Ed. : - Valid points in the lack of morality in circling over a man in a job already, but who said the game was about morals.  The board have shown that by seeking a replacement for a man they hadn't actually told anyone was up for the chop.
Klinsmann would want to be his own man, as would Mourinho.  Whether either of them would contemplate working with Comolli or appreciate the chairman putting his two pennyworth in is doubtful. 
Like you, Jol should be there at least until the end of the season and I would like to see him in the same place next season.  Why invest in the side if you intend to get rid of a manager a few months into the season ??
The players support him, the fans support him, so that only leaves the board who don't !!  What makes you think this is about money then ??

Ed : - Ola, don't jump on the Jol Out bandwagon just yet !!!!  And is it a Norwegian type commentator rant "John Scales, Kevin Scott, Ramon Vega, Paolo Tramezzani, Stuart Nethercott ... your boys took a hell of a beating" ??  Seriously, the team will be fine when they settle and get some points under their belt.  We have faced a team just up from the Championship, who, yes, we all think we should beat, but they were keen (no pun intended) to put down a marker in their first game.  Then Everton, who are the sort of annoying side Tottenham do not like to play, but Osman came out and said it is the best they have played in three years !!  It is early days and things might pick up sooner than you think, especially when we have some injured players back.

Ed : - Hello to you in the US, Steve.  The defence has been a problem in the last season and missing Ledley King for long periods was a big loss.  With injuries to the full backs too, it resulted in players being employed there who do not usually play in those positions ... including Hossam Ghaly and Didier Zokora.  There should be a big enough squad to cover the injuries this season, but defence starts from the front and Bent will chase down opposition defenders and the midfield will need to shut down space to stop the other side playing through.
As for the Ham Academy, let's face it, Hollywood BECKons the ham actor/actress !!

Ed : - Thanks VRock.  I thought it was just me that noticed that many of the TalkSport presenters are anti-Spurs (Paul Hawksbee excepted).  Adrian Durham is as bad, even though he strangely was sticking up for the bloke who ran onto the pitch by saying the Chelsea players had some responsibility not to incite the crowd (even though he said that running onto the pitch was wrong !!). 

One thing you have to remember is that they have to wind people up to get the m to phone in otherwise they don't have a show.  Having said that, we can always turn over or turn off !! 

Ed. : - There are "fans" who call the phone-in shows, who are an embarrassment to the supporters of Tottenham Hotspur.  These people represent only their own view and the need to be controversial seems to me to overcome their rationale about all things Tottenham.
Martin Jol is the best manager we have had in quite a while.  He is not perfect, but he has a young squad, who are learning as he is learning.  Mistakes are how you learn sometimes and however painful that might be there are only a limited number of teams who can go for long periods without something going wrong.  Look at Chelsea this season ... crisis.  Look at Arsenal earlier this season ... crisis.  Look at Real Madrid ... crisis for three years now.  All bigger clubs in terms of money and winning things than Spurs in the last ten years, but no divine right to win every game.
There are positives to be taken from a lot of games this season.  The away games, not so many, but the lessons need to be learned fast if we are to make the jump into the top six on a regular basis.
We still cannot beat the top four consistently.  We cannot beat lowly teams away from White Hart Lane.  We fail to show the attacking flair of the top sides which says, " We will play the game our way and you will have to deal with us", rather than try to stop the other side playing and hoping for a draw.
It will come with experience and with confidence.
Whether all the "fans" are willing to wait that long, who knows ??

Ed : -  Looks like Didier is finally giving us Spurs fans something to sing about.

In light of Zakora choosing us over Arsenal, to welcome him how about, to the tune of Arsenal's "Viera" ... here goes ...
"Zakora ... Zakora ..., he's lethal on the ball, he turned down Arsenal"

Sebastian Gardiner

Ed : - Nice one.  It might just catch on !!

Am I being cynical or just realistic when I look at the imminent transfer of Carrick to Mau U ?

Let’s face it the entire premiership are just feeder clubs to the top four.  As much as we hate to admit it, the chances of us breaking into the CL places this year are not that great, I can’t see the arse having such a bad season again and although we can improve on our performances last year, we will be lucky to finish higher than last season.

Good players want to play CL football and although we don’t like to think about it , we have four players who should be playing in this competition (Robbo, Ledley, Lennon and Dawson), the question is how long will they hang around. They are all on long contracts, but if the offers of £15m+ came in, the club would be hard pressed to refuse.

We are not the only victims of big clubs plundering our stars, we have done our fair share of pillaging of the smaller clubs.

The frustration for us fans is that we see some improvement and hope to build on it next year, only for our play maker to be tempted away.  If we fans ran the club, we would lock MC in a dark room and horse whip him till he signed a new contract, unfortunately I don’t run the club, and the people who do want to see a profit first and trophies second.  

You wait, this season we will teach Aaron Lennon to cross a ball and next year he’ll be gone to one of the top four.

Cheers
Zunk

Ed. : - The signing of Zokora has brought the papers out in a rash of headlines spouting that this means Carrick will be on his way, but he might actually benefit from the arrival of the Ivory Coast midfielder.  With Zokora sitting behind him, he is freer to get forward and score more than he has this season.  With Zokora there, it will be more of an advantage if we can keep Carrick than him playing behind a pile of £15 million notes.
With Davids' age meaning he will not be able to play all the games in the coming season, the need for a sitting midfielder is utmost and Davids on the left, Zokora at the back of a diamond, Carrick at it's point and Lennon on the right, there is enough attacking intent to make a go of it.
BUT, if Carrick is sold, then who do we replace him with for £15 million ?  Anyone who we might go for would be more than likely to catch Chelsea's eye and they can outbid anyone for a player.  In my view, it would be better to keep Carrick unless he says he won't sign a new contract.  Then we would be forced to sell him.

Owen Linard

Ed. : - Rebrov scored a cracker and then did little else ... so similar to his Spurs career !!
He wasn't treated particularly well, but isn't that the way it goes when one manager inherits another's players.  Spurs never played to his strengths and he did not relish the physical side of the English game, so it looked like the partnership with Shevchenko was the main strength.
I wish him well, but we had better not meet Dynamo Kiev in European action any time soon !!

Dear MEHSTG,

I've never contacted you before, but now find myself very concerned about Man Utd's reported £10m bid for Carrick.

BBC are reporting ( http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/5066204.stm) that Spurs have rejected a £10m bid & have told MUFC they'll need to double their offer.

I think this is a mistake. We shouldn't sell him for any price - particularly to a team we hope to be challenging soon. Do you think they'd sell us Wayne Rooney if we offered any amount of money. I expect most fans feel the same. Man Utd have a history of going to any length to get their  man, i.e. getting Ruud Van Nistelrooy to kick up a row when he was at PSV and MUFC wanted him.

So, perhaps you could put something on your website urging fans to contact the club to let them know we don't want to sell Carrick at any price. I have already done this, and any fan can too at email@tottenhamhotspur.com

Many thanks,

Edmund Meredith

Ed. : - I think the club had no immediate need to sell Carrick, but the opportunity to make £17 million on a player they have had for two years might be too great to pass up.  However, what the club then have to think about is how much it will cost to replace him with a similar or better player.  Jol seems keen on Carrick and with others having signed longer contracts, it might be possible to talk him around to staying.  It would have been a whole lot easier with Champions League football on offer, but that is another argument !!

Hi again MEHSTG,

I read with interest the situation with regard to Ledley's new contract offer. Of course, nobody really knows the 'ins and outs' of it all and all we get is paper talk, which is as reliable as Michael Owen's fitness.

However, I'd like to make an observation.  Ledley king has been a colossus since S.Cumball's exodus.  To  my mind he is the best centre half in England and I include Terry and Ferdinand in that. Of course, we can't let any player hold us to ransom and a wage structure is important to any club.  But for me, no Spurs player is more deserving of the best deal this club can afford.

He is so consistent it is unreal. His distribution, his passing and tackling, his composure and his leadership are all outstanding. More recently he seems to be finding the net with greater regularity and I think that there is more potential that area. In short, along with Robbo, he is the most indispensable player we have.  We should be bending over backwards to keep him.  Do we really want to be turning to Davenport or Gardner ? Our side needs Ledley King to lead it to greatness.  Let's not see another Sol episode ... please !

Yours truly,
The Dazzler

Ed : - Ledley is not S.Cumball.  He is Spurs through and through and can probably see the writing on the wall at Arsenal.  Why leave a team on the up for a team on the way down ?  As the club captain and someone who knows what the team are capable of, I cannot foresee Ledley leaving Tottenham for a long while.

Dear MEHSTG,

Re: Raziak.

Ok. I agree that we should never boo our own and there is no excuse for that.   The guy tries hard, but is quite simply a fish out of the proverbial and needs to be put out of his misery and loaned out to Grimsby or somewhere equally remote.  I respect Martin Jol enormously, but I just don't get it.  How does this guy manage to fit into our young exciting side.  He's simply isn't good enough.  I have seen very little of Lee Barnard, but surely he's got to be better than this.  Bringing Sheri back would have been better than this. 

The Pole, who lives up to that name, he is sooooooo static it is unbelievable.  Please, somebody tell me what he has contributed in the matches he's played in this season.  He looks slow, rigid and clumsy.  He is crap in the air and he cannot seem to hold the ball up. Most notably, he hasn't come close to scoring.    We sold Freddie for this fella.  Now, whatever anyone thought of Kanoute, he did give us something different and won the ball in the air occasionally. 

I have a terrible feeling that we are going to blow the promise of this season, if Raziak is the best we can play up front supporting Keane or Defoe for any period.  On the plus side, he really does emphasise just how good Mido has been this season.  Hurry back soon ! 

