Soccer thread 08/09 (will have spoilers!)

black_dynamite · Post by **black_dynamite** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:40 am

I am absolutely floored with the transfer melee that's been occurring today.

The biggest for me being Robinho going to Manchester City. Are you kidding me?! Man it just goes to show that all the money in the world means #### sometimes and it's good to see that Robinho did not end up at Chelsea where he would be rotting on the bench. That's not to say he will be a sudden hit at City. He's definitely going to struggle in his first year but hopefully after some time and attempting to adjust to England he'll come around.

What about some of the other transfers that went down today. Quaresma to Inter, Berbatov to Man U, and a lesser known one to many Chu Young Park going to Monaco. This has been a crazy day to be a football fan and it's going to be a great year of football for sure especially in the Premier League. It's going to be nuts.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 3:54 am

Black - all the money in the world still DOES mean something - it's just that that money is now at City

MACTEP - I think you were spot on about Voronin...Liverpool look light on bodies up front now with Torres out. The only thing I can think is that with Reira (and sorry, but I still keep laughing at someone paying £8m for him..) on the left wing, they will stick Babel up front with Keane.

Finnan leaving has been on the cards for a while. Espanyol were quite keen on searching for a new RB, as their old one is now at Middle Eastlands.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:11 am

Does the City owner play Football Manager?

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:35 am

SSN now reporting that Kevin Keegan has been sacked as Newcastle manager (was originally saying that he resigned, but only an idiot resigns from a contracted post of their own volition).

Apparently over Newcastle doing nothing on deadline day...dunno what he expected - they did get two players and no one left, whereas it'd been widely mooted that Smith, Owen and Mr Fight Club Barton were all going.

DrCosta · Post by **DrCosta** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:38 pm

It sems that the new Man City owner wants everybody now, Sky sports saying the new owner wants Ces Fabby, Villa, and even Ronoldo. Now we all know Ronoldo will be at Real Madrid next yr but its great to see Man city compete with the big boys now, and not many people can outbid Mr. Roman from Chelsea. And finally the Manchester derbys will be more exciting than London derbys, Bring on Fifa09 and the new transfers on dlc day 1.

fsquid · Post by **fsquid** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:31 pm

Deadline has passed right? Keep seeing these new lists of who City wants, I'm assuming they mean in January.

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:49 pm

fsquid wrote:Deadline has passed right? Keep seeing these new lists of who City wants, I'm assuming they mean in January.

Yes.

Keegan is apparently staying as well.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 4:09 pm

Nice to see that City's old 'Premiership laughing stock' title has passed into safe hands.

Big demo outside St James Park, so either Keegan changed his mind, or Milke 'Mr Decisive' Ashley got scared by a load of Geordie knuckle-dragging inbreds.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:07 pm

Money is no object obviously for City, now they dream on Ronaldo for 09.

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:51 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote: Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:28 am
Berbatov is at Man United. Robinho and City have agreed on a fee of 40m euros. We are about to see just how pissed off Robinho is at Real Madrid. Maybe if they promise him that they will sign Ronaldo next he will join.

I was actually being ironic, but... The world has just learned that if you bid on enough players you just might get one of them. I don't know about all that talk of competing for the title, but they just might give a good run for the last spot of the CL qualifying if they stay drama free for the year, that is. I just have a feeling that there will be manager-owner-fans controversy somewhere in the near future. Let's hope not. Cristiano Ronaldo is definitely not coming to City, let's be serious, but they got over the hump, they got their first superstar, so they will now be constantly mentioned in all transfer talks, and if they are smart with their buys, they may just put a good team out there.

10spro · Post by **10spro** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:00 pm

True. Ronaldo will never end up in City, we all know where his heart is, and Real will welcome him with open arms next year.

wco81 · Post by **wco81** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:33 pm

What happened, some Arab sheik or Russian kleptocrat buy the club?

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:46 pm

wco81 wrote:What happened, some Arab sheik or Russian kleptocrat buy the club?

