Ramos thoughts on Berbatov in Jan Transfer Window

Courtesy of SportingLife.com-

Juande Ramos has asked Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy to do everything possible
to keep Dimitar Berbatov at White Hart Lane after the striker's four-goal haul
against Reading on Saturday.
Berbatov, who proved the difference in a crazy
game that Spurs edged 6-4, has always insisted he is happy at the club but ha
persistently been linked with a move.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex
Ferguson is a known admirer of the 26-year-old, who arrived at the start of last
season from Bayer Leverkusen for £10.9million.
Ramos cannot guarantee that
Berbatov will stay when the January transfer window opens but he wants the
striker in his plans.
"He made a great contribution against Reading.
Magnificent," said the Spurs head coach. "He is a very valuable player for
us.
"But I cannot assure that he is going to stay at the club because the
chairman has to decide that.
"The chairman knows I want Berbatov to stay. If
it was up to me we would not lose him but there are different circumstances and
factors that we have to take into account such as the player's opinion and
feelings.
"If it was up to me he would continue with us."

Linked here: http://www.sportinglife.com/football/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/07/12/29/manual_185225.html&TEAMHD=soccer

Match Report Spurs 6 Reading 4

Courtesy of SkySports-

Dimitar Berbatov scored four times as Tottenham defeated Reading 6-4 in an
incredible encounter at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham began the game where they
had left off against Fulham on Boxing Day and took the lead after just seven
minutes through Berbatov, only for Kalifa Cisse to equalise on 16 minutes after
a howler by Paul Robinson.
The real drama was to come in the second half,
and is started in the 53rd minute when Ivar Ingimarsson headed Reading back in
front.
Juande Ramos reacted to the setback by replacing Ledley King with
Jermain Defoe, and from that moment on there was barely a second that passed by
without incident as seven more goals were scored in the space of 20 minutes.
Berbatov capitalised on a dreadful clearance from Graeme Murty to bring
Tottenham level at 2-2, before Dave Kitson glanced in Nicky Shorey's corner.
Berbatov showed good strength to complete his hat-trick, but Kitson struck
again on the break to put Reading 4-3 ahead.
Steed Malbranque equalised
again for Tottenham and Keane then won a penalty after being tripped by Sonko.
Keane's spot-kick was saved by Hahnemann but Defoe headed in the rebound,
and Berbatov made the points safe seven minutes from time with another powerful
strike.
More to follow.

Linked here: http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_2848104,00.html

Chris Gunter to Sign

Courtesy of Official Site-

We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with Cardiff
City for the signing of Welsh international defender Chris Gunter.
The
transfer will be completed upon the opening of the January transfer window. The
18-year-old full-back graduated through the ranks at Ninian Park and made his
First Team debut in August of last year a month after his 17th birthday. He has
since clocked up 33 appearances for the Championship club, while he has won
three full international caps. He made his debut for Wales in May when he faced
New Zealand and has since impressed in the Euro 2008 qualification games against
the Republic of Ireland and Germany.

Linked here: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/guntertosign.html

Match Report: Boxing Day 07, Spurs 5 Fulham 1

Courtesy of Official Site:

