Topspurs Transfer window review

yiddo

Sometimes I agree with Duggan and other times I don't but this piece is 100% spot on.

1st September 2008 – Transfer window review

Levy after the Carrick sale in 2006 …

“There is a world of difference between a player who has a short period left on his contract and could look to leave on a free transfer, and a player with a long contract. If, as we do, you have players on long contracts and the finances of the club are strong, you have no need to sell. I am happy for anyone to judge this club by who we sell and who we don't. Our ability to attract and retain top-class players is key to our ambition to compete at the highest level - regularly in Europe and with our sights set on Champions League qualification.

So unless the ‘Stearn Bear’ is biting elsewhere in ENIC, which seems unlikely on the day they spend £8m on a full back, we are now invited to judge Levy by deed.

Where six months ago stood Defoe, Berbatov and Keane we now have a Charlton misfit, a Man U reserve and a bloke who has never played in the EPL, admittedly a promising one but so was Rebrov. Ramos, who is still giving interviews in Spanish, will need to be worth every penny of his £5.5m contract to turn this team into a CL qualification outfit which lets face it is not going to happen this season or under the current organisation while they keep turning 80% of the playing staff over ever two years. At least Spurs will be able to have more than one striker in the first team squad which is a marvel of planning which has to be the envy of the league

The disrespect Berbatov showed Spurs and the perceived weakness of the club to be anything other than eagerly willing victims have done huge damage to Tottenham Hotspur the football club. Sure the supporters who have morphed into accountants can point to the £20m profit and some more for Keane, but what does that matter when good players have been replaced by less good players. And what happens the next time a player does well at Spurs – will the shelf life be just half a season before a move onto a bigger stage? Or indeed what are some of the good players thinking now coming out of the transfer window weaker in quality and lacking ambition. Its overused old adage but ‘Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realise we cannot eat money’

Complete the sequence - Andy Booth, Gregorz Rasiak ….and now Frazier Campbell. That is no disrespect to the lad and lets hope he is a pleasant surprise but the only thing we know for sure is that Champions League United did not want him and the only team that wanted him lost 5-0 at home to Wigan last week. Is that the definition of a modern Spurs player or just another make-do panic signing at the end of the window as making Spurs number one on the pitch seems a distance behind making money in the clubs priorities. A sad fact, and why the fack do I still remember stuff like this, both Booth and Rasiak scored disallowed goals in 0-0 games on their debuts so if Campbell has one chalked off and Spurs draw 0-0 against Villa… and to square the circle Campbell and Booth are both from Huddersfield

The hypocritical ‘matter of principle’ regarding United’s approach to Berbatov did n’t last long when Levy was beckoned to come on down when the price was right. Spurs did n’t even have the bottle to fine Berbatov for not being ready for duty for Spurs this season although you would n’t put it past them to drop the prize asset to make sure they were fit to be sold?

Just where the “we need to increase prices for the next season to be able to compete” argument used to bump up season ticket prices yet again fits into all this is open to question.

While the pomagne will be flowing in the Spurs boardroom, what are the poor mug customers left to reflect upon. Are Spurs a sleeping giant great football club about to come round and roar again or just a halfway house player trading organisation with a long line in marketing nostalgia. In a footballing world which has squeezed all clubs into either CL clubs (whether by league position or financial backing) or feeder clubs, where are Spurs going to end up? They definitely have the potential to be the former but each episode like this sees Spurs slip further away with Spurs best chance of making the breakthrough seemingly behind us.

Here’s to the post Berbatov bounce, they’re going to need it and perhaps Spurs new motto should have been “its not the winning that matters, it’s the taking part”

http://www.topspurs.com/jmdview.htm

Hatch99

Yep, he's bang on in fairness.

ditpoker

Here we go again!!:eek: What is it the author of that article, and all the other grumpy spurs fans expect from their club? Ask yourself, why do you support Spurs. In many cases, for London based fans, it is through some loyalty to their local club etc etc, however, as I;m guessing the majority of us on this forum are Irish, why do we support spurs? If it is due to a burning desire to be negative then you'll be laughing around here!

