Tottenham 1 Sunderland 2: TEN MONTHS ago tomorrow Juande Ramos, then the head coach of Sevilla, resigned to take over at Tottenham. Having been seduced by a bigger name and bigger wages, the Spaniard left his previous employers feeling angry and betrayed.
The decision also removed his moral authority when, in similar circumstances, Dimitar Berbatov's loyalty was tested by Manchester United's very public advances.
Ramos insisted that the Bulgarian's predicament "has got nothing to do with the situation I was in", but one episode seems likely to end for Spurs just as the other did in Spain: with disappointment, disgruntlement and a departure.
The forward's fate now looks sealed after he was left out of this game for fear of having a negative influence on "the dressingroom and the team effort".
With United's interest continuing, it is almost inconceivable that he will end this week a Tottenham player.
The decision to leave him out did nothing to improve Spurs' performance. A week after they lost 2-1 to Middlesbrough with Berbatov on the bench, they lost 2-1 to Sunderland without him.
There was a stark and startling contrast between Ramos and Roy Keane, the Sunderland manager, when both were asked about Berbatov's future. While the Spurs manager ducked responsibility - "It's not my decision, it's the club's decision" - Keane spoke about how he would deal with such a problem.
"If a player didn't want to play for me, I know what I'd do," said Keane. "I'd drive him myself to wherever he wants to go, just to get rid of him. I had a player two years ago when I got my job who I heard had been speaking to another club and I just sold him and said, 'off you go', and he went 'okay' and off he popped. I wouldn't try too hard to talk a player out of moving."
Sunderland had not won here in 30 years but never looked inferior on this occasion. Kieran Richardson put them ahead with a fine shot from the edge of the area and, after Jermaine Jenas had equalised from close range when Luka Modric's shot was saved and spilled, their new signing from Marseille, Djibril Cisse, headed the winner.
"I have a big point to prove after the way I finished at Liverpool," said Cisse, who scored at White Hart Lane on his debut for them, too. "I think I can do really well in the Premier League. It suits the way I play. I'm made for England."
Spurs must hope that another striker exists somewhere who fits that description. If the current team have found their first two games galling, the next could be considerably worse: on Sunday they travel to Stamford Bridge.
"We'll have to put a good performance on when we go to Chelsea," said Jonathan Woodgate, "because they'll wipe the floor with us if we don't."
It is not just Tottenham's performances which must change, but their personnel.
• Guardian Service
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