Spurs sign John Bostock

Guardian and ITKs on Spurs Community are rporting that we've signed him.

He's only 15 but has already played for Crystal Palace. The Goons and Chelski were after him, so will be a great coup if we do get him.

I'm not at all optimisitic about Bostock and these kind of signings. How many of these types have we signed in recent years?

Only Lennon has actually gone on and made an impact on the first team.

Other 'wonderkids' : Danny Rose, Adel Taraabt, Charlie Mills, Rodrigo Defendi, Yuri Berchiche, David Limbersky. The list goes on and on.

Happy to get promising young players into the Academy and build for the future, but not paying several million for schoolchildren.

I see your point, but he is talked about as the next Theo Walcott. If we can get him in, I think we've done well.

Sure, he may be great. I'm just not holding my breath on any of these kind of signings.

Daniel wrote:

Exactly.

Bostock has already had many a four four two and world soccer write-up and looks a big boy for his age, with quicksilver feet (so the eagles rave). But similar things were said of Owen Price and Michael Malcolm when they came to the club too.

The lower the expectation (and hence pressure) on the young 'uns the better I think.

Wht's the use of talent?

To be ruin

FROM SKYSPORTS:

Teenage sensation John Bostock looks set to join Tottenham from Crystal Palace this summer. The 16-year-old midfielder became Palace's youngest-ever player aged 15 years and 287 days when he featured against Watford last October. Bostock is reported to have attracted interest from the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and even Barcelona.

Palace boss Neil Warnock was hoping to tie Bostock to a contract in south London but now appears to have admitted defeat in trying to keep hold of his prodigy, who is currently sitting his GCSE exams.

He said: "I don't honestly know. I've been told he's going to sign for Tottenham but I'm not sure. I'll be speaking to his dad. It's disappointing really if that's the case because I've not been told myself. But these big clubs can do what they want, can't they?"

Quite right Neil, we can and we will.

Neil Warnock's illegitimate
He ain't got no birth certificate
He's got AIDS and can't get rid of it
He's a piggy bastard!

I'D RATHER SIGN JOHN TOSHACK

"I'm so disappointed about the whole Bostock situation. I wasn't aware that it was close to going through until Tuesday night. I've heard that he has left because a member of my staff has allegedly told him that he wouldn't be able to play in my system - it's just a total excuse. I just wish he came up to me and said, 'Neil, we've weighed up our options and decided to go to Spurs'. I would have accepted that. But to say that one of my members of staff has told him that he wouldn't fit in with my style of play is absolute garbage. He has gone for the money - simple." Neil Warnock

another one for the future?

what about players for the here and now??

CRYSTAL Palace assistant manager Mick Jones has warned Tottenham they could have to pay hefty compensation if they don’t agree a financial package for superkid John Bostock. The 16-year-old midfielder looks set to leave the Eagles, who he joined at the age of seven, and move to the Premier League giants. Bostock’s switch to White Hart Lane would go to a tribunal if the two clubs cannot strike a deal.

And Jones told the South London Press: “The sensible approach is for our chairman to speak to them directly but if the figures can’t be negotiated we will go to tribunal and our evidence is fabulous. The situation has now gone from personal warmth to being a business one and John’s been with the club since the age of seven, in the first-team at 15 and been captain of England U17s. That is proof of the potential he’s got. There’s also no dispute he’s gone to one of the top clubs in the world and that’s also relevant. With all due respect, if he was moving to Wigan it would be a different ball-game. They must rate him highly and he can’t come cheap. It should all stack up well in our favour. Simon Jordan’s already made the point he would rather have the player here but if John’s decided to move on you’ve got to get the best for Crystal Palace.”

And Neil Witherow, editor of www.palace-echo.net, said: “It does seem a shame that, given our record of blooding youngsters, including John himself, somewhere along the line someone feels his opportunity lies elsewhere. I don’t think there is any club in the top two divisions who would give him a better chance of playing. If there is blame to be attached it’s with his advisors but we don’t know what the dialogue with the club was like - negotiations are inevitably going to be a lot more secretive than they would be for a more established player.”

John Bostock will complete his £5million move to Tottenham this week after passing a medical at White Hart Lane.

Crystal Palace's 16-year-old midfielder talked with Spurs' sporting director Damien Comolli at the club's Chigwell training ground at the weekend and has agreed a five-year contract.

Bostock, who made his debut for Palace aged 15 years 287 days, will be put on an 'accelerated development programme' that will propel him towards the first team at Tottenham.

Palace chairman Simon Jordan is still negotiating his transfer fee with Spurs, but the south London club are powerless to prevent Bostock leaving. His contract at Palace expired two weeks ago and if Spurs cannot agree a fee with Palace, the decision will go to a tribunal.

