Official Tottenham Hotspur Thread

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

It wasn't a completely unexpected result and it's still ours to lose which is a GREAT position to be in still.

Just a draw, it's all we need at Highbury. All we need there.

[Lineker]

Just got off the phone to my aunt, who is working in an estate agents:

'I just finished with a tall, skinny, black man from Holland who says he is playing for Spurs next year. Do you know who he is?'

I told her that telling me that he is a tall skinny black man from Holland really doesn't narrow it down, and I will look it up on FM.

Take this with a grain of salt, and I'll edit this post with FM search results shortly.

EDIT: It could be any of these.

Orlando Engelaar.

Orlando Grooftaam (also qualifies as Dutch).

Orlando Smeekes.

Orlando Trustfall.

Orlando Wirth.

They're the ones that came up.

Edited April 18, 2006 by Messiah-Dice

[The Slickman]

Definatly Orlando ?

[Turbo Yannis]

Every midfield needs a huge black man.

[Guest Ringmaster The Living Legend]

Orlando Jordan is so not a midfield player.

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

Orlando Engelaar apparantly has dodgy knee cartilage if that screenshot has anything to go by

[Lineker]

Every midfield needs a huge black man.

South Korea did great at the last World Cup.

Well, that's the patch, so he had that injury in Jan, so he should be fine by August.

It's mostlikely Trustfall, the coach, if anyone. Like I said, take it with a grain of salt.

[TheArsenal]

I thought you said he was tall? Two of them are 5'9"

And why does a search for tall, skinny, black dutch men only come up with people called Orlando?

[Lineker]

No, I did a name search for 'Orlando'.

[Lineker]

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has decided not to risk Sol Campbell or Ashley Cole in this weekend's crucial derby clash with Tottenham at Highbury.

However, the Gunners boss has not ruled out the possibility of Campbell playing in next Tuesday's Champions League semi-final second leg game against Villarreal although that match will come too soon for Cole.

Campbell is still recovering from the surgery he had on the broken nose he suffered in last week's 1-1 draw at Portsmouth.

"Sol is not back for Saturday but he should be involved for Tuesday," Wenger told the club's official website.

"Frankly it is a bit early [to decide on rotation].

"I need a little bit more time to decide that but I will do it. We want to beat Tottenham and find the best way to make it to the Champions League Final.

"I need to think about the best way to achieve that.

"Gael Clichy looks ready but I don't know how much he is free pain-wise in his foot.

"Ashley looks completely free pain-wise but looks to be behind Gael fitness-wise. Let's give him two more weeks before he is completely ready to play."

Yeah, fuck the cunts.

Martin Jol has a number of injury concerns before Saturday's massive Premiership clash at Arsenal.

The doubts are Mido, Anthony Gardner, Teemu Tainio and Edgar Davids while Ledley King is out for the rest of the domestic season after suffering a stress fracture in his left foot at Everton last weekend.

Head Coach Martin reported: "Mido is back in training and we have to make a decision on him on Friday.

"Anthony has a shin injury and he's rated as 50-50 for Saturday, Teemu is hopefully back in training on Friday and Edgar has a slight problem with his ankle but back in training and I'm also hopeful he'll be okay for Saturday."

Daws and Davenport in the centre again? I'd prefer Huddlestone tbh.

[lanky316]

Davenport did well on Monday and we kept the United Strikers pretty much out the game with goals on the break and Lee going fucking mad in his own area being our downfall.

We were much better then Man Yoo and a performance like that and hopefully we'll do them. Of course, We need Mido back...

[TheArsenal]

Tottenham are ready to launch a major challenge to Uefa's new rules which would deny them entry to next season's Champions League if they finished fourth in the Premiership and Arsenal won the European Cup.

Saturday's final north London derby at Highbury was already shaping up to be an explosive encounter but it has now taken on added significance thanks to the intriguing battle for fourth place.

Only four points separate Tottenham from Arsenal, who have a game in hand. On form, Arsene Wenger's side are favourites to overtake Spurs and ensure their place in next season's Champions League. But if Tottenham hold on and Arsenal win the European Cup final at the Stade de France on May 17, Spurs are preparing to put pressure on Uefa to guarantee their inclusion in next season's competition.

Uefa president Lennart Johansson forced through a change in the governing body's rules last June to give Champions League winners Liverpool the right to play in the competition this season even though they finished fifth in the Premiership behind Merseyside rivals Everton.

That move followed a major offensive from Liverpool, who argued the champions of Europe should not be denied the opportunity to defend their title.

Now, Spurs are claiming that the team who finish fourth should obtain entry regardless of whether the champions qualify.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the Premier League are backing Tottenham's case and last month wrote to Uefa on their behalf asking if they would consider changing their rules again.

That request was knocked back but Tottenham are not likely to let the matter rest.

Chairman Daniel Levy and club secretary John Alexander are exploring ways of challenging Uefa's rules. It is understood that they are even considering legal action as they believe the rules could be viewed as discriminatory under European legislation.

