Fortune favours the bald
Tuesday, August 28, 2012 at 9:00PM Let's see if I've got this.
Lloris.
Dembele.
M'Vila.
Remy.
Willian.
Kaka.
Moutinho.
All popular buzz words in a transfer window which promised so much early on then fell into stasis until Luka Modric's move to Real Madrid was finalised, for it to now come back to life. Although whether life here is a reawakening or something more akin to the zombie undead remains to be seen. And seen it will in the next...three days. That's three days to conduct more high end business in one window than we've conducted for years. In three days. All the missing ingredients for Villas-Boas to be armed and ready for battle, all the key areas that need strengthening will need to be strengthened in...three days. Sounds fairly ridiculous doesn't it? More so if you're already pessimistic and cite prior windows and lack of decisiveness display. But then most of the proposed deals have been long running, if you choose to believe the relentless media coverage this summer has blessed us with.
Yes, we've signed players in the past, of course we have. But we've been restrained in part, because of the uncertainty with the way business has been handles. Say, for example, the lack of a forward and the ongoing sagas pertaining to it. The reasons for this can either be blamed on the lack of apparent unity between Levy and Redknapp or perhaps the complexities of our finances. Just how much money do we have and how much of it can be spent on players? I believe there's money there. Quite obviously. We do well and we've already spent on quality this summer. But it seems it's a controlled budget accompanied by penny pinching. Which doesn't necessarily mean we're being tight. We're not bidding £25M for a player, because we probably can't afford to and if we do so it changes the bids we can afford to make on other targets.
Sure, our scouting system hasn't produced any surprise 'cheap' yet potential superstar acquisitions, aside from some of the broken youth players we pick up, mostly as an afterthought and not anywhere near first team cover. Perhaps the days of picking up a Modric or a Berbatov have gone what with the manner City sign players that in the past would have been shared across several top tier sides. It's all skewered and messed up. Something you can tag the transfer window with being thanks to it's culture of patience and kidology completed centered around it closing. And the fact clubs appear to be scared, for the most part, to do business well before that deadline.
Levy has to back Villas-Boas. The coach would not have taken the job if he believed our hands were tied financially to the point of head shaking despondency at not being able to bring in more players. Which means the nature of the transfer window has Levy playing his usual shrewd calculated tactics based on the fact that we haven't got money to spend over valuation. I've cited this already so I'm running with it. Although what exactly defines valuation is anyone's guess. We played hard ball with Madrid so other clubs are in their right to do the same with us. And what is market value? Are the supporters, the oracle of football, the ones that decide what constitutes value for money? I'm trolling. Clubs will pay and sell at what they believe to be fair where as others will accept gleefully stupid amounts of money because it's being offered to them. There is no balance or common sense most of the time. I guess the bargains are picked up from clubs that are desperate to sell because of debt.
And what of these other clubs? Porto wont sell Moutinho (who wants out) for anything less than their valuation which is more than we can afford. But are they reliant on seeing money come into the club this summer? Is it their preference to sell Hulk instead (who also wants out) to aid their finances and not take a hit to the style of play they are accustomed too? If Hulk doesn't move on because nobody wants him, Moutinho would because Spurs want him. And it favours Levy if Porto suddenly have to sell. It's not always about us holding back, the opposing club has it's own strategy and squad development to cater for. Which is why it builds up into a frenzy towards deadline day when the domino falls and everything ahead does the same.
In the past, under Redknapp, arguably there was no common ground found on targets. This time round, I don't expect the same under a new coach that is hungry to be successful and won't be able to achieve it without purchasing the right players for his system. So if Villas-Boas wants Moutinho and the club are 'talking' to Porto it's only wise we're doing the same with say Fulham over Dembele (I'm just going on hearsay with all this). Two deals ongoing, can't commit to either until that point in the window when a final decision just has to be made. Risky, isn't it? Not all targets can be signed with comfort early on. The ones we did had no obstacles in the way to delay getting that pen to paper. Even though Vert took an age to sign. But he wanted to sign and his club wanted to sell. Other things stopped it from happening. But even in a deal that was on course to happen, it still managed to stutter all the way till the end. Siggy was a far easier deal to conclude.
It's headache inducing and yet it can't really work in any other fashion. If there was no window players would hand in transfers requests during the course of the season. One thing we can all agree on is perhaps having the window close before the season starts rids the debate about 'dropped points'. Why it has to drag to the end of August I don't know, but then that's just a selfish standpoint thanks to the nervous disposition we all experience as the clock tick tocks away.
