Spurs Banter Archive August 12 2013

12 Aug 2013 21:29:45
The more the summer drags on, the more I feel confident with Gareth Bale staying at Spurs.

I honestly think the whole saga has been dragged so far out of proportion by the press. But who can blame them? They'd do anything to sell papers, right? So why not cling onto the transfer that would be the biggest of the summer. and possibly the most expensive ever?

Looking on the Marca website, there's hardly a sniff about Bale these days. A couple of weeks ago and you couldn't see a story on their website without his face on it.

I have a feeling that they'll go for Suarez now, as he has publicly made it aware that he intends to leave Liverpool. And I can't see Liverpool selling him to Arsenal, a fellow top 4 rival. Madrid won't be able to afford Suarez and Bale.

Plus Ancelotti has supposedly said to Perez that he has no intentions to adding Bale to his squad and isn't making plans for Bale. True or not? Made up or a loss in translation? We'll see.

The future looks bright lads! If Bale stays, we'll get Top 4 at least this season. He + Soldado will rip up the Premier League.

Agree about the papers blowing things out of proportion. You can often see how little of a story there is when they are all reporting different things. And added to that most of the 'news' are actually opinion pieces that are rehashed across all the other rags.

But as you say - it is their job to sell papers!

Also, we've probably all got more worried as time goes on that Bale hasn't said anything but, Spurs have probably told him not to and he's stuck to that.
If he comes out and says he wants to stay at least another year, then Real drop £100m+ cash in Levy's lap with great payment terms and a player chucked in then Spurs will likely (and probably rightly so) want to sell. Levy and the board look like the bad guys that went back on their word.
If Bale comes out talking but is coy or pro-Madrid then it puts the board in a weaker position with Madrid and makes him staying less tenable so his silence is the best policy for Spurs overall whichever way it works out in the end.
Simmo

I agree but, if bale goes, we are getting linked with lots of quality and some seem to be voicing their approval at joining us.
Whatever happens, it will be our strongest squad for years and other teams will be looking over their shoulders very worried.
COYMFS

12 Aug 2013 16:40:23
call this wishful but

the pain in gareth's foot might be real

he might not want to risk injury in preseason matches

he is trying to manage a large branding and marketing effort and is overwhelmed right now with training and that

the thought of a move may have him fearing the media as he doesn't seem the type to talk to reporters too much. media are at games. for his wife and alba violet i'm sure.

Tottenham are not spending his transfer money already so end of discussion. We broke even the last 3 years in the market, quarter finals Europa league, large tv deal, secured some funding for the stadium, made 223m last year in revenue, 11th richest club, heard something about joe lewis injecting/loaning/more stocks for some funds?. But we know 50-70m is available so even with capoue we still have some wiggle room.

Have faith boys, gareth will be scoring our game winning goal against arsenal on the first

RY

Training alone with Wales proves he is injured.
I think spurs have promised bale at least a challenge at the prem title.
If we keep bale, we are 2/3 signings away from a challenging team. A top quality LB and a playmaker, maybe chariches (spelling)too, and we will start to worry a lot of clubs.
Maybe Levy/Lewis have finally realised this?

According to transfer league dot co dot uk our average spend from 01/02 (when ENIC took over) up to the last 4 seasons was £16.9m per year spend. If you take just the last 4 of those years (more up to date sky deals etc) then it is £23.75m per year spend.

Looking at the last 4 seasons (not including this current window) our average spend has been -£2.95m per year. Yes, over the last 4 years we've actually made money from transfers.

Now what the true spending power of our club is will be subjective, but I think it is fair to say that somewhere between £16.9m and £23.75m per year is reasonable. I'll be conservative and say £16.9m.

So 4 years of not spending that amount, plus the £11.8m that we have made, gives us (all else being equal) just under £80m. It will probably be a bit less than that because of inflated wages from the better players coming in.

So a £40m net spend this window (£50m paid, £10m back ish) is not unrealistic. I think that Levy was waiting for the right manager, and deciding that Harry was not it thought AVB was. He gave him some support last year, but with no net spend and is now backing him this year. I also think it means that we have at least £20m more to spend - and all this without having to even consider selling Bale.

Sure if we now go ahead and did something like pay £30m for Lamela and £30m for Willian (not saying we can get those players, but just highlighting an example of high spending) then I'll think that is too much and a certain someone is prob on their way to Madrid. But certainly an extra £20m spend on a couple of players (Capoue £9m, Ericksen £12m for example) I think is still within our budget.

Simmo,

Agreed 100%. Defensive reinforcements are the immediate priority.

Wulf,

Spot on, I posted something similar without the income/outgoing breakdown. Conclusion was the same though, that what we've spent so far plus one of Capoue/Alderweireld/Chiriches and then Eriksen should be affordable even if we keep Bale.
It would be a great squad.
Simmo

12 Aug 2013 14:58:24
it's obvious bale is going, he wasn't even at the game Saturday. if he is genuinely injured, he could have still been there with his teammates

Or as we are so close to the palace game, maybe he was getting treatment?
Anyway, how do you know he wasn't in a box, with holtby, ade, bae and the others who are out?
"If he is genuinely injured" hopefully him missing the Wales game through injury and training alone tells you he really is injured, unless he "wants" a transfer from Wales too!

12 Aug 2013 12:19:48
Seen Man U are now after bale I for 1 hope he stays as think we could be in the top 3 or even winning the pl why not or team looks a lot stronger with our new signings but with Man U and rm after bale it's going to go to the last day of the window in my eyes was kind of hoping bale would have come out and said he wants to stay by now but as he hasn't ill take it as he is hoping to leave he must be looking at the team knows top 4 is nailed on with him in the team and must think it will be easyer to leave this summer as we have no cl this year but would next so it's easyer for him to us cl as an excuse

SpursT

Bale staying will only be any good if his head is in the right place . and that means committed to playing for us. Rumors and media suggestion that this may not be the case any longer, which if true take the best offer from a team not in the EPL and move on.

Once the window closes then a player's head not being in the right place is not a massive concern. There has already been disruption because of the (mostly press driven) saga and Bale's injury so, maybe the first few games would be affected but after that what's he going to do? Sulk for 4months hoping he can go in January? Sulk for a year? Not really in anybody's interest for him to do that, including his own. If he's garbage for us then Madrid will steer clear and be on to the next big-thing performing well in that time.
Simmo

12 Aug 2013 11:41:39
I do not think Bale will join RM as they are broke and still owe 14 million for Modric. Hence I believe Coentrao will join us to wipe that debt out.
RM wish to pay installments over 5-6 years. IMO not a good deal. However I think Bale will leave end of the season. We def need another striker in the squad and centre back although Capoue can play that position.