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Disappointed with our lack of transfer strategy

Keith Morris

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
649
1,888
Firstly and most importantly to start off I want to stress that I'm not a Levy hater..infact I am conscious that in Daniel Levy we have one of the more astute and forward thinking chairman in PL football. However I do have an issue..and that is with our transfer strategy over recent years.

Where do I begin on this? I'll summarise, firstly we are a selling club...never gonna push on and cement that top 4 when we sell our best players..regardless of fees...it's sends the wrong message to our playing staff and other teams. Secondly..the fact manager after manager have come in and stated that our squad is unbalanced..for Christ sakes us fans can see we are too overloaded in midfield..don't have the quality in defence or the depth up front, if we can see it..why can't our manager(s) sort this out. I have seen us this summer bring in a couple of decent signings including the token 'but for the future types' and around us clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton have made significant improvements. I don't wanna go into the failings of last summers signings..but believe in order for us to be a top 4 club we need a squad of top 4 quality..we don't have that. We have a spattering of top quality, and too much dead wood. I'm hopeful of Poch, and the next couple of weeks, but seriously think our transfer strategy to date has been negligible.
 

brasil_spur

SC Supporter
Aug 25, 2006
12,669
16,715
Firstly and most importantly to start off I want to stress that I'm not a Levy hater..infact I am conscious that in Daniel Levy we have one of the more astute and forward thinking chairman in PL football. However I do have an issue..and that is with our transfer strategy over recent years.

Where do I begin on this? I'll summarise, firstly we are a selling club...never gonna push on and cement that top 4 when we sell our best players..regardless of fees...it's sends the wrong message to our playing staff and other teams. Secondly..the fact manager after manager have come in and stated that our squad is unbalanced..for Christ sakes us fans can see we are too overloaded in midfield..don't have the quality in defence or the depth up front, if we can see it..why can't our manager(s) sort this out. I have seen us this summer bring in a couple of decent signings including the token 'but for the future types' and around us clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton have made significant improvements. I don't wanna go into the failings of last summers signings..but believe in order for us to be a top 4 club we need a squad of top 4 quality..we don't have that. We have a spattering of top quality, and too much dead wood. I'm hopeful of Poch, and the next couple of weeks, but seriously think our transfer strategy to date has been negligible.

Where do i begin on m reply....?

How about the fact that this type of post has been done to death recently.

Or that most of what you're saying above is badly concluded.

Specifically how about i address points like:

"firstly we are a selling club"
Almost every club is a selling club then. We have sold 3 of our best players in the last 6 years. I say 'of our best' because Modric was not the best player at the club when we sold him (Bale was).

By that same remit Liverpool (Suarez), Utd (Ronaldo) and Arsenal (Fabregas etc...) are all selling clubs. Even Chelsea sold Luiz this summer for big money to Barcelona.

In fact the only clubs i can think of that aren't 'selling clubs' by your definition are those owned by multi-billionaires and the two from Spain that control the unfair distribution of TV money (and the nations banks are in their pockets).

So lets forget about the few insane exception in the world of football and realise that amongst normal clubs we are not a 'selling club'.

I have seen us this summer bring in a couple of decent signings including the token 'but for the future types' and around us clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton have made significant improvements
And Utd, (arguably) Liverpool and Man City haven't. Plus signing players does not equal success (see us last summer for obvious proof of this).

I'm hopeful of Poch, and the next couple of weeks, but seriously think our transfer strategy to date has been negligible
Our transfer strategy is very sound IMO - it means not paying over the odds for players that won't make a notable impact on our squad, and not blowing all our budget on one player (Everton have just done this very thing with Lukaku).

Plus the summer isn't over and we haven't even kicked a competitive PL ball yet.

You really need to chill out, look at things from a more sensible perspective, or consider jumping on the next billionaire purchase wagon.
 

Lilbaz

Just call me Baz
Apr 1, 2005
41,363
74,893
Last summer we were all excited by the signings we made. Unfortunately they didn't work out.

This season some will shine, some will flop there's no guarantee.

Yes we are a selling club but so are 99% of the teams in the world.
 

Montasura

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
7,256
6,768
Oh Christ, I despise this "we are a selling club" bullshit, because thats exactly what it is...bullshit spouted by fans of other clubs and the media, and far too many Spurs fans buy into it.

We are no more of a selling club than any other IMO. Liverpool have just sold Suarez and so far bought, what 9 players. They've done exactly what we did last year but where is the bile that we received now when it is the media's beloved Liverpool??
 

Keith Morris

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
649
1,888
Where do i begin on m reply....?

How about the fact that this type of post has been done to death recently.

Or that most of what you're saying above is badly concluded.

