it are what...astronomical, right? I have joked about how if we score in the opening five minutes, we'll win 4-0 in normal time, 5-0 aet. I'm the king of comedy me.

Pragmatically, the visit of Real Madrid should be one that the home faithful lap up and sing their hearts out as a final swan song, a heartfelt thank you to the team for this wonderfully entertaining adventure. And if we could perhaps beat them by the odd goal, it would go some way towards ending the campaign with another great memory, be it one with less gloss than the prior ones. What with Jose having one eye already on Pep.

The special one might 'rest' yellow carded players, park the bus, soak up the pressure to counter and kill the game early (and oh boy would an early Madrid goal sucketh). Can't control what they do. Down to us to set the tempo. No pressure, no tension. That should relax both players and fans. And what with 4th spot once more the priority, our minds should be on the next game. Although this being Spurs, we're unlikely to rest any of our players and will probably go gung-ho, dreaming of miracles. And let's be honest, we have no other choice than to do just that. You know I'm right. Playing the game like a friendly? Bill Nick would not approve.

I'll be getting smashed in the hotel bar, no doubt, slurring and allowing complete freedom of my fingers to dance away as I hold up both arms, hands reaching out to touch the impossible dream. Interspersed with more drink and the odd flashback of Bale's hattrick, the 3-1 home win against Inter, Milan at the San Siro.

One last swashbuckle, Tottenham? Until next season, of course.

Wouldn't want it any other way.

So hallelujah to you and the boys in Lilywhite. The tie might have ended away in Spain but glory doesn't have to be constrained by technicalities.

Come on you Spurs.

Twitter rant

Twitter multi-tweet rant from me early this morning after reading yet another article about 'racist' Spurs fans and that song about Adebayor.

So, let me get this straight

Kick it Out wait until the player has left England and for said player to then be placed in position where stupid song can be sang at him

Then for said player to complain about it (well within his rights I should add)

And this is then an invite for Kick it Out to comment on it and urge the player to take further action

How about when Spurs and Arsenal fans sang this song at him whilst he played in England? Did ya not hear it then?

Are you not proactive?

How about the clubs?

You want something done, then be seen to do something about it rather than throw around weighty soundbites in the press

I'm waiting for Sol Campbell to come out in support for the player and confirm we're all racist scum

Because, that's why we hate Sol Campbell and abuse him when he plays against us. It's because he's black

It's not because he's a liar and scum

Thanks for listening

There's no room for racism, any form of it, in society let alone football

But ******* hell, there are far more serious things happening that probably need that bit more attention than the crap sang by a minority

I suggest crime watch get some mugshots up like last time. really drive the message across

@Spooky23 What's your opinion of the abuse Rooney was getting at West Ham?

@robawhite see this is the problem. abuse in general. fine line, what is deemed as banter and what is borderline and what is a no-go?

fans singing songs about Cisse's head looking like a pint of Guinness - racist or funny?

number of years ago, we played Nottm Forest in the cup, WHL

think we drew, then replayed at their ground

at the lane, was right next to away supporters in the park lane and i could visible lip read some of their fans calling us 'f****** jews'

at their ground, in the coach (got pelted by stones) I witnessed kids/teenagers mimicking apes, directed at us...beats me why

although I can assume what they were trying to get at

these are problems not with football, but because of the sheer amount of people at a game and the numbers that might echo the same...

