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Should we have re-signed Berbatov?

Should we have signed Berbatov?

  • Yes.

    Votes: 222 81.3%
  • No.

    Votes: 33 12.1%
  • Goat.

    Votes: 18 6.6%

  • Total voters
    273

ultimateloner

Well-Known Member
Jan 25, 2004
4,539
2,149
He's better than what we've got now.
But he isn't as good as before. He hasn't scored enough goals despite being the main man of the team.
So it depends on wages.
 

ThorntonSpur

every away game is a home game
Jan 21, 2011
2,440
645
should have signed berba and owen as no 3 and 4 strikers. on form shown berba would have replaced ade or encouraged ade to perform better. its what we lack up front, competition for places.
 

scat1620

L'espion mal fait
May 11, 2008
16,285
52,506
Football-wise it's a no-brainer: of course we should have signed him if he was available to us. But who thinks that SAF (who still effectively has final say over transfers in/out of Old Trafford) would have sold Berbatov to Levy at any price, let alone the paltry £5m amount that Fulham got him for? Coming from the man who made it a personal mission to ensure Gabriel Heinze couldn't get a move to Liverpool under any circumstances, and then remembering the history between Levy & Ferguson (which was as acrimonious as ever at the start of the summer with the row over the Fryers tribunal fee), I'm sure that Bacon Face would have sooner got a tattoo of Liverpool's club crest on his forehead than he would've agreed to sell Berbatov to Spurs.
 

EastLondonYid

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2010
7,837
16,145
Berbatov belongs at Fulham where he is a very big fish in a very small pond, how happy he looks these days,i'm pretty sure he has someone to wipe his arse and tend to all his needs......thats not what Avb is trying to build here.
 

E17yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
16,985
30,495
Berbatov belongs at Fulham where he is a very big fish in a very small pond, how happy he looks these days,i'm pretty sure he has someone to wipe his arse and tend to all his needs......thats not what Avb is trying to build here.

I tried making that point but most people on here seem to know Berba personally and therefore know he would fit right in because he a nice quiet lad:)
 

CosmicHotspur

Better a wag than a WAG
Aug 14, 2006
51,069
22,383
He's better than anyone we have right now and would only have been a stop-gap, perhaps for a couple of seasons, for the striker we need to build into the team for the future.
 

Liquidator

Supporting Spurs since 1966
May 2, 2007
1,516
823
He'd fit right in at Spurs.

OMG it depresses me. Look where Fulham would be without his goals. (in the mire?) Then imagine where we might be...
 

CosmicHotspur

Better a wag than a WAG
Aug 14, 2006
51,069
22,383
Just a thought - I wish we could entice VDV back for a season or two now that things have changed for him. His enthusiasm and work-rate are just what we need, as well as his courageous and often successful attempts at scoring.

Even coming off the bench for the closing part of a game if we are in trouble, he can make a real difference.
 

E17yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
16,985
30,495
Just a thought - I wish we could entice VDV back for a season or two now that things have changed for him. His enthusiasm and work-rate are just what we need, as well as his courageous and often successful attempts at scoring.

Even coming off the bench for the closing part of a game if we are in trouble, he can make a real difference.

I miss Raffa (n)
 

WiganSpur

Well-Known Member
Aug 31, 2012
15,974
32,682
Of course, the guy is still world class. I can only think we tried but whiskey face wouldn't deal with Levy after he's shafted him over the years. Berba re-signing for 10% of the price 4 years later would make it about 5-0 to Levy after what happened with Fryers.
 

Adam

Active Member
Feb 23, 2004
2,556
82
Berbatov belongs at Fulham where he is a very big fish in a very small pond, how happy he looks these days,i'm pretty sure he has someone to wipe his arse and tend to all his needs......thats not what Avb is trying to build here.

This is it in a nutshell. Fulham is the perfect club for a player looking to coast into retirement after a few years of strolling around. There is no real fan pressure to perform or work hard, he is just entitled to play exactly the game he wants to and get on with it. Had he come to us, I don't think he'd have been that much better than the guys we have now, and you're kidding yourself if you think he would be haring around the pitch like we expect Ade and Defoe to be doing for us now.