The Dazzler

Ed : -  Not every manager has a 100% record in the transfer market, but Jol has a better record than others.  Rasiak might be one of his blind spots, but like you, I find it hard to imagine that he is playing him because he believes that he gives us something different.  I rate Barnard, Jol might not.  He picks the team not me, but at the very least Barney might be worth a spot on the bench to provide a different option.  With another big striker not arriving during January, perhaps the youngster might (or might have to be) called upon.

Dear MEHSTG,

Is it just me or does Gooner Alan Smith seem to be on every time we are on Sky TV these days ?  Like that woman in "Man Stroke Woman", he "just can't say we look nice" can he ?

The way we are performing is much more entertaining than the boring Gooner machine he was part of that was so successful, but now things have to be done differently to that ... according to him. 

Every other club seem to get an old boy reviewing the match, but not us, we get Smith and Gooner Graham in the studio.  Only the defection of Jamie Redknapp to Sky helps us out.

I am all for balance, but the unbalanced coverage of our games is really pissing me off.

Martin Simpson.

Ed. : - I don't know why Sky do it.  A Gooner in the production team perhaps ?  Someone who doesn't like Spurs definitely, but why not give Gooner games to ex-Spurs players then ?  Perhaps our old boys have more sense !!

Hiya Mate,

Can I have a general moan please, thanks.

I watched the Boro game on Sky and was mortified when my viewing pleasure was interrupted by Sky showing the Arse coach arriving at Highbury and all the graffiti on the wall ... So what?

Well when Charlton take on the Arse on Sky will we watch the Villa team bus arrive at Villa Park ?  No, I don't think so.

The beautiful game played by the beautiful team live on the box on a Sunday afternoon is a wondrous thing and I don't need it interrupted by some second rate has been team arriving ready for the slaughter.

Apart from that life is grand!

Merry Chrimbo etc
Steve White

PS Copy of this has gone to Sky.

Ed. : -  I know what you mean.  It was all "Well, because of all the injury time, we will be going straight to Highbury at the final whistle" and banging on and on about an inconsequential club who are in eighth place.  So what, the Spurs game was a much more action packed event and although it didn't feature the top side, there are other teams in the Premier League and this is what Sky forgets sometimes.
I've seen some graffiti on their wall that was better than the nits they kept showing ;0)
For more Sky gripes, see above.

Hi Wyart

Have to say, I'm a little torn on the Jenas issue.  He sometimes looks so pacy and strong and seems to glide past opponents.  Then he'll have 10 mins when he'll give the ball away so badly, it beggars belief.  We need to give him time and remember that Martin Jol has improved the individual performances of almost all the side in his short tenure.    I think JJ will come good if he is given the chance.  Mind you, we've seen what happens when Martin loses faith (see Kelly, Reid and Raziak).

I think Stalteri has improved, but he is never gonna go past players in the way we need him to.  Kelly will get his chance.

I don't get the animosity that Pyo-Young Lee seems to attract.  He's not that bad.  Our expectations have gone through the roof and everyone seems to expect perfection.  He's so much better than what we've had to deal with in the past and he's still adjusting.  I wish he was more left footed, but there ain't many great left backs out there that we can afford.   After all those years of Treacle running about like a nutter, I'd take the South Korean every time (though I too was mystified by Edman's exit). 

Keane is great and we all love him.  Bit does anyone really think he should be in ahead of Defoe ? Jermain will be class once he learns to watch the line more.  He gets caught offside too much, but his class is there for all to see.  He conjures things up out of nowhere and when he came on against Portsmouth, you just knew he'd do something.  

Edgar is pure class.  End of story.

Finally, can I just reserve some praise for Michael Dawson, who has been overlooked because of Ledley's superb form this year.  The two of them are just a different class, but in Dawson's case he has only been in the Premiership a few short months. How good is he going to be in 3-4 years ?  He looks every inch an England centre half of the future. 

The future looks so bright, and all we need now is the silverware (and the capacity to let a few more fans watch the boys kick Arsenal's arse).

Best wishes and Merry Christmas
The Dazzler

Ed. : -  I think Jenas is class, but needs to get involved in the game for a greater percentage of the time.  He is still settling, but has shown enough to promise more for the future.  I bet the Gooners would have loved someone like him in their midfield at the moment !!
Stalteri has the edge over Kelly in experience at the moment, but needs to improve his crossing, the same with Lee really.  Skillful and with a bit of pace, but needs to find the better final ball.
Agree on Defoe and Davids, with Dawson being enormous since establishing himself in the side.

Dear MEHSTG,

A note to Martin Jol ... if he drops Jenas,  Stalteri and Keane to be replaced by Lennon, Kelly and Defoe who then can stop us ?  

That said, I still have total belief in the Dutchman and lets face it "he knows the coup."  Plus does anyone agree that Edgar is here for the easy money ?  Funny way to earn your easy money ehh ?  We deserve something this year for his attitude alone.  JJ - watch and learn young man and be aware of the legend that is Jason Dozzell.          

Sean Kelly, by e-mail

Ed. : - Not sure if you mean Edgar is or isn’t here for the easy money.  His work-rate in phenomenal and I think this is what you mean with your reference  to Jenas.  JJ does get through a lot of work and although not all of it is channelled at the moment.  He has shown he can do it, he just needs the consistency. 
About the changes, I would hope we don’t let Kelly go and now Defoe has hi goal against Pompey, I hope he comes good again.  I feel Lennon and Routledge might share the wide right role from now on and that is no bad thing, as it keeps them both fresh to take on the opposition.  

Hi Wyart,

I just wanted to share my pleasure at the praise Ledley is receiving following his excellent performances for England this week.  We’ve seen him grow from a boy into a man and now leader of men.  Not only is he a wonderful player, he comes over as genuinely unassuming, as thoughtful and modest in his comments and behaviour off the pitch as he is decisive and commanding on it.  

What a refreshing contrast with the rent-a-quote, over-hyped so-called media friendly players, grabbing every once of media attention in order to improve their profile and advertising potential.  Its wonderful to see the rest of the country giving him the recognition he richly deserves.

He's one of ours!

Regards,
Alan Fisher

Ed : - Ledley is Spurs through and through and hopefully, his loyalty to the club will be rewarded with a place in Champions League heaven ... unlike other players who have left to join big clubs or those which will pay them more.

Dear Wyart,

I watched AFC Newbury, where Martin Keown is beginning his coaching career, at Wimborne in the Wessex league on Saturday. His team lost - see if you can guess the final score. Was it a) 0-1 b) nil-one or c) zero-one.

All the best
Elfrid

P.S. I thought about cracking a joke about the fact that there's a theme park called Monkeyworld near here. But then I thought that would be a cheap shot so decided not to mention it.  

Ed : - A home from home then for old "Chimp".

Spurs win the Peace Cup, beat the French champions 3-1.  Spurs go to Grimsby.  Three players from the Peace Cup game played in that game.  Where were the rest ?  

What's the point of pre-season games ?  OK, to get mach fit.  Also to get a settled side.  Yes, there are injuries, but to buy new players and put them straight into the side.  Why ?  We needed a proven goal-scorer; a tall man, but a last minute panic buy from derby !?!  Last year's Goal of the Season ... the player gone.  The player who scored the winning goal against Man U at Old Trafford frozen out.  Edgar is a great buy but how many games will he play when he is not injured or banned ?  

We are the greatest club in the world bar none. 
There's a few questions that need looking at. 

Spurs for fifty years.
L T Walters

Ed : - Well ,a lot of people are asking where Mendes is, but his story in the papers last week that said he wanted to leave might not endear him to Martin Jol, although we might need him with Carrick's injury.  The striker situation had to be resolved and I am sure Rasiak might only be a short term buy, but the side have lacked the fluency they showed in Korea and it might be that the injuries to Routledge and now Carrick will upset that pattern of play further.  We ill find out in the next two weeks until Carrick is back.

Hello,

As Wyart knows from the past, I am one Spurs fan who always has problems and looks to his favourite club for a brief escape, a distraction.  I've fallen head over heels in love with a girl at work, we've been out and had a lot of fun.  However, she's a flirt and is in the process of driving me insane.  I quit drinking a year ago and so I've tried hard, but am really depressed again.

I've paid great attention to Spurs last season and again this pre-season, with so many exciting signings in addition to an already strong squad.  I was particularly buoyed by the arrival of Davids, but it's fast become clear that he's well over the hill.  That bubble burst against Chelsea.

We've had bad luck with Routledge, losing him so soon to injury but little Lennon really looks the business, every bit as dangerous going forward with that pace.

I think that Jol blundered all over on Tuesday but especially with Lennon, who should've been on for fatboy Reid at half-time.  Carrick should've been rested instead of being risked and now he misses the Fulham game.  I felt that Davis was better suited to that type of opposition and did well, until that headed mis-clearance.

I was shocked that the hopeless Michael Brown got the nod over Mendes and Tainio.  He did what he's always done; ran, ran and ran around like a headless chicken, to no effect.  Almost every pass of his went back to Grimsby and put them right back on the counter, which they did surprisingly well throughout the 90 minutes.  I said to the boys at work that we'd have been better with 10-men, cos our best attacks didn't involve Brown at all.  Bloody useless and hope that Jol has finally realised this.

Reid wasn't much better and I'm really beginning to worry about us letting Ziegler go out on loan, as we've now only got Halfredsson as a direct replacement with no experience. Davids is no winger and should only feature in a holding role as he's no longer an attacking force.