...sentiments, we (the royal we) think we can get away with certain things. and certain things we can. just about

which is why the Ade song is sang. which is why some sang the distasteful Judas song. in the street you'd not get away with that

which is why the Ade song is sang. which is why some sang the distasteful Judas song. in the street you'd not get away with that

@Spooky23 Do you not agree most (if not all) of the players who get abuse invite that stuff. Barton, Savage, Sol, Rooney, Maradona, Adebayor

@robawhite now that's the crux of it in terms of tradition, banter. some chants are not nice, but we'll hardly going to say something nice

@robawhite the players you mentioned, they 'deserve' attention. they get paid enough to stand strong. they probably dont give a toss

they probably even like it to come extent. unless of course they have an agenda (yes, Judas, I'm talking about you)

Ade seems honest enough off the pitch, if he wants to make a deal out of it, fair enough

Rooney deserves abuse, if that makes sense. chin up. get the f*** on with it you miserable millionaire you

we all know, hand on heart when something is genuinely racist because it offends us to the bone even if its not directed at us

we also know when something is touching on cultural differences and therefore borderline or skipping towards allowing for more serious abuse

to become acceptable by those singing the borderline stuff

The Ade song is nothing compared to listening to chelsea fans, teenagers, singing songs about killing jews

In frigging Putney when I worked there, on a Friday evening ffs

do we have racist fans? yeah, doesn't every club?

do we have idiot fans? yes

in the bogs in the park lane I've heard one idiot sing a song about Matthew Harding, he got not a single response from it. i smiled inside

we can make it very complex in terms of what is and isn't acceptable. but it's obvious what is and isn't. some things will get highlighted

..more than others. Liverpool/Utd have plenty of songs sang in each others direction etc etc

Anyways, in conclusion, can we just move on and perhaps think of songs for players that don't have songs

rather than sing songs about players who constantly dick us in games

Also, just as a footnote, Chelsea FC do quite a bit in removing their own fans from the stands re: racism

Perhaps some of their minority fans who still hold onto yesteryear should look towards the club owner for an epiphany

Mauling in Madrid

I woke up suddenly early this morning, around 3am. A little disoriented and for a brief few seconds no recollection of anything other than the dream I had just lost. Then it hit me like a truck running over a rabbit caught in its headlights. That other dream, my memory returning, also lost.  I did reach out to see if there was a white handkerchief I could use to wave despondently across my face to wipe away a tear. Instead I went back to burying my head under the pillow and asking myself...what if what if, as I lost consciousness (always with the losing) once more and fell back into what might as well have been a nightmare.

In all the match previews for our first leg visit to the Santiago Bernabéu, including mine, very few entertained the eventuality of what was witnessed on the night.

I cited we needed to stand tall, be strong. The usual pre-match battle cry dressed up with belief and desire with a dab of focus thrown in for good measure. It was always going to be about us finding out whether we could compete against a heavy weight side managed by heavy weight tactician.

Some quotes from my match preview:

“Jose knows his side won't be able to steam-roll us like the various assortments of Spanish fodder they dismantle week in week out”

That’s exactly what they did.

“We are not expected to win. We're not expected to beat them over the two games. So the pressure is on them. Leaving us to play without fear. Because to do otherwise would be regretful”

We found ourselves on the back foot before the game even kicked off with Lennon dropping out of the starting eleven due to, I’m not sure what. Illness according to Redknapp.

“I hope our defence retain unity.
I hope Bale has 'a game'.
I hope vdV galvanises his team mates on his return to his former club.
I hope Modric dictates.
I hope our players show resounding mental strength.
I hope Harry gets one over Jose”

Deliciously ironic if you’re a Madridista. The sudden change and resulting substitution that saw Jenas enter the field of play and then stupidity and lack of composure in the opening quarter of an hour was the catalyst for a nailed on defeat.

Apart from one of the goals, the rest were poorly defended. vdV sacrificed at half-time. Modric lost thanks to the constraints of seeing Crouch red-carded. Sure, we showed mental strength. Not so much in the way we knee-jerked and allowed us to be consumed by the occasion and subsequent reshaping. But the way we held it together, especially by going in at half-time at 1-0 was encouraging damage limitation.

I’m going to avoid any deep analytical break-downs regarding individual performances (some fought, others switched off, relentless pressure too much to handle) along with Harry’s tactical changes and the Peter Crouch kung-fu episodes. And not forgetting the forgotten fundamentals when failing to defend the two headed goals.

