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Tottenham Hotspur FC 2013/14

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    #31
    Gareth Bale joins Lionel Messi on the cover of FIFA 14, EA has announced.The Spurs (for now) star is a big fan of FIFA,…


    Surely this implies that Bale will be staying at least for the time being? Would be a bit daft for EA to pay to have him on the cover otherwise!

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      #32
      He's also the face of the NBC Premier League advertising campaign over in the US, massive poster of him in Times Square for the next few weeks. Nice bit of overseas exposure for us.



      Although that celebration is actually from a game last season with the new Spurs kit photoshopped in, so I suppose it wouldn't be too hard to change it to a Madrid kit

      Irrespective of those two advertising deals, I was (and still am) 99% sure he wouldn't be moving this summer.

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        #33
        Ha, the forum would have to be restored so that the above post is the most recent! Still not worried, but down to 96% now

        Seriously though, I don't think Levy will allow Bale to go this summer as he stated in his chairman's letter to the fans at the end of the season that key players wouldn't be sold (I think Bale counts as a key player...) and AVB has publicly stated two or three times that he's had assurances that Bale wouldn't be leaving.

        Levy showed with Modric two years ago that once he sets out a public stance like that, he sticks to it. That was with a player who was massively agitating to leave too, thus far Bale has said nowt. I think it would take something more astonishing than the ?80 million + bids that have been talked about thus far to make Levy to change his mind. Plus he comes across as a stubborn bastard who will want to say no just to prove that he can!

        I know that before the forum was restored there was a post on here about selling Bale if we do receive an official offer from Madrid for a ridiculous fee. I often think he writes tosh, but this piece in the Mirror by Oliver Holt sums up my feelings on that perfectly:

        "Common sense says Spurs should sell Gareth Bale.

        Take the ?80million or ?90m or ?100m Real Madrid are offering. Cash in.

        Sell while the Welshman’s value is at its height and there is still time to bring in new players for the start of the season.

        Take the money because, well, is anyone really worth that much?

        Take the money because imagine how you will feel if Bale’s injury woes return and he only plays in fits and starts next season.

        Take the money because ?80m well invested might even give Tottenham a better chance of making the *Champions League next term, than if they keep Bale.

        Spend that ?80m on two or three elite additions and Spurs might even be favourites to force their way into the top four ahead of Arsenal.

        The money’s eye-watering, even in today’s climate. It could take Tottenham to the next level.

        But despite all the logic, despite the feeling money always talks loudest in the end, it is hard to escape the feeling that, actually, Bale is priceless.

        He is not Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, but he is not far off.

        And he plays not for Real Madrid or Barcelona or Bayern Munich or Manchester United, or one of the other giants of the European game, but for Tottenham.

        Spurs have uncovered a jewel, one of the best players in the world.

        If they sell, it might be a long, long time before they get another like him.

        When was the last time Spurs had one of the best players in the world?

        When Gary Lineker and Paul Gascoigne were at White Hart Lane 20 years ago, maybe?

        When Jimmy Greaves was there 30 years before that? Ossie Ardiles, Jurgen Klinsmann? Maybe.

        It doesn’t happen often. That’s the point.

        And even though it’s *hopelessly romantic, that’s why I hope Spurs don’t sell.

        Because every other week, their fans get to sit on the edge of their seats and watch Bale do magic.

        Every other week, they get to watch Bale do something special.

        They get that feeling of *anticipation when he gets the ball. They know that when the ball’s glued to his left foot, anything is possible: a dazzling run, a sizzling cross, an unstoppable shot.

        There are other wonderful talents around but at the moment, apart from Ronaldo and Messi, none as *explosive as the Welshman.

        If Spurs sell now, are they ever going to attract anyone like him to White Hart Lane?

        But if they keep him, and they prosper because they keep him, maybe others will want to come to Tottenham, too.

        It’s already happening.

        They broke their transfer record to sign Paulinho from *Corinthians.

        They are close to doing it again with their pursuit of *Valencia’s Roberto Soldado.

        What if they build around Bale, not without him?

        What if they do what US sports teams often do with their prize assets?

        Use Bale as the *cornerstone, like the Chicago Bulls once did with Michael Jordan, and the *Indianapolis Colts with Peyton Manning.

        Different leagues, sure. Different conditions. Salary caps, drafts and the rest of it.

        But the same *principle applies.

        That’s why I hope Spurs and their chairman Daniel Levy hold their nerve.

        That’s why I hope Levy sticks to his guns, as he has before, and maintains that Bale is flat out not for sale.

        Not because I want to deny Bale the chance to play for Real Madrid - I’ve no problem with his desire to play at the Bernabeu.

        This is about Tottenham.

        Because it feels as if Spurs are within touching distance of not being a selling club.

        They are on the verge of *something big.

        Through the financial *management of Levy and the football management of Harry Redknapp and Andre Villas-Boas, they are so close to not having to sell top players.

        They are an ace away from not having to roll over if Manchester United come calling for a Dimitar Berbatov or a Michael Carrick - or if Madrid decide they would like to buy Luka Modric.

        They’re tantalisingly near to being an established power in the English game.

        And somehow, despite all the arguments to the contrary, it feels like selling Bale will move them further away from that goal, not closer to it.

        How many top-line players would still be on the market once Bale has been sold?

        Manchester City have done most of their business. So, too, Bayern and Barcelona.

