Very begrudgingly, I'm accepting the exchange of players. Here in North America, I've seen what Bale has done for the club's image. They've become a high-profile team and are being noticed more than ever by fans and media alike. That awareness has grown a sense of admiration for a club that constantly punches above its weight, that has a history of playing with style and has a proper culture about it.
That didn't come from one player, one manager or from one season. But in the case of Bale, he became our lightning burst in a field of gray last year. Without him, we'd have finished mid-table. His goals were pure eye-candy yet we weren't seeing anyone else share that glory. Gone was Van der Vaart and the emotional spark he so often provided. Adebayor was regretably forgetable. Defoe and Lennon had their moments, but few and far between. It's easy to get caught up in everything Bale did and insist he stay. But we need to broaden our base. To rely on one player this season is walking a tightrope.
I always looked at Wigan as a gateway club to the Premier League. Spurs can be viewed as a gateway club to the Champions League. We're good, we're competitive, we're a place to get noticed. If the club can put it all together, the players will achieve CL play as in 2010 by finishing top four. If we can't, CL play will come via getting noticed and being transferred.
So now we've enticed an ambitious and talented group to come to England and play for us in place of Bale and ten guys named Moe(sorry, harsh for effect). I'm under no illusions that if AVB can't meld them into a close, cohesive unit, we might well be looking at further departures next season.
But I put some faith in believing that AVB is well-regarded by many players. He's an ambitious man in the midst of re-habilitating his image as a future superstar manager, something tarnished by his stint at Chelsea. He knows this is the place and the time for him to achieve success. He's been given the money and the moral support to go out and build a side he feels he can win with. And the owners know if he wins, they win as it will bolster their commercial success and drive the stadium project.
So, yeah, I think the current rollover of the squad to compensate for the loss of Bale is acceptable. In saying that, I still wonder if Bale is really going. The build up of new players is certainly a statement of intent, but who'd put it past Levy to make an even greater statement of intent by not only moving the goalposts of this deal, but absolutely tearing them down by keeping Bale?
The club's profile would absolutely rocket.
