Crouch has a 3-some as Tottenham prepare for the big boys in the Champions League

Comment & analysis round-up

Quote of the day: We want Real Madrid and Inter Milan to come to White Hart Lane, the fans want to see that.You dont know how good you are until youve played the best and weve got our chance to do that now and were looking forward to it. Peter Crouch.

Runner-up: Its fantastic. Its a long time since Tottenham played in a top European competition.We had the UEFA Cup, but to get into the group stage of the Champions League is great.When I came here that was their ambition and weve achieved that.I dont think Ill be doing any transfer business before the group stage starts.People think I keep looking to sign players but it isnt true. Ive always wanted a squad where you dont have to sign anybody. Probably eight or nine of that team were here when I arrived.Well give anybody a game its a tough place to come. Were looking forward to it. We just want to progress as far as we can. Harry Redknapp.

Wayne Rooneys plea to Paul Scholes: Id like to see him playing. Hes fantastic, one of the best players in the country.But its his decision and Fabio Capellos whether he wants to try to pick him. Its down to them.

The No Sh*t Sherlock quote of the day:Having seen it again from my armchair, I would red-card himThe trouble in the actual game was that I had a poor view of that particular incident. I was looking through the back of Alonso and though I could see the foot was high, I could not be certain of the extent of the contact. It wasnt that I didnt want to send anyone off because it was a World Cup final, though I was mindful of the fact that the game was the pinnacle of the players careers as well as of mine. I just wasnt prepared to take a guess 25 minutes into the game. Howard Webb on Nigel De Jongs Kung Fu tackle in the World Cup final.

T! odays ov erview:Tottenhams 4-0 spanking of the Young Boys and progression to the group stages of the Champions League dominates.

A whole host of Spurs players are hailed this morning including hat-trick hero Peter Crouch, creator of all four goals Gareth Bale as well as Jermain Defoe and Tom Huddlestone. Harry Redknapp also receives his fair share of column inches.

Away from events at White Hart Lane last night, the likely exits of Javier Mascherano and now Dirk Kuyt from Liverpool also focus minds.

Elsewhere, there is news of Michael Owen appearing for Liverpool again, Manchester City spending more than the gross domestic product of the Seychelles and Grenada and another excellent article by Jonathan Wilson.

Tottenham thrash the Young Boys: David Hytner waxes lyrical over Spurs. What was all the fuss about? The nagging fears about Tottenham Hotspurs potential to make mountains out of Champions League qualifying molehills came to nothing and, in the pouring north London rain, it was adjectives such as professional, composed and clinical that were applied to this stroll into the promised land.It was Young Boys who, over the course of the two legs, demonstrated the self-destructive streak. Three-nil and you mucked it up, chorused the White Hart Lane crowd. Or something like that. The evening, built up so wildly in the hearts and minds of the Tottenham crowd, proved to be something of a damp squib. Certainly, it was not the rip-roaring tie that had been advertised.

Sam Wallace adds Until last night it was Danny Blanchflower who scored the last European Cup goal at White Hart Lane against Benfica in April 1962. Now Tottenham Hotspur can at last stop gazing at that sepia past and concentrate on a season among the elite of European football.Champions League football proper has arrived in N17, making Spurs the first club outside that old cabal once known as the ! big four to make it to the group stages since Newcastle in 2002. This being Spurs they gave everyone a scare in the first leg last week but last night they brushed aside the opposition like veterans of this competition.

Henry Winter sums up an easy encounter for Harry Redknapps Tottenham side. Far tougher tests lie in wait than Young Boys, who were totally outwitted by the wise owl that is Harry Redknapp. In the group stage draw in Monaco later today, Redknapps confident side will be pitted against one of Europes high rollers, either Inter Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, AC Milan or Lyons. Spurs could also face Real Madrid, who lurk among the second seeds. A reality check could accompany the group stage pay cheque.Spurs will travel hopefully, though, following the ethos of their club motto, To Dare Is To Do. Even in such dangerous settings as the Nou Camp, Bernabeu or San Siro, Spurs will play with Benot Assou-Ekotto attacking from full-back, with Tom Huddlestone pinging elegant passes around and Jermain Defoe speeding down the channels.Redknapp, who modestly played down his achievement, will bring much to the VIP party that is the Champions League: width and adventure. Above all, Spurs will be given belief by the vibrant form of Gareth Bale, the mastermind behind all four goals here, with Peter Crouch the main beneficiary.

Matt Lawton hails Peter Crouch: Crouch scored the decisive goal at Eastlands in May, and on Thursday night must have been satisfying given the headlines he has had to cope with in the last few weeks. He was superb, exposing the frailties of a poor Young Boys back four with a fine exhibition of attacking football. The Daily Mail also provide a guide to the Champions League draw later today.