What also manages to not help is the 'in the know' culture of sharing supposedly inside information with thousands of people on the internet that feeds into websites, blogs and esteemed (and not so esteemed) newspapers as back page news. Most want to sell a story and need to match it with a headline that will draw more attention to it. So just because X journalist says something about X player we all assume 'it must be true'. Credibility; it's all very much mixed and fused with attention seeking and untruths. Some might have info, some exaggerate it. Fact is, with so many people involved (players, clubs, commercial agencies, agents) everyone involved is playing a game so there's never any guarantee the ones proclaiming the truth to outsiders are telling the truth. This adds to the frustration because you're not really sure if we've bid for a player or not, so when the player denies it you instantly feel deflated that we've missed out. Even if you're never seen the player play you're gutted. All you have left to comfort you is the five minute You Tube highlights reel.
I don't know. Maybe I shouldn't be attempting to rationalise any of this. At the end of the day the responsibility is with the club and if we're short of fire-power or midfield craft then we'll be left behind once September dawns on us. If it's all a consequence of surviving within our means as we work towards the new stadium, then our reality and our perception of it will have to adapt a little so that we can live through it with a smile on our face. Doesn't mean I won't be left scratching my head in amazement if we fail. New era, new coach, new training ground. Seems a shame not maximise all the potential there. I've been very optimistic about this so soon enough I'll find out if my faith has been misplaced.
So, what of the popular transfer targets I mentioned at the start of this blog?
Lloris.
Luka goes, then in we go for Hugo again, offering a little bit more than last time and having our offer accepted. Supposedly done. We're only confident because Lyon were the ones that revealed that it was now down to the player to agree personal terms. With Brad not the type to run off his line, Lloris fits the bill as a sweeper-keeper in the fabled high-line tactic that Spurs might gradually shift towards. A Villas-Boas 'signing'.
Dembele.
Hardly the same class as Modric but he's already in the Premiership and might be substantially cheaper than Moutinho although will still cost a packet as we know prices in England are always at a premium. Attack minded and from what I've seen of him could adapt as a player in a more deeper position than say Sigurdsson who is better placed in a more forward role. How a player adapts is going to be down to the coaching. We witnessed Luka and his shift from advanced left (cutting in) to a more central position before making the regista role his own at Spurs. Although he was always really a central midfielder. If I'm honest, I think Dembele is more of a van der Vaart than he is a Modric and expecting deep play-making from him might be beyond his abilities. Which means we could resign ourselves to the fact our style of play might rely on a different ilk of forward thinking. If he signs.
M'Vila.
Defensive midfielder. Do we need one? Sandro, Parker, Livermore already in our ranks. The latter would possibly suffer the most if we signed the Rennes man. If we do, would it impact the signing of a more creative player? Does VB plan to play with two holding midfielders with the likes of Sigurdsson and perhaps Bale taking more central and direct responsibility to carve out chances? Surely we need someone to own possession in the middle, allow us to flow with flash fluidity? M'Vila would not bring that particular dimension. But he'd give us extraordinary depth in strength in central midfield and perhaps with Parker's age and Livermore's youth, we need another beast to stand next to Sandro. We've got a long bruising season ahead of us. The more warriors the more blood the opposition will bled.
Remy.
Adebayor signed. Kane far too inexperienced. Defoe off to Arsenal. Yeah, sorry about that last one. It's one of the more humourous moments this window has thrown up. Literally, thrown up. We need another striker. A genuine goal scorer, one with guile and intelligence. Adebayor gives us that link up play, that work ethic through the channels but JD is an impact player at best. A smash it and see specialist. This is the one story arc that has run and run and sadly the ball has never been passed to the back of the net, just sent flying over on occasions but mostly the boot had struck a divot and the stands sigh. The likes of Llorente remains a dream. Perhaps one far too expensive to waste time window shopping on. Same with Leandro (for now). So the second tier of players consist of...Remy. Dzeko might have been an option if he was still in Germany. One of the Newcastle strikers if we wanted to aim closer to home. There are other players out there but thanks to the mere interest of a Chelsea or a City, they are deemed as redundant thanks to the hefty price tag hanging off their shirts. Remy would be a risk, but let's be honest. Any player would be. Including players of the moment like Ba and Cisse back home. We do need another forward. I'd love to refer back to this on Saturday with the word sensational signing!