Beware of robed emir's bearing treasure...or in Dave's case be extremely happy! At least the new money at City is likely to be considerably less dodgy (and bountiful) than City's former somewhat alledged crooked owner or the crime boss of Chelsea.

Best wishes,

Doug

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:33 am

http://www.mcfcfans.co.uk/blog/$blog/20 ... rspectives

There you go Doug.

First home game of the new era is a week on Sunday....vs Chelsea.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:36 am

Alan Curbishley gone from West 'Aaam. City will also be blamed for that, after dealing out a caning to them, but the last straw was, apparently, the sale of George McCartney without his approval, a week after Anton Ferdinand was also sold.

Nice to see that City are now being blamed for 'killing football' after bidding Robinho for £32.5m. Curiously enough, the only fans who really seem to be pushing this are...

Man U (5 transfers of £30m plus, 2 of which [Tevez/Berbatov] were actually illegal)

Liverpool (Torres £30m, paid £18m for Kuyt and contemplated paying £18m for a distinctly 'quite good' Gareth Barry)

Chelsea (innumerable transfers of £15m plus, ludicrous wages).

Then you've got other clowns like David 'Kerbcrawler' Pleat lamenting the rise of money in football and the end of the days when every club started the League thinking they could win it. I'm presuming that he means 1961 and the ending of a wage system that really was slavery (max of £10/week), as opposed to any other time in living memory.

Odd that he didn't mention these forbodings when he was in charge of Spurs.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:18 am

Atxj wrote:
fsquid wrote:Deadline has passed right? Keep seeing these new lists of who City wants, I'm assuming they mean in January.
Yes.

Keegan is apparently staying as well.

Not for long, according to the Times of London:

>>>>>

SPORT: (FOOTBALL) KEEGAN MAY WALK AWAY FOR GOOD

By Matt Dickinson

650 words

KEVIN Keegan was on the verge of standing down as Newcastle United manager last night (Tuesday), throwing the club into bitter turmoil, over what he perceives as humiliation concerning the club’s transfer policy. After farcical scenes that included bewildered fans demonstrating against the “sacking” of their hero, Keegan remained in his position, according to the club, but it is hard to believe that he will stay for long, or want to, given his clashes with the board.

Keegan has been so at odds with the directors over transfers that some Newcastle players were among those to believe that club and manager had parted company yesterday (Tuesday) lunchtime. It appears to have been only a reluctance to surrender the payoff on his three-year deal, worth up to pounds 3million a year, that stopped Keegan following through his threats to take his leave. Whether he jumps or is seen to be pushed, it seems highly unlikely that he will be seen in a dugout again.

The former England manager has been so impotent in recent days that, having angrily questioned the proposed sale of Joey Barton on Monday, it is believed he was told that every member of the first-team squad could be sold, irrespective of his opinion.

The directors have pushed their manager to the brink by dictating the buying and selling of players, but, bizarrely, they seem happy for him to continue for the time being. Perhaps they want to avoid more trouble from supporters who are in revolt over Mike Ashley’s stewardship. The crowd of 47,711 for the opening home Barclays Premier League match of the season, against Bolton Wanderers, was the lowest in more than a decade and there is talk of a boycott of the next fixture, against Hull City on Saturday week. Suggestions that Dennis Wise and Gustavo Poyet may take over from Keegan have led to further uproar on Tyneside.

Boardroom sources claimed last night (Tuesday) that they had spent most of the day talking Keegan out of resigning, but there is no doubt who the fans will side with. Even with mixed results since he took over from Sam Allardyce in January, Keegan is popular for his previous exploits on the pitch and as the Newcastle manager.

The humiliations heaped on him stretch back over several months, since Wise was brought in as executive director (football). Wise and Tony Jimenez were appointed by Ashley to guide transfer policy, but their seizing of control has brought only conflict with the manager.

