Following recent comments from Sir Alex Ferguson about Dimitar Berbatov appeared in The Sun, Tottenham Hotspur’s chairman, Daniel Levy, launched a scathing attack on the United boss. He claimed he was going to report United (along with Liverpool) to the Premier League following what he regarded the tapping up of wantaway Berbatov.
The following day, Fergie cut Levy in half with his response, mocking the Spurs man for basing his argument on the say so of a tabloid newspaper, claiming there was no truth to it.
The embarrassed Spurs fans, who just the day before were indignant and extremely vocal with their feelings for Fergie, began to spread whispers of an interview that had been taken down from the Scandinavian Supporters website. This was where the quotes The Sun quoted originated. A ha! Fergie is guilty afterall!
Well, until today, when the Scandinavian website sheepishly admitted that there actually had been no mention of Berbatov in the taped interview.
“We have confirmed the comments came from Sir Alex talking at a supporters’ meeting,” a spokesman for Tottenham said last week. “Our evidence will be submitted to the Premier League and checked by our lawyers. We would not have said what we have said without substantial evidence.”
Sadly for Spurs, their “substantial evidence” is what was printed on a fan website, not what was actually said in the interview with Fergie. United have checked the tape and there is nothing untoward in the transcript.
“We have made a bid for one player who would enhance us a great deal,” said Ferguson before flying to Cape Town in the interview with the Scandinavian Supporters website. However, upon landing, The Sun ran the story with the following quote. “We have made Tottenham an offer on Berbatov and we have good expectations that this deal will go through.”
Regardless, Spurs seem to think they have a years worth of evidence suggesting that United have tapped up their striker, and have submitted a dossier to the Premier League. The article in The Sun seems to be what has prompted them though, leaving them looking more than a bit foolish right now.
The supporters’ site, which is based in Norway, have held their hands up to the misquoting in their interview today.
“A feather has become 35 hens here. It might seem like we are to blame for what has happened,” admitted the branch’s webmaster Steinar Madsen to Aftonposten. “We are to the blame in the sense how the interview was presented. Ferguson didn’t mention the name Berbatov when he was interviewed by us. I would call it a misunderstanding. It was tricky conditions for the interview. As journalists, you have probably experienced this yourself, how it is to listen to the tape afterwards. That can cause problems and Ferguson’s accent is not too easy to understand to start with. Ferguson confirmed that United had tabled an offer. We assumed it was Berbatov he was talking about. We might have taken it too far.”
So, what now? We will patiently wait to see the outcome of the Premier League’s investigation. Us mere fans have no idea what has gone on behind the scenes, so can only hope that United have handled the situation suitably behind the scenes.
However, I’d be happy enough to see Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov denied moves to clubs of their choice, and thereby denying them Champions League football. Berbatov is a quality player and would be a great addition to our squad, but we don’t need him to be successful. After kicking up such a fuss, it would be rather entertaining to see both United and Liverpool cleared of any wrong-doing, whilst Spurs are stuck with two players who are desperate to play elsewhere.
I wonder just how badly Berbatov wishes he made a different choice back in 2006…
Man Utd News 24/7
Interesting “admission” by the Norwegian supporters club.
Quite convenient for United’s lawyers to have elicited that answer.
Spurs have case is based in a infomation aquired over the last 12 months, NOT just this comment. Daniel Levy is a business man, Joe Lewis’s right hand man, and Lewis doesn’t suffer fools gladly, he wouldn’t do this based on a red top rumour, he has evidence.
Spurs never had a case in the first place. The FA would never have punished United over one quote if FIFA let Real Madrid get away with their “Operacion Cristiano” (Marca)
A ManU supporters club coming out on the side of Sarah Ferguson? No, I can’t believe it!
