Rafael Van Der Vaart: Why Tottenham Hotspur Should Have Kept Him

Rafael Van Der Vaart has returned to Hamburger SV from the Tottenham Hotspur during the last minutes of the Summer Transfer Window. According to Reuters with a h/t to the Hamburger SV webpage, Van Der Vaart said that it was "a dream for him and his family."

The dream for Van Der Waart, his family and Hamburger SV are a nightmare for the Tottenham Hotspur. Andre Villas-Boas (Spurs Manager) and Daniel Levy (Spurs Chairman) should have made an effort to retain the services of the Dutch midfielder for the following reasons:

Statistics

During the 2011-12 season (according to ESPN Soccernet), Van Der Vaart scored 14 goals, started 40 matches and had 120 shots. Van der Vaart had 48 of the 120 shots on goal while playing for the Spurs and the Dutch National Football team.

Van Der Vaart started the 2012-13 season starting four games, scoring two goals and 11 shots. Of the 11 shots, four of them were shots on goal during his time with the Spurs and Holland.

Activity

According to ESPN Soccernet, Van Der Vaart is a midfielder who is versatile and classy when it comes to passing the ball. Peter Crouch praised Van Vaart (in the ESPN Soccernet webpage) for his ability to possess the ball and match.

Exodus

While some players such as Luka Modric and Giovani Dos Santos had to leave the Spurs, Van Der Vaart's exit could be construed as part of an exodus. An article written by Colin Mafham for The Express reinforces the concept of exodus which does not help the Spurs.

For those who may think the opposite, Vedran Corluka (Spurs Defender) signed with Lokomotiv Moscow last June as reported in an article by Ashley Gray for The Mail. The departure of Van Der Vaart appears to be the latest sign of a supposed exodus from the Spurs.

Hamburger SV

The arrival of Van Der Vaart to Hamburger SV could not have come at a better time for the embattled Bundesliga club. According to the Hamburger SV webpage, the club is in 15th place in the Bundesliga table.

The beginning of the Bundesliga for Hamburger SV (HSV) was marked by the club losing its first match to FC Nurnburg. The club placed its hopes on signing a player who once belonged to their team between the years 2005 to 2008.

Conclusion

It is hoped that the Spurs can find a way to concentrate on advancing in the Premier League. The only way to do so is not to think of the players who left the club.

It remains to be seen how the Spurs, HSV and Van Der Vaart will fare this season.