Come On You Spurs!!

Same Old Arsenal, Always Cheating...

2006-04-24T01:21:00.000+01:00

The biggest game of our season didn’t fail to disappoint, with the exuberant Spurs (as if you didn’t know) getting a decent point in the last ever north London derby at the library they call Highbury. I was watching a preview of the matches for the weekend early on Saturday morning, nursing a mild hangover it has to be said, and was slightly bemused to learn about this little tradition the Arsenal fans have, (which both MJ and Jermaine Jenas were also unsurprisingly unaware of) called ‘St. Totteringham’s Day’. Apparently, from what I can gather, those clever Arsenal fans have a name for the day when it is mathematically impossible for Spurs to finish above Arsenal in the league. Therefore, there has unfortunately been a St. Totteringham’s Day every year for the past decade I believe (I may be wrong, because I haven’t bothered to check, but it does sound about right I guess).

Needles to say, having heard this, I was right up for goading each and every one of my gooner mates until they were mentally scarred, once we had (and I was supremely confident that we would), comprehensively humiliated them. I had already, for the past week or so, been revelling in the possibilities of what might happen if we did beat them. This is how I saw it, (and still do I might add): – Barcelona will win the Champions League hands down, no question. We’ll take 4th spot and grab the last place in the CL, leaving Arsenal with absolutely nothing apart from a token UEFA place which would certainly loose them a lot of the revenue which I’m sure they would be expecting. In this scenario; Henry would almost certainly leave, sparking a mass exodus of the likes of Ljunberg, Ashley Cole and all they’re other (so-called) stars whilst they’d be moving into a new stadium and probably have problems filling it (i.e. doing a Sunderland) – oh how the mighty fall. Superb.

What you need to understand at this point that, as a Spurs fan living in north London; I have to put up with and tolerate Arsenal fans every day. Some of my best mates support Arsenal and although we all get on very well, some of the utter excrement that comes out of their mouths sometimes does my head in. As I’m sure a lot of you in similar positions will know, you do get thick skinned to it after a while, and just smile and nod and try not to take any notice. Saturday however, was going to be different.

I, like many of our fans, was riled when I heard Arsene Wenger calling MJ and the bench ‘liars’ and implying that we as a team, were cheats. It amazes me how that guy can call anyone a cheat; look at his team – It’s full of them. The amount of times the likes of Pires and Reyes have been rolling around on the floor in ‘agony’ only to be later embarrassed by a TV replay showing there to be no contact whatsoever. That is cheating Mr Wenger, that is lying, that is the act of trying to deceive a referee in order to gain an advantage. For starters; the Arsenal players in question (Gilberto and Eboue) collided with each other with no involvement from any Tottenham player. The referee then checked to see whether both players were ok and obviously saw they were and so didn’t stop the play. Finally your three defenders had not stopped and were active and playing when Keane slotted home. And to top it off Mr ‘I don’t cheat’ Wenger, one of your players (Gilberto, I think) had got up and then realised we scored and so went back down again. We’ll let him off though; he must have just forgotten that he was injured.

What was laughable was when Wenger ‘squared up’ to Jol. What was he going to do? How could he possibly have an argument for an incident that basically boils down to his players not being given the ball because everyone else, including themselves, up until we scored, thought there was nothing wrong with them? It just goes to show that after all the sulking he did when Mourinho was apparently ‘bullying’ him earlier this season with the whole Ashley Cole debacle, it is Wenger who is the ‘childish’ (as he would put it) one. He wouldn’t even shake hands with Jol after the game. Grow up mate - your obviously an educated man, surely you should know better.

Having witnessed all this during the game and although I wasn’t too displeased on the whole, due to the stunning performances of Lennon, Dawson and finally Davids, I was again incensed to hear my Arsenal fan mates telling me that we were dishonest later that evening. Football fans, by our very nature, are blind when it comes to the misdemeanours of our own teams, but this was surely outrageous.

After that whole storm, I even more so than usual, wish Arsenal and Mr Wenger all the worst luck in the world on Tuesday and will be cheering on Villareal with all my might. I think that to come out and call another manager a liar is a disgrace and hope the next time one of Wenger’s players go down like they’ve been shot, somebody comes out and asks Wenger why he thinks it is ok for his players to deceive the officials.

The Tottenham Train Rolls On... Full Steam Ahead!!

2006-01-05T02:43:00.000Z

Martin Jol's new look Spurs once again proved their metal tonight by taking all three points from the City of Manchester Stadium and moving to within a point of 3rd place Liverpool after another superb away win. Tottenham were thought to be slightly under strength before the match, with the absensce of skipper Ledley King, Edgar Davids and Teemu Tainio; but showed their quality in depth to overcome a Manchester City side which never really got going.

A defensive blunder by City's Sylvian Distin pounced on by wonderkid Aaron Lennon gave Mido the perfect gift after half an hour; and the Egyptian didn't disappoint, slotting home into an empty net to give Spurs the lead. Robbie Keane sealed the points on 83 minutes after showing great skill to control a neat flick-on by Mido and then firing a right footed strike past David James into the bottom corner of the net.

City were easily contained throughout the first 45 minutes and again posed little threat in the second half. Spurs dictated the pace of the game from the start, passing the ball around nicely and frustrating the lack-lusture City team with some excellent possesion. Michael Carrick and Jermaine Jenas were again in outstanding form and bossed the midfield with fine displays. Michael Dawson led the line brilliantly and ensured Paul Robinson didn't have a save to make. Young Aaron Lennon tormented Ben Thatcher on the right with some pacy wing play whilst Michael Brown on the opposite side made an impressive return to the team.

Spurs will however be worried about ever present left back Young Pyo Lee after he was clattered and then subsequently stretchered off in the second half. Manchester City's second half substitute David Sommeil got away unpunished after making a horrific challenge on Lee and it is thought that the Korean international may be out for upto a fortnight.

Overall it was a great team performance by Spurs, with every player in a white shirt firing on all cylinders. The quality in depth in the squad was there for all to see and the new year is looking bright for the north Londoners having already secured 40 points with 17 games to play.

Let us know what you thought of the game with your comments....

COYS!!

The Gap On The Left

2006-01-03T13:23:00.000Z

It's looking bright for Spurs going into 2006 sitting comfortably in 4th spot; but there has been much talk recently regarding the lack of an accomplished left sided player. Lee Young Pyo has looked good in patches but is clearly struggling to manage his defensive responsibilties with the added requirements of supporting the attacking play out wide. The most recent name to be added to the pot is that of Blackburn's impressive Morten Gamst Pedersen. Although the the Norwegian international has played down any talk of a transfer, it is thought that Martin Jol will make an offer in the region of £7 Million for the talented 24 year old.

Pedersen has been enjoying some superb form of late and has netted six times for Rovers this season. His ability to get goals from midfield and crossing attributes are something that the Spurs boss will be looking to add to the team in order to mount a serious challenge for a European spot come the end of the season. With Reto Ziegler on loan to Hamburg until the end of the season and the lack of improvement in the form of Andy Reid, it has been left to Teemu Tainio and Edgar Davids to play on the left side. However, both players are naturally more suited to centre and although there have been some outstanding performances, the lack of width on that side is seemingly making it more difficult to get vital goals.

I think, as I'm sure a lot of Spurs fans will, that Pedersen would be a superb acquistion. He scores great goals, plays the 'Tottenham way' and would no doubt further his career and improve under the guidance of Jol. I think he would provide a decent alternative and would give MJ the option of playing the likes Keane and Defoe together as the added width would take away the need of playing everything through the middle and therefore via Mido. I think with Pedersen in the team, it will definitely reduce the need to sign another striker and also give us the goals to stay in that 4th spot until May.