How interesting that the webiste suddenly changed after the announcment.
what a sorry lot you are
Havn’t Spurs been doing the exact same thing over the past 12 months with Suart Downing?
just like america your version has seriuosly been edited!! there was mention of berbatov and the quote even went on to say that “we would like him to have joined us south africa” the thing being that levy is a cambridge a, and well fergie is a drunk!!!, im not getting into a slanging match with you as im one southern boy who actually wants man u to win the league that is until we step up to the crease? i hate scousers and even more so the inbred gurners, but back to the point levy works for a plc meaning if he were to make up such story’s he could be sacked which would make some people very happy so he has to be 100% on the nail! so with this one dont be suprised if he dumps the red nose on his back side
Did we ever doubt that Ferguson would have an escape route planned, he has been caught tapping up before as admitted by Stam and others, but no action was ever taken, as i am afraid will be the case this time, until the FA grow some Nuts
Seems to be a hurried cover-up if you ask me. Remember the evidence presented goes back to last summer when all manner of ‘unsubstantiated’ comments about Berbatov going to United first came about, not just this recent episode. Still can’t see the PL doing anything about this however as it is so pro-Sky 4 it is untrue
The author is hilarious.
It’s so bloody obvious that Man Utd are guilty. Guilty people throw up smokescreens and this is all i see from Utd. That is why Utd supporters keep going on about one comment made on a Supporters website which was subsequently posted on the official Man Utd website.
What about the dossier of evidence of the last 12 months? Why is this never taken into account as you dismiss the charge of tapping up?
i don’t really care about the complaint made by Spurs,cos you lot are gonna get Berba anyway. However the fact that the supposed mighty Man U have leaned on their own Supporters Club to ‘take the rap’ just shows how pathetic you really have become. Just how much pressure was imparted by the club to get this outcome?
I would have thought that the legal kicking that Fergie received from the Coolmore guys would have taught him to be more careful.
Anyway guys, I don’t want to sound bitter so enjoy the talent of Berba when he joins you, he is a superb player, certainly far better than Rooney of Tevez, and i wish him all the best for the future
No Stephen you plum, we have not been doing the same with Stuart Downing. We were putting regular bids in, they were turned down, we didn’t get permission to speak to the player, no-one from spurs commented to the papers about him – so end of story
Man U have obviously tapped up Berbatov and will doubtless be found guilty, fined £100 and told not to do it again. This is a waste of time. This is the way of modern football, I suggest Levy learns how to deal with it. As Utd clearly wont be paying the £30m asking price, I agree it will be ‘interesting to see how Spurs will get on with a player who doesnt want to be there’. Hardly unprecendented though: How happy is Ronaldo to be back in sunny Cheshire?
Paul – how happy will Ronaldo be? Well, on Sunday he said he would be happy to play for United or Real Madrid, because he is motivated by playing football.
Anyone care to explain what this is all about?
“I can assure you that we at Sevilla will pour all of our energy and all of our force into making sure that Tottenham pay the consequences of this situation, a situation that they have illegitimately provoked.
“We will do everything in our power and use all the means at our disposal to make sure of that.
“Here in Spain, we’re not used to treachery existing between clubs. Nowhere in European football has something like this happened before with the season under way.
“I will leave it for Spurs and their fans to take a look at themselves and define their behaviour.”
Ramos and Berbatov? Pot? Kettle?
LoL that quote was to support his point about Fergie being a hypocrite in his statement to spurs supporters. It has nothing to do with the Dossier and the fact that’s the way your legal team is trying to counter it is hilarious. The same goes for Liverpool Rafa and his comments aint even part of the accusations. Also Tottenham are whiter than white because we have a professional in charge apposed to someone who was about when you traded players by giving the other team a new kit. I hope you keep going about your legal defence in this way because it is making all Spurs fans piss themselves at your clubs stupidity.
Why has it taken about 4 or 5 days for the website to say this? Is it because they have been instructed to say so? We are not stupid. We know what we have in terms of evidence. Editing a website almost a week after such comments is just too late, am afraid.
Fergie did ito to Stam, Robben (who later joined chelsea) and Hargreaves. Leopards don’t change their spots.
As a Man Untd supporter this is an insult to my intelligence…The club have obviously told the Norwegians to accept the blame…Why dont we just admit it…take the rap on the knuckles and move on…..I am fed up with the deceit in modern football.
Ramos and spurs were well within the rights to legally approach Ramos. Serville have no case and thats why they haven’t done anything. Do you want to try to say that we tapped up Bostock… Because it wasn’t a tap up as he was out of contract and we had permission from Palace along with Chelsea and Barca. Stop reading the daily mail and start looking at the facts.
