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Juande Ramos Dishes Out the Home Truths

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Did Levy have a part ownership of MacDonalds at that time and give his players two for one coupons as bonuses!!
 
Comoli strikes back

Former Tottenham sporting director Damien Comolli has lifted the lid on the disastrous year when Juande Ramos was in charge.

Ramos, whose Dnipro side lead Spurs 1-0 going into the second leg of their Europa League tie on Thursday, recently blamed the club for ruining his reputation in England.

But Comolli, who worked with the Spanish manager at White Hart Lane in 2007-08, claims Ramos:

  • ran players into the ground in training.
  • refused to work with other coaches at the club and did nothing to prepare them tactically for matches.
  • had no man-management skills
  • boasted about his experience in bringing through youngsters, then made ridiculous demands to sign stellar names
Comolli says Ramos was out of touch with the Barclays Premier League and did not listen to advice from chairman Daniel Levy and the board to adapt his style of management from Spain.

‘One thing that worried me straight away after we appointed him from Sevilla was something their sporting director Monchi told me,’ said Comolli, 41.

‘He was a friend of mine, so I rang and apologised for taking their manager halfway through the season.

'He said that the coach from their reserve team was probably better than Ramos and that we’d soon find out he’s not the reason for the club’s success.’

But within four months of taking over from Martin Jol, Ramos won the Carling Cup, the club’s first trophy since 1999.

‘We thought we were on to something good,’ said Comolli. But behind the scenes the situation was turning into a nightmare.

When you interview a manager or a potential candidate you put the culture of your club, what you’re about, on the table straight away.

'We made it clear to him we couldn’t afford to buy stars, we wanted to make them. We couldn’t compete with Chelsea or Manchester United like that. He said, “No problem, I’m good at that”.

'He mentioned he was the coach of Barcelona B. Then as soon as he came in, he said, “I want Samuel Eto’o and David Villa”. He wasn’t interested in young players at all.’

Harry Redknapp replaced him and two seasons later they qualified for the Champions League.

Ramos sold Younes Kaboul and Jermain Defoe — two players Redknapp brought back, Defoe for twice the price they received from Portsmouth for him.

Comolli worked under Arsene Wenger at Woolwich and saw first-hand the training methods of tactician Steve Clarke at Liverpool, so speaks from experience when he says: ‘Harry instilled in the side a good team spirit, trusted the players and they rewarded him.

With Ramos the players didn’t trust him. He tried to convince the board the players we had were poor but we had great players.

'He couldn’t use them or get the best out of them, couldn’t connect with them or get any kind of team spirit.

‘He pushed them so hard in training they got injuries. They were too tired mentally and physically from his training regime. I felt the players went into games tactically underprepared.’

Tottenham brought in Gus Poyet to help but Ramos would not discuss team selection with the Uruguayan.

Problems mounted in the first pre-season Ramos had at the club in 2008. ‘It started to become a nightmare,’ recalled Comolli. ‘Training died, the relationship with players was gone, there was no dialogue with them.’

It came to a head when Spurs had their worst start to a top-flight season.
Comolli, Poyet and first-team coach Marcos Alvarez were fired when Ramos was.

‘I lost my job because of him but after he left we kept in touch,’ said Comolli.

‘I always protected his name. I prefer to remember him as the person who brought a trophy to Spurs rather than by all the stuff he has said recently.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...molli-hits-claims-old-boss.html#ixzz2uWAYkJqG
 

Manager says Tottenham was “dream of my entire life” – Spurs held back by ‘economics’​

By Sean Lunt -
14th November 2023

Juande Ramos has insisted that his move to Tottenham was the “dream” of his entire life, despite it not working out for him at the club.

The former Spurs boss has been speaking about his time at Tottenham in an interview in Spain, relayed by MSN.

Ramos moved to Tottenham in 2007 after a successful two-year spell with Sevilla, but only managed a year and 54 games in charge of the club despite signing a six-year deal reportedly worth £6m a year.

He had enjoyed early success at the club and won the League Cup in his first season there, but their form slumped after that, with defeat to Udinese at the start of their UEFA Cup group campaign spelling the end of his time in charge.

His departure came alongside that of sporting director Damien Comolli and a raft of other sackings at the time, as Daniel Levy swung the axe and made major changes ahead of bringing in Harry Redknapp as manager.

