Will removing Jol create instability at Tottenham?
During Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over Middlesbrough, Tottenham fans booed Martin Jol’s decision to remove Jermain Defoe, after he had looked lively and earned his ‘recall’ to the team.
However, I’m not so sure Jol trusts Defoe as much as his other strikers, apparently drafting him in to ‘less important games’ such as the Carling Cup 3rd round, but leaving him out of the Tottenham squad in crunch ties such as against Arsenal.
The former Charlton and West Ham man seems to have become even more of a fan favourite recently, constantly re-stating his commitment to the club, despite his certain position of fourth choice striker.
This is probably one of the reasons why Jol was booed for removing him for Robbie Keane, but it seems the big Dutchman was vindicated two minutes later as he set up Gareth Bale to score our first of the night.
However, has this become all to predictable? I now know that if the score is 0-0 or we are 1-0 down and there is around 60-70 minutes of the game played, Jol will bring on a striker. Sure, you might say, what else do you expect him to do? More strikers should mean more goals.
And whilst this is true, I would like to see more tactical nous from the boss. This has already been said countless times though, so I won’t harp on about it.
Sacking Jol
Jol has recently come out and said that if he is removed, all the progress Tottenham have made in the past couple of years could be erased as we once again enter a period of instability.
“The fans know how difficult it is if they change management again, they know you could easily go back for years.
“I hope people are realistic - you can get anyone in the world to come, but to do better you must finish fourth.
“The speculation isn’t a nice position to be in, but I can’t do anything about it.
“The continuity is important - we were fifth two years in-a-row, I don’t think anybody else could do any better.
“The continuity of the club is important and we did that here with my staff over the last couple of years.
“We won a lot of points, had nine wins in Europe and got back into Europe via the league, which probably didn’t happen for 25 years or so.
“So the fans realise and they appreciate my work and that is a good feeling.”
Indeed we do, and perhaps when it is seen in this light; change now will only fuel instability, then maybe we should give Jol time.
What do you think? Will removing Jol create instability at Tottenham?
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no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO - Bye Martin
The problems the board(esp.Levy)have created cannot be blamed on Jol.Their behaviour,useing subterfuge and dishonesty, makes them totally culpable.Jol has his faults.
He can be pig-headed and at times seemingly vindictive,
but they have acted with about as much delicacy as a ‘bull in a china shop’.Why not meet Jol face to face?Tell him the problems and discuss the solutions.What you have stated about alternating stikers has worked in the past.Why was Defoe left out of the squad at Bolton.Was this a vindictive move to make Defoe sign a contract.Then again why won’t he sign a contract.If this is a battle of wills everyone loses including Spurs.
The best thing the board could do now is to give MJ a new contract, end all the speculation and sniping. MJ is still learning his trade, the EPL is a lot bigger than the Dutch league and he’s had 2 1/2 seasons. Given his results you’d think he would also be able to learn and improve, not unlike some of our young stars, no-one would suggest sacking them for off form games.
Dissecting his player selection is crazy, I think it unlikely that he moved for Bent knowing what a problem 4 starting strikers would give him and he did not get the left sided midfielder he wanted (probably Schjeider).
There are still things to fix at WHL but stability would be something this club has lacked for a long, long time and given our squad, its youth and its potential, it is the single best thing the Board could provide to allow the growth and development we need.
Paul Finn = correct.
Give him a new contract.
All managers make occasional errors - even at the height of his pomp Sir Alex had the occasional run of shocking games - usually prompting the move fickle of the united support to phone 6-0-6 and demand his immediate removal.
Compare their respective records, and remember the ‘one game to save his job’ debacle with Sir Alex (I think he had been in the job five years, and won nothing at the time). At that time it could be argued that Sir Alex had inherited a better squad of players (most supportable), and been backed better in the transfer market (more debateable).
Hey, I could be wrong, but the ultimate proof will only be provided if BMJ is given another year or two in the job - the alternative, as has been pointed out is another couple of years of transition - with a new man coming in, taking time to evaluate the players he wants to keep, acquiring players he wants to acquire, and then, there is still no gaurantee that he will do better in three or four years time than BMJ may do in the next two.
It is a bad start - nort the end of the World! A decent lerague finsih and maybe a trophy are still possibilities. 5th again and a final/trophy would be definite progress - and the young team could carry that into the next year, and be, amazingly enough, a year older.
ger orf ‘is back!
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