It's easy to be wise after the fact but he was about to go on loan and not a Spurs fan would've batted an eyelid had that happened.
Wilfried Zaha
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It's easy to be wise after the fact but he was about to go on loan and not a Spurs fan would've batted an eyelid had that happened.
Can we not turn this into a GlastonSpur indulgence thread about Bale? feck sake.
He cost £10 (original reported price) 7 years ago, that coupled with inflation would represent more than £12 million now.
Bale was £5m rising to £10m but due to financial issues with the club they settled on £2m more instead so it was £7m total.
Stop talking about Bale!
Zaha's just over a year older than Bale and Chamberlain were when they moved.
Bale was a bit shite when he went to Spurs at the start. Was signed as a leftback but wasn't very good at it, they lucked out a bit that he was able to change his game to play further forward, and obviously he has improved massively, but Glaston is talking absolute balls if he says Spurs fans always knew he was going to turn out the way he has. There was talk of them cutting their losses on him a couple of years back because he was a terrible leftback and couldn't defend for shit.
He was dropped and rarely played at one point, when he did play Spurs lost. Id say if Harry didn't come in and play him on the wing rather than at left back he'd probably have been sold shortly after.
I know this isn't the place for it but since it's already going on, I always thought Bale looked talented but the media and opposing fans loved running with the cursed tag. The talent was still there to see even when he was "cursed".
Not as a leftback, which was what he was signed as. He was shit because he couldn't defend. He still can't.
If they were both 17, and he's 20, I don't see how that's possible.
But let's not argue over such a minor point. Fergie wouldn't have bought him unless he saw loads of potential - whether he's 18 or 20.
Edit: he hasn't actually bought him yet!
A few stories I have read over the past few weeks suggest that the 12 to 15 mil price tag includes a bunch of incentives, that it will be an initial 6 to 8mil. The rest gets paid based on Zaha hitting certaining performance goals (but the reports did not say what they were).
So if this is true, then I think we can be less worried about the price.
So if this is true, then I think we can be less worried about the price.
Bale was born on July 16th, 1989. He joined Spurs on May 25th, 2007. He was almost 18.
Ox was born on August 15, 1993. He joined Arsenal on Aug 8th, 2011. 7 days shy of his 18th B'day. Signed for 12m upfront + 3m add ons.
Zaha was Born on Nov 10th, 1992. Makes him 20+
Ox was born on August 15, 1993. He joined Arsenal on Aug 8th, 2011. 7 days shy of his 18th B'day. Signed for 12m upfront + 3m add ons.
Zaha was Born on Nov 10th, 1992. Makes him 20+
It's funny how so many of you think twenty is some grand old age for a footballer these days.
Right? He turned 20 in November ffs, after seeing how long it took Cleverley to become a permanent fixture in the team he is still very young.
Indeed, he was playing really shit for a while at left back and took something like 50 games before he got his first win.
He was going to be loaned out (possibly sold) to Nottingham Forest in the January 2010 window, but I think one of their wingers got injured so Harry decided to push him further forward and the rest is history.
But why are we talking about Bale?
I wonder how the age of the poster effects that. I remember thinking the same thing when I was between the ages of 15-20 or so. Once I started being older than these kids it finally hit me that I'm probably being far too harsh and unrealistic.
What age do Wingers generally peak?
Cristiano Ronaldo seemed to hit his swagger around 22 and has just improved ever since. I can't really say when Nani 'peaked' I think he's been quite inconsistent his entire career.
Cristiano Ronaldo seemed to hit his swagger around 22 and has just improved ever since. I can't really say when Nani 'peaked' I think he's been quite inconsistent his entire career.
If he has kept improving ever since he turned 22, then has he yet hit his peak?
Excellent point.
Certainly top 3, I'd probably say Will Hughes looks like the top prospect.
Tom Ince, on the face of it, seems like the best wide player in the league given the number of goals and assists he's had this year.
Can't really say Zaha is the standout player, but that is due to there being tough competition.
No, at 22 he hit his peak and has been in his peak ever since. That's what I mean. A peak lasts longer than one year.
He said he hit his swagger aged 22, SWAGGER! Peak and swagger are totally different things, one dictates when a player reached their max potential, the other is a stupid slang word. Duh.
If they were both 17, and he's 20, I don't see how that's possible.
But let's not argue over such a minor point. Fergie wouldn't have bought him unless he saw loads of potential - whether he's 18 or 20.
Edit: he hasn't actually bought him yet!
Not sure if you're kidding here, mate, but Bale and Ox were almost 18, Zaha turned 20 not long ago.
Based on what? And how many other players in the Championship have been capped for England at 20? And Spurs bought him years ago.
That'd still be more than 2 years.. not a year and a bit.
Anyway. Age doesnt matter. They are all young.
Indeed.
Only looked a decent player when 'Arry moved him wide left on account of the fact that he wasn't the best defender.
Its turned out well for Spurs but when he had the record of never having won a game and was being linked with a move to Forrest on loan I'm sure the vast majority fo Spurs fans had real doubts over his "potential".
Are you angry that this this signing might spell the end for Nani? You seem angry, Cina, if you want to chat, then PM me mate. I'm here for you.
Are you angry that this this signing might spell the end for Nani? You seem angry, Cina, if you want to chat, then PM me mate. I'm here for you.
If we sold Nani and replaced him with Zaha I have a feeling a majority of people would be angry, or they should be at least.
Ah, I said a year. feck knows how that happened. I meant 2 as opposed to 3, which the fact that they were 17 and Zaha's 20 might have you believe. But I agree it's not really an issue. Everybody develops at their own rate and 20 is young whichever way you look at it.
Not that this is any kind of knock to Zaha as there are too many chiefs on here but IMO Butland looks most promising from Championship, but Zaha is definitely up there
Both Busquets and Pedro were playing for Barca reserves till they were older than 20.
I'm not sure when and how age of young players became such an issue.
Not everyone is ready by 18.
I'm not sure when and how age of young players became such an issue.
Not everyone is ready by 18.
Will Hughes would be my top choice, but I don't really watch an awful lot of Championship football.
If Zaha is a replacement for Nani it is a massive step down and not a good sign going forward at all.
I'm all for bringing in top English talent but Nani is a world class talent that can help us now. We have Real Madrid in a few weeks and a 20 year old player from the Championship won't help against such a talented side.
As talented as he seems to be Zaha will likely need a year or two to fully blossom. I think with RVP now we should be going for Europe here and now.
I'm all for bringing in top English talent but Nani is a world class talent that can help us now. We have Real Madrid in a few weeks and a 20 year old player from the Championship won't help against such a talented side.
As talented as he seems to be Zaha will likely need a year or two to fully blossom. I think with RVP now we should be going for Europe here and now.
Zaha is too old. Let's just leave it at that and keep our fingers crossed we don't sign him.
David Beckham was on loan at Preston when he was the age Zaha is now. He turned out ok. 20 isn't old for a footballer, and not everyone is a star in their teens like Messi or Rooney.
Where the feck is he going now?!
Has he signed then?
There's an exception to every rule, and in this case it's David Beckham. Zaha isn't young enough for the Premier League; spending £12m+ on a player who isn't seventeen just doesn't make sense for a club like United. How old was Gareth Bale when Spurs signed him? Like, eighteen or something? That's the sort of signing we should be aiming for, all we'd have to do then would be to wait three or four years for him to get a bit older; whereas with Zaha, there's a chance he could be ready for first team football immediately, and what happens then? £12m wasted, that's what.
Agree completely. I wish i had an encyclopedic football memory, but I'm sure many top players in this sport's long history were not good enough for the best teams until well into their twenties.
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