Bale. Could we? Would we? Should we?

[Lemonade Money]

It’s not just Bale, it’s every window, right back to Aguero, these ‘attempts’ to sign players that are obviously way out of our budget and that would take an immensely complex deal to actually happen, and we go for it on deadline day supposedly.

I’m not blaming Levy because we didn’t get this particular deal done, I’m blaming him because it’s a pattern that happens nearly every window, and what I’m annoyed about is not that we don’t get the deals done, because I don’t think we’re ever actually serious. I think we brief to the press that we’ve made a breakthrough or are making a serious bid, and then we hear later in the day it just wasn’t possible. It’s a repeated pattern and I’m pretty sure it’s PR guff to make fans feel like we are showing a level of ambition that we actually aren’t.

The Times don’t write that story out of nowhere. Someone briefs them. And given that it’s a repeated pattern at Spurs over multiple transfer windows, I’m pretty sure it comes from our side. Just a bit fed up of these pretend bids for obviously unattainable players that don’t fit anything remotely close to the budget or the strategy we have for signing players at any other point.

So yeah, I blame him for a PR trick that he pulls repeatedly.

This is nonsense IMHO. Not Levy's style. He may be aiming high and failing, in the interests of what's best for us, but I don't see a west ham style charade. When has Levy ever admitted that any of these rumours are true for example? Not sure why you're getting so uptight tbh, doesn't seem your normal persona.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

It’s not just Bale, it’s every window, right back to Aguero, these ‘attempts’ to sign players that are obviously way out of our budget and that would take an immensely complex deal to actually happen, and we go for it on deadline day supposedly.

I’m not blaming Levy because we didn’t get this particular deal done, I’m blaming him because it’s a pattern that happens nearly every window, and what I’m annoyed about is not that we don’t get the deals done, because I don’t think we’re ever actually serious. I think we brief to the press that we’ve made a breakthrough or are making a serious bid, and then we hear later in the day it just wasn’t possible. It’s a repeated pattern and I’m pretty sure it’s PR guff to make fans feel like we are showing a level of ambition that we actually aren’t.

The Times don’t write that story out of nowhere. Someone briefs them. And given that it’s a repeated pattern at Spurs over multiple transfer windows, I’m pretty sure it comes from our side. Just a bit fed up of these pretend bids for obviously unattainable players that don’t fit anything remotely close to the budget or the strategy we have for signing players at any other point.

So yeah, I blame him for a PR trick that he pulls repeatedly.

I’d blame the press myself clamouring for a story

even bales agent said multiple time it wasn’t happening and yet the same papers reported that and that it was... they contradicted themselves

levy doesn’t say a word at the best of times
Donna Cullen doesn’t do press and Jose does but it’s filmed

that doesn’t help the press sell advertising and we’re a big draw

hence why they will take a spurious rumour and make it into a fact

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I don’t really want to have to debate whether the press make stuff up or not. My view is that these kind of stories don’t originate out of nothing, someone from some side has an agenda and uses the media to serve theirs. But let’s take the generous assumption that they completely ‘made this up for clicks’.

I’m not talking about some random rumour of some obscure Brazilian player that the press have decided to link us to. This is a repeated pattern that happens on most transfer windows - some story about a player well out of our budget, that doesn’t fit with our transfer strategy at all, and just so happening to just fall at the final line, because of course we had a good chance of getting a super complex deal done in one day...

In this instance, The Times journo releases something in the morning and literally an hour later puts it out there that it won’t be happening. He isn’t just ‘making that up’, he’s the Chief Sports Correspondent from the paper. He’s reporting on what he gets told, both that it’s happening and that it’s not.

I find it a bit naive to think that Levy, just because he doesn’t give interviews much, doesn’t understand the power of PR and wouldn’t use it to his advantage. People mentioning Cullen above...the fact that we employ her suggests that he understands why positive PR would benefit him!

Ed Woodward employs PR people to brief about how instrumental he is in getting big deals over the line. This stuff happens, it’s how it works. If we were actually serious about bringing Bale back, knowing how much it would cost, how complex it would be, and how much outside of our traditional profile he now is, we would have tried it much earlier in the window rather than leaving it until the final day.

