Why Kyle Walker's Transfer to Manchester City Has Left a Bitter Taste for Tottenham Fans
This opinion piece should probably be prefixed by the fact that all sides have won in Kyle Walker's transfer to Manchester City.
Tottenham received an absurd amount for a good, not brilliant player, City have solved their right-back problem with a proven Premier League right-back and Walker has the chance to work under one of "the most respected managers in the world".
Apparently Mauricio Pochettino has not warranted any respect so far in his career, but that's for another time.
STRATFORD, ENGLAND - MAY 05: Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur goes past Aaron Cresswell of West Ham United during the Premier League match between West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur at the London Stadium on May 5, 2017 in Stratford, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Mike Hewitt/GettyImages
What is pressing is the manner in which the transfer has been pushed through, in Walker's case.
In swapping Spurs for City, Walker has essentially revealed that he does not feel the north London club can go any further than they have in the past few seasons, leaving the Lilywhites for a club they have finished above in each of the past two campaigns.
From being caught saying "Tottenham 'til I die" to telling fans on holiday that he would be staying, it's the lack of courtesy in the transfer deal which has irked so many Tottenham fans.
Perhaps it's just a sign of the times. Had John Terry or Steven Gerrard said 10 years ago that they would stay at Chelsea or Liverpool for the rest of their careers, you would have believed them.
Admittedly Walker is not a London kid. The 27-year-old was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire and was signed by Spurs in 2009, becoming the club's first choice right-back under Harry Redknapp by 2011.
And that's probably were a lot of the anger has come from. Walker became one of the best right-backs in the country before regressing in the next few years under Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood, ultimately being saved by Mauricio Pochettino and turning into England's premier full-back.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 14: Kyle Walker of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United at White Hart Lane on May 14, 2017 in London, England. Tottenham Hotspur are playing their last ever home match at White Hart Lane after their 118 year stay at the stadium. Spurs will play at Wembley Stadium next season with a move to a newly built stadium for the 2018-19 campaign. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
Clive Rose/GettyImages
Jumping ship at this time, when Tottenham seem to be on the brink of something big, something groundbreaking, something potentially historical, is what has caused Spurs fans to brand the defender 'a snake'.
Ultimately, if Tottenham supporters could have lost one player this summer, many fans would have picked Walker. Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld's partnership at centre-back is priceless, quality left-backs like Danny Rose are largely unavailable and players like Harry Kane and Dele Alli just don't come around too often.
Yes, the deal leaves Tottenham handsomely well off in a crazy market, but it has also left an undeniably bitter taste in the mouth.
