Public Apology

I should know better (though part of me is still screaming that something ain't quite right). Berbatov has finally spoken out about all the rumours, and isn't best pleased that lies are being published about him wanting to leave Spurs. I wonder if the press will cover this story in comparison to the other ones suggesting he hates being at the club. Ironic that yesterday evening I was reading about Ramos suggesting he couldn't keep the player at the club if he didn't want to stay.

Berbs:

"I don't like to speak too much and don't like to be in the spotlight or the papers," said the striker. "I just want to play football.

"There has been a lot of stuff written about me leaving. I haven't said anything until now, but they are now involving my family and I cannot allow that. When somebody is writing lies about my family I must get involved.

"I am my own man, when I want to speak I will and I will tell you the truth no matter how hard it is. That is why I am talking now.

"I want to let everyone know that I am a Tottenham Hotspur player, I love the club and everyone at the club. I don't always smile so much, but that does not make me a bad person.

"I don't smile because we are near the bottom of the table and have not been playing well - I have not been playing well either.

"The worst thing is when someone starts writing lies and when people see that they start to believe it. That really is the worst thing.

"I just want to say that I am here, I am happy here and I will help the club in any way I can," he added, before stating his gratitude for the ongoing support the fans have given him since his arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2006.

"The fans love the club and they have been behind me ever since my first game. I appreciate them the most and I want to tell them that I am not going anywhere.

"I have a contract and I will give my best, for now it is not going so well for me because all the writing in the papers has been messing with my head and I lost my concentration.

"I don't want to see my name in the papers anymore - I just want to play football and enjoy myself. When I see things in the paper with somebody telling lies about my father, how can I be calm? I am disappointed and I don't understand how somebody can write something like that - it is a lie.

"Bringing my family into it is the biggest sin."

That's pretty conclusive, no? Would someone truly lie about his feelings so publicly? Well, ok, not a good question considering a certain Judas did something very similar a number of years ago. But this seems geninue, and I feel a tad guilty now for believing everything else about the player just because he sulks. Not that I'm forgiving him for his lack of effort and other complaints I have about his form, but I suppose you could argue that his lack of form has more to do with the fact that his team mates are shit and we have high hopes of him to carry everyone on his back due to being some what 'world class'.

I think it's time for his feet to do the talking, and hopefully todays UEFA Cup match and Sundays clash against wonderful Wigan will play a big part in re-building confidence for Berbatov, the team and the fans.

This story is covered by most sports sites (who took the quotes from the Official Spurs site), though nice to see the following in todays The Sun:

"Dimitar Berbatov's brother says the Bulgarian striker has "outgrown" Tottenham and wants to join Manchester United "

"Dimitar Berbatov's brother says the Spurs striker gets "grumpy" when he is not the "centre of attention and main man "

There's an interview with his brother, but no quotes from Berbs, more an opinion from his bro - however, would he lie about family in this manner, blatantly saying that Berbatov wants to leave? See how easy it is to get confused when people are constantly contridicting statements?

I feel dirty that I allowed my frustrations to blind me to simple logic. Just because a newspaper reports something doesn't mean its true. Even and interview with Berbs bro.

And if Berbatov does have personal issues, unrelated to football, these are his own and not for us to judge him. Won't stop the gossip though. And we all know that even when certain people in football say something, it doesn't mean they mean it. Look at Jol and his short stories and soundbites.

I'm gonna wipe the slate clean. Today is a new day. The past is the past.