Tottenham Hotspur - Breaking The Champs League Duck..

[GingaMilla16]

Tottenham Hotspur F.C

Club Info:

Full name - Tottenham Hotspur Football Club
Nickname(s) - Spurs, Lilywhites
Founded - 1882 as Hotspur F.C.
Ground - White Hart Lane (Capacity: 36,310)
Chairman - Daniel Levy
Head Coach - Juande Ramos
League - Premier League
2007–08 - Premier League, 11th

History In The Premier League:

In 1990, a slump in the property market left chairman Scholar on the verge of bankruptcy. Venables joined forces with businessman Alan Sugar to take over Tottenham Hotspur PLC and pay off its £20 million debt, part of which involved the sale of Gascoigne. Venables became chief executive, with Shreeves again taking charge of first-team duties. His second spell as team manager lasted just one season, before he was dismissed in favour of joint coaches Ray Clemence and Doug Livermore. Tottenham's first Premier League season ended with a mid-table finish and Venables was removed from the club's board after a legal dispute with Sugar. Ossie Ardiles became the club's next manager in 1993.

Under Ardiles, Tottenham employed the Famous Five: Teddy Sheringham and Jürgen Klinsmann up front, Nick Barmby just behind, Darren Anderton on the right and Ilie Dumitrescu on the left. Klinsmann was a sensation, scoring freely and becoming a firm fan favourite. Ultimately these expensive signings made little difference to Tottenham's form and Ardiles was sacked in September 1994.

During the 1994 close season, Tottenham were found guilty of making illegal payments to players and given one of the most severe punishments in English football history: a 12 point deduction, a one year FA Cup ban, and a £600,000 fine. Sugar protested and the Cup ban and points deduction were quashed.

Ardiles was replaced by Gerry Francis. He initially turned around the club's fortunes dramatically. Tottenham climbed to seventh in the league, and reached the FA Cup semi-finals, an embarrassment for the FA was averted after Spurs lost 4-1 to eventual winners Everton. Francis was unable to take the club forward from this point and his judgement in the transfer market was flawed.

1996-97 saw Tottenham finish in tenth place, and at the end of the season star striker Teddy Sheringham was sold to Manchester United after contract negotiations broke down. In November 1997, with Spurs second from bottom and in danger of relegation, Francis was sacked. Christian Gross, coach of Swiss champions Grasshoppers, was appointed. He failed to turn around the club's fortunes, however, and the team battled against the drop for the remainder of the campaign. Legendary striker Jürgen Klinsmann was re-signed in January, but initially failed to recreate the form of his first spell at the club. Four goals in a 6-2 win away to Wimbledon in the penultimate game of the season was, however, enough to secure survival.

Gross, despite having finished the last season on a high by only losing one of their last nine games, was sacked just three games into the following season, and George Graham was soon hired to take over. Despite heavy criticism from fans due to Graham's previous association with Arsenal, in his first season as Spurs manager the club secured a mid-table finish and won the League Cup. In the final against Leicester City at Wembley, full-back Justin Edinburgh was sent off after an altercation with Robbie Savage on the hour mark, but Spurs secured a dramatic victory through Allan Nielsen's diving header in the 93rd minute of the game. Spurs also reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup, where they were beaten 2-0 by Newcastle after extra-time, after the referee had not given Spurs a definite penalty for handball in normal time. To cap a good season, star player David Ginola won both the PFA Players' Player of the year 1999 and Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year 1999 awards.

Another disappointing league finish followed in 1999-00 and in 2001, Sugar's patience broke. He sold his controlling interest to ENIC Sports PLC, run by Daniel Levy.

Team management passed to Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle who took over in April 2001 with the team lying thirteenth in the table. His first game saw defeat to Arsenal in an FA Cup semi-final. The club captain, Sol Campbell, defected to Arsenal on a Bosman free transfer that summer.

Hoddle turned to more experienced players in the shape of Teddy Sheringham, Gus Poyet and Christian Ziege for inspiration, and Spurs played some good football in the opening months of his management. Season 2001-02 saw Spurs finish in ninth place, as well as reaching the League Cup final, where they lost to Blackburn Rovers, having been the favourites after their 5-1 demolition of Chelsea in the previous round.

