Martin Lol

Going to be my last post here for a while as me and my missus are off to Oz for 6 weeks to see the last Test (I'll be honoured to watch Warne in his last ever Test Match............great player) and spend some time with old mates. So, I hope you all have a great Christmas, get what you'd wish for (except Spurs getting beat :winking:) and have a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year. See you in February

Clear just down the road from WHL http://www.tfl.gov.uk/streets/capitalcams/cam549610.shtml

I appreciate that when you're a bit wet behind the ears it's hard to comprehend some things so I'll try to put it into simple terms for you. A house with a short lease isn't worth as much as a house with a long lease, and it's the same with footballer's contracts. A player with a long period still remaining on his contract is more valuable than one whose contract expires shortly. Wayne Bridge may have signed a new contract but he is still being hawked around the clubs. He may be sold in the January window, perhaps more likely in the summer, but signing a new contract is not a guarantee that a player will remain at a club. If you recall correctly, I was the first person here to say that there were problems with Spurs signing Duff and Newcastle were genuine contenders for his signature, mainly due to the fact that he was demanding an excessive signing on fee and the agent's son worked at SJP. Similarly, I also said that Parker's wage demands were too rich for Spurs leaving the way clear for Newcastle. I also was the only one suggesting that Glenn Roeder might well be a live candidate for the manager's job at SJP, partly because he had occupancy (if only in a caretaker role) but also based on what Glenn Hoddle had told me about Roeder. With Hitzfeld widely believed to be on the verge of accepting the job, you thought I never had a clue. Well, my £50 bet took me and my wife on holiday to Mauritius and very nice it was too. But my main knowledge obviously is regarding Spurs and what I hear I pass on for information purposes only for others, not for you to think I'm having a sly dig at Newcastle each time. I've said in the past about signing Dorian Dervite, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Didier Zokora amongst others, it was about a month ago I asked about Adel Taarabt who had signed subject to a medical (which was done yesterday) with effect from 1st Jauary. I don't claim to get everything right, but I get my fair share accurate. If you don't want want to believe it, not a problem for me, but there's no reason for you to think I'm sniping at Newcastle. If you still think I'm still having a pop at Newcastle every time, you really ought to find yourself a decent shrink as your neuroticism appears to be more serious than I first thought. Thanks Martin Jol. Some people don't appreciate you but there are many others who think otherwise. Please keep posting without being intimidated by others. Appreciate your public support. There are a lot who believe I don't come here with the sole purpose of denegrating the city, club, team, players and supporters.

Word. Still reckon the wrong one will be at SJP..............still think 2-0

I appreciate that when you're a bit wet behind the ears it's hard to comprehend some things so I'll try to put it into simple terms for you. A house with a short lease isn't worth as much as a house with a long lease, and it's the same with footballer's contracts. A player with a long period still remaining on his contract is more valuable than one whose contract expires shortly. Wayne Bridge may have signed a new contract but he is still being hawked around the clubs. He may be sold in the January window, perhaps more likely in the summer, but signing a new contract is not a guarantee that a player will remain at a club. If you recall correctly, I was the first person here to say that there were problems with Spurs signing Duff and Newcastle were genuine contenders for his signature, mainly due to the fact that he was demanding an excessive signing on fee and the agent's son worked at SJP. Similarly, I also said that Parker's wage demands were too rich for Spurs leaving the way clear for Newcastle. I also was the only one suggesting that Glenn Roeder might well be a live candidate for the manager's job at SJP, partly because he had occupancy (if only in a caretaker role) but also based on what Glenn Hoddle had told me about Roeder. With Hitzfeld widely believed to be on the verge of accepting the job, you thought I never had a clue. Well, my £50 bet took me and my wife on holiday to Mauritius and very nice it was too. But my main knowledge obviously is regarding Spurs and what I hear I pass on for information purposes only for others, not for you to think I'm having a sly dig at Newcastle each time. I've said in the past about signing Dorian Dervite, Benoit Assou-Ekotto, Didier Zokora amongst others, it was about a month ago I asked about Adel Taarabt who had signed subject to a medical (which was done yesterday) with effect from 1st Jauary. I don't claim to get everything right, but I get my fair share accurate. If you don't want want to believe it, not a problem for me, but there's no reason for you to think I'm sniping at Newcastle. If you still think I'm still having a pop at Newcastle every time, you really ought to find yourself a decent shrink as your neuroticism appears to be more serious than I first thought.

We'll be finding out tonight in the Carling Cup away to Liverpool. The squad is: Kolo Toure Philippe Senderos Tomas Rosicky Julio Baptista Lauren Denilson Alexandre Song Mart Poom Manuel Almunia Jeremie Aliadiere Justin Hoyte Theo Walcott Armand Traore Joseph O’Cearuill Fran Merida Mark Randall Some there that are hugely rated.

blueyes.gif We're playing at home as well and even if we've not been at our best, we're much better off playing at home than we are away. 2-1 to us is my prediction. Newcastle won't be playing anything like Citeh did against us. As I said in another thread In the premiership Spurs are hugely erratic......... ....... Newcastle to win by a couple. I don't think Spurs will play in the formation mentioned earlier but I'm not changing my opinion of the result either. For Baggio's benefit, I would like to emphasise that this is not one of the sly digs he's so neurotic about.