Willian.
This type of player, positionally, would be superb. Anyone that can cover the flanks (or a flank) and play centrally means they offer that little bit more. Would also mean signing someone like this might make one of the other potential midfield captures unnecessary. If Willian is left-sided then it still leaves the right wing, so perhaps Townsend might get a chance there (unless someone tells me he's gone out on loan). As things stand, we have to bid more. Not getting a healthy vibe from this particular story. Don't think it will happen. But that's just based on Shakhtar laughing off our first bid. The player, apparently, wants to join us. That's got to count for something. Yeah?
Kaka.
We might as well throw his name into the big olde hat. Partnership deal announced with Madrid. Not in time to take Sahin on it would seem, so why not a former great that isn't that great (thanks to injuries) but still greater than most. I'd prefer we got the man below.
Moutinho.
You just know this is the key player. The one Villas-Boas wants. A true replacement for Modric, not a direct one in comparison pound for pound but one that can own that midfield like Luka did and dictate play. Again, that same tune is being whistled. The one that that tells the ditty about how the selling club want more money that the interested club are willing to pay. Willing or able. He can create, set the tempo but equally can defend much like Luka was capable of doing from deeper positions. A massive yes please from me.
So, what does all this mean? It means I know as little as you do and all we can do is guess and hope. It's fairly certain we have several bids in, some of which we won't see out till the end because one of those other bids might get accepted. It's a game of cat and mouse simply because of what's at stake for so many of the players involved. And by players I also refer to chairman, clubs and agents along with the footballers.
I'm thankful that I'm travelling Wednesday. Not back home till Friday, possibly just after 9pm. So I'll witness the last couple of hours of the window play out in full technicolor as the veins in Jim White's forehead start to burst the closer we get to 11pm. I'll be on Twitter when I can be, which is hardly the best way to enjoy (suffer) the transfer coverage thanks to the variety of extreme opinions social media is blessed with. If you haven't played with Twitter and you're not sure how to get the best (and worst) out of it, follow me @spooky23 then follow everyone I follow. You'll get more than a decent stream of Spurs chat and journalism (from the pros) along with other dramatics. Which might well put you off it for life.
Lloris. Remy. Moutinho. Ideally.
Lloris. Dembele. Probably.
Lloris. Remy. Moutinho. M'Vila. In fantasy world. With Kaka to warm the bench.
Be safe people.
Reader Comments (92)
Might have to sit down tonight and eat a big portion of humble pie re my views on Levy. Things looking very, very interesting and we appear to be signing a type of player we previously have not been able to get.
Latest Sky Sports Twit says we are making an offer on Dempsey and a new one for Moutinho. Fingers-crossed
Apparently Marseilles turned us down for Remy AGAIN!
Come-on Danny-boy!
Jack, I'll gladly share some of that humble pie if it actually comes to that ...
Too late to sign falcao Danny son?
Fuck u Chelsea bumboys
COYS
@jack.
What's that coming over the hill is it a MOnsTer, is it a MOnsTer?
No bruv, that's Jermaine Defoe, and he always walks like that!
Currently: 9.06pm - 31st August 2012. We've sold VdV and replaced him with Dembele! Lloris, looks nailed on due to arriving at the lodge some hours ago, but still no word! Wack the pie in the freezer mate!
Please, please, Wisky Tom, "Wack my pie in the freezer"!!!! How do you know my wife is frigid?
Just heard Dempsey at our training ground undergoing a medical!!!!!!!!!
Oh Danny boy the pipes the pipes are calling..................
Surely we can make a song out of that!
@Jack- Very funny line, excellent joke mate!
@ jack
Deduction mate, I naturally assumed your surname to be: OFF
:/
Lloris in, Dempsey in for only £6 mil, VDV out, Gio out.........not bad. No Moutinho sucks for sure but arsenal and liverpool did nothing and chelsea got spanked today so good times
Dempsey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I wanted was a rabbit
What I got was Dempsey
I suppose if you dim the lights and squint through the cracks in your fingers while sobbing uncontrollably he could pass, as a mouse!
Same old same old. Just bollocks dipped in bullshit! Did we actually spend any money? Replace Modric? VdV? Buy a top notch forward? Fcuk you very much Mr Levy.
Sad, no creative mid field player......
Same old....
4 million short, I can't believe we lost him for 4 mill!!
