'. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 6:48 am
Saturday 3rd August 2013
'. How Steven Caulker's move from Tottenham Hostpur to Cardiff City came so quickly '
Steven Caulker cut a relaxed figure as he strode into the media room at Cardiff City’s Vale Resort training HQ yesterday morning.
Perhaps that was because his £8.5m switch from Spurs had taken only three and a bit days to complete, a remarkable feat by Malky Mackay and his recruitment team in these days of protracted haggling in an increasingly complex and Machiavellian transfer market.
At a time when Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was caught up in the Gareth Bale-to-Real Madrid transfer storm, it was no mean feat for the Bluebirds boss to move in under the radar and secure his man so quickly and efficiently.
Levy is a man who has built a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense negotiator, but Mackay agreed the fee with Spurs, shook hands on personal terms with Caulker and his representatives, and then set up the medical.
The rest, as they say, is now history.
Steven Caulker: The stats - What have Cardiff City bought?
And the tall, imposing Caulker, still only 21-years-old, looked a man pleased with himself as he sat alongside Mackay at the Vale and explained his reasons for choosing a return to South Wales.
He has left one of the leading teams in British football for a club preparing for their Premier League debut, but Caulker exuded confidence and clarity as he outlined the reasons for making the switch.
He seems a man who knows his own mind as well. Caulker didn’t contact England manager Roy Hodgson and didn’t really ask for advice from anybody outside family and friends.
Spurs already have Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen at the heart of their defence and are chasing hard to add Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest.
Caulker, by his own admission, would have been fourth or even fifth choice in the White Hart Lane pecking order and the England international felt that might damage his hopes of featuring in the World Cup in Brazil next summer.
“I didn’t want to put my career on hold in what is a big season for me,” he said.
“My aim is to get back in the England squad, and if you ask any Englishman they will tell you they have one eye on the World Cup. That’s something I want to work towards.
“This is a move, I believe, that will aid my England hopes. Yes, I’ll have to work hard on the training pitch to get into the team.
“But I’d like to think I can achieve that, and once I am in there then I plan to hold down that position and work as hard as I can to get that England goal.
“To be in the squad for the World Cup would be a fantastic achievement.
“There’s no doubt there is competition for places at Cardiff, just like Tottenham and, of course, England. There is no greater competition.
“I respect every opponent I have, but I’ll be fighting for that position every step of the way.”.
Mackay has been watching Caulker’s progress with interest for the last three or four years, since fellow Scot Joe Jordan talked about a young defender coming through the ranks at Spurs.
Caulker had loan spells with Bristol City, where he played alongside Nicky Maynard, and Yeovil Town. Mackay, then Watford manager, would have loved to sign Caulker.
“He always seemed just out of reach for me,” Mackay stressed yesterday.
“Whenever it seemed the time was right he had progressed a little and it wasn’t possible.
“To be truthful that thought occurred when we made our move to bring Steven here this week, but it worked out really well.”
London-born Caulker, who spent the 2011-12 season on loan with Swansea and won the respect of the home fans at the Liberty Stadium.
But he believes he is a better player now than when he made 26 Premier League appearances for Cardiff’s rivals.
“I feel I’ve developed as a player and that comes from experience,” he said.
“I’ll be looking to develop once again with Cardiff and become the best player I can be.”
Caulker was a regular for Spurs last season and seemed to be a young defender with a big future at White Hart Lane.
But perhaps he didn’t quite fit the plans of manager Andre Villas-Boas, who wants his centre-backs to be part of his attacking plans and fit into the fluent passing style he craves.
Caulker, certainly, is no slouch with the ball at his feet, but he realised it was time to branch out and face a new challenge.
“I wasn’t surprised Spurs let me go,” said Caulker.
“I have come to a point in my career where I want to play games and stand on my own two feet.
“The manager at Tottenham agreed to let me go, sign for Cardiff and play matches. I believe in myself, I’m willing to back myself.
“I spoke to the gaffer here (Mackay) and there is a lot of ambition at this club. I wanted to be a part of that.
“I didn’t ask to leave Spurs, but I want to play. It was a case of possibly being fourth-choice at Spurs this season and not getting as many games as I would like.
“I didn’t want to put my career on hold. My aim is to gain as much experience as possible.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around too often. I decided to take the step, back myself and do all I can to help Cardiff’s cause this season.”
Caulker has worked his way up through Tottenham's academy and has previously spent loan periods at Yeovil, Bristol City and Swansea City.He signed for the Swans ahead of the 2011 season - the Welsh club's first in the Premier League
He has one full international cap to his name and has been a regular with the national under-21 and under-19 teams in recent years.He scored against Sweden on his senior debut in November, 2012
Caulker accepted an invitation to be part of Stuart Pearce's Team GB side at the London 2012 Olympics, winning five caps.
