Rafael van der Vaart completed his move to Tottenham on the last day of the transfer window after an £8million move was thrashed out within two hours of the 6 o’clock deadline. The Dutch midfielder revealed today however that there was interest from Liverpool as well:
“Liverpool were interested. Bayern were not interested. In the end you have to have a good feeling, and with this manager I got a good feeling. I am happy and I am going to Spurs. I am going to give it my best and hopefully I will play a lot of games and be important for the team. I hope to get a lot of goals and have a lot of fun.”
I had been banging on about getting this Dutch playmaker for some time before his Tottenham move. Firstly, he was available for a decent price because of the number of midfielders that Real Madrid had on their books, and secondly he has the ability to create something out of nothing; a capability lacking in many Reds players. His apparent snub of Liverpool has got me thinking; did he opt for Tottenham purely because of the current situation at Anfield? Has the club’s reputation been lowered to the point where we can’t compete with Spurs for players?
On the face of it, it certainly looks the case. If we look at the two clubs currently, which one is the more attractive to an international star? A team in the Champions League, based in England’s capital with a large squad and a secure financial foundation, or a team who finished seventh last season who have a big European reputation but have a small squad and are in a middle of a takeover? If we look at it from that perspective, things seem to be pretty clear cut.
However, if we look past these factors, there are also other circumstances that come into play. Most probably, there may have been interest from Liverpool but it is unlikely they offered a deal for the player. The fact that the Reds had to offer a player in a deal for Carlton Cole indicates that there was relatively little money for Roy Hodgson to spend. In any case, van der Vaart would not have been a priority over a new striker, and it seems unlikely they would have bid for the Dutch playmaker on top of a bid for another forward.
There is also the fact that Liverpool didn’t really have a space left in the team to accommodate him playing on a regular basis. Although van der Vaart can play on the left side, he is most happy playing in the centre of the park, and he would have slotted into the position where either Joe Cole or Steven Gerrard currently occupy, just behind Fernando Torres. I had this fantasy of van der Vaart and Cole interchanging between a left wing and central position, but I doubt this sort of idea was central to Roy Hodgson’s thinking while trying to shore up numbers at the end of the transfer window.
Although van der Vaart’s signing would have been a tremendous coup for Hodgson, I don’t think he would have been a likely target. I myself admire the player greatly and I believe he will be a good addition to Harry Redknapp’s side, but I don’t believe the deal to be an indicator as to how far Liverpool has fallen in the eyes of Europe’s top footballing talent.
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We will see who has the nerve to snub us next summer when the club will hopefully be sorted and lots of money spent on players then we will see cash hungry players who are desperate to play for us, not that i want to see players come to us for the money. On Van Der Vaart good luck to him hope he finds the form he once had, Real Madrid have ruined careers or taken away vital seasons away from some world class players by letting them rot on the bench……YNWA
he snubbed us for Champions League football and a starting place more often than not.
For right or wrong, it looks like Cole has been promised that central berth, and with Gerrard also in the team that would’ve left VDV as 3rd choice for his preferred position again or playing out wide where he does not shine.
Stop being so sensitive about everything and just accept that it was a sensible decision on his part
Does this snub mean anything at all? I mean first Tottenham say he was going to join Bayern for £18M then he joined them for a bargain £8M, then Bayern say they were never interested at all, then he says actually Bayern were never interested, but we were. It all strikes me as being a bit desperate from both parties. Van Der Faart hasn’t played football consistently for 2 or 3 years and hardly got a kick during the world cup either. Let the cock’s have him and please just shut the f*ck up about it all.
van der vaart was a good player a few years back. hes not even a starter for the dutch, didnt do a lot in the world cup so he probably picked the right team as he’ll be playing europa in a few months time then mid table @ end of season. i find it funny that spurs have 1 good season they now think theyre top 4 & will never drop out.
The one and ONLY he went to Spurs is, because he WILL get more playing time, than he would have done with Liverpool, he probably would have had been a bench warmer!!
The one and ONLY reason he went to Spurs is, because he WILL get more playing time, than he would have done with Liverpool, he probably would have had been a bench warmer!!
Robben’s comments was so funny!!!hahaha..he claimed that Van der vaart was better than the likes of Gerrard,Fabregas and Lampard for the premierleague!!you gotta be kidding me..i would take Raul Meireles any day.Van der vaart is a good player,but not that great.Modric is way more talented,i think.also that snub means nothing to me.i would want him in my team but he is not the player we lack now.Mario Gomez was the one i wanted us to buy.we might go after him in January.Kevin Doyle and Carlton Cole are worse than Ngog so the money would be spent very bad.Mario Gomez is one of the best strikers in germany and it means nothing that he didnt play we ll for Bayern.sell all our loan players:Aquilani,Degen,Insua,El Zhar,..etc.buy Mario Gomez with those money and we’ll also have money to spend,considering that Roy has already 9 million at his disposal.with new owners,make 2 transfers,but great transfers giving us chance to go for the title.i have faith in Roy and i think that good times will come.we were playing horribly last year,and we still were so close to the 4th place.this year i see us getting the 4th spot.
I’d have him over Lucas any day, he’ll do well for spurs.
I think promising Cole the central role will price to be costly!
We need him on the wings where he may be effective..
So someone will have to have give, it’s either Roy or Joe… That sounds funny doesn’t it..
The manager has made a promise to Cole that doesn’t benefit the team at all…
If he continues to play the position in the same fashion and Roy continues to play him central, then you know who has the final say….
And it won’t be Roy!
Cole needs to receive the ball in advanced positions on the wings…
Down the middle, iv seen him run 20yrds with the ball across the middle crowding the person he should have past the ball to 19yrds earliar…
It just an early observation…
I’d rather he ran 20/30yrds down the line and cross or cut in johnson style…
It’s not what’s he likes it’s what the club needs and pays him for!
Be a man hodgson! Don’t worry if you do play him on the wing he will still be a good buy and not a good bye 🙂
It’s just an
It still hasn’t sunk in yet , has it?
Liverpool finished 7th last season.
Liverpool won’t finish top 4 this season either.
Liverpool won’t finish above Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal, City or Tottenham Hotspur.
Expect more transfer windows like the one just gone. At least until the club has new owners.
Van der Vaart wants to play games and his preferred position is central midfield. Which midfield is it going to be easiest to do that in: Liverpools or Spurs?
With the greatest possible respect lads you are not the force you once were. Not saying we are a 4th place banker. You really need a dose of realism. VDV would WALK int your at present average squad (torres/gerrard excepted).
Hahahaha ….
“With the greatest possible respect lads you are not the force you once were. Not saying we are a 4th place banker. You really need a dose of realism. VDV would WALK int your at present average squad (torres/gerrard excepted)” …. That same squad (almost) came second the year before with 86 points …. no disrespect but how many points did Spurts get to scrape 4th? Lose to Wigan after a Euro game … welcome to the bigtime …. Spurs could be 8th or 9th ….. Great choice VDV !!!! No disrespect! Hahahahaha!!!
Van der Vaart is a pretty good player, but i’d take Meireles any day of the week.. old fish face just laid out a bit of cockney charm, fluttered his beak-like eyelids and Van der Vaart couldnt resist.
Well VanderVaart has been chased by Liverpool back to his dutch days, why they continued i dont know, theres way better options out there and its obvious he does not like Liverpool but who cares?
As far as Spurs go they had better make the most of the C.L this year because they wont be back for a long long long time.