What else has been happening on Planet JB?

What with being "stuck" in full marathon-training mode right now, my blog posts have been very fitness-focused recently, so I thought it was about time I let myself off the leash and share some of the stuff that has been going on.  None of it very exciting, mind you!

The first piece of "news" as such from 2014 is that the old man has finally had his knee-replacement op.  It was a full replacement, rather than part-replacement.  After many years of bone-on-bone movement due to a cartillage-free knee (removed after his knee locked when I was a young child, the criss-cross stitching I can still vividly see when I close my eyes and think of it still makes me feel sick!), he was in so much pain by just walking a few yards that we hope, given some time, that he makes a decent recovery and can actually walk around a bit more, just as much for my Mum's sake rather than just his.

He seems to be the world's worst patient but hey, he seems to be doing ok.  He's had the stitches out now but still needs to keep the dressing on for another 2 weeks before he can take it off.  I dread that day as I'll probably feint within a few seconds of seeing what's going on underneath but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Work has been pretty slow since returning from the Christmas break, apart from a few busy days.  However, a storm seems to be brewing.  The new CEO has announced a Professional Services Activity Census, where members of the Professional Services staff (Finance, IT, HR...all the non-academic departments basically) are expected to state what proportion of their time they devote to certain tasks.  Pretty much a time and effort analysis but the worry, of course, is what they will do with the data.

We've been told that teams may be asked to change the way they work and the word "change" appears a good few many times through the circular emails we've received so god knows, quite frankly.  I'm all up for change, change is a good thing but as long as I still have a job and I'm not made redundant as quite frankly, that is something I could really do without in so many ways.

I enjoy my job, I've got my work-life balance pretty much sussed and I've got minimal door-to-door travel.  It doesnt get much better.  I have absolutely no wish to start again.

Having said that, there's no point in worrying, what will be will be and all that.  Again, another bridge to cross if it ever comes up.

A few of you may have noticed there have been minimal Spurs posts recently.  Are you surprised?  Well you really shouldnt be.  Time and time again, in recent seasons, by Christmas, the interest levels just wain.  Tim S has done an ok job after taking the reigns from AVB but you just know that yet again, we're in a transitional period, a holding position until Levy finally replaces him with another manager at the end of the season.  Yes, Tim was given an 18 month contract but does anyone expect him to be there beyond 2013/14?  No.

Oh, one other thing.  I actually had a date.  A first date in almost 7 or 8 months I think.  Nice girl but not the one for me.  Of course, my girl friends instantly accuse me of being picky on the post-date de-brief but hey, you either know you're attracted to them or you're not, surely?  Sadly, I knew pretty much within the first 5 minutes but I had a nice time, so was a positive experience.

AVB gone

Going back to the end of November, I wrote about the weekend of sporting disaster, when Spurs were hammered 6-0 at Man City, see here for a refresher.

Spurs were hammered 5-0 at WHL by Liverpool yesterday.  That was the straw that finally broke the Camel's back.  THFC announced AVB was gone by mutual consent just after 11am this morning.

It wasnt a surprise.  I dont think any manager could survive two hammerings in quick succession like that.  As I predicted, another mauling at home and the deed would be done.

Part of me feels sorry for AVB.  He lost his best player in Bale, that would effect any team.  He's had to deal with a fairly serious injury list in the last 18 months since he took over (see Kaboul, see Sandro, see more recently Rose, Lennon, Kaboul again, Vertonghen, Chiriches etc).

The other part of me wants to slap him around the chops with a wet kipper.  The way he handled BAE and Adebayor has been laughable.  His persistence to play with a lone centre-forward when we've been struggling for goals defies belief.  His persistence to play with inverted wingers and not providing any service to our centre-forwards.

Should he have bene given more time?  A 5-0 hammering in your own back yard says no.

So what next for Levy and Spurs?

My initial reaction when the news was announced this morning would be that Technical Director and former Spurs midfielder Tim Sherwood would take the reigns temporarily until the club find a permanent successor.

Around 12:30pm today, ITK appeared from Ali Z, one of the more respected ITKers on COYS, who has confirmed links to the board...

