The interest Martin O'Neill has shown in Hearts keeper Craig Gordon is thought to have alerted Spurs to his potential availability.

It's surprising to think that Jol is looking for a new keeper and if I'm honest I'd be quite happy take Paul Robinson if he were to be replaced but if in this 'honest' place, I don't actually think many players would pick Spurs over Aston Villa at the moment.

There is no doubting Spurs are top of the second pile but there is kicking on and kicking on. How many more seasons will the Spurs board give Martin Jol finishing fifth?

Ashley Young picked Aston Villa over Spurs this season and I don't doubt that most players would at the moment. We've got a manager that clearly knows what he is doing and next season is going to be a big one.

The promise to new players coming to Villa Park is what is going to happen over the next two seasons and it's feasible for any player to buy into that 'big picture'.

While Spurs may kick on next season and steal 4th, I can't see it happening under the current management, unless they do a Chelsea and throw a huge amount of cash at it, which despite the clubs wealth, I can't see happening.

Still, I'd have Paul Robinson but I think if Craig Gordon had to pick between the two he'd pick us and I think he might very well be coming.

While friendly banter is all well and nice some of the comments getting posted were rude and uncalled for; commenting for this article has been turned off.

Comments (27)

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JR said:

I haven't seen much of Gordon but we need a new goalkeeper and there's a lot of hype about him. Even if he turned out not quite up to it, getting players like that, who are commanding a lot of attention, shows ambition, which can help you attract other players. I saw rumour O'Neill was looking at a striker there too - Naismith I think - but I think that might just be paper talk because he scored.

May 22, 2007

liamo said:

Id rather our under 18 keeper than that fat t**t.

May 22, 2007

Geogiou said:

Rubbish you are having a laugh. If you are going to write something make it believable and not just dribble.

May 22, 2007

Rui Coster said:

Ashley Yound DID NOT pick Villa over Tottenham he went to Villa because you offered Watford 4million more than we did and you all know that this is going to be the case over the next few years that Villa need to pay over the odds to get a player to come to the midlands

May 22, 2007

Hotspuds said:

"I don't think many players would pic Spurs over Aston villa at the moment" Yeah the chance to play European football and live in London OR star in the massive Midlands clash that is Villa Vs West Brom, but wait not only that....you also get to live in Birmingham!! Why would any player think twice?? "How many more seasons will the Spurs board give Martin Jol finishing 5th?" MJ is going nowhere, it is only his 2nd season in charge of the club and we have had our 2 best seasons for over 10 years. If MON fails to secure 5th for Villa next season will you be calling for his head? "Ashley Young picked Villa over Spurs" hahahahaha, nope i think you will find you were the only club prepared to pay over 9 million quid for him. I want some of what your smoking

May 22, 2007 | url

Lilywhites said:

You poor deluded Brum. Do you really think that a mid table team can honestly attract the players that Spurs can. I know we both live in the past when we talk history and both teams have underachieved lately. We are not talking about big wages here which attracts the likes of Berbatov, Zokora and Robinson as none of our squad are paid massive amounts, but rather its because they know that for the last 3 seasons we have stepped up and are rightly best of the rest. As for Craig Brown if it came down to a choice bet Villa and us I will have the bet with you know it will be us he goes too, why cos we are there m8, Uefa cup, semis, quarters etc were the norm at WHL last season so why would he want to goto Villa. As for Robinson, sorry m8 he wants a club in the top half of the league to ply his trade and although he had a poor season he still would not take the step down to go to you. Harsh but I dare any of you to be honest and say that I am not telling the truth

May 22, 2007

TooHOTspur said:

What a losers article. Villa I have come to expect more from and your placing yourself with the Newcastle fans who dont seem to realise what a big club accually is nt about having a large stadium!!! Young like so many others - SWP, Parker, Carr, Walcott please stand, will come to rue the day he did nt end up at the lane!!! Jols improved each season and you know your doing it right when Manu and the other biggies are trying to buy half your side!!!! Also that we are chasing simular targets (nani, Pedersen etc). Enjoy watching second rate losers next year Im sure you ll do just fine. hahahahah

May 22, 2007

JR said:

you were the only club willing to pay over 9 million for him West Ham offered ten million and he turned them down - that bid was made public - so you're wrong for a start. Spurs offered 6 million plus Routledge and a defender (Gardner or something?) which Watford apparently accepted but Young chose Villa not Spurs. Probably because we offered him more money on personal terms, I admit, but we can afford to do that. Villa will need to pay over the odds to get a player to come to the midlands It doesn't make any difference to the player how much you pay for them. And the club don't care where they go as long as they get the money. So I don't really get your point? Unless you mean wages...and what has that got to do with transfer fees? I think you might be confused on how transfers work.

