Source: Telegraph
Juande Ramos showing Tottenham what they lost by reviving Real Madrid's title hopes
Crisp, businesslike, in control. Was this really that bloke you used to feel sorry for at White Hart Lane, the one who resembled an uncomfortable stooge at his own press conferences? No more; he could not have looked more at home as Real Madrid's new Sun King.[LNB]If he were a Mourinho rather than the quiet, dignified figure he is, Ramos would have used this startling evening when Madrid fansfound a reason to believe again as a way of aiming barbs at all those, from the Tottenham High Road to the Nou Camp, who had either never appreciated or had forgotten his true quality as a coach.[LNB]But proving a point? "I'm working for Real Madrid," he shrugs. "Not to make people think that I'm a better coach than I was three months ago."[LNB]That's because he was good then and he still is. It was just that, after what they had heard of his distant ordeal at Tottenham, Spain perhaps needed a gentle reminder of why he was once able, Clough-like, to turn modest Seville into one of the best club teams in the world.[LNB]So here was another reminder in shining white. Staggeringly, his Madrid, spiritless and clueless just two months ago, put six first-half goals past Real Betis to record their ninth win on the trot – their 10th in 11 matches in all – since Ramos took over two months ago.[LNB]It allowed them to effectively declare at 6-1 at half-time and let 80,000 fans dream of Liverpool here on Wednesday while reserving their second-half roars for news of Barcelona's home defeat in the derby with rock-bottom Espanol.[LNB]In just 90 minutes, the whole dynamic of the La Liga season, maybe the European season too, dramatically shifted. You could feel the new hope here; Barcelona's lead, 12 points only a fortnight ago, was now just seven, bringing gleeful visions of more Catalan choking. Just like two years ago.[LNB]And more than the title race being back on – "I'd never said it wasn't on," said Ramos with a rare smile – Madrid had nicked the aesthetic high ground too.[LNB]All that stuff about Lionel Messi's Barca being the most exotic creations in the 21st century game and Ramos's Real being ugly pedestrian scufflers in comparison? Not after this demonstration of fluid, energetic teamwork and dead-eyed finishing.[LNB]For even those hard-to-please art lovers in the Bernabeu could not sniff at the suggestion that this was the first time Madrid had scored six goals in a half since 1956, the year when Alfredo di Stefano and Paco Gento were kick-starting their Champion Clubs Cup domination.[LNB]A European omen then? Liverpool should be concerned because Ramos's team, although clearly flattered by pitiable Betis, appear to be gelling ominously well for a concerted assault on Cup number 10.[LNB]If communication really was a problem at Spurs, it isn't here. According to Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the young Dutch striker who netted twice on Saturday but is ineligible for the tie, Ramos's secret is making team and individual responsibilities clear through "hard work, organisation and good preparation".[LNB]Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez always fancied Spurs would have found that out too eventually if they had not ditched with such alacrity this season a compatriot he describes as "a great manager".[LNB]On Saturday, the game's star was neither Huntelaar nor the ageless two-goal Raul but Ramos's key signing, Lassana Diarra, the former Portsmouth anchor man.[LNB]He was sensational. Holding midfielders don't normally hog the cheers in the Bernabeu. Yet it made you think: if Ramos had had his way months ago, he could have been doing the same for Spurs.[LNB]Still, it is ancient history for a man who was, and still is, the model of diplomacy whenever talking of his fondness for Spurs. His only concern now is revolutionising a team in December which appeared only to share manager Bernd Schuster's broken spirit.[LNB]They are now unrecognisable, week by week muffling the grumbles about apparently prosaic football – 10 goals in their last two games is a fair riposte – which were also thrown ungratefully at Fabio Capello before he conjured up that La Liga comeback triumph to pip Barcelona in 2007.[LNB]Ramos may only have a contract to the end of the season and knows that even a successful season offers no security with the club's summer Presidential elections coming up.[LNB]Yet if this decent man can continue to nurture this widespread feeling that he has restored the rightful sense of pride and purpose to Los Merengues, no candidate for President may eventually be able to safely ignore him. "Vamos, Ramos!" may yet have to become the campaign slogan. [LNB]
