Another false dawning can be on the cards for Jol's Spurs

When a new season comes along, or when Tottenham Hotspur appoint a new manager, many Spurs fans raise hopes that the time to challenge the elite clubs has finally arrived. However, the team always fails to keep the pace and lacks consistency, the downfall of so many other teams in the Premier League.

This summer Spurs signed a number of new players who can help bring a change in fortunes and steer the team to high places in the standings.

But, as happened last season, the Lilywhites are finding it hard to score goals. The total of 47 netted in 2004-05 showed that 11 goals were scored on the away front, leaving them as the worst season goal-getters along with Blackburn.

Boss Martin Jol explained that it was unlikely for him to play strikers Jermaine Defoe and Robbie Keane together in the league since both lack height.

Last season, their upfront department was more balanced with Frederick Kanoute in the side. He was partnered with either Defoe or Keane. Pole Grzegorz Rasiak, signed from Derby minutes before the transfer window closure, or Egyptian Mido took Kanoute's role but both are still cutting their teeth in the Premier League.

Jol was tempted to use Defoe and Keane together in the second round of the League Cup and Spurs suffered one of the biggest shocks in history as they bowed out 0-1 to lowest division side Grimsby at Blundell Park.

Tottenham's large squad keeps Jol busy with rotating plans.

For the first time in the club's history, the Londoners fielded a team of players with international pedigree in the 1-1 draw at Aston Villa. The side contained six Englishmen and one each from Canada, South Korea, Finland, Ireland and Poland.

Jol was brought to White Hart Lane by club sporting director and great friend Frank Arnesen (now at Chelsea) in July 2004 to act as coach.

After Euro 2004, France national coach Jacques Santini arrived to manage the side. Spurs enjoyed a good start but Santini was still criticised for negative tactics.

Soon after Tottenham's defence lines, that were so solid before, were letting in goals and poor results followed.

Santini left in early November. At first he said that it was due to family matters but later on he admitted that he was not on the same wavelength with Arnesen and that his proper job in France was that of a coach not a manager.

Jol, born on January 16, 1956, acted as a caretaker manager for just two matches and then signed a new deal as manager until 2006-07.

Den Haag debut

As a footballer he played in midfield and set off with his home town club Den Haag in 1973.

After three years he earned his first winners medal when Den Haag won the domestic cup. Four seasons later he moved into the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich but returned home two years later and signed for Twente Enschede.

He played for his country on three occasions, the debut coming in a 1-1 draw against Germany in 1980.

A season later he signed for West Brom to fill the void left by Bryan Robson, who joined Man. United.

In 1984-85 he joined Coventry and at the end of the campaign he returned to the Netherlands once more to finish his playing career with Den Haag.

It was with the same club that he began coaching in 1991, steering the amateur side of ADO Den Haag to two promotions in three years. In 1995 he teamed up with Scheveningen, whom he led to the championship title in non-League football.

After his success with semi-professional sides, Roda JC gave him the chance at a higher level in 1996. They were rewarded for in his first season as Jol led them to the Dutch Cup - their first silverware haul in 30 years. After two seasons he moved to strugglers RKC Waalwijk who made a meteoric rise from relegation candidates to contestants in the European scene.

In June 2004 he arrived at White Hart Lane and was later appointed Tottenham's ninth manager in 13 years, following in the route of: Terry Venables, Peter Shreeves, Ossie Ardiles, Gerry Francis, Christian Gross, George Graham, Glenn Hoddle and Jacques Santini.

The squad

Goalkeepers: Radek Cerny 12, Marton Fulop 13, Paul Robinson 1.

Defenders: Goran Bunjevcevic 24, Calum Davenport 26, Michael Dawson 20, Anthony Gardner 30, Tom Huddlestone 22, Phil Ifil 29, Stephen Kelly 3, Ledley King 26, Lee Young-Pyo 16, Noureddine Naybet 2, Noe Pamarot 17.

Midfielders: Michael Brown 11, Michael Carrick 23, Edgar Davids 5, Sean Davis 4, Johnnie Jackson 32, Jermaine Jenas 28, Aaron Lennon 25, Pedro Mendes 8, Andy Reid 19, Wayne Routledge 21, Paul Stalteri 7, Teemu Tainio 6.

Forwards: Jermain Defoe 18, Robbie Keane 10, Mido 15, Rasiak 9.