mawspurs
18-08-2007, 09:45 AM
Please note that in view of its content, this article was not approved until after the end of the Derby game
Source: The Guardian
Middlesbrough's £6m signing Mido yesterday suggested Tottenham's first XI is not necessarily a meritocracy and that internal politics threaten to undermine footballing talent at White Hart Lane.
"Tottenham is a club with a lot of politics around the team. It's not healthy to have that amount of politics," said the striker who is likely to make his debut at Fulham today. "One of the big reasons why I've come here is because I think it will be about football rather than politics."
Ironically, Gareth Southgate felt it politic to omit Yakubu Ayegbeni from the squad which travelled to London after the striker's disappointing midweek display at Wigan. Everton are said to have offered a club-record £11m for Yakubu and could open talks with him over the weekend but Southgate said: "No one will be allowed to leave unless the deal is right for us."
Mido was anxious to quash suggestions that he had fallen out with Martin Jol, who, at times, questioned the Egyptian's fitness levels. "I've never had a problem with Martin Jol," he said. "I believe he's a good manager and I think he's done really well in the last two years. But I wanted to be playing, I wanted a big role in the team.
"I'm very confident Boro can get into Europe," he added. "I don't see Middlesbrough as being at a lower level than Tottenham." He added that it was the potential for European football that persuaded him to sign for Boro rather than Roy Keane. "It was a tough decision," he said. "I think Roy Keane and Sunderland will do well."
Mido has long had a reputation for having a suspect temperament. "The way I react to things now is totally different," he said. Southgate added: "Mido is prepared to speak his mind. The best players are those who have an opinion."
Back at White Hart Lane, Jol is under pressure after two defeats. The Football Association said it would investigate yesterday's decision by the bookmakers Coral to suspend betting on the Dutchman as the next Premier League manager to be sacked, due to "unusual timing" of bets. Coral's market later re-opened.
From September 1, bookmakers will be obliged to share details of suspicious betting patterns with sports' governing bodies. The FA, which will ask Coral for help, could also call on the memorandum of understanding that is already in place with the betting exchange Betfair.
Source: The Guardian
Middlesbrough's £6m signing Mido yesterday suggested Tottenham's first XI is not necessarily a meritocracy and that internal politics threaten to undermine footballing talent at White Hart Lane.
"Tottenham is a club with a lot of politics around the team. It's not healthy to have that amount of politics," said the striker who is likely to make his debut at Fulham today. "One of the big reasons why I've come here is because I think it will be about football rather than politics."
Ironically, Gareth Southgate felt it politic to omit Yakubu Ayegbeni from the squad which travelled to London after the striker's disappointing midweek display at Wigan. Everton are said to have offered a club-record £11m for Yakubu and could open talks with him over the weekend but Southgate said: "No one will be allowed to leave unless the deal is right for us."
Mido was anxious to quash suggestions that he had fallen out with Martin Jol, who, at times, questioned the Egyptian's fitness levels. "I've never had a problem with Martin Jol," he said. "I believe he's a good manager and I think he's done really well in the last two years. But I wanted to be playing, I wanted a big role in the team.
"I'm very confident Boro can get into Europe," he added. "I don't see Middlesbrough as being at a lower level than Tottenham." He added that it was the potential for European football that persuaded him to sign for Boro rather than Roy Keane. "It was a tough decision," he said. "I think Roy Keane and Sunderland will do well."
Mido has long had a reputation for having a suspect temperament. "The way I react to things now is totally different," he said. Southgate added: "Mido is prepared to speak his mind. The best players are those who have an opinion."
Back at White Hart Lane, Jol is under pressure after two defeats. The Football Association said it would investigate yesterday's decision by the bookmakers Coral to suspend betting on the Dutchman as the next Premier League manager to be sacked, due to "unusual timing" of bets. Coral's market later re-opened.
From September 1, bookmakers will be obliged to share details of suspicious betting patterns with sports' governing bodies. The FA, which will ask Coral for help, could also call on the memorandum of understanding that is already in place with the betting exchange Betfair.