After an afternoon of speculation, Spurs confirmed that Sherwood, Les Ferdinand and Chris Ramsay would be taking temporary charge of the team until a replacement has been identified.  No time scales have been given but with the World Cup only six months away, maybe a short-term option is best given who could be potentially available after the World Cup.  Names that come to mind include Capello, currently in charge of Russia and Tottenham's favourite German son, Jurgen Klinsmann, the USA manager.

The Spurs forums have been going ballistic today and understandibly so.  Various names have been banded about.  Hoddle.  Jol.  Both are available.  Capello was seen at WHL with Baldini on Sunday.  Gianfranco Zola resigned as Watford manager today.  Steve Clarke, one of Hoddle's friends is available after being sacked by WBA.  Could Hoddle and Clarke be the new Spurs dream team?

Of course, the pundits have been giving Spurs a good kick in too.

Jamie Redknapp is a very bitter man.  He was quickly attacking Levy and the way Levy runs the club.  Alan Sugar called it amateur.  (Yes, says the man who employed Christian Gross...now that was amateur!)

So here we go again.  A period of transition.  Again.  Ha, Spurs have had more transition periods than I've had hot dinners.  As my favourite Spurs blogger describes it...

"Never a boring second with Spurs. It's like having fantastic sex with your partner but every so often she pulls out a whip and destroys you."

Spurs go straight back into battle at WHL on Wednesday night against our East London neighbours West Ham in the League Cup Quarter Final.  Even at this stage of the season, one could consider this a must win game as its realistically our only chance of silverware this season, bearind in mind we are drawn against the arch enemy, the Woolwich Nomads in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in January.

After the shock 0-3 defeat to the claret & blue jellied eel munching wet spammers in October, we certainly owe them big time.

Thanks for some good memories Andre.  I'll never forget when we finally won at Old Trafford for what seemed like a lifetime or the 3-2 win against West Ham with you celebrating with Bale on the touchline after his stunning injury time winner.  I so wish it could have worked out.  I genuinely wanted it to.  You're a top bloke, a gentlemen in fact but sadly you werent the manager we needed.  I wish you all the best for the future. 

AVB in happier times at Spurs

 

The Beast is back...

Most readers will know by now that I've got serious man love for the Beast from Brazil...

He was back to his very best yesterday and topped his performance off nicely with another stunning strike from outside the box...

He certainly doesnt score taps ins, does he? :)

3 goals now for Spurs, 3 absolute screamers...

A weekend of sporting disaster...

As sporting weekends go, it doesnt get much worse than the one just passed...

I'll start with Spurs.  A 6-0 (yes, SIX - NIL) defeat to Champions-elect Manchester City.  I know we've been struggling recently but I never in a million years saw a hammering coming.  If anyone had seen our last PL game against Newcastle, where we had 31 attempts at goal and the Bar Codes Goalkeeper Tim Krul has single-handedly kept them in the game, most of us Spurs fans were left thinking it was only a matter of time before Spurs finally clicked in front of goal and handed out a good old-fashioned seeing to.

AVB looking just a little shell-shocked in his post-match interview...

Spurs started brightly.  95% possession for around 14 seconds then it all went drastically wrong.  I could write an essay in response to the defeat but I just want to touch on 4 specific points which AVB needs to sort out sooner rather than later...

1. Assou-Ekotto MUST be called back from his loan spell at QPR.  Why is the best left-back on the club's books on-loan?  You may not like him AVB but the sooner you get over your stubborn streak, he needs to be back in the team pronto, so that our first choice centre-back Vertonghen, can marshall the defence.  A centre-back pairing of Dawson & Kaboul just doesnt work.  The last time they played together...Spurs lost 1-5 to Man City at home.  It doesnt take a genius to work that out, surely?
2. Again, put your stubborness to one side and pick Adebayor.  Ok, he's had his issues but he's the only forward at Spurs capable of holding the ball up and bringing others into play.
3. Soldado is struggling purely down to lack of service.  The inverted winger system needs to be trashed immediately.
4. Paulinho needs to be dropped.  Spurs played well last season when Dembele and Sandro were starting games together in the middle.  Paulinho seems to be starting every PL game ahead of Dembele and I'm afraid his performances just dont warrant being picked.  Dembele is excellent at setting the tempo, something Spurs havent played with all season.

