Mark: Spurs have had an excellent pre-season and look likely to continue their good progress under Martin Jol's stewardship. What are your hopes and aims for the season ahead?

Paul: Most of the pundits think that Spurs will finish fifth again, with just one or two suggesting we might break into the top four. My head tells me we’ll have to settle for fifth again (if we play to the same standard as last term), and already I know that we will do better in the Cups this season. That’s because we don’t start the Carling Cup till the Third Round and we had that inglorious exit last season. As usual then, Spurs fans fancy a Cup run or two, and the best chance may well be in the UEFA Cup. Of course, like all Lilywhites, I would just LOVE it if the impostors at Islington dropped a place or two this time!

Mark: The sale of Michael Carrick to Manchester United has undoubtedly left a big void in the Tottenham midfield. Who do you think will eventually end up taking on the mantle from Carrick?

Paul: We don’t think the void is so big as you suggest. Didier Zokora could be the signing of the summer and will easily fill Carrick’s defensive role. His creative skills are not as developed as those of Carrick, but he takes better corners, and has plenty of creative partners in the middle. Carrick’s sale was an excellent deal for Tottenham, despite the fact that I would rather he had stayed.

Mark: Dimitar Berbatov has been a consistant scorer in the Bundesliga in recent seasons. Who do you feel the Spurs manager will prefer as his first choice strikers when selecting the forward line?

Paul: It’s all about competition, isn’t it? Robbie Keane will possibly miss the Bolton game, so Berbatov and Defoe have a clear run to claim their place. I suspect that Defoe will be edged out if all three are fit, but we have seen all three play in some pre-season games (we won most of ours by the way!) with Keane “in the hole”. I have great expectations of Berbatov.

Mark: Bolton have remained undefeated at home to Spurs in the last decade. Why do you think your team has found it so difficult to collect anything from the Reebok Stadium and old Burnden Park in recent times?

Paul: That’s the 64,000 dollar question, isn’t it? There have been some inept performances from former Spurs teams, and gutsy efforts from the home side. We felt we were cheated last year by the officials’ failure to award a Defoe goal. Last year most of the Premiership met a “new Spurs”, which has more heart, skill and determination throughout the team. Look out this Saturday!

Mark: European football returns to the Lane next season but how disappointed where you to miss out on the Champions League place at the last moment given the fact that you had occupied the spot for the most part of last season?

Paul: Gutted – big-time – just like most of the team on May 7^th. It’s a day we will prefer to forget.

Spurs Odyssey is one of the best and well informed Tottenham websites on the world wide web and Paul has been running it now for a number of years. If you are a die hard Spurs supporter or just a keen football follower in general then it is well worth taking a look

www.spursodyssey.com