We weren’t serious, and I think it is titillating PR to pretend to the fans we’re showing big ambition, something to get excited over, and I’d say judging by the responses to me here, it seems like it works. Anyone that’s read my posts knows I’m not a ‘can’t wait for any excuse to criticise Levy’ kind of guy. And he’s done a lot of good for us. All I’m saying is, I’m bored of the spin game that seems to happen most transfer windows. We were never going to sign Aguero from Atletico, and we were never bringing Bale back. It’s pure PR spin IMV to keep us excited and believing we’re on our way to doing something big. I’d just rather us actually do something like it rather than pretending we’re going to.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I don’t really want to have to debate whether the press make stuff up or not. My view is that these kind of stories don’t originate out of nothing, someone from some side has an agenda and uses the media to serve theirs. But let’s take the generous assumption that they completely ‘made this up for clicks’.

I’m not talking about some random rumour of some obscure Brazilian player that the press have decided to link us to. This is a repeated pattern that happens on most transfer windows - some story about a player well out of our budget, that doesn’t fit with our transfer strategy at all, and just so happening to just fall at the final line, because of course we had a good chance of getting a super complex deal done in one day...

In this instance, The Times journo releases something in the morning and literally an hour later puts it out there that it won’t be happening. He isn’t just ‘making that up’, he’s the Chief Sports Correspondent from the paper. He’s reporting on what he gets told, both that it’s happening and that it’s not.

I find it a bit naive to think that Levy, just because he doesn’t give interviews much, doesn’t understand the power of PR and wouldn’t use it to his advantage. People mentioning Cullen above...the fact that we employ her suggests that he understands why positive PR would benefit him!

Ed Woodward employs PR people to brief about how instrumental he is in getting big deals over the line. This stuff happens, it’s how it works. If we were actually serious about bringing Bale back, knowing how much it would cost, how complex it would be, and how much outside of our traditional profile he now is, we would have tried it much earlier in the window rather than leaving it until the final day.

We weren’t serious, and I think it is titillating PR to pretend to the fans we’re showing big ambition, something to get excited over, and I’d say judging by the responses to me here, it seems like it works. Anyone that’s read my posts knows I’m not a ‘can’t wait for any excuse to criticise Levy’ kind of guy. And he’s done a lot of good for us. All I’m saying is, I’m bored of the spin game that seems to happen most transfer windows. We were never going to sign Aguero from Atletico, and we were never bringing Bale back. It’s pure PR spin IMV to keep us excited and believing we’re on our way to doing something big. I’d just rather us actually do something like it rather than pretending we’re going to.

You know who the new united PR is don’t you?
An ex press guy as it allows him or them to plants the seeds of bullsheet ghat may placte fans or the press

my mate directly challenged two press guys on twitter and neither could qualify or explain their source. One even said it had it second hand but it was his duty to report it

 

[DeanoAustin]

This makes total sense when only considering the on-pitch contribution. But a signing like Bale would, I think, really help to elevate us in terms of off-pitch profile and clout, bridging the gap to the true elite level clubs. I remember thinking similar over the proposed Beckham loan 9-10 years back. It would have been so much more than just a short term, on-pitch addition.

You can argue over the extent to which such considerations should come into the calculation, but they shouldn't be ignored altogether IMO.

Very good point I hadn't really considered. It would be a massive statement and bring off pitch benefits.

 

[milo]

I don’t really want to have to debate whether the press make stuff up or not. My view is that these kind of stories don’t originate out of nothing, someone from some side has an agenda and uses the media to serve theirs. But let’s take the generous assumption that they completely ‘made this up for clicks’.

I’m not talking about some random rumour of some obscure Brazilian player that the press have decided to link us to. This is a repeated pattern that happens on most transfer windows - some story about a player well out of our budget, that doesn’t fit with our transfer strategy at all, and just so happening to just fall at the final line, because of course we had a good chance of getting a super complex deal done in one day...

In this instance, The Times journo releases something in the morning and literally an hour later puts it out there that it won’t be happening. He isn’t just ‘making that up’, he’s the Chief Sports Correspondent from the paper. He’s reporting on what he gets told, both that it’s happening and that it’s not.