Well Daniel did it to us again, the cunt
Another let down filled with or and bullshit ending ins anti climax of signing cling fucking Dempsey
What sticking penny pinching game playing little cunt
We didn't even spend any money really
What a joke, sold modric didn't replace him
I doubt very much levy intended to sign moutinho
Just used to it to show he tried but once again he failed or didn't try hard enough
what kind of chairman leaves it this late ?????
Clint fucking Dempsey
Fuck you Daniel levy and fuck the day you came my club
You total utter liability of a cunt
Oh and btw....FUCk YOU DANIEL LEVY
Sounded like Porto agreed to the fee but we couldnt come to terms with Moutinho who probably wanted a very very large sum of money to give up Champions League for Europa League.
OK, now that the bullish*t rush of the window craziness has worn off, I am feeling the hangover already.
VdV and Modders gone and though Dembele and Dempsey are good signings, and though Lloris was probably a good move ... DON'T WE STILL NEED A STRIKER FFS????!!!!
I don't see how we've replaced like for like much less improved.
C*nted yet again by cheap DL megalomaniacal brinksmanship and hollow results in a transfer window.
No humble pie for me thank you very much.
Is everyone forgetting - we somehow managed to hold onto Jenas. More than adequate replacement for modders already at The Lane. One more pint of absynth please landlord - good shit this!
Hahaha ...
Thanks Moe, I needed that.
Make that a double lighter fluid.
@nycyid - would sir like that flambe with a coffee bean floating on top?
WTF! we sign 3 top players in 2 days and still theres pricks on here not just complaining, but outraged at the way the window went. pricks, every last one. Dembele is class, absolutely brilliant, maybe not the passer we hoped for but he has the skills to keep things ticking over in the middle in the way that modric did (if not the eye for the eventual killer pass). Dempsey scored 23 goals for fulham last year - TWENTY THREE. Theres your bloody striker.And we got him for cheap - and we made liverpool look like mugs. Lloris is a world class keeper. No more needs to be said. Depending on how he adapts we could now have the best keeper in the league - incredible signing. And we nearly got Moutinho through Levys brinkmanship - they went from "not really selling, £33m or nothing" to £22m and agreed, just a shame it fell apart. When will the mugs we have the unfortunate pleasure of sharing this club with realise that we do not have a lot of money to spend - the investment is going on a GDDMN MFKNG STADIUM.
OK JC, fair enough. If things go tits up this season you'll be here to defend that position, I assume?
Absolutely. Also, it can still easily go tits up. None of those signings are nailed on world beaters. But neither would Moutinho have been. Neither was Modric when we bought him. Add to that the pressure that AVB is under from fans already (bizarrely IMO, we have not played badly at all - 10 minutes at the end of west brom aside). I just do not see what there is to complain about from the transfer window. You seem to be demanding we invest heavily in the team when the focus is, and always will be, the stadium. I think we have done fantastic business on that basis.
@jc - agreed - good window even without Moutinho - who hasn`t been officially ruled out as far as I can see.
But I`m happy tonight cos I today found the perfect antedote to last day of the TW. Loft boards. For anyone as inept at DIY as me - I have spent the day crouched over in the loft sweating like Wenger in a school playground breathing in that yellow fluffy shit and my mind has been off the TW........almost. Believe me I am just so happy to be out of that fcuking loft. Come January however I will rip the lot up and start again as it is slightly less painful than the last day of the damned TW!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yes agreed it can go tits up and wholeheartedly agree with what you're saying.
Nope, not suggesting we break the bank. Just saying maybe we don't have to end up in the black in every transfer window. Unless of course ENIC is selling. I get the whole stadium thing, don't need a lecture there.
For the record I think 4th is going to be a big ask - chelsea have gone from implosion to looking good, Arsenal are always up there, Newcastle have somehow kept that team together, and dark horses everton have finally broken their "start awful, get good at the end" pattern. The team is going to have to gel extremely quickly to catch up. What we have now, however, on paper, is flexibility. Last season there was no plan B, and VdV, while awesome, greatly limited our options. Replacing him with Sigurdsson, who is a more mobile player, allows us to shift the system and formation without changing personnel. We now also have a back up across the forward line in Dempsey - so an injury to bale/ade/lennon no longer completely kills the team. My concern is our midfield passing without modric, I haven't seen enough of Sigurdsson (apart from his ridiculous long shots) or Dembele to know if either can release bale/lennon on the wing regularly when under pressure.
