Matt Doherty @ Atletico Madrid

[whitesocks]

Had some terrible defensive lapses, slow and couldn't cross.
But he scored a few - a good finisher for a non striker.

One of him or Royal had to go and whoever went was likely never to play for us again whatever the deal. I guess most fans would have preferred Royal was moved on, but I guess Conte liked the option to bring a more defensive RB on if we had a narrow lead needing preserving. That is fair enough really.

However the valuation of Doherty as free - actually worse than free as we would have to pay him off, is very very suspect.

 

[$hoguN]

It’s pretty clear we misunderstood the rules on loans.

In my opinion we also should have kept him over Royal.

However I’m not going to chalk this up in anything other than it’s fine column as at least we don’t have to sell him this summer now. FP has increased the quality of our recruitment massively, so let’s just do what we need to to remove the dead weight in the squad signed before him and get us building

 

[spurs-r-us]

Fair play to him, most likely got his contract paid out in full, gets a sweet gig in Spain for 6 months paid well and is then a free agent. Someone will pay him a decent wage for a few more years maybe MLS or middle east, he's got Mendes' company as his agency, so highly doubt he got ripped off by Spurs, great work if you can get it.

He's made out like a bandit, we should be so lucky, Spurs on the other hand,what a joke?

Why on earth would Spurs pay his contract out in full rather than keep him? The only reason they'd have let him go for free at short notice would have been to free up wages. But people will shit on the club for being too frugal and too spendthrift without missing a beat.

 

[Spurs 1961]

I wish him well in the future. I am sure he gave his all for the club.

 

[coysjod]

Matt seems like a decent guy with a good sense of humour, wish him the best!

(now he can lean back with some golf, sangria, spare cash and go back to following Arse as they win the league)

 

[spurs mental]

Disappointed how this had ended for him. Think Spanish football could suit him though. Hope he does well there and brings good form to our National team

 

[worcestersauce]

Ah well, I'm on record, probably in this thread when he came, saying that I'm underwhelmed by him and I took a few pelters at the time.
He never convinced me otherwise even though I never had cause to question his effort or application so if this outcome suits all parties I wish him well.

 

[Harrier]

Why on earth would Spurs pay his contract out in full rather than keep him? The only reason they'd have let him go for free at short notice would have been to free up wages. But people will shit on the club for being too frugal and too spendthrift without missing a beat.

I agree.

Just because it was mutually terminated, doesn’t mean it was paid off in full. He’d effectively being paid twice for the next six months, and anything that followed.

Probably some half way house that they both agreed on.

 

[GMI]

I'm good with this move. Who cares if he went on free. Clear out the squad so can be more flexible in the future. Still got a ways to go.

This is pretty much what Arsenal have been doing over the past few years. Recognised that they had recruited poorly so took the hit to get unwanted players out the door whilst giving the new manager the players he wanted.

 

[dude573]

Right back is by far our worst recruited area in recent times. To think we had Walker - one of the best in the world and then continually downgraded with each new signing.

The fact that both Aurier and now Doherty's contracts have both been torn up speaks volumes. Serge is now at a PL club and after 6-months in Madrid no doubt Doherty will be back in the league too. We should have got money for them.

Hopefully Porro is finally the change in fortunes we need at RB. It has been a complete mess these past few years.

 

[wizgell]

Firstly, we are in dire need of shifting deadwood. Doherty would never have been at the top of that list and when you look at some that remain/are out on loan because we can't get anyone to take them it's a damning indictment on our recent recruitment/transfer dealings.

Add to that what seems to be a clear lack of understanding around loan rules it's really worrying. We've gone from Levy and Hitchen who combined were bloody awful to this Paratici led transfer/recruitment super department we appeared to be building that can't even get this right.

A player like Doherty must have had some value in the market, international, proven in the PL with 18 months on his contract and yet we are having to terminate his contract. Aurier all over again.

 

[mil1lion]

Honestly feels like Levy was backed into a corner to get Porro knowing the pressure is on. When they came up with the option to do a loan and push the deal to the summer he bit. He obviously didn't consider the issue around too many loans when he did that. He'll take a little financial hit on it but nothing major. I have no issue with Doherty gone but this has to go down as another loss for Levy in how this was handled. It will only add fuel to the fire.

 

[H-SF]

It’s pretty clear we misunderstood the rules on loans.