Let us know what you think with your comments...

Complete Spurs Transfer Round-Up

2005-12-07T20:54:00.000Z

Despite chairman Daniel Levy's attempts to play down any talk of transfer activity at the Lane next month, as always, speculation is rife on the future of some of our playing staff. It looks as though January may very well be another busy month at Spurs with many names being already banded about for possible moves to and from White Hart Lane.

Pedro Mendes looks almost certain leave after reports today have suggested that the Portugese star has hinted that there has been some interest from a few clubs for his services. Mendes has been a solid player for Tottenham and it is a shame that he has not been given the chance to settle and play regular football for the club. However, Spurs are currently spoilt for choice in the midfield department; and with the likes of Davids, Jenas, Carrick, Tainio, Davis and Brown all competing for what boils down to two places, it is unlikely he will get the regular appearances he desires. Celtic seem to be leading the chase at the moment, with other clubs also in the pack vying for his signature. Mendes said: "It (Celtic) is a big club, is attractive and is always playing in European competition. The situation is no better (at Spurs). I want to play and there exists the possibility of leaving in January. There are offers, but I am not going to reveal which clubs are interested."

Grzegorz Rasiak has also been linked with a move away and is said to be unhappy being so far down the pecking order in this World Cup season. Rasiak is desperate to cement his place in the Polish squad for the finals and feels that he may not be guaranteed a spot without the opportunity of first team football. Spurs boss Martin Jol said earlier this week that he has no intention of selling Rasiak in the window and this decision has most probably been made with Mido's iminent departure to the African Nations in the back of his mind. There has been talk of the possiblity of sending Rasiak on loan for the remainder of the season to the Championship, with both old club Derby and Ipswich showing interest. Rasiak was a panic buy in my opinion and never really showed the credentials of a top flight player during his time at Derby. He definitely enjoyed some good form, however has never proved that he is the type of player who could mount a serious challenge for a starting place. I think that MJ will almost certainly look at other strikers during the window and if he is successful will definitely explore the possibilty of off-loading Rasiak.

Millwall boss Colin Lee has meanwhile said that right back Phil Ifil would like to extend his stay past the end of his scheduled loan period with the Lions. The Spurs youngster has impressed this season and Lee is looking to keep him with a view to a permanent move. Ifil is a talented youngster and it is unlikely MJ will let him go on the cheap. The most probable outcome will be an extension to his loan period and if a suitable offer is made there is a possibilty that he may move permanently. However, with Irish fullback Stephen Kelly making noises about his lack of opportunity, the Spurs boss may be tempted to keep hold of Ifil as future cover for first team regular Paul Stalteri. Stalteri has been a permanent fixture in the right back position this season and is definitely first choice with Pamarot still suffering the effects a long term injury and Kelly unable to break into the side.

Other possible departures include the possibility of Middlesboro' taking a chance on Sean Davis and Everton looking at Michael Brown. Davis is close to a return to fitness and Steve McClaren is said to be keeping an eye on the ex-Fulham midfielder for a £2 million move. Michael Brown has been linked with moves away since late last season, however with his latest injury set back, he is likely to be out for up to another six weeks and this may hamper his chances of moving away.

Meanwhile Dean Marney has returned from his loan spell at Norwich ahead of schedule through injury and the ever present transfer speculation on the future of Robbie Keane seems to have cooled. Keane has hinted that he is happy at the current situation at the club and has praised Martin Jol for giving him his long awaited run in the team. He said: - "Full credit to the gaffer, he has given me a chance in the last couple of games and I am happy with that. "We've got such a young squad and it looks so bright for the future of Tottenham."

Due to his recent ommision from the first team, there has been speculation on the future of Keane's current understudy Jermain Defoe. Despite several reports linking him with a move away, Defoe has pledged his future to Spurs this week and was quoted as saying: - "I don't need to go anywhere. Not playing has been hard to take because as a forward you just want to score goals but I'm sure I'll get my chance and when I do I'll be ready. I have played a lot of the games this season. I've only missed the last three. I think the England manager knows what I can do." This comes as good news for Spurs fans, as although he has not been at his very best this season, the England striker is an integral part of this new look Spurs team.

As well as all the talk of departures, Spurs have been linked with a few transfer targets for January. Chelsea's Arjen Robben has reportedly fallen out with boss Jose Mourinho and there have been reports of Spurs making a bid for the Dutch winger. Martin Jol has recently quashed these rumours however, saying that if Robben were to become available, it would be unlikely that Spurs would be able to attract the player ahead of the likes of Real Madrid or Milan.

Korean international Lee Chun-soo has also been linked with Spurs in a move which would see him team up with fellow compatriot Lee Young Pyo. It is obvious that MJ sees a gap on the left, with Andy Reid so far putting in under par performances and the absence of Reto Ziegler until the end of the season. Valencia's Vicente has also been touted for this position; however, the club will have make a big bid to prize him away from the Spanish Giants.

As for strikers, it has been said that Edgar Davids has been in conversation with long term target Dirk Kuyt. The striker has been linked to many clubs since the summer, however the opportunity to work with Davids and Martin Jol, who is held with high regard in Holland, may work in Spurs' favour. Kuyt would be a fantastic signing in my opinion and whilst taking Rasiak out of the equation, will certainly force some less varied performances from Mido. The Egyptian international has made the target man position his own and has only missed the games for which he was suspended this season. He has publicly stated his desire to make his stay at White Hart Lane permanent and with the increased competition for his place, may have to become more consistent in order to get the nod.

Another couple of names which have been mentioned are that of Deportivo defender Cesar and Villareal's want-away striker Antonio Guayre. Guayre has reportedly had a transfer request accepted by the Spanish club and would be available for around £700k. Paraguayan wonder-kid Rivaldo has now snubbed Spurs, stating a move to Serie A would be in his best interests.

Oh yeah...I heard we are close to completing a deal with Puma for our kit as of next season. I think thats it.... Sorry there have been no updates for a while, but I'm sure this lot will keep you busy. As always, please make your comments!!

Cheers,

Paz

Spurs To Take No Action Over Training Ground Brawl

2005-12-05T15:55:00.000Z

Tottenham have confirmed the alleged training ground bust-up between Robbie Keane and Edgar Davids. The row was started by a heated argument between the players during a practice match and it continued as the players returned to the Spurs Lodge dressing rooms. The ill-feeling then spilled over into a brawl with punches thrown before fellow team-mates waded in to separate the feuding pair. Irishman Keane was apparently left with red marks on his face but Jol later ordered them to 'kiss and make up' in his office to ensure any bad feeling was not taken on to the pitch for their home game with Sunderland on Saturday. Both players were involved in the 3-2 win with Keane missing a penalty but also scoring his second goal in as many games since his return to first team action in place of axed England striker Jermain Defoe.

Tottenham spokeswoman Donna Cullen confirmed: "There was an incident but it's all over and forgotten now. We see it as a sign of the players' passion and commitment to do well for the club." However, according to a News of the World eye witness; "This was a serious bust-up. This wasn't handbags — it was a full-blown fight. The club will take no action against Edgar Davids or Ireland international Robbie Keane over the incident.

Source : ireland.com

Mido to Become a Permanent Yido?

2005-10-19T16:04:00.000+01:00

With the arrival of Mido last season I felt that we had signed on loan somewhat of an unknown quantity. Sure he has been at some top European clubs such as Roma, Ajax and Marseille; but had in recent times failed to achieve the success that so many had hoped and expected he would. When he arrived at the lane I think it was plain to see he was looking quite unfit, and this was reflected in his perfromances. He did bag a couple of goals early on, but overall I must admit that like many other fans down at the Lane, wasn't all that impressed.

