Martin Samuel: Berber must stay for good of Premiership

[Nah Blud I]

Berber must stay for good of PremDIMITAR BERBATOV has had a cracking season and should go to Manchester United.Roy Keane's transformation of Sunderland is merely an apprenticeship for an Old Trafford move.Micah Richards must abandon Manchester City for Chelsea's reserves ââ¬â to be joined by Reading captain Steve Sidwell ââ¬â while each day Michael Owen continues to spend at Newcastle United, or Benni McCarthy at Blackburn Rovers, is wasted.ShiftedAnd then, when we have successfully shifted every ounce of talent to the same two clubs we will wring our hands and ask why our Premieship is so uncompetitive.Berbatov holds the key this summer. If he is allowed to tread the same path as Michael Carrick from north London to Manchester we may as well put the ââ¬Ëhouse full' signs up around the Champions League places now.Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal ââ¬â that is the way it is always going to be.No point in striving to improve, no worth in ambition. We lie in our bed forevermore.If a player whose club finished fifth for the second season in succession is said to be wasting his time, there truly is no hope for change.Tottenham are on the brink. Had the club not sold Carrick to United a year ago, they could have moved ahead of Arsenal already. Next year, if key players are added to Martin Jol's squad, this may happen. There is hope of a ã250million buy-out and major investment from America.Yet speculation takes place amidst the presumption that Berbatov has to look to Old Trafford to have a hope of success in English football.The same with Owen, McCarthy, Sidwell, Richards, Carlos Tevez ââ¬â even Keane.Having revived Sunderland (24,377 saw them lose at home to Plymouth on August 12 and 44,448 watched the final home game against Burnley on April 27), it is now presumed he is on a beginners course that will end with graduation at Old Trafford.Yet Sunderland are a big club. Not the biggest but still one with a grand history and fan base that would stand tall in any league in Europe. Why should Keane not believe he can make his mark there? Why should every career choice be a stepping stone to United?Tottenham, Sunderland, Everton, Manchester City, Newcastle, West Ham, Blackburn: these are good places to be.But the crushing financial force of the Champions League has, in our minds, relegated them to football's hinterland.ChasmInstead of fighting back, we pander further by treating the gap between the elite and the contenders as if it is a chasm and not, as last season, two points.With clubs targeted by serious investors abroad, traditional supremacies may be challenged.In this climate, our Premiership should become more competitive. What keeps it unhealthy is our resistance to change, built on the false presumption that United deserve 22 great players and Spurs none.

*applauds*

[Rsonist]

Truest words i have read in a long time.Berbatov to Man Utd got boring over a month ago anyway, i laugh at people who still bring it up.

[Gundam]

Chats the truth.

[Guest the_truth_hurts]

Footballers careers are short so he's not talking the truth fully, footballers need to do whats best for them not for the premiership or team X. Even though Berbatov is a top class player and Tottenham are improving he's what 24/25? and only has maybe another 6 years at his best ( 3 if you believe that henrys lost it despite being only 29!) thats gives him 5 years to play in the champions league with tottenham and realitically maybe 3 chances to win the title, for his career as a top top recognised player if Tottenham aren't in Champions league next season then he does need to consider a move to one of the top 4 or abroad. Whether Berbatov and Richards stay or not, tottenham and city aren't winning the title next year as United will just buy another quality striker instead and chelsea another quality Defender. Bad journalism. Richards is young and is already an international he doesn't need to move - yet, he can pick his next destination maybe it will be a spurs or Villa he moves to. McCarthy and Owen are experienced players who have experienced success at the top level and are at teams who they belive can make a thrust into the top 6. Bad journalism comparing 4 players who aren't comparable. Sidwell did the right thing for his career, either it works out at chelsea and he wins medals and england caps or it doesnt and he gets a move to an established premiership team. Look at Seville in spain typically a selling club but battling for la liga and off the back of european success. Seville have stepped into the top 4 at the expense of Deportivo and Athletico who have both really fallen off - it can happen. Everton have managed to sneak into the top 4 recently so why can't spurs, villa, bolton, west ham, newcastle or everton again make a charge? All it takes is one year of year of 1 of the top 4 not making the champions league until theres talk of their big players leaving!! Carrick moved at the right time, but if tottenham made i to the chamions league then he'd probably still be there and Tottenham would have signed a couple more big hitters to join berbatov.Yes the top 4 have the money and status but there alot of teams in the premiership now with money. The major problem for those outside the top 4 is BIG players want to be in the premiership now because its were the money and attentions at now, not in spain or italy or germany so the top 3/4 in these countries aren't as dominant as they once were. The big 4 in England can afford and attract these players. Just takes one team to break the mould. Chelsea weren't a top team 10 years ago and neither were Arsenal until they signed wenger and Bergkamp, creating great teams takes time.

