Thursday, May 17, 2007

Martin Jol: An End Of Season Interview


I came across this a few days ago and so courtesy of the good folk who organise the World Cup etc etc... here it is...


FIFA.com: You have had two fifth place finishes and some splendid matches in this last couple of years, but Tottenham are still a step away from the big four. What do you need to finally get there?
Martin Jol: I believe it is only a few little things. Sometimes you need a player like Ledley King, a Dennis Bergkamp or a Steven Gerrard. It would be a great bonus and to our squad if someone like Adel Taarabt or Jamie O'Hara came through the ranks and has a great impact on our squad. If not, you have to try and find them somewhere else and that is not easy.

Would Arsenal have been so successful over the last decade if Thierry Henry had not been there, or Liverpool without Gerrard? It is about having a very good and stable foundation, but also about producing one or two exceptional players.

You have been almost two and a half years in charge at Tottenham, what's your assessment of this period?
I feel that the main thing is that you work to a plan - and the plan is that you make steps all the time. You want to get better in all departments and then you will also improve your results.

In my first year we got 52 points, 65 last season and 60 this year, but the difference is we have competed in all the cup competitions. That was a big step forward for the club as well.

If you consider that we have now taken part in five quarter-finals, then you could say that we have made little steps all the time. It is about the players and I think everybody has got to agree that we have assembled a squad of fine players.

The team, has, nevertheless, played exciting football lately, scoring lots of goals but conceding quite a few as well. Is that the way you like your teams to play?

If you saw us last season, we played with a different style. We were more compact and more solid with two controlling midfield players, allowing everybody else to attack.

This year, we decided to sacrifice a defending midfielder, which made us a little more vulnerable. We have also lacked a bit of size when it comes to dealing with set pieces. I can specifically remember the goals we conceded from corners and free kicks last season, but I can't this time because there have been far too many.

If we can stop conceding silly goals we will be ok because we are playing better football and we have more talent in the squad. However, an increase in talent doesn't automatically get you better results. What we have to do is find the perfect combination of playing attacking football and getting good results.

As opposed to most top teams in the Premiership, you have a very solid base of young English players. Do you think this is important for the team's identity?
I have always been somebody who believes in a strong spine and last season we had great English players like Paul Robinson, Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Michael Carrick, Jermaine Jenas and Jermain Defoe - plus Robbie Keane who is Irish. After selling Carrick it has been a little bit different, but our first objective is to develop or recruit English or British players. If they are not available we have to look elsewhere, but we do try to look in England first as we proved with Aaron Lennon and Tom Huddlestone.

Is it true that you always dreamed about becoming manager of Spurs?
It was more of an ambition of mine. Lots of people tell you, when they come to England, that they supported the club and always wanted to join them. For me, I said on a programme on Dutch television in 2000 that I would love to come back to England and manage Spurs. It is not a story, it is fact.

Tottenham is a team with great history, which is renowned for playing an attractive style of football. Was carrying on these traditions important to you?
Of course, because in the Netherlands there is only one way to play and that is attractively. You have to entertain the people and that is a principle. Results are important as well, so you have to mix both things.

As a foreigner working in England, what is your opinion of the Premier League? Do you think it is the best in the world at the moment?
I think it is the strongest in the world, while the most attractive is the Spanish league.

You grew up as a player in the Netherlands watching the 1974 Dutch team and its concept of 'total football.' How did that influence you?
All I can say to answer that is 'look at Spurs.' The only three players in our team who are not going forward are the keeper (and even he scores goals!) and the central defenders. That is one thing I would like to do in the future: I would like my centre halves to play more attacking football. In my team everybody can go forward and everybody has to defend.


Which non-Spurs players would you love to coach?

I never like to talk about other players, but I would love to coach Gerrard because I think he is the best player in England. I am also a big fan of Ronaldo. You also need players like John Terry, who feel so responsible that won't let anybody down. But I have always said that, pound for pound, Gerrard is the best player over here.

Do you have any hobbies, something that you really enjoy besides football?
I like playing tennis in the summer with my family and I love watersports - I have a couple of jet-skis. I also like reading and I collect art - although I am not an expert!


Kindly supplied by FIFA.com

47 comments:

Anonymous said...

First time of seeing this for me, so cheers, hh. Thanks again for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Conclusive proof on the Soprano link then. BMJ & Tony both have jet skis. It's official.

Anonymous said...

That was a brilliant interview, thanks!

Gives us a real insight into his thinking, although I would question how far some of his substitutions reflect his philosophy, at times.

