Sander Berge

[St José Dominguez]

You are saying exactly what I said no? I said I am all for these types of signings, but we needed to sign starting 11 quality CMs this summer. Players that can come in and be better than Dembele, Winks, Wanyama etc. Berge is not that player.

As I said, I am NOT against signing these types of players, but only in addition to and not at the expense of proper quality first 11 signings.

It's what happens when I read messages from end to start. I agree we needed that one bona fide starter.
I'm not ruling out Grealish hitting ground running though in similar way to Dele.

 

[St José Dominguez]

Can anyone honestly say he is better than Skipp or Amos or TOB ?

Who, the guy I've never seen play? Erm, yes?

 

[am_yisrael_chai]

I don't know - isn't that why the club pays scouts?

Oh our wonderful scouts, thanks I’m feeling all warm and fuzzy now.

 

[Cinemattis]

Heard on tv earlier, more of the pundits wanting gim to sign for spurs as they see poch as an ideal manager getting the best out of arguably the best young midfielder from our contry ever

Sorry, mate - that´s just not correct. Even if you emphasize "young" to the tenth degree, you´re making the English tabloids look like serious, understated broadsheets with statements like that.

Talented: absolutely! Listed on UEFA´s Top 50 talents list: sure. The biggest midfield talent to ever come from Norway? That´s like saying England´s World up efforts this summer was the best ever, or that Luka Modric is the best player to ever play for Tottenham.

 

[bat-chain]

I think he looks rather good, never seen anything of him before today.

 

[Lilbaz]

Sorry, mate - that´s just not correct. Even if you emphasize "young" to the tenth degree, you´re making the English tabloids look like serious, understated broadsheets with statements like that.

Talented: absolutely! Listed on UEFA´s Top 50 talents list: sure. The biggest midfield talent to ever come from Norway? That´s like saying England´s World up efforts this summer was the best ever, or that Luka Modric is the best player to ever play for Tottenham.

Did you watch the programme?

 

[St José Dominguez]

He'll probably sign for Sevilla and turn into a superstar. Then in a few years we can all say he's out of our price range and we should've bought him from Genk. Like Milinkovic Savic who Lazio bought when he was 20 from Genk.

 

[fortworthspur]

if we get him Im calling him the norwegian nightmare

 

[Cinemattis]

I´ve followed Sander Berge since he at the tender age of 17 debuted for my local team, Vålerenga. I was a season ticket holder back then and have seen him in plenty matches both for club and country.

He´s a big lanky player, but with a kind of elegant air about him. He looks slow (because of his size), and slightly clumsy (because of his size), but even when he was still a teen, he had this calm coolness about him - and always getting out of situations with the ball at his feet. In some ways he resembles our Dembele in the way that he can just glide up the field with the ball - but he´s better at delivering the ball to team mates at the right time in stead of just running in to dead ends. And not as hot headed as Dembele can be defensively. He´s more like Kanté in that he just takes the ball from the opposition without really tackling them. But, alas, he´s about as dangerous as Dembele when it comes to scoring goals himself...

In some ways, because of his height and special kind of what looks like clumsy slow technique (which is just a trick of the eye and not reality), he also resembles another Norwegian, Tore Andre Flo that used to play up front for Chelsea during the Zola years. Or even our own Harry Kane when he started to feature in our first team.

As a 17 year old he took to the Norwegian premiership with ease. After less than two seasons he was sold to Belgian outfit Genk, and it was thought to be a big step for him and that it would take time for him to settle. Before Christmas in his first season he was bossing the midfield there as well. As a 19 year old he made his debut for the senior national team - and took to that level straight away too. He´s just one of those players that automatically takes to each new level he´s being tested at. Saying that: the Norwegian top league is shit, and at a low European level. Same can be said of the Norwegian national side over the last decade or so (but things are looking brighter atm). The Belgium top division is probably high mid level in Europe (around or near the level of the top leagues in Holland, Portugal, Switzerland, etc.). The step to PL level is a tremendous one.

The captain of the Norwegian national side is Stefan Johansen of Fulham, a proven professional with several seasons for Celtic and Fulham. Johansen´s natural position is the deep playmaker role, but since Berge was introduced to the national side, he has been pushed to the right flank to give room to Berge. Just before this year´s world cup Norway played Iceland (you know: the team that beat England in the Euros, and kept Argentina at bay in Russia) in Reykjavik. Berge had barely touched a ball since New Year´s because of a hamstring injury. It was Iceland´s last test before the world cup. Berge played about 60 minutes and totally bossed the midfield. Sigurdsson & co could barely got glimpses of the ball. As far as I can understand he´s been in full training since, getting fit over the summer. We all know that international friendlies isn´t exactly Premier League level of intensity. But I actually posted in the official Norwegian Tottenham Supporters´ Facebook group the very same night the question "what would Poch get out of Sander Berge if he came to Tottenham?".