Next up in the PL, Spurs play Man United at home on Sunday.  Another mauling at home may see Levy's patience finally run out.

Worringly, Spurs have got problems on a par with the England cricket team.

The notoriously slow tour starters were smashed by the small matter of 381 runs.  It was an absolute mauling.  Restricting the Aussies to 295 in the first innings seemed like an excellent effort from the England bowlers on what looked very much like a pitch where 400 runs plus would have been about par.  England capitulated to 136 all out in the final session of day 2 and by the end of stumps at day 3, the Aussie's had piled on another 401 runs before they declared and took the early scalps of Carberry and Trott, leaving England a hopeless task of trying to bat out 6 sessions.

The Aussie's were able to call on the explosive bowling of the rejuvenated Johnson and he rightly took away the man of the match award for taking 9 wickets and scoring 103 runs.  It was a remarkable turnaround for the bowler who was made the scapegoat of the last Ashes series in Australia.

This morning, England were rocked by the announcement that Jonathan Trott, England's number three batsman, was returning home because of a stress-related illness, invoking memories of Marcus Trescothick on an earlier Ashes tour.

 

Jonathan Trott is heading home from the Ashes tour...

David Warner described Trott as "poor and weak" following the first test in Brisbane, where Trott managed a paltry 19 runs in the two innings.  Warner has since released a statement to say his comments went too far.  As did Michael Clarke's sledging in my opinion, where he told Jimmy Anderson to prepare for his arm to be broken by Mitchell Johnson's bowling.  There's no disguising the Aussies are up for this Ashes series like no other before but they've crossed the line.  I hope and pray that that the England boys respond like they should and really comes at the Aussie's all guns blazing now.

There will be some serious needle in the second test.  With Trott heading home, surely England must now consider fighting fire with fire and bring in Finn or Rankin, who are both capable of bowling in excess of 90mph.

Most importantly, I'm sure every cricket fan will wish Trotty all the best and wish him a very speedy recovery.  Whether he is able to continue at the very top echelons of test cricket again is another matter but whether he does or doesnt, it hardly matters when his long term health is at stake.  He can be very proud of what he has achieved for England.

Sandwiched in between the Ashes and the Tottenham debacle was an absolutely cracking World Championship fight between WBA and IBF title holder Carl Froch and Londoner George Groves.

The build up had been hyped.  Froch had been accusing Groves of a lack of disrespect and Groves was saying all the right things.  It appeared that Groves had got inside Froch's head and the result was going to be a real grudge match.  The pre-fight comparisons to Eubank v Benn were laughable but you could see Eddie Hearn and Matchroom desperately trying t sell the fight to the public and they certainly caught the public's imagination.  The experts couldnt decide what way the fight would go, most agreeing that Groves was more than capable of causing Froch problems with his speed and work rate but Froch's pure strength would show through in the later rounds...

Froch v Groves: A stunning fight but marred by controversy

Groves was booed into the ring.  A few minutes later, Groves had dumped Froch on the canvas in the first.  It was a stunning start to the fight.  Froch somehow survived to the end of the first and so it appeared on a number of unofficial scorecards, Groves won the first round 10-8 and the next 5 10-9, so he was well clear.  Rounds 7 & 8 went to Froch, so  there was at least 4-5 rounds between them.

Froch was getting stronger and one punch caught Groves.  He looked in trouble, there's no denying that but the referee jumped in so quickly to stop the fight, it made a mockery of the contest.  As is turns out, two of the so-called judges had scored the fight 75-76 in favour of Groves so you have to wonder what fight they were watching.

I've watched the fight again since Saturday night and I'm still convinced that Groves would have recovered but Froch was getting stronger and I dont doubt that Froch would have gone on to win the fight at it neared its end.  Groves' lack of experience saw him work so hard in the earlier rounds, it appeared he'd hit the wall by midway through the 8th.

Didnt get the result I particularly wanted but at least I got my prediction right...

Prediction = spot on - Round 9.

The post-fight analysis by McCrory, Khan and Haye in the studio was spot on.  All three were appalled that the contest was ended like it was.  However, you can sort of accept why the referee did jump in when he did.  Its the culture nowadays.  No referee wants to have a Eubank v Watson or Benn v McClellan fight on their hands.  Although the refereeing could almost be excused, there can be no excuses for judges who seem to be more bent than a FIFA voting process.