The only significant outlay prior to the following campaign was £7 million for Robbie Keane, who joined from Leeds United. 2002-03 started well, with Tottenham in the top six as late as early February. But with just seven points in the final 10 games, the club finished in tenth place. Several players publicly criticised Hoddle's management and communication skills. Six games into the 2003-04 season, Hoddle was sacked and David Pleat took over on a caretaker basis until a full-time successor could be found.


In May 2004, Tottenham signed French team manager Jacques Santini as head coach, with Martin Jol as his assistant and Frank Arnesen as Sporting Director. Santini quit the club in bizarre circumstances after just 13 games. He was replaced by Jol. The big Dutchman became a favourite with the passionate Spurs crowd and secured a ninth place finish. In the 2005-06 campaign, his first full season, he almost managed to secure a Champions League place. In the event, Spurs missed out on the final day of the season, and finished in 5th place, securing a UEFA Cup place. It was clear progress was being made. When Arnesen defected to Chelsea, Spurs appointed Damien Comolli as Sporting Director.

During 2005-06 Spurs spent six months in fourth place but ended fifth. Going into the final game of the season, they led rivals Arsenal by a point, but were forced to play their match at West Ham with half the team suffering from Norovirus, a viral form of gastroenteritis, commonly known as "Winter Vomiting Disease". Spurs lost and were pipped to a Champions League place, but it was success nevertheless in gaining a place in the UEFA Cup.


Rivals:

Arsenal
Chelsea
West Ham

Kits:

Home:

Away:

Third:

Team List:
GK - Gomes - #1
DF - Hutton - #2
DF - Bale - #3
CM - Zakora - #4
RM - Bentley - #5
CM - Huddlestone - #6
RM - Lennon - #7
CM - Jenas - #8
ST - Pavlyunchenko - #9
ST - Bent - #10
LM - Gilberto - #11
GK - Cesar - #13
CM - Modric - #14
ST - Campbell - #15
RB - Gunter - #16
CF - Dos Santos - #17
RB - Corluka - #18
AM - Taarabt - #19
CB - Dawson - #20
CM - O'Hara - #24
CB - King - #26
LB - Assou-Ekotto - #32
CB - Woodgate - #39
CM - Bostock - #41
AM - Boeteng - #44

[ionic]

Nice. Lennons a good player aswell as Dos santos and Pvlyunchenko.

[Bart6]

Good start, looking foward to it.

[ionic]

Any transfers or games?

[GingaMilla16]

Originally Posted by ionic

Any transfers or games?

Its all coming soon my freind. Did some games last night(only single game) just to try them out and it's all good. I think i only need to sign a left winger and mayber a centre midfeilder. If other under perform then we'll see but main targets are a left winger and a midfielder.

[ionic]

You could try Mascherano from liverpool as a central midfielder

[GingaMilla16]

Originally Posted by ionic

You could try Mascherano from liverpool as a central midfielder

Mhm.. Can't see him leaving?

[ionic]

You could try Petrov from Aston Villa.

[GingaMilla16]

Originally Posted by ionic

You could try Petrov from Aston Villa.

I'll look after this update.

[ionic]

Okay then.

[GingaMilla16]

We Are Ready To Spend More

They are the words from the spurs manager Juande Ramos speaking to the sun about possible new signings.

We already spent this season on a few players but i feel we still lack depth in midfield and on the left wing.

Signings made by Ramos so far this season are Gomes from P.S.V, Cesar Sanchez from real zaragoza, Vedran Corluka from Man City, David Bentley from Blackburn, Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb, Dos Santos from Barcelona, John Bostock from Crystal Palace, Fraizer Campbell on loan from Man Utd & Roman Pavlychenko from Sparktak Moscow.

Romas is looking to sign 2 world class midfielders before the season starts.

Pre-Season:

This season Ramos has gone for a tour of Holland. Going to Ajax, Feyenoord, F.C Twente and NAC Breda.

