ALAN HUTTON JETS IN

Spurs have reached agreement with Glasgow Rangers for the transfer of Alan Hutton.
Hutton made his debut as an 18-year-old and has since gone on to appear on 122 occasions in total for the Scottish Premier League side. The 23-year-old right back has also collected six international caps for Scotland after making his international debut against Austria in May 2007.

WOODGATE SIGNS

We have completed the signing of Middlesbrough's centre-half Jonathan Woodgate for a fee believed to be in excess of £7million.

The 28-year-old former Leeds United and Real Madrid stopper was also a target for another of his former clubs, Newcastle United, but Woodgate has opted to head for White Hart Lane.
He joined Boro, initially on loan, in the summer of 2006 and has gone on to make just over 50 appearances for the Teessiders.

Newcastle had given up their pursuit of the defender at the weekend, with boss Kevin Keegan admitting: "At this moment I don't think he is going to come to Newcastle.
"In fact I am almost certain he isn't. I think he is going to go somewhere else.
"It looks like we have lost him. I am very disappointed. I fully understand, but I desperately wanted him to come."

Boro boss Gareth Southgate spoke of his disappointment at losing Woodgate, telling the club's official website: "You're looking for everyone at your club to want to be here and be part of it.
"We wanted to give Jonathan the opportunity to speak to other clubs because when clubs call you about a player it usually means the player knows about it anyway.
"We were then asking a question of Jonathan, do you want to be here and be part of what we want to do or do you want to head off? And it seems he wanted to head off."

JUANDE PERSUADED BY FANS

(from THE DAILY MAIL of 26 January 2008)

Juande Ramos was persuaded to become Tottenham's new head coach because of the passion of the Spurs faithful in their UEFA Cup quarter-final with Sevilla last season.
The north London side were beaten over two legs by the Spanish side, who went on to win the competition for the second successive year under Ramos' leadership.
But the Spaniard was highly impressed by the atmosphere at White Hart Lane in the second leg of the last eight encounter and Spurs first-team coach Marcos Alvarez believes it was instrumental in helping him succeeded Martin Jol when he parted company with the London club in October.
"One of the reasons we came is because Spurs are a very big team in Europe," Ramos' assistant at Sevilla told Hotspur magazine.
"When we came here with Sevilla for the second leg of our UEFA Cup match last season we fell in love with the supporters.
"We thought we were going to lose in the second half and it was interesting to hear the atmosphere, to hear the singing and shouting and seeing the team coming back.
"It is very important for us how we have been welcomed and the staff have been very kind. Everything we've needed we have been given. That's very important when you come to a new country."

MORE SPURS V ARSENAL LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL PICTURES

BARNARD JOINS SOUTHEND

Spurs have reached agreement for the permanent transfer of Lee Barnard to Southend United.
Academy product Lee broke into the first-team at the end of the 2005/06 season, making his debut as a substitute against Manchester United and featured in a further two Premier League games against Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. ‘Barney’ has also previously picked up league experience during loan spells at Leyton Orient, Northampton Town and Crewe Alexandra. We wish Lee all the best for the future.

JERMAINE JENAS

An article in the Daily Mail

Ramos sees Jenas as the Lampard of White Hart Lane

There may be no love lost between Tottenham and Chelsea, but Spurs manager Juande Ramos is using their rival's model for success to make Jermaine Jenas realise his massive potential.

The two clubs will meet at Wembley in the Carling Cup Final next month and observers may be forgiven for thinking that the two team's use similar tactics.


For Ramos has taken one look at Jenas's impressive fitness and finishing ability to believe that the 24-year-old can be the Frank Lampard of White Hart Lane.

Spurs fans have never taken kindly to Lampard, but his goalscoring and assists record for Chelsea is one of the finest in Europe and Ramos feels Jenas can provide a similar threat for his side.

Of all the players who have thrived under the Spaniard since he took over in October, Jenas seems to be the most rejuvenated.

The midfielder has divided many supporters since he joined from Newcastle for £7million in 2005, with some questioning whether he performs enough in the big matches against the better teams.

But in Spurs' 5-1 win over Arsenal in midweek he not only scored the crucial opening goal, he was also the best player on the pitch and his form over the last three months has been impressive.