May 22, 2007

villiain said:

O'Niell.. only good in two-team league at the north of the border...that's all hmm..where is Villa now? ...I think I have to look down in the table somewhere

May 22, 2007

Pinky said:

why do Spurs think they're this huge club .. damien is saying is you've got the best out of your current setup and you wont move forward from 5th. villa are planning to get into champions league. you lot seem happy with your 5th

May 22, 2007

Banner said:

I think Villa will improve next season and good luck to them but most players would pick Villa over Spurs??? You're insane my friend. I know villa have got a bit of cash to spend with Lerner backing them but they will need it to replace some of the very average players they have. You have some very good players as well but would you really rate your first 11 nay where nearly as highly as ours??? And Spurs will spend (and be able to attract without paying well, well over the odds) again. Spurs are the best placed team to break the top 4. Won’t be easy but possible. Villa are still a long way from that and will struggle against the likes of us, Newcastle, Blackburn and Everton to even get a sniff of the Uefa cup through the league. Good luck with it next year but take a few lessons in Realism from a spurs fan who had to learn about the hard way over the last 20 years or.

May 22, 2007

steve m said:

looks like you touched a few inferiority complexs

May 22, 2007

pluto.hotspur said:

So the board are going to be calling for Jol's head if we don't make CL? Hmmm. Jol's run started when we were in 15th spot. We rallied under him to miss out on EUFA on the last day of the season. The next season we improved vastly to qualify for EUFA and miss out on CL due to Lasagnagate. This season we have improved again - 5th spot after an appalling start, exciting cup runs, lots of great goals, and a superb attacking force. Next season we again will aim for top 4 spot; who knows whether we get it or not, but we will be there or therabouts. And as for Villa: better under MON and a good end to the season, but there is no guarantee of Europe, and your cups were dismal. WHL was at 99% capacity - at AV you often have huge gaps in the crowd. If you really think that players would prefer to go to Villa rather than Spurs...well I think you are seriously deluded. Either that or you are trying to get some traffic to your site!!

May 22, 2007

TomTraubert said:

Ok Jol's only been there 2 full seasons (he took over from Santini the previous season and would have taken us into the UEFA cup only for that "Goal" not to be allowed at Old Trafford - 2 more points and we would have been in) so his record speaks for itself. When was the last time any Villa manager did anything like that for y'all? 3/4 signings and we should break the top 4 next season, we dont need Craig Gordon either, you are welcome to him. We have Robbo, who aint leavin, and Alnwick (who everyone wanted but chose us, just like Bale is gonna do) So you lot can fight with Preston for the likes of Naismith, and pay way over the odds for players like Young (bloody overrated too might I add). We will simply go out and spend decent money in the right places on the right platyers (consider this Ashley Young 9m (ha ha) V Darren Bent 10m looks like we win there, or even our own Defoe whos a proven goalscorer) and Bale for about 8m. We dont need to spend 7m on a goalie we dont need. Ant if you lot think you are so great, why then did you not beat us off the park last season at your dump of a ground when we were playing our worst football of the season. Plus why is there more SPurs fans on here too? Bizzare

May 22, 2007

Shifty_14 said:

Ha ha ha, Is that really what u second city boys think re Mr Young (the least talented out of the 3 brothers - his younger 2 are at Watford) Well I can tell u straight as a relative of his agent Mr Hill that Ashley was dying to move to Spurs but in typical tight arse yido fashion Spurs tried to offer cash plus players we didn't want like Roultedge etc as some fans have already posted. Any way good luck for next season but it aint as easy as you appear to think to break into the top 6 let alone top 4. Personally I see Everton & Newcastle as more of a threat but I would have no qualms with you brums proving me wrong. COYS!

