Friday, May 30, 2008

BOSTOCK AGREES TO SIGN
Tottenham Hotspur FC today announced that the Club has reached agreement with John Bostock to join us.
The 16-year-old midfielder was previously a schoolboy with Crystal Palace, making his First Team debut for the Eagles when he came on as a second-half substitute against Watford in October 2007.
He went on to make a further two starts as well as two appearances as a substitute for the Championship club.
Sporting Director Damien Comolli said: "We are very pleased that John has decided to join us. We know he has the talent but we also know he is only 16 and so we will not rush him. He will have time to develop and will be working within a very talented development squad".
Speaking after signing, John added: "I am definitely ready to make this move and Spurs is the team I wanted to join. I feel this is a club with a great future and this is where I want to be to develop my potential and improve as a player."

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

End of Season Porchetta

A nice group of Malta Yids met for an end of season Porchetta at "Ic-Chief" in the limits of Siggiewi. The food on offer was the traditional Maltese "Ghagin il-Forn" and delicious pork ably and very patiently prepared by our host "Ic-Chief". The setting was a quite secluded farm house in the middle of nowhere and so, for once, we did not wake up any neighbours.

Monday, May 26, 2008


GOALKEEPER COACH APPOINTED

Tottenham Hotspur FC have announced the appointment of Hans Leitert as first team goalkeeper coach. The 35-year-old will join the Club from Recreativo Huelva.

Born in Vienna, Austria, Leitert was the national team’s Under-21 goalkeeping coach for six years, as well as enjoying two seasons with Panathinaikos. As a player, Leitert represented his country at Under-18 and Under-21 level before a wrist injury forced him into retirement having been the youngest goalkeeper in the Austrian top-flight during his time with VfB Mödling.

He began his coaching career with his former club’s youth side before taking full-time coaching positions with Rapid Vienna and Austria Vienna.

Leitert, who holds a Master’s degree in Sports Science, has also been invited to speak at goalkeeping lectures on behalf of UEFA.

Perry Suckling will revert back to his role as Academy Goalkeeping Coach having ably stepped up to First Team duties since October, 2007.

Sporting Director Damien Comolli said: “We took a lot of care in our search for a new First Team goalkeeping coach. It is a crucial position at the Club, not only in terms of training and developing the First Team goalkeepers, but also because we have got a lot of quality and potential in goalkeepers of a younger age group - so it was a very important choice for us.

“We believe Hans will bring many qualities to the Club. He is a forward thinking coach who likes to employ new methods, a very enthusiastic individual who has lived and worked in different countries with different influences and has also worked with UEFA. He joins us with glowing references and an excellent reputation.

“Perry has done a fantastic job during his time with the First Team and I would like to thank him for his work. I know Juande has appreciated his commitment and efforts, but Perry’s passion lies with coaching younger goalkeepers- he was keen to return to his position within our Academy, that is a great ideal to have and we are delighted to have him at the Club.”

Friday, May 02, 2008

BUFFET DINNER
Tottenham Hotspur Malta are organising a Buffet Dinner
on Friday 13 June at Il-Kastell Winebar in Tarxien.
The event will start at 8.30pm.
Tickets are on sale at Euros 24 for adults and Euros 12 for children between 5 and 12 years.

Menu
· Antipasto table with 10 different types of Salad.
· Baked pasta with pesto and meat ragu.
· Penne with green Pesto.
· Beef olives cooked in traditional Maltese sauce.
· Drumsticks with bacon and mushroom cream.
· Grilled fish Kebabs.
· Vegetables and potatoes of the day.
· Free flowing foreign wine, soft drinks and water.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL THE CLUB ON 21231192
LUKA MODRIC TO SIGN

Tottenham have won the race to sign highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric for a fee believed to be £15.8million.
Spurs have agreed personal terms with the 22-year-old, who was reportedly courted by many of Europe's top sides, and he will leave Dinamo Zagreb to start a 6-year contract at White Hart Lane this summer subject to his passing a medical.


LUKA MODRIC PROFILE

Luka Modrić (born September 9, 1985 in Zadar, SFR Yugoslavia) is a Croatian football midfielder who currently plays for Dinamo Zagreb and the Croatia national team. Modrić agreed terms on 26 April 2008 to join Tottenham Hotspur for the start of the 2008–09 season. He was named the Prva HNL "Player of the Year" in 2007.

Club career

Dinamo Zagreb
Modrić signed for Dinamo Zagreb as a 16 year old in
2002, but after a season with the youth side was loaned out in 2003 to Zrinjski Mostar in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina where he quickly showed his potential, becoming Bosnian League Player of the Year while still just 18 years old. He later claimed that "someone who can play in the Bosnian league can play anywhere"[citation needed], referring to the physical nature of the Premier League. The following year he was loaned to Inter Zaprešić and played one season for them, helping them to second place in the league and gaining the Croatian Football Hope of the Year award in 2004, before being recalled Dinamo Zagreb in 2005.Such was the regard for his abilities, Modric was rewarded with a 10 year contract through to 2015.
At his team Dinamo Zagreb he usually plays as playmaker, on the left side of the field. His natural position is that of central midfielder and he plays as playmaker solely due to his capabilities to cover that role as well and to leave room for designated defensive midfielders in Dinamo's 4-2-3-1 formation. He uses both feet to play, and his biggest strength is his swift offensive positioning without the ball, as well as his great ability to read and react to the game well in many situations.

Tottenham Hotspur
Modrić agreed terms with Tottenham on
April 26, 2008 subject to a medical and receiving a work permit.The player's contract is for a period of up to six years beginning in the summer of 2008.Tottenham have confirmed that the total fee to be paid is £16.5 million, equalling the club's record fee set by Darren Bent's move in 2007.

International career
Modric' performances earned him a call up for international duty, playing for the Croatian U-17, U-19 and
under-21 teams, and soon progressed to his country's senior national team. He made his senior international debut in a friendly match against Argentina on March 1, 2006 in Basel, Switzerland. At the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals in Germany he made two substitute appearances in the group matches against Japan and Australia. He scored his first international goal in Croatia's 2-0 victory over Italy in a friendly match played on August 16, 2006 in Livorno.
Honours

Individual- Bosnian League Player of the Year: 2003 , Croatian Football Hope of the Year: 2004, Croatian League’s Player of the Year: 2007[2]
Club (
Dinamo Zagreb)- Croatian First Division League: 2006, 2007 , Croatian Super Cup: 2006, Croatian Cup: 2007