Lennon Whorage

The first story I heard about Lennon's 'absence' from the Semi-Final concerned how he was hangover from a heavy bout of drinking the night before. I scoffed at this. The following 'version of events' is a little worrying if true. The source is from an Arsenal forum (though whether it was created there or taken from somewhere else is currently unknown). I've not read any broadsheets or tabloids today.

The real reason behind the business with Aaron Lennon on Wednesday night is as depressing a story as I have heard about how a club can treat a player.

In early September, Lennon was injured in training, and it turned out to be a small cartilage tear in his knee. He had an operation to fix it, but players are usually out for 12 weeks after the procedure Lennon had - a quick healer might be ready after 8 weeks. Spurs rushed Lennon back into action after less than 6 weeks (and one training session).

It was far too early, the bone was still too soft, and now, every 2-3 matches, his knee blows up like a balloon. He can't train for the following week, then the next weekend comes round, Jol asks Lennon if the knee is OK to play, he says yes, and he plays. This has been going on since October. The kid's 20 years old, and the club are killing his career. Some of the senior players are appalled at how he's being treated, but Jol rules with a rod of iron. King particularly knows the score, Tottenham have basically crippled him by playing him injured.

After playing against Reading, Lennon turned up for the England squad meeting for the friendly against Holland barely able to put his foot to the ground. The medical staff did some scans and tests, told him that he shouldn't consider training, much less playing, for at least a month, and sent him home. Spurs put in a complaint to The FA about the advice he was given, and just 10 days later, put him out for a full 90 minutes in the UEFA Cup.

In the 1st leg of the Carling Cup semi-final, he faded noticable after giving Traore the runaround in the first half. After the game he was limping, and then incredibly he was played the full 90 minutes against Southend, despite not having been able to train since the Arsenal game. He turned up at the Emirates and couldn't do the warm-up. His name was in the first 11 submitted on the team sheet, then after speaking with Jol and Hughton, he was swapped with Hossam Ghaly.

Despite treatment icepack in the Spurs dressing room, Lennon and the physio concluded that he could not play at all. Jol made Young-pyo Lee a sub, but the assistant and fourth official spotted it. Spurs initially claimed that the paperwork had been corrected, but just not on the referee's copy. When the Spurs copy of the teamsheet was produced, Lennon was of course still on there as sub. Jol threatened to put Lee on anyway, and was told that the officials would not allow it. Jol came up with the illness story himself when he was put on the spot by the press.

I hope this is nothing more than an exercise in propaganda.

This has been going on since October. The kid's 20 years old, and the club are killing his career. Some of the senior players are appalled at how he's being treated, but Jol rules with a rod of iron. King particularly knows the score, Tottenham have basically crippled him by playing him injured.

I can't for a second believe that Spurs would be fucking around with a player of this quality. Jol is very very protective of his 'kids'. We wouldn't set out to destroy a player who's main asset is the pace he possesses.





~Spooky