Liverpool and Manchester United strikers ‘had no desire to play for badge’ claims Spurs chairman
by stresster on September 3rd, 2008
| 337 words |
Tottenham end the summer considerably richer from a financial point-of-view, yet poorer in the sense that no trace of last season’s prolific strike-pairing exists at White Hart Lane. Losing one of their star forwards would have been hard for the fans to take, but both disappearing out of the exit door has been a kick in the teeth. Apparently, the club were left with no option according to their head honcho.
The Press Association reports that Daniel Levy wants a review of the Premier League system, whereby clubs can approach players with a view to signing them and escape without any punishment. He also admits that Berbatov and Keane had to be sold, such was their desire to leave for ‘Big Four’ clubs.
Levy told the club’s official website: “The decisions we took to allow the transfers of Berbatov and Robbie Keane were made after close discussions with the coaching staff.”
He added: “Juande (Ramos) was clear, and I believe correct, in not wishing to embrace any player within the dressing room that had no desire to play for the badge of this club and for his team-mates. Under these circumstances we had no option but to sell these players.”
“I have already stated my opinion on the manner in which our players were approached and the nature of the negotiations surrounding Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov.
“Monday’s events were further evidence of the need for the Premier League to review the system.
“I have also previously said that we had no need to sell players on long contracts - this no longer remains practical.”
Despite Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Barry staying put at their respective clubs, there is little doubt that if a player wants a move badly enough and the bidding club are desperate to land them, there is little that the selling club can do about it at the moment. Footballers are too precious a commodity to be kept in the reserves and a player has to want to play for the shirt, you can’t force that sort of thing.
We're giving you £10 FREE so show some bollocks and BET NOW!
Tagged Under: daniel levy, dimitar berbatov, liverpool fc, man united, robbie keane, tottenham
Bill - September 3rd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I just wish Daniel Levy would stop winging, he’s had a good pay day and as for his constant digs at Liverpool it happened to us, losing Michael Owen and also Steve McManaman who went for nothing we had a possible premiership winning side decimated.
So Mr Daniel Levy get over it, we had to.
mark - September 3rd, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Correct, never mind Levy, you could always buy Lee Trundle and Rob Earnshaw. Quality my son.
bob - September 3rd, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Levy had the opportunity to put Berbatov in the reserves and thats what he should have done. The message now to anyone who shines for Spurs is - you’re playing for a transfer, Spurs have no real intent to become a top team again.
I didn’t realise at the time how prophetic were the words of Keith Burkinshaw 20 years ago.
Pol - September 3rd, 2008 at 5:16 pm
The trouble is how can anyone in football really take Levy seriously when nearly every photo we see of him he’s still wearing his school blazzer and tie, anyone else recognised the remarkable likeness to Jimmy Clitheroe’s grandson.
Indyfan - September 3rd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
Levy’s comments are spot on. The big money and the transfer shenanigans have turned football into a farce. Whenever I see a player nowadays kissing the badge I feel sick - I know he’d be happy to kiss another team’s badge for more money. We should feel thankful for the takeover of Man City by a trillionaire -their threat to buy up all the best players will emphasize how rotten the system has become and trigger reforms.
openeyed - September 3rd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Glad to see that the morality of honouring a contract is an alien concept to the poster. Suppose contemp for the supporters is de rigour in football now. My how grown up Pol to make such a sage judgement. Your wit will no doubt be appreciated by the masses. Ther I’ve stroked your overblown ego. How about growing up. When you go to school tomorrow get teacher to teach you how to spell blazer or show you how to use spelllcheck. See being “funny” is not easy when it rebounds.
ILOATHEferguson - September 3rd, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Levy should have made dimitar bastardov rot in the reserves and that whisky nosed twat ferguson, should be penalised for his illegal approach to players. This has been going on for years. He thinks he is god, and the premier league officials ( spineless twats ) are scared of him.
41 years loving my SPURS…i’m giving up….the game is ruined by foreign mercenaries who are laughing all the way to the bank.