Those rows came to a head with the recruitment on Monday of Ignacio Gonzalez, the Uruguay midfield player, and Xisco, the Spanish striker, even though Keegan had not approved their signings. He had been asking for a left back and Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich, but was given neither. At the same time the club tried to offload Barton for pounds 4million to Portsmouth, even though Keegan had fought hard to retain the midfield player after his six-month prison sentence for assault.

A deal to sell Alan Smith to Everton also fell through, while the board tried to sell Michael Owen to any takers, despite Keegan imploring club officials to give the Newcastle captain a new long-term contract. Keegan had also been undermined by the sale of James Milner to Aston Villa last week.

In the circumstances, it is a surprise that Keegan, 57, has lasted this long, particularly given his temperamental history. But at his age and with his faltering record, to quit now would probably be to leave management for good.

In response to reports that Keegan had been sacked, the club said that they “wanted him to continue to play an instrumental role as manager of the club”. Whether he can endure further embarrassment is another matter.
<<<<<

Ah, sweet stability on Tyneside.

Take care,
PK

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 2:30 pm

Apparently someone is selling t-shirts that say:

Put some petrol in your car, so City can by another star

I don't get all the teeth gnashing and bitching about the sale. A rising tide lifts all boats...except those too cheap or stupid to get out of the dock LOL

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:05 pm

davet010 wrote: Liverpool (Torres £30m, paid £18m for Kuyt and contemplated paying £18m for a distinctly 'quite good' Gareth Barry)

My good man, what else do you have up your rectum besides those numbers?

Torres --> 20 million POUNDS (1-2 million pounds more than Jo)
Kuyt --> 10 million POUNDS

That's 18 million pounds less than you cited...or one overpriced Gareth Barry

And no, City aren't ruining football, the big boys (and Spurs) are just running scared...kinda nice to see actually. There's a term used for the all outcry...jealousy.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:09 pm

Meh - £20m, £30m....what's the difference ?

Probably about 20 minutes oil revenue to our new masters..<adjusts headdress, faces Mecca>

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 3:12 pm

davet010 wrote:Meh - £20m, £30m....what's the difference ?

Probably about 20 minutes oil revenue to our new masters..<adjusts headdress, faces Mecca>

ROFL

MACTEPsporta · Post by **MACTEPsporta** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:28 pm

davet010 wrote: Probably about 20 minutes oil revenue to our new masters..<adjusts headdress, faces Mecca>

I'd face Mecca before I face Macca too. Yeah... changes are coming to Man City. I can already picture all 11 players dropping to their knees during the match to perform Salah. I am sure most players will pick up the idea of harems very fast too. Especially Brazilians. Here is the new anthem:

Blue Moon you saw me standing alone,
Without the dream in my heart
Without the oil in my sands....

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 6:33 pm

We've already got a number of new theme tunes, thanks...

"If I were a rich man"

"Money makes the world go round"

My current favourite goes like this, to the tune of the Inspiral Carpets song from the 1990's, called "This Is How It Feels"

"This is how it feels to be loaded
This is how it feels to be rich,
This is how it feels
When you've just made Fergie your b*tch"

Oh yeah, and our new kit is already out

Atxj · Post by **Atxj** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 8:34 pm

davet010 wrote:Oh yeah, and our new kit is already out

dougb · Post by **dougb** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:35 pm

davet010 wrote:http://www.mcfcfans.co.uk/blog/$blog/20 ... rspectives

There you go Doug.

First home game of the new era is a week on Sunday....vs Chelsea.

Thanks Dave!

I wonder how many other Premiership outfits are going to be looking for a wealthy benefactor.

Had to laught listening to CBC radio in Toronto on the way to work this morning. The sportscaster was talking about how odd it was that Manchester City fans were worried the team would go and spend too much money to put together an all-star squad.

Best wishes,

Doug

Macca00 · Post by **Macca00** » Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:18 pm

MACTEPsporta wrote:I'd face Mecca before I face Macca too.

Bastard! I'm hurt!