Are Tottenham trying to buy a Champions League spot?
Tip: Read the whole article before commenting.
If Tottenham manage to reverse their early slump in form and - whisper it - manage to qualify for the Champions League this year, will people be blaming Tottenham for buying their way to the top?
Yesterday, in a flurry of transfer moves Tottenham signed three players they had wanted for quite some time and seem to have solved their positional problems (right-back, left-wing, striker) as well.
Mido penned a 4 mil contract before Tottenham finally broke down Wigan’s defences and took Chimbonda away for a mere 3.75 mil (rising to 5 mil based on appearances) and allowed Malbranque to move to a ‘more ambitious’ club with 2.5 mil signing (a contract he is expected to sign today).
The moves will see three players leaving Tottenham - Lee Young-pyo and Rodrigo Defendi will move to Roma while Wayne Routeledge will move to Fulham.
News is that Malbranque will be playing left-wing for the Spurs - Don’t know if he’ll offer them the same width that Lennon gives on the right, or whether Jol will gamble and switch them and play Lennon on the left.
Spurs buying their way to the Champions League? You heard it here first.
Not that they’d actually get there, though 
Ok, ok, so they’re not buying their league positions. In reality, this is fantastic business by Spurs, and the additions of Zokora and Malbranque to the side will offset the loss of Michael Carrick. Mido gives them more options up front although his arrival also reduces the chances of Defoe playing and effectively means that Tottenham’s 4th choice striker might start in England’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Andorra (although Johnson and Bent are more likely options).
Tottenham lineup (without injuries):
Robinson, Chimbonda, King, Dawson, Assou-Ekkoto, Lennon, Zokora, Jenas, Malbranque, Berbatov, Keane.
Sounds good, but 4th place good? Not if Tottenham keep losing matches without putting up a fight.
All these last minute transfer dealing are pretty exciting and may save us a few million. I just can’t help feeling that if we had done the deals over the summer and allowed the players bed in we could be 6 points better off now.
Who cares if we buy it or not…
Its the support of the Spurs Supporters that’s allowed the team to get in a position where the finances are such that we potentially could buy a spot. Who buys the replica shirts, season tickets, and all the other little goodies? Who is it the sponsors want to attract, the wider spurs supporters community (not just the 36k that turn up every other week) so my respect to them too.. This all has allowed a decent business management team to be in a position to invest in players over the years, some wisely, some not…
We’ve waited a long time for the club to sort the finances out, and we’ve got a decent squad of young english talent, and were reinforcing it with some experience and filling the gaps which remain.
Explain to me how else we could get in Champions League… It doesn’t just happen by magic you know!
The charge of buying our way in the league does not really wash when you look at the net balance of our transfers [I realise that this article does not actually make this charge but it's a good chance to make the case against the argument that is made by a lot of fans these days]. Up until the two (alleged) signings today, we have recouped almost exactly what we have spent since the David Pleat era. Considering we also hear that Lee may be on his way, plus maybe Murphy, this trend will probably continue. I’m not denying that financially we have an advantage over many other teams but it’s simply sloppy research to suggest that we are buying our way when we probably have a more balanced transfer record than most other Premiership sides.
A very mischievous piece, Ahmed - nice one! I take it you are using understatement in saying that these deals represent “fantastic business for Tottenham”? A proven goalscorer, a quality, creative midfielder, and an attacking, badly-needed full back ALL with EPL experience for a combined total of just over £10 million? Donald Trump would be proud of a deal like that! Lovely jubbly, Rodders - this time next year , we may well be mixing it with the G14 Mafia in the Champions League…COYS!!!
Tony,
not you too?
Tottenham have made all the right moves, let’s see if they have the steel needed to be consistent season after season.
