Ray Lo has been monitoring the Copa Amsterdam Tournament via the magic of the Internet, and has compiled this summary of Spurs' involvement for Spurs Odyssey readers:-

This report is compiled from watching a live feed of poor quality and without sound. There was no squad listed on the Copa Amsterdam site so I apologise for any errors now.

Spurs Squad -

1  Jordan Archer
2  Alex McQueen
3  Kevin Stewart
4  Jake Nicholson
5  Milos Veljkovic
6  James Yeboah
7  Jack Munns
8  Cameron Lancaster
9  John Bostock
10 Kudus Oyenuga
11 Callum Tapping
12 Nathan Byrne
13 Jonathan Miles
14 Ronnie Hawkins
15 Ramil Sheriff
16 William Ekong
17 Tom Carroll
18 Jack Barthram

Spurs were drawn in Pool B with Botafogo (from Brazil), Marseille and Anderlecht.

Friday 27.05.11 - Spurs v Olympique Marseille

I did not go to the tournament but was able to watch the games via the computer. I did not watch the opening fixture against Marseille as they are an hour ahead and it had finished when I logged on. Spurs won 1-0 with a goal from Lancaster set up by Nicholson.

Saturday 28.05.11 - Spurs v Botafogo

I had problems with the live feed so missed the begining of the next game against Botafogo. In the morning I watched them lose the second game 2-0 to Botafogo. They were well beaten and had a player sent off in the second half. Anderlecht beat Marseille 5-1 so. Spurs need to beat Anderlecht to reach the semi-finals.

Saturday 28.05.11 - Spurs v Anderlecht

Without sound or a good picture I believe that Spurs lined up with Archer in goal. Yeboah and Stewart were in front of him with Byrne at right back and McQueen on the left. Nicholson and Carroll were in central midfield with Lancaster on the right and Munns on the left. Bostock and Oyenuga started up front. Anderlecht kicked off the first 25 minutes and had the first chance that was wide. Following a Spurs corner that was not cleared Yeboah back-headed the ball into the danger area where Lancaster wriggled free to fire a right-footed effort past the keeper to score.

Baras was booked for a dive on the edge of the Spurs area as Anderlecht tried to get some joy from quick breaks. Spurs kept passing the ball around, working the ball through the centre with Oyenuga firing wide and Lancaster drawing a save.

In the second half Anderlecht pushed forward more and Spurs began to hit more long balls from the back. The lads held their own and looked fairly comfortable. McQueen got booked for pulling his man back after being turned but Anderlecht picked up two more themselves. Spurs held out for the win that they deserved.

Sunday 29.05.11 - Spurs v Ajax

I missed the start of the game as the livefeed was not working, but was able to pick up a Dutch TV feed from the chat line running alongside. From what I could see Spurs started with the same players as yesterday. Archer in goal behind Yeboah and Stewart with McQueen switching to the right and Byrne to the left back positions. Nicholson and Carroll in the centre of midfield with Lancaster on the right and Munns on the left. Bostock and Oyenuga again started up front.The game looked fairly even when I joined it with the Ajax striker, Boere firing wide.

Oyenuga at the point of Spurs attack recieved the ball in the box and twisted away from one defender but his effort was blocked by a second. Ajax had an effort wide before another over the bar. They then got down the right and as the cross came in Boere got his head to it to direct it into the goal to put the Dutch side ahead. Spurs, prompted by Nicholson, looked to get back but were finding it hard to get the final ball right. Ajax were close to a second when one of their centre backs got into the box and crossed to the far post where Boere failed to get a touch.

Oyenuga pulled over to the left for the second half and with just a couple of minutes gone received the ball and went on a run that took him past three defenders before being stopped on the edge of the area. Bostock took the free kick but could not get it to come down over the wall. After another run by Kudus, the Ajax right back was booked stopping him. Spurs looked to be getting forward more and causing the Dutch some concern as the free kicks began to mount.

Bostock had a kick on the edge of the area that he put just over the bar. Archer had to make a save as Ajax looked to counter but the Dutch looked happy to contain Spurs although they conceded another yellow card for a foul on Bostock. Oyenuga picked up a yellow card for dissent after he did not get a free kick and Inglethorpe took him off soon after. His replacement Barthram played on the left of the midfield and provided more width, but Bostock could not do as much as his departed striker partner.

Ajax had one more chance that was put wide as they settled for the goal they had and despite Spurs pushing for a goal held out. The nearest Spurs came was when a cross from the right was turned weakly goalwards by Yeboah. Spurs go on to play Trencin for 3rd place.

Nicholson was interviewed after the match - as he was after the Anderlecht game, which could mean that he was the man of the match(as I had no sound I could not hear what was being said) and he looked very good playing in front of the back four.

Sunday 29.05.11 - Spurs v Trencin

For the 3/4th place match Inglethorpe gave starting spots for some of the squad players. Miles was in goal Ekong started alongside Yeboah in front of him, with Sheriff at right back and Barthram on the left. Hawkins Tapping and a new player (Ed: Veljkovic?) I cannot name started in the centre of midfield with Bostock on the right and Munns on the left in support of Oyenuga up front.

Spurs kicked off looking a little unsettled with the changes and the Slovakians made the early running firing over. Bostock had a shot that was deflected for a corner. After Trencin had an effort fly wide Barthram was booked attacking a free kick on top and blocking the ball with his groin. Munns, wearing the captain's armband, drove wide and Oyenuga saw his effort saved for a corner. Trencin drew a save from Miles that he pushed around the post.

Spurs made three changes for the second half with Bostock getting a knock being replaced by Nicholson, Munns replaced by McQueen on the left and Byrne taking the armband as he replaced Oyenuga in attack.Both sides played the second half somewhat carefully with the result that chances were few.Sheriff headed wide from a corner and Trencin did likewise following a corner of their own. The last chance fell to the Slovakians in the 40th minute when they fired wide.

With no score after 50 minutes, the game went to penalties. Trencin went first and scored. Carroll stepped up for Spurs and scored to the keeper's left. Trencin hit the post with the second. Unfortunately Nicolson saw his effort saved by the keeper going to his right. Trencin scored and Tapping replied for 2-2. Trencin scored again and Stewart scored for Spurs straight down the middle 3-3. Their goalkeeper stepped up to score and Hawkins scored for Spurs 4-4. Onto sudden death and Miles saved the next kick to leave Byrne to place the ball to the left of the keeper to win the shootout 5-4. So Spurs finish the tournament in third place.

Overall it has not been the type of football we usually see in the Academy. The fact that the games are only 50 minutes long may have something to do with it. I had hoped to see some of the fast-paced passing football that Spurs are good at, but there was more of a patient waiting game which is more the European style, while the Botafogo game was more fast paced. Stand-out player for me has to be Jake Nicholson controlling things from the middle, but all the lads did the club proud.

Ray