Post-fight, I dont think I can ever say I've seen a boxer who was booed into an arena be cheered out of it at the end, like Groves was on Saturday night.  That was remarkable.  Froch was his usual arrogant self and done himself no favours whatsoever with his post-fight interview.  I hope that Eddie Hearn can somehow make a rematch but I dont see it can be of any interest to Froch now.  Froch will be running scared.  He knows, like the rest of us that the best boxer on the night lost.  Groves will have learnt a great deal from that fight and I have no doubts that he will go on to be a World Champion in the next few years.  Froch may now be thinking about retirement.  He's had some real big fights in the last couple of years and his age and speed is beginning to hinder him.

Groves: the boos turned to cheers...

Here's hoping next weekend brings some better luck...

My sporting highlight of the weekend is reserved for the awesome guys and girls of Plumstead Runners who put on one hell of a special KFL cross country race at Oxleas Woods yesterday and a huge well done to the Plums that completed the course because it looked truly horrific.  The course is hard enough during the summer months, let alone when there's mud everywhere.  Am really sorry I couldnt run yesterday and I could only make a flying visit...but I did manage to get some video footage...

Palace 0 - 1 Spurs

1/1 for Roberto Soldado

A potential banana-skin of a game against Ian Holloway's newly-promoted Crystal Palace was dealt with in efficient fashion by Spurs.  With Spurs lining up 4-5-1, with fit-again Vertonghen returning alongside skipper Dawson, debutant Paulinho anchoring a 5 man midfield with Dembele, the attacking trio made up of new boy Chadli alongside Lennon and Sigurdsson with £26m Roberto Soldado up front on his own.

A game of few chances but Spurs bossed the possession.  Dembele and Paulinho set the tempo excellently, the midfield attacking trio linked up well with Soldado and it was good to see the full-backs Walker and Rose over-lapping and getting beyond the midfielders.

Chadli missed a far post header in 1st half injury time, Sigurdsson's stinging drive brought a save out of Palace's keeper Spironi and Dembele shaved the cross-bar from distance but Spurs were by far the busier team.

Spurs started the second half brightly.  One penalty appeal turned down but then the Palace left-back handled Lennon's cross and referee Clattenburg righty pointed to the spot and Soldado put the penalty away with aplomb and wheeled away in delight towards the Spurs fans in the Arthur Wake stand.  Selhurst Park is a sh*t hole and always will be.

With 20 mins to go, Holloway prompted Palace into action with a triple change, bringing on veteran Kevin Phillips and new signed Chamakh (aka Ars*nal failure) and resorted to the long ball game but Dawson, Vertonghen and the returning beast of Kaboul, on for Danny Rose with 10 mins to go, held firm.  There was one last chance for Palace but it was hit straight at Lloris who in fairness had little to do throughout.

A great, workman-like win for Spurs.  The new boys Soldado, Paulinho, Chadli and Capoue [who came on for Dembele in the second half] looked at home and are now fully aware of the kind of thing that will be thrown at them on a cold Tuesday night in November or February up at somewhere like Hull or Stoke.

MOTM by a mile was Paulinho for me.  Hard to remember an occasion where he misplaced a pass.  I'm pretty sure he didnt all game.  Put himself about, made a couple of breaks forward.  Very promising indeed.  Strength in depth in that position is now excellent.  Dembele, Paulinho, Sandro and the impressive Capoue along with the likes of Holtby when he is fit, Spurs are clearly moving from strength to strength.

As for Palace, they worked hard but showed very little quality.  If throwing the kitchen sink for them means lumping the ball long to the likes of Chamakh and Phillips, they're going to have a very long season indeed.  My prediction is that they'll be relegated by Easter.

Next game up for Spurs, a little trip to Georgia, where we take on Dynamo Tblisi in the Europa Cup qualifying round on Thursday evening.

BBC Match report here

EDIT:  Check out the stat on the picture below...seems I didnt give Capoue as much credit as he deserved...

Capoue...The Beast Mk 2?

He was born to play for Spurs...oh and so was he...but he wasnt

The Marca headline...Levy wants £120m (€145m) for the Welsh Lionel Messi

I've kept fairly tight lipped over the stories coming out in the media during the last week.

