Gareth Johnson is the new weekly columnist for our Tottenham Hotspur guest column, He’s Got No Hair And We Don’t Care

It?s 2004 and England have just been knocked out of a major finals by a Luis Felipe Scolari inspired Portugal. Rooney, England?s young hope, in fact, only hope, leaves the field injured and any impetus evaporates. Ricardo, the Portugal keeper, ensures we go no further on penalties.

It?s 2006 and England just been knocked out of a major finals by a Luis Felipe Scolari inspired Portugal. Rooney, England?s young hope, in fact, only hope, leaves the field having been sent off and any impetus evaporates. Ricardo, the Portugal keeper, ensures we go no further on penalties.

So the international scene is as depressing as ever and nothing much changes in two years. However, for all those that follow Tottenham, things may well be changing. Two years ago, we sat on the verge of a French revolution as Jacques Santini rolled in two with players like Atouba and Edman. He also brought along this Dutch bloke called Martin Jol to assist with the coaching. All seemed to be going well, the first six games and no defeats. Jacques and his [add strong French accent] ?young team? were building something for the future. Then suddenly, just like all the French, his head rolled.

Depending on what you believe, this may well have been because he could not see the sea from his apartment. And here was me thinking the only divas were female popstars! David Pleat had taken over from Hoddle to steady the ship and with little skill, nearly sunk it. Now we had Martin Jol moving into the Head Coach position. Something like 6 straight defeats followed and you had to wonder where this was heading.

That was late 2004, it?s now July 2006 and for the first time since 1999, European football is going to be played at White Hart Lane and this Martin Jol fella has turned into a bit of a cult figure. Optimism, always a dangerous state of mind, is again swarming around a squad that now actually looks capable of competing. I cannot remember a season where, on paper, we have looked like seriously having a top 4 squad. Of course to do that, the manager needs to unite the team but Jol certainly seems to have the ability to do this. He has had to make difficult decisions along the way and alluded to it when the speculation surrounding Carrick?s future hit the papers.

Miguel Pedro Mendes is not a superstar in the style of a Deco, but he played a very important role at WHL. He was, as is now the common phrase, a water carrier. In all the performances I watched, he never let us down. Yet Jol removed him from the first team and put in his place Michael Carrick. Looking at his form now, it is very easy to say that this was not a difficult decision, but it was. Carrick was a promising talent that was depressed as Santini acquired him, probably under duress from the board, and then promptly kept him on the bench.

Jol has turned him into someone that could not make the starting XI into a key player and international star. There was also the famous incident when Keane did not get on as a sub and stormed down the tunnel. This was not too dissimilar to Bellamy against Arsenal while playing for Newcastle. His outburst led to him be sold and Newcastle flirting with the lower reaches of the Premiership. For Spurs, Jol turned Keane into Player of the Season and one of the top scorers in the Premiership. So where does this leave us? With a lot of pressure but a top manager, sorry, Head Coach!

There was pressure last season but nothing compared to what we will see next season. Going out early in the cup competitions was a blessing in disguise as the players were fresh. A stat banded about was that Tottenham had played the least number of games in the whole of the professional leagues in England. This season will be very different, we hope. The squad will have to perform to higher levels in all 38 league games and we would expect more domestic cup games. Adding in the European fixtures and it is going to be a test of fitness and man management.

Thus far, we have added one of the most prolific strikers in Europe, Berbatov, a midfielder that proved his ability in the World Cup, Zakora and one of the most highly rated full backs in France, Assou-Ekotto. Berbatov will fill the void left by Mido while the other players that have left, Kelly, Jackson, Naybet and Bunjy were bit part players anyway. However, more strengthening is needed.

Right back is not a position I am comfortable with as I look down the squad list and maybe a centre back and left winger would not go amiss. Apart from that, it looks to be a very decent squad that is certainly able to compete. Injuries and fitness levels are likely to be the main determinants of the season and I only hope that Dr Charlotte and co. can keep the players on the pitch.

Having rambled on about the ability of Jol and the strength of the squad, it is now time to close the first instalment of ?He?s got no hair and we don?t care? with a thought on the season. In many respects, this will be a coming of age for the squad. Alan Hansen famously said ?you never win anything with kids? as Man U, with a very young squad, went on to win trophy after trophy. Spurs too have a very young squad with bags of potential. The problem is potential is not always reached.

Without making a prediction as to how we may do in the various competitions, I just hope that the whole squad is able to progress. This is a very vague statement but should we ?progress?, it should be a promising and fulfilling season for us all. I notice a comment was made about the arrogance of Spurs fans on the previous column that filled this space, lets hope I have something to be arrogant about come the end of the season!

If you think this was rubbish, remember, us writers are also in pre-season training. Hopefully have a couple more ?training sessions? I should be match fit for the start of the season!

