Now if I was Manager.............

Mon, 6 Oct 2008 14:47:20 -0500

Look, I am not having a go ! At times like this (comes round every 96 years apparently) we need to stick together and support each other.

BUT I reckon that if I was manager I probably could have got a track record of 2 points out of a possible 21 to match Senor Ramos. So I think I am allowed a little fantasy to lift the gloom and tell you what I think we should do and what I think about the players. That is the players Comelli has given me not the ones I would like.That's for another time.

Lets start and it has to be 4-4-2 - no pissing around with systems the players obviously cannot cope with.

Goal keeper - this is easy. Gomes is brilliant ,has to start every league game. Sanchez is excellent cover and could have a go in the Cups.

Right back - Shame about Hutton, but we have Gunter. He has a lot to learn so he may as well start now. I wouldn't be subbing him for David Bentley -ever! Corluka can cover when necessary as I see him for Woody's partner in the main.

Centre backs - Lets be honest Ledley's career is over. If he wants rehab to see if his problems will go let him play in the reserves. We need a settled pairing. Woodgate is excellent and seems to have left his injury problems behind.

Corluka may be better than Dawson and I would have to check that on the training ground. For the Hull game I would have played Dawson against his brother. Daws works hard is 100% committed and would have played his heart out.

Left back - Gareth Bale is an outstanding prospect and has to play. BAE will have to deputise and play in the cups.

Right Mid - Has to be David Bentley. Aaron is lively but how many goals does he score or assist ? The answer is just not enough to start.

Defensive Mid - I know a lot will disagree but it has to be Zokora. Quite simply he is the best we have. Played on a regular basis I believe he will get better. Huddlestone will have to be cover until he can pick up his pace.

Attacking Mid - Luka Modric was signed to do this so let him play himself into form. JJ can provide back up and come from the bench.

Left Mid - Jamie O'Hara gets my vote for a regular start. Gilberto would be my back up. Why you would get a Brazilian experienced international and destroy his confidence in no time at all seems weird to me.

Striker 1- Darren Bent is the man to play and I have confidence he will repond. Pav will have a nice rest and come off the bench.

Striker 2 - Gio dos Santos wants to play here so let him. Campbell can sit on the bench until Pekhart returns. Then he can go back to Man U that he seems to love so much.

Subs : I would make sure Bostock and Rose get some bench time. I would also bring Taarbet back.

Captain - Since Ledley cannot continue I would replace him by Woody and make Zokora vice captain. Didier has the drive and energy we need.

There we are sorted and into top half by end of November. Whats the big deal. Now about my contract..........

In Jol We Trust

Wed, 1 Oct 2008 15:20:47 -0500

When Spurs made a messy business of sacking Martin Jol I was pretty annoyed at how he was treated by the Spurs board.

This guy had put us into the Top 5 on a regular basis and had an improving record in Cup competitions. And all this with young players still to reach their full 'potential'. So I decided that I would try to support him when he found a new club. Just hoped it wouldn't be the scum or barcodes. As it turned out it was Hamburg. I sent him a message of support, found that HSV has an English website and haven't looked back.

While Spurs have floundered Hamburg are now top of the Bundaliga. First game was against Klinnsmann's highly fancied Bayern and we went 2-0 down fairly rapidly only to fight back and run out at 2-2. Results have continued to be better than Klinsmann's even though we lost Van der Vaart and Kompany. Just a 3-0 clobbering by Wolfsburg to blot a great start.

Think we should try and get him back to White Hart Lane pronto.