Jol, Ramos and Redknapp – how Tottenham haven’t changed in 4 years
Ledley King - a liability for Tottenham
Plus ca change…
Martin Jol was fired because despite playing well against the top sides, Tottenham players could not lift their games for low-profile games. The problem was identified as a lack of professionalism and training, and thus Ramos was brought in.
Jaunde Ramos was hailed as the Messiah – by fans and players alike. They loved his strict training regime, loved his tactical nous and when Tottenham won the Carling Cup (beating Arsenal and Chelsea along the way), Ramos was supposedly the man to do what Jol couldn’t – get the Tottenham players to play like they did against Arsenal and Chelsea all through out the season. Do that and they would be shoe-ins for a top-6 spot and strong contenders for a top 4 spot.
But things didn’t go according to plan.
The players didn’t respond to Ramos beyond the initial surge in performances, and post Carling Cup they were in cruise-control, waiting for the season to end so they could bring in new blood. Summer came and went, and unlike Football Manager 2009 where Tottenham have 50m to spend in July, Ramos only had 20m from Keane to spend and the 30m from Berbatov’s sale to United, thanks to Daniel Levy, only came around on the last day of the transfer window.
Levy is not solely responsible, nor is Berbatov for wanting to leave since 2007 nor is Ramos for his inability to forge a personal connection with the players when the players weren’t professional enough to do what was asked of them.
Redknapp’s signing, an English manager with his recent history of getting Portsmouth to over-achieve in the league, was again hailed as a great way forward for Tottenham. Here was a man who could motivate the players. And so Redknapp seemingly did, with Tottenham drawing at the Emirates before beating Liverpool twice at White Hart Lane. The stage was set for the Redknapp revolution to do what Jol and Ramos, two managers who have achieved more in the Premier League and La Liga than Redknapp, could ever do.
On Satuday at Craven Cottage Tottenham players, management and fans ran head-first into the reality of Tottenham’s nature – they cannot motivate themselves to play away from home against lower-quality opposition. It’s not a confidence issue – these are the same players who can beat Liverpool or score twice in extra time away to Arsenal or beat Chelsea in a cup final. It’s not an issue of ability – individually these players are good enough to play at the top clubs in England and Europe.
The weaknesses in certain areas of the pitch is not solely to blame – Liverpool lost despite Tottenham missing a holding midfielder, Spurs scored 4 goals at Arsenal despite lacking ‘adequate’ striking resources (on recent evidence Frazier Campbell will score plenty of goals for them).
Tottenham players, simply put, lack effective leadership and professionalism. This can be partially countered for big games by pumping the players up with stirring dressing room talks, but away to Fulham or away to Sunderland this team will not always fight, and that’s something Redknapp himself cannot solve.
Spurs need a hard taskmaster, a Ramos, as Redknapp’s assistant. Spurs also need to get over their love affair with King and install a new captain (this is potentially why Keane’s departure has probably hurt them as much as Berbatov’s). They need players in certain positions too, but that’s already been said.
The sad bit is, this is exactly how things were during Jol’s time. As the league has gotten tougher, Tottenham have failed to improve themselves and are now, 3-4 years later, still lacking professionalism, still over-relying on King and still lacking players in key positions on the pitch.
Maybe it’s time the players and management, heretofore happy to praise new managers and slate old ones, take some responsibility and work on putting things right before they take more steps back. A new stadium will be no good if they can win games they need to propel them to to the top of the league.
ABSOLUTE RUBBISH – Firstly Tottenham had a lot to spend in the close season. They were waiting on decisions from keane and berbatov. no point buying another 2 strikers if they were staying. keane was erplaced first, it was last minute for the other guy. 2 last minute purchases were thwarted, and we got cambpell on loan.
No money? get real. How much did we spend in the summer. You forget Modric, Bently and co?
One loss to Fulham and we are in crisis again? Wise up you idiot! The arse are losing every other week. It’s the closest season I’ve seen for years. Bottom teams are getting better, look at Hull. Fulham’s defence is solid. Stop writing this rubbish.
I think Spurs’ problem has ben continuity. Too many changes of management has not helped and never does (Newcastle?).
But more importantly its the change of players. They have endless signings coming and going in recent seasons. Its probably not right to say that the players who won the LC and beat Arsenal and Chelsea now can’t raise their game against lower opposition…..because so many names have changed.
Spurs lack a core of players who are Tottenham through and through, who will lead by example and die for the badge. They’ve made some good signings and no doubt will make more but until they get continuity into the team there is always going to be inconsistency. Of course, not sticking with a manager for any length of time causes this as every manager wants to do it his way and bring in different personnel.
I think Levy has to shoulder a lot of the responsibility.
Spurs can turn it around if they stick with Harry for the next few seasons, at least.
Spurs are 6 points off 7th place. I am not sure why there is a crisis. The only issue is that we should be up with Villa and Arsenal, not down in the trap door.
If Spurs can string 3 or 4 wins we will be up competiting in the top 6 again. We are 2 players away from that (again) and I am hoping Appiah and a Keeper are coming soon.
As for losing to the weak. Who did Jol beat then? He won 1 game against a top 4 team in the league in 3 years, who did he actually beat then? Jol got sacked because he couldnt beat the top 4 and Levy felt Ramos was the next step.
I expect the last years 5th and 6th place teams (Everton and Villa) to retain their places in Europe and i think Spurs best chancezs of European football is the win the Carling Cup which i strongly doubt if they come up against Arsenal’s kids.
SPURS ARE MILES FROM THE TOP FOUR OR EVEN VILLA FOR THAT MATTER STILL, SPURS MAY BE GETTING RESULTS BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME THEY OUTPLAYED THEIR OPPONENTS IN THE LEAGUE? HAVE THEY EVEN DONE IT AT ALL? sorry for the caps
Yes we ned leaders, i agree, a Johnm Terry or a Gerrard. I hope Harry will realise this and try to purchase players who can give us that extra bit of grit.
