Spurs V Liverpool Pre-match thread

[Drago]

I ****ing dread playing Spurs.

Not because they're great or that I expect us to lose, it's because of their ****ing fans. They're just ****ing horrible. Possibly worse than United, Everton and Chelsea fans.

**** off Spurs.

I've took a very intense hatred of spurs the last five years.

[Lee]

I've took a very intense hatred of spurs the last five years.

Yup, they're ****ing horrible. At least Chelsea and United have something to back up their swagger and remarks, Spurs and their fans are just small-time bitter cunts.

[Drago]

Arsenal fans are another lot that are winding me up the same way. Far too cocky for a side that wins **** all.

[Lee]

Arsenal fans are another lot that are winding me up the same way. Far too cocky for a side that wins **** all.

Ah, but they play good football eh?!

**** 'em all. Come on West 'aaaaam

[Fredo]

Just seen this. A bit worrying.

Liverpool's Damien Comolli returns to Tottenham under the spotlight
Link

Damien Comolli faces a frosty reception on his return to Tottenham Hotspur , after the manager Harry Redknapp joined his Arsenal counterpart Arsène Wenger in questioning the director's worth.

Comolli, who was appointed as Liverpool's director of football strategy earlier this month, held the position of sporting director at White Hart Lane from 2005 to 2008 and, before that, he had worked as a European scout at Arsenal for seven years.

The Frenchman has angered prominent figures at both north London clubs by talking up the role that he played in the recruitment of certain players. His claim, for example, that it was he who conceived the signing of Dimitar Berbatov at Tottenham in 2006 has numbered among the many to go down badly at the club. His predecessor in the role, Frank Arnesen, had done the legwork on the Berbatov deal.

Sources at Tottenham say that the only discovery Comolli made was that of the left-back Benoît Assou-Ekotto, while they also mock him for electing to pursue the signing of the striker Darren Bent from Charlton Athletic in 2007 rather than follow up the club's initial interest in Fernando Torres, who would join Liverpool from Atlético Madrid that same summer. It ought to be noted that Torres was realistically only ever going to leave Spain for Anfield.

Comolli has been happy to accept the credit for some of Wenger's signings – in particular, Kolo Touré, Emmanuel Eboué and Gaël Clichy – but, again, this has not been well received at Arsenal. Wenger's relationship with Comolli is strained.

"I let you write what you want [about Comolli]," Wenger said. "He was a scout here and not a director of football. He worked under Steve Rowley [the chief scout]. That is it. Only one person decides who comes in here and that is me. Nobody else."

Comolli was sacked by Tottenham in October 2008, together with the coach Juande Ramos, to pave the way for Redknapp's arrival in a more traditional management structure. At the time of his departure, Tottenham were bottom of the Premier League, with two points from eight matches.

Comolli was criticised by the Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for overseeing the sales of Berbatov and another striker, Robbie Keane, in the summer of that year, and failing to replace them adequately, leaving the squad unbalanced. Comolli points out that on his watch, Tottenham signed success stories such as Berbatov, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Heurelho Gomes and Assou-Ekotto.

"I am happy when people around Europe come to me and say they're my players and that they're doing well," Comolli said, in a recent interview. "I've had so much positive feedback since I've left Tottenham and I hope people now understand what the job was about. I give Harry full credit for adding a resilience which wasn't there before, but he had very good players to work with. He was fortunate to get into a club which is wealthy, organised and well run."

Redknapp told Levy that he would not come to Tottenham if he had to work under a sporting director and he made it clear what he thought of Comolli. "Yeah, I think he should take all the credit, for sure," Redknapp said, sarcastically. "They were all doing well when I arrived, you know. They were all good; they were all great."

Liverpool's new owner, John W Henry of New England Sports Ventures, appointed Comolli, with the manager Roy Hodgson not involved in the recruitment process. Hodgson has insisted that he retains the final say on transfers.

"Damien has got a big network in France and abroad," Redknapp said. "And if he can work with Roy and they discuss who they're going to bring in, which I'm sure they will, then it's not such a problem perhaps. They may get on great together."

In an interesting twist, Comolli has taken Tottenham's principal overseas scout, Steve Hitchen, to Liverpool. "He's nicked him off us," Redknapp said. "Steve was excellent, an English boy who lives in France. We liked him a lot."

[vonk]

Just seen this. A bit worrying.

Time will tell. All managers take credit for the players who are a success.

[cream]

TBF, there will always be more than one person claiming credit for transfers that are successful, but no one wants to take the blame for the failures.

[Baracus]

Time will tell. All managers take credit for the players who are a success.

Plus this is a very interesting quote.


In an interesting twist, Comolli has taken Tottenham's principal overseas scout, Steve Hitchen, to Liverpool. "He's nicked him off us," Redknapp said. "Steve was excellent, an English boy who lives in France. We liked him a lot."

[Mostar]

Time will tell. All managers take credit for the players who are a success.

Absolutely. It really does not matter what he has done in the past and which player he allegedly signed or didn't sign. What matters is who he signs now.

[vonk]

Absolutely. It really does not matter what he has done in the past and which player he allegedly signed or didn't sign. What matters is who he signs now.

Exactly.


January will be interesting, not only for who we sign, but for who is signing them. Should give us an indication of the direction the club is taking.

[wiw]

I see Roy has tongued the collective Spurs arsehole before the match, wish he'd stop doing that ffs. He really is spoiling footie for me, he's just not a Liverpool manager

[SB]

I see Roy has tongued the collective Spurs arsehole before the match, wish he'd stop doing that ffs. He really is spoiling footie for me, he's just not a Liverpool manager

Hoping that the powers to be agree with you Will

I still hold on to the hope that Riijkard will be joining us

[DannyMan2006]

Roy will still be in charge come the start of next season.

[Exiled_red]

Roy will still be in charge come the start of next season.

Personally I think he'll be here until the end of the season, but I'd be suprised if he were still here at the start of next season.

[Fredo]

He's got a 3 year contract.