Home > Football > Robbo OUT, Bent OUT, Chimbonda OUT – and ruthless Ramos must ditch a lot more of Tottenham's dead wood
Robbo OUT, Bent OUT, Chimbonda OUT – and ruthless Ramos must ditch a lot more of Tottenham's dead wood
Five of the current squad can mix it with the best, perhaps 10 more are worth keeping. As for the rest, our man down the Lane says 'Bin 'em!'
by Gareth Poulter on 09 March 2008
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So where do Tottenham go now? Or, more importantly, where does Juande Ramos lead us now?A heavy defeat at Birmingham has finally removed the miniscule chance Spurs had of making significant inroads into the top half of the table. Of course, a sustained run of victories may lift the club to 8th – possibly even 7th – but in all likelihood the Tottenham we know and love will lose as many as they win and probably finish 10th.Which leaves victory in next week’s UEFA Cup return leg in Eindhoven the only way to prevent our season drifting away into a series of meaningless run-outs, but then that’s the least we deserve after the appalling start to the season under Martin Jol.I’m not going to dwell on either Jol’s inadequacies as a manager (and his quite deserved removal from the post) nor the board’s ridiculous machinations to replace him with Ramos – that’s all water under the bridge. The fact remains that we have a superior head coach in charge now with the backing of Daniel Levy. What we absolutely do not have are players of the required quality to move beyond a mid-table position.Looking at the ‘first-choice’ eleven that started against PSV on Thursday night (I’ve put that in inverted commas because clearly Hutton and Bale would be our preferred full-backs) I can see maybe five players who Ramos would want to keep long-term, and maybe 10 who might be good enough as members of the squad. Let’s take a look in more detail:
GOALKEEPERSPaul Robinson: Clearly not good enough for the first team and would never stay as back-up. One of the first out of the door in the summer.
Radek Cerny: The inside word is that Ramos simply doesn’t rate him. Unlikely to have his contract renewed.DEFENDERSPaul Stalteri: Didn’t leave in the last transfer window only because no-one would buy him.
Pascal Chimbonda: I can’t be the only fan to dislike the mercenary full-back. Useful in that he can play either side, and one of the few players to play OK against PSV, but his attitude stinks. I don’t expect him to stay on as second choice and won’t particularly miss him when he leaves.
Comments (40)
by Mike Austin on March 09, 2008
I've also been thinking the same with regards to who i expect to stay at Spurs. My team is pretty much the same apart from the fact that i don't think we'll keep Tainio as i expect us to sign a defensive midfielder for the first team in the summer. Zokora is better imo and he'll make a good squad player who can also play centre ack and right back. I also expect us to sign an attacking midfielder to compete with Jenas. This would leave us with plenty of of central midfielders and i see Boeteng as the most likely to be sold. I also expect a left midfielder which would allow Malbranque to compete with both wingers for a starting place. Bent will possibly be sold and i think we might sign 2 strikers to backup Keane and Berbatov (who i think we'll keep.) I expect 2 new keepers, 1 centre back, 2 central midfielders, 1 left winger and 2 strikers to be signed in the summer. Ideally Kameni (young gk), Palop (experienced gk), Jarque, Tiago, Diego, Affarey, Neguedo and Fredi Kanoute. Maybe even a right winger like Nakamura. Sell Robbo, Cerny, Rocha, Stalteri, Lee, Chimb-moaner, Boeteng, Tainio and Bent.
by Fan on March 09, 2008
I disagree a lot in what you are writing, it's not realistically at all to get rid of the whole team. Man utd also have squad players like O'shea and Fletcher. We obviously should get a good goalie, brought in as first choice to give Robinson some real competition. We need to defend better and if the defence gels that would make us climb the table. We also need a world class midfielder, creative or defensive or both. Jenas has improved a lot under Ramos and is working his socks off so I'm happy with him. Our attack is still world class and Bent has not not had a decent run in the first team yet so I think none should judge him unjustily. Pechart should also get a chance this season to show his worth. We brought in new players in january and they need time.
