"I love Martin Jol.........., altogether now!"

[900triumph]

This was the song that I had the urge to sing last night, but couldn't quite bring myself to do it alone. For a good while now I've resisted posting a pro Jol thread, hoping that the new regime will come right, and whilst I still have a forlorn hope that things could still improve I don't exactly feel optimistic.

The essence of Jol that I miss hasn't got much to do with personnel or tactics, formations or transfer deals. It's about heart and pride, a finger on the pulse understanding of what makes Spurs tick, how to meet the expectations of the fans, and how to build that team spirit and motivation that was sadly lacking last night.

Jol's detractors can draw parrellels between the team's abject showing last night, and the corresponding nightmares at the start of last season, but I have always considered that Jol only lost his mojo as a result of the machinations of the board and the public undermining as a result. I fully understand that there seemed to be conflict between Berbatov and Jol, and that if Jol had been supported by the board rather than cast adrift, Berbatov would not have shown the loyalty to Spurs that he has since demonstrated so clearly (!). I'm concerned that actually we will have to look back on the Jol years as the glory years, at least as far as recent decades are concerned. It was fun - remember fun? There was a buzz about the place, and win or lose you could count on Martin to say something post match that would make you proud, or make you laugh, or at least gain Spurs some respect. I miss all that right now, and I'm sure that there are a lot on this board who feel the same at least to some extent.

The old cliche "The grass is always greener..." is an apt warning. We had a good manager - a decent man who the football world respected, and who put points on the board consistently for two seasons. And then our board consigned his achievments and potential - because there was still plenty of potential - into the dustbin, on the off chance that Ramos would be a better coach. I would love to be proved wrong, and yes, it is early days, but, Carling Cup aside, I haven't seen much evidence of coaching excellence so far, and we must be 10 months in to the Ramos regime by now.

So I'm really missing the fun and the excitement that we had under Jol, and wish we could turn the clock back and do it all again, and will join in the chant full heartedly if it's ever heard again at The Lane. Who knows one day I might be drunk enough to start it - here's to Dutch courage!:beer:. Cheers, Martin!

 

[Sputic]

You're gonna get slated, but I think you're essentially right. All I kept thinking last night was how much I miss Jol. At least with him I got the impression that there was a plan behind everything, even when he got it wrong. And we were a team. Ramos seems to be making all his decisions on the hoof.

I'm gonna get slated too now I guess.

 

[lukespurs7]

yea,good post think two main points one about pride and the other about fun. 2 fairly important things in supporting a football club. I personally was so proud to support us when Jol was in charge,he was a gentleman,he took the club to heart,he embraced our past and tried to replecate a stylish brand of football,also his general character and the way he acted with the media created a sense of fun about the place,i remember really looking forward to going to games,i really miss the Jol songs and the atmosphere was really buzzing, it seemed at points the players,manager and fans were all acting as one and that played a big part in why we had such a good home record for the Jol years.

I still rate Ramos very highly and i do believe given time he will do just fine,we have brought in alot of new players and in my opinion we have a far better squad in terms of all-round quality than we did last season,we are slightly lighter up front but the midfield,defence and goalkeeper are alll improved. Once the likes of Pav and Modric start to find their feet we could be treated to some really entertaining winning football,but i fear this may take time and could well be yet another building season-hardly suprising considering how many new players we have brought in....AGAIN!!!

So yea,i'm still fully up for supporting the current regime,but will never forget the Jol days,the passion and excitement around the place was something which hadn't really been there since the premiership began, and it seems it's not particularly there at the moment either.

Miss you Martin,disgusted at the way he was treated and if he was given the support that a more well known figure of Ramos has been given we could really have gone places under Jol,or at least as always it would have been an adventure.

 

[SpurSince57]

As it has to be written in the runes that we'll run into Hamburg at some time this season, I'd say that there's a good chance of hearing it again.

 

[fazza]

When Jol was in charge of the club, I don't know if its just me but I could feel almost a family feel to the club and a pleasant atmosphere around the place, I'm not feeling this at all at the moment.

I'm not one who's on the bandwagon of Ramos out, you've got to understand just how much change has taken place in the last few months, the team has been turned upside down really and only time is gonna sort the problems out, problem is we all want a quick fix and alot of people are gonna start saying, we should have kept Jol in the first place or the board have failed and need to go now.

