Player Watch Player Watch: Radu Dragusin
- Thread starter THFCSPURS19
- Start date
SpursSince1980
Well-Known Member
- Jan 23, 2011
- 4,754
- 14,485
It's fun to fantasize that in a year or so, we could make the argument that we have three of the top 10 center backs in the world.
purplemonkey
Well-Known Member
- Jan 20, 2006
- 83
- 410
I can’t explain why, but this is probably the most excited I’ve been about a CB signing since Vertonghen. Something about it/him feels iconic.
EQP
EQP
- Sep 1, 2013
- 8,007
- 29,817
So basically passes like Hoddle based on that
Some really nice passing highlighted in that video. Exciting to see that he's comfortable using his left foot as well.
Tractorspur
Well-Known Member
- Aug 31, 2012
- 347
- 2,197
Radu’s like what is all this exercise bollox I’m a natural athlete
worcestersauce
"I'm no optimist I'm just a prisoner of hope
- Jan 23, 2006
- 26,966
- 45,254
How is it that a 21 year old Romanian who has only ever lived in Romania and Italy and has never been to England speaks such good English? Not just manages to communicate but understands it and converses with ease.
robotsonic
Well-Known Member
- Aug 20, 2013
- 2,415
- 11,295
Anime dubs
I am a fair bit older but I assume Radu had a similar experience. Kids start learning English formally when they are 4-5 yo and then every year onwards. Also, everything that has originally been designed in English will be introduced in English in Romania - movies, video games, software and so on. There's a huge focus on learning English as we are aware we can't expect someone to learn Romanian in most situations.
GetSpurredOn
Well-Known Member
- Jun 18, 2006
- 5,022
- 8,922
TheAmerican
Well-Known Member
- Aug 30, 2012
- 6,913
- 18,761
Based on Ange discussing him, I expect him to start alongside VDV on Sunday. I can’t see us playing Romero if he isn’t 100%
Yonoots
Active Member
- Jul 31, 2013
- 72
- 239
My last post about his agent. His latest interview made me "love" him even more... He feels that he is in danger to be dropped and at the end of the interview he puts pressure on Radu to not do this...
I'll translate the relevant parts so that you know how a scum agent he is and Spurs need to shut him up.
I'll put it under spoiler because it's a bit of a long read.
I'll translate the relevant parts so that you know how a scum agent he is and Spurs need to shut him up.
I'll put it under spoiler because it's a bit of a long read.
Florin Manea, interview-event for FANATIK from the over one million euro apartment in London!
The meeting takes place in front of the block where he lives in London. The building is very close to Hyde Park, in an area where real estate prices are scary! "How much does it cost?". "A lot, you realize, look where we are!". "What does a lot mean? More than one million euros?". "More, yes".
The conversation for the interview begins in a Chinese restaurant, one of the many lined along the Queensway, and continues in the flat where Florin lives with his wife and two children. He mixes joy, pride and a revengeful spirit, feelings that are occasionally dissipated by the constantly ringing phone.
We go out for a cigarette at some point. "Did you leave something on the table?". "No, I didn't forget anything, we're only going out to smoke." "You have to leave something! For safety!". The restaurant is full, there are dozens of people, it is probably natural for the woman to be afraid that we will leave without paying the bill. It's also funny. One of us had just won a commission of almost two million euros.
Florin Manea's promise: "Radu Drăgușin will be a key player at Tottenham"
Florin, how do you feel after taking part in this transaction between Genoa and Tottenham for Radu Drăgușin?
- Naturally, it is a matter of pride to be able to make history. Okay, history makes it Radu, I'm just representing him and I'm honored. I spoke to him, I told him that this transfer will be a hundred percent success when he will be a starter at Tottenham. That we didn't come here on a trip, and he doesn't like having bench stripes on his bottom. Of course, he will need a period of adaptation until he becomes a clear starter, but I hope that by January next year he will establish himself as a base man here.
He's moved to a higher level, will he handle it?
