After Tottenham’s worst start to a season since 1912, the year the Titanic sunk, the football odds compilers have them as short as 5/1 to be relegated.
Sunday’s 1-0 home reverse to the top-flight’s surprise package Hull City leaves Spurs with just two points from seven games and rooted to the foot of the table.
Spanish boss Juande Ramos is coming under increasing pressure, but with nearly three years to run on his contract at White Hart Lane the cost of sacking the former Sevilla coach would cost in excess of £15million.
Speaking after the weekend’s defeat Ramos said:
This is my job, I am the same whether we win or lose. That decision [about whether he stays] is not up to me, but I am determined to put it right.
On the plus side for Ramos the international break means that Tottenham do not play again until October 19, when they travel to another promoted side, Stoke City in what is already a relegation ‘six-pointer’.
It will give the Tottenham coach time to mull over what exactly is going wrong, but in his defence his men racked up almost 30 goal attempts against the Tigers but were undone by a marvellous free-kick which no goalkeeper in the world would have saved.
Ramos’ record is sure to come under the microscope in the coming weeks, but it could well be sporting director Damien Comolli who carries the can. Comolli is responsible for the club’s less-than-impressive transfer dealings and the feeling is that Comolli might be the one that is removed from his position in North London.
By Phil Tomlinson