Reid still looks unfit, overweight and increasingly out of his depth, despite having all summer to get himself sorted.  He's struggling and, at £4m, it is a big worry. There are other Spurs fans losing faith in the Irish fatboy.

As for all this b******s about Defoe and Keane not gelling, at £7m each, they should both have the individual skills to undo League Two opposition, so maybe one or both need to be dropped, as a lesson.

I don't rate Lee Barnard but maybe he deserves a chance at the top level.

Our defence.  This is where we should be water-tight, with all the differing talents.  King is still unfit, so I'll forgive his horror show and Naybet is 36, but made vital interceptions all night.

Lee Young-Pyo is decent but, like Jenas, needs time to integrate with the squad, having missed our well-oiled pre-season.

However, there is another man who's gonna get his ass caned now and that is Paul Stalteri.  I'm not convinced and we are missing Kelly's rampaging runs down the right flank.  I feel sorry for Kelly as he didn't do much wrong last season to be dumped for Stalteri, the new Pamarot.

The one man that has never let us down is Robbo, the E.N.O, and we are very lucky that he is ours.  I have rambled on for too long so I'll finish with my starting 11 and prediction for the Fulham game.
The formation is 4-4-2 and the team is:
Robinson, Kelly, King, Huddlestone, Pyo, Lennon, Davis, Davids, Reid, Mido and Keane, with Defoe, Cerny, Barnard, Tainio and Naybet, warming the bench.  No place for Rasiak, who I find a little too static and no room for Mendes, who might be sulking and is already resigned to leaving us.

As we know, Jol has stuffed a rocket up each of his players asses and everyone, especially Reid, knows that anything less than 100% won't get us the 3 points. I take Spurs to win this 2-0.
Thank you for your time and patience, I feel a lot better now.

Sean Jackson

Ed : - What more can I say than I hope the romance goes better than Spurs did on Tuesday !!

Here we go again - another season of promise melting like snow on a hot stove - and not even into October.

Has big Jol lost the plot or become mesmerised by the wealth of mediocre talent he has assembled.

Is Stalteri really better than Kelly or Lee better than Edman?  Not in my book.   Can Jenas play on the right side?  Again not in my book.

The partnership of Keane and Mido devastated Olympic Lyon but surprisingly not chosen to tackle the Premiership.

Next Monday will be the acid test.  If we cannot beat Fulham we have no chance of claiming a Euro spot.

Tony Pawson

Ed : - It is hard to see what has changed that much.  Yes, Mido and Keane are not tried at Premiership level, but it appears that Defoe will always be first choice.  Has the introduction of Davids altered the team structure that much ?  You would have thought he would have added to it.  I think some of the problem id the constant change in the team and the lack of a settled midfield.  With that might come the creation of more chances, which will surely lead to more goals ... or am I just a hopeless (rather than a new) romantic ??

As a true and loyal Spur, it is difficult to admit that anything red should be admired or congratulated, but I must admit that the new stadium being built for the Gooners appears to be very nice.  Whilst admitting that it is
nice, I must point out that we are mispronouncing the name of the building.

The spelling is EMIRATES, but the pronunciation of the word is HAEMMORHOIDS stadium.  This must be correct as Haemorrhoids are naturally associated with the ARSEnal.

Therefore from now on could all loyal Spurs fans try hard to suppress their dislike of all things red and show a little respect for the men from the Emirates stadium and pronounce the name correctly, Haemorrhoids.

Thank you for your attention.

Glory Glory Tottenham Hotspur

David Potter

Ed : - Let's hope this deal doesn't provide them with piles of cash !!

Can anyone explain why Spurs seem to be (over the last ten years and still continuing) the most injury prone club in the Premiership.

Is it the training, medical staff or what ?

Maurice Freeman

Ed : - If we could explain that we would be rich !!  With the fitness staff, the physio staff and the medical staff all having changed a number of times over the recent past, I am not sure it is them.  With the management and coaching staff having changed, it can't be that.  So it must just be a curse !!
But seriously, it does appear that the club have had more than their fair share of injuries, but with improved rigour in pre-signing medicals, you would hope that only the fittest specimens turn out for THFC, but it still seems that injury strikes.  Perhaps a sponsorship with a cotton wool manufacturer might help !!

Hi MEHSTG,

In my 35 years as a regular at the Lane I can’t remember possessing a greater sense of anticipation as a season approaches. For the first time in a long while we have quality in every position and strength in depth throughout the squad.

Our attacking traditions have often been used in the past as an excuse for an inability to defend, but Robinson, King and a hard working midfield form a solid base, around which creativity from Carrick, Defoe and Keane can flourish and prosper.  Davids, Mendes and Stalteri bring experience, and I have high hopes for the highly promising Dawson and Kelly, as well as newcomers like Routledge and Lennon.

This optimism and motivation emanates from the club as well as the fans, and it feels more substantial than the usual pre-season platitudes.  For the vast majority of the squad, coming to Spurs is a step up, as opposed to the policy of, say, Middlesboro, Newcastle and Birmingham who are prepared to invest heavily in players unwanted by their previous employers.  Even Keano has forsaken his career goal of achieving a hefty signing on fee every two years.  Perhaps most significantly, the same can be said for our manager.  Whether he got there by accident or design, as head coach Jol presents as a determined, able leader, intent on proving himself through his young team.

That said, there is plenty of work ahead.  The team needs time to gel and to play as a unit, rather than a group of disparate individuals, and about the only time I agree with the interminable droning of TV pundits is when they say there is no substitute for experience.  The tactics have to be right, in particular how we get the ball to our excellent strikers.  Last season I felt Defoe and Keane were poorly served in this respect.  They like the ball to feet in and around the box and there were a lack of through balls into the channels.  Also, it’s pointless having wingers if Kanoute and the midfielders hang around the edge of the area instead of driving through to get on the end of crosses.

Above all, this team feels like it is ours.  I know many have been brought in, but the crowd’s encouragement has apparently been genuinely appreciated amongst the players and manager; witness Robinson and Jol’s comments at the end of the season.  We’ll be around to see this team develop and learn, but in the process don’t forget that the growing pains will inevitably lead to setbacks.  There will be pressure on players during the game, because the wealth of talent on the bench will cause the crowd to call for substitutions if games don’t go according to plan early on.  We must be patient, but if we are I believe we will be rewarded, if not this season then in the years to come.  My excitement and anticipation extends beyond this season into the future.  We could be in at the start of something special.  

Thanks to everyone at MEHSTG for such a consistently entertaining and informative site. Have a good season!

Alan Lewis

Ed : - Your views are echoed by many Spurs fans and as a supporter of a similar vintage, I am also buoyed by the team's construction.  Solid foundations to build from and some flying buttresses to provide support for the uppermost parts.  Jol is building a future and that includes some current completions, with the elements of the whole coming together nicely.  
And most of all it will be a joint effort between the fans and the players, as we are all in this together.  That will make the success all the more enjoyable when it arrives.

Wyart,

I'm quite pleased by the signing of a great player such as Edgar Davids. I do feel sorry for Sean Davis, who's only just won back his fitness, and also for dear Michael Brown, who always tried his best but simply wasn't classy enough. I'd say that Carrick is slightly ahead of Mendes at the moment but I feel that anyone of Davis, Carrick, Tainio and Mendes could partner Davids in midfield. I reckon that we just might nick fourth spot.

Sean Jackson

Ed : - That would be nice, but once more, I think an improvement on last season will be viewed as success and Davids will be a major factor in our progress in the 2005-06 season.

Just wanted to say that Spurs were bloody terrific today against the French league champions and European Cup regulars, Lyon.

We won 3-1 and a big reason for that was that man Mido, someone who really should be attracting interest from the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and the big boys.

Instead, he's on loan at Spurs and seems to be enjoying it.  I'd strongly urge Jol to sign him permanently before the other teams start to notice a fantastic player.

Mido's passing was 100% and his crossing was first-class, as Keano will tell you.

Whichever small man gets the nod, they should always be paired with Mido.  I say get rid of Kanoute.  He doesn't score enough and simply doesn't care either and had his chance to impress last season.

He failed.  I think that El Hamdaoui could be the fourth striker and Yeates is also in the running. Whatever happens, I think that we can challenge for fourth because we have better strikers than Liverpool, Everton, Boro, Bolton and Newcastle, not to mention the best keeper and defence of the lot.  All it takes is for our midfield to keep doing the business and we're in the money. 

Sean Jackson

Ed : - Jol seems to be pairing Mido/Defoe and Kanoute/Keane.  All have been scoring in pre-season and, as you say, this is in no small way attributable to the midfield providing the ammo.  Mido looks better now he has slimmed down and he has asked to be judged on a full season, so let's see what happens.  Roma need the money, but might want to auction him to the highest bidder.

Hi - with regard to queries on this, the game at Loftus Road was played on a bone-hard pitch, 15 February 1969. I was there as a chilled-to-the-marra thirteen year old.

Think I'm right in saying that Spurs no.9 shirt that day was worn by an ex-Gooner winger called David Jenkins. I used to bump into him in the mid-80s at a local hostelry, and funnily enough this game came up in conversation. Jimmy Greaves did indeed equalize, in dubious circumstances. When asked for a quote about it afterwards, JG said 'the referee gave a goal; I never argue with the referee's decision.'  

Paul Gibbens, Radstock near Bath

Dear Wyart and Jon from Streatham,

The Greavesie equaliser came quite late on I think. I was eleven at the time and did not go to the game. Being young and living in south west London my White Hart Lane season ticket was still a few years away, but I remember this because my mate who idolized Greavesie was taken to the game by his Dad, also a Spurs supporter. Being 0-1 down they did that puzzling thing whatever the score, left before the end. As they were crossing the car park they heard a roar and found out that the equaliser had been scored by JG when they got home.

