When Tottenham officials were first caught having clandestine meetings with Juande Ramos behind Martin Jol's back and in the resulting avalanche of speculation that ensued, fans were told a great deal about the qualities their potential new manager possessed.
Sporting an iron will and wily tactical acumen, Ramos was a man who commanded respect and no small degree of fear from his players with his ruthless team selection and tough, disciplinarian attitude. He was said to have made his team play with ten men just to make them work harder. This was not a man to be trifled with, we were assured.
Within just a few months of his arrival, all these rumours appeared true. Ramos instantly went about dictating a strict dietary regime on a squad he and his fitness coach deemed over-weight. When Paul Robinson fell out of form, he was dropped without Ramos as much as batting an eyelid. Ruthlessly, Robinson only discovered his fate hours before kick off.
Then the former
At the time the achievement seemed remarkable. Less than a season into a career in a new country, Ramos had masterminded Tottenham's first piece of silverware since 1999. Fans hailed their new 'special one' and started dreaming of what a side led by their new hero could achieve. In their decision to remove Martin Jol, the board were vindicated. Everything that Ramos was said to have been, he was. Or so it seemed...
Since that glorious day, with European qualification assured, Ramos' Tottenham have taken their feet completely off the gas. Discounting a spirited performance in
Now let me be clear - the end of season slump is not uncommon and to a certain extent it is understandable for a side that have experienced a season dogged by turmoil. Some might say that now qualification for the UEFA Cup is assured and we cannot achieve anything palpable in the league, results and performances are meaningless. . But should the fans that fill
Should we be worried by half baked uncommitted displays under a manager who is supposed to be the type to demand the best from his players at all times? When Ramos excused the sides sloppiness during the weekend draw against
At the start of this eight game period I wrote how the remaining games of the season offered Ramos a unique chance to assess the virtues of his squad free from the pressure normally associated with the end of season run-in. We were informed that over half the squad were playing for their places and that the manager and his assistant Gus Poyet would not accept any relaxation. But with four games left, what can he have learned save that the vast majority of his squad have their minds on their summer holidays.
This season we have thrown over thirty points away from winning positions but rather than offering reassurances that our generosity will end next season, the past four games have merely served to lend credence to the notion that a depressingly large percentage of our first team players just aren't up to the job. But what about the man in charge?
The hope is that Ramos' nonchalant recent demeanour actually hides a man who is simply confident that he knows exactly which players he wants to keep and which ones he wants to offload. Although disappointed by recent displays he is unsurprised and feels no need to waste criticism on players who he has already decided have no future at the club. Or perhaps behind the scenes he is making the likes of Pascal Chimbonda and Robinson eat the dourest tasting vegetables possible because he prefers to exact his punishments in private.
Whether this is true, who knows? Regardless, if these passionless performances have achieved anything it's that, for the first time since Ramos took over, I'm disappointed in him. I guess that after years of watching Spurs play the months of March to April with meaningless games, I'd gotten used to us having something to play for. The problem is - I expected better. If recent history should have taught me anything it's that, when it comes to my beloved Tottenham, I shouldn't expect anything.