Chris Lockwood is State of the Game’s new Blackburn Rovers guest columnist

For a long time now I?ve been trying to convince myself that we are not a selling club, but the departure of Craig Bellamy to Liverpool has put the final nail in that particular coffin. Off the top of my head I see Shearer, Duff, and now Bellamy as prime examples of those who set The Premiership alight at Rovers then move on when ?big? clubs come sniffing! At least we know that Robbie Savage is staying put.

So out go Bellamy and Dickov (to Man City) and in come Jason Roberts from Wigan, for an undisclosed fee, Franny Jeffers on a free after being released by Charlton Athletic and young goalkeeper Jason Brown from Swansea. I am excited about the prospect of Jason Roberts, he is a strong player, sharp with a good finish and finished as last years surprise package Wigan?s top scorer.

When it comes to Franny Jeffers, however, I don?t have quite the same enthusiasm. Granted he looked promising in his younger days and he has been blighted by injury, but at his last two clubs (Charlton Atheltic and Rangers (on loan)) he hasn?t exactly enhanced the reputation he once had. I sincerely hope, however, that my initial reservations are proved wrong and he gains the form that other players have under Hughes! To date the only signing that Hughes has made that hasn?t been a good signing, in my opinion, is that short period of time when Youri Djorkaeff wore the famous blue and white halves.

With a few more incoming players expected to bolster this season?s UEFA cup squad, here?s hoping that Hughes can again show his shrewd approach to transfers and bag a few more bargains to add to the Ryan Nelsens and Robbie Savages already on display in our hardworking first team. And that he can hold on to players like Lucas Neill and Morten Gamst Pedersen, who are likely to attract the interest of these ?big clubs?.

As a closing note I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to, and thank former Rovers captain Garry Flitcroft, who I?ve heard today has had to retire due to injury. He represented Rovers for almost ten years after signing from Man City for 3.5 million in 1996. He was a great servant to us over those years and its sad to see any player, let alone a long serving Rovers player, have to retire at the young age of 33. I wish him the best of luck in the future, and hope to see him back at Ewood again in whatever role he pursues, unless he becomes manager of Burnley!!

An air of panic seems to be setting in over Old Trafford now that the World Cup has ended and the mad season of transfers is upon us. Losing Ruud Van Nistelrooy is an expected blow after the fallouts he had last season with Cristiano Ronaldo and the management and Bayern Munich now look like being the most likely destination for the free scoring Dutchman.

To add a little spice to that mix, Cristiano Ronaldo has now made it clear that he is unwilling to return to Old Trafford after his antics in Germany helped get Wayne Rooney sent off and put England out of the World Cup. We can only wonder what kind of reception the poor little fella has had visions of in his nightmares as he thinks about coming back to play in England next year. Spain looks to be the most likely next stop for Ronaldo with Capello’s new regime at Real Madrid the favourites for his signature.

Even more worrying still for Alex Ferguson and the Glazers is the news today that Gabriel Heinze is one of the seven names on a transfer target list held by Ramon Calderon, the new Real Madrid president and with Fabio Capello a big admirer of the tough, uncompromising Argentinian, it would be no surprise again to see one of Ferguson’s defensive mainstays jump ship to the new Galactico regime at the Bernabeu.

Where that all leaves Manchester United’s transfer plans is quite obvious. Up sh*t creek without the proverbial paddle being closest description. Michael Carrick’s move from Tottenham seems to have stalled, Didier Zokora chose Spurs over United and Chelsea and suddenly the available options for United get smaller by the day.

We’ve heard of rumours from Milan about Gattuso and Pirlo coming to Manchester United if AC Milan are forced into Serie B but with the open chequebook of Real Madrid can Ferguson honestly think he’ll be able to snap these players up without a fight? And what about replacing the players above who look certain to leave? A top striker, a creative winger and a no-nonsense defender don’t exactly grow on trees and certainly they don’t come cheap.

I wouldn’t fancy being in Alex Ferguson’s shoes over the next month or so, he’s got a hell of a job on his hands one way or the other in persuading Ronaldo and Heinze to stay or in replacing them and the Glazers will have to dig deep into that fortune of theirs if they don’t want next season to become an unmitigated disaster.

I truly had expected an announcement on the transfer of Michael Carrick to Manchester United after England’s World Cup campaign ended but with no word at all now and the papers teling us that Sir Alex Ferguson has grown tired of Spurs (quite rightly) playing hard ball over the price, it seems that Carrick isn’t going anywhere.

Ferguson can now look admiringly at Bayern Munich’s latest England hero Owen Hargreaves and AC Milan’s World Cup winning pair Andrea Pirlo and Gennaro Gattuso as he tries to get some reinforcements in for the new season and finally replace Roy Keane but Spurs fans needn’t get too comfortable with the idea of Carrick staying just yet.