Another sly dig from Jol. Fully expect Newcastle to have an agreement or two in due course. Unless they haven't got any ambition bluesleep.gif If Newcastle are prepared to part with the thick end of £30m to buy Owen and Martins, I would have thought that showed plenty of ambition. Don't you agree? Perhaps you'll want to remember that when you're having your sly digs. No matter what's written, you'll always think there's a sly dig somewhere. Just looking for a reason to be argumentative I suppose.

Another sly dig from Jol. Fully expect Newcastle to have an agreement or two in due course. Unless they haven't got any ambition bluesleep.gif If Newcastle are prepared to part with the thick end of £30m to buy Owen and Martins, I would have thought that showed plenty of ambition. Don't you agree?

Another sly dig from Jol. Fully expect Newcastle to have an agreement or two in due course.

Yes they did, Royal Antwerp, and it's the easiest way of bypassing work permit problems. ManUtd have with Antwerp, Chelsea have it with Westerlo and PSV, Arsenal are on the verge of tying up with Beveren again and Spurs are close to agreement with Brugge or possibly Brussels. I don't think it will be long before every club with ambition will have linked up with one or two clubs. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=436018&CPID=8&clid=6&lid=&title=Brugge+claim+Spurs+talks Club Brugge manager Marc Degryse has confirmed the Belgian club have been holding talks with Tottenham regarding a possible cooperation. The North London club are keen to extend their roots across the continent, and view the Belgian side as a potential avenue to bringing the best young African talent to the Premiership. Technical director Damien Comolli has been restless in his pursuit of young foreign talent since arriving in North London, and any deal with the club Spurs beat 3-1 in the Uefa Cup earlier this season would offer a fastrack to EU passports for foreign starlets. Manchester United enjoy a similar arrangement with Royal Antwerp, whilst Chelsea have a close relationship with both Westerlo and PSV Eindhoven of Holland. Arsenal ended a long-term agreement with Beveren earlier in the year, but former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Degryse has now revealed that Spurs could be the latest Premiership side to extend their influence in Belgium after meeting with the London club in the past few days. "We are supposed to fit in their plans for the long term," Degryse told Gazet van Antwerpen. "Tottenham wants to use us to give players from their African academies a chance." Degryse has also spoken with West Ham and Fulham, but Tottenham look to be at the forefront of the club's plans for a Premiership cooperation. "These were exploratory meetings, these contacts have to be more concrete," Degryse added in regard to Fulham and The Hammers. Spurs are also talking to Zaglebie Lubin in Poland and FC Brussels as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago. Comolli has agreed/is agreeing Academies in Ivory Coast, Ghana, Guinea and Nigeria. He has the means to produce players, he now wants somewhere to put them whilst waiting for work permit qualification. I also understand he wants agreements with clubs in Argentina and Brazil also, but very little progress has been made so far.

Spurs offered £4m with an assortment of add-ons (or Gardner) taking the package up to £6.5m. WBA wanted £9m and Spurs' interest has just about ended unless WBA have a serious rethink about the price. Too many other clubs interested for that to happen imho. So would Dawson drop down to 3rd choice IF he signed? No, if King and Dawson are fit, they are seen as the first choice pairing until someone else (Davies) shows he's better. Having said that there are persisting rumours about King's long term fitness and a genuine alternative will be necessary. Dervite is definitely a contender but thought to at least one season away from serious consideration for regular inclusion in the team.

Spurs offered £4m with an assortment of add-ons (or Gardner) taking the package up to £6.5m. WBA wanted £9m and Spurs' interest has just about ended unless WBA have a serious rethink about the price. Too many other clubs interested for that to happen imho.

Sol Campbell played for Spurs at right back, central midfield and striker for about 20 matches before he played at the heart of the defence, which was always going to be his final destinaton. It simply gave him an opportunity to get used to the pace of the first team whilst getting a bit more support around him than he would have done as a central defender. It's only the super confident or the top notch youngsters that go straight to CD.

Good form in Europe because the style of play suits our game. In the premiership Spurs are hugely erratic, mainly because some of the newbies are still adjusting to the pace of the premiership. Any team which gets in our face will have some success, Bolton, Reading, even Watford all did well and I'm expecting more of the same tbh, Newcastle to win by a couple.