At one point during the summer he was even linked with a move back to his homeland of Egypt; as speculation on his future was mounting due to his ordinary form and lack of contribution. The start of this season was a different story however; he appeared to have worked hard on his fitness levels and seemed determined to prove to Martin Jol, the Spurs fans and to a certain extent himself that he is capable of being the player that so many people have touted him to be in the past. As a result, he has looked much sharper this season, with a great goal on Saturday against Everton and forcing himself into the starting eleven as a regular, outing the likes of Kanoute and keeping Robbie Keane currently out of the team. It therefore looks as though at this point in time we are keen on making his loan move permanent, with Martin Jol commenting last week that talks are ongoing. My main concern is over the issue of the suggested price tag. Nothing is official as of yet but it is reported to be in the region of £4.5 million and this to me seems a big investment considering Daniel Levy is talking about tightening the pursestrings. Also, lets not forget Mido's track record; he has been at something like 6 clubs in 7 seasons and fallen out with at least 3 or 4 managers.

There are pros and cons to this transfer, I believe they are as follows:- We would be buying a player whom is settled at the club and appears to be improving with every game he plays. He appears to be building a strong partnership with Defoe and also at this point in time appears to be fully commmited to the club.

Altohough as previously stated £4.5 million is a lot of money for any player at the moment; but could it be better spent elsewhere? Mido has a history of being a bit of a troublemaker and once the transfer is complete, will this side of him come out? Will he become complacent knowing his future is secure, which could ultimately lead to a drop in performance.

I am really unsure as to whether he would be a sound purchase or not let us know what you think by poting your commments.

Story by:- Jason Hockman

MJ's Revolution - A New Hope

2005-10-18T12:58:00.000+01:00

There can only be one reason for the lack of significant activity on Spurs blogs like this one...we've got nothing much to moan about!! Spurs have been playing the type football which many people thought was left back in the late 80's and early 90's when we were one of the top four. Martin Jol has instilled confidence, team spirit and a superb winning mentality which has seen us come back to win a game after going 2-0 down. I know that this is just a small part of our massive progress this season, but in seasons past, had we been faced with the same situation, you may as well have gone home at half time.

There is still much reluctance to get too excited amongst the fans, and I would certainly agree with this, having been disappointed on too many occasions in the past. But one thing that does impress me is the way we seem to have re-acquired the ability to make other teams not relish the prospect of playing us. In recent years, too many of the so-called lesser teams have come to the Lane and fancied their chances of getting something from a game. This is because more often than not, we would make stupid mistakes under pressure and show defensive cracks in our ongoing pursuit of playing the Spurs way. Lets face it, in general we've always had some half-decent players, with the likes of Klinsmann, Ginola, Sheringham, Dumitrescu, and dare I say it, even Sol Campbell; but we've never had the right balance or spirit. It has always felt like all the expectation was centered on one or two star players rather than the whole team and now it is completely the opposite. Every position is filled with a top player, (no Gary Dohertys or Dean Richards) and the squad is looking better than ever.

So with our upcoming fixtures against Manchester United and Arsenal, now it is time to test our optimism in our new look Spurs team. The two games will serve as a big marker as to how far we have come and how far we need we may need to go to achieve the success we have been waiting for. Although there maybe a little too much value being placed on these results, I think that the performances will show a lot about the character of the team. There is no doubt about it that we will be stretched at times and will have to work very hard for 90 minutes for both matches, but with the right attitude and tactics, I don't see why we cannot take a minimum of 4 points. Manchester United are playing well; after a bit of a blip last season, they are certainly looking much better and should Chelsea (majorly) slip up, I would definitely back them for the title over Arsenal. Therefore I think it will be difficult at Old Trafford; but if we can stop them scoring and make good use of the likes of Lennon and Young Pyo on the wings, I think we have a chance.

Arsenal on the other hand, will be lacking on confidence after the recent defeat by West Brom. It seems Henry is likely to be back now, but his fitness may not be quite there yet. I think that psychologically we will have a good advantage over them and without being biased, I genuinely believe we have a better midfield than them now. It is our best chance in years to convincingly beat them and should we do it, I think the team will go from strength to strength for the rest of the season. Given the opportunity, I would call Wenger's bluff and put Robbie Keane into the mix with Mido instead of Defoe for this game. He is chomping at the bit for a decent opportunity, and giving him a start in the north London derby will get the best out of him. I admire the way the fans are supporting him at the moment and really hope he sticks it out with us. I did say at the beginning of the season that Robbie may have had his chance with Spurs and a lot of people did agree with me, but I think he has proved both me and everyone else very wrong. Keep the faith Robbie and Come On You Spurs!!

As always let us know what you think by posting your comments!!

Confidence Booster for Jenas As Spurs Go Second

2005-10-17T11:22:00.000+01:00

Another great result for Martin Jol's new-look Spurs at the weekend, and although we have done well against Everton in the past, it is the kind of fixture that traditionally has the potential to be a banana skin. The best thing about it is that we have now climbed to second in the table above the Gunners (whom 'unfortunately' suffered a surprising defeat at the hands of Bryan Robson's WBA).

It is evident that this Spurs team is starting to get a good understanding of each other now and although the first half was a bit average with Everton initially proving difficult to break down, we stepped it up a gear after the break and saw the desired end result. I, as many Spurs fans, was personally really pleased to see both Mido and Jenas score. Mido is obviously a class act and looks as though he is enjoying his football at the Lane; he scored a fantastic glancing header, doing well to beat Yobo in the air and make it look easy. The fact that Jenas was provider turned scorer 5 minutes later was a fantastic way to secure the points. He has had a fair bit of stick since he joined the club and has appeared to lack confidence in previous weeks. He is quite clearly a class player though and hopefully this performance will enable him to step up his game a little more and live up to the potential he clearly has.

Martin Jol has shown confidence in him, by letting him have his preffered position in the centre of midfield whilst pushing Davids out left. Jenas was originally touted to start on the right side of our midfield quartet due to the absensce of Wayne Routledge; but with the superb form and added width provided by Aaron Lennon, the former Newcastle star, has now been paired up with Michael Carrick in the centre. I'm sure that this will allow Jenas to relax; giving him time to settle in to the system, therefore hopefully becoming more consistent whilst developing as a player and putting in the performances we would all like to see from an England international.

Overall, it seems that Spurs are turning the corner and whilst it is still very early days we appear to have more of a team spirit and will to win, as well as the added ingredient of strength in depth. I think minimal signings within the transfer window would be a good thing allowing the team to settle even further and then depending on the level of sucess we enjoy, reassess the situation during the summer.

As always...Let us know what you think and post your comments!!

Story by:- Jason Hockman

Spurs Outclass Sub-Standard Toffees

2005-10-15T20:27:00.000+01:00

Tottenham moved up into 2nd in the premiership tonight with a well deserved 2-0 victory over David Moyes' under fire Everton. Spurs started the brightest with a superb Michael Dawson effort, only to be denied by a goal-line clearance from Nuno Valente. Paul Robinson who celebrated his 26th birthday with a clean sheet, denied James McFadden at the other end for Everton's only real opportunity in the first half. The home side were also denied a penalty appeal, when Lee Young-Pyo was brought down by Matteo Ferrari during a spell of heavy Spurs pressure.

On 58 minutes, Mido met new boy Jermaine Jenas' cross with a fine glancing header after a defensive blunder from Joseph Yobo. 5 minutes later Jenas doubled the lead with another headed goal to see off the under par merseysiders. Moyes tried desperately to get something from the game by introducing Duncan Ferguson late on. The big Scotsman forced another fine save from Paul Robinson who was clearly up for the challenge.

