Great result for us, 6 points off the big four so far, which is amazing considering our�poor start.
Ramos has been rumoured to be looking at taking a few of our players to Madrid? I doubt�the board will let Madrid spend money on Zokora, Pav, or�Lennon, Ramos is dreaming surely?�
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Ramos is welcome to Pav.. provided we get good money and can buy a replacement before the window shuts.
Certainly 'Arry is less than impressed with members of the squad. A scathing appraisal that the Board were not expecting it seems...
Harry Redknapp has offered scant encouragement for Spurs fans and executives over the state of the squad he is working with. Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP
Harry Redknapp last night offered Tottenham Hotspur's shareholders and the club's chairman, Daniel Levy, a damning assessment of the squad he inherited from Juande Ramos and warned that a complete player overhaul will be required if Spurs are to challenge for a top-five finish.
Tottenham's directors unveiled details of the club's proposed 60,000-capacity stadium at their annual general meeting yesterday and, while those plans were warmly received by those present, Redknapp made it clear that the club's short-term aims may be unobtainable given the weakness of the current squad. Spurs were bottom when the 61-year-old succeeded Ramos in October and, although they have since climbed to 15th, further upheaval is needed if they are to challenge for Champions League qualification.
Redknapp appeared to surprise the board members on the top table when asked by the non-executive director Mervyn Davies to assess the squad in a brief question and answer session conducted in front of 200 shareholders. "It depends where you want to go and finish," said the manager. "If you're talking about finishing fifth or in the top four, it's well short of that. I'm not going to stand up here and lie to you.
"So far we've got the best out of what we have here but the squad is still well short of the top four and not as good as Aston Villa's and other teams challenging to be up there. There's a lot of work to do if we are going to get where we want to be. I bet you wish you hadn't asked me that question now, don't you, Mervyn?"
Levy had earlier stressed that he anticipated "no major transactions" for the club in the winter transfer window, saying the challenge was "to realise the full potential of our squad". Redknapp appears to accept that he may have to operate with loan deals at best next month given that potential targets such as Lassana Diarra, Matthew Upson, Jermain Defoe and Carlo Cudicini are unlikely to be available mid-season. However, it appears the Spurs hierarchy must brace themselves for a further significant outlay in the summer having spent some �78m last summer� albeit with �73.7m recouped in sales.
"We want to build a team here that every�body's proud of," said Redknapp. "We need proper players and a proper team that can take us to where we want to go. Then I can bow out in a few years' time and leave you all with a team in the top four. As for this season, I think there will be 14 teams stuck in a possible relegation battle. Anybody could slip into it. You wonder where we'd be now if we hadn't had such a fantastic run. It doesn't bear thinking about. Everybody's scrapping for their lives and looking over their shoulders. I couldn't stand here and honestly say we're looking to get into Europe."
Redknapp is considering handing the 16-year-old John Bostock his first senior start in Thursday's Uefa Cup group match against Spartak Moscow with another teenager, Dean Parrett, expected to feature on the bench.
Lucky, lucky. Now don't let them Mancs get the trophy!