I believe he might have it in him to be a good, maybe even a very good, player in the PL. The main reason for this belief is the way he handles himself off the pitch, on the training field, in interviews, etc. He strikes me as the same kind of very dedicated, very serious, and very humble modern football athelte - very much in the same mould as our own Harry Kane. I´m not saying he´s on the same level as Kane, or ever will be; but Berge resmebles him in the way he acts and behaves, and the dedication. No cockiness or full of himself kind of antics that so many young players showcases.

The fact that three times UEFA Euroleague winners and Champions League quarter finalists Sevilla has bid for him in several transfer windows already, and that Fiorentina reportedly sees him as a replacement for Milan Badelj, speak for it self in regards to the fact that he´s seen as a promising and possibly rising star in European football.

Personally I would love to see what Poch & co could get out of him. But at the same time I´m afraid he would be more one for the future than this upcoming season.

Oh, and I´ve seen some mention that he can play in defense or as a centre back. Not more than Dembele he can. He´s a deep lying central midfielder/playmaker, one to bring the ball forward either through deep runs or passing. He´s definitely not a replacement for a Toby A. If anything a understudy to Dembele and competition to Winks. Saying that, I could see him and Winks form a partnership in the machine room though.

All that said (sorry for all the words!): I´d much rather we get Kovacic, which is the finished article and could go straight into the starting XI. But as a player for the future - sure, sign him up!

 

[Cinemattis]

Did you watch the programme?

Nope - not that section of it. But I´ve followed Sander Berge since he was 16-17. He played for my local team here in Norway. He´s really talented and could become a top player. Maybe. But to say something like that is forgetting all players before the year 2000. As you commented: there´s been a few half decent players from Norway (not of late, albeit). To claim he´s the best midfielder ever is stretching it. He could become that player. Just like Marcus Edwards could´ve become the new Messi. With players that young, one never knows. To me it´s a very, very tabloid way to express things.

 

[ButchCassidy]

This is the sort of link I would be giddy about if we had already filled in our other areas of need this window...

 

[Lilbaz]

Nope - not that section of it. But I´ve followed Sander Berge since he was 16-17. He played for my local team here in Norway. He´s really talented and could become a top player. Maybe. But to say something like that is forgetting all players before the year 2000. As you commented: there´s been a few half decent players from Norway (not of late, albeit). To claim he´s the best midfielder ever is stretching it. He could become that player. Just like Marcus Edwards could become the new Messi. With players that young, one never knows. To me it´s a very, very tabloid way to express things.

Part of a pundits job is to get people excited about what they are watching to get/keep viewers. Any that say this is terrible your better off watching the golf on the otherside probably wont be in a job long.

As always if he does come i will wait till the end of the season to get an idea of whether he is a good signing or not. Even then for young players i'll give a couple of years.

 

[Cinemattis]

Part of a pundits job is to get people excited about what they are watching to get/keep viewers. Any that say this is terrible your better off watching the golf on the otherside probably wont be in a job long.

As always if he does come i will wait till the end of the season to get an idea of whether he is a good signing or not. Even then for young players i'll give a couple of years.

I agree with you, @Lilbaz . It´s just the exaggeration that eats me ... For example: Harry Kane is a great striker, arguably the best goalscorer for us in the PL era. But to say that he´s the best Tottenham striker (or player) ever, would be to stretch it a bit far for a player that only has been a full squad member for 4 years. At least it would be to just overlook almost 140 years of history. See my point?

 

[deanostheyido]

A lot of comparisons being drawn to dembele. Hasn't poch previously said he'd have loved to have coached a young dembele, so that he could have made him into one of the best players in the world? This could be his chance to do exactly that with berge

 

[spursLA]

Thanks for all the insight - especially from our Norwegian friends. Makes a change from the ITK thread which is all bipolar wailing.

