Stewart Downing

[Beaker]

As a Boro fan I'd love to see him stay as he is our best player but do you think the club will sell? If reports are true Spurs are bidding £10mil but I don't think thats enough to tempt Boro Bosses, unless it includes a player exchange?

Also, does anyone think Spurs behavior in the matter is fair? With Dirty Harry saying he wants him and unsettling the player? They didn't like it when Man Utd did it to them with Berbatov??!!

 

[Yidio]

Redknapp only said he'd like the player AFTER Spurs had bid for him. Even though that bid was never going to be accepted. What Utd done with the Berbatov situation (using the press etc) was a Typical Fergie tactic & unacceptable.

To be quite honest,as a Spurs fan,i don't think Downing is all that & would rather the money was spent elsewhere. Like a proper defensive midfielder so that ponce Jenas could be dropped once & for all.

Can't see Boro' accepting a £10m bid for him & i can't see us bidding more than that so i think the likely outcome will be Boro' will be left with an unhappy player who'll be booed by his own fans every week.

 

[Fore]

Last i heard it was six million and the Boro boss was livid that spurs had made such a 'derisery' offer. I could understand Stewart Downing getting restless if it was a top four club making noises but not a club of what i feel are of similar standing. He may as well stay at boro.
I wonder if any Spurs players want away that don't have the stomach for a relegation battle?

 

[Yidio]

Last i heard it was six million and the Boro boss was livid that spurs had made such a 'derisery' offer. I could understand Stewart Downing getting restless if it was a top four club making noises but not a club of what i feel are of similar standing. He may as well stay at boro.
I wonder if any Spurs players want away that don't have the stomach for a relegation battle?

Are you serious? If you're talking about this season only,i agree but overall,nonsense.

We are not Utd,Liverpool etc size admitedly but even the most deluded of fans will accept Spurs are a slightly bigger & more attractive side to play for than Boro'.


I'd say 90% of Spurs fans you'd ask would rather we didn't sign Downing as they don't think he's good enough whereas 90% of Boro' fans would say he's their best player. Say's it all.

 

[Parmo]

£6m was knocked back straight away, though Downing has handed in a transfer request Gibson wont let him go for less than £12. I don't think he is or was Boro's best player, Adam Johnson has outplayed him all season and has a better future than SW.

Gibson will not let downing leaving unless a daft figure is offered and he deffo wont in the first year of a 5 year contract.

Reserves for downing?

 

[Beaker]

Redknapp only said he'd like the player AFTER Spurs had bid for him. Even though that bid was never going to be accepted. What Utd done with the Berbatov situation (using the press etc) was a Typical Fergie tactic & unacceptable.

Redknapp first said he wanted Downing long before the first bid was put inas the first bid was only put in on Friday! In my opinion Spurs have done almost exactly the same thing, but not as bad as the Berba saga!

Downings a local lad and grew up in a rough part of Middlesbrough and if he wants to further his career then good luck to him as he is a player who will perform on a bigger stage, He showed it for us when we got to the UEFA Cup final. I just don't think he should move to Spurs as its not a massive step forward.

 

[Yidio]

£6m was knocked back straight away, though Downing has handed in a transfer request Gibson wont let him go for less than £12. I don't think he is or was Boro's best player, Adam Johnson has outplayed him all season and has a better future than SW.

Gibson will not let downing leaving unless a daft figure is offered and he deffo wont in the first year of a 5 year contract.

Reserves for downing?

Hope so.....

Seriously though,there really is no point in keeping a player against his will. As soon as a player deems in necessary to hand in a transfer request,he's as good as gone & it's a question of the selling club getting a much as possible. The selling club can't hold the buying club to ransom like they could if the player was happy.


Either way, Man City will probably offer £25m later so eveyone's a winner!!

 

[Yidio]

Redknapp first said he wanted Downing long before the first bid was put inas the first bid was only put in on Friday!

He might've said he "likes Downing as a player" but he hasn't come out with "I want Stewart Downing at Spurs" before any bid was put in.

 

[StuartD]

He might've said he "likes Downing as a player" but he hasn't come out with "I want Stewart Downing at Spurs" before any bid was put in.

Oh come on!!! Who are you trying to kid!!

He is under contract and therefore Middlesbrough do not need not inform him about any bid.

As soon as Harry comes out with I like him as a player/we want him/we have had a bid rejected, the player is unsetled and now wants to go.

