Today’s result saw Tottenham up to 14th place with 28 points. Not quite out of the Relegation scrap yet, but hey… it was a little bit uplifting to get a win in the league after our miserable result against Shakhtar.

Lennon scored the first goal 17 minutes in, followed by Michael Turner pulling one back for Hull. The game stayed level all the way until Woodgate scored the winner in the 85th minute.

Darren Bent got the start that he so desperately pleaded for, and did absolutely nothing to prove his worth. Wilson Palacios continued to impress me, and Keane again looked motivating but still hasn’t scored since his return.

Cudicini started over Gomes once again, despite reports stating that Gomes is still the teams #1.
There’s a big surprise…

Our game against Sunderland has been postponed, so we face ‘Boro next. Hopefully we can take some momentum from this win into it.

Still no left winger, Still no prospects for left winger, Still no word about Appiah(who to me seems like a much better deal for a Mid than Palacios).

All of this craziness before the tie with Pompey this weekend, and coming off the tail-end of our defeat last week should make for an interesting tie at the Lane. Not to mention the vengeance that most Portsmouth fans will wish to inflict on Defoe and Redknapp, but we all knew that would be coming.

Most reports on the progress of England international Stuart Downing’s move to Spurs have been less than motivating as of late. The most recent of which stating that ‘Borough have rejected the 3rd(That’s right 3rd!) bid for the player, this one said to be valued at 14.5 million. Officials from his club have stated that Spurs should not hold out hope for a last minute transfer, as they are quite stern on keeping the player. Stating that “he owes it to the club to help fight clear of relegation”. I personally still see this deal being totally up in the air. I doubted the Defoe deal was gonna go through and sure enough Harry went and proved me wrong.

So what other options do Spurs have right now? I’ve said before, and I’ll say it again, I like Jamie O’Hara in the left winger spot. Not to mention Giovani Dos Santos could also play up the left side in an attacking role but it would seem that Harry wants someone who has a lot experience, and who could blame him? So could N’Zogbia be the answer to our problems?

At 22 years old the winger has definitely seen his share of games in the Prem. Since joining Newcastle he has been capped 116 times. But after 4 years he has stated that he has “…ambitions that can not be met here.” Enter Spurs, Villa, and supposedly ARSEnal(but 22 seems a little old for the voyeurs taste). Martin O’Neil’s side seem a little far-fetched as well considering James Milner has been playing quite well on the left side. Tottenham seem like a nice fit to me albeit a little unlikely to happen, but again stranger transfers have happened. What do you guys think?

Another one to add to the rumor mill is our supposed link to Brazilian striker Fred from French side Lyon. The Player has been linked with a move away from France with Spurs seemingly the highest likelihood due to his aspiration to play in the EPL. The 25 year old has been valued at 4.5 million, and has a decent scoring record with 34 goals in 81 appearances.

Again, I don’t see this one going through. We got Defoe, and already have Pavlyuchenko, Bent, Dos Santos, and Campbell(till the end of the season). Unless we see our summer Barcelona signing go to Club America I don’t think we should spend the money.

If any more updates about whether Stephen Appiah or Sebastian Przyrowski will actually sign for Spurs appear, I’ll be sure to let you all know. Also whispers of Joe Cole coming to Spurs have recently surfaced here, and here. Interesting story, but isn’t January full of them?

Until then COYS!!! Wigan repeat this weekend!?!?!

With Gareth Bale having played a solid game against Zagreb, it’s a little baffling what Harry sees in BAE. Hopefully our Welshman will get his start next week and put BAE permanently on the bench.

So what does this mean for Spurs? Have we signed Giovani Dos Santos as a forward or as an attacking mid? Though the Mexican wonder-kid could feature at either spot I’d say the latter is the more likely as Dos Santos has shown quite a knack for creating for his teammates as his performance at the U-17 Championships in 2005 showed.

The talent is undoubtedly there. How this is fostered under Junade Ramos is another question. If media reports leading up to the signing are to be believed it would seem that Ramos himself was the determining factor, as it was with Luka Modric. It will be interesting to see exactly what Ramos’ vision of our beloved THFC is going forward. Obviously the club looks to be stronger in the midfield, an area all Spurs fans were hoping would improve. That being said this still feels as if it’s only the tip of the iceberg for the Spaniard as more players will be going through the turnstile at N17 this summer. What do you think Yiddos?

The latest name to be banded around as possible Tottenham Hotspur suitor by the tabloids is Portsmouth central midfielder Sulley Muntari. It is reported the Ghanaian playmaker is valued at £14 million by Pompey boss Harry Redknapp. Is he having a laugh?

“Pompey now value him at double the fee after an outstanding debut season in England,” the Sunday People claimed. I fail to see what has been so outstanding about the African’s contribution to Portsmouth’s season. Maybe my opinion is misinformed but my view on the Premiership rookie does not concour.

