Official Tottenham Hotspur Thread

[alldaws1]

He's not that far off. Ledley King IS our defence, when he plays it's usually pretty good. Unfortunately he doesn't play anywhere near enough.

[Lineker]

He has practically no knee cartilage left.

[Marsh]

Martin Jol sacked:

Jol sacked as Tottenham manager

Martin Jol

Spurs are third from bottom in the Premier League

Martin Jol has been sacked as manager of Spurs after three years in the job.

Reports swept around White Hart Lane as Jol presided over Tottenham's 2-1 Uefa Cup defeat by Getafe, but the club only confirmed the news after the match.

"I shall never forget the Spurs fans," Jol said in a statement. Assistant Chris Hughton was also dismissed.

Clive Allen and Alex Inglethorpe take charge for Sunday's game with Blackburn while Sevilla coach Juande Ramos is favourite to take over.

Report: BBC football correspondent Jonathan Legard

Former Spurs player Allen is the club's development coach, while Inglethorpe is youth team manager.

"For me, Martin and Chris's departure is regrettable," said chairman Daniel Levy.

"Our greatest wish was to see results turn in our favour and for there to be no need for change."

It was claimed Spurs met Ramos in August with a "dizzying" offer to replace the 51-year-old Jol at White Hart Lane.

BBC Sport football correspondent Jonathan Legard said Jol's eventual departure was unavoidable from that moment on.

"It was inevitable ever since Spurs' representatives were caught red-handed in Seville talking to Juande Ramos," said Legard.

"For all the denials from Spurs that nothing untoward was going on, and that it was a meeting about a matter completely unrelated, clearly Jol was a dead man walking and has been ever since."

Ramos is regarded as one of the most promising coaches in European football after guiding Sevilla to back-to-back Uefa Cup titles.

Sevilla beat Spurs on the way to their success in last season's Uefa Cup, while Ramos also led his side to third in La Liga and victory in the Copa del Rey - Spain's top domestic cup competition.

But with Sevilla in the Champions League Ramos opted to see out his contract with the Spanish club which expires next summer.

However Sevilla director of football Ramon Monchi was pictured in the stands as Spurs lost to Getafe and it is thought he was at White Hart Lane to negotiate Ramos's switch to Tottenham.

Gus Poyet has been linked with the assistant manager position under Ramos, but the former Tottenham and Chelsea midfield player has told BBC Sport he has had no contact with Spurs.

During the defeat to Getafe Spurs fans gave vocal support to the Dutchman, singing "Stand up for Martin Jol".

Jol took charge of Spurs in November 2004, replacing the unpopular Frenchman Jacques Santini, and under him the club twice qualified for the Uefa Cup.

Having recruited the likes of Darren Bent, who cost £16.5m, Gareth Bale and French defender Younes Kaboul during the summer, Tottenham had high hopes of challenging for a Champions League place.

But Spurs suffered a disastrous start, recording just one victory - the 4-0 win over Derby in August - in 10 league games and since the reported meeting with Ramos, Jol has faced constant questioning over his future.

Jol's agent is currently in Brazil and was unavailable for comment late on Thursday as regards the terms of the Dutchman's severance package.

"Given what he did last season I don't think he will have a problem finding a new job," said Getafe boss Michael Laudrup after his side's win.

Jol has been linked with Dutch club Ajax who are without a permanent coach following Henk Ten Cate's departure to Chelsea.

[therockbox]

Ramos has resigned from Sevilla.

[Guest Ringmaster]

I think they should have stuck with Jol. Sure, his recent results haven't been great, but he's done tremendous things for Tottenham in the last few years, achieved good league positions and signed some decent players (i.e. Pascal Chimbonda). Then again I think clubs in general are too quick to panic and make changes - I don't think Jose Mourinho should have been released from his contract. I don't think Martin Jol should be either.

[britneyspearsisgod]

Martin Jol was treated with absolutely no respect by the Tottenham board, but aside from the fact that he's a bit of a tit for staying there after it became apparent they didn't want him (although you can see why he would want to stay), the fact is for as good as Jol is, he's not a winner. He's a joker and a nice guy with some ingenuity. But, in that final third, he hasn't got it in him to succeed at the very top I feel.