Looks like we will be buying an attacking defender and perhaps a bulkier midfielder, or maybe he is looking at developing Hudds in that position.

We developed the push and run style of football, now let's develop the 20 goal a season centre back!!

Anonymous said...

brazils juan is a fantastic attacking centre back and he doesnt play for a very good team

Anonymous said...

brazils juan is a fantastic attacking centre back and he doesnt play for a very good team and he always gets back, i also think manuel fernandez would be great for the left

Anonymous said...

we should also go for tevez

Anonymous said...

Great interview.
I think Tevez would be good too.

Anonymous said...

I love Martin Jol.............Martin Jol loves me!

Anonymous said...

Well sourced H.

Anonymous said...

We only need about 4 new players to break in to what is commonly known as the 'top four', I'd say it would be these gentlemen-
1- TOP quality striker in for mido. D Bent would be a perfect swap.
2- G Bale, L Baines anyone else at left back for Bill's sake.
3- Pederson ok, Downing would be great, but seriously anyone with a dangerous left peg.
4- Last but most obviously defensive cover-TAL Haim would look good, but too easy to get past so sod that-Havent seen Kaboul in action yet but take Jol's word on that one. He and Commoli have a great eye for talent (as people regularly seem to forget). El Karkouri would do well for us... Serious no jokes-and Hossam Ghaly is technically amazing and will only produce if he feels at home here...jus somthin for u 'fickle' spurs fans 2 think about...u disloyal twats...sorry for the rant but needed to be said. peace and spurs forever.

Anonymous said...

IS THERE ANYONE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHO KNOWS ABOUT THE PRE-SEASON FRIENDLIES, TOURNEMENTS ETC? IM SUFFERRING FROM WITHDRAWEL SYMPTOMS ALREADY!

Anonymous said...

For a couple of months now I've restrained myself but... What a load of bollocks. H, you need to redeem yourself and quickly else your little blog will end up with my fist in your face. I've never known such a wank Spurs fan pertaining to be so special. My gut wrenches with your every word... Sorry but you're feeble

Anonymous said...

BTW WE HATE ARSENAL, WE HATE ARSENAL

Anonymous said...

Next thing, is this some sort of kids' board? ludicrous is mild to say. We are the Tottenham and we are the best, we are the Tottenham so fuck all the rest...

Anonymous said...

A bit rude of me, sorry but I really don't think you understand the true Spurs nature. It's not about you or your blog, or making headlines. It's about us (plural), we live and die Spurs... My advice, stop searching for headlines and be real. Stop jumping on every story and reflect US. eg. Let's sign Matty Taylor because he's class and Spurs through and through, let us all hate Newcastle and beware that under Big Sam tey may fuck us over next season. Let us all rise together and exterminate everyone that hides their colouts etc. And let's not forget that Sol destroyed many a young boy's bottom at Arsenal.

Anonymous said...

To assist with planning here are the dates for the early stages of the UEFA Cup next season:

Knockout round 1st leg 20/09/07
2nd leg 04/10/07

Group stage 1 25/10/07
2 08/11/07
3
29/11/07
4 05/12/07** or 13/12/07.
5 13/12/07 or 20/12/07.

Anonymous said...

Original content is the genral preference but this article was well worth publishing so well done HH.

Strange comments about O'Hara and Taarabt. They need to be regularly in the squad in order to come through. Isn't O'Hara left footed?

What is all this about attacking centre backs? We need pure defensive cover in that area more than anywhere else in the team. Dawson may be lionhearted but his form after Christmas took a real nose-dive and he should have been rested for a few weeks at least but we couldn't due to the crocked King.

As for Matt Taylor at left-back. He has got a great shot on him. That will sure come in useful defending corners and set pieces.

When will you all wake up? We may have come fifth but we conceded more goals than any team except those involved in the relegation dog fight. If Berbatov had got injured we would have been in the crap.

MJ must shore up that defence before he does anything else.

Harry Hotspur said...

2.14

I'll publish what I want.

Perhaps if you want something else from this blog you go go elsewhere, as I absolutely refuse to take any guidance... from you.

Anonymous said...

2.14...

why is it not about harry or his blog? Do you even know what a blog is? He's not doing the official fansite for the international spurs supporters trust or whatever, it's just a blog where he can post HIS thoughts and pieces of information/speculation for others to see and to 'discuss', although people seem to think that means slag off. Go try make your own if you don't think this is good enough... see how many people use yours.
***********
Back on topic.. good interview, thanks HH. If it were up to me I'd be looking at just 3 players:

LB - G Bale
LW - M G Pedersen (much better than Downing)
FW - B Sharp of Scunthorpe.

