Home > Football > Can a selling club like Spurs ever make the top four?
by Luke Durkin on 05 September 2008
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This year's transfer window brought about plenty of Tottenham departures, most significantly Robbie Keane, now of Liverpool, and Dimitar Berbatov, who has gone to Manchester United.
Their sale brought in more than £50million, so Spurs will be looking to invest some of that money in the next transfer window come January. On second thoughts, why did we not use the window that has just closed to its full potential in signing the best players possible?
It is a major issue, particularly considering that our attacking options are rather limited despite the major signing of Russian international Roman Pavlyuchenko from Spartak Moscow. There is no doubt that he is one of the most prolific strikers in his native Russia for both club and country, and I feel his presence in front of goal will be very much noticed. It will be interesting to see whether a Darren Bent-Pavlyuchenko partnership is on the horizon, or possibly a single striker up front, which Juande Ramos has already illustrated.
The ''dead wood'' from within the team has vanished – well, most of it – and Spurs looks far stronger on paper. The arrival of David Bentley, Luka Modric and Giovani Dos Santos will surely provide Pavlyuchenko with the support he needs. Personally, I feel that Dos Santos has the potential to become one of the best players this country has seen, building on the reputation that made him so well recognised for his ability at Barcelona. Dubbed ''the new Ronaldinho'', we may find that, as well as supporting the attack, he may be given the chance to play alongside Pavlyuchenko or Bent.
The squad looks far more refined now and Spurs possess a core of young and talented players on which we can build for the future. If Tottenham are to succeed, however, then our reputation and image as a ''selling club'' needs to be changed.
In order to compete with the top four, or what will soon be the top five now that Manchester City are in the money, then Spurs must keep hold of their most prized assets, regardless of the potential profit that can be made. Selling to make money may go down well with the boardroom in the short term, but the long-term effects of such business will eat away at both our reputation and any chances that we may have of challenging for major honours.
Tottenham have become something of a recycling club. Many of the players brought in by previous manager Martin Jol have already departed, or are just not living up to the expectations of Ramos. I hope from now on that the team becomes somewhat more stable and secure.
Manchester United are a perfect example of a club that feature a core of experienced players, from which new additions can be drafted in to learn the desired style of play required at this level. Spurs also possess an array of talent in the youth academy and reserve squads, thus I am hoping that we also will see many more faces coming through into the first team this season in specific areas.
To summarise, I feel that Spurs still have a strong enough squad to compete this season, although our reputation needs improving. This must come from the top, however, and come January I hope that Tottenham Hotspur make the necessary signings to get our team back to the way it was not too long ago. In the meantime, we must make use of the resources that we currently have.
Come on you Spurs!
Comments (19)
by Adspur on September 05, 2008
Dont believe we are a selling club just because Keano and Berbatov departed. Their sales were pretty much forced but were financially unnecessary. A selling club is one that cannot afford to exist without the need to produce and sell on to keep the club going. No decision was made lightly this summer. Spurs have bought well and should be considered an excellent place to come and play football by those at the top of the profession.
by Irish Spur on September 05, 2008
Just because City have money doesnot automatically guarantee them top 5 at moment. Tottenham were forced to sell two top players but got top dollar for them, they also only missed out on top 4, 2 yrs ago due to illness sweeping team on last match of season, so why when strengthened in other areas of team can they still not compete for top 4 especially as teams like the Arse and Liverpool are finding hard to compete financially.
by guy beckington on September 05, 2008
Spurs can only be defined as a Selling club if Spurs actually want to sell the players. If you had read, and has been published a 100 times, Levy did not want to sell to Liverpool or Man United. He told them not to make any illegal player approaches. We did not want to sell, but were forced to because of 'tapping up'. Also we dont NEED to sell players because we have one of the healthiest bank balances in the Premiership. So we dont need to raise extra cash. We actually bought far more first team players than were stolen off us. Comprendez
by Luke Durkins MUM on September 05, 2008
Your an embarrassment to the journalism industry!
by George Isaac on September 05, 2008
Well how long did that take to work out? Billionaires please asap
by Andrew Prosser on September 05, 2008
We aren't a selling club and if you were a true spurs fan you would know that. The Sale of Robbie and Berba were nesessitated by the fact that they had had their heads turned by other clubs. Daniel Levy could have well left both of them to rot in the reserves but chose to do business and get two players that were having a negative influence on the dressing room out of the club and for £50 million too. I trust the people running the club and im sure the squad will be reinforced in the january window. Would Man United be a selling club if Ronaldo had gone to Madrid?