He scored two stunners at Aston Villa, sure, but on the other occassions I have seen him in action, he has flattered to deceive to say the very. Perhaps I have just missed his better games, but even if I have I would not pay that kind of money for a therefore inconsistent performer.

And, if the Fratton Park side have been so impressed, maybe they should keep hold of him and deam the £7 million they paid for him last summer as a bargain.

I’d say a big ‘No’ for the signing of Muntari at that valuation.

The People reports Spurs chief Juande Ramos is eyeing up using wantaway centre-half Younes Kaboul plus cash to seal the deal. I would prefer to earn straight cash in the disposal in exchange for the services of the Frenchman.

And, after splashing £20 million on Luka Modric, I hardly feel an attacking central midfield player should be top of the Spaniard’s shopping list. But, maybe it isn’t. I hope anyway, that this deal, is just paper talk.

Elsewhere in the press today, former manager Martin Jol is apparently chasing the signature of Kevin-Prince Boeteng for his new Bundesliga side Hamburg. And, on that note I would like to take the chance to wish both MJ and ‘The Prince’ all the best for the future. Maybe, a meeting in the UEFA Cup next season would be a nice sentimental touch.

In other stories, with French custodian Coupet and Manchester City’s Joe Hart being linked with a move to the Lane over the last week, it has meant the potential deal for Cameroon keeper Carlos Kameni has gone rather quiet.

The Espanyol stopper has issued a ‘come and get me’ claim to Spurs it is reported, urging Ramos to trigger his £4.8 million sell-out clause in his contract.
With goalkeeper a definite arrival this summer, it looks as if we could be spoilt for choice with possible suitors.

The Whites are also supposed to be one of seven Premiership clubs in the race to sign Brazil midfielder Edu.

If the Sunday Mirror are confident the Valencia midfielder is set to move to England, they have certainly covered their options, claiming Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Middlesbrough, Everton, Portsmouth and Liverpool are all in the hunt.

So, the rumour mill is heating up as usual and expect to develop with Euro 2008 on the horizon.

Who knows who will sign onto the ‘Ramos Revolution’ this summer, but I can say one thing for sure – Muntari for £14 million, No Thanks!

Midfielder Jermaine Jenas has got the ball rolling with comments in the press, this Spurs team have what it takes to make the giant leap forward.

I really hoped we would learn from our comments made in the media last season, and go about our business a little more quietly next term, but it seems already that by August there will again be a sense of expectation looming over the Lane.

Ambition should never be thwarted, for it is this very ingreident which will help bring success but just maybe we should learn a few lessons from being left red-faced this term, as we sit some 34 points shy of the North London neighbours Arsenal, we were supposed to finish above.

I do not blame Jenas for his comments of aiming for the top four next season, in fact his refreshing attitude should be praised. I suspect it is the journalist who was more interested in fuelling our fight for Champions League football, than Jenas himself. He got his story, fair play to the guy.

After all we are an ideal club for journos to feast into for waves of optimism – I just hope they are not false this time.

The prospect of gatecrashing the ‘Big Four’ is still a pipeline dream at this moment in time. In our way stand four sides who all made it through to the last eight of teh European Cup. We are some way off of that standard it has to be said. The summer of transfer activity will determine what realistic hopes we have of making the dream come true when we kick-off in August. Serious work has to be done to bridge the gap.

Confidence is brimming around the club after a season stamped with silverware and if we beat Champions League quarter-finalists Liverpool tomorrow, it will only get higher.

This factor coupled with the belief Juande Ramos has instilled into the squad, plus a few quality signings, maybe people will be right to talk about us in the same breath as the Premiership big guns, but I think it is time for an air of caution.

Everyone related with the club dreams of us making the leap into the top four but lets not go blowing our trumpet too early.

COYS

*** I love the Gennaro Gattuso rumors that are swirling. I don’t see it happening because of salary issues but from my own personal point of view it sounds great. With Flamini signing a four year deal to play at the San Siro I think it’s safe to say that Rino could be on his way out of Milan, no suprise there. Our need of a defensive Midfielder makes him an obvious choice, but our need of fire, determination and true toughness makes Gattuso even more attractive. After all, if there’s one thing Spurs do lack it’s fire.

*** All the Berbatov out and Eto’o in rumors are getting stale. With Berba rejecting a 90,000 pound a week offer from Spurs in order to move to a team in the CL, Spurs will be looking to add another forward to the squad…. But is Eto’o the answer? I suppose it will really just depend upon his play should he make the move, but one thing is clear to me, should we bring in players with the experience of a Samuel Eto’o or a Rino Gattuso we would be bringing in proven winners at the highest level, something Spurs may well have been lacking over the past handful of seasons.