Kira's thoughts from the terrace:-

Michael Dawson was pick of the team, with a towering, majestic and very composed performance. Aaron Lennon showed once again, fresh from his England U21 start, that he is a little pocket rocket - causing the Toffees all sorts of problems. Overall, a solid team performance, and although they took a while to break down, Everton were no match for the Tottenham boys today.

Let us know what you thought about the game...COYS!!

Defoe's England Hopes

2005-10-10T11:31:00.000+01:00

Well a great weekend of football with England qualifying for the world cup altough I cant help but think we should be seeing more of Defoe in an England shirt although there will be quite a few who will disagree with my view. I believe that England is about playing those players who are in form for example the decisions that needed to be made before the England game surrounding the choice of centerbacks. The best two players based on current form (Campbell and Terry) were selected ahead of Ferdinand even though Ferdinand is also quite clearly a world class player. So why not the same with the strikers, the argument for Peter Crouch is that he is a target man, but he is weak when he gets the ball and this means he cant always hold the ball up for long enough he is quite clearly improving but it didnt seem to work on Saturday. Owen on the other hand didnt have a good game his touch was poor and his finishing was weak. So Owen didnt play well and isnt setting the league on fire, this suggests to me thatSven should consider dropping him for a more in form striker. The obvious choice to replace him would be Defoe. Defoe is used to playing off a tall target man (Mido or Raisak), he is looking good at the moment and from sefish point of view for him to start would only improve his confidence which would obviously be good for Spurs. This game is not a must win game although it would be useful to top the group. This is therefore surely the perfect opportunity for Sven could give him a go in a bigger game than those he has played in so far. The only argument for Owen to be in really ahead of Defoe is that he is captain but there are more than capable deptuies Terry just to name one.
Michael Dawson has also been withdrawn from the Engalnd U21 team with a slight hamstring injury, it doesnt seem like it is too much to worry about seems he has been withdrawn so he will be fit and available.

Story by Jason Hockman

Come On You Spurs!! - Update

2005-10-03T20:39:00.000+01:00

Come On You Spurs!! is currently under construction and will be back in the near future. Please keep checking the site as updates will be posted as soon as possible. Apologies for any inconvenience.

Thanks & COYS

Paz

P.S. - We're doing alright at the moment aren't we? How good is Aaron Lennon?!!....get him to the World Cup I say!!!!!!!!

Spurs Vs Liverpool - The Return Of The King

2005-09-09T11:48:00.000+01:00

Spurs will be welcoming European champions Liverpool to the Lane on Saturday as the premiership kicks off again after the international break. The North Londoners will be looking to continue their impressive start and quash memories of their most recent defeat to Chelsea. Liverpool have also started well, but have only played 2 games so far due to their European qualifiying commitments.

This fixture last season resulted in a draw both home and away and will certainly once again prove a difficult test for both sides. Spurs have a decent record against the Merseysiders, being unbeaten in the last 5 meetings.

Team News:- Spurs welcome back skipper Ledley King into the team after he recovered this week from a groin injury picked up in pre-season. New boys Jermaine Jenas, Lee Young Pyo & Grzegorz Rasiak are likely to feature and are all anxiously waiting for their debuts. Spurs are still missing Noe Pamarot, Sean Davis and Wayne Routledge through injury whilst Mido is unavailable due to his 3 match suspension picked up against Chelsea.

Liverpool are without Fernando Morientes after the Spaniard picked up a knock on international duty. Djibril Cisse is reported to be fit but is still shaking off an ankle injury he picked up in France's 3-0 win over the Faroe Islands. Therefore Peter Crouch will almost definitely make his premiership debut against the club which released him all those years ago. Jerzey Dudek, Neil Mellor and Djimi Traore will also miss out due to long term injuries.

COYS Prediction:- Tottenham to win 2-1. Spurs have an abudance of options for this match and Liverpool are lacking this luxury. With most of our squad fit, I can't see us failing to get all three points on Saturday. Liverpool will be a tough test though, with their slick passing and quick distribution. I think that Crouch may cause us a few problems aerially, but with the return of King and the superb form of Dawson, we will be able to cope. I have predicted the win to be narrow, but that is only because Rafa Benitez will have his Liverpool side very organised and disciplined. Expect a few tussles in the centre of the park between the likes of Davids and Gerrard....Should be a good one. As always let us know what you think, your comments are welcome.

(Information:- Sky Sports)

Spurs Line Up Replacement For Moneybags Arnesen

2005-09-07T23:16:00.000+01:00

Spurs have today announced on their official website that a new Sporting Director has been appointed to replace Frank Arnesen. Former St. Etienne Technical Director Damien Comolli has now been confirmed as the club's newest acquistion and will commence his duties as of 12th September 2005. Comolli had a successful spell with his previous employers and has also worked closely with Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as his European Scout. This will undoubtedly raise a few eyebrows with the Spurs faithful and will bring mixed emotions similar to those that were apparent throughout the George Graham era. The club have stated that the Frenchman will be in charge of the Medical, Academy, Scouting and Club Secretarial departments. He said, “I am delighted to be joining Tottenham Hotspur. The Club has an ambitious board and a first class coaching team headed by Martin, with whom I shall be collaborating closely. The challenge for me is to assist the Club to play football at the highest level and to continuously seek to improve everything we do. I feel there is much that can be achieved and I am excited to be here.”

Personally, I say we give the guy a chance. I know he has or has had links with Arsenal and this will certainly have a few fans jumping on the 'we hate Arsenal' bandwagon, but both MJ and Daniel Levy seem to think he is the right man for the job. It's also been said that he will bring many talents to the role and access to wide networks across Europe, so it'll be intresting to see the types of players he will line up for us in January and beyond. As always let us know your opinions and views. Oh and by the way Sven... Nice one. Do they sell turnips in sweden?

Deadly's Back And Spurs Are Raring To Go

2005-09-06T17:06:00.000+01:00

Saturday September 10th will see the visit of European champions Liverpool at White Hart Lane. Spurs look set to field one of their strongest sides so far with the likely return of skipper Ledley King and the introduction of new boys Jermaine Jenas, Lee Young Pyo and Grzegorz Rasiak. It is not clear exactly what system Martin Jol will adopt, but there has been much speculation on Jenas starting on the right or even as part of a three-man midfield with both Carrick and Davids. Rasiak will also almost definitely feature at some point due to Mido's 3 match suspension, but with the added height and attacking qualities of Jenas, MJ may prefer to use the experience of Robbie Keane to start with Defoe. Lee Young Pyo is also set to make his debut and should slot straght into the vacant full back position left by the recent departure of Erik Edman. The former PSV man has been widely touted as a very accomplished left back and his arrival has caused much excitement with the fans at White Hart Lane.

The picture on the right is a possible formation Jol may use against Liverpool. I think that the King - Dawson partnership will be solid at the back all season and are more than capable of coping with either of Liverpool's attacking pairings (i.e. Cisse & Crouch or Morientes & Cisse). Stephen Kelly will most probably play right-back, but MJ may use the experience of Stalteri or the versatillity of Tainio, depending on the system Liverpool may adopt. Carrick is a definite starter in the centre of midfield for me. His form has come on leaps and bounds and is fast becoming a firm favourite with the fans due to his exquisite distribution and his ability to hold the team together. I have put Jenas on the right ahead of Aaron Lennon, who made his debut against Chelsea due to the absence of Wayne Routledge. Unless MJ decides to deploy the wing-back system and play three in the middle, I really can't see where else he would play Jenas. Davids will play his normal box-to-box role, collecting the ball from deep and playing through the middle as he does so effectively. The main debate on Saturday however will be whether to go with Keane or Rasiak. I would personally start with Robbie Keane and introduce Rasiak after about an hour. With the pace of the premiership, and especially teams like Liverpool, Rasiak may find it hard to be effective from the start. Keane has experience in big games and is more likely to nick a goal early on, should Jenas and Reid provide the right type of support.