In my opinion we also should have kept him over Royal.

However I’m not going to chalk this up in anything other than it’s fine column as at least we don’t have to sell him this summer now. FP has increased the quality of our recruitment massively, so let’s just do what we need to to remove the dead weight in the squad signed before him and get us building

Alasdair Gold says that Atletico were interested in Royal this window but he had no interest in leaving the city or the club. Presumably with Doherty being represented by Mendes he was more easily convinced. I think Doherty is a better wing back than Emerson but Emerson actually has a decent ceiling in a inverted/conventional role in a back 4 whilst Doherty does not so considering we will probably have a new manager in summer its not a bad thing that Doc left really.

 

[Cavehillspur]

 

[Romulus]

I wish him the best but lets be honest, he is a painfully average footballer.

 

[dtxspurs]

Firstly, we are in dire need of shifting deadwood. Doherty would never have been at the top of that list and when you look at some that remain/are out on loan because we can't get anyone to take them it's a damning indictment on our recent recruitment/transfer dealings.

Add to that what seems to be a clear lack of understanding around loan rules it's really worrying. We've gone from Levy and Hitchen who combined were bloody awful to this Paratici led transfer/recruitment super department we appeared to be building that can't even get this right.

A player like Doherty must have had some value in the market, international, proven in the PL with 18 months on his contract and yet we are having to terminate his contract. Aurier all over again.

Huh? They've done a damn good job with the budgetary constraints they've been given IMO.

I'm convinced that anyone bitching about this Doherty deal is just trying to find anything to complain about.

Who the fuck cares.. Who's paying anything for a 31 year old slow RWB only? Who's hardly been a consistent success while here anyways.

Who also just had a major knee injury last season, and has 1 goal and zero assists this season.

 

[worcestersauce]

Great, we get rid of the Doc just as Conte goes into hospital.

 

[Freddie]

Huh? They've done a damn good job with the budgetary constraints they've been given IMO.

I'm convinced that anyone bitching about this Doherty deal is just trying to find anything to complain about.

Who the fuck cares.. Who's paying anything for a 31 year old slow RWB only? Who's hardly been a consistent success while here anyways.

Who also just had a major knee injury last season, and has 1 goal and zero assists this season.

Can't say I'm too fussed but given that Atletico were willing to sign him I'm sure someone would have been willing to pay a few million for him if we were looking for buyers early on in the window.

Half of Paratici's job is to get rid of players and he's massively failed on that side of things. He's either loaned out expensive players for next to nothing or just released them (Doc, Aurier, Alli). How could we not even find a 5 million pound buyer for Aurier?

 

[dtxspurs]

Can't say I'm too fussed but given that Atletico were willing to sign him I'm sure someone would have been willing to pay a few million for him if we were looking for buyers early on in the window.

Half of Paratici's job is to get rid of players and he's massively failed on that side of things. He's either loaned out expensive players for next to nothing or just released them (Doc, Aurier, Alli). How could we not even find a 5 million pound buyer for Aurier?

Ally Gold said Aurier and his agent went about it a shit way and we're turning down offers with the thought they could get Spurs to just release him.

Dele is an absolutely terrible player at this point hence why two clubs have already wanted to get rid of them and given up nothing to get him.

He's found good loans for Gil, Ndombele, Lo Celso, & Rodon who I'd be surprised if we couldnt get them all out the door this Summer for something. He's had a hell of a job cleaning up the absolute shit Levy has dumped on him.

 

[Freddie]

Ally Gold said Aurier and his agent went about it a shit way and we're turning down offers with the thought they could get Spurs to just release him.

Dele is an absolutely terrible player at this point hence why two clubs have already wanted to get rid of them and given up nothing to get him.

He's found good loans for Gil, Ndombele, Lo Celso, & Rodon who I'd be surprised if we couldnt get them all out the door this Summer for something. He's had a hell of a job cleaning up the absolute shit Levy has dumped on him.

You can't just release a player because he wants to be released. Surely then every player could do that?

At the time I think Dele still had a price and many clubs would have fancied a bargain. Everton pay good money for any old shite.

You say good loans. Nothing has really changed from last summer. Ndombele hasn't done great at Napoli. Rodon started well and then got dropped. If we didn't sell them then I don't think we'll sell them next summer. Leaving it until the last days of the window will only lead to poor decisions