After the disappointment of being knocked out of the Uefa Cup in midweek, Tottenham's season is effectively over.
OK, they still have points to play for, and more importantly some players will be playing for their squad places for next season, starting on Super Sunday at Manchester City.
And of course, Spurs have a Uefa Cup place already secured thanks to their Carling Cup victory over Chelsea, but Juande Ramos will now be preparing for next season.
Ramos: can he transform Spurs from cup side to Champions League qualifiers?
He will start to put plans into motion and get everything ready for when the transfer market opens again so he can bring in the players he wants.
There were high hopes among Spurs fans at the start of the season, some people were even tipping them to finish above rivals Arsenal and get into the top four, but I never thought they were that good.
Juande Ramos has great cup pedigree with what he achieved with Sevilla, but we'll have to see if this man is purely a cup manager or whether he has got the substance to put it together in the league next season.
Andy Gray
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I thought they would be OK and that if they played well they would be up there in the top seven or eight, but they had such a poor start that they were playing catch-up almost from day one.
With that last minute goal that saw them lose to newly-promoted Sunderland on the opening day until now they have basically been too far adrift.
So in that respect it has been a disappointing season for them.
I do think Tottenham owe it to their supporters - and to themselves - to be in the running for a Champions League place. They need to aim for that next season and I think Ramos will demand that from his players.
Spurs are a cup team at the moment - the level of consistency you need for the league has been found wanting.
Cup side
When a side wins a cup, as Spurs have done, I often wonder how good there are. It's a nice moment when you win one, but you don't need to win too many games to win a cup!
You don't have to be a great side to win a cup, but you have to be a pretty good side to finish in the top five or six of the Premier League!
Tottenham, at the moment, are nowhere near that because they are too inconsistent and that is something that Ramos will have to address ahead of next season.
Why they haven't been consistent in the Premier League, I don't know.
I've seen them play a lot this season, and in some remarkable games too. I commentated on the game at White Hart Lane against Aston Villa when they were 4-1 down and they managed to get back to 4-4. I've also seen them push Manchester United really close.
What is clear is that they haven't defended well enough and have been far too easy to get at, and not just the back four.
They've had problems in a few areas - goalkeeper, centre back (mainly due to Ledley King's continued injury problems), and they haven't found the right combination in midfield.
I don't think there are any problems with their ability to attack with players like Steed Malbranque, Aaron Lennon, Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Darren Bent in the squad.
With players like that in your side there's always a chance that you will score goals, no matter who the opposition are.
Ramos
Some people have made loose comparisons but I don't know if Ramos is to be Tottenham's Arsene Wenger.
The proof of that pudding will be in the eating - and I'm not sure about Ramos. We'll have to wait and see what he is made of over the course of a full season.
He has great cup pedigree with what he achieved with Sevilla, but we'll have to see if this man is purely a cup manager or whether he has got the substance to put it together in the league next season.
We will find out more about Juande Ramos in the next year.
Tottenham have decided that he is the man for them and he has come in and been quite radical with his methods, training regime and changing certain things, but that's what new managers do.
When a new manager comes in it's important to make an impression as soon as you can and he certainly has done that.
I think that if Spurs aren't challenging for a Champions League place next season then everyone at the club - players, manager, fans - will be utterly disappointed.
Champions League football has to be the target for Tottenham next season, without a doubt.
Do you agree with Andy Gray? Let us know what you think by using the feedback form below.
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Comments (21)
Michael Lippert (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
The Champions League should be the goal and is what I hope for. But it will not happen until we get better defenders. Dawson has to go... Chimbonda is average. We need at least one elite defender and we will be on the right track. Oh yeah, and hold on to Berbatov... or else defenders won't matter. Our inconsisency is my biggest frustration... beat Chelsea, then lose to Birmingham?
Posted 13:47 18th March 2008
Mark Reilly (Arsenal fan) says...
Spurs are a team full of potential. I say, potential because they have yet to prove anything more. The wins over Chelsea and Arsenal were definitely long overdue. When you look at a Spurs' team, it's typically filled with stars, but, the big problem is that they're too individual. There's no real team players there. Individuality breeds inconsistency because when everybody's not singing from the same hymm sheet, they perform like who they would sing, which is poorly. Look at the the top teams, Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd. They've got invididual brilliance but the team strive towards one goal, and lots of goals. Come on Spurs. Let's see an improvement, don't need up like Liverpool... filled with paella and no substance!
Posted 13:44 18th March 2008
Craig Finlayson (Rangers fan) says...