I will post any updates on the team news as they come. Please post your comments and formations as always. Cheers.

Is Sven Right To Keep Defoe Waiting?

2005-09-05T12:15:00.000+01:00

Tottenham's Jermain Defoe has long been on the fringe of the England team and has patiently waited for his chance to break into Sven's starting 11. The pacy forward scored on his first England start against Poland last year but has struggled to make his mark on the team ever since. He was however widely expected to feature alongside Wayne Rooney in both England's humilating performance in Denmark and the recent win over Wales in Cardiff due to the absence of Michael Owen, but only played for parts of each game. Sven has previously commented that he has reservations on Defoe's workrate and has stated: “Jermain is quick and he has marvellous technique but, and I have told him this before, he needs to get more involved in games, ...I sometimes have the feeling watching him that he is just waiting for a chance to score. He knows my opinion, although I don’t expect him to be perfect when he remains so young.” These opinions have caused many mixed feelings amongst fans and pundits alike, with many believing that the Spurs star has not been given enough of a run in the team to prove his worth.

Personally, I think Sven is somewhat correct in what he says, but then again what does he expect? Defoe is a quality player and if he only gets 20 or so minutes per game, of course he will try to do everything he can to make his mark; the guy wants to play for England. I realise Sven is under a lot of pressure to get results, but should Owen or Rooney get an injury for the World Cup, he will have to play Defoe. Without the opportunity to build some sort of understanding with the rest of the team, it would be unfair to expect Defoe to come straight in and fill the shoes of a player who is an experienced regular. I realise all these players didn't become regulars overnight, but with Sven using the player as more of a commodity than an option, it is unlikely that Defoe could make the swede change his mind in the near future. For example, what was the point of bringing on Defoe (all 5ft 6" of him) as a lone target man in the Wales game? Sven must know that to effectively utilise a player like Defoe or even Owen, you need to have a player from which he can play off. Although I thought the team performance was solid on the whole, I think it may have been the wrong time to experiment with such a negative system. England made hard work of a Wales team which only contain a minimal Premiership or equivalent top league contingent.

I think it is right that Rooney and Owen should certainly be the starting pair for England on current form. But if Sven doesn't give Defoe enough of an opportunity to show what he can do, then he may find himself with yet another disappointing campaign in Germany, placing too much emphasis on his strongest players, and regarding the others as being there just to make up the numbers. As always let us know what you think........Post your comments!!

Is Keane Earning His Spurs?

2005-09-04T14:14:00.000+01:00

There has been much speculation over the future of Robbie Keane at White Hart Lane over the last few months with the latest addition suggesting that he will join Everton in the January transfer window. Spurs Boss Martin Jol seems to be happy with Keane and this was made clear with the recent exit of Freddie Kanoute to Sevilla. Many fans thought that Keane would leave ahead of the Malian international as he was the only forward who publicly vented his frustrations with the striker rotation system deployed by the dutchman. Everton now seem to want to take the striker for £6 million, which seems a fair price for the Irishman. He has struggled to find the form of two to three seasons ago which made him a firm favourite with the Spurs faithful.

Personally I think Keane has been given enough of a chance. He has struggled to find form in the Martin Jol system and should we be able to replace him with a suitable player in January, I wouldn't be too unhappy to see him go to Everton. He only really played well with Kanoute and can not really be played as a striker in the same team as Defoe. Mido looks good this season and I would expect Jol to make him a Spurs player at the end of his current loan deal. It is a shame however with Keane because overall he has been such an outstanding player for us. He is certainly capable scoring great goals but is becoming less and less of a great goalscorer in my opinion. Maybe he will strike up a good pairing with Rasiak and prove me wrong, but I think he will become more and more frustrated being used as a substitute and 3rd choice striker. He had an outstanding Peace Cup pre-season and still hasn't really featured this season, but unless his form improves dramatically, I really can't see him as a Spurs player come next season.

Let me know what you think about this guys....Post your comments as always.

Spurs No-Go For Diego

2005-09-02T12:11:00.000+01:00

It has been revealed in reports today that Spurs failed in a last ditch bid to sign Deportivo La Coruna striker Diego Tristan just before the transfer deadline. Spurs boss Martin Jol reportedly offered a hefty 9 million Euros for the explosive spaniard, who is currently not enjoying the form which he is most famed for. Deportivo's president Augusto Cesar Lendoiro spoke of the offer and explained the reasons for which it was rejected. He said: "We rejected a huge offer of 9 million euros from Tottenham for Diego Tristan. We believe Diego can recover his best form and we have faith in him."

This news will add further optimism to Spurs fans as the club continue to show great ambition and spending power. Chairman Daniel Levy seems to be very happy to allow Martin Jol to spend money on building his own squad, which by all accounts is full to the brim with up and coming talent from England and abroad.

Thanks for all your comments for the story yesterday, the reponse was unbeilevable!! If you haven't seen it, please have a look (Jenas, Lee Young Pyo & Rasiak - Are They Good Enough?) and leave your comments. There was a lot of talk about MJ's best 11....... please feel free to tell us your opinions on this, Tristan and anything else!! Cheers.

Jenas, Lee Young Pyo & Rasiak - Are They Good Enough?

2005-09-01T15:23:00.000+01:00

Tottenham manager Martin Jol had a busy day at the office yesterday bringing in 3 new players and overseeing transfer and loan deals for three going the other way. The biggest signing of the day was the acquisition of Newcastle's midfield starlet Jermaine Jenas, who has been long touted as a Spurs player after his recent 'goldfish bowl' comments about life in the north-east. Personally, I was never in favour of this signing as we were always going to pay too much for a player who really hasn't proved anything at club level let alone international level. Jenas is a talented player, but his lack of consistency and goals are a worry. His previous club may have paid over the odds for Owen but with them being in no better postion than us in terms of European competition, league status etc., it makes me wonder how we were unable to attract a bigger name. I hope Jenas proves me wrong, as he obviously possess plenty of potential, but how long will we have to wait for Spurs to mount a serious challenge for champions league places? I really think the club have the right philosophy with the type of signings we are making, but as much as I hate to say it, inexperience will probably be our only downfall this season. I'm not saying that we will underachive; because a top six finish would certainly be a step forward, but with the right signings (Van Der Meyde, Lucarelli, Gouvou or Kuyt) I think we could have definitely been challenging for 4th or 5th.

Lee Young Pyo has been halied as the best left back in Holland by Martin Jol, which is a great coup for the club, should this statement be accurate. I haven't personally seen a lot of the player but have full faith in Jol's ability to identify talent. I do however believe that we should not have sold Edman. He is a solid squad player, who played well for the majority of last season. Even with the signing of Lee Young Pyo, we still need cover for that position and hopefully players like Stephen Kelly will be able to fill this void effectively. This again comes back to the dilemma of depth over experience which may or may not be a successful strategy for the rest of the season.

The third and final new arrival was the shock signing of Derby County's Polish international striker Grzegorz Rasiak. I am glad that we got another big striker to fill the place left by Freddie Kanoute and from what I have read, he looks a bargain. The Bobby Zamora alarm bells were ringing initially with a lot of fans and this is understandable, but Zamora was a Brighton player when we bought him and was clearly not ready for the premiership. Rasiak is an international on the other hand, with plenty more experience and this is what we need in my opinion.

