Tottenham Hotspur Football Club News

• Nickname:Spurs
• Founded:1882
• Manager:Harry Redknapp

• Ground:White Hart Lane
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Jol slams Berbatov rumour

25 Oct 2007 - 08:45:33

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Tottenham Hotspur head coach Martin Jol has dismissed rumours of a bust-up with star striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Speculation over the duo's flare-up surfaced after the 3-1 defeat at Newcastle United, with Berbatov struggling to live up to his superb form of last season, having netted just two goals this term.

However, a defiant Jol said: "Dimitar has a long-term contract.

"I always talk to him, if he's not playing well and not scoring goals, or if he's playing well and scoring goals. If I talked to him, it was nothing to do with Newcastle.

"It is not easy to have good players and have to tell them they are not playing, but I think I am good at this job otherwise I would not be in this industry.

"It is more a matter of players having to do better, but I won't blame them if the mentality is good."

Of the continuing uncertainty over his own long-term at White Hart Lane, Jol added: "It would be nice for any manager to come here and have the big bonus of Europe, but the one thing we can't change is our position in the league.

"It has brought us together, but the only thing is if you are in this position for two or three weeks it is not a problem, but we have been in it since the start of the season.

"At the end of the year there could be a problem because if we underachieve you can always say 'they didn't do well'."