So you could forgive me and the rest of the football world for being slightly sceptical when we collectively heard the news that Tottenham had purchased Dimitar Berbatov for what seemed like a huge amount of money for an unknown at the time (£ [3]10.9 million). In hindsight of course, it turned out to be a bloody bargain.  The classy Bulgarian did have a slow start to his career in the Premiership but it wasn’t long before he showcased his world-class talent.

I could list the qualities and traits of what separates the good players from the great players, what makes a footballer special, what separates players like Zidane, Cantona, Ronaldinho, and Maradona from your regular European class footballers and in my opinion Dimitar Berbatov possess those attributes so instead I’ll list his skills.

 The one of many great aspects of his game I noticed was his close control, he amazes me with his first touch, it is so deft, it’s magical, he can control a ball no matter its height, pace or angle, and he holds the ball up and creates space for himself. It is like time stops when the ball is at his feet and  like all great players, he has ample time on the ball, he can dribble and go past players although he isn’t particularly lightening quick. His vision, his eye for goal, he is a direct threat, a natural goal scorer yet he sets up as many as he scores. (11 assists last season) Another trait of his game that impresses me is his build up play, his passing range, He is incredibly unselfish and likes to slow the game down and play at his own pace, his body language suggest how natural it all is to him. Berbatov’s ability to strike a ball from all angles with both feet is another trait a few footballers can claim; he has already acquired a ridiculous catalogue of goals in his still very short Tottenham career. (Think back to his effort against Middlesbrough) he can even header, he is an all-round striker and in my opinion the best in the premiership and among the best players in the world.

His great strike partnership with Robbie Keane keep players such as Jermaine Defoe and Darren Bent out of the Tottenham side, their understanding of each others games makes it a joy to watch Tottenham sometimes bar their awful defence.

Its often printed in the papers that Manchester United were interested in Berbatov previous to him joining Tottenham but never mad a bid, and rumours circulating suggest that United may make an offer in the summer 2008. The never-ending reports linking Berbatov to United seem to suggest that there is truth to the story as it has since emerged that Sir Alex had enquired about his availability a number of times.

If there is a negative thing to say about Dimitar Berbatov is perhaps due to the on-going media speculation about his future, he seems unsettled. His body language isn’t great, he has a slight attitude problem when things don’t go his way and he is sometimes quick to demand a free-kick. Like most European players, he does not attempt to track the ball especially when he has lost possession himself, he exudes a silent arrogance that only truly great players can get away with, in that sense he reminds me of the great Eric Cantona, tall, sophisticated, mute and abnormally calm in any high-pressure frenzied footballing situations. 

Another credit to his class is his record on the international stage; Berbatov has scored 39 times in 62 games for Bulgaria which is a phenomenal record for a player who is not an out and out striker.  There is no doubt that Dimitar Berbatov is a world class player, a special player who deserves to play in great competitions such as UEFA Champions League alongside great players and win trophies, no disrespect to Tottenham but he wont win anything other than the Carling Cup with Spurs and at the age of 27, he needs to move to a big European team in order to truly fulfil his potential. 

 I’m a huge admirer of the Bulgarian forward and think he has made the premier league so much more exciting, I love to watch him play; his technical ability is of such a high standard, there is nothing he can’t do with a ball. He’s effortless and a real pleasure to watch.  It’s quite well known that Berbatov’s childhood hero was Alan Shearer who ironically turned down a move to Manchester United back in 1996; hopefully Berbatov won’t be stupid enough to make the same mistake as his childhood hero.  

By Hannah Ali