I'm going to avoid mainly because if you take a step back and remind yourself of the opposition and their quality and then admit they hardly shifted out of second gear – you’ll be grateful it was only the four goals conceded. There was no plan b. Madrid knew they would win, and picked us off patiently with all the time in the world to do just that. All things considered (36 Madrid shots on goal?) we might have escaped with a 2-0 or 3-0 which would still have had us dreaming. What with us being that way inclined.

Alas, back to harsh reality...

Ten men up against Real Madrid, away from home, having the absolute **** pressed out of us for practically the entirety of the match. These are not excuses; it’s just statement of fact. It’s horrible I know, to admit you’re being outclassed regardless of the way we surrendered any possibility of making a fight out of it. With eleven men, we might have scored an away goal. We’d have retained shape, cohesiveness. Instead we struggled to keep the ball with not a second allowed for us to catch our breath and try to salvage offensive movement rather than chasing shadows. Probably would have retained the ball, recycled possession effectively and had pockets of Lilywhite aggression. I guess, as one or two of you have already pointed out, it’s a nice to get-out clause to have.

That’s to be able to imagine that teasing ‘what if’ rather than say losing 4-0 with no caveats in sight. We worked hard because we had no other option to defend, we made mistakes, and we were duly punished for it. It’s happened to one or two teams in the past, taken to school. Lesson learnt. Then continued their progress next time round. Have to hope we won’t need to wait too long for that next time.

Let’s also respect the other perspective, the one we tend to ignore because we're so Spurscentric. As much as we’d have wanted to prolong the adventure, the other team – they had their own agenda. Fuelled by the fact they are second best to the best team in the world and finding themselves with the opportunity of meeting them in the next round what with personal redemption for all involved at Madrid and an obsession to avoid seasoned disappointment in the Champions League. It’s not always in our hands. As much as we’d like to believe it to be. Toe to toe, eleven against eleven might have been equally as painful.

Nothing to be ashamed of Spurs. But equally 'okay' for all of us to be disappointed as the return fixture is practically redundant what with the immediate (it’s been there all season tbh) urgency to reclaim a top four place with a handful of games left. Massive task for manager and players to react positively and not let the season fade away.

For the return game, do we rest our players or do we live for the moment once more? Home territory with the noise of the Lane in the stands, accompanied by a swan song of swagger out on the pitch? It would be rude not to oblige.

It’s been a majestic campaign in the only way we know how to journey through one. Ups, downs and shrugs. We were not meant to finish top of our group or knock out AC Milan. We did. And along the way created some cracking memories. There's room for one more, even if it's only a footnote.

COYS.

Game of your life Tottenham, game of your life

The inside of my head currently has more glittery explosions than any given November 5th. I didn't walk out of my home this morning as I began the first leg of my staggeringly labourious trek from the depths of Epping Forest to the badlands of Croydon (office relocation, long story). I floated. Feet not touching the ground, gliding in the air like a ghost, akin to a Spike Lee movie just without all the rage and anger. Raining and cold? I hardly cared. Knowing there were one or two N17 representatives in Madrid singing a song the night before and more to follow today was more than enough to warm me up.

It's surreal. Not in a giddy Beatlesque screeching and fainting kind of way. More so in terms of remembrance. Looking back to when we chased the dream we are now living with pomp. I'm placing aside all the discussions about the importance of progress and sustaining the current crop of Spurs players to secure a new generation of Lilywhite history rather than just a pocket of glory nights before we return to the uncertainty of the chase. Because just is more than enough when you're living that very specific moment. One that finds us visiting the Santiago Bernabeu. In it's purist form football is about moments. We've had so many of them this season, we've been enriched with the unforgettable. There's room for more. Not that I'm being greedy.