Based on last season, choosing to go with Ade over Berbatov was clearly the right choice. That it hasn't worked out doesn't necessarily mean that the wrong choice entirely was made in August.
 

AngerManagement

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2004
12,518
2,739
This is it in a nutshell. Fulham is the perfect club for a player looking to coast into retirement after a few years of strolling around. There is no real fan pressure to perform or work hard, he is just entitled to play exactly the game he wants to and get on with it. Had he come to us, I don't think he'd have been that much better than the guys we have now, and you're kidding yourself if you think he would be haring around the pitch like we expect Ade and Defoe to be doing for us now.

Based on last season, choosing to go with Ade over Berbatov was clearly the right choice. That it hasn't worked out doesn't necessarily mean that the wrong choice entirely was made in August.
Have you watched him play for Fulham? his work rate is just fine

His running style and general demeanor makes him look lazy just as it did when he was with us first time round but he still does what he needs to

I don't believe at all that he's just coasting into retirement, he's still playing his game the way he always has (and in case you missed it that was pretty fucking good when he was with us before)

He wouldn't need to run around the pitch constantly, he'd just need to use his skill, vision, intelligence, movement, link play etc to be in the right place at the right time and generally make us a more potent attacking force

I don't doubt even a little bit that he would have been better than either Defoe or Adebayor this season

As for Ade being the right choice between him and Berbatov, well to be frank we could have signed both seeing as when Berbatov was on the move we'd already signed Ade and was chasing Leandro supposedly and eventually settled for Dempsey (who Fulham REPLACED with BErbatov)

I seriously hope it was a case of Berbatov refusing to come to the Lane or Utd refusing to sell to us because if it was as simple as us deciding to sign Dempsey instead that was a major mistake

Berbatov is a quality player, makes those around him better players (see Robbie Keane) and in my opinion would have been a great addition to our squad
 

E17yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
16,985
30,495
Have you watched him play for Fulham? his work rate is just fine

His running style and general demeanor makes him look lazy just as it did when he was with us first time round but he still does what he needs to

I don't believe at all that he's just coasting into retirement, he's still playing his game the way he always has (and in case you missed it that was pretty fucking good when he was with us before)

He wouldn't need to run around the pitch constantly, he'd just need to use his skill, vision, intelligence, movement, link play etc to be in the right place at the right time and generally make us a more potent attacking force

I don't doubt even a little bit that he would have been better than either Defoe or Adebayor this season

As for Ade being the right choice between him and Berbatov, well to be frank we could have signed both seeing as when Berbatov was on the move we'd already signed Ade and was chasing Leandro supposedly and eventually settled for Dempsey (who Fulham REPLACED with BErbatov)

I seriously hope it was a case of Berbatov refusing to come to the Lane or Utd refusing to sell to us because if it was as simple as us deciding to sign Dempsey instead that was a major mistake

Berbatov is a quality player, makes those around him better players (see Robbie Keane) and in my opinion would have been a great addition to our squad

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. AT THE TIME, ade was a no brainer IMO. Also, I have seen Berba a few times this season, and while he hs been excellent in some games, he has done his usual dissapreaing act as well. You say he wouldnt have to run around and work for the team as his class would show through, I think AVB would have something to say aboutb that. I honestly think they would not of got on as Berba likes to be the main man, like he was when he was a yid and like he is now at Fulham. His stupid t-shirt made me realise that it probably would not of worked
 

AngerManagement

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2004
12,518
2,739
Hindsight is a wonderful thing. AT THE TIME, ade was a no brainer IMO. Also, I have seen Berba a few times this season, and while he hs been excellent in some games, he has done his usual dissapreaing act as well. You say he wouldnt have to run around and work for the team as his class would show through, I think AVB would have something to say aboutb that. I honestly think they would not of got on as Berba likes to be the main man, like he was when he was a yid and like he is now at Fulham. His stupid t-shirt made me realise that it probably would not of worked
Yea but if you read my post I cleary stated that Ade and Berbatov were not mutually exclusive and we could have signed Berbatov instead of Dempsey (which again was a no brainer)

Running around a lot is not the measure of a footballer, intelligent movement and interplay is more important for a striker...berbatov has this all by the truck load. His clever movement, ability to find space, open up defensives and bring those around him in to play would be worth 100 of Defoe's running around and getting off side (when he actually bothers to run about)

As for Berba liking to be the main man, well in your previous posts you slated other posters for persuming to know him personally yet now you're making claims to know for a fact that he likes to be the main man (did he tell you this?)

