"The Fans love the club and they've been behind me fever since the first game", said Berbatov after It had been suggested that Spurs fans were finally losing patience with the forward's below par performance and apparently disinterested attitude. The player himself, however, claims to be as enthusiastic as ever about playing for the club, adding: "I want everyone to know I am a Tottenham Hotspur player, I love the club and everyone at the club.
There has been an awful lot of stuff written about me leaving. I haven't said anything like that until now, but they are now involving my family and I cannot allow that. When someone is writing lies about my family I must get involved". Berbatov's frustration will be compounded by stories in The Sun this morning claiming that he told his brother he had 'outgrown' Tottenham and was pining after a move to Manchester United. The article also went on to say that his brother described the striker, who scored twenty-two goals in all competitions last season, as being "grumpy" when he is not the "centre of attention and main man", suggesting that the furore surrounding the appointment of Ramos may have ruffled his feathers.
This is not the first time Berbatov has gone on record to say that he is happy at the club and will probably not be the last. Fans of the club will undoubtedly be encouraged by today's statement, after it had appeared Ramos had left the door open for the forward's exit yesterday. "I believe you can force players to stay in the team if they don't want to", said Tottenham's new head coach ahead of this afternoon's UEFA Cup tie against Hapoel Tel-Aviv. ""It is not good for the team or the player, so I wouldn't stand in anyone's way if they want to leave. I think he is happy, but that is a question you need to ask him."
What is clear is that Berbatov's future at Spurs is linked to an upturn in the clubs fortunes and his apparent commitment to the club would be severely compromised if the club did not qualify for Europe next season. To do so Ramos needs a motivated and in form Berbatov, who when in form, brings so much more to the team than just goals. He acts as a focal point for attacks and his intelligent runs and vision create space for others to move into. If, however, he does not show a noticeable in improvement in attitude on the pitch, or continues to lope about cussing at every pass that doesn't match his exacting standards, he should be sold in January. Make no mistake the club have dug themselves into the sort of hole that will require a lot of character and resilience to climb out of. We need players who are up for that challenge and if Dimitar's heart and mind are elsewhere, the club should cash in now and use the transfer fee to strengthen in other key areas because, as West Ham and Leeds discovered to their cost, there are few teams 'too good' to go down.