If it's our destiny to fizzle out of qualification for next seasons competition then at least we can look back at our maiden voyage into the continental elite with pride. Tottenham swashbuckling our style with refreshing zest and desire. I'm sure we wouldn't be such a massive surprise and shock if we made it back for 2012. But we've set out and proven we are more than capable to compete with the top sides in Europe. Which has irked many and had others scratching their heads in wonderment.

It's not about the taking part to feed the various guises of structure and standing. It has to be about the moments. I'll let reality consume me once more in the aftermath.

Sure, logic will tap us on the back and whisper solemnly that at some point we'll be up against a team who will shut shop effectively and punish every single mistake we make. I'd rather that exit happened in the semi-final, if it is to happen at all.

I had a dream last night. Watching the game on TV. We had two penalties. van der Vaart with the first. Crouch with the second. The home ground despondent.

Gotta dream, right?

I've followed La Liga for years, adore the Morbo in what is a wonderfully fragmented country. And like most have followed Madrid and their soap opera. They're like a Spanish Tottenham. I don't mean in silverware and domestic and European success. I'm referring to some basic fundamentally building blocks. The necessity to play attacking free-flowing football and always having a shady defence. That and the amount of managers that tend to come and go. And although in many other ways we are worlds apart, we both have rich histories. Glamour clubs. Sometimes more style than substance, but both of us on the road to progression rather than a road tinged with puddles of perdition.

And in Jose they have a manager shrewd and tactically astute enough to stifle the life out of both games and have us dumped out in inglorious fashion. The party pooper. And we have a man-manager at the helm of the first big club he's coached who has done what so many other have failed to achieve. Fulfil some of that pent up potential.

Jose knows his side won't be able to steam-roll us like the various assortments of Spanish fodder they dismantle week in week out. But he does know his English Premier League. There's a  suggestion (not that I tend to believe him as he's the master of the underplay) that he believes 0-0 tonight would be a good result. The thinking that not conceding at home will be enough to win the game across the two legs. As far as Madrid and Jose are considered, we must not score tonight.

Can't see anyone parking the bus. In fact, there's a part of me that worries that Madrid might just attempt to steam-roll.

Madrid also have a number of key players on yellow cards. So hoping Sandro can bring some of that physicality and incite some hot-tempered tempo to proceedings. We do however need to retain our cool. Remain composed. And not over extend beyond our means. Stand tall at the back and aim for a knock-down or two from the tall at the front.

We are not expected to win. We're not expected to beat them over the two games. So the pressure is on them. Leaving us to play without fear. Because to do otherwise would be regretful.

I hope our defence retain unity.
I hope Bale has 'a game'.
I hope vdV galvanises his team mates on his return to his former club.
I hope Modric dictates.
I hope our players show resounding mental strength.
I hope Harry gets one over Jose.

Win the midfield battle. Play with pace. Play with width. We have nothing to lose, right? We're not meant to be in the quarter-finals, right? I'm having flashbacks, 3-0 down to Young Boys.

Our spine has to be strong. It's not beyond the realms of impossibility to get a draw there. I'll be shocked to the bone if we collapsed Inter first leg style, all choked up and star struck. We're all grown up now. It's quintessentially Tottenham when you feel slightly more confident your team will perform against the might of Real than playing away to Wigan.

Come on you Spurs. Weather the White Storm. Let's be having the Madridistas waving their white handkerchiefs.

Game of your life Tottenham, game of your life.

How did you get on with the ticket office today?

Ticket for Real Madrid at home?

Go ahead and share your stories if you can still muster the strength in your broken fingers having smashed the keyboard up with your clenched angry fists. Blood splattered over monitor whilst screaming 'Nooooooo' in the same way Anakin Skywalker did when he awoke to find himself as 'Darth Vader' in a galaxy far far away. I actually stood up in the cinema and also screamed 'Noooooo'. George Lucas, what have you done?

Many of you this evening are shaking your heads at incompetence a little bit closer to home relating to the process and resulting nightmare that is the lottery to get your hands on a ticket, as a member of the club. Daniel Levy, are you listening?

