At the end of last season I wrote that Martin Jol's Tottenham were a team that had shown a great deal of potential but that big questions remained over their ability to win the crucial matches. Against Sevilla in the Uefa Cup and Arsenal in the Carling Cup Jol's tactics had been found wanting and a season that may have ended in glory, ended in disappointment.
Looking back, those two results were arguably the beginning of the end of the Dutchman's tenure at the club. It was then that Daniel Levy first began to question whether Martin was the right man to achieve our lofty ambitions and, despite backing him in the transfer market, a poor start to the season sealed his managers fate.
So for the second year in a row we started the league campaign atrociously. Over the summer we had strengthened the squad and our pre-season results were encouraging, yet when we arrived at The Stadium of Light to face Sunderland we seemed woefully unprepared. Since then Juande Ramos' overhaul of the players training and diet regime has suggested that Jol's summer fitness programmes were a big factor in such a turgid opening six matches.
Speculation regarding Jol's future hardly helped matters. If the club denying meeting Ramos just weeks before appointing him was insensitive, then the manner in which Jol was given his marching orders was nothing short of an embarrassment, as the club marked only it's second home defeat in Europe by giving him the boot, news of which spread before the final whistle had blown.
But Jol is the past and Ramos was now the man Levy had placed his trust - and his reputation - on. Since taking over Ramos has made well publicised changes to the players diet and training regime, and the results have been clear to see. Players famous for carrying a few extra pounds, such as Tom Huddlestone and Paul Robinson, now sport lithe figures and improved stamina.
For the most part performances have improved with Huddlestone performances earning him a call-up to Fabio Capello's squad for the forthcoming friendlies, although Robinson has had few chances to prove the effects of his new svelte figure.
Where the 'Ramos effect' has been most notable is in our performances against the top four and what we'll call the 'big' matches. Here the Spaniard has demonstrated just why he was regarded as one of Europe's top coaches. In games such as the 5-1 mauling of Arsenal and the impressive performance during the home draw against Manchester United, Ramos has proved himself the superior of Martin Jol and given a suggestion that he may be the man to take the club into the Champions League.
And then there was the Carling Cup Final. Chelsea started strong favourites but for vast swathes of the game Ramos' men dominated possession, hounding and harassing the men in blue, giving them as little time to be comfortable on the ball as possible. That high tempo, high pressure tactic seems to be a hallmark of the Spaniards mentality when approaching cup matches. Most importantly, perhaps, he made the players believe they could win.
Understandably Ramos garnered a great deal of praise winning a trophy less than six months since he joined the club. His cause was, however, aided by some astute January purchases, with Jonathan Woodgate and Alan Hutton looking like inspired additions to a back four that had been ridiculously porous earlier in the season. Both players were undoubtedly helped by the return of Ledley King and Ramos' rejection of the zonal-marking system that had led to the side conceding from set-pieces time and time again.
Since that achievement, the season has gone flat. The valiant loss on penalties in Eindhoven aside, many of the players realised that qualification for Europe through cup glory was the best the club could hope for and thus the league campaign deteriorated into farce, with only a handful of players enhancing their cause in the eyes of the manager over the last few months. Although this doesn't show Ramos' motivational skills in the greatest of lights, most fans will forgive this lapse, knowing that the real work for their new manager starts this summer.
They will be hoping that Ramos continues to show astuteness in the transfer market and now that Ramos has a sustained period in which to bring in and move on players, it would take a brave man to predict our starting XI next August. The capture of Luka Modric is a big coup for the club and suggests we are yet to see the direction in which Ramos wants to take the side, with Modric operating most comfortably in the whole behind the forwards, or behind a lone striker.
With the future of Dimitar Berbatov still very much in the balance, the club's transfer policy is unlikely to have been decided upon. Levy moved quickly for Modric because of the interest of other clubs and will only be pushed into early deals if a similar situation occurs.
What is vitally important is that no matter who leaves and who is bought in, Ramos must prepare his side to start the season well. We simply cannot afford to give up 10-15 points on our rivals before the season is even a few months old. Furthermore Ramos much endeavour to find his sides cutting edge. With the club found the most profligate in Premiership history - having given away more than 30pts from winning positions - a change in mentality must be ensured if we are to push up the table.
And so it remains to rate the Good, the Bad and the Unfortunate of another season of turmoil at White Hart Lane
The Good
Robbie Keane - In December he became only the 13th player to score over 100 Premier League goals and with it he confirmed his place as one of the top strikers in the country. Scored 23 goals in all competitions including a superb last-minute equaliser against Chelsea.
Steed Malbranque - For some reason Steed just doesn't get the credit he deserves. Perhaps he doesn't score as many goals as he should - just 7 this season - but there are few players who work as hard as he does for the cause.
Jonathan Woodgate - Since joining from Middlesbrough in January he has been superb. Touted as future captain material, Woodgate has added the leadership and presence that was lacking without the injured King. His winning goal in the cup final suggested he may well become a fan's favourite in years to come.
The Bad
Paul Robinson - Another torrid season for the former England number one looks set to cost him his place at the club. Despite returning to the first team for the final, Robinson has lost the faith of Ramos and looks certain to leave this summer.
Kevin-Prince Boateng - The midfielder has struggled in his first season of English football and has shown little to justify the reputation he joined with. Ponderous in possession and seemingly lacking drive, Boateng has his work cut out if he is to have any future at the club.
Pascal Chimbonda - Chimbonda's position at the club was fatally undermined by the arrival of Alan Hutton and his reaction to being substituted in the cup final. Has too often has his mind elsewhere but his hopes of a big money move to Chelsea have been dashed with the news that they have signed Bosingwa from Porto.
The Unfortunate
Ledley King - His injury nightmare continues. Last season most fans would laugh off suggestions that their talismanic defender was on the brink of retirement. This year it is telling that those cries of laughter are sounding a little uneasy. In the few appearances he did make he was imperious but Ramos is known to be looking for another defender as a long-term replacement as King's knee looks no closer to healing.
Gareth Bale - It's a footballing cliché but the return of Gareth Bale next season will be like a new signing. The young defender was a marauding and enthusiastic presence on the left in the few appearances he made and also showed that he had the composure to bag a goal or two - and not just from set-pieces. Has a massive future at the club.
Aaron Lennon - Came under a great deal of criticism from fans, most of which was harsh. He is still young enough to turn things around and despite his lack of technique when it comes to delivering that killer ball, he still waded in with his fair share of assists.