– I'm going to tell you something funny. Radu likes pressure, he told me that he does better when he is under pressure. Before the Bologna-Genoa match, Gilardino was a bit worried, he asked me "Florine, do you think he will be able to play today, with all the rumours?". It was already known about Bayern's interest, I had told him myself before the match. You know what he told me, right? "Come on, it's not bad!".
How does he manage to remain calm in such high-stakes situations?
- He is atypical for a Romanian footballer, he is always down to earth. He has no tricks, no airs, he is humble and willing to work. That's why he's where he is now.
Is there more satisfaction in taking a child and driving them here than if you signed a contract and collected the money as an agent?
– I went through all the stages with him. I took him to Juventus when he was 16, then when he wasn't playing for Juventus I found Sampdoria, I found Salernitana. Johannes Spors, the sporting director, and I took him to Genoa. The team was in the second division then and it turned out to be the right choice. They brought him thinking that he was going to help Drăgușin, but it was the other way around, Radu helped them more.
You became completely unlikable to Tottenham supporters, you upset them when you said it was amazing to turn down Bayern and that Tottenham are just a stop on the way to Real Madrid.
– Let them curse me, so what? I don't care for Genoa, Real Madrid, Tottenham or Bayern. I stick with Rapid Bucharest, that is my soul team. But at Rapid is a patron "much more important" than De Laurentiis, and I cannot speak to him.
What is the quality sought in this job? Is it enough to be a good negotiator?
– Some are good negotiators, they find players who are already high and get them very good contracts. I chose another way, to bet on young footballers who I think can become very good. I kept getting asked how many players I have. It doesn't matter how many I have, I don't care about their number! She was a lady impresario at one point, I saw her recently on the iUmor show. She said that she makes several million euros a year, and others only make transfers in newspapers. We are here in London and we have just completed the transfer of Dragusin to Tottenham. Because of that I haven't had time to go to iUmor anymore, which really bothers me!
You feel the need to deal with Anamaria Prodan, you've had conflicts before.
- I am so happy for what Radu has achieved, that I would not want to answer for any more misdeeds. I, the Giuffrida brothers, Radu's family, my lawyer know who, how and what he did for this business. And we know that what is happening to Drăgușin is just the beginning. The dream remains to take him to Real Madrid, even if Tottenham fans curse me. And towards the end of his career, to bring him to Rapid. To get to Real, he must first be Tottenham's best defender. First to consolidate his position here.
What does it mean to strengthen its position?
- Don't be like other Romanian players. I don't know how long Dumitrescu, Popescu, Chiricheș stayed at Tottenham. One season at a time, right?
Isn't there a risk that he will take it into his head now, with a lot of money, with the attention of the public, of the media?
- No, he's with his girlfriend, they've been together since Radu played at Juventus. She's a serious girl, a college girl, they love each other and they're not the clubbing type of guys. He recently bought a new car, because he had one, a Q5 from 2013. "Guys, I'm getting a car too!". "Get me a car!". Good thing he got it, now he's moved to England and has to get another one, because there's no way he can drive a left-hand drive car here.
Did you give him any special advice during this period?
– One of the things I told him was "don't forget who was by your side when you were nobody! Me, your mother, your father, your sister". Now a bunch of advisors are showing up. Oh, even Florin Bratu helped him! He helped him if he carried any baggage for him at one time, because otherwise he helped him with absolutely nothing. Bratu doesn't even remember anymore, he claims that when he kept Drăgușin as a reserve in the national youth team, he was at U21 at the club. No, he had played at Juventus and Sampdoria, also in Serie A! He wasn't at U21, as Bratu thinks. What to do, they are all specialists.
And then, immediately, you protested because Florin Bratu did not use him as a starter in the national youth team.
- I do not forget. I forgive, but I don't forget! And there were many episodes…
And Edi Iordănescu was put on the wall: "If Chiricheș hadn't been injured, Drăgușin wouldn't have caught the national team anymore"
Edward Iordănescu, instead, used Drăgușin.
