Blink, and you'll miss someone else blink...
Saturday, January 29, 2011 at 9:57PM Evening.
Carroll bid rejected, ho hum. Remember when Sunderland wanted £25M from us for Jones. And where is Jones now? There's a Bentleyesque risk about it for sure. Although you wouldn’t scoff at say £15M for the Geordie, especially if he got the goals that took us back into 4th and consolidated another Champions League finish. And we sort of kinda want some consolidation. The running theme since the summer continues its march forwards. Although it’s hardly a march. More of a drunken waddle.
From the outside looking in, you wonder how reactive and chaotic our search for ‘the answer’ is. Do we have a list of players that Levy and Harry agree are viable targets? I reckon so. Are they in agreement that say, player 1 is the priority but player 2 and player 3 will also be good signings. I reckon yes. Are they shifting from one to the other in a constant merry-go-round, flirting with player/agent/opposing club and using in addition using the media to perhaps aid manipulate and work their way to a resolution? Hell yeah. Considering how focused Levy is I doubt there’s much dithering going on behind the scenes. The issue, as frustrating as it appears, can be blamed on circumstance. Mainly, transfer fees and wages and genuine availability (from club and the player). You can't force the issue, especially if others are also playing the waiting game.
If none of the targets we want are going to join for any amount of reasons, then bidding £25M for Carroll might be the only way we can attempt to force some home made consolidation to arrive before the month of February begins. Or, if you like the left-field, Levy is making a bid for a player that Newcastle don’t and won’t sell in order to perhaps send out a message to one of the other targets and the club that currently owns said targets contract.
Last minute deadline day transfer shenanigans can sometimes appear to be frantic opportunistic desperate risks. Equally so, clubs can end up with 3rd of 4th choice players. I prefer to think that the links, the connections – they are there and when you get towards the last grain of sand in the hour glass both opposing clubs wait to make a final move, their best interests at heart.
Not to say mistakes don’t happen. Pav being one of them. £14M for one of the most apologetic forwards I’ve ever seen. And we’ve hardly thrown him in at the deep end and asked him to play ten straight games. Proved vital, ironically, last season with some important goals. But the point being – we need someone several ‘levels’ of upgrade above the Russian.
Caveat here: More irony, Pav almost felt like the second prize (player) signed and delivered because the Arshavin transfer never materialised, what with Zenit going loopy with their demands. Sometimes, your number one target ends up being tagged as a lucky escape. There's always an element of risk. You don't ever quite know. But if we spend, would rather a player that's young and has potential but can do a job here and now. Both aforementioned Russians flatter to deceive.
Great movement, good in the air, runs like the wind...cheeky bid?
I wouldn’t believe any statements anyone makes either as we edge closer to end of the month. Especially Harry who (as tehTrunk pointed out) resembles a footballing version of Comical Ali at the minute, constantly contradicting and deflecting. Other clubs are hardly going to welcome us in with ease and agents will always tell their clients to not appear too overly keen and eager.
When a call comes in with a final offer...it’s time to make up your mind. For all concerned. And deals tend to be made far quicker with the deadline in sight. The early part of the month is just teaser.
If Harry is truly sharing with us the truth, it’s an insane amount of transparency (i.e. ‘we can’t afford the wages of certain players etc etc’) so personally, there’s an agenda to all the soundbites. And the chairman is in on it. Just my opinion.
I'm actually disappointed that world football only appears to have four or five available forwards for us to flirt with.
Since the window opened there has been around 5-6 viable transfer targets based on history of prior stories, quotes and windows. I’m sure you’ve all been following the ITK updates as they move from one player to another. Reactive to what is actually being reported elsewhere. One of them is bound to strike lucky at some point. What a mess of love that will turn out to be.