I think Andy is spot on with his comments. A manager is judged on results and Ramos's results are good in cups but in the league spurs are still too inconsistent. I think if you read Andy's article he doesn't actually call Ramos a cup manager and in fact says time will tell if Ramos is a cup manager. Personally I just don't think Spurs have what it takes. Football is a result driven game and spurs just always fall in the average category. They made a great signing in Hutton from Rangers but that won't last long. Hutton will want a move back to Rangers. Simply put he won't adjust to winning one week and losing the next on a consistent basis which is what is happening at spurs. Most players with ambition will say the same. Come on Allan, come back to the gers and re-join a team with a chance of GETTING to the Champions league
Posted 12:31 18th March 2008
Jonathan Rodin (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I actually agree with Andy Gray here. The CC victory rescued the season after a disasterous start, but Spurs' inconsistency is obvious and frustrating. If Senor Ramos can hold on to Berbatov, get King fit, find a new goalkeeper and recruit a midfield general, next season should be better. Can Spurs really challenge the top four? Time will tell, but I think Ramos has as good a chance as anyone to do it.
Posted 11:41 18th March 2008
Brian Gill (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I think Ramos has the makings, he dosn`t seem to be afraid of reputations, biggest problem at the moment to many average players brought in over the last few years, Berba and Woodgate the exeption, is Comolli a bigger problem do we really need him, must break the bank to keep Poyet probably the best future for the club.
Posted 22:08 17th March 2008
Fernando Perez (Arsenal fan) says...
Certainly more than 50% of merit with Seville's success over the last three years comes from well before Ramos signed with SFC, and it's a combination of an ambitious economic and signing politics from the club, beginning with the chairman, who modernized structures and helped create a 21st century well-organized club. Then, the sporting Director Ramon Rodriguez (aka Monchi) who surrounded himself with an array of collaborators who watch junior football worldwide along the year and do a strict follow-up of interesting players. That brings a signing politics which is respected by colleagues in Spain and abroad. Baptista, Alves, Poulsen (0 ¿ signing), Keita, Maresca, Kone, Kerzhakov, Kanoute, not to mention the highly productive B and C teams (Navas, Reyes, Ramos -now in Real-, Capel...) All in all I think Ramos is a great coach but please do not underestimate the work from the rest of people in the club who have to get their share of glory as well! Good luck to Tottenham from a Seville fan!
Posted 11:25 15th March 2008
Alan Sims (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Too many average players, Lennon has been awful this season, Malbranque gives the ball away every time, Jenas has improved but must be more imposing, If Berby goes we will be back to square one as we were when Carrick left.
Posted 18:05 14th March 2008
Jordan Stokes (Reading fan) says...
That is an unrealistic target. Spurs have some real quality but it takes more than a year to get rid of the weak links and build an established side, particuarly in midfield. How can they compete with the top four when their best player this season has probably been Jenas, and for all his performances this year you would still pick Fabregas, Scholes, Lampard, Gerrard, Anderson, Ballack ahead of him if you could. Spurs will improve on this season next year but to break into the top four they need to able to adapt their style of play for different matches and have far more depth in their squad especially in the middle of the park.
Posted 17:46 14th March 2008
Dennis C (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I respect Andy Gray's views and always look forward to hearing his comments on football. But I think he has been a little hard on Ramos considering he, Ramos, successfully took an average team in Spain into the champion league via the Spanish league not DOMESTIC CUP competition. Also, Ramos' team tend to play attractive football. I was never a fan of Martin Jol mainly because of his playing style and the fact that his players did not appear to develop further - beyond what they were before they joined Spurs.
Posted 17:43 14th March 2008
Paul Illingworth (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
At the moment I am well happy with Ramos. If he can get us into the Champions League next season just like he did at Seville then I'll be even happier. I have been very impressed with his signings so far. Woodgate especially, Hutton and even Gilberto all look the part.
Posted 17:32 14th March 2008
Tim Jakes (Manchester United fan) says...
The League table doesn't lie lads.
Posted 17:27 14th March 2008
David Smith (Charlton Athletic fan) says...
"You don't have to be a great side to win a cup, but you have to be a pretty good side to finish in the top five or six of the Premier League!" Tottenham finisihed 5th in the league twice on the trot in the last two years! They are nowhere near it this season, but your comments are very short sighted. They are a good side, although this year has been one of change, they've still landed a trophy, and for the third year running will compete in european football.