On Sunday he will face an even stiffer test when he comes up against Spurs old boy Michael Carrick as Tottenham take on Manchester United in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

Most of the credit for Jenas's improved consistency has been linked to the new strict diet and fitness regime, and Ramos's admiration for Lampard's achievements has helped bring about the biggest change in his performances on the pitch.

A club insider said: "The big difference is that Juande sees him as the Frank Lampard of the team and has told him to concentrate on getting forward more and not worry so much about the defensive part of his game.

"If you notice he is playing a lot closer to Robbie Keane on the pitch now and is getting in more advanced positions on a regular basis. Lampard has thrived on having Claude Makelele playing deep in midfield so he can concentrate on scoring and setting up goals and, while Spurs have no-one like Makelele at the club, Teemu Tainio played the positionagainst Arsenal and it worked to great affect.

"Juande thinks Jenas should score a lot of goals for the club and has made him concentrate on doing what he does best."

It is partly because of Lampard that Jenas's England ambitions have yet to be realised and he has not even been in the squad since he was dropped by previous coach Steve McClaren for the friendly against Germany last August.

The decision hurt deeply at the time, but his professional attitude meant he was already employing a strong work ethic to turn his fortunes around before Ramos arrived at White Hart Lane.

It is something that has not gone unnoticed, with Ramos even telling friends in Spain of Jenas being a great example to the rest of the squad.

A source in Spain said: "Juande is happy with him. He works very hard in training and is improving every day. He is in such good form that many people think he can get in the England squad again. He is fitter than ever and is playing very well.

"The way he ran hard and maintained his performance against Arsenal for 90 minutes is exactly what Juande and his coaching team want to achieve.

"He is a good player and a good professional. When you train well, you love your football and that is the case for him. They have already built up a great understanding and Jenas knows what Juande wants."

The timing of Jenas's renaissance couldn't be better, with new England coach Fabio Capello naming his first England squad next Thursday for the friendly against Switzerland on 6 February.

The Italian has seen a few of Tottenham's games since he was given the post last month including the first leg of the Carling Cup semi-final against Arsenal where Jenas also stood out.

Striker Robbie Keane is in no doubt that it is time for his team-mate and friend to be rewarded with a recall to the national team.

He said: "Jermaine has made a massive impact, his whole play has been getting better every week. Fabio Capello has been watching some of our games and he can't ignore that.

"I just hope people appreciate what a good player he is. There are many top-class midfielders in the country, but over the last year Jermaine is right up there with them and there is no reason why he can't be part of Capello's plans."

Another good performance at Old Trafford on Sunday will surely see him back in the England fold and Jenas himself says he has never been in better shape.

He said: "I feel this is the best football I've played in my career. I feel very confident. The manager has come in and he's got that experience of winning semi-finals and finals. It helped us against Arsenal and gave us an edge.

"We're going to Old Trafford and it's not an easy place to go but we go there full of confidence."

SPURS 5 ARSENAL 1

POST MATCH CELEBRATIONS AT THE MALTA CLUB

We're off to Wembley cause we beat the Arsenal !!

22 January 2008

CARLING LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 2nd LEG

SPURS v WOOLWICH ARSENAL 5-1

(aggregate 6-2)

Tuesday 22 January 2008 will forever remain one of the best days in the history of Tottenham Hotspur FC. We not only beat our rivals in a cup semi-final- we destroyed them, out paced them out thought them and played them off the park. Watching the game there was one thought that kept crossing my mind, and that was WE GOT OUR TOTTENHAM BACK.

This is the style we want- this is what Tottenham is about- style and panache- so a big thanks to the players who fought till the end and a round of applause to Mr Juande Ramos who, slowly but surely, is getting us back where we belong.

Of course many Arsenal fans, including Arsene "I didn't see it" Wenger will say this was not their priority and they played with reserves and "children". Well lets debunk this myth- take a look at the following stats (taken from COYS):

Sagna - (24yrs)- £4.5m - 4 years playing in European club competition, full French international

Gallas - (30yrs) - £5m - 4 years at Marseilles, 5 years at Chelsea, 50 caps for France

Gilberto (31yrs) £4.5m - Brazil captain 2007, 59 caps Diaby - full French international started. 3 champions league this season

Denilson - Current Captain Brazil u-20

Hleb (26yrs) - £11m - Captain Belarus, 3 times player of year Walcott - £12m - started 4 champions league, played 9 premiership this season, full English international

Fabregas - 175 games for arsenal, full Spanish international

Adebayor (23yrs) - £3m - 184 games for monaco and arse - full international

Eduardo (24yrs) - £8.5m - started 9 premier league, 3 champions league this season, full Croatian international

The average age of the gooners 14 players used was 22.8, for spurs 25.8. So yes they were a little younger.