The Real Madrid propaganda-machine has been in full war-mode, saying Bale want to go to the Bernebau and Levy has rejected a world record offer of in excess of £85m.  Yes, thats right, EIGHTY-FIVE MILLIONS POUNDS.  That is absolutely insane.  The Spanish economy is on its knees and one of the Prima Liga clubs is looking at spending the equivalent of 2 years budget of a small to medium-sized acute A&E hospital on a single footballer, one who is far from the finished article, only has a year on Champions League experience and still tends to drift in and out of games and doesnt take them by the scruff of the neck on a regular basis.  My opinion of course but even so, £85m is an insane amount of money.  If the ITK is to be believed, the official offer on the table is £90m + Madrid's left back Fábio Coentrão.  Some of the more reputable ITKers suggest that no such offer exists and Bale will be staying for at least one more season.

Spurs have remained quiet.  Classy.  Something Real Madrid could never in a million years understand. However, the silence coming out of WHL is deafening.  You only have to read the message boards to see that the Spurs fans are waivering in their support for Levy.

I think Oliver Holt's article in the Daily Mirror sums the situation up best.  Read it here.

At the end of the day, the way I see it, Spurs are in a win-win situation.  If Bale stays, we've got a great chance of doing something memorable this season.  If Levy decides to sell, all of a sudden AVB gets a huge war chest and the possibility of bringing in 2-3 world class players into an already talent-laden squad promises big things. With the return of Kaboul and Sandro into the squad, the squad is looking much healthier.

In the last 24 hours, there has also been significant transfer dealings going on behind the scenes.  Firstly, a surprise one, Stephen Caulker has been sold to newly promoted Cardiff City for around £8m.  Seemed to have come out of the blue this transfer but it appears that Caulker wasnt going to be first choice so he decided to move for regular first team football at this stage of his career and you cant deny him that.

The biggest news, however, is Spurs have finally formally announced the signing of Valencia hitman Roberto Soldado for a club record £25.8m, after Levy met his release clause.  Well thats what Valencia want everyone to believe but I'm led to believe the fee is around £22m.

Soldado:  11caps for Spain, 6 goals...

Hugely exciting times ahead.  Levy (with the help of Baldini) has finally brought a 20-30 goal-a-season man to Tottenham for the first time since the days of Clive Allen, Gary Lineker and Jurgen Klinsmann.

Welcome to THFC, Roberto.  All you need to do is smash a 5 min hat-trick against the Gooners in the Cameldome and you'll become a hero forever more.  Not much to ask.

Best wishes to Stephen Caulker too.  Always gave his all for Spurs in the few games he had.

Now we patiently await formal word from Levy and Spurs re: Bale.  I've got a feeling this one will run and run until the end of the transfer window.

AVB & Baldini's search for a striker hots up

With AVB and the Spurs first team squad in Hong Kong for the Barclays Trophy (first game sees Spurs come up against Paolo Di Canio's Sunderland on Wednesday morning), the whereabouts of Tottenham's Technical Director has come into the spot light.

ITK has suggested he was in Spain.

As it appears, late last night, there was hard evidence to prove he was there...

Baldini in Spain...apparently with the President of Valencia

The guy behind the lens says Baldini was with the President of Valencia.  This would tie up with the ITK that Spurs are interested in Spain international centre-foward Roberto Soldado.  Obviously the ITK stuff needs to be taken with a huge sack-load of salt too but after missing out on Villa and Benteke, it is plainly obvious for all to see that Spurs need to make their move shortly.

Whilst in Hong Kong, AVB has confirmed Spurs' interest in Soldado...

"At the moment, he's just one of the players we are interested in...

It's not a lie to anybody that we've been looking for a striker to strengthen our squad and to have more strength in depth...

Roberto is one of the players we have been following and his career speaks for itself. He's a great striker...

But there isn't a deal being struck at the moment, it's just interest and conversations..."

So "conversations" pretty much confirm talks are in progress and the picture above.

Roberto Soldado...heading to WHL?

It is common knowledge that Valencia have huge financial problems at the moment and we all know that Levy does like to take advantage of a deal.  It is also common knowledge that Soldado has a €30m (£25.8m) buy out clause so Spurs would need to smash their transfer record, the sum of £17m which was paid for Brazilian international Paulinho only a few weeks ago.

