There is no question about it, Ruud van Nistelrooy has been one of the best strikers in the world over the last decade. On the form he showed at PSV, Man Utd and even Real Madrid, he’d be a superb acquisition for Tottenham. The problem is that he’s fast approaching 33 years old and hasn’t played any football for a good nine months following a serious knee injury.
Ruud has had more than his fair share of injuries over the years. This is the 2nd time his knee has kept him out for a considerable period of time, the first being when his move to Manchester Utd was delayed for almost a year. He was also out for a large portion of Utd’s 2004-05 campaign.
There may only be a nominal transfer fee involved but Van Nistelrooy’s wages will still be considerable, rumoured to be around £70,000 a week. I know Harry’s a gambler but I’m not sure it’s a bet I’d want to place.
At best, we will get one or two decent seasons out of him. At worst, Spurs will be chucking £70k a week down the drain for a player that is very likely coming to the Lane for his final payday and will spend most of his time watching games from the stands.
The form Ruud Van Nistlerooy showed for Madrid until his injury was still good and he doesn’t become a bad player just because he’s been out a few months but I’m very concerned about the knee injury, especially at his age. It’s the 2nd time it’s gone and an injury of that magnitude is sure to have taken something away from his game.
Even six months ago, I doubt Spurs had entered Ruud or his agent’s head but now our spending power and their lack of offers from any high profile CL clubs means it’s a match made in heaven, or possibly hell, I can’t decide.
yes would love ruud for a season or 2 , but also marc janko, knows where the net is and looks a real handfull .sell bent and pav could have a bit left over 🙂
Not sure about this Rudd bloke but I don’t want Ruud in our team 😉
70k a week for a squad player to sit on the bench and play in the cup games….No thanks.
Janko wins hands down. I agree adam. Sell pav and bent, and buy him now. With janko in our team, top 6 is more of a reality. Whats this crap with hart though instead of Gomes. Selling our most improved player for a bench goalie??? Dont make sense.
what u know about football, keep ur mouth shut
I don’t agree with players who are past the norm sell by date, we’ve had a few of those and it’s just money down the drain. We were negotiating for Arshavein but tried to save 50p! To make it worse arse bought him for £14m. Most of our probs have been the direct result of poor board decisions. In the season past we spent £111m, for what?
Say no to Ruud, Dunne, Carew etc
Regards Baggyshorts
Shows how much know about football. RVN would be a fantastic buy. Even if he can give us just 2 seasons. Also think how much the likes of Mason and Obika can learn from him.
It’s a no-brainer. Get him in. Levy wont break his pay structure for a 32 year old anyway. There is no way he will be getting paid 70K a week. He is far from past it, a PROVEN premier league striker and well, well worth the effort to sign him (Janko’s record is all well and good but he is an Austrian League striker, how many times have you seen him play exactly?)
sometimes you have to take a little risk in football , rvn has premiership quality will def get us goals if he is fit , janko who i admit to not knowing enough about but he looks good and has the right atributes to succeed .
he certainly knows where the net is, i think there the same size in the austrian leage 😛
RVN is the last player spurs need, what motivation will he have when he signs exactly?
He’ll be a disaster, 70 large a week sitting in the treatment room with dodgy knees like Ledley.
Why don’t you pair him with Michael Owen, he’s going on a free as well.
@ cuntchops, dont u have any brain at all?
ruud had a very well striker sense, effective and he didnt waste the opportunity in the opponents goal area..
@ 4evaspurs : didnt u read it?
bent and pavlyuchenko still have chance to go from white hart lane, no one know what will happen but, ruud was a really great striker. in his first season in la liga, he was the el pichichi.
what else do you need than ruud?
Ruud will comeback with his usual 50%+ goals/games played ratio, whether with Spurs or in Serie A. Sure his knee could crumble, but what could the Spurs do with 2 (or 3) 25 goal seasons? Go to Europe and immediately throw themselves into the middle of the top 4.
That’s really thniking of the highest order