Some examples of complaints below.

Sent to: ian.murphy@tottenhamhotspur.com

Dear Sir

It is with a heavy heart I write to you today with regard to the online ticketing system.
I have in the last few months, come to hate the "lottery" that the system appears to apply to applications and feel if I do not raise it with you, you will be unaware of these issues.

As before, tickets are on sale at half past nine in the morning. Like everyone else I log on earlier than this to join the queuing system for a ticket. At one point the queuing bar jumped from 2/3 full back down to 1/3. I have no idea why. I finally was let in at around 10:30am (~2 hours queuing). This I would think, would be a good result. The map of the ground is before me and all orange. Orange is good - it means there is limited availability but not sold out. I only want 1 ticket so I should easily be able to get one.

This turns out not to be the case. Every block I select comes back with the response simlar to "you cannot buy that amount of tickets in this block". If there are no tickets left, the block should be red. If there are, I should be able to purchase one. Therefore I must assume that either there are seats reserved for sale at the ticket office, in which case they should be marked as sold on the website, or there are complex rules at work not wishing to seat only one person when it could perhaps seat 2 or 3 people next to each other. Can you please tell me which it is?

It is inordinately frustrating to spent 30 minutes clicking blocks trying to find an available seat on that system. It should not be this way and I would like to know if there are plans to make it more efficient and work better. Can you tell me what the plans are for the ticketing site, given that with Ticketmaster it is just shambolic. I cannot even select a seat that I might want - it is a pure lottery in terms of being able to get into the site, and then in terms of where I can sit. I presume this is again to enable larger groups to sit together. This is not acceptable to me and many fans however. I recommend that policy is rescinded. Can you comment?

I then jump on the popular forum, glory-glory.co.uk to find people not only in a similar boat, but worse off than I! Some talking about how they end up opening web browsers on more than one machine, and the latter machine is further in the queuing process than the one that has been queuing for an hour already! Then I hear someone logged in via their mobile phone at 09:35am and got straight in and secured 3 tickets!

I have no problem with a queuing system as long as it is fair and works. The current one clearly doesn't. Then, even when logged in it is nigh on impossible to purchase a ticket despite the site showing availability.

I am sure the Club are simply happy that again it is going to be another wonderful European night at the Lane and that it is sold out. The process of getting there is so arduous and disheartening to supporters however that it creates great depression and produces a lot of bad feeling towards the club. When we finally make a decision on what to do about a new stadia, and it is completed then hopefully this will mitigate people not getting seats but even so, it will not change the fact that the application process for tickets is shambolic and simply not good enough.

I hope you are able to respond to the points I raise here today, and that you have a good weekend.

best regards,
David Beamish
<member number>

Dear Mr. Murphy,

Another big match at White Hart Lane, another online ticketing farce. When it comes to high demand matches the current online ticketing system is not fit for purpose. It does not work. It's as simple as that.

I joined the online queuing system at 07:45 this morning. I did not get past the queue and into the site until 11:30 this morning. At around 09:15 when the progress bar indicated that I was nearly at the front of the queue, it reset itself to almost zero, for no reason.

I know several people who joined the queue over an hour after I did, yet they got to the front of the queue and were able to buy tickets long before me. This would not be possible if the system worked. I know several other people in the same boat as myself. The progress bar telling us our position in the queue is meaningless, it is random, it bears no semblance to reality.

Even if you are lucky enough to get past the queue, more pitfalls await. I spent nearly twenty-five minutes clicking on blocks which show as orange (indicating limited ticket availability) only to be told that no tickets were available when I did so. It was by sheer random luck that I happened to get a ticket in East Upper Block G, probably after the fifth or sixth time I had clicked on that block.

It cannot be right that loyalty points play no part when it comes to once in a lifetime fixtures such as our match with Real Madrid, or our match with AC Milan, which suffered a similar meltdown with the online ticketing system.