Spurs have made a cash offer, believed to be around £500,000, for his immediate release, with a series of clauses dependent on appearances for club and country.

The England Under-17 midfielder, who is currently taking his GCSEs, will travel with the first team for their pre-season tour of Spain.

Sportsmail revealed last month that Comolli, who has an 'uneasy relationship' with manager Juande Ramos, was under increasing pressure at White Hart Lane — but Comolli's stock will rise with the signing of Bostock.

He does sound the business. However, I'd air on the side of caution. He wasn't involved in the play offs so very much doubt he'd be playing PL football for at least 12 months.

That said, throwing the net out to catch a bright young talent is financially a low risk. He'll be on less than GBP 5k per week ( Under GBP 300k per annum), as will the likes of Gunter, Rose etc. In other words, signing ten young players such as Gunter, Rose, Bostock etc is the same as paying GBP 6m signing on fee for Petrov + GBP 50 k per week in wages.

Spurs have got the right balance - experienced, ready to use players like Modric, plus signing what might be the cream of english football in 2-3 years on the cheap.

Why does every signing have to be exciting ?? Football is a business with short and long term objectives.

spur'don wrote:

He does sound the business. However, I'd air on the side of caution. He wasn't involved in the play offs so very much doubt he'd be playing PL football for at least 12 months.

That said, throwing the net out to catch a bright young talent is financially a low risk. He'll be on less than GBP 5k per week ( Under GBP 300k per annum), as will the likes of Gunter, Rose etc. In other words, signing ten young players such as Gunter, Rose, Bostock etc is the same as paying GBP 6m signing on fee for Petrov + GBP 50 k per week in wages.

Spurs have got the right balance - experienced, ready to use players like Modric, plus signing what might be the cream of english football in 2-3 years on the cheap.

Why does every signing have to be exciting ?? Football is a business with short and long term objectives.

Here here! I agree, I'm glad we have got him, but have no expectation that he will ever make it into the first team (it's 50/05 whether he will able to make the step up and with spurs track record of turning potential into shite the odds are stacked against it).

However if he does and is the next George Best we've done very nicely thanks very much. If he doesn't and turns out to be mediocre, we sell him to Norwich or someone for 2mill. No disaster! either way its not a massive gamble for a club like spurs.

I agree with the both of you.

People might moan about some of the young players we've bought, but bear in mind we've bought the following youngsters from the championship:

Defoe - 7m
Carrick - 3m
Dawson - 3m
Huddlestone - 2m
Lennon - 1m

They have been a good investment, even if they might not all be top 4 players. Even when a couple have not gone well, we've sold them on relatively quickly without losing money, e.g. Reid (bought for 4m from Forest, sold for the same to Charlton) and Rasiak (bought for 2m from Derby, sold for 2m to Southampton).

According to the Daily Heil, Bostock will be going with the first team squad on the pre-season training camp in Spain.

With seven subs next season, I fully expect him to at least be on the bench a few times and possibly even get some pitch time at the end of the season once he's turned 17 and got used to the club.

I agree with the principle spudron lays out, but my point earlier is that I'm not going to get excited about any such signings, no matter how much potential a young player shows.

Number 10 wrote:

I agree with the principle spudron lays out, but my point earlier is that I'm not going to get excited about any such signings, no matter how much potential a young player shows.

Yes but didn't i end with not every signing has to be exciting. Of course fans want to know how each signing is suppose to improve 1st team for next season, however some transfers are part of a longer term investment that don't bring about immediate returns.

The club shouldn't be criticised for such signings - it's not lack of ambition or trying to do things on the cheap.

Anyone else read the news report that Chelsea and Man Utd have combined debts of GBP 1.5bn. That will come back to bite them. In my opinion for all the success enjoyed by Chelsea and Man Utd, Spurs are actually a better run club.

Blondkvist 2008 remix

John Bostock's father has rejected accusations that his son's decision to quit Crystal Palace and join Tottenham is purely down to money.

Bostock, the 16-year-old midfield starlet who became Palace's youngest-ever player last season, is on the verge of moving to White Hart Lane rather than continuing his football education in the Championship with the Eagles.

But Michael Brown insists the switch is not cash-motivated, and instead revealed his son could have joined Chelsea, or even Barcelona, rather than the north Londoners.

"If John was leaving Crystal Palace for money, he would have gone to the biggest and richest club in the world, which he could have done," Brown told the South London Press.

"You can name a big club in England rumoured to be interested in him and it's a fact. There was great interest from Barcelona but from a family point of view it was never an option because John wasn't going to leave London. But John turned down the richest club in the world and he chose instead to go to the club where he believes he will develop best.

"He's had a fantastic time at Palace. He's been at the club since the age of seven and has got a lot of great memories. He's got to thank everybody there for what's happened because if it wasn't for Palace he wouldn't be where he is today."