What FIFA chose to do about Ronaldo and Real Madrid (i.e. nothing) will have no bearing on this situation. Similarly, it will not be the FA ruling on this. It will be the Premier League. FIFA and the PL have very different jurisictions and, if found guily, Man Utd could get a suspended points sentence and a small fine (as that is the precedent from the Ashley Cole case).
But be sure – Spurs’ case did not rest on the alleged comments. That’s just the public face of the situation. The reality is systematic tapping up behind the scenes (Berbatov’s agent even confirmed in Bulgaria at one point that he knew the details of the contract Berbatov would receive, including salary amount) and apparently they have evidence of this. I don’t think they would have gone public in this way without that.
Ferguson was just putting up a bit of bravado, play it down and see what happens. What did you expect him to do? Admit guilt?
scott the red. You say such things do not happen in spain? Why not ask Barca fans about how Figo ended yup at Real. Why not ask Barca fans about how the constant pursiut led to him demanding a transfer. Don’t let your personal hatred get in the way of facts and commonsense.
Is Chimbonda still under investigation for corruption?
Does the club takes us as fools….getting our Norwegian supporters club to take the rap….pathetic
When he was at Wigan maybe….hows you 120000 a week slave.
setphen,
Chimbonda’s case has nothing to do with Spurs. Just a case between him and his agent. A private affair and even that he was the wrong man and has been cleared.
As a Barca fan I cant see how anybody would want to play for any other club..but it happens…Even Figo picked up the pigs head and moved on
Er I thought Real paid 60m euros which activated his buy out clause.
This is going to bite ‘Old Red Nose’ in the arse.
Pleasing,,, as Man utd and Ferguson seem to think that rules don’t apply to them!
Ramos was in the last year of his contract and free to talk to other clubs – as are players in their final year. The plan was to bring in Ramos for the start of this season but due to very bad results, the board acted quickly and outed Jol. Berbatov has 2 years left on his contract with a further two year option SPURS can take up at any time, thus making him effectively having 4 years left. They are hardly the same issue. Plus the rules are different for managers anyway. Spurs have a very astute businessman in charge of the club and he wouldnt act like this unless he had all the evidence he needed to make the claim. If you need more proof of this, see the Frank Arnessen to Chelsea saga from a couple of years ago and see what happened there… Spurs won their case! COYS
Stephen,
if that was the case, why did he hand in a transfer? Why was he persued relentlessly like the way they are doing to Christina?
The difference between us and you, is that most United fans don’t want Ronaldo to stay, me included , you guys quite obviously want Berbatov to stay.
Surely you knew he has wanted to leave for at least a season, I hope ronaldo does go but probably won’t. I can’t see why you are so fucked off, I would would be more pissed off with Robbie Keane but its not my club.
Everyone in football knows that ‘tapping’ is common place, but it’s only when the Big Clubs are involved it’s worth talking about. Every club talks to the player they are chasing with or without the other club endorsing it, all clubs know that. The issue here is when another club publicly taps up a club’s player(as in the Ronnie case) by making public comments like “He should ask for a transfer” or “We have put in a bid for Berbatov and we are confident it will go through…”. This is when the selling club takes offense, because with statements like that, the club is undermined and made to look inferior(something most chairmen don’t appreciate); that’s why ManUtd are livid with Real and tottenham the same with us. The difference however, is that SAF never uttered those words and Spurs realising that are going to use the ‘tapping’ evidence(if there is any) so they do not look stupid. This all was just an attempt from Spurs to save face with their fans over selling berba and keane, but now it has gone out of proportion.
Stephen,
Spurs fans are fed up with Berba if you don’t know. They have been for a while but they will rather he went abroad. Now you know.
Gabriel,
how do you know he never uttered those words? Is it because Fergie said so? I will like to know why it has taken 5 days for the Norwegians to come up and say they didn’t understand Fergie’s accent and could have been a mistake? Yes he is a Scot and might be difficult for some to understand him, but you can’t mistaken a players name despite the accent.
Tapping has always gone on and er yes we are culprits, but who isn’t, if you think Spurs have never gone about it then you are being very niave. It is now part and parcel of football, the obvious one was surley Cashley Cole, he and Mourinho got fines.
Agreed, ths is just a cover up and if anything has got some of the manu fans questioning it.
