Berbatov gears up for first season in England

Last updated : 07 August 2006 By Editor

Nick Townsend wrote in The Independent on Sunday, ‘UEFA Cup action is not sufficient for an ambitious (Tottenham) board. To flourish, the team must develop a greater ruthlessness in games against Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool. To achieve that, Martin Jol is dependent on a trio of Not The World Cup Strikers, in Dimitar Berbatov, the Irishman Robbie Keane and the Sven Goran Eriksson-neglected Jermain Defoe.'

Berbatov said: "I spoke with Manchester United at the end of the season. They had a problem with Van Nistelrooy but I couldn't wait so long. Spurs had wanted me the whole time and sometimes that's the most important thing. They came and saw me when I'd only scored six goals in the German league [last season] and they said, 'We like you and want to buy you'. Leverkusen said no, but for six months Tottenham were always in contact with the club, saying, 'We still want you, whatever happens'. I scored 21 goals and then they came up with the price for me. They could buy whoever they wanted but they wanted me, and I appreciated that."

"We haven't lost a match so far in pre-season. I've played in all kinds of formations - one, two or three up front. The first two games of pre-season in France were difficult for me, but I have started to adapt to the style of football. I have come to a better League, I believe."

Club captain Ledley King told the club's official website: "We've made the new players feel welcome and we've been happy with what we've seen from them."

"Obviously we have had a few weeks to work with Dimitar. Although he didn't score in France it didn't take too long for him to make his mark at Birmingham with two great finishes. I've been impressed with Benoit (Assou-Ekotto). I hadn't heard too much about him before he came but, on his first day in training I really liked what I saw."

"Unfortunately I missed the Ivory Coast games, but I heard good reports about Didier (Zokora) from the World Cup. I have spoken to Kolo Toure and he told me what a great player Didier is."

Zokora has illustrated that he brings with him to England plenty of knowledge of the Premiership.

"Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira are the perfect examples of the star players that have played in The Premiership over the years," the ex-St Etienne midfielder told the Sun. (Sky Sports)