Home > Football > Spurs need an angry boss - so get smartin', Martin!
by Pete Lyons-McCarthy on 28 April 2007
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One of the major problems with Spurs, I feel, is their sportsmanship.This is in an age when winning is the be all and end all of everything. Once again, Tottenham are topping the Fair Play League, and perhaps this is one factor behind our inability to finish off opponents when we have had them by the throats.
Last season at Highbury, all Spurs supporters admired Martin Jol's refusal to bow down to 'le Professor', merely laughing at Arsene Wenger's protestations when it was obvious to all that Arsenal were up to their usual antics of gamesmanship or, to use another term, cheating. Well, enough's enough, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I mean, he was almost smiling when the 'goal' that never was happened at Old Trafford. We at Spurs love Martin for his honesty, integrity, humour and so on -.unfortunately he's playing the game alone.
Jol reminds me of a country bumpkin playing 'chase the ace' against some of the sharpest sharks in the world of football. "It's in the middle cup!" I would imagine him saying to the man who had bet him £500,000 to guess where the lady was. "Bad luck, old son..another go?" "Oh he's good, Chris, isn't he?" he says to Chris Hughton
Friendly, approachable, warm and honest after-match interviews, rarely criticising opponents or officials, even after being victim of some blatent miscarriages of justice such as Cristiano Ronaldo's dive for the penalty that turned a competitive match into a one-sided farce.
Perhaps he should purchase a pair of Wenger's specs or a Ferguson hair-dryer in time for next season. I would like to see more Hulk than Shrek in the future, our players in the officials' faces for 90 minutes. As much as it hurts me to say it, bad guys win time and time again, whereas all the good guys get is the possibility of the chance to get into the UEFA Cup via the Fair Play League. I 'd prefer us to go for the Champions League and our opponents' throats next season.
Ghosts of Graham Roberts, Dave Mackay, Steve Perryman etc still evoke in my memory that passion that is sadly missing from our side at the moment. It's there, believe me, it just needs to be brought out of the locker, not for the home game against the Gooners, but for every match from August until May.
I want to see the frightening sight of Jol, seething about this and that, regardless how petty, just so officials will think twice about giving poor decisions against us with apparent ease. Did you see Jol complain about the ref, who after giving a penalty against Chelsea, didn't even consider sending the player off, although it was an obvious red-card offence?
The handling of both legs against Sevilla should have been investigated by the fraud squad, but not a murmur came out of our mouths. Can you imagine if that sort of thing happened across the road, south of the river or up the M6? Next season brings new hope, new cash and new players, but out of the locker must come that steel backbone and desire for success, not a shrug of the shoulders, platitudes and entrance into the Fair Play League again!
Comments (17)
by neil on April 29, 2007
mj conducts himself well already. I'd much rather have a manager with integrity and win games by playing better football, thanks. I take some pride in being top or near top of the fair play leage every year even if the media dont give a proverbial... The players need to hate losing as much as man U do and they are getting there. But I might want MJ to wear a suit, long coat a fedora and some fat Cockney jewellery, maybe use a slight italian accent, try to intimidate people a bit more maybe... Venger and moyes have scary eyes, I find morino's forehead disturbing, allardice has a mouth like a cement mixer, but JOL has the size and the face to put them all down!
by bryce on April 29, 2007
how right you are sir how wanger gets away with what he says is ridiculious get stuck in jol wanger would run a mile.
by anon on April 29, 2007
The solution to cheating is for referees to base decisions on tv evidence where there is any controversy.This has been adopted in rugby ( not a game known for being wisely run in the past ) and it works very well.In football, all sorts of fatuous, self serving arguments are put forward as to why using tv evidence is bad.This is largely because a culture of cheating and football administrators are idiots who can't get their heads around the idea that justice not only needs to be done but must be soon to be done.This means in the age of the camera using tv evidence as otherwise all credibility is lost.