All the best
Elfrid

I can indeed confirm that you are right Jon. I too was at that game (Jimmy was my hero).  Indeed, QPR also had Les Allen playing for them! In the return at Spurs, which we won 3-2, Philip Beal scored his one and only goal FOR Spurs (all his others were own goals !).

I started going to Spurs in 1962, missing only 2 Home matches in 23 years between 1964 and 1987. In fact in those years I also attended every Spurs match in Great Britain from 2nd September 1967 (Burnley 5 Spurs 1) to 1st January 1974 away to Leeds.  That included every League, Cup and friendly match. 

Does anyone remember being at Dunfermline and Motherwell in the Texaco Cup in 1970 ? If anyone else is interested about reminiscing about those days, I'm your man.  

I still went to most away games after that as well until 1987. 

By the way I also followed Spurs everywhere in the UEFA Cup 1971-1972, including a trip to Iceland!

Peter Coady

This is my first visit to the site after reading an old copy of MEHSTG from Sportspages in London.  Feeling slightly nostalgic, and, having listened to an old Spurs fan on the local London radio I am moved to ask other like minded souls out there if they can back up my recollections of an away match back in the 60s, We were playing QPR away and had just signed Roger Morgan from the Rs.  Now, a one Danny Kelly - former editor of NME - claims that this match ended as an away victory for the super soaraway Spurs (as we were then...well sort of..), but, I claim that it did indeed end as a 1-1 draw. 

Can anybody settle this ? 

Well we could just get some statistics going here, but where's the fun in that ? 

Actually, in that match we were much outplayed by Rangers  and only a very dubious 'goal' from the sublime James Greaves saved us. I recall that he actually pulled a high cross down with his hand and slotted it in. I waited for the ref to blow for a free, but, bless him he signalled for a goal !!!!! 

We wore those dark blue shirts that made the officials change their kit that day but the precise colour is something I cannot pin down. But then, do we care? Probably not. Am I right or am I right?

Jon from Streatham.

Ed : - Can anyone help Jon out with their memories of the game ??

Am I the only one to notice the striking resemblance between the new away shirt (worn by Ledley on the official website) and that of his hero and one-time mentor - the one that left on a free?

The yellow and dark blue/black looks suspiciously like that of the team from North London known for playing the offside trap all the time and relying on their defensive strengths to counteract a lack of goals away from home! I am VERY concerned that we are becoming everything I grew up hating - what's next, are we going to sign a big-nosed donkey in central defence?

Cris Cameron

Ed : - The third kit looks well washed out already !!  Not sure about a Gooner kit ... more like our old adidas one we lost the Blackburn Worthington Cup final in.  I hope that the club stays true to it's traditions and stays blue and white.  The away kit (modelled by Dawson) is an odd shade of blue for Spurs.  I am hoping it is more "electric" blue than the Wimbledon blue it appears to be !!  Now that would be following in one South London club's footsteps after another !!

Hello all,

So, we've finally acquired Routledge. Speedy, tricky and a good crosser of the ball, although not quite as good as Pennant and nowhere near the class of Wright-Phillips. I suspect that SWP may have joined had we finished in 7th place.  Anyhow, Routledge has the potential to be our SWP but will have to be worked very hard by Jol, particularly on defending.

I don't know much about Lennon other than seeing him being shoved around by Deano Richards in 2003/04. That day he played as a striker but is now touted as a winger.  We've already got Ziegler, Reid, Yeates, Marney and Routledge, so I don't know where Lennon will fit in. I say good luck to him though.

Finally, we come to Scott Parker (a Spurs supporter apparently), who chose the damp North-east, despite our interest (obviously!) and is now set to follow in the footsteps of Alan Sierra by winning absolutely nothing (definitely).  It's a shame, as we need to get Brown out of the club and Parker was the solution.
Now, we'll have to go back in for Tomas Rosicky, who'll cost a fortune. I've heard a figure of £10m mentioned and we do have the money, but can we convince him to leave a club that is in Europe next year?
I'm not so sure. See you in seven.

Sean Jackson

Ed : - I'm not sure SWP would have come to Spurs, as I think he wants to move elsewhere despite being a big mate of Jermain's.  Rosicky, I would love to have at Spurs, but the price tag might be too big now Borussia are safe financially (for the time being).  With Lennon and Routledge coming in and van Bommel going off to Barca, I am hoping that the management are able to pull a rabbit out of a hat to galvanize our midfield for the coming season.

I have just read an interview with Paul Robinson on the official Tottenham site.

If it is as reported (i.e. at its face value), then I find the views expressed by Paul delightful and refreshing.  Here we have a true rarity in this avaricious  money driven no principles football world (most of it generated by grasping greedy agents).

We have a player appreciating the faith the club placed in signing him and wanting to play and return something to the club the chairman and the fans.

What old fashioned loyalty (copy to Arnesen).

Good luck Paul, you are a true rarity ... a loyal player who has Tottenham in his heart.  Long may you have an illustrious career with the club.

Oh for another 20 like you !!

Maurice Freedman

PS.  Paul, please congratulate your agent

Ed : - "(Copy to Arnesen)" ... isn't that how all this started in the first place !!  It is great that Robbo is willing to pledge his immediate future to THFC, but having interviewed him a couple of months back, I was in no doubt that he would stay.  He is a top man.

Hi Mate,

My quick appraisal on the season

We NEARLY beat Liverpool
We NEARLY beat Newcastle
We NEARLY qualified for Europe
but best of all
We didn't NEARLY get relegated !

Steve White

Ed : - Not quite yet Steve, as the Fair Play draw still leaves us a slight chance of getting into Europe !!

This year I will celebrate( by the grace of God), 60 years supporting the Spurs.

I am going to upset a lot of people by saying I hope they do not get into Europe this year on today's results.  This team is simply not good enough.

This season it has lost away without much of a fight to Southampton, Portsmouth Fulham Crystal Palace Charlton  (I could cite other wretched performances and results).  The team drew away with WBA and struggled to come from behind to draw with WBA at home (a few days later Boro beat them 4-0).  The team then capitulated to our main rivals for a Europe place (Boro).  The team were lucky to avoid defeat at home to Notts Forest in the FA Cup  ! (Commons missed an opportunity for an easy winning goal).  

Do any of my fellow supporters think that these failures against very inferior teams bode well for a campaign in Europe ?

If, by chance, we were to get in this year (as in 1999), they will probably last one round.

No I would like to see a much improved team next year and for Jol to build on the base he has started so well.  I would then look forward to entry into Europe with some chance of success.

But these kind of results mentioned above have to be eliminated and the team must learn to get points and results from these much inferior sides.

Maurice Freedman

Ed : - Having seen Spurs over the length of time you mentioned must make every team appear lacking compared to some of the great Spurs teams of the past.
For many Spurs fans, Europe has been something they have heard about but never experienced.  I am one of the lucky ones who saw the team perform admirably in the 1970s and 1980s, winning the UEFA Cup twice.  
I understand your concerns about the side being thrust into the European spotlight next season.  Personally, Europe or not, this has been a great improvement on last season and as you say, a base for further development of the side.  If European football was achieved, then it would have pros and cons.
For it, would be the attraction of better players, as some will be coming in this summer and if they are of higher quality, this should improve the League form as well.  It would also give our young players experience of the different type of game played in European competition.
On the downside, many clubs have struggled in the League when they now also have a European campaign to wage.  This is usually down to the size of the squad and the number of games that have to be played shortly after returning from some far flung destination.  I know they used to be able to cope with this in the old days, but it doesn't seem possible nowadays for some reason.
I don't want to see Spurs humbled in Europe, as I am not used to it (Kaiserslautern apart).  Whenever it comes, I believe that Jol is shrewd and smart enough to cope with it.

Dear Sirs,

It beggars belief that Mr. Jol persists with Kanoute up front at the expense of Robbie Keane. One decent game in twenty and a goal tally only one third as good as Keane's is not an argument for his continued inclusion. No wonder Robbie is exasperated.  He must have the highest goals per minute on the pitch ratio of any player in the Premiership.

Furthermore have you noticed since Reid plays every game, that his attack play improves beyond all recognition when, inevitably, Keane comes on as sub.  Like many I suspect Keane will leave at the end of the season, and I can't say I blame him. Our bad luck is probably Everton's gain.

Martin Jol has done some good work so far but his selection policy, statistically and form-wise, baffles me. 

Best wishes,
John Watson

PS. Atouba - is he a footballer?

Ed : - The Defoe/Keane partnership has failed to show that it can work.  Jol obviously likes the big man/little man partnership, so it will be one of Defoe and Keane with one of Mido or Kanoute.  Robbie is the player in form at the moment, while Jermain has looked a little lack-lustre, but I think Jol has ideas about who should play at home and who should play away for the best of the team.   He has set ideas about certain aspects of the team's play and this might change next season.  For example, how often have we seen Kanoute and Mido on together ?

Selling Keane would be folly for the player and our club.  Where will he get the money he gets now and if he moves to Villa or Everton, apart from the fact that they will be in the Champions League next season, where would be better off in the long term ?  Maybe he won't see it that way, but to sell him to one of our rivals would be very short sighted ... unless they pay well over the odds.

Jol has had just over half a season to settle into English football, so come next season, he can have a run at a whole campaign.  Then perhaps we will truly know what he is capable of.

Now before you say I am being negative, can I say I think Martin Jol is doing a good job, and he is definitely the right man for the job, but the best since Bill Nick can wait a little.  

