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Berba saga hurt Spurs, says Poyet
Tom Collomosse, Evening Standard17.09.08
Gus Poyet has blamed Tottenham's poor start to the season on the Dimitar Berbatov transfer saga.
Spurs, with only one point from four games, are bottom of the Premier League after their worst start to a season for 34 years.
After one appearance as a Spurs substitute this term, Berbatov moved to Manchester United for £30.75million just hours before the transfer deadline.
Asked whether it had hindered Spurs' form, assistant manager Poyet said: "Definitely. It is difficult when you are waiting and waiting until the last day. We knew he wasn't going to be here. He was not happy and it was difficult working with him because we knew he was going. He had made up his mind and could not start the first two games."
Spurs begin their UEFA Cup campaign against Wisla Krakow tomorrow with confidence low and Poyet added: "This is our situation. We have to work hard."
Reader views (9)
Steve of Kent...
What would you do if faced with players and staff who by hook or by crook have decded to leave. Surely the only way to get some pay back is money and whatever you may think of Mr Levy he's good at that.
I think there are some very tricky times ahead for alot more clubs as well as Spurs. Fortunatly, financialy we have a chairman who can run a tight ship.
No sponsors going broke... no chairman yet... selling the club, and a healthy bank balance.
Come on you Spurs tonight.
- Glennda, Berkhamsted... England
I'd argue that Robbie Keane hurt us a lot more than Berbatovs departure did. We all knew Berba was off but Robbie was a shock and rocked the forward line that Ramos was no doubt expecting. Since we won the Carling Cup we've been a joke but it is a new team and I've no doubt it will gel soon and get on a run!
- Chris Lunn, Bracknell, Berkshire
Rob Hotspurs - what would you have done differently to Levy? If he had sold Berbatov for under £25M at the start of the window (I recall only Manure had made an offer and that was around £22M), the fans would have slated him for selling Berbs to our rivals on the cheap. We would have been tagged again as a selling club with no ambition - remember the reaction to the Carrick sale?
Levy got a price that was acceptable to the fans for the two want-away strikers - the shame was that for reasons we will never really know, we failed to get the replacements we wanted.
- Parklane67, Tottenham
I use to be a admirer of Daniel Levy however after his handling of the Berbatov transfer saga my admiration of Levy has gone and is now replaced with pure anger and frustration. History proves that our chairman has as much backbone as a worm with these pathetic idle hot air threats of reporting clubs for tapping up our personel.
Frank Arnesen to Chelsea!
R.Keane to Liverpool!
Berbatov to Man Utd!
They have all been threatened by Levy only for those clubs to give him some extra cash to keep his mouth shut.
The fact that Levy relied on the incompetent Comolli to sort out a replacement before Berbatov's exit highlights to me just how poor Mr Levy judgement is. As a result we are now paying a very high price for there appalling buisness dealings and i really do fear we are in for a very long season. Please Please Please just go Levy and take Comolli with you!
- Steve, Kent
Disapointing comment from Gus, if they knew Judastov was on his way they should have kept him away from 1st team affairs and make him train and play in the reserves. Glad to see he is just as lazy in a Man Utd shirt as he was in one of ours, no doubt he is a great player but does not do it often enough for me, I'd rather have him than Bent though, I've seen some bad players at Spurs over the years, Vega, Trammazani, Stalteri, Gardener, Dawson, Reid etc, etc and Bent is right up there with them! But surely Comolli is not to blame for all of these.......... is he ?
- Paxton, N17
Although I dont condone Berbatov's behavoir, Daniel Levy knew that he was unhappy last Christmas & messed up the negotiations to ensure a high transfer fee. The cost of which is having insufficient time, during the transfer window, to secure an extra forward, in addition to Pavluchenko, at a resonable cost. I cant see us achieving the top floor place Levy brought Ramos to the club for & suggest that we will struggle to even reach the top six.
- Rob Hotspurs, South London
It might have some effect but it had no effect on the strange team selection for Monday night?
- Abe, South Africa
what rubbish-you were the ones who would not close the deal-its a poor craftsman who blames his tools-you have been rubbish-that's it-Sorry-next one will be Gus was on his way to Geordie land-get a grip and start playing or get used to Championship football!!
- Keith Skelton, colombo-Sri Lanka
More reason why both Levy and Comolli should consider their positions at the club. Once again Mr Levy's pathetic idle threats just to get a little extra cash out of the deal has left us in a right mess. Levy's faith in Comolli is pathetic and as a result we now find ourselves with last seasons 4th choice striker as our main threat, an unproven Russian and a Man Utd reserve kid. TAXI FOR LEVY AND COMOLLI PLEASE!!!
- Steve, Kent