He likes to be playing, but even as a secodary figure at Old Trafford he consistently played well and scored goals and and when he got his chances it just so happened that Old Trafford is a difficult place to succeed and for one reason or another he wasn't in Sir Alex's plans but there is no shame in that and he didn't fail there, just didnt succeed as he may have hoped

How can a T shirt tell you so much? (how do you know for example it isn't an inside joke and banter at the club based on what his team mates say to him?)

His performances and class tell me that it probably would have worked out
 

E17yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
16,985
30,495
Yea but if you read my post I cleary stated that Ade and Berbatov were not mutually exclusive and we could have signed Berbatov instead of Dempsey (which again was a no brainer)

Running around a lot is not the measure of a footballer, intelligent movement and interplay is more important for a striker...berbatov has this all by the truck load. His clever movement, ability to find space, open up defensives and bring those around him in to play would be worth 100 of Defoe's running around and getting off side (when he actually bothers to run about)

As for Berba liking to be the main man, well in your previous posts you slated other posters for persuming to know him personally yet now you're making claims to know for a fact that he likes to be the main man (did he tell you this?)

He likes to be playing, but even as a secodary figure at Old Trafford he consistently played well and scored goals and and when he got his chances it just so happened that Old Trafford is a difficult place to succeed and for one reason or another he wasn't in Sir Alex's plans but there is no shame in that and he didn't fail there, just didnt succeed as he may have hoped

How can a T shirt tell you so much? (how do you know for example it isn't an inside joke and banter at the club based on what his team mates say to him?)

His performances and class tell me that it probably would have worked out

Finally, You admit it might of worked out or might not have (use of the word probably???)? The t-shirt provides a better insight into his ego than the other assumptions I have heard on his personality, that are based on nothing. My main point is that I would rather trust AVB and what he wants rather than say what you think would of been better. Not your fault, or mine as we are not privy to what goes on behnd closed doors. I think people on here play to much football mananger and think putting together a sucessfull team is just a matter of signing good players and putting them striaght into a team and bob's your uncle Spurs are challenging for the title.

At the end of the day Berba coming back required 4 party's to be happy. UTD, Levy, AVB and Berba. I doubt that any of those party's were keen to see the deal to Spurs go through
 

AngerManagement

Well-Known Member
May 15, 2004
12,518
2,739
Finally, You admit it might of worked out or might not have (use of the word probably???)? The t-shirt provides a better insight into his ego than the other assumptions I have heard on his personality, that are based on nothing. My main point is that I would rather trust AVB and what he wants rather than say what you think would of been better. Not your fault, or mine as we are not privy to what goes on behnd closed doors. I think people on here play to much football mananger and think putting together a sucessfull team is just a matter of signing good players and putting them striaght into a team and bob's your uncle Spurs are challenging for the title.

At the end of the day Berba coming back required 4 party's to be happy. UTD, Levy, AVB and Berba. I doubt that any of those party's were keen to see the deal to Spurs go through
I think you're holding on too literally to word useages, I used the word probably in reference to your use in a parady sense

The T Shirt doesn't provide any insight at all really, how do you know it isn't all a part of inside team banter? or something carried on from training where they all say pass the ball to berbatov (as with Gazza in the early 90s when Venables used to say it as his team tactics according to Steve Sedgley)

You don't, you have no idea and just made your own assumptions as to the meanings behind the T Shirt and now you're calling these assumptions "insight"......well there's no trace of this ego affecting team moral is there? no sign of his team mates reacting poorly to this t shirt or not celebrating with him or whatever?

How do you know his team mates weren't the ones who put him up to it? you have no idea, do you?

