At time of writing, the announcement of Gareth Bale has collapsed the club website. And if you look at your Twitter feed, you might notice that it’s at a slight angle (only kidding, but the response from fans all over the globe has been utterly stellar).
The 31-year-old’s shirt number is #9, there was a mumble going around online that the delay was down to Erik Lamela kicking up a stink about surrendering the number, but I am given to understand that this was just one of the many pieces of complete fiction swirling about this transfer.
Despite the best efforts of some generic and clearly anti-Spurs sites, the deal had been done. The less said about this shameful ‘reporting’ the better. The very idea that Zinedine Zidane was issuing quotes on a Saturday evening about a player he couldn’t wait to be relieved of, beggars belief.
I take a view that the feel good factor is to be enjoyed, and that fans might take a moment to understand just what change José Mourinho has effected at Tottenham.
If anything else seismic actually happens, you’ll be reliably kept informed via this place.
#KeepItTottenham.
It was a tough ask with no strikers and all our first choice midfielders out.. If Botch hadn’t left us in 14th heading towards the bottom, if we got Maureen in ‘quicker’ then we would have made champions league… Even with no players Maureen dragged us up to the ropey. If you look at the table and points since his arrival then he/we are in the top four… Onwards and upwards.
It will be tough… But Kane will be fine mate.
With covid having put this club in its worst financial position in many a year there can only be one explanation for the amazing spend we have just experienced.
Uncle Joe must have agreed to open his purse and actually do something before he shuffles off this mortal coil.
There’s gonna be players out, sadly Kane next summer. Only one world class player allowed i’m afraid! 😂
Had Jose got us top four, I doubt any of this would have happened…
Quite funny that the pundit genius Merson goes on about Bale’s days of moving to ‘big’ clubs as being over at 31 yet Aubameyang is the same age. As for Willian, I dunno 42? 😂
True but are we really spending that much? Relative to the previous four years it seems like a splurge but compared to those around us it’s all fairly conservative. PEH, Doherty and Bergwijn weren’t huge fees and will be on fairly modest wages.
When you consider Liverpool get the guy from Bayern for 20m and we paid Saints 15m for PEH then most of this is about salaries. That’s the main difference these days and rarely the fee it seems.
I agree fully with your point about taking advantage of Covid. It’s brought fees back down to the levels they were about three years ago. They suddenly shot up by about 50%, it probably wasn’t sustainable and it takes a global pandemic to bring it back into the real world, clearly!
True but are we really spending that much? Relative to the previous four years it seems like a splurge but compared to those around us it’s all fairly conservative. PEH, Doherty and Bergwijn weren’t huge fees and will be on fairly modest wages.
When you consider Liverpool get the guy from Bayern for 20m and we paid Saints 15m for PEH then most of this is about salaries. That’s the main difference these days and rarely the fee it seems.
I agree fully with your point about taking advantage of Covid. It’s brought fees back down to the levels they were about three years ago. They suddenly shot up by about 50%, it probably wasn’t sustainable and it takes a global pandemic to bring it back into the real world, clearly!
We are all obviously delighted. However, had this happened at any other top six club I doubt there would have been half as much fuss made.
These other clubs are active most of the time in the transfer market and big deals happen almost every summer. We have been so starved of transfers generally that even Burnley’s 3rd choice goalie on a free generates a degree of ‘excitement’
on our twitter feeds.
Not only are we generally and traditionally starved of transfers, but the movement inwards of big established household names is virtually unheard of. The last one (slightly ironically) was probably VDV, a player also no longer needed by Real Madrid on a similar ‘shared wage’ deal.
I’m very pleased that a player of Bale’s profile has returned and at the obvious realisation by Levy that unless he gets onto it, the Champions League qualification he expects just won’t happen.
Also, does anybody really believe that when the deal was done with Amazon some time ago to make their TV show, that scraping into the Ropey in the last game at Palace was how they expected it to conclude?
Levy has needed to hear it from someone else that the squad needed investment. When Jose took over Danny said; “we have a very talented group of players, they just need to start playing well again”. Well, the first point was debatable and the second hasn’t really come true yet since our C.L final appearance.
It seems though that the money is suspiciously there to do something when need be. In fact Bale on loan and the other deals is not anything like a blockbuster spend up but it’s certainly a move to try and back the manager to an extent. By Levy’s standards this is as close to full backing as you’re likely to see.
Slowly the pressure will move over to Jose as a result. If the manager is still going on about needing more players next summer having not achieved top four again, then it’s highly likely there’s going to be more changes.
Jose’s contract will without doubt be linked to Champions League participation, both in terms of bonuses as well as any early termination of it…
Levy’s a business man, I think he new getting players in would never be as cheap as the fire sales going on right now. We couldn’t have bought all these players with the sort of money they would of been worth without Covid. The fact it’s been done before the usual selling players bull is great though.
