The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - THE HISTORY OF ITK EDITION 18th June 2015

[Timberwolf]

I really hope this window doesn't turn out like the others. We've heard so much about how everyone at the club is positive and confident, and how this time things will be different and we're much more prepared. Things have been different so far with us making moves unusually early in the window for Trippier and Wimmer, but the key signings are CM/DM and WF/CF. It's no good signing a solid RB and good young CB if we balls things up in the positions where it matters most.

There's plenty of time left and I'm cautiously optimistic, but if we're not willing to pay premium for Schneiderlin now, I'd prefer we give up on him completely and start looking elsewhere immediately. Even if he does want to come, if we're not willing to pay what So'ton want, we'll end up in a game of brinksmanship that could easily result in him staying at So'ton or Man Utd swooping at the last minute. We'll end up with another Stambouli and the cycle will continue. It simply ain't worth the risk.

 

[Spursidol]

Daniel Levy is a genius, don't get me wrong, but how he can look at how the 'levytime' alternative Benji Stambouli turned out and not think 'maybe we need a change of approach' when it comes to this area is beyond me.

Guess it depends what the complications are. It shouldn't be the player per trix ITK, but maybe it's soton stalling or being stupid like wanting 20m+ in straight cash.

Would be nice to see us make a statement of intent though and get Poch's man

Correct, we got Stambouli because we spent almost the whole summer chasing Schneiderlin who we thought wanted to come to Spurs.

So the important thing this season is not to repeat the same mistake - and move on if Southampton want stupid money and MS isn't set on Spurs (maybe wants the CL glamour after all) and isn't fussed about signing the Southampton contract either.

.

 

[WiganSpur]

Lets take money out of the equation for a minute. You assume he wants to come to us in the first place. I suspect he's happy to sit it out, we've already seen he's not signed the contract Soton have offered him, and see what offers he gets.

The best way around it is to meet the asking price and set a deadline for a week. If no commitment then move on to the next target. It seems the club have done neither, it's not rocket science.

There's clearly plenty of suitors for him so if we aren't prepared to meet the asking price then it's pointless bothering.

 

[Trix]

Daniel Levy is a genius, don't get me wrong, but how he can look at how the 'levytime' alternative Benji Stambouli turned out and not think 'maybe we need a change of approach' when it comes to this area is beyond me. He overpaid for Palacios and Parker back in the day and whilst they weren't a long term solution, that brought a hell of a lot to the side when they arrived and put us on fantastic runs (Palacios in the build up to CL qualification and Parker in our 'title-run' pre Harry's England distraction).

Years later we still haven't replaced Carrick, with Modric the only player to dictate games since, albeit from further forward.

Hopefully we bring in a Schneiderlin or Kramer and put this to bed. We've already done great to have so many youth and cheap players brought through in the last 18 months anyway.



Guess it depends what the complications are. It shouldn't be the player per trix ITK, but maybe it's soton stalling or being stupid like wanting 20m+ in straight cash.

Would be nice to see us make a statement of intent though and get Poch's man

Just because I have said he would be happy to come, that doesn't mean he wouldn't go elsewhere also. Lots of ifs and but's involved in all departments which is why it is difficult.

As for those questioning whether there really has been a change in how we are doing things take a look at how many new scouts and analysts etc have come in in the last year. This has taken a lot of time and expense to set up, and has been done so for a reason. Two in already and a lot of behind the scenes stuff being done to bring in others, all before the window even opens.

 

[mpickard2087]

Guess it depends what the complications are. It shouldn't be the player per trix ITK, but maybe it's soton stalling or being stupid like wanting 20m+ in straight cash.

Would be nice to see us make a statement of intent though and get Poch's man

Again though, I think people are massively assuming he actually wants to come to us. He might have given indications that he'd see us as a step up from Southampton and be happy to join on that basis... But given he's stalled on their contract offer, been quoted as ideally wanting CL football, and not pushed for the move to us as he did last summer, I just look at it all and think he's waiting to see what the best offer he gets is.

And that's before we get to sorting the financials.

 

[rawhide]

No but am guessing you know more than most....
The money has not been issue the issue is the price they want not what we can afford. That's what itk says. Guessing some are getting carried away I would rather buy schneiderlin and lose out on alderwierald and/or others if it meant we were defensively sounder

Nope, sorry. I probably know less than most (cue hundreds of agree ratings for comedy value).