We have under achieved this season, we have spent a lot money on a lot of good players and we are probably going to finish 8^th or 9^th.  Compare that to Everton, Bolton and Man City who have spent next to nothing and probably only 2/3 of their players would get into our side.  Away from home we seem too nice and desperately need a Roberts figure when the going gets tough.  I believe we are seen as a soft touch and if you look at our team, who would you be scared of ?  No one.  We need a tough midfielder who can score goals and although I thought Davis could do this job, maybe he is not quite good enough, so I would go for Scott Parker and try to off-load Mendes and Davis and keep Brown as a back up.  Parker is young, English and has a lot to prove and would be someone who is good enough to play in the Champions League which in a poor Premiership outside the top 3 teams is what we should be aiming for. 

Also up front we are lacking someone to really put defenders on alert. I thought after Mido's debut he would be the man, but he has not seemed fit, so probably needs a pre-season.  Now, deep breath, but I think we need a John Hartson type.  Someone who defenders don’t like and if we are being honest he would do more than Kanoute, who away from home is a liability.  Left back is another area that is weak where Edman and Atouba fail to convince.

Yes we have bought a lot of players, but a lot of them are of similar stature.  Good enough to play in a team in the top 8 in the Premiership, but hand on heart would Davis, Reid, Kanoute, Edman, etc be good enough to take the step up ?  I doubt it.  

King, Defoe, Robinson definitely; Dawson, Carrick, Keane probably; but other than that, not much. 

I feel this summer we need to bring some aggression into the side to make us a team with an edge who can mix it as well as playing the football that makes us the envy of many.

I am generally positive and feel that the management are taking the club forward, but will we take the next step or next year will we be playing for the UEFA spots with Bolton, Charlton and the like or going head to head with Liverpool ?

Joel
And the Spurs go marching on

Ed : -  I think that the amount of new players Spurs have brought in since this time last year ahs meant that there has been a lot of learning to do and that has had to be done on the pitch.  With Santini jumping ship, the management style changed (for the better) and that Martin Jol is the best man for the job.  What will happen in the summer, I predict, will be a few players brought in, probably a mix of experience and youth, with a few of players from the first team squad going.  A van Bommel type of midfielder would be great, but how many of them are there out there ?  A striker who puts the fear of God into defenders would also be welcomed, but who is there available ?  
I think that if better players than the ones we have come on the market, we can now sell a club to them that has the potential to be a European entrant next season.  Top four would be nice, but I think after the massive jump the side have made this season, a UEFA Cup place might be the attainable target for 2005-06.

 Dear Wyart,

A refreshing aspect of Sunday's match which I watched courtesy of that nice Mr. Murdoch down the pub.  After years of millionaire players strutting their stuff like automatons in front of the TV cameras, the aftermath of the Robinson/King mix-up on Sunday provided an all too rare spot of light relief.  Play carried on for a few minutes and ended with the ball being safely gathered by the goalkeeper. 

At this point I took a pull at my courtesy pint but hastily returned my gaze to the screen when the other patrons started laughing.  Robbo was grinning all over his face having apparently yelled panic-stricken at Ledley and caused him to turn round a bit sharpish.  

Having been responsible for halting the team and letting the unfortunate Ledders run out alone for the second half of the Palace game, a bit of a character seems to be in evidence on the pitch, surely an aspect that will put him out of the running for any move to Man Utd. or Arse and something that should add millions to any valuation for its rarity value.

Best Regards
Elfrid

P.S.  Of course the incident wasn't shown on the Beeb, as they had a professional comedian - apparently.

Ed : - The incident was funny after Milner's excuse for a chip.  Imagine Defoe being given a chance like that from a goalkeeper ??  Having interviewed the man a little while back, I believe that he will be staying at Spurs.  He seems to love the relationship with the fans at the Park Lane end and seems pleased that Spurs came in for him at the end of last season, making him feel wanted.  A place in Europe might clinch it for certain.

Hi ... I was wondering where (if anywhere) spurs fans meet on the web to discuss new chants etc, or where I can send an idea???

Me and my mates went to the Pompey game and by the time we got the train home after a fair few beers we were singing "Feed the Mido, do they know he's David Blaine ?" to the tune of "Do they know its Xmas" by Band Aid due to drunkenness and also the players remarkable resemblance and magical qualities to the said magician.

Any help would be appreciated.

Robbie

Ed : - Well, Robbie has had a go and I know there are one or two songs that haven't quite caught on about Mido, so what is your favourite ???

Some really good observations from Richard.  I agree entirely with his views on who will leave, although I'd prefer to see Kanoute stay. I never really thought Jackson or Bunje would make it (too wooden), but Ricketts has been more disappointing as he doesn't appear to have developed as well as we would have liked.

I'm interested in your comments about the central defensive partnership Wyart. If the eventual combination is to be Davenport/Huddlestone, then where does this leave Dawson?  I did wonder if we bought Dawson as a sweetener to get Reid and that we'll be selling him on quickly.  That would be some gamble though on the part of Frank Arnesen. 

I watched the U-21 match last night and although England were disappointing, I can see what you mean about Huddlestone.  Is he really only 18??  He looked much bigger and stronger than the other England players and his positioning and distribution was excellent for the most part. He gave the ball away in silly places a couple of times, but he'll learn with experience.  Very promising indeed !

I'm taking my eldest daughter (8) to her first match at the Lane this Saturday and she's really excited. I chose this match because I wanted her to see the boys winning under lights without getting her home at midnight.  DON'T LET HER (or me) DOWN SPURS!!!  

The Dazzler

Ed : - The way that the club have been talking about Dawson's leadership qualities indicate that they see him taking over from Ledley (later rather than sooner I hope !!).  With Huddlestone also able to operate in midfield, where again we are blessed with a number of players and van Bommel if rumours are true, it may be that Davenport/King will be the pairing, with some of the leavers making space in the squad.  Dawson might be one who is swapped with Davenport depending on the opponent.  Davenport = height and ball-playing; Dawson = strong and tough.  It gives Jol more options to mix and match.
There is still the development team for players to progress in, while some will make the jump to the first team quicker than others, like Ziegler.
Hope you and your daughter enjoy the game and that there might be might more hours of joy spent at the Lane in the future for all of you !!

Evening MEHSTG,

Really good win against Pompey at the weekend, and looking at the games coming up, it looks like a period when we could go on another little winning streak and then a losing streak before an end of season charge.

I am mainly just writing in to put my point of view across about our transfer policy. I read an interesting article about Arnesen's transfer policy in the Evening Standard. He is building two squads, one a development one, with the likes of Davenport, Limbersky, Defendi etc. which is great for the future, and we are building up a pool of some of the best youngsters in the UK and abroad, which in the long run can only be good for the club.

Arnesen is then building a squad for Martin Jol in the here and now, with the likes of Reid, Mido etc. Now a lot of people will question the intelligence of this huge influx of players onto the wage bill, as the Evening Standard argued, but I think if you look at the wider picture, take the left side. In the summer Christian Ziege left us, he was on a reputed £40,000 a week, and we have replaced him with Atouba, Edman, Ziegler and Reid whose total wages together add up to much more than those of Christian. So if you look at the squad as a whole and look at the higher earners that have left and the more numerous lower earners that have come in, I don't think you would have seen a huge rise in the wage bill.

Now we come to the summer, with two players already signed and Arnesen promising more, I think we are going to see a higher turnover of players in and out. In January from what I can recall we only released two players Kasey and Jamie.  Now if we look at the squad now I can see quite a few of the Pleat/Hoddle era being moved on to make way for Arnesen's army of players I'm just going to list the players I can see going;
Richards
Bunje
Jackson
Ricketts
Gardner
Kanoute
Along with lots of our homegrown players being out on loan.

I think a lot of people would have expected Richards and Bunje to be on their way, but in Gardner I think you will find with the amount of youngsters we have brought in, for that position, he would be better being given a chance somewhere else. Then Ricketts and Jackson are both players that I don't think quite make the grade good and could be used as makeweights.  Then Kanoute, I personally like him, but looking at the impact Mido has made, maybe he is a player we could use to bring in some money, what were the rumours Barcelona in the hunt for him.

So I hope you are able to digest that and come on you Spurs.

Richard, The futures bright the futures Tottenham.

Ed : - A fair review of the squad and with more players due in the summer something has to give.  Therefore, it will not be a surprise to see some of the named players depart.  Most are on sizeable wages, so will make room for those arriving.  The "two teams" theory is currently running at three teams, as there are 32 player sin the first team squad just now, albeit some away on loan.

Hi MEHSTG,

It's been a while since I wrote, but so much has been going on at the Lane that I felt compelled to say a few words.

The transfer activity has been so intense recently, that it is starting to border on the bizarre.  Now I'm not one to complain about exciting new players joining the club, but one has to consider how Martin Jol is going to keep all of these players happy.  If a few of the long-standing players were moving on, you could understand the policy, but the squad must keeps getting bigger and bigger.  It makes me wonder if there are a few players who will be exiting this summer (King? Defoe?) and Jol is getting replacements in early.

Well ... let's not look a gift horse etc ...

The signings of Andy Reid and Tom Huddlestone are very exciting.  I have only seen Reid play a handful of times, but he does look the real deal.  He's played well at international level as well and so the step up might not be as problematic as people think. 

Huddlestone comes very highly regarded by George Burley, who has said that he is the most talented young player he's ever worked with (didn't Ossie say something like that about Jason Dozzell a few years back ??).   It has to be hoped that he gets the chance to develop and doesn't just languish in the reserves for three years, before being shipped off to Hull or Grimsby, like so may other 'starlets' of the past - I'm thinking of Scott Houghton, Darren Caskey, Alton Thelwell etc.