Ajax – 11/09/08
F.C Twente – 18/09/08
Feyenoord – 24/09/08
NAC Breda – 30/09/08

----

Board Expectations:

Qualify For Europe
Win English League Cup
Expand White Hart Lane

[ionic]

You could try signing Farfan not sure if hell come but hes fantastic.

[Scene Kid Oli]

oooh your playing Fc Twente eh, ill read about that one

[GingaMilla16]

Young out-fit mikel looks to move from stamford bridge.

Obi Mikel & Di Maria To White Hart Lane?

Roumors are going round they Romas is looking buy John Obi Mikel from Chelsea for a price around 10.5m and is also lookin at buying the young left winger Di Maria from SL Benfica for around 6.5m.

Chelsea recently added Mikel to the transfer list because he is unsettled there and not getting regular first team football. Di. Maria is a 20 year old left winger currently playing at Benfica and he is currently in the senior squad for Argentina.

Ramos going to speak to these 2 players in this week and then he is hoping they will both sign at the end of the week.

[ionic]

Obi would be a good signing.

[GingaMilla16]

Mikel And di Maria Happy to be at Tottenham.

Signed, Sealed & Need To Deliver!

They are the words from Ramos as John Obi Mikel And Di Maria both sign on the same day for tottenham. As reported it was 10.5m for Mikel and 6.5m for Di Maria and both of the players looks happy to join but Ramos has some words for them two.

I am very happy that Di Maria and Mikel have joined me here but sometimes with signings like these two young prospects it sometimes does not go the way we planned. We have alot of new players in the side this season and i am hoping we all stay together as a team and get the right results. It’s not good having a good team on paper and not performing and if you ask me thats embarrasing. So the players will need to keep focused at all times, They might be changes through-out the season to keep others happy. It’s going to be hard to keep everyone happy with the size of the squad but we will just have to keep together.

After the chat with Ramos he now announces the kit numbers Di Maria and Mikel will wear. Number 27 will go to Di Maria and 22 for Mikel.

----

Pre-Season Round-up:

Ajax - Tottenham start the tour of Holland with a 1-0 win against Ajax. A goal from Bale from a 20 yarder free-kick on the 34th min seals a happy day for the spurs. Bostock, Jenas and dos santos all came off the bench to play a part in the win.

F.C Twente – A draw but the game was full of excitment as we expected. Both team hitting the bar once of twice through the game but not having the end touch of the ball to score. They was a few rotations in the team with Mikel and Di maria moving into the side straight away and Campball partnering Bent upfront saw the 2 englishmen have something special between each other.

Feyenoord – Another good game and tottenham again was on top but only managed a draw coming from a goal behind. The host lead with de cier scoring an open goal as the ball was squared accross the box from bronkhorst in the 10th min. After the break Pavlychenko came on and only a few minuites after coming on he scored a header from a Di Maria cross on the left to level the scored up on the 65th min.

NAC Breda – Just one goal seals there second win of the pre season and sending Tottenham home from holland looking for a win against there rivals West ham in a couple of weeks time. The goal was scored by no one other than Woodgate which he jumped above a crouded box to head the ball into the top corner of the goal where the keepers always hate the most leading tottenham in at the break 1-0. Was a quite second half with little chances but the only anticipated part of the this half was when the host’s came close with a close range shot which parried off the post and smashed away by king.

[Mercurial]

Really sweet presentation mate. Jon Obi is a solid Midfielder, he should do well for Tottenham.

[GingaMilla16]

Derby Day!

The first game of the season and it’s the first derby of the season between Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham United. Both teams are geared up for this one and so is the fans. Ramos is looking forward to this more than anyone as he looks to win his first derby game. Fans will be coming in big numbers and everyone is looking to this match to be one of the best opening season rival matches for years to come.