Let me know what you think about the new signings by posting your comments. For all you regulars........sorry I haven't updated the site for a while by the way, I will try to post stories more regularly from now on.

Jol: He Kan Stay

2005-08-12T10:37:00.000+01:00

Martin Jol has today dismissed the recent transfer speculation surrounding Freddie Kanoute and a possible move away from White Hart Lane. The Dutchman has declared himself pleased with Kanoute and still feels he has an important part to play for Spurs. He said: "I told him last year that overall I was very happy with him. "

"In fact I don't think there was one player who had a particular bad season. He was an important part of my squad.

"He was the only big striker I had so he was playing all the games and I was happy with him.

"One club made an enquiry for him last week, but when there is a problem with Fredi he will walk into my office and want to talk about it and I haven't seen him.

"I have not spoken about it with him. I am happy with him and I am perfectly happy for him to stay."

Sven: Defoe Must Get Stuck In

2005-08-12T10:24:00.000+01:00

England boss Sven Goran Eriksson looks set to give Spurs' Jermain Defoe the nod for the upcoming international fixtures but wants to get more out of the 22 year old striker on the pitch. Defoe will fill in for current first choice Michael Owen, who will be serving an international suspension. The swede told The Times:-

“Jermain is quick and he has marvellous technique but, and I have told him this before, he needs to get more involved in games,” Eriksson said. “I sometimes have the feeling watching him that he is just waiting for a chance to score. He knows my opinion, although I don’t expect him to be perfect when he remains so young.”

Deadly Ledley Will Miss Pompey Clash

2005-08-11T18:15:00.000+01:00

Spurs captain Ledley King is to miss out for Saturday's season opener at Portsmouth. It has been reported that he has not fully recovered from a niggling groin strain and is being left out of the fixture as a precaution by Spurs boss Martin Jol. The injury is also set to rule King out of the upcoming England friendly against Denmark on the 16th.

King was ever-present last term for Spurs and battled through whilst playing with the same problem. It is not thought that King will require any kind of surgery for the injury but it will cause major concern at White Hart Lane with a tricky first few games.
More team news for Saturday's fixture as it comes.....Post your comments!!

Defoe To Be Top Dog For 2005/06?

2005-08-11T14:36:00.000+01:00

Here are the latest odds from William Hill for the top-scorer for the upcoming Premiership season. Jermaine Defoe is Tottenham's best chance with fairly decent odds of 15/1, with Robbie Keane, Mido and Kanoute considerably further down the list. The bookies are predictably backing the hitmen from Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester United; but I wouldn't be surprised if JD builds on the success he enjoyed last season now he hasn't got penalty king Andy Johnson to worry about.

T. Henry - 3/1

R. Van Nistelrooy - 6/1

H. Crespo - 13/1

D. Drogba - 15/1

W. Rooney - 15/1

J. Defoe - 15/1

D. Cisse - 15/1

Yakubu - 21/1

Morientes - 23/1

R. Keane - 40/1

Mido - 67/1

F. Kanoute - 126/1

As always...Post your comments!!

Spurs' Freddie Wants To Stay Put

2005-08-11T10:02:00.000+01:00

Frederic Kanoute wants to stay at Tottenham and is getting worried by all the transfer speculation linking him with moves away from White Hart Lane. The Malian international striker is now thought to be 4th in the pecking order of boss Martin Jol's strikers; behind Defoe, Mido and Keane. This has stirred interest from a host of other clubs including Spanish outfit Sevilla and Kanoute's old club West Ham with the end of the transfer window looming. Another theory which is doing the rounds is that Spurs want to use Kanoute in a part exchange deal for unsettled Newcastle star Jermaine Jenas. With their high price tag for the player, Newcastle's lack of attacking options and the Anelka deal recently falling through; the option to take Kanoute may be of interest the geordies.

Any Truth In LuaLua For Spurs Rumour?

2005-08-11T08:45:00.000+01:00

Reports today suggest that Spurs have made an enquiry about Portsmouth's Lomano Lua Lua. The Mirror.co.uk reports that Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin admits he may get rid of his £3million-rated striker to make some funds available for signings of his own. The Congo international, 24, who snubbed a £35,000-a-week move to Dubai in the summer, is the latest name to be linked with Martin Jol's side. Perrin said: "We want to keep him but every player has his price."

Paz:-I think its a bit of a coincidence that we are playing Portsmouth on Saturday and a story like this suddenly appears. Even if there is a hint of truth in it, there is no way Lua Lua is good enough to play for Tottenham Hotspur. What do you guys think? Post your Comments!!

Spurs Tight-Lipped Over Jenas

2005-08-10T22:31:00.000+01:00

Tottenham are not giving anything away despite reports that they have now become favourites to land Newcastle's Jermaine Jenas. Spurs are reported to be in talks with the Toon army for the unsettled midfielder and are said to be trying to thrash out a deal so the player can be available for selection as soon as possible.

Spurs have previously had two bids rejected by Newcastle chairman Freddie Shepherd, but are once again on the trail of the England international now that his asking price has been dropped from a reported £20m to a figure in the region of £13m.

More news as it comes......Post your comments!!

Spurs' Iranian Interest

2005-08-10T17:34:00.000+01:00

Reports today suggest Spurs are looking to add to their current strike force with the services of Javad Nekounam. The 24 year old Iranian international, who currently plays his football for Pas Tehran in his native country, has been strongly linked with German side Kaiserslautern but it now looks like Spurs are again showing interest in the player. It has been reported that Martin Jol wanted to originally give the player a trial, but he now may have to make a speedy decision, with Galatasary also said to be watching events closely.

Do We Need Another Big Name?

2005-08-10T14:33:00.000+01:00

With all the speculation doing the rounds regarding the comings and goings at Tottenham, it is becoming apparent that Martin Jol certainly believes that we need to bring in at least one more new player. Personally, I don't think signing Jenas would be a good move at this time. He is a fantastic player and he is young - exactly what Jol seems to like; but is he worth it for the money? I realise Davids will not be around for longer than 2-3 years and Carrick still has a lot to prove, but with teams like Newcastle, who are in no better position than us, looking at players like Owen and signing the likes of Emre, shouldn't we be looking to put a bit more experience into the team? We have all the youth we need now and I'm sure they will come good in the near future, but with Jol going on about all the expectation we need to live up to, surely he must realise that the consistency we have been lacking comes with experience. We all saw how much respect Davids commanded instantly from the likes of King, Robbo, Defoe and Carrick when the signing was announced and some might say that he is our biggest signing since Klinsmann. I think that if we want to really challenge for a top 5 finish, then we need to get another player like Davids, who has been there and done it.

What do you guys think? Post your comments!!

Jol: Pompey No Push-Over

2005-08-10T12:27:00.000+01:00

Spurs Boss Martin Jol is well aware that Saturday's opening fixture at Fratton Park against Portsmouth won't be just a formalitiy, regardless of the impressive pre-season the club have enjoyed. Pompey have made some shrewd signings during the transfer window and Jol recognises the threat that they could pose Tottenham in front of their own fans.

The Tottenham boss said: "Portsmouth now have Robert and he is somebody who can score out of nothing and is a set piece specialist. We are aware of it and he scored against my former club Den Haag the other day."I think he is a good player and they have some terrific midfield players. They are organised at the back and it won't be an easy one."

Lineker Backs Spurs For 4th Place

2005-08-09T21:19:00.000+01:00

Ex-Spurs Striker Gary Lineker is backing Tottenham to finish 4th come the end of the 2005/06 Premiership season. Lineker was discussing the up coming season during half-time in the Manchester United vs Debrecen Champions League qualifier, and told Alan Hansen that he thought Spurs had a great chance of finishing as high as 4th this season. Hansen predictably said it would be Liverpool, but did say that Spurs would do well this season.

