Republic of Ireland defender Stephen Carr has announced his international retirement.

The Newcastle ace believes the time is right to quit the international scene after Ireland's failure to qualify for next summer's World Cup finals.

Carr is the third player to quit Ireland following the decisions by Roy Keane and Kenny Cunningham to announce their international retirements.

The full back's decision comes as something of a surprise as he is still only 29 and has only won 39 caps for his country.

"I have made my decision, and there is no going back for me now," Carr told Newcastle's official website.

"I just feel the time is right to call it a day with Ireland. It was disappointing for the squad, the manager, and the whole country that we didn't qualify for the World Cup.

"I would have loved to have represented my country in Germany next summer and maybe called it quits after that, but it wasn't to be.

"Failing to qualify for the World Cup was a huge disappointment for me personally. I missed the last World Cup because of injury, and this time we ended up finishing fourth in the group so we didn't go through.

"I think it's time for me to stand aside now, and let some of the younger lads coming through have the opportunity to play for Ireland.

"I'll be 34 the next time the World Cup comes around and at that stage of my career I wouldn't feel as though I could do myself or Ireland justice in the competition should we get through.

"This has been a tough decision for me to make, but I have no doubt it is the correct one for everyone concerned."
Source: skysports.com

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has admitted the club could be interested in moving into the Olympic Stadium after it has been used for the 2012 London Games.

Spurs have considered leaving White Hart Lane in a bid to keep pace with the all the top clubs in Europe.

With a 70,000-plus stadium to be built in Stratford, east London for the Olympics it leaves open the possibility that the ground could be used for football after the Olympics.

Levy says that Spurs would consider moving into the stadium if it becomes available for football.

"That is a possibility," Levy told the Times. "At the moment it is going to be used for athletics.

"If that changes, then I am sure they will come and talk to us. There are only one or two clubs who could occupy it.

"We have the fourth largest supporter base of any English club and that us an independent assessment. And we are one of the few clubs that have sold every single seat this season.

"Chelsea had empty seats in the Champions League. I can tell you now that, if we were playing in Europe, I don't care who it would be against, this stadium would be full. The supporter base is not just large, it is very loyal."
Source: skysports.com

lil kirsten says: i luv u aaron i think ur a great footballer n i would like to come and see you play but i cant afford it. its kirsten ur faverite skool m8. can you please get me tickets for a match so i can see you in ur shorts running around

We are delighted to announce that we will host the first leg of England's European U21 Championship play-off against France at the Lane on Friday November 11.

It means Michael Dawson, Aaron Lennon, Tom Huddlestone and Calum Davenport (on loan at Norwich) - all named in the last England U21 squad - will have the chance of playing for a place in next summer's finals on home soil. Dean Marney, also on loan at Norwich and Wayne Routledge, if fit, might also come into the frame.

The first leg at the Lane will kick-off at 7.30pm with the return the following Tuesday, November 15, at the Stade Marcel Picot in Nancy. The second leg kicks-off at 8pm UK time.

The prospect of turning out for England at Spurs is certainly an exciting one for defender Michael.

“Playing for the Under-21s has been one of the highlights of a great year for me," said 'Daws', 11 U21 caps to his name.

"Since joining Spurs in January I have enjoyed every minute of my football and playing at such a level with a high-quality team has improved my game tremendously.

“The chance to play for England at White Hart Lane is something very special for me. There is a strong Spurs presence in the U21 squad and I know that although Wayne Routledge is recovering from injury, Aaron, Calum and Tom are just as eager as me to get onto the pitch and show the fans what we can do for our country.”


England coach and ex-Spur Peter Taylor said: "These will be two fantastic matches and I'm delighted to be playing the home leg at White Hart Lane. Obviously it's a stadium I know well from my playing days with Tottenham, and is a superb venue for a game of this importance. Spurs are very well represented in the Under-21s, with Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Aaron Lennon, Wayne Routledge and Calum Davenport now all established members of the squad, and I'm looking forward to a fantastic atmosphere on the night.

with all this money were spending and not a signifcant amount coming in, does make you wonder where its all coming from and more importantly, what happens when it all runs out?

Anybody else hear, Chris Hughton was fired as Ireland coach.... Along with irish manager, Brian Kerr. Dunno if its true though, take with a pinch of salt!!

Simple! Jol gives a sizeable sum of money to his appropriately named brother Cock Jol to fund a brothel and a drug ring in Holland, that figure is then paid back doubled...along with the protection money. 

Spurs Lodge, and there was me thinking that the news of the world had uncovered that spurs is run by the Masons 

TBH All of the other forums copied of the Real Madrid forum, where the original thread where you can talk about your team is still standing 2 years afterwards.
(The original was lost after the server wipe )

Rubbish.
My one was original since the talk isn't restricted to one single club, or even football.

Class above

Spurs’ announcement this week that they had applied for planning permission to build a new training facility and academy at Myddelton House, Bulls Cross, Enfield brings back fond memories for this writer.

If the application is successful, then Spurs will be making a move nearer a spiritual home, because they used to train at Cheshunt, about two and a half miles north of Myddelton House, just up the A10.

Bearing in mind the fact that Spurs trained at Cheshunt in the hey-day of the sixties and seventies, even into the eighties, then you can understand why I am excited at the prospect of my beloved club training almost next to the A10 again. Mind you, in Bill Nicholson’s day, you could attend training sessions and hear Bill’s assistant Eddie Bailey effing and blinding at the stars that graced the Lilywhite shirt, if they didn’t perform as they should! Nowadays of course, training sessions are closed to the public.