Apologies as I misconstrued your comment as a "buy at any cost" one, and I'm feeling quite belligerent today, so you got the short shrift.

I agree that we need to prioritise our targets sufficiently that we ensure we address areas of biggest concern with the highest quality we can afford, but I'm very aware of the bigger picture regarding wages/new deals, and I don't want to pay over the odds (be it fee, wages, bonus or whatever), if it destabilises the playing staff even more than the flies in the ointment seem to have done so already.

Especially as there are no guarantees when buying players that they'll fit in and perform perfectly.

 

[mpickard2087]

The best way around it is to meet the asking price and set a deadline for a week. If no commitment then move on to the next target. It seems the club have done neither, it's not rocket science.

There's clearly plenty of suitors for him so if we aren't prepared to meet the asking price then it's pointless bothering.

We should have moved on a long time ago, I agree on that one.

I don't think Kramer is any more realistic though...

 

[sak11]

Trix latest on Schneiderlin



BTW could some mod add a link to the original post in the Schneiderlin thread? I don't know how to do it :/

As I previously mentioned... pls make it Kramer and not Imbula

 

[Dean]

If Kramer is cheaper, willing to come and the deal is do-able then lets just do it. I would love Schneiderlin but I can't be arsed for us to sit around waiting for him to see if a bigger club will come in.

Let's hope Levy feels the same way!

 

[mikeeegreen]

As I previously mentioned... pls make it Kramer and not Imbula

Kramer, Bender, Bender, Geis rather than Imbula please!

 

[Xeeleeyid]

If Kramer is cheaper, willing to come and the deal is do-able then lets just do it. I would love Schneiderlin but I can't be arsed for us to sit around waiting for him to see if a bigger club will come in.

Not necessarily meaning to have a go at you, it's just that it is making me laugh hysterically how fans react to transfers.

On the one hand it's "come on Levy, have a real go at the manager's first choices for once, let's try and get them in, back the manager!"

On the other hand it's "come on Levy, if there's cheaper, more available players out there, let's get them instead of the manager's no 1 targets, just because we haven't been able to do a deal before July!"

FFS.

People don't seem to realise that with Schneiderlin, the cards are all with him. He wants to play CL, would probably come to Spurs if there isn't an option for him at Man U, Arsenal, City or Chelsea. Do you think he's going to say yes to us straight away? Do you think it's just a matter of giving Southampton whatever they want so early in the window?

If Pochettino wants Schneiderlin above anyone else, I can't seem to get my head around those criticising the time spent trying to get this extremely expensive and complicated deal done.

If Kramer is a deal we can do easily according to Trix, then I'm sure we have a few such deals lined up if Schneiderlin falls though.

I'd also point out that despite all the bitching and moaning we finished 5th last season and it will be a tough ask to finish any higher, even if we secure our number 1 targets. Our squad is pretty strong all over compared to the vast majority of PL clubs with quality throughout and a lot of younger players coming through with a lot of talent.

Therefore I understand if the club is willing to wait on Schneiderlin, even if that means we don't sign anyone come the window's end.

 

[@Bobby__Lucky]

I would rather have that cheaper Kramer all day long over Schneiderlin... Whilst SC conduct the yearly wankfest over Morgan.. I feel he is vastly overpriced and will not impact the team as much as many would think. Good solid midfielder, interceptor decent passing, has worked with Mo previously, lots of pluses...but! For me not worth the expenditure, or time persuit considering his obvious desire for ECL... I hope Danny and Mo move on Kramer swiftly whilst he is agreeable... Let's get it done. Great info as always @TrickyVilla gratitude.

 

[mikeeegreen]

Not necessarily meaning to have a go at you, it's just that it is making me laugh hysterically how fans react to transfers.

On the one hand it's "come on Levy, have a real go at the manager's first choices for once, let's try and get them in, back the manager!"

On the other hand it's "come on Levy, if there's cheaper, more available players out there, let's get them instead of the manager's no 1 targets, just because we haven't been able to do a deal before July!"

FFS.

People don't seem to realise that with Schneiderlin, the cards are all with him. He wants to play CL, would probably come to Spurs if there isn't an option for him at Man U, Arsenal, City or Chelsea. Do you think he's going to say yes to us straight away? Do you think it's just a matter of giving Southampton whatever they want so early in the window?