I know very little about Mounir, although I hear he played well against Northampton the other night.  I've watched some downloads of Mido and he looks like an excellent player.  Let's hope he's right when he says he's matured and that he'll settle in.  As much as I love King Kanoute when he's up for it, he's proved how unreliable he can be (with regard to injury, international commitment and form swings) and a great side cannot be built around him. 

I'd be interested in your views on these players and the other signings we've made.

Regards, The Dazzler

Ps. Isn't it great to see the 'invincible' Arse falling on their arses......maybe we'll start catching up at last!

Ed : -  I think that the EL Ham/Mido players are to replace Fredi at some stage, but I am not sure when that will be.  Without seeing them play yet, it is hard to comment, but the aerial threat and the ability to hold the ball up is one that we need to pair with Defoe.
Reid has been one Spurs have looked at for a year now.  A tricky wide man (yes, he might need to shift a bit of timber), he will provide the wing play that Jol has been seeking and if Simon Davies can recapture his best form, then we can attack on both flanks.
Huddlestone is one I am really pleased about.  With Davenport, he will probably form part of the central defence of the future at THFC.  A classy passer and a tough, energetic tackler, he looks like the player Rio Ferdinand should be.  His Development will not be rushed, but with 80 games under his belt in the Championship, he might be ready sooner than we think.
Now keeping three team's worth of talent happy might not be easy, but loans and rotation might make sure that everyone gets a fair crack of the whip.  There will no doubt be some movement out in the summer and you can probably put some names to that yourself and this will make way for a few more signings then.

Just a quick question on the recent transfer activity that has been going on.
Where has all the money come from and is this all sustainable ?  I also beginning to believe that with the squad we have now we really have no excuse for under achievement, another centre back, as Naybet is getting on and I (personally) feel that Gardener is not world class, and I think we should be in contention for a top five finish next year, whether it'll happen I don't know. 
Could you shed some light?

hp02rje

Ed : - With Defendi developing in the reserves, Davenport and Huddlestone to come (as a defensive midfielder, who has been playing at the back for Derby), and King already a permanent fixture, the central defence is well sorted I would think.  I would not think that Anthony Gardner is not progressing as the club would like.  He was always a ball-playing central defender and is being given his opportunity there, but his concentration seems to wander and he needs to improve his decision making (i.e. hoof the ball out when it needs it).  I am not sure how much longer the management might give him to show he can be the player they want him to be.
The question of where the money has come from is an interesting one.  Little spent in the summer probably meant that they could splurge in the January sales.  Again, the amount that has been spent this transfer window is not huge, with the £8 million for Reid and Dawson the bulk of it.  Cerny (nominal), El Hamdaoui (£500k), Halfredsson (minimal), Limbersky (loan) and Mido (loan) have not cost a lot.  The wages might, but then moving out some of the bigger earners (Redknapp and Keller) might cover much of that and we can expect some others to leave in the summer to make space for a couple more (at least) to arrive.

What the hell is going on?
We put a decent run together, and get a few good results and the rumour mill starts with news that Ledley and Jermain are leaving in January.
Most of my fellow season ticket holders in the North Upper seem resigned to losing one or even both of these stars.
But why ?  Defoe has 5 years left on his contract and Ledley also has a few years left so why sell.  If we can build on the positives from this season, surely we can start to challenge for honours next year.  These players should be encouraged to stay.  OK, if a player has less than 18 months left and won't sign, sell him, but why sell our number 18 now (unless Frank knows someone better) when Robbie and Fred's' scoring records are sporadic at best.
Please Mr. Levy you can't build a team if we keep selling our best players.
I don't want to be singing " You can stick Sol Campbell and Ledley King up your arse 'cos we've got Calum at the back."
A frightening thought don't you think?

Merry Christmas to you all
Charlie Wunsh

Ed : - Defoe would only move for the money if he went to Chelsea, as he is better off getting a regular game at Tottenham and showing what he can do for Sven to see and pick him for England.  King looked shaky yesterday and although he has been solid for most of the season, he still has some lapses, which might put off any potential purchaser.  Transfer windows bring agents spreading stories trying to destabilise players, so I wouldn't worry too much until it is signed and sealed.
Levy has said that the players are not going to be sold and the club does not want to sell it's best players, but I suppose if a big enough bid comes in, then they might consider it.  £30 million each should be the price tag to put off most buyers (except Chelsea and we can double it for them !).

Dear MEHSTG,

All these rumours about Glenn Hoddle's friend's consortium trying to buy Spurs are really starting to concern me.  Glenn was such a fantastic player, but is a shockingly bad manager. He obviously is one day hoping to find himself in the hot seat at the Lane.  Le’s organsise, for the good of the club, a petition to tell Glenn not only how good a player he was, but how bad a manager he was and how we really do not want him back at the club ! Please, please help me to achieve this end.  This is the best we have had our club in a long, long time.  We have great players, a really promising manager and arguably an effective board.

Jamie Levy, e-mail

Ed : -  Well, Jamie, there are some issues in your mail that may people might agree with, but also some that they might not go along with your view.   Hoddle came out on TV and said that he had “never spoken to nobody” about a consortium or coming back to Tottenham and if the comments that were attributed to him were true, he would have shot himself in the foot and would not have the Spurs fans on his side.  A petition at this time would not be a good idea, as there is no story there, but should things change you might have a reason to get some signatures together.

It's been almost a year since I last dropped you a line, but I am writing about our current situation.

I think that we're well shot of Santini and Jol will get it right if given time.  I'd like to see Ricketts and Davenport back in the team and also for Yeates to be given more opportunity.

Spurs need to sign Parker or Van Bommel, Routledge and possibly Darren Bent in January.  C'mon you Spurs !

S J Wightman

Ed : - Good to have you back !!  With Ricketts and Davenport now back since you wrote, perhaps your predictions for the January transfer window might come true ... although I hear that van Bommel is off to Real Madrid.

I have been telling anyone who will listen about the best attacking midfielder l have seen in years. 

The really good news is he is Argentinian and so we have a history there, the bad news is we failed to sign him when he was still with River Plate.  He now plays in Germany with the less than fashionable Wolfsburg, carrying a value of around 9 million euros.  He is only 23 years old and goes by the name of Andres D'Alessandro.  A friend who knows and regularly meets with Steve Perryman's brother has been told about him in the hope that the word might get through to the club, but so far nothing seems to have happened. 

Please use any means you have at your disposal to bring him to the attention of someone who could do something about bringing him to Spurs as l truly believe he is what we need.

Jeff West

Ed : - Jeff, you are not alone as if you are a long time MEHSTG reader, we were touting his name even before he came to Europe.  As an Argentinian Under-21 he stole the show against England U21 at Craven Cottage and has progressed since moving to Wolfsburg.  I can't believe that he wouldn't rather be playing for Tottenham, but the move for him wasn't made when he left River Plate and doesn't seem likely now.  A talented midfielder who can score and make goals, he would be like a mini-Ossie, but it might not ever be at Spurs ... more's the pity.  I am sure that Arnesen knows about him, as his contacts in South America and Europe would have kept him in touch with Andres' success.

I might have had a go at Kneecap the other day but I think that it's a long time since we had a captain so committed to the cause.  I feel that Jamie realises that his playing days are becoming party pieces rather than applications for international duty and therefore wish him all the best for the season ahead.  You deserve a cup or two and I hope that this year is one for you to celebrate.

Here's to the Spurs putting one (or five) over Kneecap's dad on Monday.

Best,
Simon MacDonald

Ed : - Jamie looks like first pick if he is fit, so we will have to get used to him being there, but an interesting situation will arise when Sean Davis is fit again.

Hello all,

I just wanted to comment on our fixtures in March and April.  Maybe I'm being a bit premature at this point but, can anyone see the sense in playing two games in March and six in April.  It seems to me that all our good work could be undone by a massive fixture pile up in April.  This is even without my expected good showing of us in the F. A. Cup.

All you need is one or two injuries, six games in a month, I think four of them against the Scum, Newcastle, Villa etc (i.e. teams we are competing against for the vital 4th to 6th spot) and our whole season could go pear shaped at the final hurdle !

Surely it must make more sense to play four games in March and four games in April.  If anyone can influence the powers that be, please sort this out as it would be a tragedy for us to enjoy possibly our best season in 7 years for it all to fall flat in the penultimate month of the season.

If I talked about all the positives so far this season, I'd be here all day, but suffice to say I look forward to Mr. Santini's "offensive organisation" (we are Spurs after all !) and congratulations to all the staff involved in our transformation and in particular Mr. Chairman.

Long may it continue and come on the Spurs!

Regards, Tunde N16.

P.S. If we can end the Scum's unbeaten record at the Lane next month, that would just be the icing on the cake. Now that's not too much to ask for is it ... ? 

Ed : - The Christmas and Easter periods have always been heavy on fixtures because of the games played on Bank Holidays and therefore they become very important periods in the football calendar - logic never comes into it unfortunately.  With Easter a moveable holiday, it looks like we will be busy in April (and even busier with a good cup run), but then all successful teams have to cope with that.  And wouldn't it be great to be successful !!

I've been watching our climb and subsequent foot hold in the league with growing excitement since the start of the season.  We've had some great results this season (ignoring the Man U game) and everything is looking on the up, except, it doesn't feel like watching Spurs. 

Maybe I'm nit-picking a bit, but the whole side (as it is) seems far too defensive.  The only Spurs like performance of the season was at Oldham and our side comprised largely of last season's team ! I understand that Mr. Santini has to set out his own "rules" for how the side play and conduct themselves, but I really feel he that he will cause himself problems with the faithful if the side continue to be as defensive as they are, which is a shame because he has already proved how good a manager he is. 