*** Why… WHY WHY WHY WHY are we ever linked to Anton Ferdinand? I think this makes it twice in the last two years that there have been at least some grumblings to the effect of Rio’s brother coming to the Lane. I can do without seeing that happen.

*** Gilberto looked very good Saturday. In fact he’s looked a little better each time he’s played… Of course his debut v. PSV started the bar very, very low for the Brazilian International.

*** I was hoping Spurs could secure the services of Lassana Diarra in January, though it was no surprise that Arsenal would prefer to deal with just about any other team on the planet before sending a player to Spurs. Now it appears we could once again make an effort to bring the Midfielder to the Lane. I’m sure Pompy would stand to make a profit on their January purchase since Arsenal sold the Frenchman at a cut rate. He could still stand to be a bargain for Juande Ramos as he’s both talented and young.

COYS!

If we listen to Younes Kaboul, then yes, we should. A case of the Frenchmen’s sour grapes at a lack of first team chances? Maybe. But I am still concerned.

Something is wrong in the Spurs camp at present and if we listen to Kaboul, its effects could be devastating. For weeks now, ‘our season over’ has been the excuse for a string of poor displays. I fear the problems may be worse. We have won just two league games since the Carling Cup triumph. Alarm bells ringing.

There is plenty to be positive about of course with the recent signing of Luka Modric and instant addition of silveware, very true, but I am afraid a lot of what Younes says makes perfect sense and explains a lot.

We can brush aside his comments in the press with ease,
but it may not make them go away.

Ramos has a master tactical streak, for that there can be little doubt, but his communication skills leave a lot to be desired in my honest opinion.

Where is his bond with the players? I have yet to see it.

Where is his bond with the fans? I have yet to see it.

Kaboul has probably said too much and come this time next season the Spaniard may be hailed our very own ’special one’, but with Ramos keeping his cards close to his chest and positioning himself as an unknown quantity, it makes him hard to judge.

If you judge him on signings and trophies, he gets a big tick in the box.

If you mark him on results against the ‘big’ four, the same applies but as of yet so many other crucial factors to success appear grey areas.

Maybe I am still struggling to accept Juande Ramos is not Martin Jol. But not knowing quite what is happening inside the very Spurs camp, makes me anxious. And makes me worried.

Why would Kaboul lie?

He won’t be here next season, that is confirmed now. I hope he is wrong but respect his opinions even if expressed in the worng manner.

They are too strong to be ignored! We may have a problem and will have to wait months for the answers.

Is there even a shred of truth to what Younes Kaboul has said about his manager Juande Ramos over the past few days or does the entire thing just stink of ‘player upset over not being good enough to get first team football’?

Kaboul hasn’t appeared for the first team since Spurs were thrashed 4-1 away v. Birmingham. Let’s just say that again: Pissed player has not seen first team football since we lost 4-1 to a team we should realistically have a chance of beating on the road. With Kaboul and Dawson as the center back pair Spurs conceded goals left and right and looked unorganized during set pieces. Enter Jonathan Woodgate and exit Younes Kaboul and we suddenly allow less goals… and that’s without even mentioning how we have improved when defending set pieces, once our real Achilles heal.

Kaboul’s comments are just moronic and only serve to highlight his own ignorance. “I played the entire first half of the season but since the change of manager, I have not played.”…. Really? Does it even dawn upon him that it may well have been HIS play that made us a poor defending team? Here are a few more gems:

“Tactically it has changed a bit, perhaps,” said Kaboul. “But then, in terms of personality, Martin was a character. For us, he was a father-figure, whereas Ramos, it is just tactics and nothing else. In training, we do a lot of 11 v 0 and stuff on the blackboard to work on our progress with the ball. Ramos has brought us that, but nothing else. What has saved us this season is the Carling Cup. People say we won the Carling Cup because Ramos arrived at the club, but that has nothing to do with him. We would have won it with Martin Jol.” -Apparently Younes longs for some sort of father-son relationship. I can’t speak for what sort of programs are available in London but here in the States there are many big brother organizations for children that are fatherless. Perhaps Younes would be a prime candidate?

“I have had no explanation from him. He doesn’t talk, with anyone. Communication doesn’t exist with him. He isn’t playing me? That is his choice – I respect it, I am a professional.” -I was unaware that the term “professional” could be used to describe an unhappy employee who airs all his dirty laundry via the press. Great job here by Younes… Just hand in a transfer and do us all a favor. Spurs paid 8 million pounds for a defender that can’t defend, yet it’s the defender that is pissed?? Grow up please.

“Ramos has not really given me a chance. When a player doesn’t have the confidence of his coach, he can’t do much on the pitch. But when a coach has confidence in you, you take the handbrake off and you race away.” -Please… race far, far away.

I think it’s safe to say that we have a grade A flop of a signing on our hands. I think it’s also safe to say that Younes Kaboul will be playing elsewhere in 08/09. COYS!