Brozovic would be ideal, would do a Rodriguez for us but it won’t happen.
The next couple of weeks are going to be tough. Bale is injured . Kane is not fit. Hoping we acquire a striker who can sub in for Kane or that our other front-liners can carry the load until Bale and/or Kane recover. With the crammed schedule, it is going to be challenging.
Levy really had no choice but to back his new manager with meaningful business. Mourinho’s style, being so opposed to that of Pochettino, meant that leaving the squad to stagnate further, with players unused to, or unsuited to the new vision would’ve been insane; and a complete disaster on so many levels.
Start of the season quite a few teams look good,then injuries and suspensions kick in and their squads show their limitations,early days can’t see them finishing in the top ten.
I wrote exactly that a few days ago. He can fit anywhere in the top 3, but if Kane and Son are fit they are in their usual positions. With someone as good as Bale is, he has to play centrally for me. If that doesn’t work, he can play on the right or left for sure. Agreed on it being all good, but he is injured already!
shirts shorts and more shirts….I have to say, well done Levy, its been a long time since i’ve smiled soo much about a player….well, 2 players….now, if you could squeeze in a striker……………………………….
I presume the timing of the official announcement`s for the USA`s benefit.Midday over there.USA looms large with Spurs these days.
Haringey borough start the season off nicely with a 1-2 away win. Up the spuringey
Levy’s stubble looking less ridiculous than the back of Aubameyang’s hair
I knew levy would start spending money and take this winning thing far More seriously the moment we moved into the n€w lan€
agree
If we can bring a striker and either a centre half or a playmaker in ,I think the playmaker is more essential.
I think Levy had backed himself into a corner he couldn’t extricate himself from without losing the few supporters he had left after not properly backing a regular top 4 manager and causing the slide back down the table again. It’s bloody hard to get that consistency in our league and everyone told him that to maintain it the squad needs to be strengthened every transfer window with a good percentage of quality over cheap punts. He didn’t listen and thought he could get away with PSG rejects etc. Doesn’t work. If he hadn’t of backed Mou the obvious question on everyone lips (including Kane’s) would have been “why employ him?”
It now puts massive pressure on Mou by the way. If we get a 2nd striker no excuses, once the first month of the season is over at least. If he doesn’t deliver then this time Levy would not be frowned upon for sacking a manager.
Yeah he looks a great out ball for turning defence into attack and relieving pressure, the lad shows great promise.
Mou may not have set us on fire on the pitch, far from it so far, but by God he’s achieved the impossible with Levy that’s for sure. I bet our chairman is in intensive care right now after having his wallet removed surgically. Kudos to him though, he’s managed the impossible. Now for a proper 2nd striker and most of us will be happy.
Always had a feeling Mr. Levy would back José in transfers, albeit restricted more than José is used to or perhaps wanted.
Let’s hope a striker is pending & as is repeatedly mentioned, another CB, both sooner rather than later. I expect a few to be sold too.
Inside right in a 3-4-3 sounds tempting with Doherty in support. So in place of Moura that side. I’m looking to see that left foot in action. Or left with him and Reg teaming up and having a RM old pals time of it. Through the middle instead of Dele – the man is so versatile. He’ll attract defenders like moths to a flame and create space for others too.
But I’m sure Mou will let him play where he wants and build the formation around him.
Eze off the bench looks a talent too. Palace are better than their showing last season. they were pretty much safe by lockdown and as such didn’t really turn up for projectretard
they announced this though at the beginning of the season. keepers take that step forward to gather momentum – maybe they need to be starting behind the line?
i do think it is a bit of a joke though
He can play anywhere across the final third, and yes defenders will be drawn to him and it will undoubtedly leave more space for the other forward players Kane and Son. We now have options which is what we didn’t have before, it’s all good .
Palace looked good, nice balance Hodgson is achieving there and some pacey attackers that are going to cause teams a lot of problems on the break.
Sants had a full team out mid week and lost to Brentford….if we don’t win tomorrow then Jose needs to get on the phone to Ronaldo!!
This United performance is more worrying for them than our one was for us against Everton.
It’s early days.
Palace have legitimately walloped United here though
to top it off Palace go 2 up.
Or two against them?!!
Surreal
I am not expecting the tornado that Bale was first time round, but I am expecting a player to show his true quality and help push us through this season. Let’s enjoy it while he is here. Bale is a top, top player, but the lad needs to stay fit. He has to play as a 10, being out wide might isolate him. If other teams double up on him, there will be space out wide for Sonny, Moura or Bergwijn.
Have to say that penalty recall was disgusting!
Welcome home Gareth.
I wonder what the odds are for United getting a penalty…?
The marquee is on fire