Come on Spurs, yank the iron out of the fire and lets see some good ole' suicidal attacking!!!

Professor Chaos

Ed : - The style of the team will develop as the pints rack up in the league table.  I am sure that once there are enough to ensure Premiership safety, then the full backs will be released to go forward, rather than being held back inside their own half and we will find a few more creative players providing service to the front two.  A couple of singings in the January window will also spruce up the squad to increase competition and add some more attacking options.

Oh Dear!  Look at what young Jamie has gone and done now ...

There cannot be any defence for his challenge on Tim Cahill.  He took more time than he had - what's new about that? - and then well and truly 'did him'.  I have always had respect for Kneecap - likening him a little in looks to Captain Scarlet - think about it before you shout me down - but this was the act of a Mysteron.  The only silver lining is now he will face a layoff, perhaps one but most likely four games, and we can try someone else out alongside Mendes.

More worrying is the reputation we are earning in the blue half of Merseyside for fouls and dirty challenges.  Will some of ours come to regret Jamie and Jermain's actions come the return match ?  To be fair to Defoe, he went for the ball, but it was more the manner of the challenge rather than the physical harm that resulted in him being rightly booked.

Another scary aspect is the way in which are achievements are being underplayed - great defence, teamwork, etc, sneaking away points, but we top the Foul Play League just like another side from North London once did back in the day.  There the similarities must end.

Simon MacDonald

Ed : -  The looks are where the similarity with Captain Scarlet ends, as the Gerry Anderson character was indestructable !!
As for the foul, it was a bad one and I don't think anyone could have complained had Redknapp been dismissed.  Agree about Defoe's tackle and if he had made contact he would definitely been off.
The team are playing solidly and we all know that ... if nobody else does ... GOOD.  It will be more of a surprise for them when they meet us.

Noted that prior to games kicking off tonight - 20th September - we now lead the foul play league with 13 yellow cards working out at an average of 2.17 a game.  Our bad boy ?  None other than Jamie Kneecap with four cards to his name.  Man U have the fewest bookings - we are yet to see Young Wayne in action remember ... while Arsenal have a pretty respectable eight.  I wonder if we might try to set a record ...

Regards,
Simon MacDonald

P.S.  I don't think we will get relegated this year.  Do you?

Ed : - The amazing thing was that Ledley King hadn't been booked until the Chelsea game and with his first foul of the season picked up a yellow.  Redknapp's record does not surprise me as he sometimes flies into the tackle.  The cautions are probably a result of the new defensive resolve.

As for getting relegated, until we get forty points, I never take anything for granted !!

Hello MEHSTG, 

I have heard  the reason why ENIC are reluctant to increase the capacity at WHL ,by expanding the ground, is because they think that with increasing sky matches shown on TV this will keep the fans at home rather then at WHL.

Well thanks for nothing ENIC.  We, the supporters of Tottenham, have been keeping maximum attendances for the past 20 years and longer, while we have been served up with some of the most dire of team performances.  In 20 odd years, apart from the Klinsmann era and the Ginola days, one FA Cup and one League Cup triumph, we have had some really mind-numbing football to witness, but we have persevered and followed Tottenham with great loyalty.  It is now time to reward us and give us what we deserve.  A 50,000 plus stadium so we can truly call ourselves a big league player and show that we want to compete with the big clubs, we deserve it.

I am a THFC member.  If I can't book a ticket within the first few hours, I might as well give up trying to get a decent seat ... is that the way to treat a supporter.

I was at the Brum game last Saturday and the atmosphere was terrific.  Imagine that, but with 50,000 plus .. it's got to be worth a goal start.  I firmly believe we have the most loyal of support in the Premiership, but ENIC's belief in us is a big slap in the face.

To be a big club you need to maximise your support, just look at the 50,000 plus support of the clubs that are really big in Europe ... that's where we want to be and where I believe we should be.

I think Levy has done a great job with the management and coaching structure, after the initial mistakes and the players brought in are of genuine quality, but the job is only half started.  WHL with less then 50,000 is not as intimidating as WHL with 50,000 plus.  We deserve better then the plastic support the Arse and Chelscum get.  Do we see ourselves as the 3rd club in London ?  Because that is how we are  behaving. 
Come on ENIC ... we are the biggest club in the biggest city in England ... lets do it ... bring it on.  

Rolo

Ed : - I understand that the club have planning permission to develop the ground with the East Stand being the first stage to make a 50,000 capacity.  With a bit of tinkering the club appear to want to stay at WHL and with some development around the ground to make a "Spurs Village", it might be the impetus to get the transport sorted out and for the club to make the Lane a bigger and better place .

Dear Wyart,

A bit like shooting rabbits in a barrel, but another headline from the Bournemouth Daily Echo (the paper that makes the Daily Mail look like the Socialist Worker) and a candidate for the Basil Fawlty Bleedin' Obvious prize: 'We're a Laughing Stock' (by Lawrie McMenemy re: the chairman). And just to think 26 years ago we were sweating on getting a point from them for promotion.

All the best,
Elfrid

Ed : - It is wicked to mock the afflicted and I wouldn't inflict Wupie Baby on anyone.  Does he really think anyone will be willing to take on his poison chalice now ?  It's a big club you know !!  They are even putting a continental management structure in place !!  How innovative of them.
You never know we might need that point this season when we play them in March ... for a place in Europe !!

Having watched the game at Newcastle on TV I was very disappointed to see the reception that Stephen Carr was given by the Spurs fans. 

I liked Carr as a player and when with us, he always gave 100% so did not deserve the treatment he received.  So he left us...its happens. ( I'll make a little prediction that if the likes of Arsenal or Man Utd come in for Defoe he will be off like a greyhound out of a trap).  

Carr has made a mistake because Newcastle are an overrated side and have been for sometime.  Our future is far brighter than theirs (as the result shows).  The loss of Carr in any case is not as great as it may once have been.  He is simply not the same player he was 3 years ago prior to injury.  Then he was the best attacking full back in the country, but nowadays he rarely gets over the halfway line.  

The fact is Carr had gone stale at Spurs and the move may re-ignite him as a player.  I for one wish him well.  At least he did not go to Arsenal.  The Spurs fans should show a bit of dignity and let the result and league position send out a message to Carr.  

Save the abuse for Campbell who really deserves everything he gets!

Simon, Cambridge.

PS Naybet looks an excellent short term signing although it is still early days. I said Jacques needed to sign a leader at the back. Does he read MEHSTG?

Ed : - 

There are a number of views about Carr and his final days at the Lane, but what will probably ensure him a poor reception when he comes back is the gesture to the Tottenham fans at the end of the game.

As for Santini, he might have the French translated version of MEHSTG !!

Dear MEHSTG,

Your a great site for checking out all things Spurs.  And I use you daily to check out transfer rumours etc, but so far you have been really crap with your match predictions.  As far as your concerned we should be propping up the Premiership with no points below Crystal Palace !!

I think a little bit of optimism is due on your part.  Admittedly most people shared your views but what they don't know is with actually got a decent manager and a decent set up.  With got just the start we want, confidence is good, competition for places, dead wood and whingers gone, decent match tactics, its all good.

I think we will be the surprise team this year and really compete for that sixth place.  Come on the SPURS

Tunde  N16

Ed : - We at MEHSTG have never been noted for the accuracy of our predictions and frankly, we try to be optimistic, but mostly we plump for realistic.  The pre-season programme showed little of what Santini and Jol have turned out in the first two matches and not knowing that we have a tactical genius in our ranks rather than some of the old duffers who were in post previously, has been a real shock.  A nice one though !!  I think that whichever way it went (and with all the new players coming in, we thought it might take some time for them to settle), Xmas would be a better time to assess what the management had achieved.  We still stand by that and we are always hopeful, but unlike some fans who will have us in the top six at the end of May, MEHSTG has been there before and when it happens we will be as happy as anyone else !!

Hi Guys,

I was looking through some stats for Ledley King over the past three seasons and the beginning of this one ... Including his England games and substitute appearances since the 2001/02 season he has appeared in 116 games (112 Starts and 4 Subs Appearances).  
He has only been booked TWICE - in the league (ONCE) in 2003/04 and the Carling Cup (ONCE) in 2002/03.

Not only is he a great DEFENDER (Mr. Pleat !!!), but a clean one too.

Long live the KING !!!!!

Regards,
Marc Trainis, Park Lane - Upper Tier Season Ticket Holder 

Ed : - Nice stats work Marc.  Always a sign of a good defender that he can do so well without getting yellow carded all the time.  A bit like someone else before he left for pastures redder, where he seems to suffer the fate of all Gooners in seeing red.

Hi lads,

Louise and Jamie Redknapp are celebrating the birth of their new child. Apparently Jamie is considering asking his employers THFC for nine months paternity leave to look after the baby. Well about the norm for this time of the season.

David Price

Ed : - I know Jacques said he had a new role in mind for Jamie ... gives a new meaning to "sitting" just behind the midfield !!

I did not attend the match against Cagliari , but was disappointed to read this morning of the "booing" in the second half, particularly of Doherty.  Surely no-one should booing players in a pre-season friendly ? 
It generally only makes a player more nervous and one could never accuse Doh of not trying , he's just not real premiership quality, but he is a squad player and one of "our" squad players.  Looking at the current injury situation he is likely to be in the squad for Liverpool next week.
Our first seven games look really tough, a real baptism of fire for the new management team. It's going to be a really tough couple of months. Getting behind the team at home (and away), particularly when the going is getting tough, is all we can do.  Booing and negativity is unproductive and unacceptable.
GET BEHIND OUR TEAM THIS SATURDAY AND EVERY MATCH THIS SEASON.

