Friday, August 31, 2007

BARNARD JOINS CREWE ON LOAN
Crewe have completed the signing of striker Lee Barnard on loan until January.
The 23-year-old's arrival at Gresty Road was delayed by a hamstring injury, but he will go straight into the squad for the visit to Swindon on Saturday.
Barnard has made three substitute appearances for Spurs in the Premiership and had previous loan spells at Exeter, Stevenage, Leyton Orient and Northampton.

Wednesday, August 29, 2007


JENAS SIGNS NEW CONTRACT
Midfielder Jermaine Jenas has signed a new five-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2012.
Jenas, who cost £7m when he signed from Newcastle in 2005, enjoyed a good campaign last year, scoring eight goals despite two months out through injury.
The 24-year-old told tottenhamhotspur.com: "Spurs have the calibre of squad that any player would want to be part of.
"The spirit in the squad is terrific, the club is ambitious and undoubtedly moving forward."
Jenas, capped 17 times by England, added: "I feel I still have a lot of potential to develop further and playing alongside team-mates of this quality will help me do that.
"I am very happy here and would love to stay at Tottenham for the rest of my career."
Martin Jol added: "JJ has made a big contribution over the last two seasons and he is improving as a player all the time.
"His goals from midfield are a vital ingredient for us and he is already off the mark this season.
"I am delighted he has committed his future to the Club because JJ has so much talent and is such a positive player.
"He always wants to learn and that is the right mentality to have, he wants to prove that he is a top player and the sky is the limit for him."

Saturday, August 25, 2007

O'HARA LOANED OUT
Jamie O'Hara has joined Millwall on a month's loan. Jamie was in the first team squad a number of times last season and featured again in pre-season friendlies this summer, including the Vodacom Challenge in South Africa. He previously enjoyed a successful loan spell at Chesterfield, again in League One, when he scored five goals in 19 appearances between January and May, 2006

Thursday, August 23, 2007


The following article (in Maltese) by Mark Mizzi (the blogger) was published on L-Orizzont on Thursday 23 August 2007. Since part of the article is aboput the Martin Jol situation, we decided to publish it on this blog as well.
MANIGERS FIL-PERIKLU

Ninsabu dehlin fit-tielet gurnata tal-Kampjonat Premier fl-Ingilterra u f’dan l-istadju bikri tal-istagun hemm min diga qed jipprova jbassar x’se jigri, jew ahjar, jaqta’ l-verdetti fuq dak li gara sa issa fejn il-bicca l-kbira tat-timijiet laghabu tlett loghobiet biss u ohrajn laghabu tnejn. Il-Malti jghid li l-gurnata minn fil-ghodu turik izda dan mhux dejjem jghodd ghal-loghoba tal-futbol. Fl-ewwel stadji tal-kampjonat it-timijiet ikun ghadhom qed joqghodu u l-plejers il-godda jkun ghadhom qed jidraw lil shabhom. Plejers li jkunu gew minn barra l-Premier League ikun ghadhom qed jidraw ir-ritmu ta’ dan il-kampjonat u l-klabbs promossi jkun ghadhom qed igawdu minn certu entuzjazmu tal-promozzjoni. Minhabba dan kollu ir-rizultati tal-ewwel loghobiet mhux bil-fors ikunu indikattivi ghal kumplament tal-istagun.

Wara biss tlett loghobiet diga qed jissemmew ukoll il-manigers li jistghu jitilfu posthom. Minkejja li ghadna kwazi ma rajna xejn mill-potenzjal veru tat-timijiet diga hemm manigers li qed jilghabu man-nar u dan jixhed il-pressjoni li jghixu fiha dawn il-manigers fejn kollox jiddependi mir-rizultati. L-aktar zewg ismijiet li qed jissemmew f’dan ir-rigward huma Sammy Lee ta’ Bolton u Martin Jol ta’ Tottenham.

Sammy Lee ha f’idejh it-tim ta’ Bolton wara Sam Allardyce u mill-ewwel kien jidher car li se tkun difficli ghalih biex ikompli fejn halla ta’ qablu. Sam Allardayce kien kollox ghal Bolton. Huwa kien il-bniedem li ta r-ruh lil dan il-klabb u l-persuna li gieghlet lill-istess klabb jemmen aktar fih innifsu u jikber. Allardyce kien kapaci jhajjar plejers ta’ certu kwalita jinghaqdu ma’ Bolton li minghajru it-Trotters qatt ma kienu jimmaginaw li jistghu jakkwistaw.

