Opinion: Are contracts worth the paper they are written on? (take two)

Following a day of feverish speculation, it prompted me to revisit an old article that I wrote in 2017 about player power and contracts. Large parts of the article have long since moved on (not least 2 managers) but it did make me smile when re-reading the Dier and Rose comments. Looking back now £50m apiece would have been the deals of the century!

Interestingly the trio of Van Dijk, Coutinho and Sanchez all left their respective clubs shortly after the article! It just goes to show, players who want to leave always leave eventually however long the contracts. We kept Modric for a season too long, and this was evident in his performances the final year he was at the club.

So we are lead to believe that Harry Kane has not turned up for training on Monday to try to force a move. Could this be the press putting two and two together? Could he be awaiting the results of a COVID test? Personally, I’m sure there is no smoke without fire but we will never truly know what goes on behind closed doors. I suspect that quite possibly this is a deliberate move to bring the matter to a head.

I’m not sure it was the best idea, but then again there is some history here such as ‘impromptu’ interviews / games of golf with Messer’s Neville and Redknapp over the last couple of seasons.

My personal view, and I am sure that each Spurs fans have their own take, is that we simply haven’t been able to match Harry’s ambition over the last few years and the wasted Mourinho years were the final nail in the coffin.

There is a school of thought that Harry was actually miffed about the Mourinho dismissal. The cynical amongst the fans would point to the fact that Kane was a part of the team that has consistently failed at the crucial moments.

Harry has been an amazing player, captain and role model for Spurs and I wouldn’t deny him a chance to play at the top level, absolutely not. There is also no value in keeping someone against their will, however, Spurs must demand market value for their most prized asset.

Missing training is never good but unless there is 100% confidence that Manchester City (or another suitor) have the money for a £150m bid (and within FFP) then the timing seems very odd to say the least.

Spurs are reporting insisting that Kane is not for sale (Independent), and I can only assume that a bid hasn’t yet been made that meets their valuation of him. If such a bid is made, I would absolutely expect Kane to ‘up to the ante’. But surely even then, a formal transfer request would be the more appropriate route?

Until such a bid is made, Kane is under contract for a further three years and no amount of sulking should make Spurs sell him on the cheap.

I wouldn’t expect to buy a house half price just because I am a ‘nice guy’ and the same goes for world-class footballers despite what Pep Guardiola may have to say.

If the Grealish bid of £100m is true, surely City must realise that it will take a bid very north of this amount to snare a truly world-class striker. Sancho has just gone to Manchester United for £73m and Ben White to Arsenal for £50m. While £100m is obscene and no one is ‘worth’ that amount possibly City need a lesson in pure Economics! After all they bought a full back (albeit a very good one) from Spurs for £53m, over four years ago.

There has been talk of a gentleman’s agreement, but I suspect the only agreement that matters in Mr Levy’s eyes is the six-year one that Kane was only too happy to sign previously.

I would stress we are dealing in rumours at the moment but following the recent backlash from fans regarding the Super League and more locally Spurs fans displeasure of the potential appointment of Gattuso – if there is any truth that this is an unauthorised absence, I suspect the damage to be irreparable.

As many people have said before this is very unusual behaviour for the England captain who usually conducts himself with such dignity.

I have seen my heart broken plenty of times before from the departures of Clive Allen, Chris Waddle, Jürgen Klinsmann, Luka Modric, Gareth Bale et al to understand that this isn’t the end of the world and that the mighty Spurs will live on. However, I am under no illusion that the hole will be massive.

Hopefully, with Paratici at the tiller, the money will be spent better than the Bale money and we do have a global superstar in Son to build the team around.

I just hope that the divorce is quick and amicable and that all parties get what they want. It would be so sad for Kane’s legacy to be tarnished with the fans when he should be remembered as one of the greatest players in our history and forever one of our own.

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