How can it be right that somebody with 400+ loyalty points, who has followed the club for years, has the same chance of getting a ticket as someone who may have bought a membership as a one off just to attend this glamour fixture and has no intention of going to another match until the likes of Real Madrid visit us again?

The current system shows loyal Tottenham fans, who have spent their money on the club for years, no respect at all. The way the club dismisses these concerns after every ticketing bungle gives the impression that the club does not care how loyal a fan is, just as long as there's someone there to step up and line the clubs pockets.

Surely the only fair way to sell tickets for these matches is on the same basis as away matches. Allow everyone who wants a ticket to apply, work out how many loyalty points are needed, and then allow everyone who exceeds that limit to purchase a ticket.

This would also have the effect of encouraging fans to attend the less glamorous fixtures in order to build up their loyalty points.

Obviously loyalty points would need to have some kind of time limit, otherwise it would be impossible for new members to catch up older members who have been attending matches for many years. I would suggest that at the start of each season any loyalty points over three years old be removed. That way, a new member can build up their loyalty points and within three seasons have just as much chance to get a ticket to the big games as long time loyal members.

At the very least, even if there is no change to take loyalty points into account, that the club looks into replacing the current online ticketing system with something much more robust. The server capacity clearly cannot handle the demand and strain placed on it and the design and implementation of the software is shoddy at best. It really does need to be changed for a better system.

Thank you for your time,

Yours faithfully,

EJG

From Twitter:

took me 115 calls and 6 pcs at work to get 2 tickets.. 15 mins before selling out. also, it wasn't 1st come 1st serve online as my colleague logged in 35 mins after me, and got in before me? - @Stevewfinch

Yes. Guy at ticket office said "this is why you should have supported move to Stratford". Hundreds there to hear it - @Shpates

From Spurs:

All available tickets for our forthcoming Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg tie with Real Madrid were sold out to One Hotspur Bronze and Lilywhite members within two hours of going on sale this morning (Friday).

We should like to thank all supporters for their patience as extended queuing times were experienced due to the unprecedented demand at the Ticket Office, on-line and via our Ticketmaster call centre service.

65,000 members were eligible to purchase a ticket, and at 9 30am this morning over 20,000 individual members were queuing on-line. We are aware that many fans will be extremely disappointed not to have been successful in acquiring a ticket. This demand shows the fantastic fan-base the Club has and we should like to thank you for your support.

Hands up if the steward who proclaimed "this is why you should have supported move to Stratford" should be stuck in a Gunnersaurus costume and pushed into the Park Lane toilets at half-time?

Only joking. Would never consider doing that. For a start nobody would see him from all the smoke.

There is no disputing we have a supply and demand issue and that moving to a new stadium is paramount. But this isn't about appeasing the masses. It's about having a system that isn't the equivalent of playing Gary Doherty and Ramon Vega in central defence. It's always been a complaint and today emphasis that fact tenfold.

It seems utterly random. If there are so many eligible people then perhaps the club can attempt to redefine the application process (which in this case was log in, hit, hope). Loyalty points perhaps. Building a 60,000 is hardly going to help unless we delay the fixture for five or so years. In all seriousness, if we were playing in a stadium twice the size of WHL as of right now, we'd still have fans applying and being made to pi** in the wind.

Fix the process, make it fair. Treat us like Tottenham fans not screaming teenagers after a JLS ticket.

If you haven't already, please visit Supporting our Future and complete the survey.

We, a group of supporters of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, intend to offer a practical proposal based on the opinions of the fans to resume development of a World Class football stadium worthy of the club and its ambition at our current home, White Hart Lane.

Have your say. We've all had something to moan about in the past six months, let's not all suddenly go quiet again until the next twist and turn rears it's head.

The Spurs Madrid El Clásico

For the fanboys.

Even in a computer game Tottenham Hotspur appear to retain that heart wrenching heart pulling heart beat skipping drama that the version in real life seem to own the copyright for. What am I mumbling about now? Sorry, should have introduced myself.

