Tottenham open to offers for Lewis Holtby

[Bedford White]

Taken from the Enfield Independent today :

"Tottenham Hotspur are willing to listen to offers for playmaker Lewis Holtby, who spent the second half of last season on loan at Fulham, according to the Daily Mail.

The 23-year-old Germany fell out of favour last season under Tim Sherwood and Andre Villas-Boas and was loaned to Premier League rivals Fulham in the January transfer window, making 13 appearances as the Cottagers were relegated.

Whilst Holtby has been re-integrated into the Tottenham squad by new head coach Mauricio Pochettino since his return, the former Schalke midfielder is believed to be expendable as the Argentine seeks to mould the squad in his own image.

Signed in January 2013 for £1.5m, Holtby has made 40 appearances for Spurs and is attracting interest from the likes of Queens Park Rangers and Crystal Palace."

OMG I counldn't bear it if Lewis Holtby joined CP or. QPR, I really rate the guy and I belie  he did pretty much everything he could for us last year. I don't suppose there would be any chance of bringing him back, LH could be that missing cog in midfield we need to get our attacks working? What do you think?

[shnlwswlkr]

Would love him back, but don't see him dropping to the championship. Would rather he went to CP than QPR. £1.5m for him though is a bargain, we should at least try, for that cheap you could just bulk up his wages.

[TrexFFC]

Why would he want to come to us...?

[God The Mechanic]

I think he largely flattered to deceive, that being said he's definitely bring us something we don't currently have.

However, it's a hell of a fall from grace.  Ended last season at a team that got relegated and now being linked with the likes of QPR and Palace.  Had he been smart, or at least less unlucky with the influx of midfielders at Spurs last year he could be playing somewhere like Everton.  Southampton could be a decent move too, if they are interested.

[Captain Fulhamerica]

Let's make him an offer he can't refuse. He is just the kind of player we need. He has that cutting edge we've lacked so far this season. Come on khan, break out the checkbook.

[epsomraver]

I think he largely flattered to deceive, that being said he's definitely bring us something we don't currently have.

However, it's a hell of a fall from grace.  Ended last season at a team that got relegated and now being linked with the likes of QPR and Palace.  Had he been smart, or at least less unlucky with the influx of midfielders at Spurs last year he could be playing somewhere like Everton.  Southampton could be a decent move too, if they are interested.

He had personal problems whilst with us, hopefully they are resolved so yes why not sign him?

[Deanothefulhamfan]

He would never sign for us.... He must be bottom of FM's christmas card list.

He should go back to Germany where he is respected for the good footballer that he is....

[Baszab]

He completely fell out with FM - as did everyone else

[AlexH]

I wasn't too impressed with him and he won't drop to the Championship. He's a mid-table PL player - I could see him doing well at a club like Southampton.

I'm not too sure there's much legs with Holtby out rumours on Spurs' end, though, as Pochettino seems to rate him more than Sherwood.

[blingo]

Magath doesn't want him end of.

[Bedford White]

Tbh it's hard to know whether there's any truth in the alleged difficulties muted between FM and LH. After all it's rumours this or rumours that. But never say never, a few extra euro normally settles differences in my experience.

It would be awesome though, wouldn't it!

[alfie]

He completely fell out with FM - as did everyone else

Who told you that?, When did Holtby say he had fallen out with him? and who are everyone else?, I can only speak for me and I didn't fall out with him.

[Tonywa]

Terrific player and we saw, briefly, under Rene just what a talent he is playing down the middle just  behind a striker.  Enter Felix and the new manager immediately slags him off saying he's not up for the relegation fight, then proceeds to play him out of position out on the wing where he is marginalised , then seems surprised when Holtby doesn't' produce his best. If you want it there's a classic lesson in how not to get these best out of a very talented player who could have contributed a huge amount to a relegation fight with a sympathetic manager.  

[Pluto]

Brilliant footballer bizarrely ostracised by Magath for seemingly no apparent reason, then played out of position. He also had some personal problems, but I do feel that while he was with us he was by far the most talented player in the squad. Also seemed to genuinely care and show a passion for the club. Excluding players of his talent is one of the reasons why I don't like Magath. If we'd kept Rene and built the team around Holtby, we'd probably still be in the premier league now.

[David Allen Crankshaw]

I would imagine that a number of German clubs would be interested. Although he was signed for only £1.5m he will be leaving Tottenham for considerably more than that amount.

[Deanothefulhamfan]

Brilliant footballer bizarrely ostracised by Magath for seemingly no apparent reason, then played out of position. He also had some personal problems, but I do feel that while he was with us he was by far the most talented player in the squad. Also seemed to genuinely care and show a passion for the club. Excluding players of his talent is one of the reasons why I don't like Magath. If we'd kept Rene and built the team around Holtby, we'd probably still be in the premier league now.

I couldn't agree more

[YankeeJim]

As I recall, his girlfriend discovered that he was  stepping out. Ah, to be young again. More importantly, Felix said he wasn't a fighter. Felix seems to get an opinion about a player and than send them off to Never-Never Land. Witness Burn. I don't know why but this is the one thing that concerns me about him as a gaffer. All  the opinions about man management, experience in England & other such things don't concern me since there is no way to establish if those opinions are fact. Clearly, Felix is an odd egg IMHO but what I care about is how the lads play. Yes, FFC has lost two in a row but both could easily have been wins and we clearly showed interest and effort. Neither of which was apparent last season. All will come good.

[MikeW]

Holtby has talent and energy and could do a great job with us.  Felix (wonderfully described as 'an odd egg' by Yankee Jim) seems to have few man management skills other than do as I say!

If we don't put some results together soon he'll be gone - the Chairman has to protect his investment.

Magath has shown precious little understanding of English football at two levels so far.  We have the most bizarre, disjointed squad.  Oh to be a fly on the wall in the tea room!,

[jmh]

Magath has shown precious little understanding of English football at two levels so far.

I've seen a couple of people say things like this and have yet to get an adequate explanation.  What is he doing that's showing a lack of understanding of English football specifically, as opposed to football in general?  What is so different about English football that makes people act like it needs to be treated entirely differently?

And, as a corollary, given the England national team's lack of success in recent years, and the fact that the English teams that have won the Champions League in recent years have done so with large numbers of non-British players (8 of Liverpool's starters in 2005, 6 of Manchester United's starters in 2008, 7 of Chelsea's starters in 2012) and non-British managers in two of three cases, maybe the traditionally English approach isn't necessarily always the best?

[Twig]

Magath has shown precious little understanding of English football at two levels so far.

I've seen a couple of people say things like this and have yet to get an adequate explanation.  What is he doing that's showing a lack of understanding of English football specifically, as opposed to football in general? 

How about a dismally low 22% (I think) win rate?