I can't really decide where I sit with Jol, as I said, he brought a family feeling to the club and even after a defeat I always felt we would bounce back but at the moment I'm unsure of what to expect.

As for the board, the way the whole Ramos/Jol saga was handled was nothing short of disgusting and part of me feels the board are right now getting what they deserve.

 

[sunnydelight786]

As it has to be written in the runes that we'll run into Hamburg at some time this season, I'd say that there's a good chance of hearing it again.

We have to get past Wisla Krakow first, hardly a foregone conclusion now.....

 

[900triumph]

Let's hope we can dance around the Wisla banana skin then SS57, the Polish press are confident that there'll be dancing in the streets of Wisla after the second leg. Mind you they also said that Pav was our best player last night - apparently he gave 300% effort for us. Gawd knows what a mere 110% effort looks like!

 

[Stu]

Bundesliga
1 Hamburg 10
2 Bayern Munich 8
3 Schalke 04 8


Premier League
18 Blackburn 4
19 Stoke 3
20 Tottenham 1

:sad:

 

[nicdic]

Maybe we should be getting behind the team?

 

[joey55]

Jol was vastly under rated and treated terribly. The nonsense posted on here and other messageboards about his inability to motivate, his poor tactics, team selection and poor fitness was a total disgrace. However, all this should have been put to bed in the Jan transfer window, when Ramos and Poyet's actions made it clear the squad wasn't good enough and there wasn't coaching issue. With the squad of players he had neither Wenger or Benitez would have done better than Jol, yet he was treated like he was on par with Alan Curbishley, instead of the best in the business. When he was undermined by the board and became essentially a walking corpse of a coach, many fans seemed to forget where we were before he took over, the 3 years of success and judged him on 10 games when he had no chance due to injuries, poor newe players and the board public humiliation of him. But, there is little point praising him now, as those who wanted him out will never back down and continue with their bullshit condemnation of a coach that took us to the edge of CL football and this thread will just turn into a pointless argument. If we are going to have a thread praising BMJ, then we should do it when Ramos is doing better. Otherwise it will turn into a Jol V Ramos debate, rather than a simple homage to Jol.

 

[fazza]

This is depressing me now, don't like the looks of those 2 tables, very sad to see.

 

[900triumph]

Maybe we should be getting behind the team?

I'm behind the team as always actually, but I'm worried - and I enjoyed the whole atmosphere better under Jol, liked him more, liked the footie better. I haven't changed, but stuff has!

 

[fazza]

If and its a big if, the board sold up and the management went, would Jol actually want to come back though? Did he love the club enough to make that journey back to the Lane.

 

[senseispab]

As for the board, the way the whole Ramos/Jol saga was handled was nothing short of disgusting and part of me feels the board are right now getting what they deserve.

It's hard not to agree with this.

 

[MattyP]

This is depressing me now, don't like the looks of those 2 tables, very sad to see.

Those tables are upside down - do a headstand and you'll feel a whole lot better mate.

Say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league.

I loved Martin Jol, but I love Tottenham more. The king is dead (not ledley, he's just in hibernation), long live the king.

Now senor ramos, stop fucking about, make us worship you once more and lead the charge to world domination.

 

[fazza]

Those tables are upside down - do a headstand and you'll feel a whole lot better mate.

Say we are top of the league, say we are top of the league.

I loved Martin Jol, but I love Tottenham more. The king is dead (not ledley, he's just in hibernation), long live the king.

Now senor ramos, stop fucking about, make us worship you once more and lead the charge to world domination.

I'll get a headrush co's i'll be doing that for quite some time I think :-|

 

[gibbs131]

I will never forget Jols ashen face in the second half of his last game when he heard about his sacking.

He was visibly shaken.

He will be back I am sure.

 

[Real_madyidd]

When Jol was in charge of the club, I don't know if its just me but I could feel almost a family feel to the club and a pleasant atmosphere around the place, I'm not feeling this at all at the moment.

Spot on.

I am hoping that it is just because of teh new players that I don't feel it, but after the whole Keane and Berba thing, I feel like we aren't so cuddly!

 

[SpurSince57]

We have to get past Wisla Krakow first, hardly a foregone conclusion now.....

It's going to be heads on pikes time if we don't. :grin:

 

[There's always next year]

If Jol would have been in charge v Chelsea, we would have got bugger all. Ramos is far more astute, but he has to step up to the plate pretty quickly now. Honeymoon well and truely over.