Team Line Up

------- Gomes -----
--- Corluka ---- King ---- Woodgate ---- Bale ---
--- Lennon ----- Modric ------ Obi Mikel ------ Di Maria ---
----- Bent ---- Pavlychenko ----

Subs
Dawson
Hutton
Ekotto
Huddlestone
Gilberto
Bentley
Dos Santos

Tottenham 7-1 West Ham

Match Report:

This is one of the biggest rival matches in the premier league it sure was a good one.. For one of the teams!
But for the host it was a day to remember. Winning 7-1 and this is the best start Ramos could ever wish for. At the start it was west ham which took the lead through ashton shot in the first 5mins. Things was looking bad for spurs but managed to pull one back with a nice run from Lennon with a cross into the box to make it 1-1 after 20mins. It got better and better for tottenham when lennon have another run but cut inside this time to slot the ball passed green to make it 2-1.

The 2nd half started with a hat trick from bent, 56th, 60th & 70th min goals all shots and inside the box left the west ham defence shattered. Then came bale, With 2 goals from free kicks. Both just outside the box and on the right of the area which always a good place for bale to score from and he did this so to make it 7-1 the final score with both goals in the last 10mins of the game. Sending all the spurs fans home happy and what a game it was
Match rating – 10/10.

I’m going to change the difficutly to Professional now. Semi pro is alot easier when you are top teams.

[PackMan]

What About Simoa of Athletico, CLASS PLAYER, with great flair?

[GingaMilla16]

Originally Posted by PackMan

What About Simoa of Athletico, CLASS PLAYER, with great flair?

Already signed the players i need mate if you read the updates it'll say what i needed.

[safcrhys]

Excellent start mate, could you tell me where you found those kits?

[danpom123]

Great start come on you spurs

[GingaMilla16]

Team Line Up

------- Gomes -----
--- Corluka ---- King ---- Woodgate ---- Bale ---
--- Lennon ----- Modric ------ Obi Mikel ------ Di Maria ---
----- Bent ---- Pavlychenko ----

Subs
Dawson
Hutton
Ekotto
Huddlestone
Gilberto
Bentley
Dos Santos

Hull City 2-0 Tottenham

Match Report:

A suprise win for Hull City. There first this season with the goals coming from newcomers King and Cousin. Spurs was going into this game thinking it wont be as a hard game but it was not to be today, The underdogs shown what they can do in the premier league and have really shown a statment on things to come for the tigers in the future.
Both goals coming in the first half which let spurs heads drop but it was only in the last 20 mins they started to get back into the game but still could not find the net.

Match rating – 5/10.

[GingaMilla16]

Team Line Up

------- Gomes -----
--- Corluka ---- King ---- Woodgate ---- Bale ---
--- Lennon ----- Modric ------ Obi Mikel ------ Di Maria ---
----- Bent ---- Pavlychenko ----

Subs
Dawson
Hutton
Ekotto
Huddlestone
Gilberto
Bentley
Dos Santos

Tottenham 4-2 Middlesborough

Pavylunchenko scores 2 clinical goals for spurs

Match Report:

A good win against a strong Middlesborough side.

The host went ahead when ball was swung in by Aaron Lennon and there was Pavylunchenko to head the ball past Turnbull to make it 1-0. Soon after he slotted his 2nd of the game away with a nice low shot on the edge of the box to make it 2-0 for spurs.

The away side soon came back into it with a free-kick scored by Alfonso Alves, Assisted by Ledley king who made the take on Tuncay to offer Middlesborough the set-peice. The 2nd half got onto a flyer as Middlesborough leveled to make it 2-2 in the 56th min through alves again this time from a corner, scored a wonderful half volley past Gomes.

Dos Santos, Bentley and Gilberto soon came on after the 4th goal of the game. This saw tottenham bring it to boro like they was doing in the first half. A switched ball from one side of the pitch to the other from Gilberto saw bentley open to make a run into the oppenants half and to cut inside and have a shot from around 30 yards out saw it go straight passed turnbull to put spurs back to winning terms in the match. Boro kept on pressing with a few shots from aliadiere, Shawky and alves looking for his hatrick but was soon hit on the counter and was soon shot by Modric to finish off the game.

This was one of the most head to head matches witnessed this season and there is surely more of this to come.

Match rating – 8/10.

[ionic]

Nice win. Try a experiment and put Bentley in Bents position