Ramos Reign Faces Troubled Waters Ahead

As new Tottenham Hotspur manager Juande Ramos kicked off his new tenure with a hard-fought Carling Cup 2-0 win over struggling Championship side Blackpool, the magnitude of his job must have dawned on him. The hardly convincing display was achieved with a full-strength side that featured all of Spurs' stars such as Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane, and the Spaniard would not have brought back anything that assured him he made the right decision in taking over a team sinking fast in the English Premier League.

There were other signs that signaled continued trouble times ahead for the manager and his new club. Beginning from the team's play which again showed their fragility under pressure. This might be normal if Spurs had been facing a top Premier League side, but on Wednesday it was against a team mired in the depths of 20th position in the English Championship. Ramos was seen gesturing wildly and the way his team lost possession cheaply time and again must have left him deeply frustrated. It would take a larger pill than a new manager to restore the defence's confidence.

Every player, except Irish striker Robbie Keane, also had doubts deeply etched in their body language. Despite having helped create the first goal, goalkeeper Paul Robinson continued to commit mistakes that belonged in school compounds. It would not have inspired any confidence in a bumbling defence, when he fumbled and kicked poorly throughout the game. French centre-back Younes Kaboul's game was littered with schoolboy errors, so much so that Ramos had to replace him in the second half.

Usually when a new manager takes over a club, players are often motivated to perform better in a bid to impress. There would be a renewed zest within the club. Yet, Ramos might soon face a mutiny on his hands. Replacing Kaboul did not meet with any acknowledgement from the player's part. Even worse, when star striker Berbatov was hauled off, the reception given to the manager was cold and one can only suspect that the Bulgarian star must be looking for greener pastures. Only Keane continued to behave professionally but that must be scant solace for Ramos as he tries to come to grips with a club in turmoil.

Still, Ramos is now 2 games away from what would be an amazing introduction to English football - a trip to Wembley if his team manages to navigate their way smoothly in the next rounds. Before that, he will be back in the drawing board seeking more improvement from a team he inherited from Martin Jol. While Spurs' squad packs some exciting young talent from Michael Dawson and Aaron Lennon to striker Jermain Defoe, they need a strong leadership and canny tactician to play them out of trouble. Might Ramos, who won five trophies in 2 seasons with Spanish Primera Liga club Sevilla, be the right man for the job? Only time will tell, beginning with his first English Premier League assignment this Saturday against Middlesbrough.