Tottenham v Dinamo Bucuresti - TalkSoccer

**bandini** · 13-12-2006, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Martin Jol would prefer the glory of winning the UEFA Cup this season to qualifying for the Champions League and then struggling in Europe's top competition.

Spurs were pipped by Arsenal to fourth place in the Barclays Premiership last season but the consolation of reaching the UEFA Cup - which they won in 1972 and 1984 - has given Jol's men the scent of silverware.

The Dutchman believes being among the contenders in Europe's second-tier competition is more beneficial than the situation Everton found themselves two years ago when confidence was hit after crashing out of the Champions League early.

Spurs have a 100% record in the UEFA Cup this season and will top Group B with a point against Dinamo Bucharest tomorrow, which would mean avoiding teams dropping out of the Champions League.

``If you are in the Champions League you could end up with a problem, but winning the UEFA Cup would be a big success for this club,'' said the Spurs boss.

``Going into the Champions League doesn't mean anything - it would mean we are in the top four in England but after that there are so many games to play until you can win something and I don't feel we are strong enough yet to win something in the Champions League.''

When asked which he would prefer, reaching the Champions League or winning the UEFA Cup, he added: ``I would like to win the UEFA Cup.

``In the UEFA Cup in the last 10 years there are seven or eight teams from different countries winning.

``That gives us a chance, we could probably be one of them.

``Middlesbrough were one of them last year in the final. It depends on the draw as well, Werder Bremen are the best team in Germany at the moment, better than Bayern Munich.''

The prospect of lifting a trophy excites skipper Ledley King, who was injured towards the end of last season and missed out as Spurs just failed to hold onto fourth place.

He has since needed an operation on his knee but insists his fitness is no longer a concern, while Jol rates him as Spurs' best player in recent matches.

``I am aware that Spurs were the first winners of the competition and so are the other players, so we definitely want to get our names on the trophy and make a bit more history,'' said King.

``The players are aware that winning the league is not something we likely to do at the moment but the FA Cup, Carling Cup and UEFA Cup are chances of silverware for us.

``So we are taking these cups seriously and there is a feeling in the UEFA Cup that we could go all the way.''

King, at 26, is considered a senior member of a young Spurs squad which Jol believes could eventually make an impression on the Champions League.

``That is what we want,'' he said. ``We are building a new team like five or six other teams, like Arsenal for example.

``It is not easy because sometimes you lose a player and you have to start again but overall when you look at the progress of Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon and Michael Dawson, I feel they could be potentially top players.

``It could take longer than Chelsea, because they buy the finished article and we don't. But this is probably as exciting.''

Despite fitness concerns earlier in the season, King and Dawson have been playing frequently as Spurs have progressed to the knockout stages UEFA Cup and the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.

``There are a few other ones who had operations, Aaron Lennon had an operation so I have to be careful with him and he is playing all the matches,'' said Jol.

``There are players coming back from injury - (Pascal) Chimbonda is a worry because he's carrying a little injury even now.

``Ledley had quite a big operation and we had to play without him, we also had to play without him last season with his foot injury so it's always a problem with top players.''

Jermain Defoe has also picked up a hamstring injury and will require a late check before the clash against Dinamo.

source: soccernet.com

tez1927 · 13-12-2006, 07:35 PM

Bandini,forget the fa cup mate, your going out in the 3rd round,hope you do well in the uefa though.....

**bandini** · 13-12-2006, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tez1927

Bandini,forget the fa cup mate, your going out in the 3rd round,hope you do well in the uefa though.....

Welcome to the forums mate. It will be an interesting one against your boys Cardiff, but I think we will prove too tough for you

I really want them to do well in UEFA though.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-12-2006, 02:05 PM

At home, Tottenham win.

Dinamo are an averagge team.

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 08:45 PM

Half time:

Spurs 2 - 0 Dinamo Bucuresti

Goals:

Berbatov ( 15 )
Defoe ( 38 )

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-12-2006, 08:54 PM

Tottenham H. 3 - 0 Dinamo Bucuresti - 50min

16' [1 - 0] D. Berbatov
39' [2 - 0] J. Defoe
50' [3 - 0] J. Defoe

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 08:56 PM

I'm at work so I can't watch. Have you seen any of the goals?

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-12-2006, 09:00 PM

Don't have the game on Tv.

I just paste that from livescore.com

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 09:07 PM

Yeah. I have the soccernet gamecast up. It's cool when your team is winning

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 09:08 PM

Good to see Defoe scoring lots of goals. Very good for Tottenham. And of course Berbatov scores all the time.

**Sven** · 14-12-2006, 09:11 PM

Huddlestone was my MoM.

and theres 20 mins left.

I really enjoy the way he plays, great future.

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-12-2006, 09:11 PM

Dimitar is top class.

No one can deny that

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 09:14 PM

hmmm I seem to remember some doubters in these very threads saying otherwise

**Oliver_Kahn** · 14-12-2006, 09:23 PM

Me too.

Dimitar will eventually prove them wrong

Like giving Tottenham the victory against Arsenal (JD)

**bandini** · 14-12-2006, 09:40 PM

Final score: Spurs 3 - 1 Dinamo Bucuresti

Goals:

Berbatov [15] 1 - 0
Defoe [38] 2 - 0
Defoe [49] 3 - 0
Mendy [90] 3 - 1