Will be nice to remind red nose the he has to abide by the same rules as the other clubs.
evidence..so far.
fergies pants were seen on a washing line in tottenham high road……….
he sang kareoke with a white hart lane groundsman jin a tottenham pub ,singing careless whisper (g ,michael)
a Man u laptop was found with players data
he was seen with a torch at nightoutside the gates at white hart lane dressed as a yid with beard
but forgot to take his red sox off
told a norwegian website his love of london town
and the bulgarian community
walked a one eyed dog near spurs ground and
allowed it to piss on the east stands wall
had an affair with a bulgarian lady called berbara
got the train to manchester from london with a suspicious package in brown paper
theres more!
Theo,
First of all, Fergie is too smart and experienced to utter those comments especially with the ronnie saga going on.
With that said, there are two ways I see it:
The Norwegians having realised this ‘Falsified’ publication is causing more controversy than they imagined, come out and say that they were mistaken over the comments they thought they heard, using accent as a justifiable escuse. Or do you think the website is going to come out gung-ho and say that they published a false statement?
Next Possible Scenario, is that ManUtd contacted them about this publication and the Norwegians knowing that it has been altered to create controversial statements(so they can sell) agree to withdraw the publication, citing language as an excuse.
Either way, the Norwegians would rather save their skins than risk running a falsified story that could end with them being sued by either ManUtd or Tottenham.
the thing being that levy is a cambridge a, and well fergie is a drunk!!!,
Lol more class based drivel from our born n bred norf landan spud fans
Levy has already been underhand with his dealings with ramos and jol now he has made a fool of himself with this ouburst , what a clown he is
Real Madrid paid Figo’s buyout clause to Barca. 100% legal.
Its been 9 months since Spurs got Ramos and Sevilla have yet to file a grievance with anyone for this alleged illegality. Why? because Spurs did nothing illegal.
Rooney is a 30mil pound flop. Tevez is 10 times better than Rooney.
How Feckin thick are the Spurs fans with all their conspiracy theories!. The scandinavian supporters club, or rather the one reporter who happened to be at the meeting, ADMITTED that he had DOCTORED and put his own take on what Fergie had said. That Fergie had NOT mentioned the name of Berbatov or Spurs, but like all reporters they like to add their own inclusions, where no inclusions were. He said that he had gone back and read through the TAPE, and no names or clubs were mentioned by Fergie. Of course United are going to demand that they release the TRUTH of what Fergie actually did say at the meeting. I would feckin demand the truth be revealed if someone had slandered my name and said I had said things I hadn’t. So lets see what the PL think when they get the taped transcript. Do you think lawyers are bloody stupid, that they wouldn’t be able to uncover any conspiracies. Well yours may be down at Spurs, but ours are not. With regards to the other collection of proof you are supposed to have, we will wait and see before we make any further comment. We can’t comment on what we have not seen of so called proof. Yet I believe that if the FA come down on UNited’L'Pool, then all clubs will be coming out with their own collections of evidence about ‘tapping up of players’, and I personally do not believe Spurs will escape.
By the way, to the spurs poster who said that Ramos’s club have no case. Well the same club have a lawsuit in progress, and are sueing Spurs, and Spurs have gone in recently for one of their players, and AS PART OF THE DEAL, wanted them to include a clause withdrawing their monetary claims for illegally tapping up Ramos. You think you are so lilly white at Spurs, yea, well your treatment of Martin Jol was feckin despicable. So if you want to come at us, get your own house in order.
Spurs under lvey have been involved in the appalling treatment of jol, the top secret hotel meetings with a under contract ramos, the bostock dispute and their pursuit of bentley is as agressive as ours if of berbatov
levy read that bible of journalism the sun and went off on one
now he looks a fool, spurs fan do us all a favour and fook off
fuck off you cunts. Post crap on your own two bob site. Fergie was clearly heard on Sky Sports News saying the following: ‘We have made a bid for one player who would enhance us a great deal’. Typical gullable cunts believing rubbish from a two bob newspaper. Before that four eyes cunt starts moralising, he should stop and think about the tapping up of Ramos and the ill treatment of Martin Jol.