Hello, I'm Spooky. I'm a Football Manager addict.

And this is my personal all-time favourite heart in mouth epic from my current FM2011 save game. It's against Real Madrid. It's in the Champions League. First round knock-out. And the first leg is away.

Click on the images to expand and view the stats more clearly if FM porn turns you on.

1st leg - Bernabeu

Teams:

Inept display in the Bernabeu with just two shots on target and plenty of tippy-tappy possession that led to ineffectual movement in and around the box. Madrid, punishing and in control from start to finish, easily winning with a three goal margin thanks to decisive finishing. When they had a clear chance, they took it. Practically out of the competition at the final whistle, I'm sure most would agree.

 

 

2nd leg - White Hart Lane, N17

Teams:

If this was released on dvd, it wouldn't be. It wouldn't even be blu-ray. It could only be 3D. The most pulsating of games thanks mainly to my pre-match worries that concerned the question: What the heck can I do to win this game? Under the floodlights, at the Lane, fate made a very late appearance to turn the tie on it's head in a ridiculously impossible 'only Spurs' kinda way.

Allow me to explain chronologically:

Ronaldo gets sent off for petulance, early on in the 15th minute. Very nice of him to oblige. This inspired the team.
We proceed to absolutely batter them with possession play and shots on goal.
Aguero makes the break-through in the 33rd minute.
It's still 1-0 after 87 minutes. Even with over thirty efforts on goal, we simply cannot find a way through a resolute and battling Madrid side.
Magic by Neymar on the wing, crosses for Bale, who scores to make it 2-0 in the 88th minute. Too little too late?
Then masses of drama in injury time. Zapata is sent off for a second bookable offence about 15 yards outside the penalty area.
The resulting free-kick is floated into the box, where a Spurs player is pushed. Ref points to the spot. PENALTY!
The very definition of pressure. The Lane holds its breath.
Gourcuff steps up (having missed his three previous pens).
He scores, emphatically. 3-3, second minute of injury time. Believe!
Extra time.
Eleven men V nine men.
Time for a royal procession. van der Vaart corner from the left. Ledley header (109th minute) to make it 4-0.
van der Vaart corner from the right. Ledley header again (118th minute).
5-0. You hear that Franco? Your boys took one hell of a beating. 5-3 on agg.
I'm positively beaming at all the colourful on screen animated pixels and their almost better than life simulation of a football match (I did earlier cite the word 'addict').

 

 

Emotional glory. Madrid, ended. Thanks for watching.

Footnote: Went on to beat Leverkusen in the final, 4-1.

#2 International Break Diary II

We got Real Madrid

This is going to be epic.

The hard way is the only way is the Spurs way. Year ends in one. Chas'n'Dave reunited. Wembley final. Not so much about winning it, just creating crowing cockerels of history along the way. For as long as it lasts. And long may it continue. It's got to be enjoyed otherwise what's the point? It's a cliché, but anything can happen, which is why its better to believe and dream than to hide behind the fear. Even if it goes against our seasoned DNA as Spurs fans to be pessimistic. You can hardly not wear your heart on your sleeve for this particular occasion.

Wanted Madrid. Got them. Even managed to pencil in the potentially of Barca in the semi-final. The footballing Gods are either listening or mocking me, depending on how all this pans out. Romantic notions aside relating to glamour and Glory Glory nights, one thing is for certain, this is hardly going to be easy - which is when Spurs tend to deliver the unexpected.

Harry up against Jose. Zonal Marking might explode in it's preview. Away at the Bernabéu then back at the Lane. Madrid, flamboyantly brilliant going forward and expertly organised and drilled be it not the best defensively because of the offensive nature of their back four. But then when you power forward and score goals you hardly have to worry too much the defending. Something previous incarnations of Real Madrid teams basked in but often failed in the long run for their naivety and lack of emphasis on unity at the back.

