- Aug 16, 2003
- 8,274
- 12,242
Sorry if posted before but I think many-many Spurs have to eat humble pie now seeing what a good job Spurs' DoF have done this transfer window. Yes, Spurs may have had to pay a bit more than Levy wanted but signor Baldini at least go the business done, and though he was not alone in convincing the players he deserves a lots of credit - and may prove himself to be one of the best signings Spurs have made
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1167577/?
Eriksen appreciated personal touch
Christian Eriksen has revealed it was the personal touch of Daniel Levy and Franco Baldini that persuaded him to sign for Tottenham Hotspur.
Eriksen's Tottenham career may just be 71 minutes old, but the playmaker is already a fans' favourite after his impressive debut in the 2-0 win over Norwich City.
Eriksen became the seventh and final signing of a busy northern summer for the north London club when he completed an £11.5 million ($19.65 million) move from Ajax on the Friday before the transfer window shut.
Levy has become renowned for his love of a last-minute deal, but the Tottenham chairman resolved to get his squad in tip-top shape early on in this transfer window to offset the damaging loss of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
Gone are the days when Levy would launch last-gasp raids for cheap signings, such as he tried to do with Phil Nevilleand Charlie Adam in the Harry Redknapp era.
This time, he and technical director Baldini sought to wrap up Eriksen's signing quickly by flying to Amsterdam to negotiate with the Dutch club and the move paid off.
"I talked a little bit with the manager but I had more to do with the chairman and the director Baldini. They were they guys who really had the right words," Eriksen said.
"The first contact was with my agent and then my agent talked to me and I said, 'Go on, I really want to hear what they have got to say'.
"The day after my agent was (in London) to look around and see everything and talk with the big men, then the day after, they all went to Amsterdam to negotiate with Ajax.
"The next day, I was here for a medical. It went really quick. Just four days.
"It really impressed me that they wanted it so badly and wanted to do it so quickly."
The 'right words' that came out of Levy's mouth centred around Tottenham's ambitions.
"The club wants to be in the Champions League next season, for sure, and then we have, of course, to become champions," the 21-year-old said.
"That is why he spent so much money on good players and that is just the sort of thing I want to be part of."
Although the season is still in its early stages, the early signs are that Tottenham is well-equipped for an assault on the top four.
Eriksen's ability to link play between midfield and attack has given Tottenham something it has been lacking since the departure of Rafael van der Vaart.
Roberto Soldado's ratio of four goals in five games has been encouraging while Erik Lamela is yet to start a game after his £26 million ($44.43 million) move from Roma.
Arsenal sits above Spurs at the top of the embryonic Premier League table, but Eriksen hopes that will soon not be the case.
"We will have to turn that around for a start," he said.
"Overall our chances look really good. It is different. We are in a new squad and still have to learn about everything and everybody, but, we have had a good beginning."
Eriksen believes the quality of the new additions at Tottenham will help the new-look squad gel.
He certainly seemed to be on the same wavelength as his new team-mates as he picked out Gylfi Sigurdsson and Paulinho in the build-up to both goals.
Eriksen has already been compared to former star Van der Vaart and another former Ajax man, Wesley Sneijder, who left the Dutch club in 2007 before joining Real Madrid and then Inter Milan.
"It is pretty cool to be compared with such big players," Eriksen said.
"I have never trained with either of them, but I am aware of them as I'm from the same club.
"They play with the same style and they had really big success when they got away from Ajax so I hope I can achieve the same."
http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1167577/?
Eriksen appreciated personal touch
Christian Eriksen has revealed it was the personal touch of Daniel Levy and Franco Baldini that persuaded him to sign for Tottenham Hotspur.
Eriksen's Tottenham career may just be 71 minutes old, but the playmaker is already a fans' favourite after his impressive debut in the 2-0 win over Norwich City.
Eriksen became the seventh and final signing of a busy northern summer for the north London club when he completed an £11.5 million ($19.65 million) move from Ajax on the Friday before the transfer window shut.
Levy has become renowned for his love of a last-minute deal, but the Tottenham chairman resolved to get his squad in tip-top shape early on in this transfer window to offset the damaging loss of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid.
Gone are the days when Levy would launch last-gasp raids for cheap signings, such as he tried to do with Phil Nevilleand Charlie Adam in the Harry Redknapp era.
This time, he and technical director Baldini sought to wrap up Eriksen's signing quickly by flying to Amsterdam to negotiate with the Dutch club and the move paid off.
"I talked a little bit with the manager but I had more to do with the chairman and the director Baldini. They were they guys who really had the right words," Eriksen said.
"The first contact was with my agent and then my agent talked to me and I said, 'Go on, I really want to hear what they have got to say'.
"The day after my agent was (in London) to look around and see everything and talk with the big men, then the day after, they all went to Amsterdam to negotiate with Ajax.
"The next day, I was here for a medical. It went really quick. Just four days.
"It really impressed me that they wanted it so badly and wanted to do it so quickly."
The 'right words' that came out of Levy's mouth centred around Tottenham's ambitions.
"The club wants to be in the Champions League next season, for sure, and then we have, of course, to become champions," the 21-year-old said.
"That is why he spent so much money on good players and that is just the sort of thing I want to be part of."
Although the season is still in its early stages, the early signs are that Tottenham is well-equipped for an assault on the top four.
Eriksen's ability to link play between midfield and attack has given Tottenham something it has been lacking since the departure of Rafael van der Vaart.
Roberto Soldado's ratio of four goals in five games has been encouraging while Erik Lamela is yet to start a game after his £26 million ($44.43 million) move from Roma.
Arsenal sits above Spurs at the top of the embryonic Premier League table, but Eriksen hopes that will soon not be the case.
"We will have to turn that around for a start," he said.
"Overall our chances look really good. It is different. We are in a new squad and still have to learn about everything and everybody, but, we have had a good beginning."
Eriksen believes the quality of the new additions at Tottenham will help the new-look squad gel.
He certainly seemed to be on the same wavelength as his new team-mates as he picked out Gylfi Sigurdsson and Paulinho in the build-up to both goals.
Eriksen has already been compared to former star Van der Vaart and another former Ajax man, Wesley Sneijder, who left the Dutch club in 2007 before joining Real Madrid and then Inter Milan.
"It is pretty cool to be compared with such big players," Eriksen said.
"I have never trained with either of them, but I am aware of them as I'm from the same club.
"They play with the same style and they had really big success when they got away from Ajax so I hope I can achieve the same."