Once upon a time countless Spurs stars lived in the Cheshunt and Broxbourne area. In fact, Ossie Ardiles and Pat Jennings to name but two, still have family homes in the vicinity. Can we look forward to Hertfordshire being graced by future big name players from the mighty Spurs?

Myddelton House just lies in the Enfield, Middlesex area, and is near the junction of the M25 and A10. It is a busy area and certainly not as cosy as Chigwell, where Spurs Lodge is situated.

Spurs are already familiar with the venue, as their schoolboys have played there for quite a while. The club must be hoping that this scheme can go through smoothly, unlike the Abridge attempt a couple of years ago.

Myddelton House is named after Sir Hugh Myddelton, who designed the famous New River, which runs from the top of the Lea Valley between Hertford and Ware. I have to report that it ends in the Borough of Islington and that there is a statue of Myddelton at the junction of Essex Road and Upper Street, which, sadly, is gooner territory. Maybe we’ll have a chance to spill something in the water as it runs past the new Spurs training facility!

I found this on spurs odyssey, about building a new training ground.
Sorry for double posting.

You posted a week ago, its not double posting   

I'd say Defoe. Or even both, wear one on top of the other! That way you don'y have to choose.

Tottenham captain Ledley King is looking for a new contract which will tie him to the club for the long-term.

King believes that Spurs are currently heading in the right direction and, although he is currently tied to White Hart Lane until 2008, he says that he would like to pledge his future for longer.

The 24-year-old is thought to be eager to negotiate new terms in order that his wages can be brought into line with top earners such as Edgar Davids.

"It's between my agent and the club," he said. "I am just letting them get on with it and concentrating on my football. I've always said that if we are going in the right direction, I haven't got a problem.

"The lads have given us an indication of what we are capable of. We have a young squad and we have to keep going.

"The [UEFA] Champions League would be a bonus - you take it one game at a time and see where we can get."

Ledders wants to stay longer. No more Chelsea or Arsenal for him.    

from skysports.com
Meanwhile, Ledley King is reported to have rejected the offer of a new deal at Tottenham.

Reports on Sunday have claimed that the Spurs skipper has turned down the club's offer of a new five-year contract.

Spurs are keen to tie down the England international to a new long-term deal to ward off interest from potential suitors.

King still has two-and-a-half years left on his current deal and Spurs remain confident of keeping the central defender at White Hart Lane.

from skysports.com
Tottenham boss Martin Jol has hinted that he could make a move for Chelsea ace Arjen Robben.

Robben's future at Chelsea has been the subject of speculation in recent weeks after a reported row with Jose Mourinho.

Mourinho is thought to be unhappy with Robben's constant fitness problems and is reportedly willing to part ways with the former PSV Eindhoven star.

Jol is a big admirer of his Dutch compatriot and admitted he would be interested in signing the winger if he was available.

"I have said that if there are more problems surrounding Robben I'll make a mega bid for him," Jol told Dutch website Football Zone.

"Spurs have a lot of quality. Financially we're very healthy, too.

"We've money to spend and that's why we can bring in expensive players."

Also, reading this made me laugh. Who needs Reid when we can have..... er.... ROBBEN

Sporting Director Damien Comolli has thanked the co-operation of the Egyptian FA after reaching agreement for Mido to be available for our games against Manchester City and Liverpool prior to the start of the African Nations Cup.

Egypt host what is now a significant tournament comprising 16 teams in four groups kicking-off with Egypt’s opener against Libya on January 20 through to the final on February 10.


FIFA rules require that players are released by their clubs two weeks before the tournament starts but at a meeting between Damien and Mr Zaher, President of the Egyptian FA, agreement was reached allowing Mido to remain in the UK for our Premiership clash at Manchester City on January 4 before flying out for Egypt’s friendly against Nigeria on January 9 and then returning for our trip to Anfield on January 14.


Mido will then fly back to Egypt for the duration of the tournament — he could be back with us after Egypt’s last group game on January 28, the quarter-finals on February 3/4, semi-finals on February 7, third/fourth place play-off on February 9 or final on February 10.


“We are appreciative of the understanding of the Egyptian FA,” said Damien. “They have taken into account both the interests of the players and our Club. There was an excellent spirit of co-operation.”


Egypt face a tough-looking group in Cairo as they take on the Ivory Coast — home of Chelsea’s Didier Drogba and Arsenal’s Kolo Toure and a team that beat them in recent World Cup qualifiers, Noureddine Naybet’s Morocco and Libya. They need to finish in the top two of the group to progress.

Yeah, well he did do one long range kick that nobody will forget.

Okay, to bring this thread back to life I simply ask to how many Spurs games anyone of you has been and how your status to the club is.
Are there Spurs members or season ticket holders here?
How difficult is it to get tickets for home games when you aren't a member of the club?

Tottenham boss Martin Jol has ruled himself out of replacing Guus Hiddink, should he leave PSV Eindhoven this summer.

Hiddink, who also manages Australia, has been linked as a possible successor to Sven Goran Eriksson in charge of England.

However, Jol has distanced himself from the possible vacancy, stating he is fully focused on Spurs.

"Hiddink is still there, but it is always the same if someone leaves a club like Ajax, Feyenoord or PSV, they all link coaches with Dutch clubs," said Jol.

"Feyenoord is a big club but in Holland they think of Spurs as a big club. Feyenoord have 50,000 fans on average, PSV is the same. They are a Champions League club.

"I would not be interested in the job. I am focused on this club. This is my first club as a manager and I love this club.

"My plan is to stay here and hopefully improve our football and get the results. Then in the next couple of years we can be as good as the top four clubs in England.''