Kevin McCarra is the first to praise Gareth Bale. Bale contributed to each of the goals and, at 21, personifies a side that appears to have come of age. By now his left-footed deliveries are in the thoughts of all rivals, but no amount of planning nullifies the threat entirely. Even so, t! he visit ors flaws were particularly encouraging.

Mike Walters adds in the Mirror. On a perfect evening for Gene Kelly, everyone was singing in the rain.Harry Redknapp restored the glory, glory nights in Europe to Tottenham Hotspurs roster.And the karaoke choir recited that fanciful Chas and Dave tune about Spurs being on their way to Wembley for the Champions League final next May. So dust down your passports and dig out those phrasebooks.Were all going on a European tour with Arry and the creme de menthe of the Champions League.

Liverpool exits: The Sun claimDirk Kuyt has stunned Liverpool by asking for a transfer and Inter Milan have made an official bid forJavier Mascherano. The Daily Mirror say Liverpool and Barcelona are inching towards a compromise over Javier Mascherano.

Andy Hunter adds in The Guardian: Roy Hodgson has accused Rafael Bentez of reneging on an agreement not to sign Liverpool players after Dirk Kuyts agent claimed the Holland international wants to leave for Internazionale.The Liverpool manager received an assurance last week from Massimo Moratti, the Inter president, that the European champions had ended their interest in Kuyt and Javier Mascherano, who has since become a target for Barcelona. Kuyts future is now in doubt ahead of the transfer deadline after his agent, Rob Jansen, claimed negotiations are continuing with Inter despite the pledge.

Michael Owen: Neil Custis reports Michael Owen will anger Manchester United fans by playing for Liverpool in a testimonial for Jamie Carragher. Owen ignored the intense hatred between the clubs supporters as he agreed to play 45 minutes for the Kop against Everton at Anfield on Saturday week. Many United fans have still not taken to Owen a year after he moved to Old Trafford because of his Liverpool past. He spent eight years as a professional there before joining Real ! Madrid a nd then Newcastle. His reception from the Anfield crowd is not likely to be great either now he has joined the Red Devils to help them in their quest for a 19th title.

Manchester City: Matt Scott reveals that Sheikh Mansour has been forced to inject half a billion pounds in cash into Manchester City to cover his clubs runaway expenditure over the past two years, Digger can reveal. Although that sum exceeds the gross domestic product of the Seychelles and Grenada, Mansours spending will not stop there. There are two main routes through which an owner can directly finance a company: either through debt in the form of shareholder loans, as Roman Abramovich did at the outset of his Chelsea ownership, or through equity. It is via the latter route by issuing new shares to be sold to himself that Mansour has capitalised City.

Transfer gossip: The Sun sayNeymar will sign for Chelsea one day, according to Super Agent Pini Zahavi andFulham are closing in on Carlos Salcido, Newcastle have transfer listed Steven Taylor and Birmingham are eyeing Charles NZogbia. And West Ham will sign Victor Obinna today and Blackburn will offer a short term deal to Benjani.

The Daily Mail have a whole bunch of transfer rumours, including Steven Taylor is furious that he has been transfer listed by Newcastle, Martin Demichelis will snub Chelsea for Sevilla and Fulhams move for Carlos Salcido is to replace Liverpool-bound Paul Konchesky.

The Daily Mirror chime in with West Ham leading in the race for David Trezeguet, Everton and Blackburn are interested in Steven Taylor, Blackburn are after Swedish goal machine Denni Avdic and West Ham want Spurs defender Kyle Walker on loan. The Daily Telegraph say Chelsea are considering a new bid for Neymar.

From foreign sources we learn Manchester United have renewed their interest in ! Steven D efour and Jose Mourinho has categorically denied slamming Fabio Capello.

Paul Scholes for England: Sam Wallace wonders over whether the Ginger Ninja should make a return to the Three Lions. Fabio Capello and his advisers have decided that Paul Scholes will have to make a public announcement that he is available to play for England if they are to consider him for Sundays squad for the first two Euro 2012 qualifiers.The attitude of the Capello camp makes it even more unlikely that the 35-year-old will opt to reverse his decision of six years ago to retire from international football. There have been suggestions that Scholes is prepared to change his mind, having turned down the chance to return on the eve of the World Cup finals squad announcement in May.

Jonathan Wilson: The always excellent Jonathan Wilson writes of the dilemma facing Argentina. Im not suggesting the 4-0 defeat to Germany in Cape Town is the equivalent of that in Helsingborg 52 years earlier, but the fact remains that the only side Argentina has beaten in a World Cup knockout game without recourse to penalties in the past 20 years is Mexico. What makes it beautiful may be whats holding it back.

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