Martin Francis

Ed : - Hopefully Martin, there will be a different clientele for the rest of the matches this season.  Having been there yesterday, it was every much a pantomime crowd, who paid reduced prices and felt they should have their say because Spurs did not win.  I do not expect they will be there next week.  Mind you there are still regulars who think it has a galvinising effect on the players if they express their displeasure that each of them is not (the real) Pele.

As we near the start of another season like all Spurs fans I am gripped by the usual hopeless optimism. This year it must be top six ... mustn't it ?  However none of the new signings really excite me.  Except for Robinson I wouldn't go out of my way to watch any of them play unlike Hoddle, Gazza, Ginola etc.  Where is our flair and creativity in midfield going to come from ?  We have a great forward line, but if we don't create chances and get the ball to them their ability is irrelevant.

What concerns me the most is our defence, or rather lack of it.  Don't get me wrong I love Carr, Gardner and King.  As individuals they are potentially very good, but they are not a tight defensive unit.  We need a leader at the heart of the back four and we should have signed one in the summer, but haven't.  I fear that this is going to cost us dear and it will be another season of nervously holding onto (or losing) leads. I suspect Dean Richards is finished and may not play for us regularly again and Gary Doherty is a joke.  With a strong confident centre half to play next to and learn from Ledley King could be a world beater.  Without it, I suspect his confidence will drain away as Gardner's has started to do.

I am glad the squad has had a major overhaul and we've lost some of the deadwood who just went through the motions.  I hope some of the new players are hungry for success and prepared to battle.  I'm delighted the coaching set up has been changed.

However much as I hate to say it we haven't signed any really classy outfield players.  Sorry but it's true.  Still as Porto and Greece showed team spirit and hard work does bring success but like all true Spurs fans I want to be entertained too.  

For me the jury is out.  My prediction is a slight improvement on last year, but nothing dramatic and let's face it any worse and we're relegated.

Please Jacques ... sign an experienced centre half who can lead the defence and then we will leap up the table.

Simon, Cambridge

Ed : - With Atouba signed up, there is another defender in the mix, but I don't think he plays centrally ... mainly on the left of defence or midfield.  The natural leader doesn't appear to be any of those the management have brought in so far, but there still might be signings before the deadline.  We might even have to wait until January, but there is a "better than  we have got" element about the new arrivals.  Davis could become our new midfield runner if things go well and the others will add to the team in their own ways.
I agree that slight improvement is what we will achieve this season and then we will need to kick on from that.
In defence, it is a worry, but again, we will have to hope that King and Gardner strike up an understanding if no-one new is coming in.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but weren't we supposed to sign Jay Jay Okocha post season ? I know we've been linked with many, many names recently, but I was under the impression that this was a done deal. 

Personally I think he's a born Spurs player and would be an ideal addition to the Tottenham squad. Doesn't appear likely at the moment though - anyone have any news regarding this?

Professor Chaos

Ed : - Okocha has signed another contract at Bolton and will not be coming to Tottenham in the foreseeable future.  A talented and exciting player agreed, but I am not sure he would fit into Santini's plans for the team now.

I haven't been here long, but even I thought that Ted was a spur as a kid ...  not a hamster ?!?!?

Is this true?  What next... Hod the Gooner?

regards ... Saint Jacques de la Lane

Ed : - He reckons that he was always a Spurs fan, but someone told me that he wore a West Ham scarf at school.  There is apparently a bit in his book that says he got taken to WHL and after that Tottenham were always another class to West Ham, but his comments about finally playing for this great club come straight out of the Matthew Etherington "How to suck up to your new fans" phrase book. 
And then there was that time when Hoddle was at Highbury with his son, who was wearing a Gooner shirt and the latest rumour that Hod will be coaching with the Arse soon. Stranger things have happened, but not a lot stranger !! 

It's that time of the year again. Pre season just started, a few new signings, checking Planet Football, MEHSTG (brilliant), Spurs, BBC and any other  websites you can.  Reading the Evening Standard every night then wondering why you bothered !  And trying to suppress that totally irrational feeling that "this could be our year !!"

Do you lot remember this time in the last couple of years. Postiga, Morientes, Keane, Rivaldo (still makes me laugh) !! and in all honesty having crap/mediocre seasons afterwards.  What are we masochists.  Where does this insane optimism come from.  I have been talking about "top 6" every pre season for the last ten years and what did we have to show for it. So have I learned my lesson, have I b*****ks !!

I just can't help feeling really positive about this season ahead.  I think the top 3 Man U, the Scum and Chelski are sorted, but what about the rest of them.  Personally I think Sir Bobby is passed it (Magpies), the new man at Anfield may need a couple of seasons to get going and then there's the surprise teams, e.g. Villa (good manager).  Middlesbrough good signings (e.g. Hasselbaink, Viduka; that makes seven strikers they have !!).  But I think with the complete overhaul of how coaching set up, and three heads being better than one, I can only see good things for Spurs.  All the coaches have something to prove.  All the players are playing for their contracts.  The lazy golf playing mentality of the players and their dressing room cliques will disappear overnight and it all looks good !!

I think a lot will depend on how we handle our tough start to the season.  We've got to play Liverpool, Newcastle, Man U and Chelski in our first seven games.  And also how the new coaching set up reacts after the inevitable run of bad results at some point which happens to all teams.  Will they pull together or self combust ?  The experience, talent and knowledge within our coaching set up leaves me to fill that we are in good hands and the chairman is also ready and willing to use his cheque-book for emergencies.

So what can go wrong ?  "Top 6" and Europe here we come !!  Even my best mate who's glass is not just half empty, he hasn't got a glass !  Was raving about signing Davis from Fulham.  It looks very good, well done Mr. Chairman.  We are all in the same boat and can only wait and see.

But me I'm going to put a fiver on Spurs qualifying for the Champions League ! What the hell, we are THE SPURS after all.

Onwards and Upwards
Tunde N16

Ed : - All things coming out of the club so far are very positive.  The new management, the new medical set-up, the new players and the new attitude and regime should pay dividends.  Still reckon we need a couple more players, but the squad is young, talented and if determined and fit to go with it, they might go far.  Maybe I am being cautious, but I would think anywhere above tenth will be progress this season, with Europe a possibility if it all clicks quickly.

Just wanted to share my disgust at the 2005 Kappa strip (Home especially!!)  In my opinion, its absolute shite and by far, the worst strip we have EVER had.  Kappa has GOT TO GO!!

Mr. Barney Hamilton
The world's No. 1 Tottenham Hotspur fan !

Ed : -  The kit we have now emulates the ones we had back in the late Sixties and early Seventies, which were classics in my honest opinion.  For a long time, I personally have been yearning for an uncomplicated kit that does not suffer from having the flashes, stripes, splodges and whatever else designers think look good on shirts.  This is simple, clean and cool.  Yes, the red Thomson is still there, but on the whole I think it is one of the nicest we have had in a while.

Why is it that Spurs are always linked to big name players pre-season ?
When I heard about Davids I was chuffed to bits but it appears that he is now going to Inter. 

Are we doomed to another season of mediocrity ?

Without new, proven players I'm afraid that we are.  I live and breathe Spurs, but it's difficult to believe that we'll achieve anything higher than 11th this season without some big name players.  I think we'll survive with our strike base but our midfield and defence are seriously suspect.  Come on Santini, get the cheque book out !!!

Professor Chaos

Ed : - I am sure that there will be some more incoming, even though the boys are due back to pre-season training on Thursday.  With a few shrewd additions, the team could challenge at a higher level than last season.  Not quite challenging for the title just yet, but a considerable improvement on last campaign.

There seems to be much talk of many new player's joining Spurs, one thing I seem to be noticing is that many of these players being mentioned are on the other side of thirty, plus many I fear could be looking to make some big bucks, finishing their career at a newly rejuvenated, fairly well off club.

I'm concerned about the effort these names being mentioned with our club will put in, plus how many hard games they can keep putting in week after week, without getting injured. I just don't want it all to start again with us, you know that endless injury list full of thirty something star names.

Obviously Santini knows players better than many of us "or should do" but one player I've watched a few times is a little known Swedish midfielder called Kim Kallstrom who I believe will turn into an incredible player. He's already a fantastic player, creative, fast, hardworking and young, being 22 or 23 I think. Forget Van Der Vaart he's too unpredictable, too pricey, too lazy, too sensitive.

Watch out for Kim Kallstrom in Portugal he will shine I promise.

Daisy.

Ed : - Some of the players he is bringing in are older than our recent policy dictates, but are they better than what we have might be a crucial question.  We don't want to get into the Hoddle situation of having too many old timers, but a modicum of experience might get Santini to where he wants to be a bit quicker than without.

Fully agree about Kallstrom and we could have had him two seasons back if anyone had had an idea about talented youngsters from overseas.

Dear Wyart

I sincerely hope that the new manager/coach/football director or whatever their title is someone worth waiting for.  I know the club should steer clear of a knee-jerk appointment but the wait is very frustrating.  Does anyone remember the excitement and positive vibes when we signed Klinsmann ?  I couldn't wait for the season to start, it seemed to give the whole club a lift.  That is what we need now an inspirational choice of manager.

Chris, Enfield

Ed : - The wait might not be too long now Ranieri has been give the old heave-ho.  As for an "inspirational choice", I am not sure our recent status allows us to have the pick of managers (i.e. Mourinho going to Chelsea and O'Neill choosing to stay at Celtic).  With a couple of good solid signings to go with the new boss, we might still have more to look forward to than in recent years.