Obviously Sharp has only played League 1 football but he looks amazing (30 league goals this season) and seeing as we're building for the future, lets get him in for a few seasons and build him up to premiership standard. He's only 21!

Unknown said...

The quality of the interview is as such due to the type of questions which appear as if they were submitted in written format. But nevertheless credit goes to Martin Jol for his replies which were accurate, frank, bold and revealing of his plans and ambitions. A huge credit goes to HH first for detecting the interview and secondly for sharing it with everybody.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chaps, why do some 'anonymous' bloggers continue to have a pop at HH. This site proves a good service to the fans but it is not obligatory. If you do not like it go elsewhere, it is as simple as that.

An interesting interview that I have not seen elsewhere - further justification for regular dips into this site.

Thanks also to the Anorak for those dates in the UEFA Cup next season.

Anonymous said...

I don't like Jol
I don't trust Jol
We are crap with Jol
We will win nothing with Jol

Signed: Jol is jinxed

Anonymous said...

i dont understand.

whats so upsetting about publishing an interview with Martin Jol on a Spurs blog?

i can only assume the flak is coming from confused dyslexic harry houdini fans.

Anonymous said...

more articles on escapology please.

Anonymous said...

They should have asked him why he signed Danny Murphy.

Anonymous said...

It's pretty clear to a blind man that there is one dull wanker posting anti Harry nonsense on here on a virtually daily basis.

It is a pity they have no more to offer than Cyber hate.

The interview was excellent (it was from FIFA) and Harry made no attempt to pass it off as his own work. Having a pop at Harry here isn't suspect, it's totally fraudulent.

Good call to run it on what is a fun little site.

One thing Harry isn't is BORING and you are. Kindly move on.

Thank you.

Anonymous said...

1.44

Don't be sorry, just piss off back to cashburden you ****

Anonymous said...

Harry, it looks like Bale may be comin' after all mate.......,

JUST HOW MUCH HATRED CAN YOU COPE WITH!!!!????

Anonymous said...

It appears that there are press nudges and winks to suggest that Gareth Bale will be wearing the Lillywhite kit next season. I haven't seen him play so I can neither salivate nor constipate his arrival.
Is he any good? Wonder boy or boy wonder why we paid the earth for him? Better than Ban Ass ekoto and Lee? Can anyone draw a good comparison to current or former players?

Also; Answer this one....
Berbatov or Cantona?

Anonymous said...

cantona is a fat middle aged frenchman.

mido or cantona?

Anonymous said...

mido is a bit of a drama queen also. Ghaly was 'that close' to drop kicking 36, 000 people......

Anonymous said...

would probably try and do a flying backheel overhead flashy git drop kick

and trip over his feet.

Anonymous said...

Can't you ban anonymous posters?

Being deprived of living anywhere near a Spurs fan, places like this are a god sent!

keep up the good work harry...

This interview is where all the stories sources from regarding the so called fact that he thinks that we play 'total football'. Rather, he says that's how he would like us to play!

Anonymous said...

I've yet to see a site that even vaguely challenges this one. re:1.44
Are you a politician? you're good at spouting on without actually saying anything! That's about as good a definition of 'feeble' as you're likely to see.

Love to see whingers spending time on this site. First sign of web jealousy. Please keep it coming, it's the only way we can all guage as to whether Harry's doing a good job.

Nice one HH.

Anonymous said...

someone needs to explain to me why we seem to be spewing hatred towards fellow yids when we should be crapping on the scum. ARE YOU LOT ARSENAL IN DISGUISE? YID FOR LIFE AND YOU'D BETTER NOT FORGET IT. However it was a pointless article but HH was spot on to bring people that news-SO unless you have something constructive to say...Please dont.YID ARMY

Anonymous said...

Ipswich (a) - I'm not sure who approached who but discussions are on-going. Ipswich want the game on a weekend but Spurs want mid-week. We'll probably get our way and I think Tues/Wed 24/25 July is the most likely date.

Benfica (a) - Benfica have approached us but we haven't responsed to them either way. It's easier for the club if the game was on a weekend, if it was agreed, and so the most suitable date will be Sat/Sun 28/29 July.

Stevenage (a) - this game is definite and Stevenage want the end of July so the likely date is Tues/Wed 31 July/1 August.

