Martin Lol

Couldn't see this anywhere else ............... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2083829/Stewart-Downing-arrested-allegedly-punching-ex-girlfriend.html

As he's going to the ACoN for a month, it would make more sense to have sorted out terms with the player now and fork out the buyout clause figure (assuming there is one) on the last day of the window. No point in paying wages now for a player who won't be playing for his club side until next month at the earliest. Talking over terms with his agent may constitute illegal contact but no-one will convince me that it doesn't happen.

I'd love him to go to Spurs but as his best mate is Vermaelen (allegedly), I think the Emirates will be his most likely destination.

Liverpool signing Jordan Ibe from Wycombe. Reckoned to be quite a talent.

Expressen are saying that Spurs have agreed to sign Rasmus Elm from AZ for €7.5m and personal terms have been agreed for the contract which will run until 2015. Spurs (reportedly) wanted to sign him in January but AZ will only sell in the summer. So, only 7 months or so to wait to find out if this story is complete bollox!

I rate Ba as one of the best strikers in the PL so it'll be interesting to see how Caulker copes with him. Caulker's destined to go to the very top according to the Spurs coaches and still only 19. Will be joining the Spurs first team squad next season a la Walker.

Balagué probably read about it over here, was being widely said over the weekend that Mourinho was offering Granero in part exchange. The Mail reckoned it would happen which probably means that it won't

Spot on! The only positives I can take from this is the way we came back from an abysmal start to all but winning the match. To get something from Stoke away is a tough ask when 2-0 down at half time. But for Foy we would have achieved that. What comes out in the AGM tomorrow should be interesting. Announcement of the new stadium is a certainty, there's a lot of talk about a deal with Qatar Airlines and Levy believing a couple of signings could push Spurs to a higher level on a regular basis.

Not the stadium but the regeneraton of the area. Much of what the Govt are now paying for Spurs were being asked to pay for by S106's in return for planning permission being granted. All sorts of figures are being bandied about but the general feeling is that Spurs will be paying £40/50m less than they would have done. How accurate that is I really have no idea.

What's the Sunderland technique? Trying to keep half of all available seats empty throughout the season??

Any lingering thoughts of Spurs taking on the OS should be put to bed on 13 December at the AGM. Sounds as though Levy will formally announce the deal to build the new 60k seater stadium in Tottenham. Be interesting to see what payments Boris Johnson and the Govt are putting into the funding. A lot of meetings last week apparently.

Not that I've looked hard, but I can't seem to find any where that's showing this on TV. Eurosport or something? TV coverage has been pretty random for a tourno that is being pushed as being a regular event for the future with Uefa's blessing, I think Liverpool's matches have been covered by LTV, the Milan Spurs game was on Sky Italia but it's an area that should have been planned better. I was told a while ago that the final stages would be played in Dubai in January and that there were discussions were going on Eurosport but what eventually happened I've no idea. Shame really because I think the idea is a good one but the planning has been less than brilliant. I know the Spurs kids have benefited greatly and it hasn't done Tim Sherwood any harm either, he's been invited by Barca to go over and study their training and development methods. He must be doing something right to get noticed.

Spurs u19's drew 1-1 with Inter in the San Siro to top their group in the NextGen series. Now through to the QF stage where we meet Liverpool. Barca still the red hot favourites to win the tournament. BTW Man City played 6 lost 6 Goal Diff -11 http://www.nextgenseries.com/

I've got a feeling that he will do well at Sunderland. If Short can give Bruce the money he did I reckon O'Neill will get more. How O'Neill spends it may be another thing but I think he'll improve them significantly. I've had a small bet on Sunderland qualifying for Europe next season, too much to do this season imo. While I don't think O'Neill is a great manager he's streets ahead of Bruce and I think Ellis Short will back him financially.

Would have thought this could be unsettling for Barcelona,wonder what VI makes of it? http://www.nextgenseries.com/en/Tournament-news/News/2011/11/Oscar-future-at-Barcelona-youth-A-team-is-in-doubt Barcelona’s Academy may suffer a setback in the coming hours if the departure of Oscar Garcia Junyent is finally confirmed. As announced by the 'Esports COPE', the Junior A coach has received an offer from a club that is playing the Europa League and its future at the club is in the air. The manager is seriously pondering this proposal, which would boost to his professional career, although this would force him to leave his work half a season in Barcelona's youth. Oscar is picking up another great season with the Junior A with with a full ten victories in the Division of Honour and leading their group in the NextGen series, the new Champions League set for the category. These successes should be added to the historic three titles he achieved last season with the League, Cup and Champions Cup, as well as having promoted the formation of two players who have already officially debuted with Pep Guardiola this season such as Rafinha and Deulofeu. The Sabadell born coach will meet soon with officials of the technical secretariat to discuss this situation. Last summer Garcia renewed for two seasons, despite already having received offers from big European clubs to command his football training. I'm off to see the Spurs youngsters soon, Spurs playing their 5th group game in the NextGen series this afternoon against Basel, 3 wins and a draw so far, Sherwood's going a good job.

Spurs produce a good set of accounts for 2011 2011 2010 Income up 36.5% £163.5m £119.8m Operating Expenses up 35% £131.2m £97.1m Operating Profit up 42% £32.3m £22.7m Land, plant and equipment for new stadium and Training Centre £150.3m £123.6m And Spurs are de-listing from the Stock Exchange

Better than calling it a field. The first time I heard Soldier Field I thought WTF is that all about!