by Scott Stringer on March 09, 2008
I dont disagree with alot of it but i do with some. I dont think we should sell Robbo. Ok he makes a few mistakes but to be honest when you need him most then he proves he is one of the best in the league. Against PSV he pulled off some fantastic saves and the only reason he didnt save the goal is because it was too far from him to reach it. I definately think we should sell Bent. I cannot beleive Spurs would pay that much money for a player that should be playing for a team like Sheffield United. I also think we should sell Tainio as everytime i have watched him this season appart from once he has been awful. I would like Chimbonda to stay as i think he is a wicked defender. Berbatov in my eyes is staying as the only team i can see him going to is Man Utd. If he goes to Chelsea then i think he is ruining his career as the only reason they are a bigger team than us is they have a chairman that has billions. Take him out of the equasion then they are the same size. I think Ramos will take us into fourth with buying the wright players in the correct positions. We need 2 goalies, 2 central defenders as i think King may never recover fully from his knee problem but i would like to see him do it, 2 - 3 central midfielders as i think if we had a choice then we could dominate the league and cups, 1 left winger and my choice would be Pederson from Blackburn and also Bentley to give Lennon some healthy competition, Also one more striker and get rid of Bent. I think once Ramos builds his team in the summer and we can start with our best eleven at the beginning of the season and not get too many injuries then i think we can push for Fourth. The only problem Tottenham have got is they give up at about the 70 minutes mark if they are winning. Like against Man u twice we were dominating the game and in the lead and then they just started to let them play and we drew one 1-1 and lost the other 3-1. If we can push that out then i think we have got a great chance of breaking the top four as we have proved that we can beat them or get draws. My biggest disappointment for me this season is beating liverpool 2-1 from 1-0 behind and then ended up conceding a goal in the 93rd minute. That is what we will have to stop to break the top four.
on March 09, 2008 on March 09, 2008
Ramos according to some media sources will be given £40 million to spend in the summer. With clear requirements for 2 new Goalkeepers, a centre back, left winger, centre mid-field rock and a quality striker Romas is going to have to be very shewd and canny to make his budget stretch. Let's hope he can flog off all the Comolli dross to help top up his war chest!
by Aaron Tunney on March 09, 2008
We don't have the players to finish above mid-table? How quickly people forget the likes of Lee, Stalteri and Mido were first team regulars when we finished a dodgy lasagne away from the Champions League! One or two really top class signings are what's needed, not wholesale changes.
by Ryan on March 09, 2008
"One of Woodgate/King"????????
by Lee Hart on March 09, 2008
Bentley to give Lennon some competition? Ha, funniest thing I've heard all day, right, why would David Bentley, a first team regular, join Spurs to become a bit part player on the bench every now and then, he just simply wouldnt, hes too good for that. And I also find it funny how alot of people seem to think we need to buy 10 players, like a bunch of defenders, bunch of midfielders, couple of strikers, we cant buy them all at once, it'll slowly happen in the next 2-3 years. For now though we need a top class goalkeeper who will deffinately be brought in this summer, a top class centre-half to play alongside Woodgate at all times, with Kaboul and Dawson pushing for bench places, as they are both still young, it would be good competition for both, and when Ledley's fit, he plays with the centre-half whos been in best form, whether it be Woodgate or the one we sign, like Jarque maybe? Maybe we could keep Chimbonda until January next year, play him at left back, switch between him and Gilberto, see how they fair. I think we can keep Huddlestone in the midfield, because I think Ramos likes him and hes such a good passer, changed the game in Carling Cup Final, if a young lad can make his presence felt that much in such a big game then hes a definite keep. Gareth Bale is too good to be playing at left back, would be such a waste of ability, expect him to play left wing, I really think he could become a top quality Champions League winger, Sir Alex said he wanted him to become the new Giggs, shows how much he rated him. For definite we do need another central midfielder, a top class one, not to replace Jenas, he will be a definite first choice for me and I think Ramos, then another player in the middle to help his back four but also control the game, so we have two players in the middle that would want to compete with anyone. I think keep Bent, but I can see us grabbing another striker, maybe a young-ish one with quite a bit of ability for his age, just to give Ramos a choice between Bent or the new signing on the bench, but only sign a new striker if Pekhart doesnt show his quality in the first team, therefore giving him opportunities towards close season.