If Pochettino wants Schneiderlin above anyone else, I can't seem to get my head around those criticising the time spent trying to get this extremely expensive and complicated deal done.

If Kramer is a deal we can do easily according to Trix, then I'm sure we have a few such deals lined up if Schneiderlin falls though.

I'd also point out that despite all the bitching and moaning we finished 5th last season and it will be a tough ask to finish any higher, even if we secure our number 1 targets. Our squad is pretty strong all over compared to the vast majority of PL clubs with quality throughout and a lot of younger players coming through with a lot of talent.

Therefore I understand if the club is willing to wait on Schneiderlin, even if that means we don't sign anyone come the window's end.

If we don't sign anyone for the Central Midfield position come the window's end, that would be incredibly poor by Levy!

 

[Trix]

If Kramer is cheaper, willing to come and the deal is do-able then lets just do it. I would love Schneiderlin but I can't be arsed for us to sit around waiting for him to see if a bigger club will come in.

Problem is when you identify top players that are doing very well for their current clubs as targets, then other clubs want them aswell. The best players are always in demand, so its never as easy as "just go for that one".

The only easy to get targets are the ones no one else wants. Would anyone on here rather us go down this route instead?

 

[Xeeleeyid]

In a slower league with more space. Teams sit deep against us 95% of the time, especially at home. just like Dembele, he'd have no room to dribble which seems to be his strongest asset, and it would just be into dead ends. He is also left footed so would be a strange pairing with Bentaleb. The talk before from ITK was we would be looking for a player with a bit of experience at playing the role despite being young (National team etc, I can imagine) Imbula just doesn't fit into that at all. He seems very different from Schneiderlin. Very strange move for me, and one I think we could live to regret.

I don't actually think French football is a slow league. It's a lot faster and more physical than Serie A, La Liga or Bundesliga anyway.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Again though, I think people are massively assuming he actually wants to come to us. He might have given indications that he'd see us as a step up from Southampton and be happy to join on that basis... But given he's stalled on their contract offer, been quoted as ideally wanting CL football, and not pushed for the move to us as he did last summer, I just look at it all and think he's waiting to see what the best offer he gets is.

And that's before we get to sorting the financials.

I can see why both ms and soton would want to stall. I do honestly believe he would come if we agreed a fee with soton though. That said we can't dwell on this. If we can do a deal for kramer assuming he's the second choice for Poch and the analysts I'm all for it. All I want is for us to be decisive in filling this key role.

 

[Breezer]

If Kramer is cheaper, willing to come and the deal is do-able then lets just do it. I would love Schneiderlin but I can't be arsed for us to sit around waiting for him to see if a bigger club will come in.

Well lets hope a bigger club doesn't approach Kramer.

 

[Xeeleeyid]

If we don't sign anyone for the Central Midfield position come the window's end, that would be incredibly poor by Levy!

Why would it? I don't actually think we WON'T sign anyone. But our squad quality is high throughout. So i'd rather not sign anyone, rather than make-do with players like Stambouli who will just end up not contributing.

Better to go after players who will undoubtedly improve our starting XI considerably. If that means we have to go after them all summer and miss out, I'm comfortable with that.

I don't feel the need to sign players for the sake of signing players.

 

[SpartanSpur]

Correct, we got Stambouli because we spent almost the whole summer chasing Schneiderlin who we thought wanted to come to Spurs.

So the important thing this season is not to repeat the same mistake - and move on if Southampton want stupid money and MS isn't set on Spurs (maybe wants the CL glamour after all) and isn't fussed about signing the Southampton contract either.

.

See my last post above. I just want us to be decisive in filling this key role. Whether it be schneiderlin or kramer or someone of similar ilk.

 

[mikeeegreen]

Problem is when you identify top players that are doing very well for their current clubs as targets, then other clubs want them aswell. The best players are always in demand, so its never as easy as "just go for that one".

The only easy to get targets are the ones no one else wants. Would anyone on here rather us go down this route instead?

No not at all, but there is a fine line. We don't want to waste too much time on MS when it's pretty clear he is unattainable. At this moment in time I'd go all out for Kramer, or one of the other Germans (whoever they may be, Bender?) Just please, please, please not Imbula! We will be trying to offload him come next summer, or one after! Waste of 15 mill or whatever is being quoted. Not the player we need at all. The fact we are even so strongly linked to him is strange enough.