by Stuart on April 29, 2007
Agree 100%, apart from Zokora against Portsmouth I think Tottenham's behavious has been exemplary. I think Man U showed how ref's can be influenced when they beat us at the Lane. We looked in control, having plenty of free kicks around their penalty area and likely to score until their professionalism came into play and suddenly the free kicks were'nt given and we were hammered. If Jol stays he must get tough.
by M R Gordon on April 29, 2007
Martin Jol is unable to motivate his team ; frequently resorting to criticism of his players' attitude after games as though it has nothing to do with management. Week after week Spurs lack will power ,steel, mental strength and concentration. Alex Ferguson would go balisitc at some of the Spurs performances were they his team . Jol is a nice loser , we will never be contenders under his management - as for Houghton - he looks like permenantly confused schoolboy .
by Josh Wilson on April 29, 2007
He may not be in Jol's league of management, but it's a bit of an oversight on your part to say that he's the only fair manager. Pearce is more fair. He's never once criticised a ref's decisions, even in the dire straits we find ourselves in. It's a bit easier to be magnanamous when you're pushing fro Europe and the ref screws you over, to be fair.
by Spursthailand on April 29, 2007
I get mad watching the Spurs team "taking a break" letting the other team come back in the game and get easy goals. I blame Martin Jol for this, he must be more tough to the players. I am starting to doubt his ability, both in getting more STEEL into the team and as a tactician. I think the time has come to get ROY KEANE as the man to bring our beloved spurs back to GLORY DAYS !
by Peter Lyons-McCarthy on April 29, 2007
Yes, it was an oversight, Pearce is indeed an honest and honourable man, very much admired by me in his playing days, apologies, but still confirms my point dont you think?
by muzyid on April 29, 2007
he lets levy do it remember the end of last season
by Tomas Oskar Gudjonsson on April 29, 2007
I´m Tomas from Iceland, born 1959, Spurs fan since I remember. I´m satisfied what Tottenham this year. Some good game other not. But the team has played the most entertaining football in of all teams in the premiership. That is Tottenham in my mind ! - TOG
by malspurs on April 29, 2007
Spursthailand talks nonsense...go and watch thai boxing..
by Laughing Lillywhite on April 29, 2007
I thought Dawson was at fault for Vidukas goal, Does Tailandspur think that Jol instructed him to ballwatch instead of mark the player?...total prick mate!
by White Heart on April 29, 2007
Daws is young, still learning...So's Jol for that matter!, stick by the big man, like to have seen him deck Wenger though!
by midnightjester on April 30, 2007
I am a sportsman and I agree that when you are cheated against you should shout it loud, high and pursue the cheats with vigour. But any inference that we should, somehow, drop our sportsmanship approach fills me with bile. There is a reason I have stayed a loyal supporter over the last 30 years despite some pretty shocking football and that is the honesty of the team. Long may it survive.
by Peter Lyons-McCarthy on April 30, 2007
I have not suggested that we should take the Arsenal road, of constant play acting, gamesmanship, fanny diving etc. What I want to see is more venom and passion. Henry is clearly concerned that if Spurs get tough, then they can be a force to fear, read between the lines!,Jol musnt merely accept poor refs as part and parcel, he's a fearsome sight when riled. I just feel that we are an easy target for some very strange reason, it happens to often to be coincidence?
by Spursthailand on May 06, 2007
MARTIN JOL OUT - ROY KEANE IN ? I get mad watching the Spurs team "taking a break" letting the other team come back in the game and get easy goals. I blame Martin Jol for this, he must be more tough to the players. I am starting to doubt his ability, both in getting more STEEL into the team and as a tactician. I am beginning to think the time has come to get ROY KEANE as the man to bring our beloved Spurs back to the GLORY DAYS ! SpursThailand, www.pattayapeople.com
by Essexian76 on May 09, 2007
Roy Keane?, are you mad or been smoking large aromatic cigarareetes. He's proved nothing, any fool can win championship, watch next season, and then sing his praises........idiot!
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