by k t on March 09, 2008
I Disagree with what you are saying..paul robinson is defently good enough..thats why he was in englands team
by Dougie Fresh on March 09, 2008
...but what I'm gleaning from this article is that barring one or two players... the whole Spurs squad will be gone by August. Nice work. Try sticking your neck out a little as a journalist and picking out the players who, against other claims, will actually no doubt be there next season.
by George Norton on March 09, 2008
I really don't think we can have a clear out like that, Darren Bent has not been given the chance which is little wonder when we have Berbatov and Keane upfront, tell me another class striker who will come to WHL and be content to sit on the bench for most of the season.
Deco. Classic. This summer is going to be like the one where we had Petit, Guardiola, Rivaldo and Shevchenko on their way to Spurs. Honest! All over the forums. Press conference on Monday etc.
by garbageman gong on March 09, 2008
this site is getting worse by day!
by Liam Spur on March 09, 2008
I think the Comolli issue is a serious one, if we hadnt enlisted him to pick players we wouldnt be needing 7 centre backs 12 mids 4 gks 3 LWs etc.... Fact is most of his signings are pants, does he just find players on champ and hope they are actually good?
by Tony on March 09, 2008
This has to take the biscuit for mindless drivel... we have a stronger squad now than the one's that achieved two 5th-placed finishes. We also don't play Champion's League football, so why should top-quality players settle for keeping out bench warm? Get real - we're about two or three players short of a really top-class squad, and I fully expect that to be addressed in the summer.
by Brian McNamara on March 09, 2008
Do ye not think we might be jumping the gun on all these signings? Fair enough we need more quality in areas to compete at the top but what gives us the right to expect it. Spurs real problem is their premature exaculation all over the transfer season. If we only have 1 sub striker it gives people like Pekhart and other youngsters the chance to show why we signed them. Also if we can't get the best from Hudd it's as much Spurs failing as his, we need to work with some of the players we have and sign a solid central midfielder to give our creative players more breathing space. The reason Moyes has Everton doing well is because it is one of the only proper football clubs left that let the manager run the team. I'd like to see more hard work and less impulse buying.
by lewis on March 09, 2008
GK, LW, CM. That is all we need try and break into the top 4
by John Chedozie on March 09, 2008
A bit of hysteria goin on about bringing in 300 or so players into the squad. the pleasing reality is that we are only 4 players away from a top notch squad. 1 - A goalie - robbo, bless just makes too many mistakes. i would LOVE him to stay and be consistantly worthy of being Englands no 1 that we know he can be, but something just isnt right and money spent on a world class keeper is a must. 2) dominant midfielder - zakora isnt good enough, boateng woeful and the likes of ohara, and tanio should be kept as squad players. but we need someone to dominate in a way that jenas and THudd dont....good as they are, they are not gonna win a title like a petit/viera keane/scholes have done.3) a strker - keep bent, give him a season to have a run but get someone young and talented to bring on. 4) the perrenial left wing...we need someone of quality there and then we will see that although steeeeeeeed does a much improved decent enough job there we are missing there.defensively im happy enough with woodgte/king nurturing daws and kaboul...defenders dont pek until about 28 so they got enough time and talent to progress. so sell, stalteri, rocha, Ping Pong,cerny, gardner, zakora and boateng.posibly Chimbo if he doesnt buck up a bit and keep the rest, adding 4.... .top four here we come.
by PaxtonYid on March 09, 2008
To get in the top 4 we need to replace robinson (couldn't catch a cold), Chimbonda (one of the worst players ever to play for spurs, he should be shot for being that bad), and Zokora (simply awful, can't pass, shoot, score or fucking tackle - what does he do?). If we can replace those and get a decent left winger, we can get top 4 comfortably.
by Fan*1 on March 10, 2008
Writer of article is as amateuristic as Comolli !