DISQUS

Thanks Gaffer!

Hey Gaffer,

Speaking of watching FA Cup matches could you do a piece about the poor quality of Setanta broadband versus the really good quality of ESPN360? Setanta is missing a *really* big opportunity here to become the dominant online broadcaster of choice for football matches for those of us without a cable or satellite option. However, the terrible quality of the feeds and the awful service (they can't even get match times right, heck, they didn't even know that our daylight savings time had moved in the States!) has made me want to quit more than once - though how would I watch the matches other than illegally?

That said, I have to wonder, given the poor quality of setanta broadband how many people decided to keep stealing online feeds of matches instead of paying for a crappy product. Or is Setanta just not investing in broadband because it's starting to make progress with cable contracts etc...? Anyway, I thought you might be a person in the know about something like this. Cheers!

I never wanted Defoe to leave the Lane and if Levy knew of Berbatov's desire to leave last summer I still scratch my head wondering why he ever left. I'll wait and see on Downing. If the bid is much higher than 12 mill it probably wouldn't be worth it. Then again if it keeps Spurs from relegation...

That said, I hate to see Spurs put all their eggs in one or two baskets. I hope behind the scenes Spurs are also putting in a decent bid for Podolski from Munich. He's got great power and accuracy behind the ball and easily the strength for the EPL. Not to mention German players have a pretty good history of success playing for English clubs, not least of which has been for Spurs.

Good news indeed. I'd really like to see ESPN classics converted into ESPN3 on which to show EPL and other soccer games. Setanta Broadband is pretty bad in terms of picture quality and customer service that moving some matches to ESPN360 would be very welcome. And who knows, maybe by showing EPL games on 360 Setanta would be inclined to improve their service in order to compete?

I've sent Setanta Broadband several emails this week because they haven't changed the live or replay times to reflect the fact that the UK and US are only 4 hours behind this week (on the east coast) and won't be back to 5 hours until the weekend.

So for the second time in 3 days (I'm a spurs fan) I've joined the replay on Setanta Broadband 60+ minutes into the match, even though I tuned into the game at 7 p.m. - the time they said it would be shown! So I sent them a 2nd email ridiculing their bad service.

And don't even get me started on Setanta Broadband's *incomplete* archive. Sometimes they won't even post games in the archive footage that they had the rights to show live in the first place! Gaffer, can you explain that one to me??? And why *does* it take so long for them to post games? I told them in my email that I hope ESPN takes over showing EPL games, even if only on ESPN360. For sports coverage, ESPN really is the best. They know what their customers want and how to get it to them.

At least this Saturday's Spurs match is on FSC...

I'm a Tottenham supporter and don't appreciate the insult. Spurs are doing *much* better than McCain's campaign :-)

I agree Gaffer. Ramos has been in charge of the squad for 12 months. Its clearer than ever after Spurs' loss to Stoke that he is not the man for the job. It's really the two Red Cards that need to be considered. Here is clear evidence of a manager losing control of his team; a sign of a complete lack of discipline and coaching in the locker room and on the pitch.

The old saying goes that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. The 4-1-4-1 formation is not working. He keeps trying it expecting that this time Spurs will score. They won't. And if Pavs was fit enough to play the whole second half, why didn't he start up front with Bent in the first half? Spurs need more not less striking options up front for the *entire* match.

How about giving some other players a chance? Where is Hudds? Where is Taarabt? Dos Santas? Spurs need to take some chances, and that means taking a chance on players other than JJ and Zokora. Ramos seems unwilling or unable to take such risks or chances even in desperate times such as these.

Substitutions: Bentley was finally playing with some fire yesterday, but was taken off the pitch. This has happened before when other players are having good games. Ramos keeps putting his strategy above "reading" the players on the pitch. Strategy must be built upon performance, not the other way around. Finally, all this talk about firing Ramos would be a disaster is complete BS. It is *already* a disaster.

True, Ramos was not helped by Comoli and Levi in the summer. But ya know what, you coach and manager the team you have, not the team you want to have. What's Ramos going to do, lose every game until January because he doesn't have the "right" players?

Ramos is not personally or emotionally connecting with the players for whatever reason. He is repeatedly forcing a style of play that is not working. He has lost the confidence of the fans. He has lost discipline over his players. Spurs are staring relegation in the face. Ramos has got to go.