Specifically how about i address points like:


Almost every club is a selling club then. We have sold 3 of our best players in the last 6 years. I say 'of our best' because Modric was not the best player at the club when we sold him (Bale was).

By that same remit Liverpool (Suarez), Utd (Ronaldo) and Arsenal (Fabregas etc...) are all selling clubs. Even Chelsea sold Luiz this summer for big money to Barcelona.

In fact the only clubs i can think of that aren't 'selling clubs' by your definition are those owned by multi-billionaires and the two from Spain that control the unfair distribution of TV money (and the nations banks are in their pockets).

So lets forget about the few insane exception in the world of football and realise that amongst normal clubs we are not a 'selling club'.


And Utd, (arguably) Liverpool and Man City haven't. Plus signing players does not equal success (see us last summer for obvious proof of this).


Our transfer strategy is very sound IMO - it means not paying over the odds for players that won't make a notable impact on our squad, and not blowing all our budget on one player (Everton have just done this very thing with Lukaku).

Plus the summer isn't over and we haven't even kicked a competitive PL ball yet.

You really need to chill out, look at things from a more sensible perspective, or consider jumping on the next billionaire purchase wagon.
Apologies that this has been done to death..but that in itself highlights that there may actually be some substance in the points I have made. Like I say I'm not anti levy and don't moan about the club just for something to do.
Having sold Bale, Modric, Van der Vaart, Berbatov, Carrick. These at the time have been our standout players..hence why United and others have come in for them. I also believe that the fact we have sold sets a statement that we are fair game for our best assets. Your point about Lukaku is interesting..as he is an established PL striker with a year experience at the club..and cost less than the likes of Lamela who is massively talented yet a gamble. Couple that with paying over the odds for soldado, paulinho, and recruiting multiple players in the same mould. I'm nice and chilled out believe me and am not writing off our chances prior to kicking a ball but think that you are pretty blinkered in your view. I hope that we can achieve the right blend and will certainly be supporting Poch and levy 100%
 

Keith Morris

Well-Known Member
Jun 20, 2012
649
1,888
Oh Christ, I despise this "we are a selling club" bullshit, because thats exactly what it is...bullshit spouted by fans of other clubs and the media, and far too many Spurs fans buy into it.

We are no more of a selling club than any other IMO. Liverpool have just sold Suarez and so far bought, what 9 players. They've done exactly what we did last year but where is the bile that we received now when it is the media's beloved Liverpool??
Bale...modric...Berbatov...Carrick?
 

mpickard2087

Patient Zero
Jun 13, 2008
21,886
32,513
On the other hand, you could argue that it might be prudent for a new manager to have a look at what he has at the club first before looking to make significant changes. Especially when the first team squad has about 30-32 (34 if you include all reasonably viable options such as Veljkovic) already at its disposal. People say we need to build something long term, well building something for the long term may mean not rushing into things and assessing just what is needed, if this means waiting a transfer window or two then so be it.

Also, Poch's record so far is not one of buying in a shedload of players. He gets two or three specific signings and then works with what he has got and gets improved performances from what is already at the club. Why should we suddenly expect it to be any different?
 

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
14,451
18,966
All the top players we have sold Berbs, Modders, Bale, Carrick, Keane all unfortuneately wanted to go, they made it quite clear publicly they wanted to go and some treated us like absulute shit. I dont for one minute believe that if these players had said "No I love it here I want to play for Tottenham Hotspur" would they have been sold. Unfortunatly each of these players went to clubs above us in the pecking order of things, nfortuneately these days contracts mean nothing and a disgruntled player is not something any manager wants. Why Levy gets the blame for this and not the players is beyond me.

Bale...modric...Berbatov...Carrick?

All wanted to leave, all made it public and all acted like fuckign children, why do you not blame them?

In the same breath I can say RVP, Cole, Fabragas even Hleb. Do you see Arsenal as a selling club?
 

Montasura

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2008
7,256
6,768
Bale...modric...Berbatov...Carrick?

And what? What of those four players makes us more of a selling club than anyone else? Two players there that went to Madrid....A bit like Ronaldo and Beckham? Are United a selling club? Every club in the world buys and sells players, it is how clubs survive and progress. When good money is offered most clubs will accept it and try to invest it wisely. I would imagine than none of the respective selling clubs for those four players wanted to sell but they obviously felt they needed to take the money. And so the merrygoround begins.

There is nothing in naming four players that makes me think we are any more of a selling club than others, its how the game works.
 