Also can we factor in the consideration that maybe these deals didn't have to go to the wire? Maybe it would have been better to have tried to win a few matches than save a few million here and there with Levy's swashbuckling? I have to imagine it'll take us a few weeks more to settle after the big changes that have occurred today. How many valuable points will be dropped in the process. Perhaps Levy wasn't taught "penny wise pound foolish" in his Land Economy courses at Cambridge ...
Fair enough. Who were you hoping for beyond Moutinho? You just seemed incredibly disappointed with what I think has been a good window - and we would have had some investment in the team if Remy/Moutinho had gone through (my feeling on moutinho had given up on him and bought Dembele instead. Today we really wanted a striker, couldn't get any of the main targets and so chucked what we had at Porto and it nearly came off). I like the fact that we havent chucked a load of cash away on a Pav panic signing - Dempsey is good, cheap and already plays in the league. In short I think there is some money, but while the stadium is being built we really can't spend much.
I see the Moutinho business as something like this:
Porto desperate for cash early on greedy for the 30 odd mil Modric money therefore put that price on Moutinho.
Moutinho wants out but waits to see if CL club show interest.
Porto panic, whore Hulk with big money rumours giving impression there`s no need to sell Moutinho.
Whoring fails thanks to DL not being a mug.
Porto crumble and accept 22mil offer.
Moutinho and agent talk to THFC on last day of TW - confident they can name their price as THFC desperate for Modders replacement.
DL stands firm on wage structure (good on him)
DL drums fingers bored - decides to piss the scousers off by signing Dempsey.
No player is bigger than the club and if a player enters negotiations thinking that they are then they do not fit here.
Simple - but I`m as gutted as anyone else that we appear to have not signed him.
Saving that few million here and there is what allowed us to go for Moutinho.
Moe - Agreed. One thing I have found interesting is that no-one is interested in Moutinho at the prices they are quoting. Portos view of him is a lot higher than everyone elses. He's clearly a good player, but I think £22m is too much for him, never mind £30m. In contrast Modric has been courted by Chelsea, Madrid and PSG (and linked the Manchester clubs). Still disappointed we don't seem to have got him though, really thought that would go through.
RIP. VDV, Modric and Hudd sadly missed. Spurs 2010, 2011 and 2012 leaves with them. 4/5/4th. QF CL.
Welcome. Dembele, Dempsey, Lloris and Sig, Spurs 2013, 4th? Huge question mark.
Did Levy sign World Class players? Lets be honest, perhaps Lloris fits this note. Did we sell World Class players? I believe yes we did, for me Modric and VDV had that something extra, the ability to win games.
Lets see if AVB "system" trumps world class individual ability and club ethos (Hudd). Certainly Levy hopes so because he still refused to deal for top talent in a serious respect this summer. If AVB does so, he will become the first since Greece in Euro 2004...Arsenal 89 & 91...
Is that what we are to become?
Spot on JC.
We could`ve signed him early for 30mil before selling modders. That would have blown the Lloris signing out the water.
The interest on 30mil would`ve blown the Dembele signing out the water.
Every time we sign a player it`s like you or I buying a house. We have to project taking into account incomings outgoings etc.
It`s not like that for Chelsea or City. For them it`s like buying a loaf of bread. They`ll pick their loaf up at £1.50 from the BP with their petrol rather than diverting to Tesco and getting 2 for £2.
That`s life and whilst it`s frustrating for those of us old enough to remember when the club almost folded, the diligence is welcomed.
JC. You say the following:
"Saving that few million here and there is what allowed us to go for Moutinho."
Exactly, and that didn't do much for us did it? Other than piss us off.
Brinksmanship fail there.
Look, it's obviously hard to know how these things go down. None of us are privy to the inside scoop unless you are ITK or Levy himself.
I'm not as concerned about Moutinho. I'm concerned about the fact that we wasted precious time when we could have had a more solidified squad. We did fine in the transfer window. Not great. We ultimately come out a little worse off than we were going in. As Knock Knock points out we sold world class and maybe got one in. Of course we were gonna lose Modric and maybe VdV too though that one did surprise me.
I just feel as though we could have wrapped up Lloris sooner.
Dempsey was a last minute deal that could really be fantastic for us I think.
Good window. Happy with the Dem-Dem signings. Would have been great if we signed a proven playmaker and a good right back to show Kyle Walker some things, that boy will get lost thinking that only pace and power make a defender.