The team marked Boxing Day 2007 with a 5-1 victory over Fulham at the
Lane.
Two goals each from Robbie Keane and Tom Huddlestone, plus one for
Jermain Defoe provided the margin in what was a comfortable win despite
Fulham halving the deficit at one point. The game got underway on a crisp early
afternoon and the early exchanges were not as crisp as the weather. It was
warming, however, to see Ledley King striding across the pitch looking like he
had never been away, just his presence having a calming influence on those
around him. Jamie O'Hara retained his place in the side for his full home debut,
Huddlestone partnering him in the heart of midfield and it was Tom pulling the
midfield strings and providing what creative spark there was in the first third
of the half. Dimitar Berbatov gave Antti Niemi his first work of the afternoon
on 24 minutes when he nodded a Steed Malbranque centre goalwards and the Finn
sprung to his right and saved well. Two minutes later Malbranque came so close
to marking the occasion of playing against his old club with a goal, latching
onto a Pascal Chimbonda knock-down with a rasping drive that crashed off the
inside of the post. Thankfully, Keane was there right on cue to steer home the
rebound. While the boys were not exactly clicking through the gears on a slick
performance level, they were coping with challenge presented by Fulham with
ease. Defensively it was comfortable as the visitors were not bristling with
ambition in the first half and the goal did not change things much. Another goal
should probably have been added before the break but a swift break resulting
from Berbatov dispossessing Danny Murphy was perhaps overplayed a little and
Keane was left with too much to do in the end. It was two in stoppage, a dash
down the left by Malbranque leading to Berbatov teeing up Huddlestone for a
drive. The midfielder's effort completely wrong-footed Niemi in what was a class
piece of finishing. The football remained attack-minded in the second half,
Keane flashing in a shot that Niemi did well to grab and hold. There was a twist
on the hour when Clint Dempsey snatched on back for Fulham from a Hameur Bouazza
cross, but the response was swift - just two minutes later. Berbatov thrust his
head onto an O'Hara corner and nodded towards the post where the knees of Keane
were waiting to divert past Niemi. The chances of a Keane hat-trick were ended
with 22 minutes left when he was withdrawn in favour of Jermain Defoe but, for
Huddlestone, there was still time to make another big impression. Given the ball
by Aaron Lennon around 20 yards out on 70 minutes, the midfielder flicked the
ball up before driving a placed shot that escaped the clutches of Niemi and had
those at the Lane purring in admiration. The was another huge ovation three
minutes later when Juande Ramos decided the time was right for the skipper to
make his exit. The sum up Ledley's performance best you would just say he was
his usual self. Adel Taarabt replaced him and, in a defensive shuffle, Chimbonda
moved centrally, Lee Young-Pyo to the right and Jamie O'Hara slotted in at left
back. Taarabt added a few party tricks to go with the festive mood, while the
substitute Moritz Volz saw a second yellow then red for a barge on
Malbraque. There was still time for Defoe to add to his account -seizing on
a surge from Huddlestone in the final minute to prod past Niemi.This was a case
of job done, three points in the bank and a Merry Christmas.

Linked here: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/matchreport261207.html

Ramos Interview in The Sun

Courtesy of the Sun-

JUANDE RAMOS is a man on a mission. In his first and only interview, the new
Tottenham manager exclusively tells SunSport’s ANTONY KASTRINAKIS how he arrived
to find despondency in the White Hart Lane dressing room; about the futures of
his key players ... and of his long-term plan to eventually take Spurs ABOVE
arch-rivals Arsenal.
Q FIRST, the question that all Tottenham fans will want
answering this morning: Can Spurs win at Arsenal today?
A WE’VE played some
very difficult games. Man City had won all their home games until Tuesday.
Portsmouth hadn’t lost at home, either. The team showed they could cope. Now we
have our most difficult game as we’re playing the leaders. A lot will depend on
the way we play.
Q CAN Spurs take over from Arsenal as kings of North
London?
A THIS is our ambition and dream. But I don’t want to talk long-term
instead of concentrating on the next game.
I want us to take giant leaps.
Our club deserves to fight against the best and challenge for the Premier League
and the Champions League. That’s what I will try to do with all my energy and
strength.
We have the potential to do it. But it doesn’t just depend on one
person, it’s not all about the coach. The manager has to have the collaboration
and the support of the club.
Q WHAT do you think of the job Arsene Wenger
has done at Arsenal?
A HE has done very well — and achieved some magnificent
results. It took him years to achieve that.
This is the basis of it all — to
have faith in one person and let him work. In time, good results will come.
Q SO you are saying if you are given the same backing Wenger has received
from Arsenal, you can bring the same sort of success to Spurs?
Fight with
the best
A I HAVE no doubt about that. The English model is very much like
that and with these conditions I aim to bring success. But it’s not just
Tottenham. Any team that has patience and thinks they’ve found the right person
to carry out a project like that will achieve results.
Q SO how long do you
want to stay as manager at White Hart Lane?
A I’VE signed a five-year
contract, knowing there’s a lot of work ahead of me — beautiful work.
Would
I like to stay here for a long time? Without a doubt. I would love to finish my
five years and sign another one as long as this one. But the most important
thing is that the club are satisfied with my work. I don’t like staying at a
club just because I have a contract. I want the club to be proud of the work I’m
doing.
It’s my dream to stay here for many years and I think it’s highly
likely.
If we are able to improve little by little and fight with the best
in the Premier League it will be a dream for all of us and that is what I am
working towards.
Q WHAT are your long-term plans for Tottenham?
A
LONG-TERM plans are achieved in the short-term. We have to improve things day by
day.
We must fix things tomorrow, then in January — and then in June. This
way, with successive improvements, we will gradually become better. We cannot
lose ourselves by thinking of long-term objectives but find solutions in the
short-term.
Q YOU have been at the Lane since October. What are your early
impressions of the club?
A SINCE my arrival there’s been an enormous change
— especially in the table. Good results have restored the confidence of the
players.
Q SO are you saying Tottenham’s big troubles are behind you after
three wins in a row?
A NO. Three consecutive wins against important teams
re-enforce the confidence and the morale of the team. But we can’t think our
troubles have gone. We still have huge room for improvement. There was an urgent
need to restore the players’ belief in themselves. And we had to rebuild the
faith of the fans.
We couldn’t be a team that leaks as many goals as we did.
In the last three games this situation seems to have come under control.
But
this is something we have to turn into a regular thing. We have to be a solid
outfit in every game.
Q WHAT was your gut feeling when you first walked into
the Tottenham dressing room?
A I was taking charge of a great club but there
was a despondency and a tremendous lack of motivation. There was no hope or
ambition. There was so much self-doubt in the dressing room. That was the most
critical thing we had to change.
Q ARE you saying that you could see that in
the faces of the players at the club?