Ramos has had something of a varied coaching career since, managing Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Dnipro and Malaga. Of those four, he only managed more than 30 games for Dnipro, where he spent four years as boss.

He’s been out of work since leaving Malaga in 2016 and now, looking back on his career, insists that decision to move to Tottenham is not one he regrets.

“Mine was a situation that I took consciously. Sportingly, the change was very important, I was going to a league, a competition, the Premier League, which I was very excited about,” he said.

“I did it at the time and I would do it again now. But things happen because they happen… It was the right time. In no single moment have I regretted having done it.

“Without a doubt, the economic issue was very important, but above all it had to do with the sports issue. Going to a club of an entity like Tottenham and a competition like the Premier… Come on, the dream of my entire life. Living that experience is invaluable.

“No one is going to take away the satisfaction and pride of having been in an entity like Sevilla. But professionals are open to any situation.

“And the same thing happens with the satisfaction of having been in a place like Tottenham, where I would have liked to spend more time because it is an entity that has tremendous potential to compete with the best in England, with City, United or Woolwich., with whoever.

“I was left as an unfinished work because at that time it was a limited company that thought much more about economics than about sports.”
 

Manager says Tottenham was “dream of my entire life” – Spurs held back by ‘economics’​

By Sean Lunt -
14th November 2023

Juande Ramos has insisted that his move to Tottenham was the “dream” of his entire life, despite it not working out for him at the club.

The former Spurs boss has been speaking about his time at Tottenham in an interview in Spain, relayed by MSN.

Ramos moved to Tottenham in 2007 after a successful two-year spell with Sevilla, but only managed a year and 54 games in charge of the club despite signing a six-year deal reportedly worth £6m a year.

He had enjoyed early success at the club and won the League Cup in his first season there, but their form slumped after that, with defeat to Udinese at the start of their UEFA Cup group campaign spelling the end of his time in charge.

His departure came alongside that of sporting director Damien Comolli and a raft of other sackings at the time, as Daniel Levy swung the axe and made major changes ahead of bringing in Harry Redknapp as manager.

Ramos has had something of a varied coaching career since, managing Real Madrid, CSKA Moscow, Dnipro and Malaga. Of those four, he only managed more than 30 games for Dnipro, where he spent four years as boss.

He’s been out of work since leaving Malaga in 2016 and now, looking back on his career, insists that decision to move to Tottenham is not one he regrets.

“Mine was a situation that I took consciously. Sportingly, the change was very important, I was going to a league, a competition, the Premier League, which I was very excited about,” he said.

“I did it at the time and I would do it again now. But things happen because they happen… It was the right time. In no single moment have I regretted having done it.

“Without a doubt, the economic issue was very important, but above all it had to do with the sports issue. Going to a club of an entity like Tottenham and a competition like the Premier… Come on, the dream of my entire life. Living that experience is invaluable.

“No one is going to take away the satisfaction and pride of having been in an entity like Sevilla. But professionals are open to any situation.

“And the same thing happens with the satisfaction of having been in a place like Tottenham, where I would have liked to spend more time because it is an entity that has tremendous potential to compete with the best in England, with City, United or Woolwich., with whoever.

“I was left as an unfinished work because at that time it was a limited company that thought much more about economics than about sports.”
Funny, I assume this has been the case since 2008/09... Yet we haven't heard anything about it... Especially THIS season ...

Yet, inexplicably, 2 defeats later, and HERE it is, in all its' glory!

Bump to MEDIA BIAS thread imho!
 
There is no debate. Levy OUT!
I totally agree. It's like the folk who genuinely think giving the Tories another five years makes sense. I'm not full down on Levy but He's tried to get us over the line for 21 years all his best decision came about despite his best efforts, the exception to this rule is Redknapp. We have changed direction with the coach recruitment structure and Academy the last thing left to change is Levy himself. It would be illogical not to to try a new voice in his position to see if any marginal gain can be wrought. Irrespective of what you consider his legacy.
 
Yes, who wouldn't? It's that kind of quality of players we needed to replace Berbs and Keane, not Campbell, Bent and Pav.

