Everyone and their dog are currently reporting the news that Wilson Palacios has admitted that he has his heart set on a move to Real Madrid. Whilst it would be preferable if Wilson had kept his ambitions to himself, I don’t think that it’s something that should cause us major concern.

I’ve already read views from Spurs fans claiming that this admission is disrespectful to both the club that pays his wages and the supporters that cheer him on. As I’ve already said, it would have been better if Wilson had kept schtum, but foreign players do tend to be a bit looser tongued than their English counterparts. I don’t think though that this statement means that Palacios doesn’t have any loyalty towards Tottenham.

All it means is that he’s ambitious player that wants to get to the very top. Shouldn’t we welcome players like that to our ranks? I don’t recall many critiques of Palacios’ lack of loyalty when he happily walked out on the Wigan fans that adored him, when we came knocking.

The simple fact is that until we are regularly winning trophies, competing in the Champions League and playing before a huge sold out crowd every week, our best players are always going to be on the lookout for pastures new. Even if we do achieve all that, there’s still the possibility that our stars will want to join the likes of Real Madrid. Manchester United are hardly starved of success, but that didn’t stop Ronaldo wanting to leave them.

It’s frustrating of course, because how do you reach that level when your best players are constantly being cherry picked? We looked to be assembling a decent side a few seasons ago, but then Carrick went to United. We buy Berbatov and he and Keane formed a deadly partnership before both leaving two seasons later.

I guess it’s a case of taking two steps forward for every one step back. We have to invest the cash we receive from transfers wisely. This hasn’t been the case with a lot of our purchases, but Palacios was money well spent.

The reason that it doesn’t bother me that he’s made this admission, is that I can’t imagine Palacios not being totally committed, even if he did fancy a transfer. Unlike Berbatov, who sulked and refused to play when United came calling, it’s hard to picture Wilson not continuing to give his all.

In fact, considering that Real Madrid are pretty well stocked in defensive midfielders at the moment and have shown no interest in buying him, it means that Palacios will need to bust a gut if he’s to one day earn his dream move.

This can only be good news for Tottenham. If Real Madrid or any other giant of the football world want to buy Palacios, it will be because he has been playing consistently well for Spurs (probably better than he has performed this season). He signed a five and a half year contract just over a year ago, so anyone that wants his services will have to pay big money for the privilege.

So as long as he gives us his all in the meantime, I for one won’t begrudge Palacios if he eventually earns his move to Madrid. Just as long as we continue to progress whilst he’s here and don’t replace him with that Zokora bloke from Sevilla.

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22 COMMENTS

  1. Great Article, I’ve seen all the news reports too, I think they like having a dig at spurs, and it’s clear that he never intended to offend anyone at Tottenham, and like you said there are some real pluses involved here, for me, if he goes it will be for decent money £18-20m (or some players included, ones we actually want lol pls no Ruud’s, Rauls, Figo’s etc) and I think we can replace him when need be, Sandro? and Hudd? who knows maybe Gerrard and Hudd the way things are at Liverpool lol.

  2. It was in the Sun so some innocent remark may have been twisted, or he may have been responding to a question like “Who else would you like to play for?”.

    But otherwise if he did say it though it’s hardly surprising it’s a bit silly to say it to a newspaper.

  3. Level-headed article.
    I was pretty much gonna say what Iian said. I would just addto his explanation that journos often use leading questions, and I doubt Wilson just met one on the train and said: “Yeah, I want to play for Real Madrid”.

  4. The timing of it really stinks, If I was a fool with more time on my hands, I won’t scream OUTRAGE, Conspiracy to bring down Tottenham just as we are on the verge of greatness (kind of lol)

    But nah, I think it’s just a simple, but intended twisting of his words, the funny thing is on a day where they ‘The Sun shouldn’t be short on football stories and looking for a filler [like the palacious story] with all the results from last night, previews of tonights games, … I wonder why was there a need to squeeze this in, it’s not ground breaking news really is it?? but oh I see… Arsenal won 5-0, showing everybody that are there to win things this year, and oh, look, Spurs can’t keep hold of their good players, he wants a move to a big club (satisfying and comical reading if ya gooner) ……………………………….. OUTRAGE! LOL

  5. Dream on Wilson. You’re good but not that good. Maybe we would be a “big club” if you could chip in with a few goals. Only danger when you go forward is to the fans.

  6. “The simple fact is that until we are regularly winning trophies, competing in the Champions League and playing before a huge sold out crowd every week, our best players are always going to be on the lookout for pastures new. ”

    We cannot win trophies/get in the CL without our best players

    You have fallen for the idiotic logic that players with a single brain cell use. It is not possible for every single player who wants to win trophies/play in the CL to join Barcelona/Real Madrid/Inter/Milan/Man Utd/Chelsea.