The goon starting XI cost £51m to Spurs £39m. including the 3 subs used this becomes £62m arse to £53m spurs.

The 14 players used by spurs have started 279 games between them this season, the gooners 14 have started 214 between them.

There were 11 players out of the 14 for Arsenal who have full international caps. Spurs had only 10. 5. The total caps held by the 14 goons is 261 (hardly kids eh!) to spurs 341.

2 players for the goons have won the world cup, thats pretty good for experience.

AND THIS IS TAKEN FROM AN ARSENAL MESSAGE BOARD. THIS IS WHAT THE ARSENAL FANS WERE SAYING BEFORE THE GAME:

"it's an embarresingly strong squad!!- we gotta win now or else we wont have the 'we definately only played youngsters' excuse- the main dif will be the strength of the bench probably.......

it's ghood that we're taking it seriously i spose

"It is a very strong squad indeed. Flamini is also in there. I wonder if he'll start"

"I can hear the spurs fans crying already. lol."

"Very strong squad. I think this match means more to Wenger than we think. Apart from it being a North London Derby and the fact he doesnt want Ramos to get a pscyhological edge if Spurs win for the long run, I think he sees it as a realistic chance of us gaining silverware this season. Wenger knows he cant go this season without winning a trophy so why not get the one we have the best chance in at the moment."

"So, looks like we'll have no excuses if we lose tonight. We'll just have to thrash em."

"When we win i can't wait to hear the Spurs fans crying and complaining that we didn't play a youth squad. Like it makes any difference whether we play them with kids or our first team its always the same result."

We beat, no slaughtered, a good Arsenal team. Not their best, but a good Arsenal team, peppered with experience, that cost "the greatest transfer bargain hunter in the world, ever, in the history of football that started the careers of every great player from Pele to Rooney" ( over £60m to assemble)

SEMI FINAL PICTURES

PHIL IFIL LEAVES THE LANE

Championship strugglers Colchester have agreed terms with Tottenham to sign full-back Philip Ifil on a permanent transfer.

Ifil made five first-team appearances for us and has had loan spells at Millwall and Southampton.
The 21-year-old made his Spurs debut against Liverpool in 2004 but failed to establish himself under former boss Martin Jol.
Ifil has joined for a six-figure fee which, with certain add-ons, could become the club's new record transfer.

BERBATOV SPEAKS OUT

Tottenham star Dimitar Berbatov says he is fed up with the constant speculation surrounding his future.
Berbatov's future at White Hart Lane has been the subject of conjecture for the last few weeks with the Bulgarian being strongly linked with a move during this month's transfer window.
Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are all reported to be waiting in the wings to sign Berbatov if Spurs decide to cash-in on the skilful forward.
Berbatov's agent fuelled speculation over his client's future by suggesting the 26-year-old would be interested in moving to a big club, but the forward says he is happy in North London.
"There are too many speculations around my name, but most of them are foolish," Berbatov told Bulgarian television.
"It's absurd and I'm tired of seeing my name in the newspapers. I want to live in peace. It is getting too much.
"I am a Tottenham player and I'm trying to give my best, so I can help my team. I'm happy when we play well and I'm miserable when we lose our games.
"I'm happy at the moment. You can win titles and medals with every team and I can win with Tottenham too."
"Everybody in the team supports me and I've never heard a reproach or felt envy.
"Juande is very good, both as a man and as a coach. He sees even the small details that remain hidden from most people."

BUTCHER LOANED OUT

Goalkeeper Lee Butcher has joined AFC Wimbledon on loan for a period of one month.
The 19-year-old, who joined us from Arsenal in the summer, has so far made 11 appearances for the Academy side and was named as substitute on three occasions for our Reserve Team.

AFC Wimbledon are in the Ryman Premier League and Lee will go straight into the squad for the fixture against Maidstone on Saturday