The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 28 July 2011

[rebrab]

So we keep hearing.

Sorry rebrab, not having a pop at you, it's just the not knowing what's holding us back in signing a player or two that's irritating.

Too much conflicting ITK, twitter, articles etc.

Don't worry mate, not taken personally :up:

there is lots of conflicting - but knowing Levy, he wants whats best for the club so he's doing his best. The info that I believe tends to come from that angle, or otherwise from the people I really trust (ryan, BEN, POTL). Anything else I'm skeptical of unless it fits what I've heard or what I think fits the goals Levy and Harry are trying to achieve.

 

[Mr Pink]

Is anyone else not worried by the news that Levy won't stump up £2 million more to sign Vucinic, This is a very worrying development if its true.

Very much so, but I suspect Harry isn't convinced and thats why we are relunctant...I think he's an option but we are not 100% and are dragging our heels so to speak.

If we wanted him badly he would be a Spurs player by now IMO.

 

[DoublePivot]

I think we can all agree that the transfer policy at this club is a joke. Like Harry said 18 months ago (and nothings changed) we have to move quicker in the Market. Premiums ar put onto values because premium clubs will pay it. It's what divides the clubs in world football. Are we not wanting to be seen as a premium club then?

Yes, this seems very slanted in an anti-Levy, pro-Harry kind of way. Being that your boss is mates, I totally get this as your point of view. And I won't say that Levy doesn't drive me nuts at times. Maybe for a different reason though (money-ball works, don't deviate from the rules which he does often).

But what I want to remind you, and all the other frustrated supporters is that Harry is by no means clean in regards to our current transfer limbo. One of the issues at hand is that we have a bloated squad that is aging and losing value. While Harry didn't saddle us with Hutton, Bentley or Pavlyuchenko, he did buy Keane, Defoe, Crouch, Palacios, Kranjcar and Bassong. 5 of those 6 are deadwood that are taking up wages and roster spots. We are, depending on your point of view, 3-4 players over the limit and need to sell 4-5 just to buy one over 21 player. Harry bought them and decided they weren't good enough and made them deadwood. He also added Pienaar and Friedel, neither of who are needed and are taking up spots (and high wages) that could have been used on better options.

Fair enough if he doesn't feel the deadwood can help propel us forward. And he has also bought Gallas, Sandro, Walker and VDV who are important players. The comment isn't to say he sucks at spotting talent. And he has every right to want to move forward. But due to new rules, its not cut and dry. And he can get frustrated but nobody wants the players he no longer wants and that is handcuffing us. So he has to accept his role in this. Honestly, we are already top heavy in forwards and he bought all but one. We are top heavy in back-up midfielders and he has expanded on what Comolli started. And a new contract for Alnwick and Cuducini and then adding Friedel? What the fuck is that about.

Like I said, I get the frustration with Levy too. It's not always about his wage structure.....that I get. It's about his unwillingness to take a hit at times. And while his negotiation tactics can work out quite well at times, at others they probably cost us. However, I do not believe for one second that he pulled out of a 20 million agreement. That's horse-shit.

BEN re: luca (sic)

I'm very glad to hear this, but I seriously doubt he will sign an extension until next summer. Why would he trap himself if we don't progress?

 

[Paolo10]

What's best for the club is better striking options, penny pinching now is a bit mad considering what we could lose if we don't get back into the top 4 IMO. Again, only 16 days until the season starts. Lastminute.com is not good enough!

 

[storts]

We will make signings eventually, it is frustrating I know, but they will happen.

 

[StartingPrice]

:up:

We all need to get a grip on things here - we still, last time I checked, have a fantastic squad, and probably the best we've had in decades - that still includes the strikers who we universally want to upgrade on.

We will be competitive this year but we also have to be realistic in what we can achieve in the short term - we won't be winning the title, or realistically close enough to be considered true challengers, but i'm certain we will be in the race for a Champions League berth right till the death and that has to be our main objective and also one that is definately achievable, regardless of Liverpool's spending.

We will also be in with a great shout to add some silverware this year and that would be fitting for a side like ours who are more than capable of being not only competitive on the league front, but all cup competitions too.

