We clearly have different opinions then - and in the case of Clint and Son the analogy did not apply because we paid well over the odds compared to the price another club in the same league would have paid. It was not in WBA interest to drag this out because they wanted the money for replacements. Pulis's comments bear this out and it is backed by the director's comments today.
With regards to the analogy not applying to Clint or Son, it seems to apply for De Bruyne and the numerous other transfers that have happened from Lyon including our own Lloris. WBA do not need to start trying to identify replacements as soon as they have received a bid. You don't start a transfer window without having targets in mind for all your problem areas and having plans for the areas that you want to strengthen. When our interest started, they will have been given every indication that the sale of Berahino was a possibility and so they should start trying to either find replacements or methods of how to spend the incoming. It absolutely is in their interests to drag out to the last moment when there is only one club interested in the player.
It seems to have worked for Liverpool in the case of Benteke and for City's transfer of Sterling - which are the closest we can get to the Berahino attempt.
I think you said or someone else that it was unfair to use a case of a release clause which is what Benteke had. As for Sterling, I think that is a long way away from Berahino. £50m for a teenager who is a long way better than Berahino and Tottenham Hotspur bank balance v Emirates Marketing Project.
The evidence for this are the comments of a dozen clubs with whom we conducted major transfers in the past years.
And the counter is the excessive number of transfers that we have made without any sort of comment that is made. I don't tend to believe other club's side of the stories. The reason? If they have sold and are making those comments then why did they agree to the sale? It obviously was acceptable otherwise they would have accepted it. If they refuse the bid, then of course they will say that our offer was below their valuation. What other reason would there be for a failed bid?
Again totally wrong analogies. Seville were skint and needed the Soldado money and we actually paid over the odds for the other three - as proven by the comments of both Roma and Lyon presidents.
OK, let me accept for the moment that we paid over the odds for the other 3. If Levy has history of paying over the odds, why wouldn't he do so here? It doesn't make sense. The fact is that Levy has made plenty of purchases both domestically and abroad without so much of a murmour (Palacios, Bentley, Defoe, Keane, Kaboul, Chimbonda, Soldado, Lamela, Paulinho, Capoue, Modric, Berbatov......) yet it is only the ones where the other clubs have come out to say they didn't like the way he does business that people wish to believe.
I bet it will... How many big money deadline day buys do you remember the top 6 getting in the past 5 years? How many Moutinho or Berahino situations did they have?
I guess this means that you will not do the analysis. So we have my evidence and facts which suggests that the insinuation that Levy really likes last minute deals is gonads, and then we just have your bet. Happy for anyone else to do the research and then we can comment.
As for other clubs making deadline day buys I give you:
Emirates Marketing Project - De Bruyne, De Michelis and Robinho. I don't know about any of their failed signings as I don't follow them.
Man United - Martial, Daley Blind, Fellaini. I don't know about any of their failed bids either.
Chelsea - Stones (failed bid),
Papy Djilobodji, Remy, Wilian, Eto'o, Atsu.
Liverpool - Balotelli, Sakho, Moses, Ilori.
Arsenal - Welbeck, Ozil.
Now for a lot of varying reasons I don't think they are comparable as all of those clubs have far bigger resources than us, but even with those resources they still don't manage to get their deals done early. Think of all those lost points for those teams.
I guess we will need to agree to disagree. As I said, this relates to one transfer and I guess the reason many of us got such a bad taste in the mouth is because Poch was practically pleading how important a backup for Kane was.
I agree.. let's move on; though if (GHod forbid) Kane gets a bad injury before Christmas you can pretty much be sure that this thread will be back on the hot seat
You're probably right. I don't think missing out on Berahino is crime of the century as it is being made out (I have embellished but truthfully that is what it seems). At least I have seen from a number of posters that they have an appreciation for Levy's good things so there is a bit of balance. I just don't like sensationalism and I don't like being critical for the sake of being critical as if there is some sort of bias. I'm not saying that we should not criticise, I am saying that where we can give the benefit of the doubt we should do so as he has earned that right, imho.