Big money on offer to draw star players to Man United
When Smit was still a player and fighting for his place on the Sharks team, following Bismarck du Plessis’ emergence as a powerful force that could not be ignored, Plumtree shifted Smit to prop to accommodate the youngster.
Smit, although a prop in his junior rugby days, had to comply with the uncomfortable move to try to keep himself in World Cup 2011 reckoning.
Then Bok coach Peter de Villiers flew down to Durban to negotiate ways to solve the Smit-Du Plessis headache.
Plumtree was unaccommodating, making it clear that he would do what was best for the union, regardless of the implications his decisions had on the Springboks or Smit’s career. That move cast doubt in Smit’s mind over Plumtree’s ability to manage sticky player situations.
And so, when it was time to choose, he went for Brendan Venter as his chief lieutenant.
Three excruciating matches await Plumtree before he departs and it will be interesting to see what level of respect the players give him in his final month.
If anyone knows how Rafael Benitez felt in his six months at Chelsea (or Thabo Mbeki in the months post Polokwane), it is Plumtree. HE has been described as the best British player of his generation and opposition managers have called him a soccer genius. Now the inevitable has happened – Gareth Bale is being linked with a move to Manchester United.
The future of Tottenham’s 23-year-old Wales forward has already been the subject of intense speculation that he will move to a major club for a world record fee during the July and August transfer window.
So far, Tottenham have been able to reject the rumours out of hand but according to The Sun yesterday , their strength is about to be tested with a massive offer by Premier League champions Manchester United.
New manager David Moyes, who is replacing the retiring Sir Alex Ferguson, will be given up to R1.3-billion to invest in Bale or in bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back from Real Madrid, four years after he left for the current record fee of more than R1.2-billion.
Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain are reportedly also interested, and some say that United would only get Ronaldo – who on Thursday via Twitter denied rumours he was set for a contract extension beyond 2015 at Real – if Bale goes to Real.
United’s record buy is still Dimitar Berbatov, who joined for more than R460-million in 2007 but any move for Bale – or Ronaldo – would dwarf that.
Bringing back the popular Ronaldo would be great news for United, but Bale – just voted the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year – seems to be very much in favour with the United hierarchy.
Having lost Ferguson, who had been in charge since 1986, United are desperate to maintain their place at the top of the English club game.
Bale is coming off the best season of his career, scoring 21 goals in 33 Premier League games and 26 in 44 games overall.
Having begun his career at full-back, he is now playing in midfield and sometimes in attack, with his blistering pace and outstanding left foot too much for many teams.
“The difference, without any question is one man,” West Ham manager Sam Allardyce lamented at one stage this season.
“I’m not suggesting they’re a one-man team but they are in terms of the victories.
“I think he has scored eight out of 10 goals in the last few weeks, which has got them so many wins.”
Should Bale join United, it would follow in a long tradition of big-name players moving to Old Trafford. These include Wayne Rooney, Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Should Bale decide to leave, he would trump the lot – either at United or elsewhere.