Sell Berbatov. Get Frazer Campbell on loan..........:levylol:

crowd-laughing.gif
 

Tottenham Hotspur were last night encouraged to move for David Villa after the Spain striker's agent claimed a sizeable offer for the player would be considered by Valencia and that he is interested in a switch to White Hart Lane.

Villa has been linked with a number of clubs, including Liverpool and Chelsea, following his stellar performance at Euro 2008, finishing as top-scorer with four goals, and the 26-year-old is set to leave Valencia before the start of the season. The club has hit financial trouble and their owner, Vicente Soriano, yesterday admitted: "We cannot assure people that we will not have to sell one of our stars."


Real Madrid are believed to be preparing a €40m [£31.5m] bid for Villa and his agent, José Luis Tamargo, invited Spurs to do the same. "Many clubs have contacted me about the chances of a player who is guaranteed to score goals in England," he said. "But I am convinced if Spurs present an offer, Valencia will study the subject."


He later added: "David likes London and likes how Tottenham play with Juande Ramos [the manager]. This is a club that excites him."


Tamargo said Spurs have not made an offer for the player but that could change within days should Robbie Keane, as expected, complete a move to Liverpool.

Keane returned to London with the Tottenham squad yesterday afternoon following their three-match tour of Spain. The Irishman did not feature in the last of those fixtures - a 1-1 draw with Hércules - fuelling speculation that he is close to leaving the club. The 28-year-old has already told Ramos he wants to join Liverpool and a deal in the region of £18m could be concluded this weekend.

Spurs - who have reported Liverpool to the Premier League for making public their interest in the Irishman - say he remains part of the squad that is scheduled to play at Norwich City on Monday, as does Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian continues to be linked with Manchester United, whose interest has been reported to the Premier League
 
Pav and Bent 29m or Eto 27m?


Tottenham Hotspur's hopes of signing Samuel Eto'o appear doomed to failure as the Barcelona striker is earning £128,000 a week – after tax. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is prepared to fly out to Spain to try to broker the deal and although the Premier League club believe they can cope with the transfer fee, and hope to negotiate Barça down from the £27m they are currently demanding, Eto's wages are prohibitive.

Barça are set for a summer of upheaval following the imminent departure of coach Frank Rijkaard with a clear-out of the squad planned. Eto'o has come close to leaving in the past but now it appears that he is one of the big names – along with Ronaldinho and Deco – who can go.


Barça are attempting to drum up interest in Eto'o, with the Italian giants Milan and Internazionale linked with a move while agents are contacting Chelsea to see if they want to buy the Cameroonian. Manchester United were keen last summer but are less so after the striker's indifferent season and injury concerns.


Eto'o is a notoriously difficult character to negotiate with and is renowned for changing his mind, but this week he talked up the merits of the Premier League. Even though they cannot offer Champions League football, Spurs had hoped to steal a march on their rivals. But although they are willing to smash their wage structure, and are working on ways to fund the deal through the sale of Dimitar Berbatov to a European club – they do not want the Bulgarian to stay in England if he leaves White Hart Lane – the news that Eto'o is paid €8m (£6.6m) a year net of tax will stun them.

Spurs are monitoring a number of Spanish-based strikers including Diego Milito of Real Zaragoza and Valencia's David Villa, which is no surprise given the nationality of their head coach, Juande Ramos. A more realistic target is another Barça striker, Giovani Dos Santos. The 19-year-old Mexican is meeting with his agent, Pini Zahavi, next week to discuss his future. The player's father has said that Manchester City are favourites to sign Giovani, who would cost around €10m (£7.8m) although there is also interest from Chelsea. Given the changes at Barça it may be that he remains at the Nou Camp or is allowed to go out on a season-long loan.

It is likely to be a busy summer for Spurs under Ramos, who is keen to overhaul the squad he inherited from Martin Jol and has already signed Luka Modric for £16m. A priority remains a new goalkeeper, with Paul Robinson likely to be sold, although the Brazilian club Cruzeiro has claimed that they rejected a bid for their striker Marcelo Moreno. However if Spurs increase their offer for the 20-year-old Bolivian – currently €6m (£5m) – it is likely to succeed.


Spurs are also likely to face a compensation battle with Crystal Palace over midfielder John Bostock. The 16-year-old has decided to move to Spurs but Palace's assistant manager Mick Jones insisted that he "can't come cheap".
 
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