He?s Got No Hair and We Don?t Care: Consistency The Key For Spurs

I took a risk last week. As it was Reading v Tottenham, I invited a Reading supporting fan and my mate from work that is also a Spurs fan around to my house for the big game. Having beat the Chelsea the week before, the Reading fan cried off and it was left to me and Birrell to enjoy the game. As we discussed the tactics and line ups, we both agreed that the key was starting well. If we came out all guns blazing and immediately put them on the back foot, we were in with a chance. As it was, we limped out and the writing was on the walls.

Last week was perhaps one of the worst performances I have ever witnessed. I have seen Tottenham get hammered up here in the North East 6-1 and 7-1 off Newcastle and there was a 5-1 at Boro a while ago too but the Reading game was simply awful. Jol had said in the week he was looking to Zokora for a performance because he had been playing so well. Lennon had done well at Chelsea and the defence looked brilliant coping with the late onslaught. All were shocking. Perhaps we were destined to lose. I was really unhappy with Sky to start with. They built up to Reading v Spurs by showing us around the Emirates Stadium; I could not believe it.

Then Andy Gray showed his football knowledge when asked if the loss of Chimbonda would affect us ?he is only a defender? his remarks. When we scored, it was against the run of play and probably not deserved. Shorey?s goal was good but Sidwell?s showed just how poor the game was from a Tottenham perspective. It was like we had already gone in for a half time cup of tea. 3-1 the final score and we missed out on moving to 7th in the league but that is life and we have to move on.

One or two murmurings on message boards have said Jol out, again. I do get quite surprised by this because football is never based on one game. I honestly believe that being a Manager is not just about picking a team and sorting out tactics, it is much, much bigger. Roy Keane?s tenure at Sunderland is testament to this. The results have not been fantastic and Sunderland have lost under his reign. However, he is sorting out the other problems in the background. He has, for instance, banned flavoured water from the training ground as he is concerned about the additives.

The staff that worked at the Academy of Light, Sunderland?s training HQ, have remarked on the way he is stripping down the club and building it back. Rumour has it a physio was removed from the job for going out drinking with the players. Keane is used to the best training facilities and the best training practices, hence his infamous bust up with McCarthy at the 2002 World Cup. He does not take second best.

Jol is building something at Tottenham but he has to be given time. If you look around the squad, there are a lot of young players. Chopping and changing Manager when results don?t go your way would be tantamount to destroying their careers. Look across London to Charlton?s current woes. For the last x amount of years, Charlton have been a rubbish team. In saying team, it is not really what I mean, they have been a fantastic team but the individual players have never been world class.

Alan Curbishley had excellent man management and tactical skills and that is why they did so well. He built the club in the right manner and everyone knew their part. Dowie came in and the club are right at the bottom. The players do not become bad players overnight, evidently there was something wrong with the Dowie setup. I feel Jol has the right things about him to be a really good Manager, or in reality, a Head Coach. He is, probably, still finding his feet. Sometimes you can see the tactics are perhaps just that little bit off. Playing Ghaly is crazy but lets hope Jol gets a Pyramid in Egypt at the end of it!

Blackburn is going to be a difficult game and in all honesty, one that I think we might struggle to get anything out of. However, a couple of bad results could bring the team together and allow Jol to show what he is all about. It is easy to ride the crest of a wave but when you have to dig in the trenches, it shows people how good you are. Let?s hope my faith is not misguided!