- Mar 21, 2004
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posted by cule spur on gg net:
There was quite a lengthy interview with Juande Ramos in AS yesterday. For some reason the agencies haven't picked it up yet so the quotes aren't in the British press yet. Some decent stuff in it regarding transfers, weaknesses and relationship with Levy and structure at club. I had to write a synopsis for someone else, but they ain't paying So you herberts can have it for free.
Ramos says that Spurs are lacking in confidence, that defence is a key area for reinforcement and that the priority must be for survival this season.
Ramos says that his side is in “an uncomfortable situation” and that the biggest problem facing the side is that they are “lacking in confidence”. He concedes that he finds it hard to explain why a team that was competing for a Champions league position over the last couple of seasons has suffered such a dip, and says “It’s the reality in which we find ourselves and we must work hard to change it”.
He refuses to talk about competing for trophies and says that the priority must be “to save ourselves because we are in a difficult situation. Only then can we think about what comes next”.
Asked what his objectives are, he replies “we must save this season and start to lay the groundwork for next season. The priority is that the team regains confidence and it is primordial that they start to believe in themselves again. If we can get out of the bottom, then we will start to think about Europe”.
And in the future?
Ramos says “We’ll talk about that at the start of next season because we need to see what kind of players we can add to the team. Right now I just want to save this season but I cannot hide my dream to give Tottenham back their historical glory and to put them up there with Liverpool, Arsenal or Manchester United”.
He says that having such little time in which to work is proving to be a problem, saying that “from one game to the next there is just three days and you cant really train in that time” and that “we will need to be with the squad for a prolonged period before they can start to assimilate the concepts we want”.
With regard to the squad that he has inherited, Ramos says that he “had quite a profound knowledge of the team because we (Sevilla) played Spurs in the UEFA cup last season and we followed them quite closely “, adding that it is “pretty much what we expected”.
However, Ramos does say that he was pleasantly surprised with the depth of talent and is “very happy with the young players” he’s “found in the squad”.
And with regard to possible new recruits, Ramos says that “none of the players that have been linked are even on our radar and I’ve been very surprised to read about them. A couple of the names that have emerged are a little strange and I can only say that it is because their agents would like to sell their players here”.
However, he does not deny that signings are likely and says that “We must wait until the end to make a full analysis, but it is certain that it is the defence that is giving us the most problems right now” adding that “We won’t overhaul the entire group in January, but we will try to bring in a certain player to reinforce a certain position”.
Asked if there are any Sevilla players that he is interested, in he replies “At the moment we haven’t decided on any particular player, so I don’t know”.
Adding “The profile of the ideal player is different here to Spain and we will see how we want the team to play before deciding on the characteristics of the players we need”.
With regard to his style pf play he says “I would prefer to analyse the squad that I have, and once I know them well, try to get the best out of them. I’m obviously not going to try and play in a particular way if I don’t have the players for it”.
Juande Ramos says that he is getting used to life in London and that although he misses the sun in Seville, because “it rains in London all the time”, he is adjusting well to the different timetables and set up at Spurs lodge.
With regard to his relationship with Levy and the structure of the club he says “I have a pretty good relationship with the Chairman, perfect. There is an enormous respect for the coach here and that shows in the running of the club. It’s a huge club with everyone at the service of the technical staff; in sporting terms the coach has preference over all else – that’s the biggest difference between here and Spain”.