Geyzer Soze

Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd
Aug 16, 2010
26,056
63,361
IDGAF if we are a 'selling club'. If we are seen as a club where a player can really launch himself into the big time, because teams like Man U, Real Madrid, Milan et al take notice of us and our players then thats fine. There are about 5 clubs in teh WORLD that are not, like us, subject to bigger clubs aggressively coming after their players and I don't want to support one of those clubs. Otherwise I would support Man U.

We are what we are, and if we lose a good player from time to time for huge money, well ... so be it.
 

walworthyid

David Ginola
Oct 25, 2004
7,059
10,242
The only slight issue I have with our transfers this summer, thus far, is that we haven't dealt with the 3 areas that we all agree need dealing with; a cb, a cm with vision, a striker. Obviously if reports are to believed we do have irons in the fire for all 3 positions but the fact is that the first game of the season is 2 days away and not only have we not bought these players, our world cup players have only just come back and virtually none of them has played a pre-season match.

I have a god feeling about Poch and think he really will get us going, but we all know how important the start is and if we don't get off to a good one due to lack of cohesion, not getting the players we need or whatever, it leaves us playing catch-up at the start of a season where we certainly aren't as strong as we have been over the last few years.
 

chinaman

Well-Known Member
Jul 19, 2003
17,974
12,423
After we spank Wetspam, everyone will be saying how astute the club is in not overpaying for players not better than our own.
 

aliyid

Well-Known Member
Dec 28, 2004
6,944
19,929
I think the main thing you've got to ask yourself is would 'established' world class talent come to us when we are unable to pay the sort of wages that teams with the extra Champs Lge money can afford....

If we all take off our Spurs supporting glasses we can see why a player like Willian would choose Chelsea over us.

Tottenham
Play Europa League
Compete for top four
Get paid around £60k-£80kpw

Chelsea
Play Champions League
Compete for title
Get paid around £100k-£150kpw

We can't offer the crazy wages that the current top sides can so we need to take a risk on up and coming talents from europe or young potential from the UK. This is always hit and miss and for every Bale / Modric / Eriksen there is a Naughton / Chadli / Pav.

The other option is to go balls out and throw everything at success by buying and offering wages above our budget in the hope that we get Champs Lge (aka Leeds).

I like our approach
 

IamCelestial

Member
Feb 22, 2007
586
118
I am pretty happy with the signings so far - especially if Mussachio comes.

I am unhappy with the outgoings though - we need to sell more of the deadwood/inferior players. I hope this gets done soon and we do not have to just loan them out.
 

dontcallme

SC Supporter
Mar 18, 2005
33,986
81,917
Firstly and most importantly to start off I want to stress that I'm not a Levy hater..infact I am conscious that in Daniel Levy we have one of the more astute and forward thinking chairman in PL football. However I do have an issue..and that is with our transfer strategy over recent years.

Where do I begin on this? I'll summarise, firstly we are a selling club...never gonna push on and cement that top 4 when we sell our best players..regardless of fees...it's sends the wrong message to our playing staff and other teams. Secondly..the fact manager after manager have come in and stated that our squad is unbalanced..for Christ sakes us fans can see we are too overloaded in midfield..don't have the quality in defence or the depth up front, if we can see it..why can't our manager(s) sort this out. I have seen us this summer bring in a couple of decent signings including the token 'but for the future types' and around us clubs like Chelsea, Arsenal, Everton have made significant improvements. I don't wanna go into the failings of last summers signings..but believe in order for us to be a top 4 club we need a squad of top 4 quality..we don't have that. We have a spattering of top quality, and too much dead wood. I'm hopeful of Poch, and the next couple of weeks, but seriously think our transfer strategy to date has been negligible.

1) How are we a selling club? We've lost world class players to Man Utd when they were dominant and Real Madrid. Few clubs can keep their players for long when the top clubs throw thier money at the player and their agents. Do you not remember us saying no to Chelsea when they bid for Modric, held Berbatoc for an extra year or signed one of the best keepers in the world on a long contract this summer?

2) We are currently negotiating for a £20m+ Argentine international. Add to that the former Ajax captain, a £9.5m signing in Chiriches last summer, a new left back this season giving us 3 left backs and a returning Kaboul. Don't see a problem here. We have Vertonghen, Kaboul, Chiriches, Dawson, Dier and possibly Musaachio (not learning his name until he signs) on the way. 3 left back and 2 right backs. Think we're well stocked in defence.

3) You complain about our £100m of signings last summer but now criticise us for not spending big this summer.

Sorry I just don't get this thread.
 
Last edited:

Donki

Has a "Massive Member" Member
May 14, 2007
14,451
18,966
This whole debate can be pretty much summed up in one sentence. Levy buys for profit, not for success.

Do you honestly believe that if Bale had of wanted to stay and play he would have been sold anyway?
 
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