- Yes, he used it with Greece, then, after that he didn't call him again. The incident caused Chiricheș to get injured, so Drăgușin ended up playing. I don't know if they would have caught the Radu team otherwise. Which, in my view, would have been a mistake.
We do not know what Iordănescu would have done. I hope he would have played with Radu even without Vlad's injury, but after Edi's statements, "I'm building Chiri's team, the most important is Chiri", it seems to me that the decision was clear. Or, it would have been correct to have said "I'm building the team around Drăgușin"!
With all due respect to Chiricheș, he has also reached an age. Radu is the future of the national team, we must build around him. We keep saying that Răzvan Marin, Florinel Coman are young. If they are young at 26 years old, what can we say about Drăgușin, who is 21?
Florin Manea is not afraid that he could be betrayed by Radu Drăgușin
Were all the offers circulated real? Milan, Napoli, Bayern?
- Milan, no. There was interest, but no official offer. Napoli, yes, I spoke directly to De Laurentiis. Radu chose Tottenham and we all respected his wish. Bayern would have been financially convenient for Genoa, and for the player, and for the agents. But Dragusin said that he wanted to Tottenham.
Are you rich after this transfer?
– I was rich before, now I'm only even richer. See where I'm staying in London, because you're interviewing me here. When I started the impresario, a Dutch agent who represented Van Persie, Drenthe, and Van Nistelrooj told me: "You Romanians want the money before you play! Florine, follow your career, and the money will come! You build a career, the money comes for sure!". That's how I calculated with Radu. Before I took him to Juventus, I had much more money from Chelsea, but I preferred him to grow up at Juventus. Think, invest in yourself, not in discos and cars! Your feet are your tools, you need to take care of them. The mason takes the trowel, cleans it, arranges it.
There have been cases of players betraying their agents. Aren't you afraid that it could also happen to you and Drăgușin?
– Do you know who betrays? Who has no value. If you are a valuable footballer why would you change your agent? Do you think that Tottenham told Radu "if you don't come with Giuffrida or Becali we won't sign"? Drăgusin could have told them "do you know something? Just talk to my sister, she represents me." The transfer would still have been made even so.
www.fanatik.ro
The conversation for the interview begins in a Chinese restaurant, one of the many lined along the Queensway, and continues in the flat where Florin lives with his wife and two children. He mixes joy, pride and a revengeful spirit, feelings that are occasionally dissipated by the constantly ringing phone.
We go out for a cigarette at some point. "Did you leave something on the table?". "No, I didn't forget anything, we're only going out to smoke." "You have to leave something! For safety!". The restaurant is full, there are dozens of people, it is probably natural for the woman to be afraid that we will leave without paying the bill. It's also funny. One of us had just won a commission of almost two million euros.
Florin Manea's promise: "Radu Drăgușin will be a key player at Tottenham"
Florin, how do you feel after taking part in this transaction between Genoa and Tottenham for Radu Drăgușin?
- Naturally, it is a matter of pride to be able to make history. Okay, history makes it Radu, I'm just representing him and I'm honored. I spoke to him, I told him that this transfer will be a hundred percent success when he will be a starter at Tottenham. That we didn't come here on a trip, and he doesn't like having bench stripes on his bottom. Of course, he will need a period of adaptation until he becomes a clear starter, but I hope that by January next year he will establish himself as a base man here.
He's moved to a higher level, will he handle it?
– I'm going to tell you something funny. Radu likes pressure, he told me that he does better when he is under pressure. Before the Bologna-Genoa match, Gilardino was a bit worried, he asked me "Florine, do you think he will be able to play today, with all the rumours?". It was already known about Bayern's interest, I had told him myself before the match. You know what he told me, right? "Come on, it's not bad!".
How does he manage to remain calm in such high-stakes situations?
- He is atypical for a Romanian footballer, he is always down to earth. He has no tricks, no airs, he is humble and willing to work. That's why he's where he is now.
