1^st May 2008 - Cheer Up, Jim There’s been a lot of negative comment on this site recently about Spurs and I have to say, I don’t really understand where it’s coming from. Sure, since we went out to PSV, with the exception of the West Ham game, it’s been sterile stuff. But we know the reason why – with the high of the Cup Final and the low of UEFA elimination, the players can’t quite manage to forget that these games really don’t matter. After any big high, it’s natural to take your foot off the gas and I guess that accounts for the abject home game against PSV. Personally, whenever I have achieved anything in life, my desire has been to then get hammered and take a holiday. I know they are paid millions but the players are still as psychologically flawed as the rest of us. Of course, at the “Big Four” clubs (shoot me if I ever use that misnomer again), one prize is not enough (that doesn’t really apply to Liverpool, but the Carling Cup is certainly not enough), but that sort of mentality develops through winning to the point where you’re not satisfied unless you win everything, and perhaps explains why their players are often such snarling, arrogant, and generally obnoxious c*nts. At Spurs, the players knew the Carling cup win had saved the season by guaranteeing European football and, as such, it was a case of job done. The difference between success and failure in football is actually determined by the player’s attitudes more than any other factor. If evidence were needed for this, you only need to look at the simple fact that the biggest determining factor as to who wins in any game between two relatively equal sides is who is at home. There is no reason for that at all except that the players have a different mentality in home games. And if that is somehow the product of the home support, then we, the fans, must carry some of the blame too because it’s not exactly electric most of the time (West Ham is an obvious exception and so the result followed). So it’s not difficult to see that the marginal difference in attitude that having nothing to play for makes is going to impact on results. I really don’t think there’s any reason to blame Ramos for that. Footballers may be thick, but they’re not so thick that they’re going to believe a meaningless game matters just because they’re told it does. In this context, I don’t think it’s a surprise that we’ve been blowing leads since the results stopped mattering since maintaining motivation becomes harder as the game drags on. (Of course, we’ve been doing it all season as well but that’s another story). Our editor, Jim Duggan, has been quite scathing in some of his comments on Ramos. Personally, I am delighted with him. I won’t pretend to understand all his substitutions, but the fact is he takes risks, takes them early, and by and large, they work. Of course, if the players’ attitude isn’t 100%, his substitutions are going to be less effective and that’s what we have seen. But it’s a far cry from Jol’s predictable and ineffective changes. And as for some his comments, such as how he is known as “The Perfect One”, I would say that firstly, he was probably making some sort of joke that was lost in translation, and that, reading between the lines, he probably meant “The Perfectionist”. He strikes me as frank and intelligent and I prefer his slightly abstract musings than Jol’s tired cliches and insipid comments about how “we must do better”. It was interesting to read Kaboul’s recent outburst about how Ramos is only interested in tactics and he doesn’t talk to the players, while Jol was like a father figure to the players. I was pleased to hear it. It’s exactly the sort of arm’s length management style that the players need as it’s been quite clear for some time that too often the players have been playing in a comfort zone. And I think he showed at the Cup Final that he is capable of mixing with players when he thinks it appropriate. And when Levy spoke of Ramos being “obsessed with winning”, I think he was really contrasting Ramos’ approach to that of Jol who was always playing down expectation, while Ramos is not happy unless his side wins. It’s the same way Ferguson, Wenger and Mourinho approach the game. It is, at the very least, a breath of fresh air to go into any game, no matter who the opposition, with a realistic expectation of at least being competitive and at best coming away with victory.