Allardyce irnexxielu wkoll jiehu l-ahjar minn plejers kwazi skartati minn timijiet ohra. Dan il-maniger ikkonvincihom li ghad baqghalhom x’jaghtu lil futbol u permezz taghhom tella’ lil Bolton f’livelli li ma kinux joholmu bihom qabel.

Izda wiehed mill-akbar attribwiti ta’ Allardyce kien il-pratticita u l-versatilita tieghu. Allardyce kien konxju mill-fatt li l-iskwadra ma setghetx tikkompara ma’ dik tal-klabbs il-kbar izda huwa dejjem laghab loghoba li taqbel ghall-plejers tieghu u li setghet iggiblu r-rizultati. Kontra timijiet komparabbli ma’ Bolton Allardyce qatt ma’ beza jilghab il-futbol mal-art u loghoba offensiva izda kontra timijiet ferm akbar minn Bolton Allardyce dejjem laghab loghoba fejn il-priorita kienet li ma jaqilghux il-gowl u uza l-element tas-sahha fizika li ddejjaq mhux ftit lil plejers li jibbazaw il-loghoba taghhom fuq it-teknika.

Din il-karrateristika tohloq l-akbar kuntrast mal-maniger il-gdid Sammy Lee. Ic-cirkostanzi jkunu dejjem difficli meta maniger jiehu post maniger iehor li jkun ilu ghal hafna snin fil-kariga u jkun gab certu success lill-klabb. Huwa naturali li kull ma jaghmel il-maniger il-gdid se jigi mqabbel ma’ dak li ghamel ta’ qablu u dan ikun ta’ toqol psikologiku kbir fuq il-maniger il-gdid. Lee qed jaghmel minn kollox biex johrog mid-dell ta’ Allardyce u qed jipprova jaghti t-timbru personali tieghu lit-tim biex donnu jaghmel dikjarazzjoni li dan huwa t-tim tieghu u mhux ta’ Allardyce.

Biex jaghmel dan Lee qed jinsa l-principji ta’ pratticita u efficcjenza li permezz taghhom kienu jigu r-rizultati. Lee qed jipprova jilghab futbol aktar attrattiv u pozittiv izda biex jaghmel hekk qed ihalli d-difiza esposta u r-rizultati li gab kemm ilu li ha t-tim f’idejh jikkonfermaw dan. Dak li qed jipprova jaghmel Lee isir aktar gravi meta wiehed jiftakar li matul dan is-Sajf il-klabb tilef lill-aqwa difensur li kellu meta l-Izraeljan Ben Haim inghaqad ma’ Chelsea bi free transfer.

Id-differenza bejn Allardyce u Lee u l-incertezza li qed tirrenja fost il-plejers ta’ Bolton giet mikxufa minn kummenti li ghadda l-kaptin tat-tim Kevin Nolan, li qed jigi milghub f’pozizzjoni aktar avanzata minn qabel. Nolan qal li bhalissa hu stess ma jafx f’liema pozizzjoni qed jilghab. Wara li nbidel fil-loghoba kontra Portsmouth l-istess Nolan qal li ma jafx ghal xhiex inbidel u ta x’wiehed jifhem li m’hemmx pjan car u sens ta’ direzzjoni fit-tim. Il-girjiet ta’ Nolan minn nofs il-grawnd spiccaw minhabba l-fatt li dan qieghed prattikament jilghab bhala t-tielet attakkant.

B’Ben Haim ihalli l-klabb, Diouf jiddikkjara li jrid jitlaq u l-kaptin jghid li ma jafx fejn qed jilghab jidher car li l-ambjent fi hdan Bolton huwa ferm differenti minn dak ta’ zmien Allardyce u se jkun ferm difficli ghal Lee li jerga’ jghaqqad it-tim u jibda jgib ir-rizultati.