    • I haven’t fallen for any logic, I’m just pointing out a fact. Over the years we haven’t won trophies, so Waddle, Gascoigne, Campbell, Sheringham, Carrick, Keane, Berbatov and others have moved to clubs where they believed they would win things.

      You rightly point out that you can’t win trophies/get in the CL without your best players, which is why we’ve found it so difficult over the years. I believe I wrote a couple of paragraphs discussing this very point.

  7. Whilst there’s no doubting Wilson’s ability on the pitch since he’s joined Spurs, I must admit, if Real Madrid were to come looking for him, I would actually take any offer above the £22mil mark and re-invest in another younger, combative midfielder for less than this sum. The reason I say this is whilst I love Wilson (which Spurs fan doesn’t ?) he strikes me as being a “slightly better version of Zokora”. By that I mean, yes he’s great at tackling and shielding the back four but his medium to long-range passing is only a fraction better than Zok’s and his shooting is next to nothing. The modern midfielder (even the defensive mids) need to have the full range in their locker; tackling, passing and shooting. One-and-a-half out of three for Wilson is probably not enough for a club with EPL top-four aspirations. Of course, should Wilson stay at WHL in the long-term, then I for one will always support him.

  8. Good article – I agree with everything you say. However, don’t bet on Wilson coming out and saying that he’s been ‘misquoted’ or even that he didn’t say anything in the first place. Afterall, this story appears to originated from ‘The Sun’.

  9. what a load of rubbish…..mate players at real can pass the ball 5 yards and not give it away…that fucks up your chance to play at real……..mate he would not even get on the subs bench…dream on mate still think your one of the worst passers of the ball ever at the lane………….

  10. I dont mind the fact he is ambitious, but who ever stated we’d take £18-20m, lol he cost us £14m, and we aren’t short of a bob or 2, £25m min for a super club like Madrid, I mean they paid £35 for Alonso so….
    One thing we have to watch is that another English club are tapping him up, especialy 2 in the north west, then we’d have to ask stupid money to hold him and not allow him to move onto another PL club.

  11. “I am really happy at Tottenham but I will continue working for a future move to a bigger club.”
    Wilson Palacios

    Obviously after a pay rise. I doubt whether Real Madrid have even heard of him. He’s an OK player but holding/defensive midfielders don’t win games and he’s worth only £12k max.

  12. Out of context
    I’am a Honduran and a Spurs fun (wonder why?)
    Just to say that Palacios words, were taking out of context.
    That article on The Sun Newspaper was taken from a Honduran newspaper article and not from the player directly. The question to Palacios from a Honduran reporter was, if he was ready to jump to a bigger Europian club? and he said, yes! and that the club that he “would like to jump to, is Real Madrid” But he also said that he is happy at Tottenham and he always talks nicely about Spurs funs and that, he will keep given his 100% to Tottenham.
    Just for the record:
    The page for the Honduran newspaper is, diariodiez.hn

  13. sorry wilson but like your namesake from the tom hanks movie the idea of real madrid coming calling for you is lost at sea and never to be seen,your just not good enough!great against the lesser sides but disappear against the sky 4 can anyone else point out a good performance against any of those? so unless your willing to not try so hard? not be frightened bullied out of the game and do a roy keane or viera and stamp your authority on a game its wont happen.dont get me wrong a revalation for us but even wenger couldnt find a place for you in his “weak” midfield perhaps not skillfull enough? who knows but we do love you anyway

  14. we give a bunch of bananas before every game and this is how he repays us. this is the kind of loyalty spurs fans are used to now. Let him go and bring in someone better who can pass as well as foul. Shinyshoes has spoken.

  15. Excelent balanced article. Can only be good for Spurs if he has aspirations elsewhere as he needs to perform at his peak every game. And we will reap the financial awards. On the negative side, if we keep losing very good players, how do we actually make the leap to CL football…catch 22. Honestly though, Real Madrid will never be interested. As some other readers have pointed out, his passing can be suspect and he rarely scores, and these are the full range of talents a RM would look for before shelling out the big dollars. I think the bigger threat is from within the EPL (Sky 4 team). Like the remark about Gerrard in a Spurs shirt. Does not strike me as the sort of guy that would like playing abroad and with the downward spiral at L’Pool, who knows, a Spurs shirt could be the right challenge/fit for Gerrard.

  16. These things are always taken out of context. He was probably asked, “would you like to play for a club like Real Madrid” to which he’s probably replied, “of course i would like to play for them, who wouldn’t? Since a kid in Central America i have always dreamed to play or a club like Real Madrid, hopefully some day it will happen”. What’s wrong with that? It’s the press looking to upset things a bit at Spurs but so what if he does want a move? If we get the right money, and Real Madrid seem to throw it about freely and for 30mill we should sell!! We don’t know, he might want an improved contract at Spurs…. So to say that you’d consider moving is always a way of getting people to sit down and talk. It’s a total storm in a tea cup this.

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