 

[stevespurs]

This young fella looks composed and quite elegant. He would be a nice DM option, appears to be able to receive the ball under pressure....unlike Dier. With Grealish as an extra AM, I think we have a range of midfield/attacking options. Add our superstars Eriksen, Dembele, Son, Lamela, Ali etc Berge and Grealish could be our next superstars

 

[Clark28]

5 things i like about this kid
tall
quick-ish (for a tall bloke)
strong
decent passing
decent dribbling

 

[danny32]

Like the fact that if Toby goes Dier can cover CH and Berge can come into the defensive midfield

 

[shelfmonkey]

Sarge Bender?

 

[diamond lights]

I´ve followed Sander Berge since he at the tender age of 17 debuted for my local team, Vålerenga. I was a season ticket holder back then and have seen him in plenty matches both for club and country.

He´s a big lanky player, but with some kind of elegant air about him. He looks slow (because of his size), and slightly clumsy (because of his size), but even when he was still a teen, he had this calm coolness about him - and always getting out of situations with the ball at his feet. In some ways he resembles our Dembele in the way that he can just glide up the field with the ball - but he´s better at delivering the ball to team mates at the right time in stead of just running in to dead ends. And not as hot headed as Dembele can be defensively. He´s more like Kanté in that he just takes the ball from the opposition without really tackling them. But, alas, he´s about as dangerous as Dembele when it comes to scoring goals himself...

In some ways, because of his height and special kind of what looks like clumsy slow technique (which is just a trick of the eye and not reality), he also resembles another Norwegian, Tore Ansdre Flo that used to play up front for Chelsea during the Zola years. Or even our own Harry Kane when he started to feature for our first team.

As a 17 year old he took to the Norwegian premiership with ease. After less than two seasons he was sold to Belgian outfit Genk, and it was thought to be a big step for him and it would take time for him to settle. Before Christmas in his first season he was bossing the midfield there as well. As a 19 year old he debuted for the senior national team - and took that level straight away too. He´s just one of those players that automatically takes to each new level he´s been tested at. Saying that: the Norwegian top league is shit, and at a low European level. Same can be said of the Norwegian national side over the last decade or so (but things are looking brighter atm). The Belgium top division is probably high mid level in Europe (around or near the level of the top leagues in Holland, Portugal, Switzerland, etc.). The step to PL level is a tremendous one.

The captain of the Norwegian national side is Stefan Johansen of Fulham, a proven professional with several seasons for Celtic and Fulham. Johansen´s natural position is the deep playmaker role, but since Berge was introduced to the national side, he has been pushed to the right flank to give room to Berge. Just before the world cup Norway played Iceland (you know: the team that beat England in the Euros, that kept Argentina at bay in Russia) in Reykjavik. Berge had barely touched a ball since New Year´s because of a hamstring injury. It was Iceland´s last test before the world cup. Berge played about 60 minutes and totally bossed the midfield. Sigurdsson & co could barely get glimpses of the ball. As far as I can understand he´s been in full training since, getting fit over the summer. We all know that international friendlies isn´t exactly Premier League level of intensity. But I actually posted in the official Norwegian Tottenham Supporters´ Facebook group the very same night the question "what would Poch get out of Sander Berge if he came to Tottenham?".

I believe he might have it in him to be a good, maybe even a very good, player in the PL. The main reason for this belief is the way he handles himself off the pitch, on the training field, in interviews, etc. He strikes me as the same kind of very dedicated, very serious, and very humble kind of modern football athelte - very much in the same mould as our own Harry Kane. I´m not saying he´s on the same level as Kane, or ever will be; but he resmebles him in the way he acts and behaves, and the dedication. No cockiness or full of himself kind of antics so many young players showcases.

The fact that three times UEFA Euroleague winners and Champions League quarter finalists Sevilla has bid for him in several transfer windows already, and that Fiorentina reportedly sees him as a replacement for Milan Badelj, speak for it self in regards to the fact that he´s seen as a promising and possibly rising star in European football.

Personally I would love to see what Poch & co could get out of him. But at the same time I´m afraid he would be more one for the future than this upcoming season.

Oh, and I´ve seen some mention that he can play in defense or as a centre back. Not more than Dembele he can. He´s a deep lying central midfielder/playmaker, one to bring the ball forward either through deep runs or passing. He´s definitely not a replacement for a Toby A. If anything a understudy to Dembele and competition to Winks. Saying that, I could see him and Winks form a partnership in the machine room though.

All that said (sorry for all the words!): I´d much rather we get Kovacic, which is the finished article and could go straight into the starting XI. But as a player for the future - sure, sign him up!

Thanks for this. Great insight for those of us that had never heard of him.