My main concern isn't Levy's apparent tight-fistedness which I just read as taking the sensible approach to running a club well financially but more Harry's approach to how best to combat a season that will be long and arduous, but hopefully rewarding.

Hey...don't lump me with the doom-mongers

 

[alexspurs4ever]

We will make signings eventually, it is frustrating I know, but they will happen.

Anyone got to the bottom of "to Teach the language ......."????

 

[Paolo10]

DP, our expectations have been raised, those players he signed played a part in keeping us up that season and then getting into the CL! After last season it's clear some of them aren't quite good enough for that final push and they've to be moved on. All part of progress in developing the squad which HR has been instrumental in doing IMO.

 

[yozza]

We will make signings eventually, it is frustrating I know, but they will happen.

I hope you're right dude

 

[fazza]

Very much so, but I suspect Harry isn't convinced and thats why we are relunctant...I think he's an option but we are not 100% and are dragging our heels so to speak.

If we wanted him badly he would be a Spurs player by now IMO.

Thats just as worrying if Harry thinks what we have is better than what Vucinic can offer.

 

[Brewster]

The worst thing is it seems from the outside looking in that, even though every fan is DESPERATE for a striker - Harry and Levy seem to think that not paying £2million extra for a striker is sensible - even though without a striker we will end up absolutely nowhere near the CL spots. It's crazy. Why the fuck didn't we go all out for every striker on our 'list' on day one of the transfer window? It's so frustrating.

We are going to end up playing Everton, Man United and Man City scoring just one goal - a VDV free kick. Thats assuming we actually do buy a striker on deadline day or something, which we probably won't.

 

[cockeral]

We will make signings eventually, it is frustrating I know, but they will happen.

But how close are we to signing someone realistically?

 

[felmani26]

:up:

Hey...don't lump me with the doom-mongers

Don't worry, i'm not.

I'm just trying to reiterate to people on here that we still have fantastic side and that despite failing to stay in the Champions League, we have kept (or indeed look very much like keeping) all our key players.

When in the past could we count on genuine star talent like Bale, Modric, VdV and Sandro, not forgetting the countless other international household names we also possess - we've really never had it so good, yet it seems like it's still not enough for some people...

 

[Mr Pink]

Thats just as worrying if Harry thinks what we have is better than what Vucinic can offer.

It might be they're holding out for somebody else, awaiting developments etc...

 

[nickchrissi]

We won't have signed a striker other than Vucinic until after the CL qualifiers, unless they've tied up the deal for Leandro.

No player who has CL football or the option of CL with a club trying to qualify will sign for us, especially with the terms we offer players.

 

[fazza]

It might be they're holding out for somebody else, awaiting developments etc...

Which is a dangerous game when you know other clubs are in for the player your holding out on.

 

[Mr Pink]

Don't worry, i'm not.

I'm just trying to reiterate to people on here that we still have fantastic side and that despite failing to stay in the Champions League, we have kept (or indeed look very much like keeping) all our key players.

When in the past could we count on genuine star talent like Bale, Modric, VdV and Sandro, not forgetting the countless other international household names we also possess - we've really never had it so good, yet it seems like it's still not enough for some people...

and there are more positives, providing Sandro recovers well enough we'll have him in our midfield for a full season :grin:

 

[Paolo10]

Don't worry, i'm not.

I'm just trying to reiterate to people on here that we still have fantastic side and that despite failing to stay in the Champions League, we have kept (or indeed look very much like keeping) all our key players.

When in the past could we count on genuine star talent like Bale, Modric, VdV and Sandro, not forgetting the countless other international household names we also possess - we've really never had it so good, yet it seems like it's still not enough for some people...

We all know we have a great squad, but last season showed where we have our failings... up front!

We will only keep these players if we can give them the CL again and a lot of them are coveted all around Europe by massive teams. With 2 fresh strikers in the goals we'd have been Top 3 last season or even pushing for the title.

We are so antsy, because we're SO close! I can almost taste it for fuck sake!

 

[Mr Pink]

Which is a dangerous game when you know other clubs are in for the player your holding out on.

Yup....exactly...which is what I mean, we wouldn't be playing that dangerous game if we were 100% about him.

 

[BringBack_leGin]

That storts one sure is a tricky one.