By Michael Segger
April 11 2006

When the former French national coach Jacques Santini arrived at White Hart Lane after the Euro 2004 tournament there was an air of optimism around the Lane, but things soon changed... When the former French national coach Jacques Santini arrived at White Hart
Lane after the Euro 2004 tournament there was an air of optimism around the
Lane, especially when he was joined by the very talented "Sporting Director"
Frank Arnesen. However after a positive start, Santini left after just 13
games in charge blaming the Spurs board for not finding him permanent
accommodation and that the life he was living in the hotel he was staying at
was putting strain on his marriage. So, the Spurs board headed by our
chairman Mr Levy searched for the new Boss. Many Spurs fans, myself included
felt the job need a big name manager, the usual lot was being thrown around,
O'Neil, Curbs and the odd foreign coach, but when Santini's old assistant
Martin Jol's name came up for the job I was astonished. I really felt that
appointing this man was going backwards and that only trouble would lie
ahead for us. His first game in charge saw us going down 3-0 at home to
Charlton before we even managed a goal under his leadership. However, how
things have changed in 18months we've gone from mid table mediocrity to
maybe Champion's League qualifiers. After narrowly missing out on the UEFA
cup last season we have jumped that ship and gone straight for Europe's
elect competition, the Champion's League. We have occupied the 4th and last
qualifying spot for the last 6 month's now and even if we do finish there
come May 7th, it could still end if tears if our neighbours from up the road
go on and win this year's competition. It's a bitter pill to swallow
especially as FIFA bent the rules to accommodate both the Merseyside teams to
enter this years competition after Liverpool won it last year but finished
5th behind Everton in 4th. Now, onto this season, despite apparently not
playing well in MANY of our games we have still managed to grind out results
and to see this you have to look no further than our game against Charlton
at the Valley last year. 2-0 down at h/t the Spurs of old would have surely
crawled back into there shell and refused to fight, but this season was
different, this season we came back and won the game 3-2. In recent season's
we've always had a fairly good record at WHL, but in the last 15 months only
1 team has taken 3 points from us, Chelsea and they were lucky to get that
this season after we dominated until Mido's unfair dismissal after just 25
minutes, and it's this excellent record that could seal our place in the CL.
The concept of top tier European football would surely attract more of the
kind of quality players we crave for at the lane, another subject Jol has
been slated for in recent months. After his minimal activity in the January
transfer window securing the services of only Danny Murphy and the unheard
name of Ghaly, Fans of the club were riling with anger after no big name
striker arrived or had he? Jol secured the services of the lanky Polish
international Gregorz Rasiak for a fee of £2million from Derby County. Many
Spurs fans saw this last minute swoop as a shot in the dark, and despite an
impressive debut against Liverpool and having a perfectly good goal
dis-allowed, he failed to impress in all of his games disappearing in many
aspects and despite his height failing to use the aerial ability he had been
blessed with. So, with only 5 games left in the season we sit nervously in
4th with a 4 point cushion, but just around the corner lies what could be
the biggest game in years gone by, The NLD and the final one to be played at
Highbury. Not only is it a massive occasion because of the obvious reason
but also it could be the game which decides who secures that last CL qualifying
place. With regards to the debate that lies within of us playing attractive
football I couldn't care less how we play as long as it secures 3 points for
us. Finally, to all those doubters out there and they know who they are,
let's give this very young Spurs team a chance to prove themselves, they've
come a long, long way in the last season and despite early and bitter defeats
in both Cup comps they could be on their way to making up for that and
bringing the Euro glory days at least back to the famous White Hart Lane, a
place that I love with all my heart.