Will Berbatov or Barry be transfer villian of 2008?
“Judas, Judas”, that evocative biblical name could be applied and regularly chanted at either Gareth Barry or Dimitar Berbatov next season if they are seen to depart their clubs for the promised land of the ‘Big Four’.
They’d be following in some familiar and famous footsteps in running the gauntlet of public opinion - deciding to sacrifice any good PR for a move to a better-placed club and the prospect of major honours.
Nick Barmby and Luis Figo (2000), Sol Campbell (2001), Rio Ferdinand (2002), Jermain Defoe, Wayne Rooney and Alan Smith (2004) know all about consequences of leaving a club you have developed ties with for a bitter rival.
Both Barry and Berbatov are loved by Aston Villa and Spurs fans respectively and their clubs’ would dig deep in their pockets to keep them, but they cannot currently offer the one thing that both players crave – Champions League football.
Both players in their mid-twenties and approaching the biggest contracts of their careers so you can forgive them a little tie for thought. But why not stay and be part of a bid to break through the glass ceiling that separates the top four from the rest ?
Barry, with two years at Villa left, senses that this could be his best chance of moving to a title challenger. Liverpool have submitted their opening gambit and await the outcome of talks between Martin O’Neill and Randy Lerner – and the player himself. The England midfielder has stayed pretty quiet so far, although his kiss the badge goal celebration after equalising against West Ham may say something about his state of mind.
I think most neutrals, and maybe some Liverpool fans who would rather the money be spent on someone else, would like Barry to stay at Villa Park. For England’s sake it may be better for Barry to remain an ever-present in the Villains midfield instead of taking his chances with Lucas, Javier Mascherano and Xavi Alonso for the role of Stevie G’s ‘Boy Wonder’ sidekick.
Villa are going in the right direction, they’d argue. Liverpool are beset with boardroom upheaval, it’s clear. So who knows what position the clubs could be in 12 months down the line ?
Well, on the other hand, look at it like this. If Barry signs a new deal at Villa and breaks his leg in the first game of the season, where would Villa be when he’s fit to return in say, six months time ? Top six ? Top eight ? Could they maintain a challenge without their skipper for over half the campaign ? I doubt it.
But, say he signs for Liverpool and still breaks his leg in August, what’s left for him to play for when he eventually makes his first-team return ? You’d expect his new club to be through to the Champions League knockout stages and still within two or three wins of top spot in the Premiership table ?
Therein lies the difference.
Unlike Barry, Berbatov has played Champions League football before. He’s even played in the final, although he unhappily finished on the losing side when his Bayer Leverkusen lost to Real Madrid in Glasgow, 2002.
Berbatov’s main contribution to that memorable showpiece was when, finding himself inside the Bayer penalty box just as Roberto Carlos’ deflected cross was dropping invitingly on the left-foot volley for Zinedine Zidane, he turned his back on the Frenchman’s shot to make sure he had a good view of it crashing into the top corner. Defending never really was his thing, but his ability to kill the ball with a deft first touch and thread immaculate balls through to team-mates, plus fire them in himself from impossible angles makes him interesting to Manchester United and Chelsea.
His case is slightly different as most Spurs fans would admit that their board may not be too disappointed to cash in on the Bulgarian if their valuation is met, although they would have some explaining to do.
Written by Simon Barlow, a professional sports writer who blogs about Euro 2008 betting at Betfair.
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Berba will not be called Judas. If an English team meet his valuation (reputed to be £30m+ for any English team) then we will be sad that he’s going but we’ll get over it.
Scumball was labeled a Judas as he went on a free to the worst club possible.
Even if the goons wanted Berba and could match the price, which I don’t think they could or would want to I don’t think the board are stupid enough to sell him to them.
The EPL is such a strange league, it’s the only league in the world where mediocrity is so celebrated and the most average of players finds a huge price tag attached to his head. With that said, if Berbatov gets the chance to go to one of big 4 he will go, as he should and I’m sure he’ll do well but I don’t think he will get the chance, not with a price tag like that. The reality is there are many strikers around the world who are at least as good and a lot cheaper. I can understand the temptation for Barry but if he is smart he will stay put because if he goes that’s the end of his England career. He is not good enough to hold down a place in that Liverpool middle unless someone goes, so he will either not play or be played out of his favoured position.
I’m sure if Berba finally comes to united, the blow would be softened by having the money to buy Eto’o. Makes you wonder why united aren’t being linked with Eto’o…. I guess Anderson, Nani and Tevez just happened out of nowhere last season, so maybe that we arent being linked with him is a good sign
also, its much more likely (read cheaper) we’ll get Fabiano, and put the 23million we’d save towards Micah Richards or Danny Alves….
@ Bayern The Greatest: Bayern is so great that they failed to qualify for Europe last season eh? If they didn’t spend 100M Euros at the end of last season they may not have been champions this season I bet you.
OH WOW RAED. We missed out on the champions league once in in about 7 year…. we must really be rubbish. Chelsea has a squad that cost over 300m… so whats ur point. We spent 70million euros on 7 or 8 players EPL clubs spend that amount on one player and yet history has shown that we are more successful in europe than all ur clubs except liverpool. And if spending money guarantees titles then what tottenhams excuse, they probably spent more than us. Even the smallest clubs in epl spend 20-30m a season so money doesnt buy titles
Berbatov 30million? I mean the lads a great player but aint that rippin the arse outta things. Although United are prone to splash 30million on players when they could buy similar talent for 10-15million
I think Bayern the Greatest has a very valid point too. So many players in the EPL are overhyped nowadys. Im not being cocky or anything but Torres is probably the only striker in the league that would make it into the top 10 strikers list.
Ronaldo also is a great talent and all but scoring goals against weak defences doesnt make you a great player. Lionel Messi showed at Old Trafford he is a far superior player without hitting the back of the net but yet Ronaldo was praised for being a great “team player”.
Ronaldo wont survive in the spanish league there is too much quality in every team.
I’m glad to see that there is someone else in this place that actually knows something about football and can speak objectively on the subject. Liverpool_Fan, I totally agree with you especially on the Ronaldo point. He does very well against average and poor teams but against good teams he is generally average at best. Did you c the barca game where he so frustrated becuz he couldnt just use is speed to run away from players like he does in epl. I think people are getting confused becuz he being constantly linked with good sides like Real but what they r not realising is that he would be their next Beckham…brought in for commercial/merchandising reasons and not for football. Ronaldo would struggle in Spain cuz u need more than just pace over there. Messi is a far superior player, I am astonished that people are actually comparing the two.
Messi and Torres both play against their share of poor defences, but still scored less than united’s winger this season. go figure.
ronaldo scoring goals against weak defences? you mea liverpool, chelsea, arsenal, roma,lyon, indeed so weak, not every1 can be as great as fernando