Danny Rose wants more money: Can the bubble burst at Tottenham?

In an interview with The Sun, Danny Rose comments publicly about his Spurs’ frustrations, including the club’s failure to sign players along with Daniel Levy’s stringent, low-paying wage structure.

The left back has been sitting on the sidelines for sixth months with medial ligament damage in his knee, providing the Englishman with ample time to contemplate his future.

The Sun interview

It looks like his blood has heated to the boiling point, offering The Sun some candid opinions about the current situation at Spurs:

"“I’m not saying I want out, but if something came to me that was concrete, I’d have no qualms about voicing my opinions to anyone at the club,” Rose said."

He continued:

"“When you’re injured you get a lot of time to think and I’ve had a lot of ‘what if?’ moments: It’s been hard to deal with. One thing is for sure – I know my worth and I will make sure I get what I am worth.”“I am not playing as well as I have done not to get paid what I think I am worth. In any walk of life, if you think you are worth a certain amount, why settle for less? I am not that person. If I get to levels I reached last season – and this goes out to everybody – I will make sure I get what I am worth. I don’t know how much longer I might have at this level.”“Anyone who thinks this s primarily for money, that is not the case. But I know what I am worth. As withe everyone else in the team, in my opinion, I am worth more than I am getting.”"

Does Rose have a point?

Rose also iterated that Spurs must buy a few players to solidify their stance as Premier League contenders. He didn’t go as far as to offer an ultimatum, but the tone of the interview suggests that Spurs can only appease Rose by signing household names while increasing salaries of the club’s most valuable assets.

Rose is currently earning about £65,000 a week, about three times less than what Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea would offer England’s first-choice left back. Does he have a point?

He certainly does.

Levy is playing a dangerous game, one that has the propensity to eventually cause a rift between the team’s best players and owners. Ambitious players, no matter how you slice it, want to be paid as much, or more, than counterparts around the league.

Like in any job, people want to earn what they’re worth. Spurs’ best players are not immune from human nature.

Players hold all the power

A problem progressively growing out of control, players in the current football landscape have been granted almost presidential power. Rose made these comments knowing they’d be read by millions, including those he is employed by.

But instead of keeping such inflammatory comments behind closed doors –  where they’re meant to remain – Rose undermined his club and teammates. He also threw Tottenham’s loyal fan base to the wolves, stating that some factions of supporters didn’t have his back when he first arrived in north London.

Make no mistake, these comments were calculated, measured and pre-ordained. By spouting off, he has forced the gaffer’s hand. Rose knows he’s a wanted commodity by Premier League juggernauts and these comments are a declaration of his future intent. This kind of behaviour from any player, regardless of their professional standing, is unacceptable.

Whatever happened to professionalism and loyalty, when players would meet privately with their superiors to air such grievances?  It might still happen, but to a much lesser degree. Players now hold all the cards, which is a trend that needs to be reversed. Whether it can be is another question entirely.

Next: How will Danny Rose perform post-injury?

Unfortunately Levy, at some point, will have to get on board with increased personnel expenditures or face the potentially devastating fallback. Rose all but promised that he’ll play “up north” before his career is over. And these kind of incendiary comments may have Rose’s desired effect of expediting his overtly obvious transfer desires.

His departure would be disastrous for Spurs, who can ill-afford to lose anymore marquis players, particularly with their new stadium still a season away from being completed.

A Rose departure would cause a thorny situation for Spurs, possibly creating a snowball effect that even the persuasive, beloved Mauricio Pochettio wouldn’t be able to stop.