I find it a bit naive to think that Levy, just because he doesn’t give interviews much, doesn’t understand the power of PR and wouldn’t use it to his advantage. People mentioning Cullen above...the fact that we employ her suggests that he understands why positive PR would benefit him!

Ed Woodward employs PR people to brief about how instrumental he is in getting big deals over the line. This stuff happens, it’s how it works. If we were actually serious about bringing Bale back, knowing how much it would cost, how complex it would be, and how much outside of our traditional profile he now is, we would have tried it much earlier in the window rather than leaving it until the final day.

We weren’t serious, and I think it is titillating PR to pretend to the fans we’re showing big ambition, something to get excited over, and I’d say judging by the responses to me here, it seems like it works. Anyone that’s read my posts knows I’m not a ‘can’t wait for any excuse to criticise Levy’ kind of guy. And he’s done a lot of good for us. All I’m saying is, I’m bored of the spin game that seems to happen most transfer windows. We were never going to sign Aguero from Atletico, and we were never bringing Bale back. It’s pure PR spin IMV to keep us excited and believing we’re on our way to doing something big. I’d just rather us actually do something like it rather than pretending we’re going to.

I don't think that the stories around Bale originate from the club or that we have ever had a serious interest in bringing him back. Quite often the press report on stories published elsewhere and the Spanish press is awash with unsubstantiated gossip.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I don't think that the stories around Bale originate from the club or that we have ever had a serious interest in bringing him back. Quite often the press report on stories published elsewhere and the Spanish press is awash with unsubstantiated gossip.

it sells column inches
Like i said above you had the same paper reporting his agents quotes saying nothin is happening, alongside an article saying talks are...

 

[parklane1]

I don’t really want to have to debate whether the press make stuff up or not. My view is that these kind of stories don’t originate out of nothing, someone from some side has an agenda and uses the media to serve theirs. But let’s take the generous assumption that they completely ‘made this up for clicks’.

I’m not talking about some random rumour of some obscure Brazilian player that the press have decided to link us to. This is a repeated pattern that happens on most transfer windows - some story about a player well out of our budget, that doesn’t fit with our transfer strategy at all, and just so happening to just fall at the final line, because of course we had a good chance of getting a super complex deal done in one day...

In this instance, The Times journo releases something in the morning and literally an hour later puts it out there that it won’t be happening. He isn’t just ‘making that up’, he’s the Chief Sports Correspondent from the paper. He’s reporting on what he gets told, both that it’s happening and that it’s not.

I find it a bit naive to think that Levy, just because he doesn’t give interviews much, doesn’t understand the power of PR and wouldn’t use it to his advantage. People mentioning Cullen above...the fact that we employ her suggests that he understands why positive PR would benefit him!

Ed Woodward employs PR people to brief about how instrumental he is in getting big deals over the line. This stuff happens, it’s how it works. If we were actually serious about bringing Bale back, knowing how much it would cost, how complex it would be, and how much outside of our traditional profile he now is, we would have tried it much earlier in the window rather than leaving it until the final day.

We weren’t serious, and I think it is titillating PR to pretend to the fans we’re showing big ambition, something to get excited over, and I’d say judging by the responses to me here, it seems like it works. Anyone that’s read my posts knows I’m not a ‘can’t wait for any excuse to criticise Levy’ kind of guy. And he’s done a lot of good for us. All I’m saying is, I’m bored of the spin game that seems to happen most transfer windows. We were never going to sign Aguero from Atletico, and we were never bringing Bale back. It’s pure PR spin IMV to keep us excited and believing we’re on our way to doing something big. I’d just rather us actually do something like it rather than pretending we’re going to.

Well i still do not agree with you but's that's fine as Stop! Hammer time, what i will say is that fans ( and it seems quite a few) seem to believe what they read in the press or on T W atter and that is at best foolish. imo

 

[milo]

it sells column inches
Like i said above you had the same paper reporting his agents quotes saying nothin is happening, alongside an article saying talks are...

