The Case Against Berbatov's Depature

[fac63]

This is my 1st post so be easy on me.

Let me say the following could all be blown up in my face by the end of the week, but this is why I honestly believe DB will not be leaving in this transfer window.

Firstly, it's not b/c he wants to be here and can be convinced by Ramos/Levy that there's a chance of CL football next year. Hell, I'm not a believer either for that matter.

What I do know is this, though:

1) Spurs are one of the richest clubs in the world (12th or 14th?) by the latest accounts & are I think the highest ranked club who've never experienced the CL. We, therfore don't need either CL football or a massive transfer fee cash influx to maintain our status quo.

2) Levy has CL aspirations (as we all do). And this is most likely motivated by the profit he can actualize on his PLC shares, but I believ in this transfer window, he's shown not just a bit of backbone, but also a little (non-financially motivated) emotion--I'll call it anger--in his public comments and behaviour towards 2 of the big 4. I'll stop short of saying that I think he's finally starting to care about THFC, but I think his emotions are starting to show towards ManU's bullying tactics vis-a-vis his business interests. And his transfer fee for RK and the subsequent public comments in regards of how it was handled by Liverpool back this up.

3) Juande Ramos's transformation of the squad. It seems he's trying to assemble a boatload of playmakers behind a central goalscorer in the Continental style. And Berbatov would be greatly served by these tactics. He's only been able to play off Keane for the past 2 years, but now he's going to have Modric, dos Santos, and Lennon and/or Bentley for support. Never mind if we turn RK's transfer into Arshavin. I also don't discount Bent's ability to thrive in this formation with Berba and Danchev looking on longingly.

So all of that said, I think we should sit on Berbatov based on points 1&2 (even if he responds to 3) and we can still get--worst case scenario if we're not challenging the big 4 by January--the same 22-25m for Berbs from ManU that they're offering now.

Of course, if Barca come calling with the cash, this is all moot.

 

[Paxtonite]

Its not beyond the realms of possibility, but does smack a bit of grasping at straws. We shall see. Hopefully you are right and come the January window DB will not want to leave.

However i still see him in a ManUre shirt by around 10th August.

 

[fozzi44]

to be honest if he wants to go i would rather just get rid asap to be honest. Move on.

 

[Azrael]

I will find it hard to see him in a Manure shirt, but I have reservations about him staying because of his lack of commitment. I think we've reached a point now where it doesn't matter what we're offering him, he just wants out. But, worse still, it looks as if we may be heading for a situation where he may yet still be at the club come the end of the window and what does one then do with a player of that quality who's not commited to the cause? Leave him on the bench or take the risk.

Its a curious situation and I think I will only be comfortable, in the event that he does stay, in him coming out and saying he wanst to give his all to the club.

 

[mendesstormer]

Excellent first post. I agree with your analysis of the situation (so naturally I thought it was goodhttp://www.spurscommunity.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif). CL still looks a long way off with so many likely changes to the squad/first team. I really think it's worth holding out and not selling Berba to ManU - we're still in a relatively strong position here. At least until January, as you say, when things may look quite different.

 

[mendesstormer]

Damn smilies don't work for me.

 

[fac63]

I think we've reached a point now where it doesn't matter what we're offering him, he just wants out. But, worse still, it looks as if we may be heading for a situation where he may yet still be at the club come the end of the window and what does one then do with a player of that quality who's not commited to the cause?

But, here's the power we hold in this situation. I think THFC are in a unique position where we need neither the cash from a Berbatov sale nor his onfield production to maintain our position financially or in the league table. And this is why we can park him and his relatively modest wages on the bench (with some fines for petulance thrown in}. And let's not forget this is a world class talent that we have under contract for a couple of more years. So we could sell him now for a bunch of money and cement our status as a feeder club, OR we could use him to send a message to both the big 4 and players who use us and other clubs like us who aspire to the CL that we're not just pawns in their money grabbing game.

And unfortunately all of this is predicated on some faith in Levy's backbone and loyalty to Spurs the football team and not just the PLC.

 

[jujuman]

Okay. I think we should do the following

Send him out on loan next season to a champions league club ( but not English )

Whoever it is pays his wages and a loan fee with an option to buy at a predetermined price if we decide to sell at end of loan period. We retain option to recall loan if needed.

He gets to be somewhere else and play in CL which his agent would say he needs.

We get to retain his registration thus peeing of Manure and

If this season goes according to juande's plan he has the option to rejoin a CL club for next season i.e. us.