Arnesen can bring back glory days

Sixth in the Premiership and unbeaten after five matches, Tottenham's encouraging start will gain real momentum if they deny Chelsea victory in Sunday's London derby at Stamford Bridge.

The prospect fires Arnesen with the kind of enthusiasm that he once employed as a goalscoring midfielder with Ajax, Valencia, Anderlecht, PSV and Denmark. He reminded me that he nearly moved to Arsenal but, Spurs fans will be pleased to hear, couldn't agree terms with the manager Terry Neill.

But what about Chelsea? "Jose Mourinho has made a great start," he said. "Everyone would like their sort of money but I'm not at all jealous. When you spend money like that you have to deliver."

Arnesen is talking from personal experience when he claims that Chelsea's money has been well spent in the case of Mateja Kezman. And Arjen Robben, who is still out injured. And Eidur Gudjohnsen. He should know because he was instrumental in the discovery and development of all three at PSV.

"Kezman's approach to the game is fantastic," he said. "Every day his mission is to do things better than the day before. He's not afraid of anyone and although he's not as skilful as Robben he compensates with his attitude. Robben is very skilful and has a beautiful left foot. He's very level-headed and unbelievably mature for his age. He played his first match for me at 16 and I'll be very surprised if he and Kezman don't both succeed in the English game."

Gudjohnsen has been here long enough to have already established himself. Arnesen has known him since he was a little boy. "I played with his dad Arnor for Anderlecht," he recalled. "When we played Spurs in the 1984 UEFA Cup Final Arnor came on for me as a substitute in the second leg at White Hart Lane. We drew 2-2 on aggregate and lost the penalty shoot-out. Tony Parks saved the decisive penalty from Eidur's dad." Arnesen took young Gudjohnsento PSV at the age of 17. "I look at players in all categories," he explained. "You look for progression - this is a player for the future, this is one for the squad, this is one for the first team, this is one who could be the star. Look at Gudjohnsen. He was one for the future, now he's a star."

Arnesen's network spreads across the globe. "I made many friends in

my playing career," he said. "I'm a Dane and I played in Holland, Spain and Belgium.

"I began to build contacts. When I stopped playing in 1988 PSV asked me to stay and work with the first team. Because of my Spanish I became Romario's mentor and that helped me in Brazil when I signed Ronaldo." In his first two months in charge at Tottenhamhe has been responsible for the arrival of 13 new players, Santini and two new coaches. "We're all new and it's important now that we all gel and work together," he said. "We need players who will give everything for Spurs. Good football is nice, but number one for me is to win.

"Jacques was my choice as manager. I didn't know him and he didn't know me but the chairman Daniel Levy and I thought he was the right choice. It's important that I have good communication with the coach. I see this as a big opportunity for all of us to do something special here."

Arnesen has rented an apartment with his wife Kate and the youngest of their four children in Chigwell, a five minute drive from the club's training ground.

If he had any spare time he would devote it to his family then his great sporting loves - golf, boxing and cricket. "Yes," he smiled. "I love cricket."