Barca´s big bid for Becks

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 1:35 pm

Just as a reminder for American sports fans, we Yanks don´t corner the market on big bucks for pro sports: Barcelona has made a $48-million offer for Manchester United midfielder David Beckham.
 
 That´s 48 million bones just to get Becks on the team. That doesn´t count his wages, which easily will exceed $100,000 per week.
 
 Man, that is some serious, serious coin. Can you imagine if an NBA team had to shell out $50 million to get Shaq or Kobe and then pay his multimillion-dollar salary? Day-um!
 
 The offseason transfer market is a fun way to keep me out of the footie doldrums until the European season starts again in August. <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_smile.gif">
 
 Take care,
 PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 3:52 pm

I wouldn´t count on the world´s most highly paid place kicker moving to Barca - it´s a publicity stunt on behalf of one of the people standing for the presidency of Barcelona.
 
 He´d be daft to go there because they have been so poor this season that not even his ludicrously overhyped abilities can pull them round - plus he´d be replacing someone who is actually a better player, in Gaizka Mendieta.
 
 So, not very likely then..although it might be a little more believable if Barca threw Patrick Kluivert in as a makeweight (say £22m + PK).
 
 Anyway Paul, what do you make of Lee Bowyer´s move to your beloved Toon ? Bowyer and Woodgate, Kieron Dyer and Bellamy...what a quartet of class individuals. Sir Bobby´s got his hands full with that group of louts...
 
 Only 76 days until it starts again...

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun Jun 01, 2003 4:17 pm

Dave:
 
 If Sir Bobby can keep that lot out of jail next season, is there a higher honor than knighthood? I guess Newcastle´s kit now is quite appropriate -- jail bars for jailbirds.
 
 I´m not crazy about the Bowyer addition. I don´t think he´s the player he was for Leeds three years ago. At least he came on a free. Maybe Uncle Al and Sir Bobby can keep him in line, but I´d be surprised if there wasn´t some sort of nightclub trouble or training ground bust-up next year involving either Woody, The Rat (Bowyer, dude looks like a rodent) or Bellamy.
 
 Out,
 PK

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 12:22 pm

I never knew who Mendieta was until I picked him up in WE6 last week <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_smile.gif"> Needless to say, he´s been helpful in improving my set-piece play.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 3:41 pm

Sf
 
 Yeah, MCFC qualified via the Fair Play League. We had the 5th best disciplinary record in the Prem, but the first 4 were already in Europe. England were top of the European Fair Play league (which has about 5 coefficients that only a saddo who works for UEFA could understand), so in we go.
 
 Apparently the seedings mean we are likely to get a team from E Europe or Ireland first..so we may even go two rounds !!
 
 I´m old enough to remember our last foray in 1978..we beat AC Milan 3-0 at Maine Rd, I seem to recall (well I was 12 at the time..)
 
 New stadium, Europe...four years ago I was plotting my way to Colchester....
 
 FORZA City : the MANCHESTER club. [ This message was edited by: davet010 on 02-06-2003 12:42 ]

RobVarak · Post by **RobVarak** » Mon Jun 02, 2003 3:45 pm

Dave,
 
 Don´t take this the wrong way, as I´m happy for you that your boys made it into Europe. But that HAS to be the most ridiculous basis for qualification that I´ve ever heard LOL It´s so screwed up that I can´t believe Bud Selig didn´t think of it <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_smile.gif">

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Tue Jun 03, 2003 4:26 pm

Rob
 
 I agree - but I think of it as our reward for conning Manchester City Council into building us a brand new 48,000 seater stadium for free (and it is wonderful..I´ve been there), and for selling out our games in Division 2 against the likes of Port Vale and Bury.
 
 So, the second week of August will see us open up with a UEFA Cup tie, then take on Barca in a friendly....heaven.
 
 <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_biggrin.gif">

Neckthai · Post by **Neckthai** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 8:19 pm

Beckham has been sold to Real Madrid for£25 Million and has signed a four-year pact with the Spanish giants.
 
 But United will only receive £5.2 million for the 28-year-old now, with a further £12.2 million guaranteed over the course of his contract and the remainder dependent on Real enjoying success in the Champions League.
 
 My question is where does he fit in with Raul, Figo and Zidane?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Tue Jun 17, 2003 9:48 pm

Good point, Neck. And Real already has one of the best free-kick takers around in Roberto Carlos.
 
 I read somewhere where ManU was supposed to get a player in return for the reduced transfer fee. Sir ExLax was very interested in the keeper Casillas, but Real won´t part with him. But Makelele and Guti were mentioned as possible players headed to ManU.
 
 Is the player part of the deal still on? And now that Becks is gone and ManU has some more cash, will it be long before Ronaldinho calls Old Trafford home?
 
 F*ck ´em all, the lot: Newcastle will reign supreme next season!
 
 Take care,
 PK

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Jun 18, 2003 11:34 am

Beckham´s position will be...
 
 1. on the bench, between Portillo and Flavio Conceicao.
 
 2. on posters and the back of shirts, earning money for Real Madrid, estimated at £100m over the next 12 months.
 
 3. A constant reminder to Barca that Real is where the real power lies (unfortunately, as they are a hateful outfit.)
 
 Amusing that S***** get so little dosh up front for him, and slightly surprising, given that their financial statements for this year will take the £30m hit for that skull-faced space cadet, Rio ´over-rated, moi ?´ Ferdinand. Interesting to see how much Taggart has to spend over summer - hopefully he´ll blow it on Ronaldinho, who has inspired Paris St-Germain to a superb 12th in the powerhouse that is the French League...
 
 Probably means the end for McManaman at Real, and Guti as well. Head over to Manchester, boys, there is a sky-blue future awaiting you !!
 
 and Paul..much though I admire your love for the Toon, and admire Sir Bobby, that squad will not get back into the ECL places next year, without some help at centre back, centre midfield and full back. You might finish higher than us though...
 
 <IMG SRC="images/forum/icons/icon_wink.gif"> [ This message was edited by: davet010 on 18-06-2003 08:35 ]