When Uefa changed their regulations for entry last summer, they stated that the three countries with four Champions League places - England, Italy and Spain - would have to lose one of those spots in the event that a team from one of those nations lifted the European Cup.

All other European countries, who have fewer than four spots, were told they would not lose a place if one of their clubs finished outside the qualifying positions but won the Champions League.

Uefa say that the spare spot made available by an English, Italian or Spanish winner has been earmarked for a minnow such as Andorra or Liechtenstein, whose league champions are not eligible for the competition.

Spurs say this is unfair. An insider said: "All Premier League teams start the season knowing that the top four get into the Champions League and those four teams should qualify regardless.

"Clubs have to make spending decisions based on getting into Europe and to have that taken away a week after the end of the domestic season because another English team win the Champions League is not right."

Despite the Premier League's support for Tottenham, Uefa are unlikely to cave in.

William Gaillard, their director of communications, said: "The decision was taken last year, so if we changed the decision again we would look like complete fools.

"The rules are clear. If Arsenal win the Champions League then, like all defending champions, they would be in, and if Tottenham finish fourth they would be out."

That is unlikely to deter Tottenham, however. Expect this North London squabble to be transferred to Uefa's headquarters in Geneva in the next few weeks.

[therockbox]

The Champions of Europe should have more right to go into the competition than a team that aren't champions of anything. I know my opinion would be different, but looking at it from the outside this season Arsenal (if they win it) have to be allowed to defend their trophy.

[The Slickman]

However much it pains me to say , If Arsenal win the CL they deserve to be there. Very unfair on us but next time it will push us on to 3rd

[fineintent]

Tottenham are ready to launch a major challenge to Uefa's new rules which would deny them entry to next season's Champions League if they finished fourth in the Premiership and Arsenal won the European Cup.

Saturday's final north London derby at Highbury was already shaping up to be an explosive encounter but it has now taken on added significance thanks to the intriguing battle for fourth place.

Only four points separate Tottenham from Arsenal, who have a game in hand. On form, Arsene Wenger's side are favourites to overtake Spurs and ensure their place in next season's Champions League. But if Tottenham hold on and Arsenal win the European Cup final at the Stade de France on May 17, Spurs are preparing to put pressure on Uefa to guarantee their inclusion in next season's competition.

Uefa president Lennart Johansson forced through a change in the governing body's rules last June to give Champions League winners Liverpool the right to play in the competition this season even though they finished fifth in the Premiership behind Merseyside rivals Everton.

That move followed a major offensive from Liverpool, who argued the champions of Europe should not be denied the opportunity to defend their title.

Now, Spurs are claiming that the team who finish fourth should obtain entry regardless of whether the champions qualify.

The Daily Telegraph has learnt that the Premier League are backing Tottenham's case and last month wrote to Uefa on their behalf asking if they would consider changing their rules again.

That request was knocked back but Tottenham are not likely to let the matter rest.

Chairman Daniel Levy and club secretary John Alexander are exploring ways of challenging Uefa's rules. It is understood that they are even considering legal action as they believe the rules could be viewed as discriminatory under European legislation.

When Uefa changed their regulations for entry last summer, they stated that the three countries with four Champions League places - England, Italy and Spain - would have to lose one of those spots in the event that a team from one of those nations lifted the European Cup.

All other European countries, who have fewer than four spots, were told they would not lose a place if one of their clubs finished outside the qualifying positions but won the Champions League.

Uefa say that the spare spot made available by an English, Italian or Spanish winner has been earmarked for a minnow such as Andorra or Liechtenstein, whose league champions are not eligible for the competition.

Spurs say this is unfair. An insider said: "All Premier League teams start the season knowing that the top four get into the Champions League and those four teams should qualify regardless.

"Clubs have to make spending decisions based on getting into Europe and to have that taken away a week after the end of the domestic season because another English team win the Champions League is not right."

Despite the Premier League's support for Tottenham, Uefa are unlikely to cave in.

William Gaillard, their director of communications, said: "The decision was taken last year, so if we changed the decision again we would look like complete fools.

"The rules are clear. If Arsenal win the Champions League then, like all defending champions, they would be in, and if Tottenham finish fourth they would be out."

That is unlikely to deter Tottenham, however. Expect this North London squabble to be transferred to Uefa's headquarters in Geneva in the next few weeks.

Source

I knew it wouldn't be too long before you guys started bitching. You know the "Liverpool" rule before you started this season...

[Guest muddatrucker]

It is bitching though because we already knew the new rules before we even started the season.

[Lineker]

Can't blame them for bitching though.

I mean, to lose out on a technicality, and to Arsenal, of all teams, would just be a kick squarely in the nuts.

[Liam]

But a fair kick in the nuts nonetheless

[Lineker]

But a fair kick in the nuts nonetheless

Yeah. >_>

On FM, after the first season, there's a rule that you have to register at least 4 English players and 2 players trained by Arsenal.

They'll be OK with Cole and Fabregas, but 4 English players? Fucked.

Of course, this rule may not be true to real life.

[Guest _sTe_]

Registering them would be easy, providing they wouldn't have to play of course