- Jun 10, 2004
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Interesting outlook on the ITK info regarding outgoings, and a lot of agreement from members,Relating to the posts from WLB and Herc (big thanks to all the ITKs for their continued charing of inside info!) and our continued problems to sell players:
I found the Athletic article by C. Eccleshare from Wednesday ("Why Tottenham are struggling to sell their unwanted players") quite interesting. The usual arguments on our price demands and players reluctance to leave as well as the chasm like divide between PL clubs and the rest of Europe when it comes to financial muscle is discussed. But there is also a fourth point which I think is very relevant to our position:
It should also be pointed out that a club’s reputation can have a big effect on how easy or hard it is to sell players. (...) it’s amazing how different perceptions are of players when they’re at a club deemed to be a good place for them to develop. (He refers to how Man City can receive good money for their fringe players). And the opposite can be true — as Spurs have demonstrated. Tottenham’s struggles over recent years make it even harder to sell unwanted players because there’s no real sense from prospective buyers that it’s been a place where individuals have been well coached or picked up good habits. Until this perception changes and until big contracts that were handed out pre-Covid expire, selling players will remain a particularly acute problem for Spurs.
I do believe he´s on to something here; when, over the past 4 years, would one say that we have been a club where players will have had a positive development tactically, technically, physically and/or mentally? Spurs players might very well be seen as damaged goods because they are Spurs players.
You wouldn´t buy a car from a dodgy dealer with a bad rep would you? The car itself might be outstanding, but the seller isn´t and thus you don´t trust that the car is actually any good.
Is it really the case though? Every year the top players from relegated teams get snapped up. Our league positions have been mostly decent apart from last year given recent standards. Hardly something to label players as stagnant and not worthy of signing.
Edit: can't argue with the "big contracts" part though.