Selling Walker the right move
2 min read
TRANSFER TALK
When it comes to selling players, certainly from a business point of view, you want to sell them while they still command a good fee. If you keep them too long, as they get older their value drops, as possibly does their performance.
Kyle Walker wanted to leave. He wouldn't try and force a move, but Pochettino is creating a happy environment that is conducive to team spirit and good performances. It is an atmosphere where everyone fights for each other and a player who would rather be somewhere else isn't adding to that environment, they are detracting from it.
It made sense therefore from a footballing, as well as business point of view, to sell Kyle Walker for the best price possible. Manchester City could have bought any right-back they wanted, but they also need to buy home grown players, who command a premium fee. Strengthening them thus makes no difference, as they would have strengthened anyway. By selling to them we got a bigger fee than we would have done elsewhere where the home grown factor wouldn't come into play and thus would mean a decrease in the fee obtained.
“He’s one of the best full-backs in England and Manchester City have paid a lot of money – £50m – just like they have signed different players to try to get success in the future. But, for me, I think we have seen the best of Kyle with Tottenham.
“We helped him improve and learn. When you pay this type of amount for a player, it’s because he’s top and because you are at your best. Then it’s normal that he will succeed. It’s a big pressure because when you pay for some players, the pressure to perform as well in every game becomes greater. It will be different, the pressure, for him. But there is no doubt that he is a quality player, a talented player. And there is no doubt that he will succeed with Manchester City. We never had a problem. Never,”
If Mauricio Pochettino was happy to let him and go and feels Spurs have seen the best of him then I for one am happy to go along with his decision, yes his decision, not Daniel Levy selling him because someone had offered a lot of money.
Time for Kieran Trippier and the new right-back we buy to step up to the plate and improve.
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6 comments
Look, we have made a MASSIVE error in selling Walker! If you want a squad like ours to fulfil their destiny you DON'T sell one of your KEY players ..especially to a rival looking to overturn 2 seasons of finishing behind us in the PL. Both Walker and Trippier would have been needed this season with possibly 60+ games, many on a strength sapping Wembley pitch! I don't care if Walker wanted to go (he could have been persuaded to wait one more year until we had time to bed in a proper replacement, whether it was KWP or a purchase) or whether he had a row with Poch (if Poch has a weakness it's not forgiving those he falls out with). No. Walker could and should have stayed one more VITAL season.
I'd have been happy with few additions this summer, or maybe even non…
Funnily enough I really really HOPE you're right and that Poch and Levy haven't made a mistake ..but ..
If I'm honest, and go back over what you've said without my natural inclination to dismiss it as argumentative and showing little faith in a management team I see criticised so often in spite of their overall excellent track record, then I have to admit that I agree with many of your points and, while I think you may be mistaken, feel great sympathy with the sense of many others.
In truth, it doesn't appear to me to be an obviously good thing. I was certainly disappointed when I heard of it. On the other hand I have learned to trust in the good sense of the management. It may be that Walker is just past his best and we're selling him at just the right point. Then maybe he isn't and we're not. My guess is that his head, while always fair man, may not be in the right place for MP to get the best out of him this season. Maybe MP sees what we can't. It'…