The idea of tottenham just buying a Champions league spot, first of all with our start it looks like uefa cup could be a struggle let alone champions league. But if you take away spurs transfers out this season they have only spent 7 million less then Bolton paid for one player in anelka. Couple this fact with tottenham making a profit after overall transfers last season and in the two seasons previous to that spurs broke even in transfers. Spurs also have a strict wage structure with the only very top top players earning a maximum of £55,000 a week this structure is broken for nobody as demonstrated in the damien duff transfer saga were he wanted a £70,000 plus a 1.8million signing on fee. Now damien duff is an excellent winger in a position were tottenham are weak so a team trying to BUY a champions league spot and success would surly give him whatever he wanted. And they did, Newcastle united came in and were spurs and said no said yes and damien followed his wallet i mean heart up north. So far from being a club trying to buy a champions league spot Spurs are one of the few clubs who are an example of how to try and get success through good business and the fans not just some rich idiot with money to spend. So this club will always be around for my kinds and theirs.
shrewd business by mr levy once again, buying a champs league spot would mean buying a host of star names at over inflated prices. this is another excellent transfer window for the lillywhites but now targeting experienced prem players to compliment the younger and players without premiership experience in the squad. COYS, the future is bright…the future is lillywhite. and £18m for carrick to united is another excellent piece of business altho if i am not sure i will be saying that halfway thru the season if we’re not doing too well…but i doubt that with BMJ at the helm. COYS
Ahmed: ‘Fraid so, bro. Hackney born Spurs fan, me. Cut me and I bleed Tottenham…But, objectively, surely our emergence as a force after decades in the doldrums is good for the EPL. Certainly, it all good if it makes this (beautiful)game we ALL love a tad more interesting…
I agree with a lot of that Brian… and I’m one of the 36k who go week in week out, buy replica shirts and so on….
But take a look at the amount spent versus the amount for players sold, they are about equal, even after the Mido transfer….
£18.6m for Carrick plus Stephen Kelly (Birmingham City, undisclosed); Mounir El Hamdaoui (Willem II, undisclosed);Dean Marney (Hull City, undisclosed); Andy Reid (Charlton, £3million). Add to that Lee Young Pyo (£2m?), Routledge (£2m) and Defendi (£1m) - all of whom will be gone by tomorrow and you can see we have recouped something like £29m. We have also got a number of players off the payroll - Goran Bunjevcevic (released); Noureddine Naybet (released); Johnnie Jackson (Colchester United, free).
And our spending to date? Zokora (£8.1m), Berbatov (£10.9m), Assou Ekoto (£2-3m) and now Mido (£3-4m). A total so far of c.£26m….. A spend of MINUS £3million so far!
Malbranque will cost less than that and the upfront fee for Chimbonda is c.£3.7m
I spoke to a mate who is a Fulham fan - he thinks Malbranque is too inconsistent, terrible at corners and can’t shot for toffee! On top of that he can’t believe we have bought him to play on the left! Another great signing then. Surely if we are going to switch Lennon to the left then we could have done that anyway and Routledge could have played on the right! Very strange move if you ask me, I don’t see Malbranque offering us anything better. Ziegler should be playing down the left. He will just be another squad player that we will hardly use
well said bob. spurs ambitions are being built on the solid foundations of a large and loyal fan base, good management from boardroom to changing room and prudent dealings in the transfer market.
it’s also worth mentioning that our most successful recruits have been signed from lower division/ relegated clubs - think robinson, defoe, carrick, dawson and soon hopefully huddlestone too. These guys have all out-performed ’star’ names like jenas and davids. i think that underlines the fact that the club have pursued a far more productive strategy than just simply spend, spend, spend. you must be confusing us with newcastle.
one thing though is that it would be nice to see more evidence of progress at youth level. in recent years, only king has really made it to the top level. let’s hope that the like of ifil and dixon reach his heights in the not too distant future.
a mate of mine lives near craven cottage and i’ve seen a few games down there. malbranque is pure class and i think andy indy’s mate must be terribly bitter. whereas malbranque has been outstanding for years, routledge and ziegler have been quickly shown up for what they are: average premiership performers who are useful only as squad players or transfer makeweights.
Nice signings - shame about the lack of ambition shown on the actual pitch! Spurs did well last year in the league but only because they only played 2 cup games! This year, they’ll be playing in Europe and hoping to have cup runs so I can’t see them reaching the giddy heights of 5th again.