HE'S GOT THE WHOLE CLUB INHIS
HANDS ... Ramos plots future glory
A YES, yes. I noted an air of abandonment
and resignation like it didn’t really matter. It was a worrying situation as I
realised my players were resigned to losing and to disaster. They got used to
defeats and looked to be in a daze. This alarmed me enormously as we had to
change it radically.
I was worried if we’d be able to change this dynamic,
this is logical. But I have to say the collaboration of the players has been
superb and they’ve made a tremendous effort to change this situation.
Q
TOTTENHAM have placed tremendous faith in you. That must give you an immense
sense of pride and responsibility?
A TOTALLY. I hope I will repay the faith
of the club with good results but I also think we’re just at the start. There’s
a lot left to do and a lot of work awaits us. Little by little, we will try to
change the situation and the mentality of the club.
Q TOTTENHAM have a
shortage of defenders. Can we expect you to make signings in January?
A
UNTIL the window opens we can’t do something so I don’t want to speculate. But
defence is the area where we have the most limitations. We will evaluate what we
need.
Q WHAT about Paul Robinson’s future? There were rumours that you were
looking to replace him?
A HIS future is very good. We’re very happy with
him. The other day against Manchester City he helped us a lot to win the game
and we hope he’ll continue like that.
Q HOW worried are you that Jermain
Defoe might want to leave the club? And is it important that he stays?
A A
PROFESSIONAL has to accept a squad does not have just 11 footballers. There are
20-odd players and only 11 can play. So the others have to wait for their
moment. I think yes. He’s a very good player for us. It would be great if he
continues here.
Q FINALLY, what is your message to Tottenham fans ahead of
today’s big derby?
A OUR fans must let themselves dream. They must feel
confident that we will do everything to beat Arsenal. In any case, we’re going
to continue on the path we’ve taken in the last games where we played well and
got great results.

Linked here: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/article611872.ece

'Paying the Penalty' NLD Arse 2 Spurs 1 - 12/22/07

Courtesy of Official Site-

There were no surprises as Juande Ramos reflected a disappointed away dressing
room after the 2-1 defeat at the Emirates.
The game turned when Robbie
Keane's penalty was saved by Manuel Almunia in the 72nd minute.
Having gone
1-0 down just three minutes into the second half, Robbie hit the crossbar after
66 minutes and seconds later, Dimitar Berbatov made it 1-1 from a tight
angle.
We were on top and the penalty gave us the opportunity to take
control but just a few minutes after Almunia's save, the tide had turned
back to the home side as Nicklas Bendtner headed home from Cesc Fabregas' corner
for what turned out to be the winner.
"Robbie's upset about the
penalty and we're all disappointed," said Head Coach Juande. "He's normally
certain with penalties but today he missed when we needed a goal - but these
things happen.
"The game was very evenly balanced and we had that chance at
1-1, we didn't take it and Arsenal went on to win the game.
"To
concede a goal from a corner when all 10 outfield players are in the penalty
area isn't normal either and that mistake cost us, we shouldn't concede goals
like that."

Linked here: http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/payingthepenalty221207.html

North London Derby 12/22/07 TV in the US

Tottenham at Arsenal, 12/22/07

Live on Setanta Sports TV coverage beginning at 7:30 am EST.

Live on Sirius Radio Channel 125 starting at 7:40 am EST