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The media and a few thoughts

fozzi44

Well-Known Member
Feb 5, 2006
1,435
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When i say the media I am talking about it in all forms, newspapers, television pundits, radio, internet etc.

Well anyway, i just though i would post a few of my thoughts at present.

This is the first time in my 27 years that i have ever felt the pressure of media speculation and witch hunting directly impacting upon my team in such a neagtive way. That applies across the board, to any team/ individuals i support in any sport - not just football. It has been fierce and unrelenting.

The way i see spurs were found out - looking at other managment options, that much is obvious. But lets not think this is exclusive to Spurs, it is something that all teams do, in fact if the club were not always assessing their options i would be more concerned.

Anyway that happened at the start of the season and since then the media speculation has been rife. Results have not gone our way so we have been unable to nip it in the bud. But it is the the load of rehashed, made up bollocks the media spout that gets to me. This was typified last night when Townsend claimed that way Jol has been treated over the last few weeks was shocking:roll: Erm, what way was this exactly, as i see it other than the incident at the start of the season Jol has been left to get on with the job, how exactly has he been treated unfairly over the last few weeks? It was only recently, I remember Townsend criticising the team and tactics himself - so what does he want?

It is these statements that really get to me. Bollocks thrown after more bollocks, and i would like to see the amount of times the word 'undermined' as been used in relation to us this season.

The fact remains however that i am a big Jol fan, but results haven't gone our way and my major problem is the fact that the team is not managed in a way that can defend. Jol was in Holland for 5 days over the international break, concerning seeing the team clearly have a lot of work to do in defence. If the board has decided that a change is required then so be it. The fella that leaked it to the media last nite should be fired ASAP, makes us look like a right bunch of heartless fools - TBF i dont think it is the first time a manager, board have decided for a change before a game, its just that it isnt fuckin leaked early. If it was announced this morning, like it was intended it wouldnt be half as bad and none of us would be any the wiser.

On another note, it is clear there has been a rift with comolli and Jol, my take on it is that the DC has brought some players in, like Zokora for example, who have undoubted ability but Jol has been unable to get the most out of them. This has no doubt contributed to the friction.

As for the future, well for me i just want to get out of this relegation zone at the minute, i dont harbour ambitions for a fantastic season, but just lets get to mid table as quickly as possible and take it from there. I am very concerned about this period of transition.

Bent was a bad signing, unnecessary and too much money. I dont know who decided upon this Jol or DC but someone needs to take responsibility. I know he is one for the future and all that, but so is half the team, there is a time when we need the right signings for the present. Trying to keep all 4 strikers happy, and play so that each knows eachothers game is going to be difficult - it just over complicates things and it hasn't bode well for our season so far. Considering the problems elsewhere in the team.

Chimbonda has been very poor. He gives the ball away far too much, in dangerous areas and seems to have real problems defending.

Lack of a captain has not been good either. We are a classic example of a team that needs someone to take command on the pitch. Robbie, as much as i love the player, he just isnt captain material. Ledley has been a big big miss.

On another note if we can get Ramos i will be estatic. For those that want Klinnsman etc - get real will you, there is no comparasin between the too, and Ramos would be well suited to a club like spurs.

The Jol doubters have got their wish, lets just hope they are right. It is very easy to say we should just replace a player or manager, take those that wanted Robinson dropped for Cerny - well lets face it Cerny hardly inspires confidence from what we saw last nite.

Well that is it, a bit of a ramble, a worrying time, but no matter what happens over the coming months we need to show solidarity, get behind the team and dont buy into the media machine.

COYS:beer:
 

Lucky22

Active Member
Dec 11, 2006
710
160
The fact is that too many people believe what they read and that it is the Gospel truth. Fact is, it's not. It's poorly written tripe. Look at yesterday's Sun and the story about Martin Jol being left off the new Tottenham monoloply board along with quotes that our own board told the makers to do this.
It was a non-story because, after closer inspection you will see the board only has one manager, and that is Bill Nic, so Jol was never, ever going to be on it in the first place. The story also poked fun at Paul Robinson, saying he was on one of cheapest squares, again the reporter forgot to mention the fact that Robbo and Pat Jennings were at the start of the board because they are goalkeepers. I know it was a stupid story and didn't really mean anything, but it was all part of a wider agenda at putting pressure on Jol.
Believe me when I say that some journalists and sports editors take pride in getting a manager sacked. They jump on any opportunity and they hold on until the manager has been sacked.resigned or someone more appealing comes along. Now Jol has left watch the same level of coverage on another poor sod - they've already been building the pressure on Benitez, so he's probably the next candidate.
The quality of journalism has been piss-poor and lazy, to say the least, and in many instances too many papers have simply ran with stories from their rivals or other media outlets for fear of missing a good story. It's just a pity that they don't take the time to check their facts.
Of course, the many leaks from the board have not helped and, as others have worked to their own agenda, the club and, ultimately, Martin Jol has been undermined. You can't tell me that a journalist and photographer just happened to be at the same Spanish hotel as members of the Spurs board and Ramos. When reading the sports pages (particularly the red tops) it is important to remember that those 'sources' are getting quite a few pounds for their information and, as such, will say whatever the reporter wants them to say.
But the goings on at Tottenham pale in insignifigance when you see how the media hellped the Government manipulate the public into going to war with Iraq by printing the lies of Tony Blair. Of course, the editors won't take the blame for that, they'll just pass the buck to the Government. Thankfully a brave journalist blew the lid on that one, but I can't see the same happening at Spurs as, plain and simply, the journalists involved don't care about the truth, just selling papers.
 
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