Wonder who will sign him in the summer?

Would be getting lots of mentions if he played for Chelsea tbh ...........

Its not allowed is it? Ricoh has to be changed to 'City of Coventry Stadium' during them Is Ricoh an Olympic partner or sponsor ? How should i know, hence the question at the start. Olympics Committee don't allow unauthorised sponsorship at their events. The Ricoh Arena has to be renamed for the duration or it isn't included as a viable venue.

True. The latest is Gold has said WHam won't be bidding because of the running track. With Orient already having said they're not interested if the track remains, seems like its athletics or nothing now.

London 2012 Olympics: World Athletics Championship bid given boost with news of athletics' 99-year lease in the stadium Athletics will be given a 99-year lease in the Olympic Stadium with the running track guaranteed for the life of the arena, officials who will decide the location of the 2017 World Athletics Championship have been told. Bid boost: athletics has been given a 99-year lease of the Olympic Stadium which should enhance chances of hosting the World Championships in 2017 Photo: AP By Paul Kelso, Chief Sports Reporter7:30AM GMT 08 Nov 2011 2 Comments London is bidding against Doha to host the 2017 event, which will be decided on Friday, with uncertainty over the fate of the Olympic Stadium following the collapse of West Ham’s original bid last month a potentially decisive factor. To counter any negative impact from that decision London’s bid wrote to members of the IAAF Council at the weekend giving them details of the new tender arrangements. The letter, disclosed details of the new tender process which have not yet been made public, was sent as Olympic Park Legacy Company chairman Baroness Ford and chief executive Andrew Altman prepare to face public questions on Tuesday for the first time since the West Ham deal collapsed. Politicians from all three main political parties are expected to ask how they intend to deliver a financially viable stadium while retaining the track when they appear before the London Assembly. In the letter, sent to IAAF President Lamine Diack and the 25 Council members, London’s bid said UK Athletics will be granted a 99-year lease for use of the athletics track. The correspondence, endorsed by the OPLC, also states that the track will be retained for the lifetime of the stadium. New tender documents for the stadium are not expected to be finalised for at least two weeks and could be delayed until December, but the commitment to retaining the track has been at the heart of government efforts to win the 2017 event. Ford will be part of the London delegation to the IAAF Congress in Monaco this week, as will Sir Craig Reedie, an International Olympic Committee executive board member and one of the architects of the successful London 2012 bid who has been asked to lend weight to the campaign team.” The OPLC is seeking tenants who will rent access to the stadium, with West Ham saying they remain committed despite the collapse of their initial bid, funded by a £40m loan Newham Council. The viability of playing football in the stadium remains open to question however, and politicians on all sides of the assembly said on Monday that they required convincing that taxpayers would not eventually have to foot the bill. Andrew Boff, a Conservative member of the Assembly, said the collapse of the original deal could cost taxpayers £65 million — the funding offered by Newham and the proceeds of from the eventual sale of Upton Park — and retaining the track was not viable. “West Ham will be the only major club in the world moving into a stadium with a running track rather than trying to move out of one,” he said. “I want to be convinced that there is a viable solution for this stadium nothing I have heard suggests it is. We have lost £65 million already, which makes it more likely that it is going to require the public to shovel cash into the stadium for years and years and years." Liberal Democrat Dee Doocey, chairman of the economy, culture and sport, said: “The question remains how can we have a stadium with a running track that successfully hosts football? “We have had five years of discussion about this and we still do not have a finalised legacy for the stadium I just cannot see how it is ever going to be a runner.” Labour representative Murad Qureshi said: “I want to hear what sort of partners the OPLC can bring in alongside football or instead of football to make this work. I would also like to see a groundshare considered. “But I think the authorities have to acknowledge that this stadium should have followed the Manchester Commonwealth Games model, where the track was removed to make way for a football stadium that was viable.” http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/olympics/8875423/London-2012-Olympics-World-Athletics-Championship-bid-given-boost-with-news-of-athletics-99-year-lease-in-the-stadium.html

DO NOT WANT TO LIVE UP TO STEREOTYPE, INNIT! http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=deluded+geordies&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a DO NOT WANT TO LIVE UP TO STEREOTYPE, INNIT! http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=deluded+geordies&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&client=firefox-a Being deluded is thinking you'll push on to challenge for the title this season. Believing that you can continue to achieve beyond your pre-season expectations is having a winning mentality. Newcastle have impressed this season because of the team ethic that is so obvious and which has got you points you might not have expected. Liverpool have done nothing to make me think they are better than Newcastle, Arsenal could be in the same category should RVP and Vermaelen pick up lengthy injuries. With a couple of signings and no injuries, if Newcastle finished above both f them, I for one wouldn't be unduly surprised.

I don't really see the obsession about 7th place, the team you've got have got you to 3rd, it's the depth of the squad that will/could hold you back. Until Newcastle start losing games that are expected to be wins, I would have thought there would have been a lot more optimism about, and especially so if the squad is strengthened in January.

I said I was delighted that Spurs got a draw at SJP as I thought we would lose and Newcastle's subsequent results have borne out what a fine result that was for Spurs. Excellent result last night.