Only piece of ITK I've been told (and asked not to share at the time) turned out to be true, even if the timing of it was off by several hours (and no, I’m not sharing it – it’s happened now so it hardly matters, but out of respect to the person it’s best left alone). The point is, the info was precise, unlike some of our esteemed friends (including the ones that have now retired thanks to the rotten fruit thrown in their direction after one too many tall tales).
Considering the amount of work that goes into transfers (ground work especially) the detail, the granularity of the details these ITK's go into can only possibly be known if they know someone at the club who sits on Levy's lap whilst he phones up chairman of clubs on the continent inquiring about the availability of target(s).
If I was a betting man, I’d wager on another vdV type ‘omg where did that come from?’ signing.
No new blood up front would be disappointing. We never consolidated in 2006 (remember that particular window?). Considering how the Prem is beginning to shape up, both chairman and manager must appreciate what is required to level things out. If we’re discussing it, so are they. And at the end of the day – literally – if something is going to happen, it will do so regardless of whether we know about it hours before.
Speculate to accumulate. We’ve got the money.
So who out there has the testicular fortitude to spearhead our attack?
Anyone?
Reader Comments (79)
Really felt for Sandro tonight; got his chance and has to come off after 10 mins. Really want to see what this kid can do.
Dawson, what happened fella? Not one of your best days at the office hey? Still, am not one to apportin blame, shit happens.
Guillem Balague has just confirmed that Spurs have bid for Llorente but issues around tax...
So we bid for him a day before the frigging transfer deadline?
Why does Peter Crouch exist?
I am an atheist but I am beginning to not only believe in a God or perhaps multiple gods, but I am beginning to believe that one or more of them with some influence in the affairs of the universe actually hates THFC after watching today's game.
Clearly more beer is in order to help with these insane notions.
Typical Spurs Spooky, typical Spurs.
I'm not one to panic but it's so fecking obvious we need a strong guy up front and I'm not talkikng about Geff Capes.
Llorente, is he the answer? I wonder.
I'd like to be proved wrong but I don't reckon llorente will be any better than any of of current strikers, plus didn't harry say that we're not interested?
Daws had a mare, Begbie can't b relied upon to keep a cool head inside our own box. Red was a harsh decision but he couldn't wait to send him off. When our defenders have a stinker they don't fuck about!
Kneejerkers will be out in force tonight...
Gutted about Kaboul, with Daws out for 3 now we're back to bare bones.
In regard to the final throwes of the transfer window, we will see the real aspirations and ambition of our board, with 4th and the CL all that's left to play for with teams around us showing their muscle it's time for THFC to show their intent... by 23:01 tomorrow night will we have had just a little tickle in the market or are we gonna go nob's out slapping it in everyone's faces... I fear the worst but I'll have a hand on my zip just in case!
Feb will be a real defining month for the club, it's gonna b a long one!
http://www.chelsea.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=521983
This explains the buy out clause and the issues around VAT...
Harry Redknapp confirmed Robbie Keane has joined West Ham on loan but does not expect Tottenham to replace him in the final 24 hours of the transfer window.
The Spurs boss said that the Londoners “won’t get a striker” and poured cold water o...n reports that they have made a late £10million bid for Scott Parker.
“No chance,” said Redknapp, speaking to reporters in his post-match press conference. “I love Scotty Parker but, believe you me, we haven’t got a chance.
“Robbie Keane has gone on loan, unfortunately. The chairman has done a deal for him to be bought at the end of the season – for £6million, I think.”
As revealed by Goal.com UK on Saturday, Spurs had a £23m bid for Newcastle United’s Andy Carroll rejected earlier in the week, although Redknapp gave mixed messages on his centre-forward targets.
“We won’t get a striker," he said. "We never made a bid for Andy Carroll, unless the chairman has made a bid. I don’t know.”
argghh
Fuck me it's all kicking off, SSN are saying we've bid 38 mill for Aguero and it's rejected! Guillam Ballague just said we've been in for Rossi, Negredo, Lloreinte and Kunago at Real Madrid not sure who he is.
