Sport Story

08 January 2009 03:42 BST

Tottenham Hotspur - end-of-season report

Good, bad or just the same old, same old? What the fans made of the 2007/08 season.

It's been a season that seemed to encapsulate Tottenham Hotspur perfectly.

Having secured fifth place twice in a row and won the respect of the 'big four', as well as having held onto the genius of Dimitar Berbatov, the season looked set for the long-awaited charge on the Champion's League places.

Except Spurs only won one against of their first ten games. Against Derby, no less.

With the £16.5 million spent on Darren Bent a living, unable-to-score-or-gel-with-his-teammates example of sporting director Damien Connolli's meddling with the team, Martin Jol's departure was always only one more loss away.

The thrilling 4-4 draw with the resurgent Aston Villa on the club's 125th anniversary might have seemed the beginning of the end to a shocking start to the season but with whispers about the arrival of Sevilla's Juande Ramos growing increasingly louder, stability was one thing wholly absent from the Lane.

The Spaniard's eventual acceptance of the job changed some things for the better – i.e. the ability to actually win games and the promise of three cup runs - but the fact that a 5-1 thrashing of Fulham was followed by a 6-4 thriller with relegation candidates Reading showed that Spurs still retained the same weaknesses as ever; entertaining- yes; capable of defending- apparently not.

Yes, the Uefa Cup beckons next season, the signing of Luka Modric bodes well and the discussion of signing Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o shows commendable ambition. But following two fifth-placed finishes with a mediocre 11th doesn't cut the mustard.

Spurs fans will be hoping against hope that this isn't another false dawn on the Seven Sisters Road.

Grade: C

High Point

The Carling Cup final win.

It just edges it from the 5-1 drubbing of Arsenal at the semi-final stage which, while not resulting in silverware, caused a swelling of Lilywhite pride not seen in north London for many a year.

Nonetheless, Berba's penalty and Woody's bravery in throwing himself into the path of the oncoming 'best goalkeeper in the world' - who surely would have held the cross if he really merited that moniker - saw Spurs cement their first trophy in eight years, winning the European qualification that had seemed lost thanks to poor league performances and promising great things for the reign of Ramos.

Low Point

The 4-1 loss to Birmingham City in March.

While Spurs were already Europe-bound at this point, having claimed the Carling Cup, to ship four goals to a side who would be relegated at the end of the season is profoundly embarrassing, especially following as it did a creditable 1-1 draw with Manchester United and a 3-0 trouncing of hapless Derby County.

That said, the horrendous approach to the (justified) sacking of Martin Jol was a shameless episode for all concerned.

While the Dutchman had probably taken the side as far as he could, for the man who had secured two consecutive fifth-place finishes and won the hearts of the White Hart Lane faithful to have allegedly found about his sacking through a text message is appalling.

The manager

He hardly entered in the most auspicious of circumstances, with the botched sacking of Martin Jol casting a deep shadow over ENIC's control of the club, but Juande Ramos' La Liga pedigree soon shone through with Spurs remembering the attacking flair, pride and passion they seemed to have forgotten this season and winning a deserved trophy.

Nonetheless, the Carling Cup win was not built upon immediately as the same defensive frailties and complacency persisted. If Spurs are to mount the challenge for fifth that their squad, history and funds justify, a great deal of work remains to be done.

Fan's Player of the Year

- Robbie Keane -

Even with 23 goals in all competitions - including the notching of his 100th goal for the club - the Irishman's contribution is still routinely overlooked in favour of the silkier skills of Dimitar Berbatov. But while the Bulgarian might bring undoubted quality to north London, he lacks in a quality positively exuding from Keano - team spirit.

Paying just £7 million for the Ireland captain continues to be one of the shrewdest bits of business ever completed by Spurs and his elation at the Carling Cup win showed a man who lives and breathes the club.

Needs for Next Season

A complete overhaul? There are rumours that Ramos wants to revamp the side but performances against the 'big four' sides show that it's not necessarily quality but motivation that's the biggest concern.

Paul Robinson's form improved in the second half of the season but purchasing a new keeper might help 'England's #1' to truly merit his title and the gulf between Spurs' second string and that of the top clubs is painfully noticeable.

Modric seems a great buy and once Gareth Bale returns to fitness and Aaron Lennon learns to cross, the improvement of Jermaine Jenas and Tom Huddlestone under Ramos could see Tottenham with an enviable midfield.

Keane's contribution is invaluable but the Berbatov saga is becoming tiresome. As beloved as he is among the White Hart Lane faithful, he either needs to shut his big-mouthed agent up and declare his fidelity to Tottenham or remove his sulkiness from the Lane as soon as possible so that a replacement can be acquired.

David Villa would be very nice, but purchasing Eto'o would be replacing Berba with like-for-like in terms of attitude.

And if some sort of unholy pact can be agreed to keep Ledley King and Woody fit there's a chance Spurs might just be able to keep a clean sheet for once.

Lewis Bazley