Sevilla Show Kanoute Intrest

2005-08-09T21:02:00.000+01:00

Sevilla have today joined the race for Spurs' hitman Frederic Kanoute according to reports in Spain. The Malian international has been linked with several clubs following a successful pre-season for Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Mido. Kanoute has therefore become 4th choice for Spurs boss Martin Jol and is said to be less than pleased at the prospect of being a bit part player for the coming season.

Sevilla are keen to find a replacement for Julio Baptista, who joined Real Madrid recently and are yet to make an official bid for Kanoute. They may have a fight on their hands though, with the likes of Charlton, Manchester City, Birmingham, Wigan and old club West Ham all said to be keen on the striker. Boss Martin Jol insists that he would preferably like to keep the player but maybe persuaded to let him go, should the right bid come in.

Davids Gets Giggs' Seal Of Approval

2005-08-09T15:37:00.000+01:00

Ryan Giggs has rated new Tottenham signing Edgar Davids as one of the toughest midfield players he has ever played against in the Champions League. United veteran Giggs, is looking forward to the prospect of facing the dreadlocked dutchman in the new season and agrees that Davids will add the bite which has been lacking in Spurs' performances last season.

Giggs, who has named Davids in central midfield in his toughest Champions League XI, said: "He's pretty fearsome in the tackle and he works really hard for his team-mates."

Deadly Ledley Ready For Pompey

2005-08-09T15:29:00.000+01:00

Spurs captain Ledley King will lead his side out against Portsmouth at Fratton Park in the first fixture of the new season on Satuday. Boss Martin Jol has declared that the England international will play on Saturday after leaving him out in the last friendly against Porto.

"He will play next week. Its always important to wait and see how we cope when he is not playing because I think he's our most important player and he wasn't there." Jol said after the Porto victory. The news will come as a big relief to Spurs fans as there were many fears over King's fitness after his groin injury kept him out for a few training sessions last week.

Who do you think are the best Spurs defensive partnership? I would go with King and Dawson. But we've still got Davenport, Naybet, Gardner, Stalteri, Huddlestone and maybe Pamarot. Post your comments!!

£8.5m Jenas Bid Turned Down

2005-08-09T15:08:00.000+01:00

Spurs Boss Martin Jol is said to have made an £8.5m bid for Newcastle's Jermain Jenas which has been turned down. The north London club have shown interest in the past for England international, but are yet to make an offer which Toon chairman Freddie Shepard is willing to accept.

Newcastle want a bid in the region of £15m for Jenas and are unwilling to part with the player for any less. There has been much speculation over the midfielder's future after he was quoted last week as saying that life in Newcastle was like "living in a goldfish bowl". This has attracted attention from many premiership clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United as well as Tottenham.

In the wake of the failed bid, it is rumoured Martin Jol may try to secure the Jenas deal by adding a player such as Robbie Keane or Freddie Kanoute as part of the deal. This may help persuade the Toon army to part with the player as it will help ease the lack of attacking options in Graeme Souness' squad.

Paz's View:- "I personally don't think we need Jenas, and definitely not for £8.5m. If we have got that sort of money, why not try and bring in Owen? I know it is unlikely that we will get him over Manchester United or Arsenal, but the only club to make an offer at the moment is Newcastle. They haven't got any European competition this season anymore...what is to stop us getting him over them? Also we must keep Robbie Keane. He has had a great pre-season, and is looking very sharp this season."

What do you think? Please post your comments!!!

Davids To Make Debut Against Porto

2005-08-05T19:24:00.000+01:00

Martin Jol has confirmed that Edgar Davids will start the game against Porto tomorrow in Spurs’ last pre season friendly. He told the official THFC website "Edgar is fit so he will play at least 45 minutes. "I think it's important because we have our first league game against Portsmouth coming up so hopefully he'll come through Saturday and be ready for next week."

Paul Robinson is also expected to start tomorrow’s game after recovering from damaging his knee ligaments at the end of last season. New boy Paul Stalteri will also play for the first time since the final game of last season when he injured his calf against Werder Brehmen.

However, in form skipper Ledley King is out with a groin injury. He has missed some training sessions this week and Jol is not willing to take the risk of playing him with the start of the new season getting ever closer.

"The only thing is Ledley King is injured but at least we have a lot of options with Anthony Gardner, Calum Davenport, Goran Bunjevcevic, Noureddine Naybet is fit again and Tom Huddlestone could also play there,” said Jol.

"We have a big squad so we have to make a few decisions. We'll look to name 19 players because we'll need options for substitutions in the second half if it's neccessary.

"Overall, everything is looking fine and the only worry is Ledley."

Source:- Spurs Latest

Jenas To Be Next?

2005-08-05T18:38:00.000+01:00

Jermain Jenas has told Newcastle Boss Graeme Souness that he is unsettled at the club. There have been many reports today suggesting that the 22 year old midfielder is ready to put in a transfer request.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Tottenham and Middlesbrough have all been linked with the highly-rated England star and may now consider they have got the green light to make a move.
The loss of Jenas would represent the biggest blow yet for Souness, whose side slipped out of Europe on Wednesday night, and who is desperate to bring in new players before the season starts.

However the Scot stressed that he did not drop Jenas from the Intertoto Cup semi-final second leg clash with Deportivo La Coruna for any other reason than the persistent hamstring and back problem which has dogged the player through pre-season.

Souey added: "JJ has not had a problem with me or any of the staff as far as I am aware.

"Nobody on the playing side from the chairman down wants JJ to leave. Last year JJ played more games than anyone apart from Shay Given and I made him captain when Alan Shearer was out so that shows what I think of him," Souness told the club's official website.

Yeates Colchester Bound

2005-08-04T22:12:00.000+01:00

Promising youngster Mark Yeates is set to Colchester on a season-long loan deal. The U21 Republic of Ireland international made 3 senior and 21 reserve appearances for Spurs last term and has previously had loan spells at Brighton and Swindon.

Yeates will give Colchester a few more options for the upcoming League One campaign as he can be used as either a midfielder or striker. With the ever growing, young squad at Tottenham it is likely more players will follow Yeates and join lower league clubs on short term loan deals. Martin Jol will be keen to give these players the opportunity to gain some valueable experience as with the youth ethic that is being instilled at Spurs, it is only a matter of time before these very players maybe called upon for first team duties.

Freddie On His Way?

2005-08-04T13:25:00.000+01:00

Spurs' Mali international striker Frederick Kanoute could be on his way out of White Hart Lane in a deal worth £5m. Rumours suggest Spurs chairman Daniel Levy has offered Kanoute to three Premiership clubs including Everton, Birmingham and old club West Ham.

These new reports suggest boss Martin Jol may be looking to act upon his supposed interest in Feyernoord's £13m-rated Dirk Kuyt. Jol has said in the past that the ideal situation is to have 4 players competing for the 2 positions and so the prospect of bringing in a replacement, should Kanoute leave, is likely.

In the short term, with the new season looming, he may opt to give reserve striker El Hamdaoui an opportunity to break into the first team, but the most probable outcome is that of a direct replacement, either in the immediate future or in the January transfer window.

There have been a few mummerings of the possibility of Michael Owen joining, but this would prove quite difficult without the prospect of any European competition. Although Owen would be fantastic signing, he may not quite fit into Martin Jol's plans, as the similarities between him and Jermain Defoe could force a drastic system change.

What do you think....? Latest updates will be posted as soon I get them!!