Is there more satisfaction in taking a child and driving them here than if you signed a contract and collected the money as an agent?
– I went through all the stages with him. I took him to Juventus when he was 16, then when he wasn't playing for Juventus I found Sampdoria, I found Salernitana. Johannes Spors, the sporting director, and I took him to Genoa. The team was in the second division then and it turned out to be the right choice. They brought him thinking that he was going to help Drăgușin, but it was the other way around, Radu helped them more.
You became completely unlikable to Tottenham supporters, you upset them when you said it was amazing to turn down Bayern and that Tottenham are just a stop on the way to Real Madrid.
– Let them curse me, so what? I don't care for Genoa, Real Madrid, Tottenham or Bayern. I stick with Rapid Bucharest, that is my soul team. But at Rapid is a patron "much more important" than De Laurentiis, and I cannot speak to him.
What is the quality sought in this job? Is it enough to be a good negotiator?
– Some are good negotiators, they find players who are already high and get them very good contracts. I chose another way, to bet on young footballers who I think can become very good. I kept getting asked how many players I have. It doesn't matter how many I have, I don't care about their number! She was a lady impresario at one point, I saw her recently on the iUmor show. She said that she makes several million euros a year, and others only make transfers in newspapers. We are here in London and we have just completed the transfer of Dragusin to Tottenham. Because of that I haven't had time to go to iUmor anymore, which really bothers me!
You feel the need to deal with Anamaria Prodan, you've had conflicts before.
- I am so happy for what Radu has achieved, that I would not want to answer for any more misdeeds. I, the Giuffrida brothers, Radu's family, my lawyer know who, how and what he did for this business. And we know that what is happening to Drăgușin is just the beginning. The dream remains to take him to Real Madrid, even if Tottenham fans curse me. And towards the end of his career, to bring him to Rapid. To get to Real, he must first be Tottenham's best defender. First to consolidate his position here.
What does it mean to strengthen its position?
- Don't be like other Romanian players. I don't know how long Dumitrescu, Popescu, Chiricheș stayed at Tottenham. One season at a time, right?
Isn't there a risk that he will take it into his head now, with a lot of money, with the attention of the public, of the media?
- No, he's with his girlfriend, they've been together since Radu played at Juventus. She's a serious girl, a college girl, they love each other and they're not the clubbing type of guys. He recently bought a new car, because he had one, a Q5 from 2013. "Guys, I'm getting a car too!". "Get me a car!". Good thing he got it, now he's moved to England and has to get another one, because there's no way he can drive a left-hand drive car here.
Did you give him any special advice during this period?
– One of the things I told him was "don't forget who was by your side when you were nobody! Me, your mother, your father, your sister". Now a bunch of advisors are showing up. Oh, even Florin Bratu helped him! He helped him if he carried any baggage for him at one time, because otherwise he helped him with absolutely nothing. Bratu doesn't even remember anymore, he claims that when he kept Drăgușin as a reserve in the national youth team, he was at U21 at the club. No, he had played at Juventus and Sampdoria, also in Serie A! He wasn't at U21, as Bratu thinks. What to do, they are all specialists.
And then, immediately, you protested because Florin Bratu did not use him as a starter in the national youth team.
- I do not forget. I forgive, but I don't forget! And there were many episodes…
And Edi Iordănescu was put on the wall: "If Chiricheș hadn't been injured, Drăgușin wouldn't have caught the national team anymore"
Edward Iordănescu, instead, used Drăgușin.
- Yes, he used it with Greece, then, after that he didn't call him again. The incident caused Chiricheș to get injured, so Drăgușin ended up playing. I don't know if they would have caught the Radu team otherwise. Which, in my view, would have been a mistake.
We do not know what Iordănescu would have done. I hope he would have played with Radu even without Vlad's injury, but after Edi's statements, "I'm building Chiri's team, the most important is Chiri", it seems to me that the decision was clear. Or, it would have been correct to have said "I'm building the team around Drăgușin"!
