Ramos can turn the tide but 12.5 Blackpool can make Spurs seasick

Carling Cup / Mike Norman / 30 October 2007 / Leave a Comment

"Mystical" Mike Norman looks into his crystal ball to determine what Blackpool may have in store for Spurs tomorrow night

I get the distinct impression that amongst Spurs fans, chairman Daniel Levy is about as popular as Duncan Fletcher turning up at a dinner table reserved for Flintoff, Botham and Boycott. The way Levy has gone about removing Martin Jol, while at the same time doing more tapping-up than Peter Stringfellow, appears to have left a bitter taste in the mouths of many football fans. The cost of Jol's pay off, and the compensation packages to both Sevilla and Leeds United, will no doubt run into millions, and it remains to be seen just how Juande Ramos and Gus Poyet are going to turn Tottenham's season around.

In the 'winner without the big 4' market, Spurs were red hot favourites (matched at 2.30) when the new Premiership season began, and were widely expected to be the team that would mount a serious challenge for a Champion's League slot. But after collecting just one league win from eleven starts, they find themselves at the wrong end of the table and currently trade at 15.5 to finish ahead of all bar Arsenal, Man Utd, Liverpool and Chelsea.

The first thing Juande Ramos needs to do, is to come to terms with the huge task in hand - and if Sir Edmund Hillary isn't available to give advice on climbing mountains, then I would start by looking at the club's surprisingly leaky defence. Both Pascal Chimbonda and Gareth Bale look ok at full back, and may well fit into the Ramos style of play, as they both like to get forward when possible. The worry I have for Bale is that he is inexperienced at this level, and I have already seen him get skinned by players slower than Jimmy Saville in a London Marathon.

The centre of defence has been a huge problem for Spurs so far, and dare I use this line again, but Michael Dawson is fast becoming the new Titus Bramble - capable at his best, but makes far too many errors. The absence of Ledley King has been a big blow, but the guy seems to have been loitering around treatment rooms his entire career, and is not someone to build your back four around. I expect Ramos to make a central defender and a defensive midfielder his priority come January transfer window time.

For you eternal pessimists, Tottenham are currently trading at 55 to finish rock bottom in the Premiership, while they are 22 to be relegated. But let's be honest, the quality of their midfield and forward line should ensure these thoughts are a distant memory, probably sooner rather than later. Without going into too much detail, I just think the team has been short on confidence, knowing that if they don't score at one end, they will probably concede at the other.

One aspect of the club must be addressed immediately though, and that is the attitude of the players. By all means be disappointed when you are not selected. Put that disappointment into the memory bank and save it for the next time you play, channeling it into a terrific performance that gives the manager no option but to keep you in the team. But never sulk, moan, refuse to warm up, cause unrest etc when not selected, because petulance can fast put your career on a downward spiral.

Wednesday night will no doubt see a passionate crowd, a thunderous ovation and someone stealing the show. But putting the National TV Awards to one side for the moment, Tottenham have a tricky looking home tie against Blackpool in the Carling Cup. My money will be on the away team to cause a big upset at 12.5, as I couldn't have Spurs at 1.31 in their current form.

As Juande Ramos embarks on his new challenge, let's remind ourselves that hopes are still high that Spurs will be in Europe next season - a top 6 finish in the Premiership will get them there (currently at 5.4). But what about qualifying by lifting the UEFA Cup? Ramos is supposed to be a lucky manager, and he has a terrific bond with the trophy itself. But at odds of 14 is this worth a punt? Come on Spurs fans, let me know what you think.