He has actually played at Cardiff City Stadium already, scoring for Bristol City in a Championship match while he was on loan at Ashton Gate from Spurs. The Bluebirds came out on top that day 3-2.
He made 26 appearances for Swansea during his loan spell, forming an excellent partnership with Wales skipper Ashley Williams
He returned to Spurs in the summer of 2012 and made an impressive 30 appearances in all competitions under Andres Villas-Boas last season
He only signed a four-year deal at White Hart Lane 12 months ago and appeared to be set for more first-team football following Jan Vertonghen's recent serious injury.His move to Cardiff, believed to be for around £9m, represents a great coup for the Bluebirds
1/7
Today, at Cardiff City Stadium, Caulker will make his Bluebirds debut against Italian side Chievo.
He will do so having signed a four-year contract that has mapped out his immediate future, but Caulker may spare a fleeting thought for his old team mate Gareth Bale, who seems likely to be on his way to Real Madrid, but will have to deal with much tooing and froing just yet.
Asked if he felt Bale was worth the £100m it is said Spurs will ask Real to pay, Caulker replied: “That’s an astonishing figure, but he’s most definitely worth it,” said Caulker.
“Gareth has proved his worth over the last few years, particularly last season, when he was outstanding.
“If he does go then fair play to him. I wish him well.”
'. How Steven Caulker's move from Tottenham Hostpur to Cardiff City came so quickly '
Steven Caulker cut a relaxed figure as he strode into the media room at Cardiff City’s Vale Resort training HQ yesterday morning.
Perhaps that was because his £8.5m switch from Spurs had taken only three and a bit days to complete, a remarkable feat by Malky Mackay and his recruitment team in these days of protracted haggling in an increasingly complex and Machiavellian transfer market.
At a time when Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was caught up in the Gareth Bale-to-Real Madrid transfer storm, it was no mean feat for the Bluebirds boss to move in under the radar and secure his man so quickly and efficiently.
Levy is a man who has built a reputation as a tough, no-nonsense negotiator, but Mackay agreed the fee with Spurs, shook hands on personal terms with Caulker and his representatives, and then set up the medical.
The rest, as they say, is now history.
Steven Caulker: The stats - What have Cardiff City bought?
And the tall, imposing Caulker, still only 21-years-old, looked a man pleased with himself as he sat alongside Mackay at the Vale and explained his reasons for choosing a return to South Wales.
He has left one of the leading teams in British football for a club preparing for their Premier League debut, but Caulker exuded confidence and clarity as he outlined the reasons for making the switch.
He seems a man who knows his own mind as well. Caulker didn’t contact England manager Roy Hodgson and didn’t really ask for advice from anybody outside family and friends.
Spurs already have Michael Dawson, Younes Kaboul and Jan Vertonghen at the heart of their defence and are chasing hard to add Vlad Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest.
Caulker, by his own admission, would have been fourth or even fifth choice in the White Hart Lane pecking order and the England international felt that might damage his hopes of featuring in the World Cup in Brazil next summer.
“I didn’t want to put my career on hold in what is a big season for me,” he said.
“My aim is to get back in the England squad, and if you ask any Englishman they will tell you they have one eye on the World Cup. That’s something I want to work towards.
“This is a move, I believe, that will aid my England hopes. Yes, I’ll have to work hard on the training pitch to get into the team.
“But I’d like to think I can achieve that, and once I am in there then I plan to hold down that position and work as hard as I can to get that England goal.
“To be in the squad for the World Cup would be a fantastic achievement.
“There’s no doubt there is competition for places at Cardiff, just like Tottenham and, of course, England. There is no greater competition.
“I respect every opponent I have, but I’ll be fighting for that position every step of the way.”.
Mackay has been watching Caulker’s progress with interest for the last three or four years, since fellow Scot Joe Jordan talked about a young defender coming through the ranks at Spurs.
Caulker had loan spells with Bristol City, where he played alongside Nicky Maynard, and Yeovil Town. Mackay, then Watford manager, would have loved to sign Caulker.
“He always seemed just out of reach for me,” Mackay stressed yesterday.
“Whenever it seemed the time was right he had progressed a little and it wasn’t possible.
“To be truthful that thought occurred when we made our move to bring Steven here this week, but it worked out really well.”
London-born Caulker, who spent the 2011-12 season on loan with Swansea and won the respect of the home fans at the Liberty Stadium.
But he believes he is a better player now than when he made 26 Premier League appearances for Cardiff’s rivals.
“I feel I’ve developed as a player and that comes from experience,” he said.
“I’ll be looking to develop once again with Cardiff and become the best player I can be.”
Caulker was a regular for Spurs last season and seemed to be a young defender with a big future at White Hart Lane.
