Ramos shines amid Spurs farce

Tottenham hoped to stage a coronation when Juande Ramos was unveiled - instead there was an abdication of responsibility as chairman Daniel Levy went missing from his new manager's side.

Ramos, 53, was in place to talk up a Spurs revival, but what was meant to be a new beginning had elements of farce and acrimony as the shadow of the absent Levy and sacked Martin Jol hung heavily over proceedings.

Ramos was impressive. Positive, stone-faced in response to any criticisms of his own part in the departure of Jol, and clearly a man who will stop at nothing to succeed.

Whereas Christian Gross set the stage for a reign of error at Spurs by waving his infamously useless tube ticket, Ramos brandished only a steely determination to succeed and a far more impressive grasp of the English language than anyone knew.

But for all his fine first impressions, the stench of a club tainted by its own shoddy behaviour overshadowed Ramos' arrival.

Spurs fans have demonstrated greater dignity than Levy and the club's board in this whole sorry saga.

And the fact the man who presumably makes the big decisions declined to be present at Ramos' introduction reflected badly on the chairman, although it surprised few.

It was explained that he would speak at Spurs' EGM in November, but it says much about the club that Levy made sure he dodged the accusations of behind-the-scenes chicanery and shabby treatment that were flung in the direction of the club's new hierarchy.

If Levy is the leader of a great club that has shamed itself since the start of the season, he was leading from the back as he was nowhere near Ramos on his first public appearance.

Instead we got the hapless Damien Comolli, sporting director and the man seen by many as lurking in the background as Jol suffered a lengthy and painful public humiliation.

And after his shifting, uncomfortable performance, you suspect it was the wrong man who was shown the White Hart Lane door last week.

Comolli appears to have perfected the ideal role of power without responsibility at Spurs - but he was left in no doubt that he stands alongside Levy as a villain of this particular piece.

He appeared surprised, startled even, by the flak he received for his role at Spurs, whatever his role at Spurs actually is.

It was a show of extreme naivety if he did not see it coming and received a verbal roughing up from those appalled by the manner of Jol's departure.

Comolli clearly has power at Spurs, with Ramos, assistant Gus Poyet and fitness coach Marcos Alvarez tellingly introduced as "his coaching team".

He denied suggestions he should be embarrassed about the way Spurs treated Jol - but the club have already demonstrated in a very public fashion that little will embarrass them after Ramos was publicly courted while the Dutch coach was still in his job.

But what does Comolli need to do to be found guilty of actually having responsibility - and being accountable for it - at Spurs?

This was one of many questions that went unanswered.

Comolli looked pale, shifted in his seat, occasionally pursed his lips and even tried the odd gag - but in reality this was no laughing matter.

He is the next dead man walking at Spurs on this evidence. He will not escape if it goes wrong this time and he wore the look of a man who knew it.

Comolli has been forced out of the shadows and on the evidence of Levy's conspicuous absence, his chairman will not be his shield if the flak flies.

No questions about Sevilla were allowed, although some slipped under this ridiculous radar, on the rather lame premise that discussions were still on-going regarding Ramos's hasty and undignified exit.

These are discussions that the jilted Spanish side may wish to conduct with rather more vigour than Spurs will enjoy, Sevilla clearly harbouring bitterness at the way their highly-regarded coach was smuggled away.

Ramos brushed off any suggestion that underhand methods had been used in his departure, but it is too late for Spurs.

The damage has been done. Reputations are built over years and can be lost in minutes, and this was a fragile show from a club that has had its good name for decency wounded by the Jol affair.

Poyet appeared to be the man who was supposed to provide light relief, and there was the odd flash of humour, but Ramos was left in no doubt he has work to do on and off the field at Spurs.

Ramos gave a far better account of himself than Comolli, and when he lapsed into a very passable English on demand, it showed that much more lies beneath his impassive countenance.

It was a surreal, occasionally antagonistic conclusion, to an episode that has done Spurs no credit.

The only man who can rebuild bridges is Ramos - and if Spurs have done one thing right in this mess, it may actually be in their choice of coach.

Source: BBC Sport