Yep and a lot of the journalists are looking to raise their profile so that they get more media work

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I don't think that the stories around Bale originate from the club or that we have ever had a serious interest in bringing him back. Quite often the press report on stories published elsewhere and the Spanish press is awash with unsubstantiated gossip.

it sells column inches
Like i said above you had the same paper reporting his agents quotes saying nothin is happening, alongside an article saying talks are...

The Times directly responded to their own story saying that Spurs were denying it.

I think people are confusing clickbait rumours with the press being used as PR pawns by various people with agendas. Someone, somewhere was briefing The Times. Someone else then briefed them saying it wasn’t gonna happen. They weren’t trying to have it both ways.

All I’m saying is, these stories come from somewhere. Either we’re not serious at all and it’s pure PR spin or we really do leave the most complex possible deals until the very last minute and are then shocked that we can’t get it done. I don’t believe Levy is stupid enough to do the latter and I don’t think Matt Lawton literally made something up out of nothing. I think, despite the fact that we never make a signing that comes outside of our core strategy (young, lots of upside and we’ll pay some decent cash, or older and cheaper) we still get these kind of stories coming. They’re never serious and so I think it’s titillation from the club to keep fans interested and believing that we are showing grand ambition.

If we actually pull one of these deals off, ever, then great. But I think these ‘moves’ are so Spurs can present an image of ‘at least we tried’.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

You know who the new united PR is don’t you?
An ex press guy as it allows him or them to plants the seeds of bullsheet ghat may placte fans or the press

my mate directly challenged two press guys on twitter and neither could qualify or explain their source. One even said it had it second hand but it was his duty to report it

This I completely agree with, but it feels like you are suggested that what I’m saying is incorrect?

United hiring Neil Ashton is precisely because clubs like to play the PR game, to brief certain things and in their case try and get Woodward some positive spin to keep the pressure off. We have Donna Cullen, I’m sure we do PR things from our side too, and these ‘moves’ have been too regular and too out of whack with our usual signing strategy and it makes me think it’s titillation.

 

[milo]

The Times directly responded to their own story saying that Spurs were denying it.

I think people are confusing clickbait rumours with the press being used as PR pawns by various people with agendas. Someone, somewhere was briefing The Times. Someone else then briefed them saying it wasn’t gonna happen. They weren’t trying to have it both ways.

All I’m saying is, these stories come from somewhere. Either we’re not serious at all and it’s pure PR spin or we really do leave the most complex possible deals until the very last minute and are then shocked that we can’t get it done. I don’t believe Levy is stupid enough to do the latter and I don’t think Matt Lawton literally made something up out of nothing. I think, despite the fact that we never make a signing that comes outside of our core strategy (young, lots of upside and we’ll pay some decent cash, or older and cheaper) we still get these kind of stories coming. They’re never serious and so I think it’s titillation from the club to keep fans interested and believing that we are showing grand ambition.

If we actually pull one of these deals off, ever, then great. But I think these ‘moves’ are so Spurs can present an image of ‘at least we tried’.

I doubt that the club is briefing on transfer rumours and certainly not on players like Bale who we have no interest in. Mostly, I think that it is papers reporting on unfounded rumours published elsewhere and agents linking their players to moves to stir up interest (and try and drive up wages/their cut). There is a market for gossip and papers are there to earn money not as a statement of record.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I doubt that the club is briefing on transfer rumours and certainly not on players like Bale who we have no interest in. Mostly, I think that it is papers reporting on unfounded rumours published elsewhere and agents linking their players to moves to stir up interest (and try and drive up wages/their cut). There is a market for gossip and papers are there to earn money not as a statement of record.

Thanks for the explainer!

 

[milo]

Thanks for the explainer!

I've been regularly dealing with the media, in a different sector, for about fifteen years. I'm not trying to explain anything to you but I do think that I have a reasonable understanding of how they operate.

 

[parklane1]

I doubt that the club is briefing on transfer rumours and certainly not on players like Bale who we have no interest in. Mostly, I think that it is papers reporting on unfounded rumours published elsewhere and agents linking their players to moves to stir up interest (and try and drive up wages/their cut). There is a market for gossip and papers are there to earn money not as a statement of record.

Sums it up for me.

 

[BrainOfLevy]

I've been regularly dealing with the media, in a different sector, for about fifteen years. I'm not trying to explain anything to you but I do think that I have a reasonable understanding of how they operate.