May 22, 2007

KevP said:

spurs are a top 6 club. great! love your ambition

May 22, 2007

CJohnMe said:

spurs are the third club in london! you'll never get top 4 and berbatov will be off in the summer

May 22, 2007

Brumspur said:

Damian you're a tool if you believe what you have written. Do you honestly think after the years of money that the top four have had in the Champs League that another team can just waltz in there? Jol's had two seasons at Spurs and finished 5th both times not bad for a team who had as many mediocre seasons as Villa have had lately. So how many more seasons will we give him? Plenty I would hope. And Pinky... damien is saying is you've got the best out of your current setup and you wont move forward from 5th. villa are planning to get into champions league. you lot seem happy with your 5th It's not that we're settling for 5th, we nearly had fourth last year and did well in all three cups this year. We're improving our squad again (god I'm gutted we didn't spend that £10m on Young instead of Berbatov ) We're just realistic in knowing that it takes time to get there. Villa might be planning to get into the Champs league but we're a couple of seasons ahead of you, if you think that Villa will be there within the next 5 years you're as deluded as Damian, Spurs however have a much better chance.

May 22, 2007

JR said:

And as for Villa: better under MON and a good end to the season, but there is no guarantee of Europe, and your cups were dismal. WHL was at 99% capacity - at AV you often have huge gaps in the crowd I agree there is no guarantee of Europe. Our cups dismal? You would have beaten Man United and Chelsea then? Hmm, strange, I didn't see you in either Cup final. As for the empty seats, our season ticket sales are up 350% on this time last year. Personally I admit Spurs are some distance ahead of us at the moment. But I think it only needs a few players to bridge that gap. A decent goalkeeper is one of them - which was the point of the article in the first place! Add a quality striker and midfielder and just watch us go. The last nine games unbeaten weren't some sort of fluke. Still, good luck to Spurs (the reasonable fans anyway) for the summer and next season

May 22, 2007

mikey said:

ha... classic....i thought some of our spurs fans who where deluded but that article was ridicoulas...ha Sorry to say it but Villa have a very long way to go to get back to the glory days...and i doubt you will for a very long time if at all...sorry if thats harsh...but i think perhaps it is very real...good luck next year anyway.

May 22, 2007

warren_jeavons said:

this is all his opinion and spurs fans just seem to want to jump on it. why cant you lot accept it and leave it alone or atleast put together a decent position spurs wont get top 4 and villa wont next season but it will be more interesting

May 22, 2007

deadwing5 said:

I think if Gordon was to choose Villa over Spurs it would be simply because he'll find it difficult to break in to the spurs first team. Where as he'll walk in to the Villa first 11 without a second word.

May 22, 2007

avfc76 said:

spurs spurs spurs ........ yawn yawn yawn

May 22, 2007

Shifty_14 said:

Thired club in LONDON? GET REAL. Biggest fan base, second biggest trophy cabinet amd a history the tin pot Chelsea rent boys will never have unless Roubles is there for 20 years, everyone knows that, thought you Villans knew your history seeing as most of your honours list comes from before the war! COYS!

May 22, 2007

FozzieVilla said:

Great article, if only because it really winds up the Spurs yobs!!! Excellent. With Jol in charge and the board they have in place, they have reached their peak - and they know it. They have a Billionaire owner who allows players like Carrick to be sold for profit over and above building a team to compette. Can you see Randy doing that? Not in a million years. Non Villa fans have no idea what has been going on behind the scenes at Villa Park. I think there will be a few shocked faces next year.

May 22, 2007

Villian of the North said:

As soon as i read the comment about players picking villa over spurs, i knew this page would be like flies to poo... You spurs fans aren't only delirious with your own hype, but the worst ever, predictable.

May 22, 2007

EL said:

I appreciate overt enthusiasm for ones own club but your assertions are silly at best. Of course it's all about opinions but surely some sort of logic has to be engaged otherwise your argument is a simple excercise in prejudice? For starters; Martin O'Neil 'may' be a great manager but he hasn't proved it yet at the highest level and by that I mean in a league in which almost every game is a proper competition, which doesn't in my view, include Scotland's(no disrespect intented). And how well did he do in europe? I certainly like O'Neil and would like to see someone like him do well but the jury's still out I reckon. To answer someone elses question; the reason us Spurs fans think we're a 'big' club probably has something to do with the huge fan base and the fact that even before we entered the UEFA cup, we were the 14th most finacially successful in europe. I see more Spurs shirts on people (including youngsters) around the county than any club outside the top 4 which is astonishing given our lack of success during the past 15 or so years. These views are not biased. If Spurs didn't exist, I've always said I'd support Villa or Forest. All the best next season. Up the Spurs!

May 22, 2007