The beginning of the end
Well, I hate to say I told you so but today marks the official beginning of the end as far as our love affair with Dimitar the Great goes. The pin-striped ponce Emil Dantchev has said that talks of a contract extension with General Levy have twice broken down…
“His future will be decided in the next couple of months. We have twice given up talks about Berbatov’s new contract and this is due to the fact that Tottenham are unwilling to fix Berbatov’s transfer price.”
He’s talking about a buy-out clause, isn’t he and I don’t blame Levy for not budging on that one. What the hell is the point of four-year contract if there’s emergency rip chord any time the player wants to leave? How can you build a squad when you have no idea if you’re players are going to stay or not?
“He is 27-years old and he needs to win trophies. It is time he was transferred to a club that regularly plays in the Champions League,” Dantchev continues.
“There are seven to eight clubs in Europe interested and we know them well.”
We know them well? What like “we” him and Berba or “we” like the footballing world? Well, we didn’t expect Wisla Plok to be in with a shout. So long as one of the eight clubs isn’t United, Chelsea, or the arse I’m not really too fussed. Please leave the country Dimi and never return. I can’t bare to look. I could never watch MOTD again. My eyes! My eyes!
It’s painful to think we’re going to have to go through that terrible struggle of finding another great striker and there’s nothing more depressing than that. Whatever our record at the back, it’s always been my pride that we can put them past anyone.
One thing for sure is that it’s not going to be perennial youth-teamer Tomas Pekhart who solves the problem - well, not yet anyway. The Perfect Juan is reported to be a big fan of the 18-year-old but he wants to send him out on loan for some first team experience before he hurls him in into the shark infested waters of the EPL.
Smile you son of a bagel
The Bagel
April 17th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
The fact is that all footballers are mercenary.
Berbatov (or agent) knows that his place is unchallenged in the squad, why not say, ok we’ll stay but if you dont deliver, were off.
Levy needs to bend over on this one, accept the release clause or lose the player.
Take this in whatever way you wish, but winning the minorist (?) of englands major trophies isn’t likely to cut much ice in bulgaria, he wants to play in the main arena and he’s giving spuds another chance to prove they can get him there.
If you were cynically minded you could say this might be a smoke and mirrors trick, after all Levy’s not exactly known for integrity. If he doesn’t play ball, Berbatov could say well, I’m off, and that just might be Levy’s real intention, the blame then lays with the player and not Levy.
April 17th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Allowing Berbatov that clause would demonstrate some confidence in Tottenham’s performance for next season and beyond. It would also mean that Levy would need to come up additional funds to ensure that they can meet that challange and surround Berbatov with quality he deserves.
If Spurs really wants to set their sights higher and actually deliver on the promise of Champs League football, they are going to have to have the bottle to keep great players and spend enough on transfer fees and salaries to keep them. If they don’t, it will just be more of the same for us. Although the sad truth is I know there are enough masochits like me who will keep coming back regardless of how high Spurs climb and how many risks the owner wants to take!
April 17th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
One thing is for sure. The scum will never be able to afford to buy him.
Scant consolation I know.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
*sigh*
April 17th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
The silver lining I suppose is that he could be used a powerful bargaining tool to get a few top players in return. Gattuso for example.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Hornchurch,
With our £70M half year profits, I think we could afford him, but with the obvious animosity between the fans and the fact that Levy will want to get every peeny he possibly can, I doubt Berbatov would make the ‘Sol Switch’, for the spuds known as the ‘Rohan Ricketts Rip-off’.
Besides that, I’m not sure the player would fit into our system of play and to include him would stop the evolution of players like Theo, Carlos Vela, Eduardo etc.
April 17th, 2008 at 5:57 pm
Goalie needed. (5 mil)
two backs needed (one as back up for King) (20-30 mil)
one or two quality midfielders who are consistent and have last touch (10 million - 1 squillion)
someone up else upfront with keane and/or as back for Bent if Berbatov goes. (20 million?)
That’s a fucking shoping spree.
Gulp.
April 17th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Tis a shopping spree Ali,
I would say keep him until the day he leaves, but with Berbatov, if he ain’t happy, he won’t play in top gear, so balls to it, cash in during the summer…His agent does sound like a prize cock, but I suppose he is just doing his job. The wanker.
Please sell Bent. Please.
Interesting reports about Lord whassisface upping his stake in Spurs to 5% this week. Not much, but just the sort of thing people do when anticipating a takeover/sale.
Are you gathering a consortium together, Bagel? Staging a takeover?
Perhaps we should do a Barca, and all chip in together… Tottenham Hotspur, owned by the Beef Bagel Corporation.
Or perhaps I just need some more sleep…
April 17th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Toby I am in. I can pledge a fiver and two warm cans of lager.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:54 am
I’ll take the lager.
Yeah, I read about the Tory investor. Made me think the same thing Toby and perhaps to pull my finger out and buy some shares of my own, but a consortium sounds rather fun.
If, like Ali, we all pledged a fiver and two cans of lager, we’d be some of the way there. Share are at 140p as I post this but take a look for yourself:
http://www.londonstockexchange.com/en-gb/pricesnews/prices/system/detailedprices.htm?sym=GB0008962986GBGBXAIM%200896298TTNM
Now, if we could engineer a beer shortage and we had control of all of those warm lager cans, we could trade them in for more Spurs shares.
