Premier League - "Robinson made Ramos angry"


Eurosport - Mon, 11 Feb 14:09:00 2008

Tottenham Hotspur youngster Thomas Pekhart has revealed conflict between coach Juande Ramos and goalkeeper Paul Robinson, and detailed the changes that have turned the club's fortunes around.


The young Czech striker credited extra training and an improved diet for increasing the players' fitness levels, but also claimed that Ramos rarely speaks English.

He also said that Robinson refused to warm up with the team on being dropped for Pakhart's countryman Radek Cerny, provoking a rift between him and Ramos.

Tottenham have improved a lot under Juande Ramos. Why?

When he came, he told us in the dressing room that we were fat and that was the reason we were losing games in the last few minutes. He also wanted us to improve our fitness; that is why he changed the training. We started doing two training sessions a day and sometimes even extra jogging at the end. And, after every session we were weighed. Our eating habits have changed. It was not that strict under Mr [Martin] Jol. It was not that you could eat anything, but there were meals that were not exactly suited for sportsmen. Nowadays you can order vegetables, pasta, fish and chicken - and that is all. We drink water with lemon. Ramos is very strict and particular about discipline.

Has anyone complained about the changes?

No-one has dared to and, moreover, the coach only speaks Spanish. It is Gus Poyet who communicates in English. Nevertheless, Mr Ramos has tried to explain something in English a few times.

Did you have problems with your weight?

No, I was within the limit. I did not have much trouble with the changes as my agent Mr Paska warned me it would same as at Liverpool when Rafael Benitez came there. Spaniards are very strict about this.

Juande Ramos won two UEFA Cup trophies with Sevilla, does it give extra confidence to the Spurs players?

That is why they appointed him, he is experienced at winning trophies. And Tottenham want to be winning them. In the Carling Cup we are one step away from winning the first one and in the UEFA Cup we are on the right track.

What do you think of the fact that Radek Cerny has become first-choice goalkeeper for Juande Ramos over the last weeks?

We speak with each other every day. Radek is happy, he is enjoying every game and I feel happy for him. He did not get many chances before, but I know that the guys have been saying in training that he was making some unbelievable saves at times. I wish him well.

Paul Robinson, when sitting on the bench and watching the game, gives the impression of being a very angry man. It is like he does not care about the result. Is it just a fantasy or is it true?

Most recently it has been true. When the coach put him on the bench for the first time, against Arsenal, he did not even go to the warm-up which made the coach even more angry.

Interview from Sport newspaper in the Czech Republic

At least we now know why Ramos is so angry with Robbo.

Also i'd like to say Pekhart has said he hopes to make a debut this season, most probably coming off the bench, which couold be exciting as he looks a very good prospect.

Robinson got complacement , believing his starting place was nailed on , he's always been known as a fat boy , shows how far down he's slipped when Kirkland gets picked for England ahead of

" Englands No 1 "

Interesting read BJ - it's always good to hear information from people who aren't usually in the media spotlight as they tend to be quite honest.

It seems to me as though Robbo might have played his last game for us. It's a shame that he's experienced such a fall from grace but we're not a charity and he's simply not been up to scratch in recent times.

It sounds like we're going to have one of the fittest squads in the league before too long, considering how strict the new regime sounds. It's about time too really; surely absolute fitness should be the basic foundation on which to build a successful team? I know that if I was a coach, it'd be my first consideration...

I don't think Pekhart will be making his debut any time soon after letting slip to the media. Things that happen behind closed doors at a football club should stay behind closed doors.

According to many websites he's in our uefa cup squad to face Slavia Prague. Which is intresting because last time we tried to get him into a uefa cup game they had forgot that he wasnt registered at the start of the season, which means when uefa let you name a few extra players to be in the uefa cup squad for mainly new players that arrive, Juande must of named him in there along with Woodgate, Gilberto(if he's not cup tied) and most probably Gunter, Hutton cant play which is a huge blow not only to us but to him aswell, i think that was one of the reasons he wasnr sure about this move as he wanted to play in europe this season.

But would be excellent for the young lad to get a debut against Slavia Prague as isnt that the team we got him from?

Yea I think he will face punishment for this interview, a fine or something.

Yeah, and Cerny is on loan from them.

Your avatars too long matt, your posts take up half the page

Does this mean he cant play against them? If so is Robbo ready for a game of this importance.

Why thank you

I don't know actually. That's a good point.

C'mon Jono heres your chance to get him back for rubbing the fact he's got a Carling cup final ticket and you dont in your face, Ban him for being so cocky and altering your post

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_3143456,00.html

I think if theres an option to buy at the end of the loan youcan play against your loan club or something lol.

Pekhart misses out.

I would rather him come on than Bent. I don't see the point in Darren Bent tbh. And we would have been better off without Cerny tonight after that blunder!