[Nah Blud I]

Look at Seville in spain typically a selling club but battling for la liga and off the back of european success. Seville have stepped into the top 4 at the expense of Deportivo and Athletico who have both really fallen off - it can happen.

That's the point of the article.Sevilla got into the Spanish top 4 by holding onto majority of their top players.Alves could've gone to a bigger club after they won the Uefa cup(the first time)...but didn't. Look at them now.

[Black Ant]

berbatov or any other player shouldnt have to do anything for noone other than themselvesf*ck all this "for the good of prem" talksome foolishness

[Guest the_truth_hurts]

Look at Seville in spain typically a selling club but battling for la liga and off the back of european success. Seville have stepped into the top 4 at the expense of Deportivo and Athletico who have both really fallen off - it can happen.

That's the point of the article.Sevilla got into the Spanish top 4 by holding onto majority of their top players.Alves could've gone to a bigger club after they won the Uefa cup(the first time)...but didn't. Look at them now.

Okay yea true, but they sold Baptista and Reyes among many more recently and have won european and domestic trophies because they are a good team not because of one player. Yes they kept alves whos been great this season but you wouldn't have read articles in spain last year saying 'Alves must stay for good of la liga'! and you won't if Alves does move to Barca. Typical british journalism. But Seville haven't just got into the top 4 they're challenging for the league and i'd say its harder to break into the top 2 in spain then the top 4 in england because Barca and Madrids name and Wealth is so much more than the other teams. Tottenham got closer to a CL spot without Berbatov than with and with Arsenal weaking last summer had a better chance this year than last. Basically what i'm saying although theres a lot of truth in the article theres also a lot of lazy journalism by simply saying that next years premiership hinges on one player moving. If Berbatov did leave theres no guarentee that the top 4 would and is staying the same next year as theres nothing to suggest that if he stayed that the top 4 would change. Personally i'd expect Villa to be the first team challenging for top 4 cause they're already solid to beat. It just takes one or maybe 2 teams to get some consistency and not fear the top 4 teams.

[Guest the_truth_hurts]

Deportivo went slack because all there players were round the same age and retired round the same time only duchser is around from them times.... Bilbao dont really buy or sell they only play basque manThis im leaving for CL football is air unless your club has no chance no ambition and you havnt played at that level before.

Yeah deportivo were just an example of how top 4 teams can change quickly. Look at arsenal (don't want to keep bringing them up) they also lost a lot of heavy hitters at the same time but still remain a CL team. Bayern may not even make CL next year, point being footballs an unpredictable game.

[Nah Blud I]

Look at Seville in spain typically a selling club but battling for la liga and off the back of european success. Seville have stepped into the top 4 at the expense of Deportivo and Athletico who have both really fallen off - it can happen.

That's the point of the article.Sevilla got into the Spanish top 4 by holding onto majority of their top players.Alves could've gone to a bigger club after they won the Uefa cup(the first time)...but didn't. Look at them now.

Okay yea true, but they sold Baptista and Reyes among many more recently and have won european and domestic trophies because they are a good team not because of one player. Yes they kept alves whos been great this season but you wouldn't have read articles in spain last year saying 'Alves must stay for good of la liga'! and you won't if Alves does move to Barca. Typical british journalism. But Seville haven't just got into the top 4 they're challenging for the league and i'd say its harder to break into the top 2 in spain then the top 4 in england because Barca and Madrids name and Wealth is so much more than the other teams. Tottenham got closer to a CL spot without Berbatov than with and with Arsenal weaking last summer had a better chance this year than last. Basically what i'm saying although theres a lot of truth in the article theres also a lot of lazy journalism by simply saying that next years premiership hinges on one player moving. If Berbatov did leave theres no guarentee that the top 4 would and is staying the same next year as theres nothing to suggest that if he stayed that the top 4 would change. Personally i'd expect Villa to be the first team challenging for top 4 cause they're already solid to beat. It just takes one or maybe 2 teams to get some consistency and not fear the top 4 teams.

Still,if teams have ambitions of breaking in to the top 4 they need to keep their best players.Villa are 2 seasons away from challenging the top 4.At the moment.Spurs look most likely.