I am a spurs season ticket holder, and although i am v.optimistic for the future i do feel we are likely to finish 5th again this season. This squad needs time to gel and i also feel that Jenas is not good enough for premiership football. It should be his time to shine now carrick has gone, but i can’t see him stepping up to the plate. How he has got into the england squad i don’t know.
We need a Lampard Gerrard or Fabregas to complete the team.
I’ll just say this beware Chelski, Manure and Ashburton graves, The Lillywhites are on your heels. Mock if you dare cos he who laughs last’s laugh lasts longest.
COYS
Good on Paper, Sh1t on Grass!!!
Martin Jol is the man, 3 games and 3 points aint the end of the world.. we will finish above the scum this season! haha!!!!!
You have got to give it time. So what, maybe we won’t finish 4th this year but we are still making immense progress. A very dissapoinitng start but we will make up for it and to be honest I can see 5th again this year. However if Arsenal continue to play shit at home (they were quality at Highbury because they had a small pitch) then we may get 4th spot. As for the article - bullshit mate. Buying Champions League spot?? Hold on a minute - its called REAL business. Not like getting some Russian to buy the club and the title (cough cough Chelski). We got 34 million form our sponsor. I didn’t even know who Mansion were but when I found out we got that much out of them I was fuckin chuffed. Anyway all I want to say is Levy is a quality businessman, not a billionaire buyer. Good signings with Malbranque and Chimbonda. Malranque is creative. We need someone like that to match Keano - espaecially after the Everron performance. Fuckin come on spurs - Uefa Cup Winners 06/07
Im pleased with the buys, and that suggested 1st team is how I feel. Im just kinda disappointed this aint happenin 2moro coz its more exciting1 Now theres no surprise lol!
I like your last commend: If Spurs not PUT UP A FIGHT when loosing matches. This is exactly what has been wronbg with this side. They act like stars in the worse meaning of the word: Being lazy abd not fighting for the result in EVERY game.
I hope Martin Jol will be more focused in the future to DEMAND more fighting spirit in the team - then we will get the Champion League spot !
I actually think that Malbranque will play attacking central midfield and Jenas will move to the right flank and Lennon to the left. Malbranque would have been a good signing two years ago,but we have since moved up a class.
There is still time for the left winger to be bought in. I hope so because although Lennon can do a job there he is much more effective on the right. Trouble is the fact that there no longer seems to be a class left wing that is available.
Jol has always stated since he took over, that he wants 2 good players fighting for all positions in the team.
he has now fullfilled that at goalkeeping, and strikers. he is now looking to fill in the gaps in defence and midfield. at the sametime, he is providing great experience to young english players, some still with us, others have even moved on.
for none-spurs fans who moan and bitch about that, then they need to move country and support someone like brazil who dont have home based players in their national team.
I wouldnt say you buy yourself to the top if you spend the money you get from selling players, like we’re doing. Chelsea spending money they didnt earn is buying your way to the top. My opinion. I’m not impressed with Malbranque though and the rumours of Zenden and Kewell is even more depressing. We’re looking like a make shift Bolton without the muscle. What happened to our young, English talent plan? Did that disappear with Arnesen?
Can you name this young English talent that we should be going for? Is there any available that is better than what we already have? We have tried to get Downing, can’t think of anyone else worth going for.
I think Spurs were flattered by their end of term position last season and even with the new additions that have ACTUALLY signed, their early season form suggests that their chickens are coming home to roost.
If Spurs want to buy their way into the Champions Leage then they need to buy players that would find a place in the current top four teams. I dont believe any of the names, with the exception of Baptista would fit into that caterory. Prediction … Another season of mediocrity and another new Manager next season.
Hope I am wrong though
Its a bit of a worry that so many new players are in your line up . [ But where is Mido? ] Spurs pulled off a magnificent leap up the premiership last season under Martin Jol, who has worked wonders through the combination of a good team spirit, sound defence and mid field . However a lot of the time they were not consistant and the changes are a little disturbing but lets hope for the best
Malbranque, how wonderful! - I bet Arsenal, Man U, Chelsea and Liverpool are really green eyed at us!
Then again, they have nothing to worry about for the next 3 months whilst he recovers from his groin injury, during which time, its more of the same as last week.