Football: Spurs' bill of fare an intriguing appetiser: English football prepares for its marathon with this weekend's Makita event. Trevor Haylett reports

IS IT too soon to take a new football season seriously? Undoubtedly. Are memories still painfully fresh of England's disastrous summer trips to Europe and the United States? Undeniably.

Nevertheless the inclination to approach this weekend's Makita tournament at White Hart Lane with all the enthusiasm for winter's chill is unlikely to survive beyond today's 12.55 kick-off which signals the start of another elongated season, one not scheduled to finish until 17 July.

Joining Tottenham in the annual quadrangular affair are Chelsea, Lazio and Ajax of Amsterdam. Put another way the card reads: Glenn Hoddle v Ossie Ardiles v Paul Gascoigne, who will be back in front of his adoring north London public once more.

There is the intrigue of two high profile names - Hoddle and Ardiles - beginning new managerial careers at high-profile clubs under powerful chairmen (Ken Bates and Alan Sugar).

And for a Dutch treat there is Frank Rijkaard, latterly of Milan and a player of genuine world class, who is likely to make his debut for Ajax, the club to which he has returned after eight highly successful years in Italy.

As the covers come off it is difficult to envisage a more appealing menu for a London audience. The fascination lies in seeing two former Tottenham greats locked in managerial combat and a present-day superstar returning to the stage he once dominated for what is a season of great importance to all three.

Bearing in mind Chelsea's recent record of non-achievement and the recent turbulence at White Hart Lane, which saw the rancorous departure of Terry Venables it would appear Hoddle and Ardiles have embarked on difficult assignments.

Gavin Peacock, the pounds 1.25m signing from Newcastle United, will make his debut for Chelsea whose supporters will also observe for the first time their team's resemblance to an up- market Swindon with a sweeper (Hoddle) and a diamond formation in midfield providing defensive security while two central players have orders to break rapidly into attack.

Following the transfer of the Republic of Ireland midfield player, Andy Townsend, to Aston Villa there will be a new skipper and it could be Dennis Wise.

Tottenham's supporters will be able to assess their new central defender Colin Calderwood, the replacement for Neil Ruddock and, ironically, the man closest to Hoddle in Swindon's promotion-winning side, in a team even more committed to a pass-and-move game than was the case in the Venables era.

David Shapland, who is promoting his sixth Makita tournament, believes the ingredients provide the potential for the most successful tournament to date.

'The interest in this has been fantastic,' he said. 'More than the others. Of course when we were negotiating with the clubs Hoddle was not at Chelsea and Ardiles was still at West Brom. With Gazza and now Rijkaard involved as well it has all the makings.'

In the first match Chelsea play Ajax, which will be followed by Tottenham game against Lazio. The winners will meet in the final tomorrow which will be preceded by a third- place play-off.