Yeah...I’ve had some exposure too.

Let me ask you this, in a world where we very obviously have a PR person in a senior position in our club, where United are hiring a journalist, do you or do you not think we brief the press on anything? Do you think there is any benefit at all to spinning our stories, perhaps to put pressure on a club so we can sign a player? Maybe by spinning that we are interested in 3 other strikers to force the hand of a selling club for a target?

It’s just a small example, but it definitely happens. And there could be myriad reasons why any organisation would want to spin in the press to suit their own ends. I guess I’m just a bit confused why Spurs / Levy would be above the fray of doing anything for a PR benefit when other clubs clearly do it.

 

[Bedfordspurs]

Yeah...I’ve had some exposure too.

Let me ask you this, in a world where we very obviously have a PR person in a senior position in our club, where United are hiring a journalist, do you or do you not think we brief the press on anything? Do you think there is any benefit at all to spinning our stories, perhaps to put pressure on a club so we can sign a player? Maybe by spinning that we are interested in 3 other strikers to force the hand of a selling club for a target?

It’s just a small example, but it definitely happens. And there could be myriad reasons why any organisation would want to spin in the press to suit their own ends. I guess I’m just a bit confused why Spurs / Levy would be above the fray of doing anything for a PR benefit when other clubs clearly do it.

I don’t think we are but I think your bale example isn’t one

it’s probably happened more when trying to shift players

I’ve met Donna as she lives local to me and her role at the club is marketing rather than PR

the PR as you describe it would come via a director of football

 

[ricky2tricky4city]

I don’t really want to have to debate whether the press make stuff up or not. My view is that these kind of stories don’t originate out of nothing, someone from some side has an agenda and uses the media to serve theirs. But let’s take the generous assumption that they completely ‘made this up for clicks’.

I’m not talking about some random rumour of some obscure Brazilian player that the press have decided to link us to. This is a repeated pattern that happens on most transfer windows - some story about a player well out of our budget, that doesn’t fit with our transfer strategy at all, and just so happening to just fall at the final line, because of course we had a good chance of getting a super complex deal done in one day...

In this instance, The Times journo releases something in the morning and literally an hour later puts it out there that it won’t be happening. He isn’t just ‘making that up’, he’s the Chief Sports Correspondent from the paper. He’s reporting on what he gets told, both that it’s happening and that it’s not.

I find it a bit naive to think that Levy, just because he doesn’t give interviews much, doesn’t understand the power of PR and wouldn’t use it to his advantage. People mentioning Cullen above...the fact that we employ her suggests that he understands why positive PR would benefit him!

Ed Woodward employs PR people to brief about how instrumental he is in getting big deals over the line. This stuff happens, it’s how it works. If we were actually serious about bringing Bale back, knowing how much it would cost, how complex it would be, and how much outside of our traditional profile he now is, we would have tried it much earlier in the window rather than leaving it until the final day.

We weren’t serious, and I think it is titillating PR to pretend to the fans we’re showing big ambition, something to get excited over, and I’d say judging by the responses to me here, it seems like it works. Anyone that’s read my posts knows I’m not a ‘can’t wait for any excuse to criticise Levy’ kind of guy. And he’s done a lot of good for us. All I’m saying is, I’m bored of the spin game that seems to happen most transfer windows. We were never going to sign Aguero from Atletico, and we were never bringing Bale back. It’s pure PR spin IMV to keep us excited and believing we’re on our way to doing something big. I’d just rather us actually do something like it rather than pretending we’re going to.

To think that Twitter gash and tabloid a.rsewipe has affected you enough to post what you have is a worry. Do you feel hoodwinked, cheated, short changed?

 

[Rorschach]

What number did he get? Buzzin.

Wot? You WOT? I fudging hate football. fudge Spurs Levy you cvnt. I'm supporting Sheffield Rovers. FUUCCK OFFF!!!!

 

[metalgear]

Spot on and we will probably have to go through all the same brick in the summer.



There will always be some who can not wait to slag Levy. Sad really.

i guess there's some fun in that for some. i don't mind if it not taken too seriously.