You Spurs fans are just precious! There’s a tape to prove this one way or the other! I love the way there is only one truth and its yours! And if he’s cleared of any wrong doing its the spineless FA! Cos they fucking love United dont they with there Scouse head honcho! Oh they can’t wait for a love inwith us! Actually your very similar to Le Arse fans dilluded and overly gobby!
Anybody wonder why Spurs are not going after L’Pool and Benitez as aggressively as they want to do us?. Benitez has blatanly ‘tapped up’ speaking openly about Robbie Keane, and poor old Gareth Barry. He just speaks right out about any player L’Pool intend getting. If hothead Levy is so certain that L’Pool also tapped up their player, then why all the fuss about United. I’ll tell you why, they get more coverage in the papers fighting us. They get little national coverage otherwise. Levy is coverage STARVED and just loves to feel good in the press. Spurs are so little talked about, because they live in the shadows of Chelski and Arsenal when it comes to publicity.
You Northern Monkeys are just too funny. A dossier has been handed to the FA detailing 12 months of illegal activity by Man Utd. Yet all you want to talk about is one alleged comment made last week? How fuckin dumb can you get?
Also, can any of you morons show us evidence of this imagined lawsuit by Sevilla against Spurs? Have fun trying because it does not exist except in your retarded imagination. Just like this myth that Spurs bid for Sevilla’s Capel included “a clause withdrawing their monetary claims for illegally tapping up Ramos.”
Where do u get this nonsense from? oh, you read it in a newspaper. That’s hilariously ironic given your incessant arrogant lecturing of Spurs about the stupidity of believing what you read in the papers.
Treatment of Jol? Nothing illegal about it whatsoever.
Bentley – you’ve not heard a single word about Bentley from anyone who works for Tottenham. Just rumoured bids. This is why Blackburn have not complained.
Bostock – we negotiated with a footballer who was out of contract. We offered Palace 2.5 mil + incentives as compensation for the development of the player NOT as a transfer fee. Palace demanded 5mil FOR A TEENAGE PLAYER WHO WAS OUT OF CONTRACT. So it went to a tribunal who basically split the difference. Nothing illegal or even immoral about this situation.
Fergie knows he can do what he likes and the FA won’t do shit about it. Add that to the fact that he is a morally despicable human being who’s lack of integrity is revealed anytime he faces any sort of adversity, and what do you get? The most arrogant alcoholic coward in the world. What a nasty piece of shit Fergie is.
“Spurs are so little talked about, because they live in the shadows of Chelski and Arsenal when it comes to publicity.”
This is just pure foolishness. There isn’t a team in England who gets mentioned more in Transfer Rumours in the papers than Spurs.
Slaine, and your not a nasty piece of shit are you?. Judging by your posts on here, you show your lack of class by the way you express yourself, but hey lets wait and see what those 12 months of proof are that you have, and then lets talk. The info I have on the Ramos situation is not from the paps, but from our friends in Spain who have contacts with insiders from the club concerned.
Time will tell though, and then we can discuss it further.
I can see that Spurs are mentioned a bit about transfer speculation, mostly because most of your players seem to want out. I must admit I like Ramos though, because I think he is a good manager, but even he has realised in a short while that it is not easy for Spurs to keep players once they become stars. Lets face it though, you get very little mention in the press for other matters, and Chelski and Arsenal do get OODLES more coverage. By the way, word out of Middlesborough amongst Woodgates friends, is that he is the next one who is wanting out, if Berba and Keane leave. And that hasn’t even been in the press yet. Let’s face it Slaine, there isn’t much loyalty in football.
Red Devil fans, amazing isn’t it how fans from other clubs visit Man Utd blogs to deride Fergie as ‘That Ole Alcoholic’. Well, that ‘Ole Alcoholic’ if the truth be told, has won more trophies and accolades in the game over many years, than all the so called ‘saintly and sober’ managers of any other clubs (bar L’Pool), and he is catching up there!. In L’Pools trophy winning era, Shanks and Paisley liked a good drink, so there seems to be a lot going for managers who unwind with a good few tipples. Keep on enjoying a drink Fergie!.
1. SAF aint thick to start tapping people up, esp with the Ron affair so freshly being posted and chased by the marca run Real. YEs he did sort of tap jip jaap up up….but to say he mentioned berba in that interview is ludicrous.