With all due respect to Chiricheș, he has also reached an age. Radu is the future of the national team, we must build around him. We keep saying that Răzvan Marin, Florinel Coman are young. If they are young at 26 years old, what can we say about Drăgușin, who is 21?
Florin Manea is not afraid that he could be betrayed by Radu Drăgușin
Were all the offers circulated real? Milan, Napoli, Bayern?
- Milan, no. There was interest, but no official offer. Napoli, yes, I spoke directly to De Laurentiis. Radu chose Tottenham and we all respected his wish. Bayern would have been financially convenient for Genoa, and for the player, and for the agents. But Dragusin said that he wanted to Tottenham.
Are you rich after this transfer?
– I was rich before, now I'm only even richer. See where I'm staying in London, because you're interviewing me here. When I started the impresario, a Dutch agent who represented Van Persie, Drenthe, and Van Nistelrooj told me: "You Romanians want the money before you play! Florine, follow your career, and the money will come! You build a career, the money comes for sure!". That's how I calculated with Radu. Before I took him to Juventus, I had much more money from Chelsea, but I preferred him to grow up at Juventus. Think, invest in yourself, not in discos and cars! Your feet are your tools, you need to take care of them. The mason takes the trowel, cleans it, arranges it.
There have been cases of players betraying their agents. Aren't you afraid that it could also happen to you and Drăgușin?
– Do you know who betrays? Who has no value. If you are a valuable footballer why would you change your agent? Do you think that Tottenham told Radu "if you don't come with Giuffrida or Becali we won't sign"? Drăgusin could have told them "do you know something? Just talk to my sister, she represents me." The transfer would still have been made even so.
Drăgușin putea ajunge la Chelsea! Florin Manea, dezvăluiri din casa de 1 milion euro: întâlnirea cu De Laurentiis și cum a ales românul pe Tottenham. Exclusiv - Fanatik.ro
Agentul e încântat și de transferul lui Radu la Tottenham, și de faptul că el a continuat să aibă încredere într-un fotbalist pe care crede că niciun antrenor din România nu l-a susținut - Fanatik.ro
www.fanatik.ro
Last edited:
TheVoiceofReason
Well-Known Member
- Feb 5, 2005
- 6,329
- 15,714
He seems incredibly basic
- Jun 5, 2004
- 32,221
- 64,290
- Staff
- #4,373
Such a LinkedIn style post. Oh look we did the deal too! Look at us!
*Brent voice*: Pathetic.
Malcolm: Its just I was talking to Dragusin and it seems the reason he didn't go to Bayern wasn't that you did the deal the best you could but the he personally honoured a commitment to Spurs
CAA Brent: Yeah but you've got to ask yourself, why on the day of the departure flight did he suddenly have a prior commitment?
Tuchel is going we want you, you're the best defender for the job, you can't say no. Oh what's that, you already agreed to join Spurs? Oh go on then
Malcolm: So you're saying you cheated the laws of time chronology to create a previous commitment at a future point in time?
CAA Brent: What's worse, cheating the space time continuum or cheating friends? *winks* cya later
DogsOfWar
Well-Known Member
- Jan 12, 2005
- 2,303
- 3,644
From what I watched of him he is more old school stopper.
But he seemed to read the game so well for a youngster. The old defensive coaching was always to ask yourself 'where's the danger?'
And Radu seemed very pro -active in either pressing, stepping up, or dropping off depending on what was going on, very mature.
It's why I'm not completely convinced he's here just to back up Romero as he looks the ideal partner for VdV.
It’s Romero who should be worried, and it’s all down to his red mist moments, not defensive talents
$hoguN
Well-Known Member
- Jul 25, 2005
- 26,672
- 34,814
They are probably all in our training ground hotel
Duskwen
Well-Known Member
- Jan 11, 2015
- 773
- 5,509
They're different people right? Right‽
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