Can't say we aren't trying.
is Guillam Ballague on ssn?
We got results when we played Crouchie up front with VdV. It simply hasn't worked with Defoe. Yes, there was plenty of bad luck with last nights result but we were unsettled at the back and kept rolling the ball into Dawson and Hutton's feet and neither had an outlet. I don't think Crouchie is great but we play better with him up front and its high time we recognize that. We should appeal Dawson's redcard to buy another game or two for Woodgate/Gallas to get fit enough. Plus, it was pretty harsh.
Fuckin 'ell, we're minted and we're not going to end up spending a penny.
Jim he was on at the end of the Real Madrid game 30 mins ago, he said the Rossi bid was 30 mill euros, all rejected. Aguero bid is on the ssn ticker, the bid is the amount to release his clause so there might be more to come...
where is the cash coming from?
this sort of money makes me think leeds? am I just going over the top?
Under Harrys bed. Ballague just confirmed we've gone mental in Spain.
Honestly, this has to be Sky Sports bollocks. Guillem Balague is the source on all these 'stories' and works for Sky.
And Sky twitters (producers etc) are confirming it all, so...
Interesting 24 hours ahead.
Looks like it's actually true. Makes you question exactly how much money we do have to spend. Seems like we are still heavy weights.
lets hope it doesn't end in dissapointment
Of course if fucking will.
One day before the deadline!!?
Just realised Kunago is what I heard but it's Aguero. Why would he make it all up Spooky? That's far too much to make up, four friggin players!
I'm sure we all thought that in august
It's not your attack you should be concerned about. What a spanking off the West London minnows.... that must hurt. This was gonna be your season, right? Overtake the (benchmark) Arsenal and push on... huh? What now my Spuddy chums??? That was really embarrassing today. Yes???
I never rated Pienaar. It was huge mistake on HR part to pay lip service to Kranjcar and backstab him with purchasing this donkey, and playing him ahead of Nico.
Oh how I wish the twitching fucker has a fucking clipboard. Everyone, except the fucking twitching knucklehead, sees that Lennon-Hutton system doesn’t work. Hutton might be a good athlete/runner but is total rubbish as a footballer; especially as a defender. He’s fucking brainless show pony.
Daws came back from injury totally disoriented and utterly slow.
So far there is not a speck of evidence that Jenas deserve a sniff to the first team.
I could bet right now that VdV will leave Spurs in the summer, if not earlier. He’s disgusted, and he's not going to waste his time with mediocrity that surrounds him, except Bale and Luka.
With Bale sidelined, and after pulling plug on Sandro, there was absolutely not a single useful ball sent to Defoe. This stupid substitution (Gallas for Sandro) forced Luka to play way to deep to be in position to effectively organize quick counters.
I don’t give a flying fuck if anyone calls this a “knee jerking”. The truth is, with players HR plays and is in love with at the moment, there is no way we can do better that the 7th -10th place.
If the fucking twitch does not sober up and realize that this team completely lost its shape and effectiveness and needs changes in players and tactics, we’ll be humiliated by AC Milan in a worst fashion than the stomping dealt from a mediocre Fulham.
How is he not already ashamed to justify this BS as “one of those games”.
Fuck Jenas, fuck Hutton, and yes, fuck Pienaar, too.
Wasn't expecting that... struggling to see how these clubs can afford to say no, especially considering the sums on the table. My fear is the whole thing smacks of desperation, only because of the number of bids and the timing but i'm sure Levy knows what he's doing.
The players in question are the cream of La Liga and it certainly is a statement of intent from the board, whom rarely wash their linen in public (unless it helps their cause to do so), well the whole world are aware we're in the market and we're not afraid to pay top dollar for who we want, but bidding is the easy part...
They could all be an elaborate smokescreen, but equally it could be a statement to the fans that we tried... let's hope we don't fail!
Whatever happens, tomorrow is gonna b an interesting day... I'll have everything crossed!