Should we do a Wenger/SAF

[Bus-Conductor]

I listened to the coments of SAF and Wenger over the last couple of days regarding their star players being wanted by Real Madrid, Milan etc.

Their attitude was firm and unequivical. They go nowhere.

Now I've always been a realist, and I know that Wenger has had to wave goodbye to a few players over the years who he didn't want to let go, and if you can't offer CL, more money etc and you have an unhappy major asset sitting sulking (and depreciating) yo may as well cash in and spend wisely if poss.

But I can't help but feel we've been a little soft on Berbatov. Certainly Wenger/SAF would never sell to each other. Although once again we did see Wenger reluctantly loose Cole to Chelsea with Chelsea reluctantly losing Gallas to Arse in the deal. But generally none of the big 4 would sell to each other.

For all I know we have taken that stance with Berbatov and said no to an English club. I really hope so.

But should we have gone further and fought tooth and nail - you know "he'll rot in the reserves" bullshit etc. ??

I'm not totally sure. If you do all that he he fucks off anyway you end up looking like even bigger chumps. ??

Have we been a tad too ambivalent. A smidgen too passive submissive. ?

or have we played it right ? I'm not totally sure.

 

[Disconosebleed]

The whole 'we'll let him rot in the reserves' thing is a financial tactic, it's just there to convince people to pay top dollar. If teams think they can get a player on the cheap they'll offer low, if the selling team establishes that they don't need to sell and won't unless the deal suits them, the offer will be high. No team will ever let a valuable player rot 'out of principle'. Principles aren't relevant to business.

If we realise Berby wants to go, then regardless of posturing we have to realise that he WILL go.

 

[double0]

I think the club should have sanctioned his agent much earlier (if that is possible thing to do).

Its quite a difficult situation around Berbatov, you get the impression he would stay if the club were more successful but in the same thought he doesn't really want to be at the club, preferring that CL football move.

I reckon its about time Berbatov himself (in English) actually comes out and commits either way.

 

[alamo]

Interesting question but they have far more to offer in all fairness. We could be hard-liners regarding Berbs but i'm not sure how productive that would be. To say "oi you're staying cos we say so" to him would prob be rather Simon Jordan like

 

[alamo]

And wahey I'm Paul Stewart. I was there when he came on and scored against 'Pool (i think it was). Was my first time in the paxton road stand :grin:

 

[sloth]

The reality is that until we achieve something we'll always be a transition club for the very best players. This is one of the many obstacles those just below the top eschelon face when tring to break into the cartel. IMO, if we get a reputation for being awkward then in the future we won't be an attractive proposition for the likes of Berbatov, Modric and Gio. I'm not saying we should just roll over and wave our legs in the air, but that there has to be a degree of realism in our transfer policy, in fact I think we strike the right balance pretty well.

 

[yanno]

There's a lot of BS spoken during transfer negotiations, and owners and coaches often have different agendas. For coaches, the team is paramount. For owners, financial considerations are always a factor - though the extent will vary from club to club.

I'm sure Ferguson does not want Ronaldo to go anywhere. But if the player wants to go to Real Madrid and refuses to see him (see Torygraph article below about Ronaldo telling Ferguson not to bother travelling to the Portugal training camp), will the Glazers really let a huge balance sheet asset rot in the reserves over a point of principle?

---------------------

"Reportedly Ferguson had cut short a holiday in France to attempt to convince his player to stay at Old Trafford, although Ronaldo is understood to have told his club manager he is not welcome. As such, Ferguson is now unlikely to make the trip to Switzerland."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../ufnron306.xml

-----------------------------------

I think secretly the Glazers will be delighted to get huge money for Ronaldo. After all, they're paying £81 million a year in interest on their debt.

Ferguson will be furious though, and his blood pressure will go through the roof....

From the Spurs context, if Barca meet our valuation of Berba, it would be almost impossible to refuse to let him go. If that valuation is a straight swap for Eto'o, then at least we're replacing one world class striker with another.

 

[Bingy]

Until we consider ourselves to be TOP DRAWER (and I am a 1960's Glory Days Fan) again....we can not compete with the lesser clubs in the CL. Man U and Pool are in our league but Chelsea and Scum are below us on a Historical basis (not to mention a Hysterical basis lol). I have NEVER regarded any of the TOP 4 to be our 'betters'. Why should I? I remember Manure in Div 2 and Chelsea playing there for several seasons. I have no, in built' fear of the 4 teams that are 'usually' ahead of us. We can, and will, hold our own...and hopefully exceed our recent achievements. I think that we need to consolidate, and build upon, what we 'hold'. The influx in the next few months will determine where we see ourselves in the last days of the 00's. As we stand it looks encouraging but things may change QUICKLY should we loose a 'prized' asset (Berbatov) or if 'they' acquire a few. That may effect us dearly, either way! I can't suffer another 'crazy' season, like those of the early 04-07 period. We are better than that, now, I should think? There is no room for either complacency nor, over indulgence. Call it 'Decision Hour', OK Coral or D-Day....but NOT Dunkirk, I hope! The War is almost finished and we are 'clambering' UP the Beach...and establishing a Beach Head....but....DON'T tell the Top 4?
So where to now? I'm tired and longing for a rest...or a season of Glory, again....be it ONLY a Uefa, FA or Carling Cup! Nothing less will suffice now! COYS (whoever or whatever we might be by August 2008! COYS!