Mark: Martin Jol has brought in a lot of promising British players such as Michael Dawson and Michael Carrick over the past year, is this policy something that will help Spurs regain their status in and amongst the best in England?

Paul: Firstly, it’s interesting how Martin Jol has become associated with the influx of all these young players that Spurs have signed in the last 18 months. Both the names you mention were signed whilst Frank Arnesen was our Sporting Director (not now viewed as very sporting by Spurs fans!). The truth is that there is a four-man football committee at the club, including the Chairman, current Sporting Director (Damien Comolli), Martin Jol and the club secretary. I think the desire to sign up as much young talent as possible was driven by Chairman Daniel Levy, who recently signed up Jermaine Jenas. Rumour has it that Jol felt that we were already very strong in the midfield department, but after a shaky start, Jenas has now become a favourite after excellent performances (and goals) in October. When you have the football press and pundits almost drooling over the English talent in the Spurs squad (Robinson, King, Carrick, Jenas, Defoe, Dawson and Lennon to name just 7) then you just know that the good times are coming back to Tottenham. You will probably see all these players on Monday night, aided by the undoubted talent and experience of Edgar Davids, Paul Stalteri, Young-Pyo Lee, and Mido, with the likes of Tainio and Robbie Keane likely to be on the bench.

Mark: Last season Tottenham defeated Bolton in the Carling Cup thanks to an inspired performance from Jermaine Defoe. Is he still firing on all cylinders this season and what can the Wanderers expect from him on Monday night?

Paul: Jermain Defoe has scored just three goals this season, and hasn’t scored at all during our four games in October. However, he was the creator for Jenas’s debut goal against Everton, Keane’s winner at Charlton, and he was the victim of the foul that led to Jenas’s superb free kick goal at Old Trafford. Jermain (Defoe has no E, whereas Jenas has an E at the end of his first name!) is first choice above Robbie Keane, and you can expect plenty of pace from him, and it has to be said – he is due a goal!

Mark: Spurs have been defeated just once in the Premiership this season. Are you confident that you can carry on this excellent run of form at the Reebok Stadium?

Paul: I am very much aware that Bolton have an “Indian Sign” over Spurs at present in League matches having won their last five such matches. It’s an incredible record from a club that once might have been regarded as cannon fodder by even a mediocre Spurs side over the years. In fairness, that label could never be applied to games at The Reebock, or indeed at the old stadium, where we lost that horrible League Cup game in November 1996. Therefore, I cannot be confident of a victory, but I am confident of a good show by our lads, who go into this game on the back of two good draws against Man Utd and Arsenal. All credit to Sam Allardyce for transforming Bolton into a team who are to be regarded as just as formidable opponents as those in our last two games. Spurs MAY start their winning run with this game, but I suspect it may have to start with West Ham on November 18th!

Mark: Which players in the Trotters team do you feel will be a threat to Tottenham when the two teams meet?

Paul: From my point of view, Kevin Nolan is the only name that stands out in a team that is full of players who will give their all to the cause, and play as a team, not as prima donnas. We shan’t disrespect any of the eleven that Sam puts out against us. I think your keeper is one of the best in the League.

Mark: What hopes or expectations do you have for Spurs currently, is success in a European competition the way to go?

Paul: I personally predicted fourth place for Spurs at the beginning of the season, and I am feeling more and more confident about that, but we will settle for any place in Europe. If not achieved then I think it would be a failure with all the resources at our disposal this term. One thing is for sure. Spurs fans have been begging for European football for years, and when it comes our stadium will not be half empty, as was the case at The Reebok and The Riverside this week.

Walking Down The Manny Road would like to thank Paul for answering our questions. Paul is the webmaster of the hugely popular Spurs Odyssey website which has been running for approximately seven years now and includes everything you wanted to know about the White Hart Lane club past or present. Paul is also a Spurs trust member and has been going to see Tottenham since the 1960's

He is helped on the Spurs Odyssey website by Brian Judson and Ray Lo to name but two. The web url is http://www.spursodyssey.com/index.html

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