Hands up if you’re ‘in the know’?
Friday, July 31, 2009 at 12:03PM All this Klaas-Jan Huntelaar business...
Do you think that Harry is doing Madrid a favour by continually linking us with the player so that other business is drummed up in the way of interest for the Dutch striker? Yes, this is the latest piece of ITK jelly wobbling its way around the underbelly of the interweb. Question is, if we are doing Madrid a favour, what do we get for lending them a helping hand? Do they have any available centre-backs we can take off their hands?
And elsewhere Darren Bent’s Twitter account has been deleted which means we are all back to square one with knowing how his transfer away from the Lane is progressing. I’m looking forward to the official club statement confirming that the matter is being dealt with internally with a probable forced apology from the player while Levy does his utmost to sell him to Hull. Talking of which, to answer your question Darren (“Do I wanna go to Hull?”), I don’t think anyone chooses to go to Hull. Not if they can help it.
If you follow the ITK community and have been paying attention you’ll have noticed that it’s been rather special this summer. Special in the way of a Ghost Town. No one has been upfront with news other than something I read a day before Crouch signed, but otherwise, all we've been given in the way of inside information is cryptic nonsense and reactive commentary based on what the tabloids have already written about. It soon becomes apparent that nobody knows anything, churning out the same whispers time and time again.
We all know how it works, especially in the papers. Agents, clubs, journalists...they are all entwined together orchestrating with the aim (or at least attempting) to help aid their agenda(s). But with insider info, especially with the way it’s shared online, its altogether a completely different kind of beast. One that quietly whispers a secret and then disappears back into the shadows. Only to reappear at a later date and whisper something similar.
"The sun will rise in the morning"
We’ve been here before haven’t we? I do love talking about ITK’s as the whole culture of its obsession fascinates me. There’s no doubt that there are people who work for Tottenham or football agents who have friends who support the club. So it’s not unlikely they will share info with them and these people are the ones who post about them on message boards. But how many people genuinely know what the club is planning behind the scenes? Can’t be many, because if it was leaked, then the culprits will be known to the chairman. That’s why you find that usually, ITK info that hits the nail on the head comes about when the club have already agreed a deal with a player and far more people are likely to have clocked on by then (mainly because the player arrives for a medical).
What we’ve seen this summer more than anything is people claiming that a deal is in progress but won’t happen for a while. Which is a nice way of making sure your ITK info has a decent sell-by-date. I know we (as a club) take our bloody time, but reading about something that the tabloids are covering and Harry has commented about makes me and many other suspicious. It’s easy to ‘guess’ what might happen. Throw enough shit at the wall and some of it will stick. And if it does...you’ll be crowned a legend.
This is not to say there are not people out there who do know something. There are. It’s a minority though. 3% I’d say. And as much as love a bit of inside info (ooh, hypocrite) I think it should only ever be shared at the point of when the club has agreed the transfer – rather than any time before it, because as we’ve learnt time and time again – if something genuine gets leaked it could be detrimental to the club.
I’m still waiting for a truly definitive piece of ITK info. If you manage to find one, please feel free to share. The irony is never lost on me. I do get it. Why slate them? If they are so inconsequential, why even cite them in the first place? Well I guess it’s much like the tabloid papers. You can’t actually ignore it can you if everywhere you look, it’s staring right back at you. It's the necessity to know something before its made public. The anticipation requires a tease. And deep down you hope somewhere in the haystack is a needle.
For the current list (if you want to study the evidence), visit the GG.co.uk forum and this thread that covers off all ITK tittle-tattle for this sun-less summer.
Happy reading.
And for the record - the best ITK information is the type that gets uncovered AFTER an event. So for example, when Levy sacked Jol or when Kemsley and co went after Ramos or the issues with the DoF structure. That's far more relevant IMO.
UPDATE:
Read this piece of ITK for an example of what makes far better reading than the usual drivel. Even though it might still be drivel. It has a lot more substance than the norm.
Reader Comments (19)
I wish to state right here and now that i have no information whatsoever about any transfers. So, that will be about the same amount as any sports journo. Except they actually get paid to make up that shite!
I don't buy it myself. I think it's easy to work out who our likely targets will be based on what Harry says and what the tabloids (who do have genuine links some of the time) print. Some of the cryptic stuff that gets posted has to be some kind of joke, no? If you need to code it why share it?
We all love to read ITK info because we hope most of it is true. I don't mind it at all but I've seen how petty some of these forums get if you dare be critical to someone's info. Just for that they deserve to be slated. There is nothing wrong someone claiming to have genuine info and it reads well. But when you see a post that states: "Something might happen, today maybe tomorrow, deal 60/40 in the balance, should go through" you almost want to stab the person in the eye. Sadly the internet doesn't currently have that as an option.
Is there any more on delph?
Im excited of such a good young prospect (who will hopefully get a bloody game) coming to spurs.
Ive just been dying to hear any news.
Hoofhearted on COYS is the biggest bullshitter to grace the planet - total and utter bullshit but legions of fans love him.
needed to get that off my chest for a while and obviously cannot on COYS!!!