That is such a negative, myopic view of doom and disaster at the football club I love.

Let's look at the following sensationalist waffle:

Complete the sequence - Andy Booth, Gregorz Rasiak ….and now Frazier Campbell ehm, why has he selected two of the least successful players signed in recent years as his example, surely that could as easily have read "complete the sequence, michael carrick, aaron lennon, and now Fraziar Campbell". That is no disrespect to the ladyes it is and lets hope he is a pleasant surprise but the only thing we know for sure is that Champions League United did not want him and the only team that wanted him lost 5-0 at home to Wigan last week oh dear, what esle do we know about him, that he was good enough to be taken by the champions of europe at a very young age, that maybe he isn't as good as Rooney/Ronaldo, that maybe he is quality but surplus to requirements at one of the greatest teams in world football. We also know that he was linked with SEVERAL clubs, not only that same Hull team that drew at blackburn (like we did) and won on the opening day of the season (that we didnt!) I suppose if you concede 5 that its a measure of how good you are, sure Roma who lost 7-1 to united must be muck and that arsenal team we knocked 5 past are absolutely rubbish. Jesus looking at results in isolation is akin to calling Britney Spears the greatest living musician cos she's had chart success!. Is that the definition of a modern Spurs player or just another make-do panic signing at the end of the window as making Spurs number one on the pitch seems a distance behind making money in the clubs prioritieswe got a 5 million rated player on loan for a season, not what i;d consider a panic buy? We have made profit in the transfer window while our NEW manager reshapes and builds a NEW squad.

Spurs are one of the most successfully operated football clubs in Europe, they have a business to operate, would you prefer the club were run by people going hell for leather for instant success (Leeds anyone?). Surely a stable financial footing is the foundations for success. Success is never going to be overnight, if you want/expect Spurs to be winning leagues and cups every season as clearly as i can say this, GROW UP, understand the game better, we enter 4 competitions a year if we make europe. we've won 2 trophies in 10 years, so say 2 in 30, or 1 in 15. Given the extreme dominance of other clubs that is an amazing return. We are not united, we are not chelsea, do we want to be? I'd love to see Spurs in the champions league, i'd love to watch them challenge for a league, but I want it done the way a football club should do it, building toward a goal. Football suffered when Roman came to chelsea, and football fans should feel a collective fear for the game with the new Man City owners. Would you want some rich arab to come in to Spurs and buy every player for 40m, we win the league next year, champions league next year, great woo... tell me, who won that, spurs, or some rich business men and his mercenaries. If spurs want to buy young players, want to sell of prize assents to keep the wheels turning, thats great. I like the fact that I support a team that draws games 4-4, that rarely (if ever) draws 0-0. I cant imagine anything worse than being a liverpool fan, watching bbc documentary on the art of paint drying is more entertaining than the football that lot produce on a regular basis, they are DULL, they draw alot, and win alot 1-0, it bores me! Spurs entertain me, there is drama surrounding them, there is action in the transfer market in wheeling and dealing... where's the negotiation is man city "we have lots of money, how much for robinho, 30m?? sure take 35m, we have so much cash"... city will buy success, good luck to them, chelsea have bought it, good luck to them too. If spurs crack out a Dubai owner someone can have my Spurs jersey.

If you want INSTANT SUCCESS, TROPHIES, MAN YOO ATTITUDE TO BUYING PLAYERS, AAAHHH, then go support the big 4, if you fancy an even money shot, buy a season ticket at eastlands. If you want to support a football club, that operates as a business (because it is a business) but is doing it on their terms, support spurs. I said it in another thread, you don't hear Torquay fans bitching about the lack of trophies heading their way.

RichMc70

I kind of echoed similar setiment in my thread about Levy so would have to agree with Duggan's review.

indough

ditpoker wrote: »

If spurs crack out a Dubai owner someone can have my Spurs jersey.

yids financed by arabs? cant see that happening mate!

ditpoker

indough wrote: »

yids financed by arabs? cant see that happening mate!

lol.. fair point. but ya know what i mean! hehe

therecklessone

ditpoker wrote: »

If you want INSTANT SUCCESS, TROPHIES, MAN YOO ATTITUDE TO BUYING PLAYERS, AAAHHH, then go support the big 4, if you fancy an even money shot, buy a season ticket at eastlands. If you want to support a football club, that operates as a business (because it is a business) but is doing it on their terms, support spurs. I said it in another thread, you don't hear Torquay fans bitching about the lack of trophies heading their way.