The fact that his admirer in the Real Madrid presidential elections didn’t win doesn’t mean that other foreign clubs won’t have spotted the solid job he does keeping the Spurs midfield ticking over and with nasty whispers emanating out of N5 we can only hope that Mr levy and the board wouldn’t ever get pound coins in their eyes and sell our top players to that lot down the road. There will never be a ceasefire with that lot after the Campbell move and even though he’s found the pressure too much now it doesn’t mean that we’ve forgotten the treachery.

Some reports say we’re looking very closely at Zlatan Ibrahaimovic from Juventus to make up the numbers in attack. With Berbatov, Keane and Defoe already fighting it out for the two striking berths I think Martin Jol would need to go to a 4-2-4 formation next season to accomodate the attacking quality we have. The next few weeks should be interesting as far as transfers go and with the Italian court verdict coming qthere should be plenty of quality available to be fought over.

What I’ve learned this World Cup is that the Germans are fine hosts even when they are riding around Berlin all night honking their horns after a win, I can indeed have a love/hate relationship with the Italians, and that predictions are a fool’s game.

That said, I do envisage a tight, entertaining match today that ends up 2-0 to the Italians. Their defense is just too organized and talented. France will almost certainly play a 4-2-3-1 which has left Zinedine Zidane as the sole playmaker during the tournament. Italy will make quick work of this and stifle any service to French striker Thierry Henry.

But the French have a fine defense themselves and will not give the newly attacking Italians much room to work. But the one weak link in the French team, their goalkeeper Fabien Barthe,z will not be able to make the extraordinary save and one or two of the Italian chances are sure to go in.

So, that’s it, thankfully my final World Cup prediction, Italy to win 2-0 in a great match (which definitely means France will win 1-0).

In the world of European club football there are few men who could honestly say they stand shoulder to shoulder with two of the most successful club managers in the game: Sir Alex Ferguson and Marcello Lippi.

As managers of Manchester United and Juventus respectively they swept all before them including leading their clubs to Champion’s League glory on the back of multiple domestic league titles. As club managers these two are virtually inseperable with regards achievements and the respect they are held in by those in the game. Lippi’s only claim to greatness over Ferguson is that he has now lead Italy to the World Cup Final and could yet get his hands on that most hallowed of golden trophies. Not having been in the same situation, we can’t hold this against Alex Ferguson.

If these two are the greatest club football managers on the planet then can someone explain to me just why the one who’s star is still in the ascendency (i.e. Lippi) would even consider going to Old Trafford and taking a job as Alex Ferguson’s assistant? The story just doesn’t add up for me. I can understand that he may want to succeed Alex when he finally retires (or falls down whichever comes first, I vote for falls down) but why would the most highly rated fotball manager in the world, at his peak, accept a couple of years under Ferguson’s control when he would be just as able to walk into the job from a position of power whenever Fergie does go? I just don’t get it.

On the other hand, why would a strong, proud man like Alex Ferguson want that most dangerous of assistants just sitting there and waiting for him to go, knowing all the time that the board and the players would be looking to Lippi as the man of the future and maybe not the so dim and distant future either. Ferguson’s position could go from one of power to one of sitting duck in a matter of months, if not weeks and why would he want to put himself through that strain and pressure on top of an already highly pressured job?

Something just doesn’t equate in this whole scenario, for either man, and if the noises are true that Lippi was willing to go to Old Trafford with the promise of succeeding Ferguson, would we be too surprised to hear that the Scotsman put the veto on the move, if only to give himself one more year without looking over his shoulder and fearing the enemy within?

Through 6 matches of the World Cup finals, neither France nor Italy have lost a match, with the Italians drawing once against the US and the French drawing Switzerland and South Korea. One could argue that Italy have had the slightly more difficult road to the Finals, but French defeats of Brazil and Spain have certainly impressed.

The Italians have not conceded a goal after the 30th minute and that was an own-goal! The fact that their already stifling defense actually gets stronger as the match goes on will strike fear in French hearts. But France have scored 7 of their 8 goals after the 30th minute, which may mean the slow starters have been able to adjust to their opponents.

Italy scores 7 of their 11 goals from outside the penalty area, but France have yet to concede from outside the box. Claude Makelele and Patrick Viera in support of the French back four have been outstanding during the Finals, and if Viera is on-form, they will be a good test for the Azzuri.

Curiously, Italian keeper Gianluigi Buffon is amongst the leaders in saves made during the World Cup. Whether this is up to his skill or a sign of holes in the Italian defense is up for discussion.

Despite his up and down form, Italy’s Francisco Totti leads all players in assists and credit must be given to the Italians attacking nature, the lack of which has been so derided in the past. But France’s Thierry Henry has the most shots on goal during the tournament despite being starved of service early on.