2. Spurs aint got anything better to do. Arsenal take the footballing plaudits in london, chelski take the financial muscle and power plaudits in london. Poor Spurs, feeling left out are you.lol
3. Take you 45 minute dossier of weapons of mass destruction. Believe me when i say ala iraq…NOTHING WILL BE FOUND…AND LEVY WILL LOOK LIKE BUSH…A FUCKIN JOKE!!!!
4. FA favour us???? yes with that scouse bastard in charge. The same FA that has charged evra, yet let that racis thug chelsea steward go. The same fa that charged rio for not taking a test and banned him for 8 months, when a city player who did same..christian negoui got a 2k fine. The same FA that gave nevo a 5 k fan for kissing his badge infront of the dips, yet fowler got nowt for showing 5 fingers at our fans and showing his backside. The same FA that banned scholese and roon for 3 matches after reds in pre season games…yet let mellor and gerrard off in same tournament a year before. I COULD GO ON!!!!
4. Face it you southern up your arse cunts…keane wants to further himself at A BIGGER CLUB IN THE CHAMPS LEAGUE AND SO DOES BERBA…better clubs, better football….face the facts
5. Forget royal antwerp, we want you as our feeder club.
6. JOL…read his articles…ive read them all….you bastards treated hi like shit when you werr kissing ramos arse in spain…jol admitted he was tapped up..that is ramos
now fuck off you wideboys, rboys…fucking southern weve won nowt soft poncy up your mothers, flamin puff bastards.
REMEMBER…you are our feeder club…
It’s quite funny to see Levy pull this “virgin in a brothel” routine. It’s not as if his conduct has been lilly white, after all. I hope that it’s handled well. The last thing we need is Blatter and Platini shoving their noses into our league affairs.
Yes, I know that it’s not their jurisdiction. Unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped them from harassing English teams at every turn.
Billiospur, hahaha. You said it in your post boy – O, that is the kind of falsified evidence that you lot at Spurs will have concocted. But good luck in presenting it to the PL.
Here’s an idea spurs fan:
Get a frickin life for god’s sake,
You got Modric and Dos Santos so why don’t you just concentrate on your club’s website and leave us United fans for a bit of peace.
Seriously! You Spurs, Scousers, Gunnarse and Chelskis fan has totally no life at all if you want to visit a United’s blog.
A question to Slaine, you say how do we know there was a lawsuit from Sevilla cus we read it in the papers? Umm, one sec here, weren’t the hypocrisy accusations on Fergie based on what was printed in a paper too?
United fans know fergie well. He may like to do shady businesses but will never name a player so blatantly in public.
Yep i agree with Unitedray; thats what really makes me doubt it Fergie ever made those quotes. If we weren’t in the middle of the Ronaldo saga, i might have believed he could have said that, but for the fact that we’re currently stuck in a tapping up saga ourselves, why would Fergie pick of all times to say this himself.
the dossier is rumoured to contain a years worth of evidence so i dont this will have much effect, although i do think it is a cover up, red noses lawyers were probably paniking
Scar 88 – why don’t you wait and see, BEFORE you open your mouth about 12 months of evidence that nobody knows yet what it is. Spurs fans – your boards must be so quiet and uninteresting, that so many of you have migrated over here.
SAD!.
and heres me thinking this was a blog, with spurs being a plc levy simply cannot come out with shit without any substance, this is not me just talking as a spurs fan, these are business practices that plc’s have to abide by. Craig Mc you need to chill havent you got work
Don’t worry boys soon the year will end in one, and you can put on your Chas and Dave records and think back to your league cup win.
Stephen – good point mate!.
Scar88 – To answer your nosey-buggar question, yes I have work, but I work for myself, and get very well payed for it.
Scar 88 – postscript, this is indeed a BLOG, but it is a MANCHESTER UNITED blog, did you lose your way then, to end up here?.
Ha Ha class Craig, Don’t worry Scar you will loose Berbatov to us and Keane to the dippers, but I can’t see why you are so upset you still have the £17m Darren Bent, to fire you to another league cup triumph.
You also could put on your Spurs 5 Arsenal 1 DVD, come on I know you have a copy.
what have spurs and a pepperpot got in common? both spend most of their time in the middle of the table! lol!