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It never easy to tell whose idea our singings are but in Woodgate and Hutton we look to have a got a couple of high-quality first team regulars and since Ramos has picked them for every game it would seem fair to say he was fully behind those transfers (perhaps in contrast to Gilberto). We needed such signings last summer instead of spending £30m on squad players. In fairness to Jol, I get the impression he wanted Kaboul, was indifferent about Bent, and didn’t fancy Boateng. But obviously the penny had dropped by Christmas and the board realised the quality of the squad they had expected to compete for CL qualification just wasn’t as good as they thought it was. Jim has also been pretty scathing about the board over the years, but I have to say, I really have few complaints. Of course, getting caught talking to Ramos was ugly as was the ensuing silence, the belated statement which pretty much humiliated Jol, the subsequent look warm vote of confidence, and his leaked sacking. PR has never been their strong point. But in fairness, they were right to line-up Ramos, and with hindsight it went largely unappreciated what a coup it was to get one of the most sought after managers in Europe, and what a statement of ambition that was. And I would rather the club secretly lined-up a manager’s successor in advance, albeit that they got caught, than the usual farce of a sacking followed by a search for “the right man” that we have seen time and time again in the past. The answer to the question of why Ramos came to Spurs rather than hold out for a more high-profile job perhaps lies in the ambition of the board, not to mention the “dizzying offer”. Spurs have been amongst the heaviest spenders through pretty much every transfer window since Arnesen, Santini and Jol arrived. And rather than showing signs of abating, that seems set to hit a new level. With the start of the window still two months away, £16.5m has been spent on Modric, who if the newspapers are to be believed, was on the shortlist of just about everyone who’s anyone (I’ve only seen him playing against England, obviously). He is at least a big name, and most importantly he’s a midfielder which, for me, is the weak link in the squad. I’d like to see three more, with our current troupe of Lennon, Malbranque, Jenas and Zokora relegated to squad players. That may be a bit much to expect in one transfer window, especially in terms of finding high quality wingers, but it’s a statement of intent, and just as Spurs moved for Ramos and Hutton early, the board have shown they’re not only concerned to wait until deadline day to try and force a bargain and are prepared to get ahead of the game. Apart from a new goalkeeper, there’s not a lot else wrong with the rest of the first XI, with Bale to return. Of course, if Berbatov goes that will leave a void that will be difficult to fill, but I’m optimistic that it’s not outside the realms of possibility that the club would be in a position to muster up a top quality replacement. Or at least they wouldn’t sanction a move without one. I would certainly miss his flair, and his goal tallies, but not his attitude, work rate, or graceless comments regarding his future and those of his horrible agent. If further evidence of the board’s ambition was needed, we are assured that the club will soon announce its preferred option on the future of the stadium. If the noises are correct, we’re going to be moving across Paxton Road. To me, if the alternative is to have to play elsewhere in the meantime while WHL were redeveloped, this is the best possible outcome. While it would be a shame to demolish the old stadium, at least we’ll still be in the same place instead of travelling to some soulless white elephant in an Enfield industrial estate, and we’ll avoid having to squat at The Emirates or Upton Park (my preference would actually be for the former since I think I’d rather cancel my season ticket than go to the depths of East London for every game and it’s not as though we have a better relationship with West Ham fans). A new stadium will enable us to pay the sorts of wages which we will inevitably have to if we are to attract the very best players. I’m not fussed if ENIC ultimately want to sell their stake and that’s what is driving them. It’s a plc and the ownership is always going to be open to offers. Nor am I fussed by their dubious rights issue by which they gained control of the club – I don’t think it’s a co-incidence that it is since then the serious investment in the squad began. I’m not even fussed about Levy’s slight speech impediment. And I’m not oblivious to the fact that the club is always trying to squeeze money out of us any which way it can for giving us what we used to get at a 10^th of the price, and that the PR stinks, and that the beer tastes like piss, and that the policing and stewarding is at times idiotic, and we’ll have to deal with a new level of being ripped-off at a new stadium. But that’s the face of modern football, and, as they say, if you can’t beat them, join them. I’m fed up with being amongst the also-rans and above everything else I just want to see Spurs mixing it at the top again and breaking the cartel which has usurped the rightful place of our grand old club. And I’m more optimistic than I’ve ever been that the pieces are coming in to place for us to do it.* *I reserve the right to retract all of the above if we have a shit start to next season. Slabber

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