As for Dimi, well, I see the theory behind giving him the clause but what happens when we’ve relied on him and then he bails in January with less time, money and players to chose from to replace him?
The Bagel.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I’m surprised you don’t have a share hanging on the wall all you bagelites.
A true fan would be a shareholder, therefore owning a part of the club you claim to love, you would be able to attend shareholders meetings and the board would be answerable to you.
April 18th, 2008 at 9:48 am
Now why would a 17 year old like me want bloody shares. I might buy some on bullbearings (fantasy stock game) but that’s about it!
April 18th, 2008 at 9:49 am
Ah well, guess I’m officially not a true fan.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Wilson,
It’s only £1.40 !!!!!
Surely you can afford that out of your pocket money ?
April 18th, 2008 at 11:32 am
Oi Oi
You are right. Why would you want Berbatov when you’ve got Bentdner.
Why, with Berbs in your team you might have actually won something this year. We did.
You could always play Berbatov on the wing I suppose?
April 18th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Good comparison, our teenage youth player against your main head honcho striker.
But if you insist:
Bendtner has made 14 starts and scored 7 goals.
Berbatov has made 49 starts and scored 22 goals.
Bendtner cost £Nada
Berbatov cost £11M
A closer comparison would be Bendtner and Bent:
Bendtner has made 14 starts and scored 7 goals.
Bent has made 32 starts and scored 8 goals.
Bent cost £16.5M - yep thats right, £16.5M.
Just to put that into context. Each season ticket holder pays £7 per match for the next 5 years just to cover the weight of the transfer, let alone his massive 19th highest in world wages.
April 18th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
You really are showing your ignorance of football by trying to argue that Bendtner is comparable with Berbatov.
Bent? Fair enough. But Berbatov?
You just make yourself sound very stupid.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Seeing news today, it will be very sad if Ledley goes. I know he’s got constant injury problems, but he has been a loyal, intelligent part of the club for 11 years. The smile on his face at Wembly said it all. He was beaming with pride.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
You got to look at assist which is 11 thats 3rd or 4th highest in the best in the premiership. Its not only about goals
April 18th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
Who was making the comparison ?
Hornchurch: “Why would you want Berbatov when you’ve got Bentdner”
I was just poiting out that the closer comparson would be with bent.
April 18th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
And you thought I was being serious? For fucks sake.
It’s called sarcasm.
You know what sarcasm is, right?
April 18th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Der, yep I know what sarcasm is, is that green slime stuff from ghostbusters.
Do you know what pantagruelism is ?
April 18th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Bent has surely not made 32 starts…
April 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
Appearances not starts
April 18th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
Damn you have discovered the flaw in my argument !!!!
I knew those pesky kids would discover my lies eventually !
Oh well, they were good stats while they lasted.
April 18th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Well done Oi Oi. you have a dictionary.
Apologies everyone. didn’t mean to turn this into dictionary corner.
by the way, does that word mean” A bunch of cunts that wins fuck all again”?
April 18th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Tres Rabelais
April 19th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Bagel
Great blog by the way, totally class.
Its going to be a long summer of speculation with regards to berbatov speculation, but if the man was an arse he would have already left a lot earlier. He could command a stunning fee so its not all bad news if he goes.
Oi Oi Oi - if you’re going to to try and wind people up then at least do it well. I’ve always wondered myself about people who take the time out of their day to post ‘banter’ on other boards. Do you punch the air in delight just because you’ve caused a handful of fans the mildest of annoyment? Do your friends know? Do you have firends?
Could be just me but really doesn’t strike me as the behaviour of a winner.
Bagel on the other hand is class. best blog on the internet by miles. Seriously mate, have a read through his work and you really could learn some lessons in wit.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:03 am
What we could really use are Carrick and Davids back, someone to hold up, and someone who is a midfield hatchetman. I must admit, seeing the axe-murder he laid on L’arse that season really makes me miss him. haha, 2-1 and you fucked it up, Arsene. Without Davids and Mido, we have no thugs at all on the team anymore. And you really need two, since at any given time one of them will be suspended.
April 21st, 2008 at 2:01 pm
If you want a ”thug” then Gattuso is our man to get Lily White Yank.
April 23rd, 2008 at 12:49 am
We need to Davids back if i’m to win the flat 2 Pro Evo tournament.
May 9th, 2008 at 8:46 am
hi
bagel
Sorry me and yotn havnt spoke 4 a while its because our commy broke AGAIN!!!!! So im on my school commy again shhh donbt tell my teacher lol. OK TB bye
May 9th, 2008 at 8:47 am
oh and yotn say hi wel i presume so
May 9th, 2008 at 8:51 am
Oh and what do u guys think the score will be at the weekend im sur we’ll beet the scouse scom expecially if we were 2 1 up and lost it in the last minute to a torres equalizer DAMN i think were the words that came out of my mouth
You dont want to know what came out of my dads mouth!!!!! ……………….HAHAHA LOL
May 9th, 2008 at 8:55 am
try and speek to u at the weekend if my gran lets me use her computer if not probably tuesday see ya bi