F’dan kollu hemm l-id tac-cermen ta’ Bolton Phil Gartside. Kien in-nuqqas ta’ sapport tieghu lejn Allardyce li wassal lil dan tal-ahhar biex jitlaq. Gartside ma kienx wara Allardyce kemm biex jiffinanzja aktar akkwisti u kemm fil-kaz tal-bungs li fihom issemma’ Allardyce. Gartside sahansitra qal ukoll li l-partitarji kienu ddejjqu bil-futbol negattiv ta’ Allardyce. Gartside ghadda dawn il-kummenti wara li Allardyce telaq u qatt ma’ qal xejn meta Bolton kkwalifikaw ghat-Tazza UEFA. Il-partitarji zgur huma aktar imdejjqin bir-rizultati li qed jinkisbu fil-prezent milli bis-sistema ta’ Allardyce.

Il-kummenti ta’ Gartside huma biss skuza biex jiggusitfika it-tluq ta’ Allardyce u l-hatra ta’ Sammy Lee. Lee m’ghandux il-kredenzjali, il-kapacita u fuq kollox il-personalita biex ikompli b’fejn halla Allardyce. Izda forsi n-nuqqas ta’ personalita ta’ Lee kienet il-kriterju principali li fuqu Gartside iddecieda li jahtru maniger. B’Lee fit-tmun Gartside zgur jista’ jkollu aktar influenza u sahha fid-decizjonijiet li jirrigwardaw it-tim milli jista’ qatt ikollu b’maniger bil-personalita ta’ Allardyce.

L-izball dwar Lee sar meta nhatar. L-izball dwar il-maniger l-iehor fil-periklu jista’ jsir fil-gimghat li gejjin meta, jekk il-pronostici jsiru realta, jitnehha minn postu.

Tottenham bdew dan l-istagun bil-pretensjoni li jistghu jiggieldu ghall-wiehed mill-ewwel erba’ postijiet tal-kampjonat izda ma’ setax kellhom bidu aghar wara li sofrew telfa kontra t-tim promoss ta’ Sunderland u ohra kontra Everton f’darhom. Ir-rebha gta’ 4-0 fuq Derby County m’ghamlet xejn biex tnehhi l-pressjoni minn fuq il-maniger Martin Jol u hemm min ghadu jinsisti li dawn huma l-ahhar gimghat ghall-maniger Olandiz f’Londra.

Il-fjammi tal-ispekulazzjoni dwar Jol komplew jissahhu hekk kif gurnal Spanjol ippubblika ritratti ta’ dirigenti ta’ Tottenham jitkellmu mal-kowc prezenti ta’ Sevilla Juande Ramos u l-agent tieghu Alvaro Torres. Ramos cahad din l-ispekulazzjoni u qal li l-laqgha kienet wahda privata. Tottenham qalu li s-segretarju tal-klabb John Alexander kien Spanja ghal-laqgha privata ma’ Torres izda ma qalu xejn dwar il-fatt li ghall-istess laqgha kienu prezenti wkoll Ramos u l-vici-cerman tal-klabb Paul Kemsley. Ic-cahdiet ufficcjali ma kkonvincewx u x-xnieghat li Ramos jista’ jiehu post Jol qed jissahhu.

X’jigri fil-futur huwa kwazi irrelevanti u, irrispettivament minn kemm hemm verita f’dawn l-istejjer, Martin Jol zgur li m’ghadux ihossu komdu fil-pozizzjoni tieghu. Il-fatt li Tottenham ma rnexxielhomx ixejjnu din l-ispejulazzjoni b’certu sahha jitfghu lill-kowc Olandiz f’incertezza kbira u dan mhux se jghin lit-tim jilhaq il-miri tieghu

Id-dirigenti ta’ Tottenham qed jitfghu pressjoni enormi fuq Jol minhabba l-investiment li ghamlu fit-tim. Minkejja dan l-investiment Tottenham xorta ma solvewx il-problemi li kellhom qabel. In-nuqqas ta’ winger fuq ix-xellug ilu jinhass sentejn u n-nuqqas ta’ midfielder difensiv ilu ovvju minn meta telaq Michael Carrick. Jekk Jol talab plejers f’dawn il-pozizzjonjiiet u l-klabb naqas li jakkwistohom allura l-klabb ghandu jerfa’ r-responsabbilita ta’ dak li qed jigri u mhux jitfaghha fuq il-maniger.

