PHIL IFIL JOINS SAINTS ON LOAN

Southampton have signed Tottenham Hotspur right-back Phil Ifil on a three-month loan deal.
Saints boss George Burley has been busy boosting his defensive options in the last seven days, having also brought in Christian Dailly and Lucien Mettomo.

The 20-year-old has made only a handful of first-team appearances for Spurs, having been loaned out to Millwall the season before last. Burley told the club's official website: "Phil is a young defender with a lot of potential and he wants first-team football.

"He will add to our defensive options. That is an area where we need to be stronger and he is certainly a player I like.

"He has a good pedigree. He has quality on the ball, good energy and he is very quick."

ALNWICK LOANED TO LUTON

Luton have completed the signing of Tottenham goalkeeper Ben Alnwick on a three-month loan.
The 20-year-old goes straight into Kevin Blackwell’s squad for Saturday’s League One clash against Huddersfield.
Alnwick joined Spurs from Sunderland in January 2007 in a move that could net his former club a total of £1.3 million.
He has yet to make an appearance for us but in the summer was named in England Under-21s’ squad for the European Championships in Holland.

TAARABT SPEAKS TO THE "DAILY MAIL"

The street fighter who wows the White Hart Lane crowds - is this the next Zidane?
By DANNY GRIFFITHS

Adel Taraabt has revealed he wants to become the new Zinedine Zidane by hitting the heights with Tottenham.

The skilful French teenager has already sent pulses racing on the White Hart Lane terraces with his entertaining cameo performances
And he has promised to carefully nurture and develop the abilities which have marked him out as a special player since he was a boy.
"I love getting the ball and running at people," Taarabt told the Hotspur magazine. "It started when I was playing in the streets in Marseilles, I have always attacked.
"The supporters love it and that's what I try to do when I come on. I wasn't nervous playing when I played against Chelsea. I was stunned and excited. I got given a nice welcome when Claude Makelele made his first tackle on me."
Taraabt can play across midfield but believes his best position is attacking just behind the two strikers. "It's not my position on the left," he added.
"But if the coach asks me to play there then I will give 100 per cent. I think I've got good technique. I play with both feet but my heading skills are not the greatest. I am not too keen on defending but my strongest point is dribbling and taking people on.
"I have to please the fans, otherwise I am in trouble. Playing with the team always helps improve your confidence and now it's up to me to show that I am worth a starting place."
Taarabt joined Spurs on a permanent move from Lens in the summer after being with the French club since he was 11.
"I didn't know much about this club, but I did know Spurs were one of the top five teams in England," said Taarabt, who has represented France at under-16, under-17 and under-18 level.
"I had heard of Damien Comolli, who contacted me. I spoke to Chelsea and Manchester United, but I am realistic. I thought I could develop quicker at Spurs. In France, it is like a chess game, with far more tactics, but here it is more open, very fast."
And he said of the suggestions he can become the new Zidane, who also grew up learning his unique football skills on the streets of Marseilles: "I am hoping to become that but it is my agent's opinion. Other people have said this as well. I just want to reach that level."

LEVY REACTS TO SPECULATION ABOUT MARTIN JOL

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has slammed the constant speculation over Martin Jol's White Hart Lane future.

Following reports that Jol had already quit, arranged a £4m pay-off and was even managing on a match-by-match basis, Levy has acted to put an end to the stories.

Jol had already rubbished claims that he was going, insisting his relationship with Levy is good.

The club yesterday denied there was an emergency board meeting to discuss Jol's successor but Levy has today taken the unprecedented step of putting the blame for all the speculation purely on the media.

He said: "There has been no board meeting, let alone any emergency board meeting, and reports that we have agreed a compensation package with Martin are wholly inaccurate - we have not even discussed the subject and there is no reason to do so.
"We will not allow ourselves to be side-tracked or undermined by external agendas or media hype. Our focus is on winning games."

KABOUL IN MALTA

France will be playing an U/21 friendly match vs Malta on Wednesday 12 September.

We took up the opportunity to meet up with Younes Kaboul during a training session at Ta' Qali National Stadium

Dean Parrett scores v N Ireland

YOUNG LIONS

Andros Townsend and Dean Parrett made their mark for England Under-17s in the 2007 International U17 Tournament.

Both of our youngsters scored in the tournament as England faced Northern Ireland, Turkey and Italy.

They kicked-off in style with a 6-1 demolition of Northern Ireland with Andros scoring twice and Dean, on as a second half substitute, adding the fifth goal at Brentford's Griffin Park.