Maybe I'll be proven wrong, but I think the only sad thing is how he left, not that he left.

[JimbobJoylove]

Jol seemed to be appalingly treated by the board, but after all the money that was spent the past three summers and looking where they are now it's hardly surprising he's been sacked, I'm surprised it wasn't earlier.

[Turbo Yannis]

Juande Ramos confirmed as the new Spurs manager, according to BBC Sport.

[9 to 5]

[cmb211087]

That man, legend. To be fair to Spurs, they had it in the bag until we got our first, which took a deflection. Then they just lost confidence. Also the ref didn't help, booking everyone for breathing

[TMM]

Jol explains Spurs exit

Martin Jol has rejected suggestions that he was sacked as Tottenham manager before Thursday's defeat to Getafe.

Rumours have been circulating that Jol was informed of his dismissal before the 2-1 defeat to Getafe at White Hart Lane.

However, Jol has rubbished the rumours and insists the first he heard of his sacking was from his nephew at the end of the game.

The Dutchman admitted he was embarrassed that the Tottenham fans knew of his fate before he did as whispers circulated round the ground during the defeat to Getafe.

Rubbish

"The first I knew was when I saw my nephew in the tunnel immediately after the game and he pulled me to one side and told me what everyone else seemed to know already," Jol told The People.

"So it is rubbish to say that I heard about it before the game.

"I went into the dressing room to tell the players and say farewell to them - and they all stood up and applauded me."

Jol also rejected suggestions that he had a bust-up with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy before the game and he insists he has no problem with the White Hart Lane supremo.

No problem

"That [a row with levy] obviously didn't happen as I did not know anything until after the game. Anything else is just not true," added Jol.

"I don't have a problem with Daniel or the club because they treated me very well throughout my time there. Spurs are a great club and I am 100 per cent certain that they will get better and better.

"They will strengthen the team and when Ledley King is back from injury soon they will be very strong."

Jol also revealed he plans to stay in England as he loves English football.

"I am going to have a few weeks off but I would love to stay in English football. I have a house here, my daughter is settled in school and we love it in England," concluded Jol.

Credit: SkySports.com

Now that, even for Sp*rs and their track record, is utterly disrespectful. Tottenham have been shit this season, fine, you're going to sack Jol, but the fans at the stadium and at home knowing BEFORE the actual manager and DURING a game...as an Arsenal fan I find this whole thing hilarious, but it is ridiculous.

[Guest Ringmaster]

So, if papers are to believed, Juande Ramos wants to sign Daniel Alves, Fredi Kanoute and Andres Palop. Granted, Alves is a decent player but do we need to spend a shit load of money to get a player who plays in the exact same position as one of our best players? Especially when getting Alves means we're gonna be open at the back 'cause he's Roberto Carlos Jr. Also, why Kanoute? Do we need 5 strikers? We don't need some player who had one really lucky season in Spain to come here, I wish he never came back. And Palop? Why?! Sure, we need a new keeper but if we're gonna spend cash, then getting Victor Valdes Jr. is a huge waste of money.

Sounds like a whole lotta silly to me, just get one or two central midfielders, a left sided player and a goalkeeper and we'll be fine, no need for other frivolities.

Edited October 29, 2007 by Ringmaster

[ONO]

I can see Defoe being shipped off in January, even for a low price to be honest.

[Guest Ringmaster]

Wouldn't surprise me he's been shit since January.

[ONO]

Has he actually been given plenty of chances? I haven't watched much of Spurs tbh.

[Lord Nibbler]

I'm sure there'd be plenty of Premiership clubs willing to stump up the cash to buy Defoe. Still, I'm pretty sure the rumours of Kanoute and friends coming in are bollocks anyway. I don't think Sevilla would want to do business with Ramos, for a start.

[Guest Ringmaster]

Has he actually been given plenty of chances? I haven't watched much of Spurs tbh.

[Lineker]

One good thing out of Sunday - Savage is out until December.

Awesome.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Thank goodness Robbie Keane's actually been on good scoring form. Without him things would be even bleaker!

[cmb211087]

One good thing out of Sunday - Savage is out until December.

Awesome.