What do these numbers mean? A tight match with few opportunities because of stifling defenses or a wide-open Final with loads of chances, ending with a late winner? Hope for the latter.

Outsiders may have looked at Mido’s goal return at Tottenham last year and seen a useful player who knew how to find the net. Obviously the coaching staff and a large quantity of Spurs fans saw something else and the Egyptian’s loan contract was allowed to expire with Spurs showing no interest in making it a permanent transfer.

The young man with more clubs than Tiger Woods now finds himself back at Roma, declaring his refound love for the club all over again and saying how desperate he is now to prove himself back in Serie A. Behave yourself Ahmed please. We all know that you consider yourself too good for a lowly mid table club like Blackburn Rovers but truth be told, they are getting a lucky escape with Mido turning down a ?3m move to Ewood Park.

The fluctuating weight problems, the laziness on the pitch and the tantrums most graphically displayed while playing for Egypt in the African Nation’s Cup aren’t worth a goal tally which limped into the double figures rather than roared last season at Tottenham.

If he’s been anything like the player his reputation has made him out to be then the chance of a brand new start at Spurs would have been the catalyst his career needed to get back on track but like Frechman Stephane Dalmat befor him, the need for constant attention and self-absoption proved too much, as did the over zealous attention he gave to the pie dish. Hardly the mark of a committed professional footballer (and I include the porky Ronaldo in that sentiment).

No, Mark Hughes may turn his attention elsewhere and his club will be all the better for it, there are enough headcases at Blackburn without adding another one and especially one who is still living off his early days reputation as “the Beckham of Egypt”.

Not that we like gazumping the tabloid press with scurrilous stories about alleged shady meetings between contracted players, their “superstar” wives and the man who holds the purse strings at an unnamed (damn it, I put the name in the headline) Premiership club but I’m sure the Daily Mail didn’t really have an exclusive on it anyway.

Can we believe the stories that are emanating from that most respected of previously mentioned tabloids and the North East that Freddy Shepherd and the Beckham Siamese Twins have already had a very private (and serious) meeting about Senor Beckham trading in his sombrero and souvenir donkey and swapping them for a polo neck jumper and a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale in the land of Ant and Dec for next season?

It sounds almost too unbelievable to be true until we dig a little deeper. A site not a million miles from here ran an article a couple of weeks ago by one of the world’s finest football writers (ahem!) asking which club would want David Beckham? My conclusion at the time was that he wasn’t suited to or wanted by any of the top five clubs in the country and in view of his massive wages and need for a big enough stage to soothe his ego, Newcastle United would be the only logical destination for Beckham to come back to England to.

Some may cry that the Toon hierarchy are indulging in a bit of baseless rumour mongering to lift poor season ticket sales and with Michael Owen injured until 2007 it wouldn’t surprise any of us if this was true. What has changed since I wrote that article is that Ramon Calderon has taken over as Real Madrid president and installed Fabio Capello as head coach. Maybe Beckham has been told that the new coach is more than prepared to ditch the old guard at Madrid and no amount of shirt sales in the club shop will save the artist formerly known as Golden Balls. Who knows?

Three people know for sure what was discussed and unless either of the Beckhams or Mr Shepherd get on to State of the Game by e-mail tonight to tell us, we might all have to wait for tomorrow’s Daily Mail to see what other “facts” they’ve been able to unearth.

A million Geordies wait with baited breath.

During the group stages, the French team seemed without direction and cohesion and looked certain to have a poor tournament. After literally escaping to the knockout rounds they put in two remarkable performances against Spain and Brazil to reach the semi-fiinals.

Against Portugal, they were not the team we saw in the past two matches and will need to turn it around once again to defeat Italy.

Portugal were poor competition and the Azzuri will be far stronger at every position and the French will need to do more than defend for 90 minutes.

Midfielders Patrick Viera and Claude Makelele were effective against Portugal, but they only ventured forward for corners. Their plan was to stay directly in front of the back four and it worked, but it worked against a team that had literally no threat in the striker position. Pauleta was dire as a center forward and it is amazing that he is the best at that position in all of Portugal.

Italy have three strikers who are in a different class than Pauleta and will take advantage of any mistakes the French make.

France played more of a 4-2-3-1 formation than a 4-5-1 and Thierry Henry was isolated up front throughout the match and wingers Franck Ribery and Florent Malouda did not have the quality to make the perfect crosses that were needed. Even Zidane, often double-teamed, was often out of options and ideas when the 6 or 7 Portugese defenseman were marking just the four French attackers.

They will have to be better against a stronger Italian defense.

An alternative for France would be to play a 4-4-2 but with striker Louis Saha suspended, the options for coach Raymond Domanech are limited. Once again, Zidane and Viera (and Ribery and Malouda) will have to play the game of their lives, this time to lift the cup.