Pat (yiddo) can confirm this for me, but Jim Duggan was probably standing on the Shelf when you were but a twinkle in your daddy's eye, he was travelling away with Spurs when to do so attracted hazard pay and he is most definitely not a glory hunter.

Duggan has been consistent in his criticism of how the club conducts it's business, for him it has been a case of one step forward/two steps back for much of the ENIC reign. I don't always agree with him, but please don't write it off as the rantings of a bitter fan who wants success at any cost.

One-Day-Juande

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment in your post ditpoker. I remember being out with united friends for the CL final. I remember looking at them and yes they were in great form and cheering, but I couldn't help but imagine what the place would have been like if Spurs worked their way up and managed that. A pub full of Spurs fans and I could have imagined the place being reduced to rubble.

I stress worked as without it the result is next to meaningless. It's no achievement if you don't go through the process without doubt or mystery. I said it before in another thread. When we won the Carling Cup, I was in brilliant form, top of the world. I had friends say "pfft only league cup" and I was like **** you, you have no concept.

The silver lining though is when you see one of these clubs getting shown up, like the FA cup last year. I love to hear them whinging (I paraphrase) "mmm but we deserved it... our team is meant to win everything...how dare 'x' win against us"

yiddo

therecklessone wrote: »

Pat (yiddo) can confirm this for me, but Jim Duggan was probably standing on the Shelf when you were but a twinkle in your daddy's eye, he was travelling away with Spurs when to do so attracted hazard pay and he is most definitely not a glory hunter.

Duggan has been consistent in his criticism of how the club conducts it's business, for him it has been a case of one step forward/two steps back for much of the ENIC reign. I don't always agree with him, but please don't write it off as the rantings of a bitter fan who wants success at any cost.

I'm very friendly with Jim but that doesn't mean that I always agree with him. We have a standing joke here in Cork that he should always wear D&G tshirts. Not Dolce & Gabbana but Doom and Gloom . That said I'd never question his credentials as a Spurs supporter. As Ronan said Jim's done his time and paid his dues.
BTW If anyone disagrees with him and is prepared to do an article I know that he'd definetly put it up on Topspurs. email him at nicolaberti@topspurs.com

ziedth

For a change i'm going to take a somewhat middle ground here, the

complete the sentence

part was very questionable however i more then understand where he is coming from.

I would have loved more then anything to see levy Dump Berbatov in the Reserves or youth's till January but at the end of the Day 30M odd and this young fella is not a bad return

Dublin Spur

agree with Jim 100% - exactly how I feel about our club. Many folk of a certain generation are feeling lost when they look at what has become of the game they loved.

Our board were an embarresment yesterday.
ENIC bent over and allowed Man U to rape us for the price of 30mil quid.
Hush money and Utd knew Levy would take it because they know he's only interested in turning a profit for his shareholders - not like the average Joe (mug) supporter who simply wants his club to win games of football.

We are a now without doubt stepping stone club
"play well for Spurs and you'll be playing for Utd in a couple of years" is the message we've sent out to every up and coming player in Europe

I'm very ashamed

Game is in total disaray - totally lost the run of its self.
I'm hoping to wake up sometime in 1990 and realise that it was all the horrible dream.

ditpoker

apologies. I may have jumped the gun in being critical of the author, where i should have been critical of the content.

I agree that winning something without knowing the pain/struggle is meaningless.

yiddo, if Duggan does read this forum assure him i'm just defending the club ive supported for my life. we;re both coming from a well intentioned position. if get a few mins i might type up a reply for topspurs (an alternative, less confrontational view). ... and LOL, does everyone remember nicola_berti... what a hero!

yiddo

ditpoker wrote: »

apologies. I may have jumped the gun in being critical of the author, where i should have been critical of the content.