Talking of their offensive nature; Marcelo, Di Maria, Ozil, Benzema, Ronaldo. Hardly a yard off the pace are they? Not too shabby with their set-pieces either.

What do we do to compete?

No containment, no deep lying soaking of pressure. We have to attack with intelligence, with bravado and belief. Bale, Modric, vdV - all key, as much as the player(s) who take responsibility with defensive duties in the middle. Enter the Sandro. Possession also vital. Madrid are no Barca but they will tear you up if you invite.

What makes it altogether more tricky is Jose is no mug to the English game and our players and has a 5-0* record against Redknapp. Be it in the EPL. This is where we find out aplenty regarding tactical astuteness and how much lady luck plays a part. He'll know exactly how to set up his team and what tempo to play the game at, both home and away. And no doubt if he gets the result he wants in Spain then he might go all Chelsea cira Jose in the return. Tactics aside, the true battle for me is man-management. And Harry v Jose is a colossus battle between two men who know how to get the best out of their players.

*Correct me if I've got that one wrong.

Also, keep a keen eye on the battle within the media. I expect overdrive in the stories linking Bale to the Bernabéu.

Teams? Possibly...

Casillas, Ramos, Pepe, Carvalho, Marcelo, Di Maria, Alonso, Khedira, Ozi, Ronaldo, Benzema

v

Gomes, Corluka, Dawson, Gallas, BAE, Lennon, Modric, Sandro/Hudd, Bale, van der Vaart, Crouch

Some of that. It's finally happening IRL rather than a Football Manager save game.

Play to our strengths Tottenham, play with width, pace and venom. The latter something we've lacked since Bale was injured but thankful he's returned just in time. They're going to come out wanting to hurt us and put the game beyond our means for the return visit in North London. So hurt them back we must. Midfield is the key and the less time players like Alonso have on the ball the better. We're going to have to be offensive by being defensive thus allowing for the offense. I'll work out exactly what I mean by that and come back to it in the build up to the game.

This is not a free-flowing finished article side we're up against. They have, much like us, imperfections. They just happen to have a tad more high end quality players. Just a tad. Enough to see off most of La Liga and Europe with inspirational moments of genius and cheek and devastating play at pace. Hard to beat, they can also dig out a result thanks to aforementioned genius with some added grit. Which is obviously a trait that Mourinho has added, that hard to beat quality. Something we're not too bad at either.

What allows me to have some faith in our chances is that because of expectations the pressure mounting on Jose and because of the style of play expected from their side - they can't shut up shop and play effective bland football much like we become accustomed too when he plied his trade in England. I know I'm slightly boxing in Chelsea of old there but his sides tend to be shrewd and cunning and ultimately frustrating for the beaten opposing side and sometimes the home fans too. Park the bus anyone?

Madrid are not bland but very much effective and as mentioned 'drilled'. They work more cohesively as a unit under Jose. Hence the reason why they are in the QF's for the first time in a number of seasons. They will attack. And that will suit us, as long as mental-shut downs like the one experienced against Inter in the Giuseppe Meazza are no more. Although - it pains me to even reference it - if we are finally out of our depth, it's no failure or disgrace to hold up our hands and gracefully accept our departure from this magnificent journey.

Concluding thoughts?

Loved Lineker during the draw. Made up for Rafa and his return. Not so made up for the colour shirt, shorts and socks we'll have to wear in the first game. We'll be drenched in history when we play all white in the second game under the floodlights back on home territory. A tradition inspired by that famous Madrid side that won it 5 times on the trot.

Simply put - we need to score away from home. And I reckon we will. Hold it together at the back. Frustrate them, get the home support on their backs. How did I start this article off?  

Anything can happen.

Two weeks to go and the hairs on the back of my neck have already ripped themselves away leaving broken skin behind and dancing their way to the top of my head.

It's going to be fantastic.

In other news. Apparently we've got a game on Saturday.