Ahhhh - feel much better now
Hi Harry here, bloody hot ere in China i tell ya, and yeah i know, but suuusshhh mums the word : ) , oh and i meant to say Huntelaar and Crouchy popped out and Levy me old mucker jumped the gun and so he is here, ummmm i wonder how i can get rid of him this time, ummm prehaps i might have to look for another job : )
Delp to City is the latest ITK. Caught it on the Spurs community. Looks like Spooky has picked up on it too. Would be miffed at this tbh. Like Delph has a chance of getting anywhere near the City team now or in the next few years.
We don't need any ITKs with Harry around - stick a mic in his face and he'll tell you everything!
SPOOKY,Why have you got a link to west ham till i die on this shit blog!?!? you keep trying to denounce us as your closest rivals but you have links to our sites only rivals would post! funny that ay!
Ok. Forgetting my flippancy above, many's the time I've stood at the bar in my local, and someone, not necessarily a Spurs supporter says "so and so" is signing, been sold, seen at a night club in Seven Kings pukin' his guts up, etc. Give said flatulence a day or so to see if there's any truth in what I've been told, and whaddyaknow - it's total bollox (except the incident in Seven Kings of course).
ITK's - a waste of time. Wait 'til the club confims it.
SPOOKY,Why have you got a link to west ham till i die on this shit blog!?!? you keep trying to denounce us as your closest rivals but you have links to our sites only rivals would post! funny that ay!
Jul 31, 2009 at 12:51 PM | HarrysHammers
-
I've got a link to a Man Utd site too. I'd love to say we are rivals but...
Spooky - as a GG man you have probably not been exposed to proper ITK, but having been a follower since the days of the TopSpurs messageboard, I can tell you there are some people out there who are genuinely ITK. However, I can count them on one hand. These days every man and his dog think they are ITK and it ruins the image of the proper ITKs. Just on SC for example, there are at least 10 guys who post as if they are ITK, and people lap it up - but they are all deranged or WUMs for me. I look out for info from certain posters, and ignore everything else - its a simple system and works for me.
SPOOKY,Why have you got a link to west ham till i die on this shit blog!?!? you keep trying to denounce us as your closest rivals but you have links to our sites only rivals would post! funny that ay!
Jul 31, 2009 at 12:51 PM | HarrysHammers
-
I've got a link to a Man Utd site too. I'd love to say we are rivals but...
-
Ok i can see the point in having man utds site because there the best team in the land, and of course you like to have a nose around a real big clubs forum,but to have west ham till i die on there along with arsenals only proves the rivalry is there.
ChrisWaddle -
I do know that there are people who are in the know. Stands to reason. And you can tell when these people are sharing genuine information because its usually quite specific rather than something that equates to what you might read on the BBC's gossip page.
The 3% out there are not the ones I'm being critical of.
HarrysHammer -
I hope you see the irony of you trying to justify a rivalry based on a link on a blog.
;)
I'm no ITK but I can guarantee you all that all the rumours over the summer re Alan Hutton leaving are a non-starter. Harry has told him that he definitely wants him to stay and he is part of his plans big time. How do I know this you might ask. A friend of mine was at a mutual friends and Alan Hutton was there with his missus and there little girl, she will be starting at the same school as theres in September and he also said he was very happy in London and at Spurs.
I am not ITK however Through my comany (A large Jewish one at that) I was handed the opertunity to have lunch at WHL with a few low level people regarding services (I digress) however a few of the chaps on my table (alledgedly ITK) + (work at WHL) suggest to me Harry is still chasing a certain Aston Villa wonder winger and is in constant talks with the lad and thinks a swap using Keane and Jenas is posible and s using agents and press to fuel speculation and is going to try and persuade Oneill that it was his idea for the swap. Madness it sounds but dear old Harry, Its so barking it could be true and equaly good business from both teams. They also think Becks is a deff No and Harry is back peddaling on VIera as he has been gasumped by Wenger and is embarased.
@ filthy - quality post mate, made me chuckle.
@ Steven - please don't take this to be a direct criticism (I really can't be arsed to argue) but hear me out. You almost had me believe you were somehow 'ITK' or passing on 'ITK' info with the first half of your post. But the moment you wrote "Harry is back peddaling on VIera as he has been gasumped by Wenger and is embarased" I just thought 'bullshit.' Anyone could assume that from his comments the other day so why pass it off as if he's told you or you've heard from someone else? Out of the 3% of genuine ITK's spooky mentioned, I seriously doubt any of them actually know Harry that closely and what he is feeling lol. Plus that A Young waffle does sound a bit far fetched. No doubt if it happens you'll be a God on the forums but when it doesn't it'll be forgotten instantly.
It's a no lose situation for these people, which is why the whole idea of ITK is preposterous. Everyone bandies around the same info saying they heard it first and it's true but no-one will say where they got it.
@ Barrie9 - your post sounds very real. If it's true (Hutton himself could be lying about it all) then that has to be good new as I feel he can be our best right back if he stays fit. Naughton looks bloody good though!
Nice but i think something is missing.