Agreed I still think Pavly was one of the most underrated players we have ever had. His strike rate was nearly 1 in 2. He also scored some of the most important goals in our recent history. Our Champions League dream campaign wouldn't have happened if it weren't for that screamer he scored late against Young Boys. ET winner against Burnley to get us into Cup final. Winner against Inter in 89th minute at home. That is just off the top of my head.
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It's why I really look back at the Redknapp-era with mixed feelings. Yeah, yeah we finished in the top 4 twice and got the Champion's League campaign, but he really wasted a lot of talented players in that squad. We could have been likely a lot better if someone didn't play favourites as much as he did.
Indeed I just did quick count on Pav he scored 40 goals for us in only 59 starts. (He had further 42 sub appearances) that is quite remarkable. Pav had his faults but Redknapp really hindered him. In a few seasons he totally froze him out only to be forced to go back to him once goals dried up.
I liked Pav but he was also incredibly wasteful - very much a 'shoot on sight' kinda guy, but sometimes that paid off for us against teams that were harder to break down through passing and movement. However, I think it's all those times when he took snapshots that wasted possession in good areas that annoyed the matchday support.
When he scored a last minute poachers goal to beat Liverpool early on I thought all our prayers had been answered. It is a real shame Harry didn't fancy him, if you compare Pav and Crouch talent-wise it is not even close.
Yeah I get that he did have his faults and he was very frustrating at times. However, any good striker has to have a selfish streak. He was a bit of a throwback to a different era where sometimes he would do fuck all for 89 minutes and then score a cracker out of nowhere. I think that's why I was fond of him I always felt when he was on the pitch we could get a goal.
The dehumanisation in football sometimes is crazy, i can't understand it myself. The guy took a risky career move, especially at his age, which went to absolute shit, then he lost a kid. His whole life was ruined in the space of about a year. No amount of money is going to bring back your child is it. Couldn't give a toss anymore about him being shit, it doesnt actually affect me in any way. At least his attitude has always been spot on. It would be perfectly understandable if he was depressed, in fact the guy must have been fucking miserable, yet he still carried on, seemed to be very popular at the club, always seemed somewhat of a mentor, and was always fighting for his team mates on the pitch.
Watching Soldado was always incredibly frustrating, but not because of the chances he missed. Nine times out of ten, its was because he would make great runs, or just have good movement, and then he'd turn around and see dembele pass the ball sideways, or Paulinho pass it backwards. He's got a very good footballing brain, had we got him 5 years earlier things might have turned out very differently. He'll probably go and bang in spain now, and knock us out of the europa league at some point. Hashtag Spursy.
Watching Soldado was always incredibly frustrating, but not because of the chances he missed. Nine times out of ten, its was because he would make great runs, or just have good movement, and then he'd turn around and see dembele pass the ball sideways, or Paulinho pass it backwards. He's got a very good footballing brain, had we got him 5 years earlier things might have turned out very differently. He'll probably go and bang in spain now, and knock us out of the europa league at some point. Hashtag Spursy.
I agree with this whole heartedly. The guy for me always gave what he could. Sure he didn't provide goals but he didn't seem to go and sulk to the press or look particularly angry at being subbed or being on the bench, just got on with it. Like he said in the quote above, he loved the fact we supported him and it killed him that he couldn't repay us with goals. It's why I'll always have respect for him really.
Like you said, losing a kid must have absolutely destroyed him and he got on with it. I wish him the absolute best of luck in Spain. He would have enjoyed his greatest moments there, meeting his wife, getting married, enjoyed his best spell as a footballer and hopefully he can rekindle that form at Villarreal and enjoy the rest of his life.
Apparently it's a loan deal.
As far as I can make out, his transfer fee was £26M, and later when arguments raged about how shit he was, one of his sympathisers made up something about it only being £14M with add ons, so it didnt seem so bad.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/23578515
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...eal-madrid-8738050.html?action=gallery&ino=10
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepag...plete-26-million-Roberto-Soldado-signing.html
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/05/roberto-soldado-move-tottenham-hotspur
Only ever read reports such as this...the other thing has never been reported anywhere, so I think we can assume his correct transfer fee was £26M
Independent have also stated here it's £13,000,000 upfront and the rest depending on targets.
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...-for-loic-remy-and-jay-rodriguez-9453440.html
Telegraph also reporting the same thing.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/fo...Roberto-Soldado-vows-to-repay-fans-faith.html
Daily Mail and Daily Mirror too:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...t-price-Tottenham-misfit-Roberto-Soldado.html
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/tottenham-flop-roberto-soldado-could-6015547
£26,000,000 sounds cooler though in the context of Spurs spending £100,000,000 and failing to finish in the top five.
This debate will never end will it despite the fee being reported everywhere except Spurs forums as 26m haha
Again just using common sense why would Valencia ever agree to a cut rate price with bonuses for a player they never wanted to sell and when they were desperate for money at the moment?
Sure... Apart from the aforementioned newspapers.
Honestly the first I have seen of those reports, so credit to Totti for digging them up but again in Valencia's position I don't believe they would have sold him for that. As well as there is no telling what the additional targets where if those reports are true? It could have just been appearances which would have been met. Who knows I am just glad this argument and Soldado's time with us is coming to an end.