I am not complaining too much because Moutinho isn't all that anyway. He's not proven in the EPL so why pay huge wages? I guess we'll just hope Dembele works in that role.
knock knock, I don't think we got rid of Hudd. He almost went on loan but didn't.
Does this mean that our 1st choice keeper 2 years ago is now our 4th choice keeper? Poor Gomes, he had his hellish hiccups but he saved us a few times too. A few.
I'm a little concerned about our cover for Walker and BAE. with Kaboul out for 4 months we're already off to a shit start with injuries to the defense and Rose out on loan, obv he can come back but didn't look so hot at the end of last season. Just worried that we might get in a pickle sooner rather than later
Great window overall!
Seems like this years team with Lloris, Caulker, Naughton, Vert, Dembele, Sigg, Dempsey is better than last years team. I'll miss Modric and VDV but we've got some really exciting players to watch now. It will be fun to see who's more intense on a week to week basis Parker or Dempsey
guarantee we get a lot more usa spurs fans now... i'll take it haha
Clint fucking Dempsey, Pav in disguise.
All your signing are average and Lloris , well was our priority a goalie( we have an old but great goalie) or was it a modric replacement and a top class striker? The latter I think.
Your last minute brinkmanship had resulted in the same old average anti climactic signings again. With these players ate we really better than Arsenal or Newcastle, Chelsea, no. The whole point of signing players is to make is better not keep us the same.
Moutinho, world class but you couldn't pull it off with your usual behaviour, well done Daniel you bald headed prick, fucked another season up, do you really think we've improved or are still pretty much the same?
You do t get it, you need to buy works class do we don't miss out by 1 point again, do you understand that you fucking idiot????
You're a liability Daniel, so fuck you and fuck ENIC.
TALKING OF PRICKS
JC. WTF! we sign 3 top players in 2 days! Dembele is class, absolutely brilliant, maybe not the passer we hoped for but he has the skills to keep things ticking over in the middle in the way that modric did (if not the eye for the eventual killer pass).
WT. We needed WORLD class players, not players who 'may not be the best passers of the ball' he's a midfielder For Fuck Sake! Why did we sign him - who did he replace? Whoever it was, they had no problems passing a ball!
JC. Dempsey scored 23 goals for fulham last year - TWENTY THREE. Theres your bloody striker.And we got him for cheap - and we made liverpool look like mugs.
WT. Any idea why he was so cheap? Why 6million? Why not 8? Ever heard of a Larda? They were cheap too! Dempsey's goal average per season is 10, and that includes cup games! At the end of the day, the ONLY reason Levy signed Dempsey was because he was cheap. As for making Liverpool look like mugs, whoopie doo - ark at you!
Lloris is a world class keeper. No more needs to be said. Depending on how he adapts we could now have the best keeper in the league - incredible signing.
WT. agreed
And we nearly got Moutinho through Levys brinkmanship - they went from "not really selling, £33m or nothing" to £22m and agreed, just a shame it fell apart.
WT. We wanted 40 for Modric remember? We also caved in remember, and why did the Moutinho deal fall apart? We'd agreed a fee? WORLD CLASS! FCUKING WORLD CLASS!
Yes, agree with knock knock Spurs, Modric and VDV will be missed,
But, should be like watching an almost completely new team with all
new strategies all over the park. Trouble is, over the season, will Villas
Boas Spurs get anywhere near Chavski, Manure or Abu Dhabi Citeh?
for the umpteenth time no striker.. Obv. ppl get real ! We are not getting tht striker until we are in the champions league.
And as for the moutinho deal not coming off, there are 2 theories to it.
1. suggests that we agreed the fee with the club and personal terms with moutinho and apparently someone had 15% stake in moutinho so obviously we had to buy that out to get moutinho ( must have held us to ransom if true) and thts why we asked for an extension.. I dont see why else would anyone be daft enough to think that we will get an exemption.
2. ofcourse the more popular theory is levy failing to agree terms with moutinho ( NO, not vice-versa). So, levy paid a record transfer fee to try and get him. Its pretty logical he must have been in line to be the highest(one of the) earner at our club. If his terms can't even come close to being on par with that, then it would be utter stupidity to break the wage structure for that. Calm down people, we have a game tonight.
In Levy and AVB I trust. COYS B|
For me, DLs dealings went well and kept within the financial boundaries THFC appear to have.
Good monies for the players that left and good players coming in with Hugo Lloris a very good signing, pity VDV went. Now a 3 - 0 win today will kick start the season. COYS