        Edinson Cavani’s at PSG, Radamel Falcao’s at Monaco, Neymar’s at Barcelona.

        Most of the rest of the world’s top talents have already been signed up for the season ahead.

        Sell Bale and you make an awful lot of money, sure.

        Sell Bale and the people who play the percentages will tell you you’re doing the right thing.

        Sell him and you don’t have to worry about the fact he may struggle to replicate the feats of last season.

        But sell him and you lose *something you can never replace. Sell him and you lose the magic.

        Sell him and that feeling a Spurs fan gets when Bale receives the ball and moves it on to his left foot is gone for ever."

        Comment


          #34
          As I said in a post that seems to have gone missing in the restore I think we should offload Bale ASAP at the silly price being offered. It's not just ?85m apparently two decent RM players have been added to the deal making the value closer to ?100m.

          No player is worth that to a club except one with more money than sense. It will only take a Torres or Carroll like drop in form or an injury and his value will drop by two thirds and never get back to those dizzy heights.

          Lets face it for ?85m Spurs could get three or more other top quality players, the only problem being that of time. If they don't act quickly they wouldn't be in place and up to speed before the start of the season.

          Comment


            #35
            I'm not a Spurs fan, but they should cash in now, ?85M plus Modric back will seal it I reckon.

            Comment


              #36
              While my head agrees with the two posts above, my heart is easily ruling my head on this at the moment, so I don't want us to sell Bale.

              Pretty much for the romantic reasons mentioned in that article: he's a very special player and he plays for Spurs, the club I've supported all my life, and it's a thrill and a privilege to go to a match knowing that I'm going to see such a player perform for my team. That's the kind of thing football should be about, for me. I know it's not realistic in modern football, but money be damned.

              Comment


                #37
                As long as Spurs can find other players to fill the gap, it's surely better to sell on a player who no longer wants to be at the club rather than end up selling him next summer for significantly less.

                Comment


                  #38
                  Nobody knows if he actually wants to move or if he's happy staying another year, zero quotes, all speculation and guesswork so far. Secondly, it's complete conjecture that he'll be worth less next summer. He could equally stay, have another great season (and he's been getting better, more consistent and more versatile every year at Spurs) and be worth the same or more next summer. I personally don't think he's at his peak yet and will continue to improve.

                  In a slightly surprising move we've sold Steven Caulker to Cardiff City. Apparently it's their record transfer which means the fee is ?8.5 million or more. I guess that either AVB has decided he's not going to be quite good enough and doesn't mind cashing in, or maybe he wants a better chance at first team football, or a combo of both. Should be a really good signing for Cardiff, hope he does well there.

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                    #39
                    Some purely good and fantastic news: we've finally signed a striker!!! A bloody good one at that too

                    Spurs agree deal to sign Roberto Soldado

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                      #40
                      That is good news.

                      Shaping up too be an interesting season with AVB now really stamping his look on the Spurs team/squad.

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                        #41
                        Yep if you can conceed fewer goals you should be in a great position come next May.

                        Comment


                          #42
                          We're reportedly on the verge of signing 23 year old Romanian centre back Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest which could help in that aim, although the deal has stalled a little because of their owner having a bit of a strop (but the player's agent says he is still 99% certain it'll go through).

                          Apparently their owner, an ex MP who is currently serving a three year prison sentence for abuse of power (!!!) was upset that Spurs tried to push through the deal before their upcoming CL qualifying match. Not sure how you'd be allowed to carry on running a club when you're in the nick, but hey!

                          It did lead to a pretty good joke though:

                          "Negotiations for Vlad Chiriches stalled because Spurs got the wrong idea when the imprisoned Steaua owner asked for ?7 million plus bail..."

                          Comment


                            #43
                            Pre-season friendly Monaco versus Spurs is being shown today on ITV4, at 17.15 I think. No doubt the pundits will be holding forth on the Bale situation but I'll be just thankful to see some good football again. Watchable though it may have been at times after being depressed by the, mostly, third rate skills and tactics on display at the womens' European Cup this summer getting to back to the real thing can't come soon enough.

                            Comment


                              #44
                              Looking forward to it. Haven't seen any team news yet but I expect today will be our first chance to see Paulinho and Chadli in action, although as Soldado hasn't trained with the team yet it seems certain we'll have to wait until the Espanyol friendly for our first look at him.

                              Looks like another player is off as Clint Dempsey has flown to the states and is reportedly on the verge of signing for Seattle Sounders in the MLS. Apparently we're getting back the ?6 million we paid last summer and Dempsey will be on a four year contract worth $8 million a season, so a good deal for both parties! Seattle seems like the best place to place in the MLS too, they regularly get crowds for 40,000+ for their home matches.

                              I would have liked him to stay, I think he started slowly but got better as last season went on. He wasn't spectacular but you could never fault his work rate, and his goals against the Manchesters (equaliser in the 3-1 win against City and last gasp equaliser against Utd at home, the winning goal against Utd away) were some of the highlights of the season. I think though, in a world cup year, he wanted to be a first team regular.

                              Comment


                                #45
                                Dempsey strikes me as the type of player who is the go-to guy in a smaller side, but becomes a bit anonymous alongside bigger stars in a better side. Not quite a flop like, say, Sidwell was at Chelsea after being Billy Big Bollocks at Reading, but Dempsey never really shone like he did at Fulham the year before. Shame as I really rate him and think he could be a star at somewhere like *ahem* Sunlun.

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