But perhaps he didn’t quite fit the plans of manager Andre Villas-Boas, who wants his centre-backs to be part of his attacking plans and fit into the fluent passing style he craves.
Caulker, certainly, is no slouch with the ball at his feet, but he realised it was time to branch out and face a new challenge.
“I wasn’t surprised Spurs let me go,” said Caulker.
“I have come to a point in my career where I want to play games and stand on my own two feet.
“The manager at Tottenham agreed to let me go, sign for Cardiff and play matches. I believe in myself, I’m willing to back myself.
“I spoke to the gaffer here (Mackay) and there is a lot of ambition at this club. I wanted to be a part of that.
“I didn’t ask to leave Spurs, but I want to play. It was a case of possibly being fourth-choice at Spurs this season and not getting as many games as I would like.
“I didn’t want to put my career on hold. My aim is to gain as much experience as possible.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around too often. I decided to take the step, back myself and do all I can to help Cardiff’s cause this season.”
Caulker has worked his way up through Tottenham's academy and has previously spent loan periods at Yeovil, Bristol City and Swansea City.He signed for the Swans ahead of the 2011 season - the Welsh club's first in the Premier League
He has one full international cap to his name and has been a regular with the national under-21 and under-19 teams in recent years.He scored against Sweden on his senior debut in November, 2012
Caulker accepted an invitation to be part of Stuart Pearce's Team GB side at the London 2012 Olympics, winning five caps.
He has actually played at Cardiff City Stadium already, scoring for Bristol City in a Championship match while he was on loan at Ashton Gate from Spurs. The Bluebirds came out on top that day 3-2.
He made 26 appearances for Swansea during his loan spell, forming an excellent partnership with Wales skipper Ashley Williams
He returned to Spurs in the summer of 2012 and made an impressive 30 appearances in all competitions under Andres Villas-Boas last season
He only signed a four-year deal at White Hart Lane 12 months ago and appeared to be set for more first-team football following Jan Vertonghen's recent serious injury.His move to Cardiff, believed to be for around £9m, represents a great coup for the Bluebirds
1/7
Today, at Cardiff City Stadium, Caulker will make his Bluebirds debut against Italian side Chievo.
He will do so having signed a four-year contract that has mapped out his immediate future, but Caulker may spare a fleeting thought for his old team mate Gareth Bale, who seems likely to be on his way to Real Madrid, but will have to deal with much tooing and froing just yet.
Asked if he felt Bale was worth the £100m it is said Spurs will ask Real to pay, Caulker replied: “That’s an astonishing figure, but he’s most definitely worth it,” said Caulker.
“Gareth has proved his worth over the last few years, particularly last season, when he was outstanding.
“If he does go then fair play to him. I wish him well.”
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 3:11 pm
I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 4:22 pm
scotsjack wrote:I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
Much appreciated with that comment not containing any hate!May I ask though, why are you personally on a Cardiff City Forum when you are a Swansea fan?
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:12 pm
bakerbluebird wrote:scotsjack wrote:I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
May I ask though, why are you personally on a Cardiff City Forum when you are a Swansea fan?
God knows how I ended up on here, but I know I signed up to reply to a thread a couple of years back about attendances... It's a decent forum, so I have a look in now and then.
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:14 pm
scotsjack wrote:bakerbluebird wrote:scotsjack wrote:I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
May I ask though, why are you personally on a Cardiff City Forum when you are a Swansea fan?
God knows how I ended up on here, but I know I signed up to reply to a thread a couple of years back about attendances... It's a decent forum, so I have a look in now and then.
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:15 pm
scotsjack wrote:bakerbluebird wrote:scotsjack wrote:I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
May I ask though, why are you personally on a Cardiff City Forum when you are a Swansea fan?
God knows how I ended up on here, but I know I signed up to reply to a thread a couple of years back about attendances... It's a decent forum, so I have a look in now and then.
Respect
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:21 pm
i heard his girlfriend is from swansea and now pregnant, so move made sense 
Re: '. How Steven Caulker move came so quickly '
Sat Aug 03, 2013 10:08 pm
bakerbluebird wrote:scotsjack wrote:bakerbluebird wrote:scotsjack wrote:I'm still shaking my head that you pulled this off, a very good signing.
On a slightly separate note, I've said it before on here, and I'll repeat it... You've got a great young manager in Malky Mackay, remember that when you have a slightly dodgy patch at some point next season, it will probably happen at some time, remember moments like this...
May I ask though, why are you personally on a Cardiff City Forum when you are a Swansea fan?
God knows how I ended up on here, but I know I signed up to reply to a thread a couple of years back about attendances... It's a decent forum, so I have a look in now and then.
Respect
Scotty always been good contributer to board no crap just honest opinion.