Posted 17:23 14th March 2008
Roger Lashley (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Stranger things have happened Mr Gray. Champions League football would be fantastic but this can take years to achieve and will depend largely on the managers ability to augment the squad. The retention of key players (Berbatov) is also imperative. Although we came close last year, we weren't able to consolidate despite the vast sums of money spent in the close season. Since his arrival, Ramos has managed to secure the services of Jonathan Woodgate among others who has had an immediate impact. So, more astute purchases should (all being well) most definitely see us challenging.
Posted 17:14 14th March 2008
John Oakley (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I think that Ramos will prove over time that he is the man for Spurs - I certainly hope so after the efforts that we made to get him (especially the ruthlessness). To put it simply .... every Spurs manager has had hoodoos to get over and it seems that Ramos has the ability to do just that - big victories over Arsenal and Chelsea and also bringing some silverware back to the Lane. Also he isn't scared to drop players and change shape within the first 60 minutes and we have seen the benefits of that ... on the flip side though it did cost us against PSV bringing in Gilberto - but Ramos reacted straight away and took him off. It will be interesting to see this over the course of 38 games - especially with a new goalkeeper ... I can't help but think things would be different for Robbo if Jol or McClaren had done the decent thing and dropped him earlier and not left Ramos to do it ... I hope he hasn't fallen so far he can't get back to the form that made him England's number one!
Posted 17:08 14th March 2008
Edward Shannly (Rangers fan) says...
totally agree, that win against chelsea was on the cards for a while, i think anyone in charge would've won that, ramos needs to prove he is good enough to manage a top four team next year which i think he will find difficult although both woodgate and hutton are quality signings!
Posted 17:00 14th March 2008
Surinder Oberoi (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Juande Ramos's pedigree as a manager is not only for the cup success he has had over the last 3 seasons in Spain but also for the way he dealt brilliantly in the transfer markets at Sevilla. He made some fantastic signings along with Monchi the sporting Director at Sevilla and if he can bring Damien Commoli to his way of thinking and buying then Spurs can look forward to a great season next year. I certainly don't agree with Andy's comments on our current players. The midfield is weak and very lazy, you cannot just slam the blame on the defence (which was like a sieve) prior to the current very good signings to shore that side up but the midfield needs strong as well as creative players and I don't believe that the current crop is good enough for the consistency that Andy talks of and certainly not good enough for Champions League. So Juande, get Commoli to bring Keita, Poulsen, and perhaps even Baptista in and tehn you will have a team that would compete week in and week out in the Premier and in Europe.
Posted 16:59 14th March 2008
Michael Simmons (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Ben Wright, I think what Andy is saying is that Ramos can't yet be judged as a manager who can turn things around for us straight away in the league. I like Ramos but let's not get too carried away with it just yet. After beating Chelski (get in, what a day!) we have dipped again. Embarassing performance at Brum and out of the UEFA. Inconsistent. That's what Gray is getting at. Hopefully we can find it under Juande, but time will tell. COYS!
Posted 16:57 14th March 2008
Nils Howard (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
Can't really argue with Andy Grays comments. I do think there will be a radical overhaul of the squad and it will be interesting to see just who stays and who goes. I do think we are lacking in the centre of the park and we need a dedicated left sided midfielder, someone to run the left channel rather than Steed cutting in. With Bale coming back in and the form of both woodgate and king (as long as they're fit) as well as Hutton I think we are now quite strong at the back. Our striking options are good but maybe Pekhart should be given a agme or two in the run in to really see what he can do. We need a new goalkeeper because Robbo looks a shadow of his former self. Its exciting being a Spurs fan at the moment and all I know is I will be getting behind the manager and giving my full support. COYS!
Posted 16:41 14th March 2008
Ben Wright (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
This column is full of contradictions; Spurs finished 5th in the league two seasons running, granted, under Jol... but then Gray mentioned our poor start, and then lambasts our inconsistency? Surely, as Ramos has dragged us up the league from a bottom 3 berth, we have been pretty consistent under him? And in any case, this rubbish about 'Cup specialists' doesn't cut it for me, its a cop out and rather disrespectful. Does Andy not realise that Ramos is also a fairly decent league manager, by his measurement, having got Sevilla into the Champion's League via La Liga last season?
Posted 16:39 14th March 2008
Jeremy Chea (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...
I think that although Andy Gray's comments are a fair reflection on Spurs' season I still find it harsh on Juande Ramos. He has come in and given Spurs belief that had somehow been lost under Martin Jol. To be so harsh to a manager who has brought immediate success is harsh and he should only be judged after the end of next season.
Posted 16:37 14th March 2008
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