Its exactly the same scenario as the Berbatov saga. Too many clubs are at it now

 

[Parmo]

If spurs have the cash for £15m+ for jermaine dafoe then Gibson knows there cash for £12m+ for Downing. Its getting daft, Chelski wanting £8m for Tuncay when he is worth double that and then it was O'Neil :shakeyfist:

I tell you want Gibson might want, £8m & Lennon for Downing then we can have right winger and Johnson moves to the left and O'Neil is used in the center!! Jobs a good'en.

 

[viscount17]

Too many clubs are at it now.

Come on! It's always been like this.
The only thing that has changed is the increased noise of the media and the ridiculous level of importance that they give to football.
It is after all, only a game of over-inflated egoists(unlike golf, which is a religion).

 

[StuartD]

Too many clubs are at it now.

Come on! It's always been like this.
The only thing that has changed is the increased noise of the media and the ridiculous level of importance that they give to football.
It is after all, only a game of over-inflated egoists(unlike golf, which is a religion).

You are right it's always been done. Since Bosman it has been worse and the buying club gets the man they want more often now. Now clubs are to scared about keeping a player and then losing him for nothing that they feel they have to let him go where as in the past they could tell him to get on with it. Don't want to get into a bosman argument (it has brought some good) but the players have far to much power now.

 

[Yidio]

He might've said he "likes Downing as a player" but he hasn't come out with "I want Stewart Downing at Spurs" before any bid was put in.

Oh come on!!! Who are you trying to kid!!

He is under contract and therefore Middlesbrough do not need not inform him about any bid.

As soon as Harry comes out with I like him as a player/we want him/we have had a bid rejected, the player is unsetled and now wants to go.

Its exactly the same scenario as the Berbatov saga. Too many clubs are at it now

He was asked about Downing & said he likes him as a player,at that point,no bid had been placed. He was asked a question & responded. Blame the press.

The Downing to Spurs story comes up every window so he was always going to be asked. It's just a shame he does rate him.

 

[Beaker]

Yidio, Harry rates him because he is a good player! And you can't tell me that Harry wasn't trying to unsettle him?! Harry has to be the second most dodgy dealer in football, after ferguson of course!! Using all the tricks in the book etc etc

If he does join you, which is sadly looking like the case, then he will do a very good job for you, more so than Lennon!

I think your midfield will be more balanced and he will make you a better team!

 

[Yidio]

Has your chairman or manager come out & said Redknapp has tried to unsettle him? Because that's usually the case if they think things haven't been done properly...


For what it's worth,i hope we don't bid enough & you get to keep him because there are better players out there for the sort of money it'd take to get him. See David Bentley.

 

[Parmo]

David Bentley.

Bentley is the same average player as Downing.

I don't think Gibson will be bullied by players spesh not when he has just forked out a new contract for said player, if downing wants to go then the price should refect his 5 year contract and the bids should start from £14m which is about right for one of the only left wingers that is English

 

[markwarne]

Beaker, from another Boro fan, I have mixed feelings about this.

Part of me can't help but head back to the "Woodgate" saga where local boy gets to captain his team, loves the club, etc etc and the first sign of trouble and off he goes (although I heard there were several reasons for him leaving!!!). If Downing does not want to play for the club, then he should be let go, but not for the mickey taking money Spurs offered!!! If they want him, then we hold out for as much as we value him at.

On the other hand, I would hate to see him leave given the dimension he adds to the play. Not many left sided players about and why would we flog him to a team who are as much in the mire as us.

I hold alot of faith in Gibson to do the right thing for the club. If that means cashing in for someone who wants to develop their career elsewhere, then so be it.

At the end of the day, I suspect £12, £15m whatever in the clubs coffers - given that its all profit - may just swing this one

 

[medwayjon]

None of my fellow yids want downing. He is overrated and overpriced a la the prat bentley, who quite frankly, should be shot.

 

[Yidio]

None of my fellow yids want downing. He is overrated and overpriced a la the prat bentley, who quite frankly, should be shot.

You're not wrong,Mate. The goal at the Emirates apart,Bentley has been fu**ing shocking.

Apparently we've had a 2nd bid turned down for Downing & his transfer request has been rejected. I do hope thats the end of that 1...

 

[theeaglehunter]

I am a spurs fan and also don't want downing especially at the prices quoted! I wouldn't pay the £6m rejected for him, much in the same way I wouldn't have paid the £16m for Bent or the money for Bentley. Inflated prices have become a joke and the three players i have mentioned are all over rated.

And also whilst I may be naturally biased even with my most neutral of caps on Spurs are at least 5 times bigger than Middlesborough will ever be! History, fan base, players, trophies- end of!