He said he sees it in Dawson?? Maybe. Not in Jenas, I dont think. Its a tough one, but thats why he is paid all that money.
The only thing Spurs do wrong is sell their best players when they look like breaking into the top 4. Go back to when thye sold Carrick, didn’t replace him with the same standard. Then there was Berbatov, I quite like Pavy but he ain’t a Berbatov is he. But how do you hold onto players that bigger clubs want. (You can’t).
My suggestion is to create a database for all PRO footballers and include their favourite team, then sort by SPURS and go and buy these players. This way they won’t want to leave the club and will give everything they have got. (aka King)
see how the story repeats itself? ramos came from a team who considered him the messiah( sevilla), did a good job to prevent relegation, got sacked the next year…. now its rednap who came from pompey( who funnily enough considered him like a kind of god) , is doing a great job to move spurs out of the relegation fight… whats the odd 4 him 2 be sacked next year?… quickly sacking managers is not a hallmark of great teams( fergie has a 20 year love affair with utd)…of course, real madrid r the exception….
yeah, spurs beat lfc 2 times already…n it does hurt…particularly in the league where we were undone by our own complacency… i fully expect lfc to be the team to relegate spurs with a keane last minute goal…or is it manutd’s berbatov who’ll do the job?
last thing: spurs fans have been sprouting all summer that they will overtake both lfc n arsenal 2 get in the cl. well, take a look at villa fans. they r on the verge to break the top 4 n they r still patiently silent.
dont sell the skin of the bear before killing it, they say..er
Mmmmmm! Not quite sure what to make of that article! Was Redschnapps supposed to turn us into a treble winning side over night? One loss in seven is hardly time to push the panic button.
Time gentlemen please, time. Miracles will not happen instantly and as it stands we are in a push to get out of the drop zone.
Condfidence has been restored and slowly slowly Harry will help the boys achieve thier goals – literally
COYS.
p.s Liverpool fan – Just deal with it and stop making excuses
I knew this was going to be a load of rubbish from the moment I read that Martin Jol did well against the big clubs. He didn’t. That was one of the main reasons he got fired. Fool.
I hate Tottenham. Always with the excuses; Berbatov left late in the window, we never replaced Keane, King is always injured, Ramos was a meanie, the list goes on.
Just because you consider yourself a top 4 club, doesn’t make you one.
Fact of the matter is Tottenham are all talk and no walk.
I think that Spurs have been in trouble since Martin Jol left. I thought Ramos was a very good manager for Spurs.
ummmm…I’m surprised no one has mentioned this yet. I think Spurs could’ve accomplished a lot more thus far in the season if they would drop Gomes! I’m all for seeing Spurs lose (Man United fan). Maybe he was great at Ajax, but he’s blowing it for the Spurs this year. I think they could easily be in top 10 right now if it weren’t for his bone head plays. Aside from the new faces finally gelling as a team, Gomes needs to go! Until then I’ll continue laughing when I see him fall to the ground while watching the ball simply roll into the back net.
GLORY, GLORY MAN UTD!!
Would you guys stop being paranoid, i think you thought i was having a go at Spurs because i used caps haha, im sorry i only noticed i used caps when i was done and didnt feel like rewriting it. Spurs havent out classed anyone in the LEAGUE so far this season, you beat our second string side with your second string side well done (thats not sarcasm im congratulating you).
Now i know why Arsenal fans hate spurs fans so much you called me a twat for voicing my opinion, real mature. The carling cup is your only chance of Europe in my view did you want me to lie and tell you your team is better than Aston Villa or Everton?
Spurs are miles off the top four the only team who isnt is Villa, you arent better than Arsenal you aren’t any where near Arsenal its the truth.
What do you mean stop making excuses? I didnt even mention the Pool game until you guys did, are you on a wind up or have you had too much or something?
This article is written with such authority and it is a laod of crap; lacking in some very basic facts and no insight at all. Firstly Jol could never get Spurs to beat a top 4 side and that was indicative of his lack of tactics (as was said at the time). Perhaps Redknapp has never achieved fifth spot in the Premiership but he has also never had the money Jol had at Tottenham. However he has arguably achieved things that Jol cold never have done saving teams from the drop with seemingly no chance at all.
I’m not saying Redknapp has proved himself yet but after one defeat to gargle up this bollox you must be an idiot. Bloody lazy hacks. Chelsea get beat at Craven Cottage.
I bet on a 1-1 draw at the Cottage
God knows why injury prone Ledley king is still kept in the team.
God knows why erratic dawson is still kept in the team.
God knows why all think jenas is awesome midfielder.
God knows why the management bought a crap goalkeper.
God knows why tottenham fans think they can break into the top 4.
God knows why they didnt buy a leader cum playmaker in midfield.
God knows when will ever Tottenham ever be a serious title challenger.
for a goalkeeper to make at least 4 mistakes in 3 games is one too many. Spurs might have gotten something against Fulham if it werent for GOMEZ.But knowing Spurs once they get their good goalkeeper they will find another way to f**k up their team. Gomez needs to go ASAP. The goalkeeper in my womens’ team catches the ball better than him
This just came through the wire. Apparently Harry Redknapp has sacked his goalkeeping coach Hans Leitert because of Gomez recent high profile blunders. And he is also giving Gomez another chance this weekend against Blackburn. Hopefully for Spurs sake Redknapp’s move to fire the goalkeeping coach instead of the goalkeeper himself will pay off and Gomez would finally live up to the world class tag he was labelled with when he first arrived in Spurs from Holland