Barra minhekk, l-investiment kbir li ghamel il-klabb ftit li xejn jista jaghti l-frott tieghu meta Jol jinsab imxekkel b’numru rekord ta’ plejers imwegga’. Bid-difiza kollha nieqsa flimkien ma’ plejers bhal Aaron Lennon, Jol ftit li xejn jista’ jisfrutta l-potenzjal tal-iskwadra tieghu. Meta fl-istagun li ghadda Chelsea tilfu numru ta’ punti fin-nuqqas ta’ John Terry kulhadd qabel li n-nuqqas tad-difensur centrali Ingliz kien il-kagun tat-telf ta’ dawn il-punti. Tottenham tilfu zewg loghobiet bid-difiza kolha nieqsa u l-htija qed tintefa’ fuq il-maniger!

Meta Martin Jol ha t-tim f’idejh huwa, flimkien mal-klabb, nieda pjan ta’ hames snin u fl-ahhar zewg staguni irnexxielu jispicca fil-hames post. Din hija pozizzjoni aljena ghal Spurs fl-ahhar snin u Jol ghandu jinghata l-mertu li wassal lil Tottenham sa hawn wara staguni fil-medjokrita ta’ nofs il-klassifika. Jol issa ghandu jinghata c-cans iwassal il-pjan tieghu fi tmiemu u ghandu jigi gudikat meta jkollu l-ahjar plejers ghad-dizpozizzjoni tieghu. Fuq kollox hu ghandu jigi gudikat waqt li jithalla jahdem fil-kalma u mhux f’ambjent fejn, kif qal huwa stess, qed ihossu jigi mminnat minn xi persuni fil-klabb stess.

Il-bdil ta’ kowc kull perjodu qasir ta’ zmien mhux ricetta ghas-success. Fil-klabb irid ikun hemm certu konsistnza u stabbilita. Zewg telfiet b’nofs tim wara zewg staguni fil-hames post m’ghandhomx ihassru x-xoghol li sar sa issa biex kollox jerga’ jibda mill-gdid. Jekk jninhatar maniger gdid issa dan se jghid li huwa ghandu bzonn iz-zmien izda jinsab kunfidenti li fi zmien hames snin Tottenham ikunu qed jiggieldu ghall-unuri. U hekk jerga’ jibda ciklu gdid li probabbli flok hames snin jerga jdum biss tlett snin u l-klabb jibqa’ fejn ikun.

Barra minn hekk, li tawtorizza l-kowc jonfoq mal-40 miljun lira sterlina u mbaghad tibdlu wara l-ewwel gimghat tal-istagun mhux xhieda ta’ tmexxija serja u ghaqlija. Minghajr ma nidhol fil-mertu ta jekk Jol jistax iwassal lil Tottenham sal-quccata jew le, id-decizjoni, jekk kellha tittiehed, kellha tittiehed matul is-Sajf u mhux fil-bidu tal-istagun.

Id-decizjoni dwar Jol, meta u jekk tittiehed, ma tkunx tirrigwarda biss il-futbol izda wkoll il-politika interna tal-klabb. Martin Jol kien inghaqad mal-klabb bhala assistent ta’ Jacques Santini li rrezenja wara ftit xhur b’Jol jehodlu postu. Meta saru l-hatriet originali kien deher ovvju li l-hatra ta’ Santini kienet gejja mic-cerman tal-klabb Daniel Levy fil-waqt li dik ta’ Jol kienet stigata mid-direttur tal-futbol ta’ dak iz-zmien l-Olandiz Frank Arnesen. Illum Arnesen m’ghadux mal-klabb u effettivament Tottenham ghandhom maniger li mhux bil-fors huwa l-ewwel ghazla tac-cermen.

Wara t-tluq ta Arnesen, Levy hatar lil-Franciz Comolli bhala Direttur tal-Futbol u dan, ovvjament, ma’ kellu l-ebda sehem fl-ghazla ta’ Jol. Tottenham qed juzaw sistema kontinentali li fiha il-kowc ikollu x’jaqsam mal-ewwel tim fil-waqt li d-direttur tal-futbol huwa responsabbli tal-oqsma kollha tal-klabb inkluzi t-trasferimenti u hatriet importanti. Din il-kariga ghanda hafna sahha fil-klabb u bhalissa tezisti sitwazzjoni fejn fiha hemm persuna maghzula mic-cermen fil-waqt li l-kowc qieghed hemm fuq l-insistenza ta’ direttur tal-futbol li llum qieghed ma’ Chelsea.

