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Jol showing off one of his biggest signings, fellow Dutchman Edgar Davids |
At least it was jolly good fun
Spurs fans bid farewell to boss as new era begins
“I FEEL like my girlfriend has dumped me,” texted a close friend and fellow Spur Matt Quinn last week when it became clear Martin Jol was to be given the Spanish Archer (el Bow) after the game against Getafe.
And frankly, he had to go – chair Daniel Levy had made his position untenable. And with Levy hitting the target with Juande Ramos, it is time to draw a line under another manager who didn’t deliver and start dreaming about the next.
But I, for one, will miss Jol. His press conferences were marvellous. It was like watching an episode of the Two Ronnies. I recall him saying to assembled reporters he was looking forward to watching Match of the Day as we had ‘beaten the living highlights out of them.’
Jol, for all his tactical naivety, was honest – a rare commodity that made even the most vicious sports writers back him. Even after the disastrous draw at Fulham this term, when we were three-one up until Jol made two terrible substitutions, the assembled hacks patted questions in his direction in the hope he’d knock ‘em for six. But nice guys don’t win trophies, and the news that Ramos has had the team in for double training sessions this week and told them to buck up or buck off means perhaps Spurs were right to dump the nice guy.
But will Ramos do any better? And why did the man who delivered two back to back top five finishes get given the shove?
The beginning of the end for Jol goes back to the sale in the summer of 2006 of Michael Carrick.
The true story behind the departure of Carrick to Manchester United will remain shrouded in mystery. But one thing is clear: when the influential midfielder went to Old Trafford, Jol’s reign began to unravel.
Carrick had given Spurs what they had lacked: a heartbeat. It seemed that an £18.6m transfer fee – he was bought for a shade under £3m – represented good business. But not if it meant starting all over again, which Jol warned he would have to do.
It was not helped by the board’s wish to buy youngsters. It meant the team have lacked a leader. The signing of Edgar Davids was meant to bring a hard mentality to the talented rookies but he was grumpy about not playing each week.
Davids’ strengths were his speed and tenaciousness, and although age had clearly dimmed these talents, having him around was, according to Aaron Lennon, a wonderful experience. He, like Carrick, was not replaced.
One of the problems in judging the Jol reign is the head coach/sporting director relationship we have at the club: if Jol had been responsible for the pre-season signings, he deserved to walk. But I understand Jol asked for three things: a reliable centre back to cover Ledley King, a ball winner in the middle, and a left sided midfielder. Both Gareth Barry and Stewart Downing were on the verge of joining for the price of Darren Bent. Instead we got an expensive sub who has done nothing but unsettle Jermain Defoe.
But when I look back at Jol’s era, I suppose I have to say it was fun: for a while we looked good, and even if we threw away big leads, there were some thrilling fight backs to remember.
And even when it was obvious he was being forced out, his players gave us a brilliant fightback against Villa. I recall as a kid reading a newspaper cutting my dad had saved from 1960. The headline reads: “This Was The Match Of The Century.” We were playing table-topping Burnley. It is this sort of game we at The Lane want to see. Throw in the odd FA Cup win, an occasional Championship challenge and a UEFA Cup to celebrate, and I’d be happy.
Juande Ramos’ track record is impressive – five major trophies and oh-so-nearly winning La Liga last term. Let us hope he is a coach who can do things in style, and let’s face it, Jol, however nice he was, did not produce a consistent, fluent, ball playing team that the brilliant fans at White Hart Lane deserve.
It was Jolly while it lasted, but Juande it had to end in tears. |
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