Home game - we always play a home game the week before the season starts - and thus Sat/Sun 4/5 August will see a home game against someone - possibly Celtic or Rangers.
Not sure about the Peace cup as Reading have now confirmed.

Anonymous said...

Top man swiper for that info.

Harry Hotspur said...

Jack the anorak - Keep'em coming!

Sydney ;)

JGM - welcome home son.

Swiper - cheers again!

Anonymous said...

Harry how's about a rumour mill article mate?

Here's some ammo to kick you off...courtesy of Casparian of Vital

In

Darren Bent (Charlton Athletic, £10m), Curtis Davies (West Bromwich Albion, £10m), Brian Saah (Leyton Orient, £2m), Nani (Sporting, £?), Gareth Bale (Southampton, £?), Yossi Benayoun (West Ham United, £?), Kevin Boateng (Hertha Berlin, £?), Andrea Caracciolo (Palermo, £?), Gregory Coupet (Lyon, £?), Kieron Dyer (Newcastle United, £?), Johan Elmander (Toulouse, £?), Eidur Gudjohnsen (Barcelona, £?), Andrew Johnson (Everton, £?), Younes Kaboul (Auxerre, £?), Kostas Katsouranis (Benfica, £?), Nasko Kurdov (Levski Sofia, £?), Christoph Metzelder (Borussia Dortmund, £?), Antti Niemi (Fulham, £?), Nigel Reo-Coker (West Ham United, £?), Javier Saviola (Barcelona, Bosman), Nikola Zigic (Racing Santander, £?), Distel Zola (Monaco, £?)


Jermaine Jenas (Everton, £10m), Pascal Chimbonda (Sevilla, £8m), Mido (Manchester United, £?), Dimitar Berbatov (Chelsea, £?), Jermain Defoe (Manchester United, £?), Anthony Gardner (Portsmouth, £?), Didier Zokora (Sevilla, £?)


I was in the Paxton with you last Sunday mate so I know Didier is bollocks, but the rest is fun enough.

Better to be talked about than not at all.. eh?

COYS

Harry Hotspur said...

'With me'... How very dare you...

Anonymous said...

1.44

Truth is you haven't restrained yourself at all, have you, you slippery little tw*t?

There was a post recently from h himself asking you to post under your own name and you still used 'sidyid'!!!

You were chased out of spurs vital website for being a c*ck who wouldn't allow free thought and you also used to post on spurs odyessy until you were revealed there as the editor of of a fulham site!!!

You're a joke and as the rest of us on Vital know you as Mark Langton, so leave old Harry alone and piss off, there's a good little bore..!!!

We're spurs fans opposed to tw*ts who hate a bloke who obviously loves... our club!!!!!

Anonymous said...

kudos to the guys with the fixtures,thanx for that but nuts to sidyid or whoever. Good show NR to put him in his place.(Again)...sigh

Anonymous said...

You WERE hounded out of Vital, sid. I was one of the members on there who sent pm's White Hart and The Fear wanting shot of you! There was even a thread dedicated to getting shot of you!All you ever did was delete posts that had even mild swearing in and when were you never banging on about it being a family site???? You were only on there a week or two before you 'volunteered' to be a mod and boy did you moderate. The most hated bloke that ever went on there.If you aren't unwelcome on Vital then go back on there then? So you think you're going 'ruin' this blog with your crummy 'idiot' posts??? I think Harry's delete button will ultimately get the better of you and YOUR lonely obsession.
Take a piece of advice and go find another hobby. I can't remeber when you EVER wrote anything about football on any site, let alone vital or this one. This is another site about Spurs for fans who swear, don't give a fuck about you or your kid and don't need minding by nanny sid. As some else who doesn't like you either put earlier, alot of people do like this blog, especially if you can't make the games. Anyway, like all your sort, you think you know better than the rest of us so I look forward to your next Harry is a ________ post just to prove what sad bloke YOU are.

Anonymous said...

Hey sid, why don't you write to Harrods and tell them Harry smells?

That should keep you busy.

Anonymous said...

Well; bloody Moaninho beat Fergie tactically again today. The guy is here to stay. Only one man can beat him: Berbaking. He failed this year. Another chance next year. But in a team run by Jol chances are Moaninho will have the last laugh and the cups. Again!

Anonymous said...

what a crappy game-cant wait to see Spurs there next year. Keep it rollin lads!!!

Anonymous said...

So the votes are in Harry, sid's a fart and we love (in moderation) you.

Delete him with our blessing and keep up the good work.

But let this be an end to it? Zzzzzzzzzzzzz....


Cheers, Large Tony