The second of the three matches saw a 1-1 draw against Turkey at Wycombe. Dean started this time and set up an effort that hit the crossbar but it needed Chelsea's Adam Phillip to secure the draw. Andros was a late substitute in the second half.

The final game resulted in a fine 3-0 win against Italy at Luton's Kenilworth Road on Sunday. Andros started again this time and opened the scoring after 20 minutes, lunging in at the far post to net from a cross from Manchester United's Cameron Stewart. Dean didn't feature in this final fixture.

Andros Townsend vs Italy

CARLING CUP DATE ANNOUNCED

Tottenham Hotspur will face Middlesbrough in the third round of the Carling Cup on Wednesday 26 September at 9.00pm (Malta time).

The match which takes place at White Hart Lane, will be settled on the night by extra time and penalties, if required.

Boro beat Northampton Town 2-0 in the last round

ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA FIRST UP IN EUROPE

Following Friday’s UEFA Cup 1st Round draw, we will be playing Anorthosis Famagusta at home in the 1st Leg of the tie on Thursday September 20, kick-off 9pm. This is a season ticket inclusive match. Tickets will be on sale to One Hotspur members from Wednesday September 5 at 9.30am.
The 2nd Leg of the tie will take place in Larnaca, Cyprus, on Thursday October 4. This match will kick-off at 8pm Malta time.

Anorthosis Famagusta have now confirmed that the match will be played in the Antonis Papadopolous stadium which has a capacity of 9,600.

Under UEFA Cup competition rules, Spurs are entitled to an allocation of 5% of the stadium capacity. This allocation will be used to meet all of the Club’s ticket requirements. Priority will be given to One Hotspur Platinum members, subject to ticket availability.

ANORTHOSIS FAMAGUSTA INFO:

Anorthosis Famagusta FC is a Cypriot football and a volleyball club which comes from Famagusta. It was founded in January 30 1911. After the invasion of Cyprus by Turkey in 1974, Anorthosis became a refugee team and is temporarily based in Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Larnaca. Anorthosis Home Stadium in occupied Famagusta is G.S.E. (Gymnastic Club Evagoras) which is abandoned and in bad condition since 1974.

Anorthosis won 12 championship titles, their last in season 2004-2005. They have won the Cyprus Cup 10 times (1949, 1959, 1962, 1964, 1971, 1975, 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2007). Additionally, they have won the Super Cup trophy 7 times.

The current president of the team is Andreas Panteli and the current coach is former Georgian International Timur Ketsbaia, who was also a player in the team.

On 26 July 2005 they achieved one of the greatest results in Cypriot football history when they beat the Turkish team Trabzonspor 3-1 in the first leg of their second round Champions League qualifying match. They lost the second leg 1-0 in Turkey, but progressed 3-2 on aggregate. In the third-round qualifying tie against the Scottish team Rangers, Anorthosis lost the first leg 2-1, and the second leg 2-0, so dropped into the first round of the UEFA Cup. They were then defeated 6-1 on aggregate by the Italian team Palermo.

THE STADIUM:

Anorthosis and the other team of Famagusta, Nea Salamis FC used to play until 1974 in GSE Stadium in Famagusta. After Anorthosis became a refugee team, because of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus, which resulted in Famagusta, the town that Anorthosis is based in- to fall under the Turkish occupation. The team used several stadiums like Dasaki Stadium in Dasaki Achnas, old and new GSZ Stadium in Larnaca and Tsirion Stadium in Limassol.

Finally in 1986 the team built its own stadium in Larnaca named Antonis Papadopoulos. The initial capacity of the stadium was about 6,000 but gradually increased during the years to 13,000. After a major recondition in 1997, capacity reduced to 9,319 (all seated).

In 2005 the east stand named "Quality Stand" in favor of the club's main sponsor was opened. "Quality Stand" is a two story stand which holds the newly-build VIP Boxes (upper story), Press Room, Dress Rooms, Bar etc.

In 2006 the stadium went through another recondition including the build of VIP Boxes in the upper section of west stand, the launching of the automatic ticketing issue and entrance system, the replacing of metal front fence with clear acrylic glass for security reasons and for maximized field view. Also some other facilities are offered in the west stand such as new restrooms, bar, fan's shop etc.

The stadium also is approved by UEFA for European games. It has hosted some matches of the Cyprus national football team. In that stadium, Cyprus national team achieved its greatest success against Spain by a score 3-2. On May 16, 1992, the stadium hosted the 1992 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship Third position final between Italy and Portugal, where Italy won 1-0.