I will dance on your grave ferguson!!!!!!!!!!!!!
davspurs - September 3rd, 2008 at 6:42 pm
HOPE BILL IS SO UNDERSTANDING WHEN SHEIKSY UNITED COME CALLING FOR GERRARD AND TORRES .LIVERPOOL AND UTD SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BUY ANYONE WHEN SADDLED WITH VAST AMMOUNTS OF DEPT . IF PLATINNI HAS IS WAY LIVERSKINT AND MORGAGED UTD WILL BE THROWN OUT. OF THE DEPT LEAGUE .
spurfect one - September 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 pm
levty has to wake up and smell the coffee buying players and selling them at there peak to EPL rivals will surely widen the gap further. While people have rightly applauded the business acuman of levy for making profit his policy of buying young players with sell on value will always encourage the so called big 4 to poach our players. we need players at there peak to break into the top 4 imo.
spurfect one - September 3rd, 2008 at 7:05 pm
*levy*
davspurs - September 3rd, 2008 at 7:55 pm
I have a master plan to stop the cammell riders fixing the prem so every player is playing for city and the rest are playing kids.All team entering the champs league should have no dept and run on a sound futting .All transfers should be costed and payed for before each window clubs must put admission prices up no more than 5% above inflation all clubs to have a cieling of 50 millon each window and only to players from each club to be on maximum wages this will stop teams buying there way to cups.And make the league one of the most competatve in the world. rugby league have done this and its the onley way or corruption and scandal will follow. the other way is there are twenty arab royal families we all have one and watch money fly
alfred wongo - September 3rd, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Perhaps the FA/FIFA/EUFA “gods” could consider a possible suggestion on how we can prevent soccer from transforming the Beautiful game of Football into an eventual “circus” where the ringmasters are the so-called rich trophy-seekers (owners not nec lovers of the beautiful game) and players become but digits and nameless “circus performers” till their usefulness and “pull-in” factors fade.
I will suggest that after any “transfer” of any top player (say over $10 M), the minimum period of contract (without any chance of any transfer/approach by another club) will be 4-5? years or min “X” No. of games played. This will not depend on the number of years contract signed by the club/player, and can only be breached if a player retires permanently from the game.
This then allows some reasonable time period for a club/fans to gain some returns from such players, gives the players time to develop and give off their best to their new clubs, and not give fans heartache (or anger esp season pass holders) whenever the transfer window opens. This will also keep the agents at bay. But to protect the players themselves, contracts must also oblige the club to pay them in any case of injury, or being side-lined without first-team playing time even when deemed fit eg if the club buys another player during this time. In such a scenario, the club and player can negotiate and and reciprocally agree to part (club holds the cards). Or the player/club may approach the FA/FIFA C’tee to arbitrate.
I believe this scheme can and shld also apply to the Head Coach/Manager of EPL Clubs; only that the club cannot sack it manager until the League ends; nevertheless both can negotiate and part if there is mutual agreement and the manager paid his contract dues (unless he willingly forgoes it or is guilty of some serious offence(supportable even with FA arbitration etc).
Hope the above suggestion makes some sense and balance.
Andy - September 3rd, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Spurs are a modern stock market team - they buy low and sell high. They buy ‘undervalued’ players with a view to realising a profit further down the line. They are the quintessential selling club. In fact, they are the greatest selling club going.
What Spurs hope to do over time is accumulate good returns on player sales and steadily increase the playing quality at the club by funding further transfers with these returns. Some would say this is sensible but all this does is keep them safely within the second tier of clubs with your Evertons and Villas of this world. A CL top four finish is impossible for Spurs.
What the City money means is that Spurs slip another place further down the pecking order. Spurs fans can forget European football.
WC - September 4th, 2008 at 2:34 am
Maybe if Spurs didn’t suck, the hordes of players they buy each year won’t want to leave.
Bobby Carpenter - September 4th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Spurs suck, How can u call youself a wannabe top four team when u sell the best strike partnership in England, Its amazing, then yee go and splash millions on a russian alco???? it makes no sense Bentley is another waste of money and im not saying that on his performances this season also last year with blackburn.Spurs you are unfortunately goona be another leeds cant see any signs of progress. RAMOS will walk soon !!!!
calvo - September 4th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Levy please shut up!or have you forgotten the way you went abt getting Ramos!
you can keep bleating on while your players use you as a stepping stone.I suggest that you concentrate on your club and enable them to concentrate on the epl.