The one alarm bell for this deal would be the fact that he is 28.  That rather goes against the grain of Levy's transfer policy of bringing in young players with a potential sell on value.  If Soldado signed a 4-5 year contract, that would take him to 32-33, the potential twilight of his career.  There is no way Spurs could ever recoup the £25.8m buy out clause but of course, it could be argued that if he scores 20+ goals in a season, it would put Spurs in a very good position for qualifying for the Champions League and could be seen as an astute investment.

Soldado's scoring record makes for interesting reading...

Soldado scoring record (Source: Wikipedia)

In the last 4 seasons he has scored 20, 25, 27 and 30 goals.  Thats impressive.

I have to say I personally dont know much about Soldado.  I think I'll do some research on You Tube very shortly.   However, first impressions are Soldado could be exactly what Spurs are looking for.  The key question for me is whether Levy is willing to meet the buy-out clause.

If your name doesnt end in "inho"...you're not coming in...

Paulinho: Hands up if you hate Ars*nal...

After weeks of rumours of will he or wont he, SSN sources report that Brazillian midfielder Paulinho is having a medical in London ahead of his proposed £17m transfer to Spurs from Corinthians.

The transfer will be the first under the reinstated Sporting Director structure since Franco Baldini's appointment last month.  We are led to believe that although Daniel Levy still has his hands controlling the purse strings, his day-to-day role of runninng of the football-side of the club will now be handed to Baldini, allowing him to attend to more personal matters on the other side of the Atlantic, notably his wife's current ill health.

Anyhow, getting business done early in pre-season is a real statement of intent by Levy.  No doubt bitterly disappointed at not achieving the ultimate fouth place in the Premier League and Champions League qualification, the snippets coming out of WHL during the close season indicates Levy wants Spurs to hit the ground running this season, especially with the visit to deadly rivals Ars*nal coming so soon at the end of August.

The imminent arrival of Paulinho suggests that AVB will be looking to play a more fluid 4-3-3 system, as opposed to the 4-5-1 which was enforced by the most part last season on key injuries.

A midfield trio of Paulinho alongside the technically gifted Belgian Dembele and the Brazillian workhorse Sandro is a mouth-watering prospect.  Until Christmas and the New Year, Spurs were flying last season.  The key turning point was the serious knee ligament injury suffered by Sandro against QPR which ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Parker replaced Sandro but didnt have the same telepathic understanding with Dembele and sadly lacked the class of the young Brazillian.  Dembele lost his freedom to play further up the pitch and his role in the side became a deeper, withdrawn one, although the tactical move did free up space for Bale centrally.  One only has to think back to the opening 20 minutes of Tottenham's last trip to Old Trafford when Sandro and Dembele orchestrated a first away win at OT for the first time in decades.

I think everyone would admit that midfield really wasnt the priority this pre-season.  The forward positions are.  I still believe, like many others, that Levy's faliure in January 2013 to bring in a forward was a key reason why we failed to achieve the coveted Champions League qualification.  Fingers could be pointed at the mundane performances of Adebayor, the unfortunate injuries to Defoe and Bale at key times but the front positions are definitely what Levy and Baldini should be focusing on.

Rumours persist that Barcelona's David Villa is available and talks have taken place between Levy and the Nou Camp hierarchy.  If the ITK is to be believed, a deal is done and will be announced shortly.  I'll believe it when I see it.  Although he is a quality player, although now the wrong side of 30, is he the right man to lead the line?  I'm not sure he is.  He's a goal scorer but he doesnt lead the line.  When you think of the way Barcelona play, Villa always drifted left or right, creating the space in the middle for Messi.  Can Spurs utilize Bale in the same way?  Would 4-3-3 work in the Premier League?

Can I suggest an alternative?  Its difficult.  As much as I want Spurs to progress, I also dont want to see Spurs break the bank and risk the club's long-term future.  The press has suggested the likes of Aston Villa's Benteke.  He's had one season in the Premier League and a transfer fee of £20m in being talked of.  He could be a one-season wonder but then thats the risk you take as a football club.  I really wouldnt like to be in Levy's or Baldini's shoes.