Sarcasm from the Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/tm_headline=finda-key-to-trophy-cabinet--%26method=full%26objectid=18272458%26siteid=94762-name_page.html FINDA KEY TO TROPHY CABINET! UEFA Cup draw...It's party time for Newcastle Toon get their hands on a cup at last Simon Bird GLENN Roeder has finally broken Newcastle's trophy drought and clinched...the InterToto Cup. In a moment that will make every Geordie weep (with pity), Scott Parker will hoist the trophy aloft at St James' Park. UEFA last night confirmed a plan to hand over the glittering honour before United's UEFA Cup last-32 tie against Belgian side Zulte Waregem on February 22. Advertisement The search is now on for the keys to the club's trophy cabinet. No open-top bus parade to mark the occasion has yet been scheduled. The unlikely news of silverware heading to the North East was broken to Roeder yesterday afternoon and he replied: "A cup is a cup."

Pretty full actually, just over 34k bums on seats, probably add on another 500 or so who paid through Autopay and never went. Making this game a Category A match in the pricing structure is ripping the fans off though tbh. Levy could probably produce more than £1.5m in gate revenue to show the decision was right but I think the time was right for a gesture to the fans. Now everyone down here as well as on Tyneside are hoping to draw Zulte Waregem!

Thanks for the info. At first sight you would think that a 19 yr old getting 15 international caps reflects real ability, but if he is as bad as you say, he wouldn't be the first to be hugely overrated and I daresay he won't be the last either. From the Spurs perspective, I trust Comolli's judgement and I know he isn't the only option in what will be a quiet transfer window for Spurs. In addition to AVB for a back up CB role, Spurs are looking at Sylvain Distin, Mehdi Benatia and Curtis Davies if either Calum Davenport or Anthony Gardner make the move in the opposite direction. The board aren't looking to pay more than £4/5m for what effectively is a back up player. Adel Taarabt has been signed subject to a medical (being done on 19th Dec) and possibly a cheap striker to cover for injuries, Levan Melkadze is a name that's cropped up but not very good by all accounts. A couple of young kids from Scandanavia, Sammy Aziz is one, and that's about all the incoming activity at WHL from what I can gather. Outgoings could include Davenport (Coventry or Wigan?) or Gardner (Wigan or Citeh?), Murphy (Wigan), and that would be Spurs' quietest window since Arnesen first arrived.

Thought it was well known that Wenger bid for Carrick, the inaccuracy with the Sun was the figure, £1.5m not £3m. Pompey bid £3m and Wenger lost interest at that price. Spurs bid £2.75m which was accepted when Carrick said he would not move to Pompey. ah sorry i didn't read the article alex was refering to, so Wenger was interested when he was at West Ham, not tottenham as i stated That's right, never any enquiry while Carrick was at Spurs other than ManU. Persistent rumours that NRC has been lined up for a move to the scum in the summer. Whether that materialises now that Curbs is there imho is doubtful.

Thought he was 6'1/6'2", something like that. There's something on Sky about him: http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=435065&CPID=112&clid=6&lid=&title=Race+on+for+Anderlecht+ace The chase for Anderlecht starlet Anthony Vanden Borre appears to be hotting up with an unnamed English side understood to be rivalling Real Betis for his signature. The 19-year-old, who was the second youngest player ever to represent Belgium for whom he now has 15 caps, has a host of admirers across Europe with the likes of Internazionale, Ajax and Lyon all having been linked with him in the past. The club to have shown the firmest interest in securing his signature in recent times is Betis, with the player himself having recently acknowledged the possibility of joining the Spaniards. "The fact that I am interesting such an important Spanish club like Betis fills me with pride," he stated. "I am a professional and I am ready to leave in January if I have to. I want to take advantage of this opportunity." Anderlecht are reportedly willing to cash in on their youth product - who is currently under contract until 2010 - but have slapped a price-tag of around €4 million (£2.5 million) on his head. That is a figure Betis are unwilling to meet, although the player's agent is scheduled to meet Anderlecht officials this week to try and convince them to lower their demands. However, the Spaniards are not the only side looking to broker a deal for the January transfer window, with one English side and one German team also having expressed an interest. While there is no confirmation of their identity, sources in Belgium suggest Tottenham could well be the Premiership outfit in question. I was told Spurs, Newcastle and 2 unnamed Spanish teams, no mention of a German team. At £2.5m, would seem like a good buy for somebody.

I'm told that Spurs and Newcastle are both in serious contention for the Belgian defender along with 2 Spanish clubs..

Thought it was well known that Wenger bid for Carrick, the inaccuracy with the Sun was the figure, £1.5m not £3m. Pompey bid £3m and Wenger lost interest at that price. Spurs bid £2.75m which was accepted when Carrick said he would not move to Pompey. Going back to the original subject, the number of former Arsenal Academy players who successfully earn a living in the premiership with other clubs surely is testimony to their ability to find young (mainly English) talent and nurture it through the development phase. The fact that most are released to prosper elsewhere is because they fall just short of the high standards required for the club, not because they are not good enough for the premiership. I have the greatest admiration of the way their Academy is run, without question, the best in England imho.

Will be out for 3 weeks according to the ticker on SSN.

Fabregas

With a problem of keeping it in his pants if rumours regarding his secretary, a director's wife and a number of others are to be believed.