by Mr Tiss on September 05, 2008
Oh My God What a Moron you truly are Please before you write anything again, Make sure you know what you are talking about, As football isnt one of your strong points is it
by Sean YSean on September 05, 2008
You talk a lot about departures - but, surely, the most pertinent question has to be: 'Is the squad (SQUAD) better now than before the arrival of Modric (which sparked off the summer moves)'? My answer to that is an emphatic yes. Ramos now has more players that he wants, and the business has been conducted at a profit (a fact that is being conveniently overlooked). As to Spurs being a selling club and still breaking into the top 4 - I don't believe we can judge this right now. The question is not if Spurs can break into the top 4 AFTER selling Keane and berbatov? But, can Spurs recover from the selling of Keane and berbatov and still aim for the top 4. The differnece is that the first of the two assumes a question that can be answered now, whereas the second assumes a question that can only be answered based on future performance - i.e. the end of this season, or maybe even next!
by Spurs Gog on September 05, 2008
Spurs are not a selling club. Such stuff and nonesense! I think they have made it perfectly clear, to the existing squad, that they will have to crawl over glass to leave if under contract. That is what Berba had to do. You are right about stability though. Gerry Francis was Spurs manager when Wenger took over the Gonners. How many have we had since. Ramos needs at least 3 full years and if we are unhappy from, time to time, remember how long it took Ferguson to win over the ManU fans.
by Michael Bickley on September 05, 2008
There is something wrong with this site as the same messages get repeated over and over again.Spurs have a great compliment of great players.It does not take just strikers to score goals and I think as the individuals learn to play better as a team all these worries will disappear.
by BelfSpur on September 05, 2008
Boring boring headlines. So Spurs are a "selling club". It's so tedious when people need to grab attention like this. For the record Spurs aren't. We sell people we don't need anymore or people who don't want to be there anymore. It's the same with any team in the world. Ronaldo will leave for Real next year and he's only still there because he still believes the scary stories nasty Uncle Alex tells him but it won't last forever. It happens to everyone and it's only going to get worse because of owners like Chelsea's & Man City's. A new type of player is the new norm on these shores and that's one who couldn't care less who he plays for as long as he's getting a hideous amount of money doing it. Robinho couldn't even remember who he'd signed for this week! Is that really what people want? It's not what I want so if Berba, Robbie etc prefer that to loyality good luck to them. When they are sitting on those benches they can think back to the adulation they had before. It'll become even more apparent when they sign for Hull or Reading or Wigan next year... Admiteddly, sad to see Berba go because he's the first World Class Quality we've had in years (since probably Klinsmann but Keane missed things he shouldn't have and I personally would have kept Defoe who was a more natural striker.
by name name on September 06, 2008
You idiots need to realise there is no point in clubs like Spurs signing top drawer players if you fools are just going to do the bidding of clubs like Man Utd and illegally tap them up!
by Mike on September 06, 2008
Says it all in the heading COYS
by Luke Durkin on September 06, 2008
Guys I have no doubt that Spurs will make the top four and the heading contradicts my point. Well it does every time i write. I dont do the headings!! My point is, is that we need to keep the talent we have and not to get pressured by bigger clubs. I hope that now berba and keano have gone, that our team will be far more stable as we have a good core of youth and talent now. Sportingo are good at turning my headings around btw! U try writin urselves yeh and tell me if im wrong. All this site wants is contoversy.
by Paul Paul on September 06, 2008
Duh ... really? Or is it a catch 22 i.e. if a club isn't in the top 4 and champions league it will find it impossible to stop its best players moving (just take Berba for instance). And if the club can't stop its best players leaving then it won't get in the top 4 and champions league .... cruel but true.
I totally agree with that Paul. As cruel as it sounds, it is just true! Thats why I am saying that we must skae offf our image as a club that nurtures quality players, only to sell them on at some point to a bigger club. It frustrates me big-time and I hope that what happened to Dimi and Keano is the end of it for a long time to come.
by mick spur on September 06, 2008
Yes it's true that we have sold two top class players, so guess technically we are a selling club. Unlike the normal "selling" clubs the money we receive for players is plough back into the transfer market, andnot used to pay off debts etc It's pointless keeping players who are not happy? At least Berba signed for United and stuck to his principles of wanting Championd League soccer, rather than going to a run of the mill premiership club such as Man City. He mujst be at least be commended for that if nothing else
Mick Spur, unlike the rese of the critics you have some sense mate. Selling Berba, keane, LYP, Chimbo, Tainio, Malbranque, Pekhart does make us a selling club if you actually think about it. Though i agree all the money will be pushed back into the market in january i reckon. Hope SO !! ;)
by nicknicknick on September 08, 2008
I think Levy has made us into a selling club and has blown his credibility by withdrawing the complaints. If we didnt want/have to sell to the mancs why did we?
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