Davids Delighted To Be A Spur

2005-08-03T23:18:00.000+01:00

Here it is people.... the official unveiling of Edgar Davids. And yes, he is posing with a Spurs shirt; so all you doubters can keep doubting, but I for one am looking forward to see our new No. 5 in action. Here is the interview from the Spurs official website: -

"I was really delighted to finally write my signature and I am looking forward to training and playing with the guys."

The 32-year-old stated the presence of Martin Jol as Head Coach was a significant factor in his decision to join after a not so productive season at Milan, adding that the lure of competing in the Premiership presents a further challenge in his hugely successful career.

"It was an influence because I want to enjoy the game again. I know how Martin trains and I know how he gets his teams to play. This is very important.

"It is also a challenge here because for every game you have to be prepared and there is no such thing as a small club.

Edgar is well aware of the abilities possessed by our young crop of players and hopes his experience will help guide them to the next level.

"They are very talented and I hope I can help them bring it out on the pitch - then we will be alright. I think I can help lift them but I think they will have to help me out as well because that is how it goes. We are fortunate to have a very talented team so I am confident we can have a good time.

"It is going to be hard because it is one of the best leagues in the world. I am just delighted to be here."

Spurs in Owen Chase?

2005-08-03T16:13:00.000+01:00

Michael Owen has confirmed he has held talks with a number of Premiership clubs. The Real Madrid striker has been strongly linked with a move back to England in recent days, after the Spanish giants concluded deals for Robinho and Julio Baptista.

Owen himself now realises he is potentially fifth choice striker at El Santiago Bernabeu despite an impressive haul of 13 goals last season. Manchester United are reported to be leading the chase, although the likes of Chelsea, Newcastle, Everton, Tottenham, Birmingham, Arsenal, and his former club Liverpool are all thought to be interested - although the latter two have denied that they will make an offer.

In a statement, Owen said: "During my four days off, there have been two big signings confirmed by the club and I can understand why this has resulted in speculation about my future.

"Real Madrid contacted my advisors over the weekend and explained that they wanted me to stay but that they would not stand in my way if the right opportunity arose for me to return to The Premiership.
"With the knowledge of Real Madrid, there has been brief dialogue with three or four Premiership clubs although no formal negotiations of any kind have taken place."
Owen, who is likely to cost in excess of £15 million, now looks destined.

Source:- Sky Sports/Planet Football Transfer Special

Jol Plays Down Kuyt Speculation

2005-08-03T13:53:00.000+01:00

Martin Jol has refuted claims that Spurs are about to make an approach for Feyernoord striker Dirk Kuyt. The Spurs boss claims he is very happy with the current attackers available to him and has denied making any enquiries about the Dutchman.

"You are always trying to strengthen your squad, but I think ours is pretty good," he admitted.

"We have never approached Kuyt or made an offer because we have four strikers. As a group of four strikers they are second to none."

Frederick Kanoute and Robbie Keane have been the subject of a lot of transfer speculation over the summer, however this statement seems to suggest that Jol is planning to keep the current strikers together for the immediate future.

Pedro To Go?

2005-08-03T11:57:00.000+01:00

According to the Sky Sports, the subject of Feyernoord Technical Director Mark Wotte's visit to the Aldershot Pre-season friendly was actually Pedro Mendes. The Dutch side are looking for a left-sided player to replace recently departed Bart Goor, who has now joined Anderlecht.

Although Mendes was involved quite a lot last season, it is almost certain that boss Martin Jol will pair up new boy Davids and Michael Carrick in the centre of the park. This would clear the way for Mendes to join Feyernoord, should an appropriate offer be made.

Davids A Done Deal

2005-08-02T22:02:00.000+01:00

The Official THFC website has confirmed that Edgar Davids has finally put pen to paper and is now officially on the books at Spurs. It reads: -

The Club is delighted to announce that we have completed the signing of Edgar Davids on a free transfer from Inter Milan. The Dutch midfielder finalised terms and is available to play in Saturday’s friendly against FC Porto at White Hart Lane.

Head Coach Martin Jol said: “I know everybody is very excited, he is a big player and the one we wanted.

“Edgar Davids is probably one of the most successful players of the last decade, he has played for five of the biggest clubs in Europe and he wants to play for Spurs.

“All of our players are ambitious and know why we have brought Edgar in — because both mentally and physically we need to go up a step or two.”

Edman Wanted By Feyernood

2005-08-02T18:07:00.000+01:00

Spurs left back Erik Edman, has attracted the attention of Feyernoord's Technical Director Mark Wotte. The Dutchman was spotted at Spurs' pre-season fixture at Reading, and is believed to be lining up a bid for the £2.5m rated Swede.

Edman would be the second full back to leave the club, following the recent exit of Timothee Atouba to German club Hamburg.

Source: - BBC Sport

I Was Rout Of Order

2005-08-02T17:13:00.000+01:00

Spurs new boy Wayne Routledge has apologised to Crystal Palace fans for his reaction to being barracked last season.

The England Under-21 international was heavily criticised by Palace fans at the end of last season after refusing to sign a new contract at Selhurst Park. Routledge believes he has learnt a lot from the whole episode and is concentrating on life at White Hart Lane.

Routledge admitted: "It seems a long time ago but I am at Tottenham after what seemed a long, drawn-out process, so it's good to get some training under my belt.

"It was frustrating it took so long to move across London but I was always totally concentrated on my football.

"It is definitely something I have learned from, something that has made me stronger. It was hard to cope with but I just love playing football. So as long as I was playing I could push everything to the back of my mind.

"I could understand the fans' reaction. I should never have thrown my shirt down. I regret doing it to this day and probably will regret it for the rest of my career.

"I've said sorry and will learn. I always carried on giving everything, though. If you know what I am about, then that is the only way I know how to react.

"I gave everything for Palace until my very last day, my last kick of the ball but I felt it was right to move on and progress my career. "Hopefully, I can do that with Tottenham."

Source: - Yahoo Sport

Davids To Be Unveiled On Wednesday

2005-08-02T17:03:00.000+01:00

According to Yahoo Sport....

Tottenham are hoping to unveil Holland midfielder Edgar Davids at White Hart Lane on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old spent another day locked in talks with Spurs over a one-year deal but the North London club are convinced they can finalise personal terms with the 32-year-old.

Keano's Mission

2005-08-02T16:49:00.000+01:00

The Peace Cup 2005 'most valuable' player Robbie Keane, wants his good run of recent form to continue into the new Premiership season. The Republic of Ireland international was in superb form in Korea; scoring 4 goals from 2 starts.

Keane has worked throughout the close-season with the aim of reaching optimum fitness for the forthcoming campaign where he will once again challenge for a starting spot with Jermain Defoe, Freddie Kanoute and Mido.

"I've come back feeling pretty sharp and I did a bit of work on my own over the summer," he explained to the Official THFC website. "I feel good and I hope I am showing that in games. It's only pre-season though and the most important thing is to carry it through into the season.

"That's what I want to do, I want to keep going, keep myself fit and do what I did in Korea once the season starts.

"It is not a case of putting down a marker, just making sure I'm as fit as I can be. I'm 25 years of age now and I want to knuckle down - not that I haven't before - as we have quality strikers here who are battling to start the season. I'm no different to the other three lads in that."

Davids Gets Ledley's Seal of Approval

2005-08-02T16:30:00.000+01:00

Spurs captain Ledly King believes that the signing of Edgar Davids will open the door for other big names to join Tottenham Hotspur. King said: "When you attract a player of his calibre you are hoping that other players will follow. We'll See how it goes.

"He's spoken to the players. He seems a nice guy and we are all looking forward to working together. Our young players will learn from him."

Spurs are on the brink of signing Holland international Davids, 32, after being released by Serie A side Inter Milan.

What's the hold up Edgar? Post your Comments!!