You can't have it both ways E17, dismiss other peoples assumptions on his personality and its potential effects whilst promoting your own assumptions as evidence because of a T Shirt you know nothing about the background of

Do you think AVB wanted Dempsey? if he did want Dempsey ahead of Berbatov (which I doubt) then I don't want to trust him with such decisions because that's a terrible error and I'd rather we get a DOF in and let AVB focus on coaching

As for your Football manager comment, well that I cannot say as I haven't played the game in 15 years or so and hardly played it then but either way I really don't think knowing that Berbatov would have been a better signing than Clint Dempsey is any indication of ones level of addiction to computer simulated manager games

As I said, my point is I have NO DOUBT Berbatov would have been a better signing than CLint Dempsey because berbatov is very clearly a far better player than Clint

As for your point about 4 parties needing to be happy, I don't get why you're trying to make that....many times I and everyone else have stated that Man U or berbatov himself may have been the reason he didn't come to us, your argument with other posters including myself has always been that you do not feel or are not so sure he would have been as good for us as Dempsey or indeed out performed Ade and Defoe whilst I and others are suggetsing that he would have been a better signing than Dempsey and would have out performed Defoe and Ade
 

CosmicHotspur

Better a wag than a WAG
Aug 14, 2006
51,069
22,383
Is he still "smokin' "...?

a.jpg
 

E17yid

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2013
16,985
30,495
I think you're holding on too literally to word useages, I used the word probably in reference to your use in a parady sense

The T Shirt doesn't provide any insight at all really, how do you know it isn't all a part of inside team banter? or something carried on from training where they all say pass the ball to berbatov (as with Gazza in the early 90s when Venables used to say it as his team tactics according to Steve Sedgley)

You don't, you have no idea and just made your own assumptions as to the meanings behind the T Shirt and now you're calling these assumptions "insight"......well there's no trace of this ego affecting team moral is there? no sign of his team mates reacting poorly to this t shirt or not celebrating with him or whatever?

How do you know his team mates weren't the ones who put him up to it? you have no idea, do you?

You can't have it both ways E17, dismiss other peoples assumptions on his personality and its potential effects whilst promoting your own assumptions as evidence because of a T Shirt you know nothing about the background of

Do you think AVB wanted Dempsey? if he did want Dempsey ahead of Berbatov (which I doubt) then I don't want to trust him with such decisions because that's a terrible error and I'd rather we get a DOF in and let AVB focus on coaching

As for your Football manager comment, well that I cannot say as I haven't played the game in 15 years or so and hardly played it then but either way I really don't think knowing that Berbatov would have been a better signing than Clint Dempsey is any indication of ones level of addiction to computer simulated manager games

As I said, my point is I have NO DOUBT Berbatov would have been a better signing than CLint Dempsey because berbatov is very clearly a far better player than Clint

As for your point about 4 parties needing to be happy, I don't get why you're trying to make that....many times I and everyone else have stated that Man U or berbatov himself may have been the reason he didn't come to us, your argument with other posters including myself has always been that you do not feel or are not so sure he would have been as good for us as Dempsey or indeed out performed Ade and Defoe whilst I and others are suggetsing that he would have been a better signing than Dempsey and would have out performed Defoe and Ade

Your right, I certainly do not know for sure, kinda what my whole argument is to be fair, not just about the t-shirt but the whole question in the OP in general. I don't like dealing with absolutes, especially in football.

If the t-shirt was a bit of banter that he was made to put on by his team (something I find hard to believe) then surely that would support the argument that he likes to be the main man and enjoys the attention? Would players at Spurs have made him a t-shirt, would he of still made one himself?

My whole argument has revolved around the idea that we do not know if this was even posiible, and if it was it is not as simple as looking at one variable (he scores goals) and igoring a host of others that can pop up in football. I accept he is a better player than Dempsey (albeit different positions and different types of players who offer different things) but sometimes you have to look at the squad and what benefits the team. Obviously, with hindsight, it looks to be a no brainer but at the time we signed a player who got us 18 goals last year and supposedly turned down a player (a player we do not know even wanted to come) who was not the best fit with AVB's set-up.

T-shirts and interviews may not be a conclusive indication of someone personality but at least I have used things I have seen and heard with my own eyes to form an opinion rather than no evidence at all. He has an egp, I think we all accept that, certainly not a bad thing for a striker to have mind you but I just think there are many things that may have arised that would resulted in Berba not being the hit everyone thinks he would be but I also accept the fact he could of been a hit again.
 
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