I agree that winning something without knowing the pain/struggle is meaningless.

yiddo, if Duggan does read this forum assure him i'm just defending the club ive supported for my life. we;re both coming from a well intentioned position. if get a few mins i might type up a reply for topspurs (an alternative, less confrontational view). ... and LOL, does everyone remember nicola_berti... what a hero!

Don't thing Jim reads this forum and if he did I doubt he'd take offence. I'd say he'd gladly run your piece if you send him to him.

hotspur

DIT are you absolutely sure you're a Spurs fan? I detect more than a little hint of optimism with you, that's not the Spurs fan way at all at all. We're so used to being disillusioned and disappointed we almost need it at this stage. What most Spurs fans really want in their hearts is a little success, I'm not even sure how I'd feel if we won the league

galinka

I guess i'm in the minority here and support DIT's view. JD runs a great site but his views of the Board are way too negative for me. Spurs is run as a business - not a plaything. I'm much happier to win a trophy from hard work than big spending.

I'm also very hopeful of Campbell making an impact - not a lot of competition around at any rate, only other striker available for UEFA cup until Christmas.

As someone with more than a passing interest in employment law there was no chance of making Berbatov play in the reserves - it would be regarded as a restraint of trade and while it might take a Court case he would win eventually. The question is how much if anything we would get and we would end up paying his wages while off the pitch
in settlement.

I think the attitude of players to honour contracts stink but while clubs approach players without punishment or launch PR blitzes to unsettle players in the Mail and Mirror it will go on. These offences need to be stamped out through serious deduction of points which might effect their chances of CL places. Fines mean absolutely nothing to them.

Here's to 3 pts on Monday!!

yiddo

galinka wrote: »

I guess i'm in the minority here and support DIT's view. JD runs a great site but his views of the Board are way too negative for me. Spurs is run as a business - not a plaything. I'm much happier to win a trophy from hard work than big spending.

I'm also very hopeful of Campbell making an impact - not a lot of competition around at any rate, only other striker available for UEFA cup until Christmas.

As someone with more than a passing interest in employment law there was no chance of making Berbatov play in the reserves - it would be regarded as a restraint of trade and while it might take a Court case he would win eventually. The question is how much if anything we would get and we would end up paying his wages while off the pitch
in settlement.

I think the attitude of players to honour contracts stink but while clubs approach players without punishment or launch PR blitzes to unsettle players in the Mail and Mirror it will go on. These offences need to be stamped out through serious deduction of points which might effect their chances of CL places. Fines mean absolutely nothing to them.

Here's to 3 pts on Monday!!

levy is a at best an average business man. great man to do a deal selling but no idea how to clinch a deal buying. we have a very negative image in the football world as being difficult to deal with and this is down to levy.

therecklessone

galinka wrote: »

As someone with more than a passing interest in employment law there was no chance of making Berbatov play in the reserves - it would be regarded as a restraint of trade and while it might take a Court case he would win eventually.

Surely there'd have been nothing to stop Ramos telling Berbatov he wouldn't be starting for the first team until he was focused, and either play him in the reserves to keep him somewhat match fit or leave him on the bench?

Otherwise, couldn't Ghaly/Rocha/Boateng all claim restraint of trade as they've not even been given squad numbers?

You know more than me Andrew, but there's ways and means.

yiddo wrote: »

levy is a at best an average business man. great man to do a deal selling but no idea how to clinch a deal buying. we have a very negative image in the football world as being difficult to deal with and this is down to levy.

Unfortunately Pat there is more to the business of football than buying/selling players, and Levy and his team have excelled at the off-field stuff. We have better shirt deals and main sponsorship (Puma and Mansion) than Liverpool for example.

yiddo

therecklessone wrote: »

Unfortunately Pat there is more to the business of football than buying/selling players, and Levy and his team have excelled at the off-field stuff. We have better shirt deals and main sponsorship (Puma and Mansion) than Liverpool for example.

There certainly is more than buying and selling. There's managing players and situations as well. Levy fails on these aspects.