Kif diga semmejna dan kollu jista’ jkun spekulazzjoni. Izda x-xnieghat huma persistenti wisq u hemm numru kbir ta’ sorsi differenti li qed jaqblu li Tottenham qed jikkunsidraw bis-serjeta il-futur ta’ Jol. Il-qazba ma caqcaqx ghal xejn u jekk Tottenham ma jirnexxielhomx ixejjnu din l-ispekulazzjoni malajr, Jol jista’ jhoss li ma jistax izomm il-pozizzjoni tieghu u d-decizjoni jista’ jehodha hu stess.
NOTA- L-ARTIKLU INKITEB QABEL IL-LAQGHA BEJN IL-BORD TAD-DIRETTURI TA' SPURS U JOL FEJN DAN GIE MGHARRAF LI SE JIBQA' FIL-KARIGA BIL-PATT LI TOTTENHAM JIKKWALIFIKAW GHAC-CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. PRATTIKAMENT A STAY OF EXECUTION U JOL JISTA' JITLEF POSTU JEW JITLAQ HEKK KIF IR-RIZULTATI JIBDEW JINDIKAW LI DAN L-GHAN MA JISTAX JINTLAHAQ. IC-CHAIRMAN TA' TOTTENHAM DANIEL LEVY QAL LI L-KLABB NEFAQ HAFNA FLUS U JISTENNA LI JISPICCA MAL-EWWEL ERBGHA. LI MA QALX LEVY HU LI MINKEJJA LI NEFAQ HAFNA FLUS, IL-PROBLEMI TA' HOLDING MIDFIELDER U LEFT WINGER BAQGHU MA GEWX INDIRIZZATI.

Friday, August 17, 2007

MIDO GONE
Middlesbrough have completed the signing of our striker Mido in a £6m deal.The 24-year-old Egyptian international has put pen to paper on a four-year contract at the Riverside. 'Boro manager Gareath Southgate told his club's official website: "He is someone I played against as a player and he always impressed me."He gave me a hard game and he certainly has attributes I'd like to bring into the team to give us different options."When you've got one of the best crossers of the balls in the league in Stewart Downing, you want someone like Mido who can head the ball."You want a centre-forward to hold the ball up, to be a physical presence and to score goals. Mido brings all of those attributes."He added: "Mido is a player I believe possibly has a point to prove. He is a player of great ability, a strong player and a big character - someone who can lead from the front."He's got good technical ability and he's a goalscorer. He has proved that in his career in Holland and France and at Tottenham."He has got a desire to come here and score goals, and that is an important thing for any team."In terms of the squad, we needed another striker and he will give us different options. He's very good in the air, and that will be an important contribution."We have got some very good players here, players of great character and big reputation."That's one of the reasons we were able to attract Mido to come here. We need strength in depth and I feel we need four strikers to provide competition for places."
We wish Mido all the luck with his new team.

Saturday, August 04, 2007


Charlie Daniels moves on loan


Charlie Daniels has joined League One side Leyton Orient on a season-long loan deal. The left-sided defender/midfielder has been a regular for the reserves in the last two seasons, playing 16 times as Spurs won the reserve title in 2005-06. He made his football league debut on loan at Chesterfield in March, 2007, but unfortunately a knee injury sustained during his spell at the Spireites restricted him to two appearances. A product of Tottenham's Academy, Charlie was part of the first team squad for the recent Vodacom Challenge in South Africa.


We wish Charlie the best of luck at Leyton Orient
Ghaly move is off
Hossam Ghaly's proposed transfer to Birmingham City collapsed last night after what is understood to have been a training ground incident which led to Steve Bruce questioning the midfielder's fitness levels. It is believed an altercation followed after which Birmingham's manager immediately decided to pull out of a £3m deal for the player whose arrival at St Andrew's from Tottenham had been confirmed only on Monday afternoon.
Birmingham issued a statement that said: "Birmingham City Football Club can today confirm that they will not be proceeding with the transfer of Hossam Ghaly from Tottenham Hotspur due to footballing reasons." Spurs later issued a statement indicating that it had been Ghaly, not Birmingham, who called off the move. "We can confirm that Hossam Ghaly has decided not to proceed with his transfer to Birmingham City," Spurs said.