Berbatov: Kane has a small window to make his mark... I know as I was ‘Harry’ and left Spurs to win trophies
DIMITAR BERBATOV walked in Harry Kane’s shoes 13 years ago.
Just a few months after helping Tottenham beat Chelsea to lift the League Cup at Wembley, he joined Manchester United “to fight for the big trophies.”
And that’s why the former Bulgaria striker, who won two Premier League titles at Old Trafford, doesn’t believe that today’s Carabao Cup Final will have any influence on whether Kane follows the same route out of Spurs in the summer.
The team left behind by Jose Mourinho face a Manchester City side that would like to have Kane wearing a Sky Blue shirt next season. But unlike 2008, when Berbatov’s decision to choose United over City was the epitome of a no-brainer, the options for the England captain are not so obvious.
Betfair Ambassador Berbatov (below) said: “In 2008, I was Harry Kane. United and City wanted me... and I knew I had to leave if I wanted to win the big trophies. Harry is in a tough and delicate position. Do I stay, do I go? I understand the position he is in, but I don’t think his choice will be decided by whether Tottenham win or lose the Carabao Cup.
“Harry is 27. He is coming to the prime of his career and time waits for no one. He has a small window to make his mark on the game.
“He is loved at Spurs. So perhaps he will be thinking: ‘I don’t need to win trophies when I can stay here to break records and become an even bigger legend.’
“Or maybe he will be thinking: ‘I have done what I can here. Now it’s time to move to the next chapter in my life and win big trophies.’ Where does he move? He needs to be careful because if he joins a club that doesn’t win things he will have big regrets. In the end, that’s a decision only he can make.”
Berbatov scored Tottenham’s equaliser as they came back to beat Chelsea in 2008, centre-half Jonathan Woodgate netting the winner in extra-time. It was the last trophy won by the London club.
At the end of the season, Sir Alex Ferguson came calling, only for City’s new owners from Abu Dhabi to make an 11th-hour deadline-day bid.
Berbatov added: “My decision was easy. United were the best team in the country and were winning trophies every year.
“Now it is City who are in that dominant position and United haven’t won the league for almost eight years.
“It hurts me to say it as a former United player, but going to Old Trafford like I did would be a gamble because it might take years for them to win the title.
“If he goes to City, he knows he will win. “One thing that we must remember is that Daniel Levy is going to ask for so much money that maybe a transfer becomes impossible.”
Berbatov knows from experience how ruthless Levy is.
Ferguson said he would never do business with the Tottenham chief executive after he refused to budge on his £30.75million valuation of a striker at his peak. Berbatov didn’t agree with Levy’s decision to sack Mourinho just six days before the final and hand the reins to Ryan Mason and Chris Powell.
Berbatov said: “In my opinion it wasn’t fair to sack Jose.
“He has been one of the best managers in football over the last decade, with so many trophies.
“I think Jose deserved more respect. He deserved the chance to win the final. I think it’s a decision that could interfere with the minds of the players.
“Some of them might have liked him, some will not have liked him, so the team could be divided – and that’s the last thing you need when you’re playing Guardiola’s Manchester City.”
Berbatov added: “Ryan Mason and Chris Powell face an unbelievable test but back in 2008 we beat Chelsea when they were big favourites.
“Finals don’t come down to form or where you are in the Premier League table. They are about who wants it more.
“Maybe they can use the sacking of Jose Mourinho and the questions being asked about the quality of the players to manipulate their minds and turn it into a benefit.”
» For more from Betfair Ambassador Dimitar Berbatov head to www.betfair.com/berbatov