Rafa's side of this was covered in more detail a year or so back in another article....
When Sigurdsson was signed, Rafa was brought into AVB's office and told that Sig was number 1 for that position and Rafa should either leave or accept being back up ( direct quotes from Rafa ). To me, this highlighted the worst aspect of AVB's weaknesses, and one of Harry's mains strengths. AVB was young and inexperienced in understanding how to treat differing personalities to get the best out of them. Fair enough if Sig was number 1 in his own head but that didn't mean that this was the way to go about it with a veteran player of the squad who has some amount of pride through his previous experiences/clubs.. Rafa was our most experienced top level player, a beacon to the younger guys and represented many things that the fans loved. Anyone with an ability to read characters and understand roles should've known to treat Rafa with some respect and phrase things very differently imo. I'll take Rafa at his word because he has no reason to lie, so to me, AVB was extremely heavy fisted and obtuse in how he handled it.
If he'd said to Rafa '' We've brought in Sigurdsson, we really like him and think he will push you for your place, but we respect your role in this squad and what you've achieved and hope you can cement your place through performances'' I'm pretty damn sure Rafa's view on staying/going may have been very different. Furthermore, we know that Sig really didn't do much to cement his place, Dempsey was an ill fit, we struggled creatively and that if AVB had displayed some more nous that VDV could have been a very useful player for us in patches even with his flagging fitness.
AVB's belligerence, rigidity and lack of understanding the human aspects to a squad of players meant that players like this would be instantly ostricized if they weren't a shoe in in the starting lineup.
Fair response.Tbf Rafa did also say "It was private things..." so the reason for him leaving wasn't soley down AVB.
As much as I loved Rafa he was pretty primadonna-ish to want to leave because AVB wouldn't guarantee him to be the main man. AVB had just taken over and was trying to run a meritocracy and considering Rafa's fitness and injury record I don't blame him for not wanting to rely on him. It wouldn't have sent out the right signals to the rest of the squad if he had made him automatic first choice.
Fair response.
I don't disagree that his fitness was always an issue. However there's ways of doing things.
On harry "I'd do anything for that man"
On AVB "What's his name? "
I think he'd have accepted a situation where he wouldn't play 90 minutes every game but had regular involvement.
But AVB is too one dimensional to incorporate anyone that way.
I didn't think it was possible for me to hate AVB any more than I do- but it is.
I hate him so fucking much it makes me shake.
Rafael Van der Vaart was my favorite Tottenham player of all time.
I hated AVB's appointment from the minute it happened- I was incensed that we'd gotten rid of Harry and was enraged that this slimy, know-it-all, non-playing little nerd was going to be our manager. The more I find out about his tenure with us the more my disgust grows.
God, how I despise that fucking weasel...
VdV would've stayed had our little piss-ant gaffer given him the respect he deserved.
Rafa's side of this was covered in more detail a year or so back in another article....
When Sigurdsson was signed, Rafa was brought into AVB's office and told that Sig was number 1 for that position and Rafa should either leave or accept being back up ( direct quotes from Rafa ). To me, this highlighted the worst aspect of AVB's weaknesses, and one of Harry's mains strengths. AVB was young and inexperienced in understanding how to treat differing personalities to get the best out of them. Fair enough if Sig was number 1 in his own head but that didn't mean that this was the way to go about it with a veteran player of the squad who has some amount of pride through his previous experiences/clubs.. Rafa was our most experienced top level player, a beacon to the younger guys and represented many things that the fans loved. Anyone with an ability to read characters and understand roles should've known to treat Rafa with some respect and phrase things very differently imo. I'll take Rafa at his word because he has no reason to lie, so to me, AVB was extremely heavy fisted and obtuse in how he handled it.
If he'd said to Rafa '' We've brought in Sigurdsson, we really like him and think he will push you for your place, but we respect your role in this squad and what you've achieved and hope you can cement your place through performances'' I'm pretty damn sure Rafa's view on staying/going may have been very different. Furthermore, we know that Sig really didn't do much to cement his place, Dempsey was an ill fit, we struggled creatively and that if AVB had displayed some more nous that VDV could have been a very useful player for us in patches even with his flagging fitness.
AVB's belligerence, rigidity and lack of understanding the human aspects to a squad of players meant that players like this would be instantly ostricized if they weren't a shoe in in the starting lineup.
Crikey!
You and me both mate.AVB plays very dull football the home game against Hull just before he was sacked, was one of the worst I have sat through at WHL.
AVB ripped apart the best team we'd had in decades, then lumbered us with a bunch of useless twats that we're still struggling to get rid of.