Football 2010-2011

[pink_triangle]

... Or not f**ked off to Chelsea

I saw him play at the youth cup final vs. Coventry, the skills he was pulling off then have definately been removed from his game

[Steve P]

It's all the result of the Prem sucking money out of grass roots football - something it was specifically designed to do, the very reason why top clubs pushed for a new structure which resulted in the Prem.

What those clubs still haven't grasped is that a team with huge amounts of money by no other team to play is not a team. Yet that is the ultimate consequence of what they've started.

[Langdale Wolf]

I thought he'd end up at Brum - every other Scot normally does.

I'd be surprised if he's not one of (if not the) major Champs players next season, but of course, as your club discovered with E-Blake that doesn't necessarily mean much when you move up a level.

[Steve P]

Don't think Dan Gosling will be given a warm reception at Goodison Park next season.

LINK

[eFestivals]

I dont see cole as arrogant, I think he is pretty level headed.

I wouldn't necessarily call it arrogance, but to my mind he's defo a player whose greed for the ball ends up detracting from his otherwise great individual skills.

In my opinion if coles talents had been encoraged in the right way, his inability to play on the wing would have been irrelevant. I really think he could have been a better option in attacking midfield than either gerrard or lampard. I guess we willl never know for sure.

Well, we do have his time of playing games for England to work from, and I'd guess that Postman Pat sees things in a similar way to me. Pat will have looked at those games I'm sure, because there has to be a reason why Cole wasn't much in the running for games.

My opinion is that despite all of the obvious problems that come with playing both Gerrard & Lumpard, the team was much better balanced with them played as they were this summer than would have been the case if they'd both been played in the centre (so Barry dropped) and Cole on the left.

However, I do concede that things might have worked better if Lumpard had been dropped so that Gerrard played with Barry in the centre, and Cole was played on the left. I think Gerrard and Barry is a much better combination in the centre than Lumpard and Barry.

As you say, we'll never know.

[eFestivals]

Not all is rosey at Barca

£125 million bridging loan to cover "short term liquidity problems" eh, what a pity

It appears that things are much worse at Barca than that article implies - according to what I've just on BBC TV text, they didn't pay their players in June, and this loan was needed to be able to do that.

But apparently, life is still good, and they've got the money for Cesc ... providing that Arsenal will accept the few pennies that Barca are prepared to throw their way.

Me, I see a mass exodus from Spanish football in the next 18 months, in much the same way as has happened with the Italian league.

Mind you, I'm not entirely sure that the Prem will be the beneficiary - it's not like it doesn't have its own financial issues which are likely to be hitting harder and harder over the next few years.

[ste4_20]

Me, I see a mass exodus from Spanish football in the next 18 months, in much the same way as has happened with the Italian league.

Mind you, I'm not entirely sure that the Prem will be the beneficiary - it's not like it doesn't have its own financial issues which are likely to be hitting harder and harder over the next few years.

[amaidment]

It appears that things are much worse at Barca than that article implies - according to what I've just on BBC TV text, they didn't pay their players in June, and this loan was needed to be able to do that.

But apparently, life is still good, and they've got the money for Cesc ... providing that Arsenal will accept the few pennies that Barca are prepared to throw their way.

Edited July 7, 2010 by amaidment

[ralph250]

Don't think Dan Gosling will be given a warm reception at Goodison Park next season.

LINK

[ralph250]

[amaidment]

Last year spent quite a lot if including Keirrison €14m with an extra €2m in bonuses, Chygrynskiy €25 etc.

But equally Dani Alves €28m + €6m bonuses, Henry - €24m, Milito - €20.5million, Hleb - €17 million, Caceres - €16.5 million, Abidal - €15 million, Keita - €14 million, Henrique - €8m, with an extra €2m in bonuses.

Amazing youth system but they've spent a fair amount over the years on the squad players/key slots where no youth coming through.

[philipsteak]

I hadn't realised it was quite so much over the last 3 years as I'd forgotten about a few of those, and didn't realise some were that expensive.

Still, its no embarassment to have less knowledge than ralph the stat!

[Steve P]

It's a strange one. If things were that bad, why make it quite so public? Why not keep it quiet and either not sign Villa (assuming this was known before they signed him) or try to get back some of the money they spent on Ibrahimovic.

[Lithium05]

West Ham have just launched a new away kit? It's pretty average, but the real puzzler is the picture they're using for the launch - Cole, Hitzlsperger, Noble and Stanislas sat at a table, wearing the kit having what looks like a full English... Weird.

[eFestivals]

Barca are in real financial trouble ...

I'm getting confused about what the situation really is.

I've just read on the Sky TV Text sports letters that, supposedly, Barca don't have any accumulated debt at all. So this letter said, the only reason they needed this loan is because a TV company has been late making a 100M euro payment to them, and the loan is just to tide them over until it's paid.

[oafc0000]

It appears that things are much worse at Barca than that article implies - according to what I've just on BBC TV text, they didn't pay their players in June, and this loan was needed to be able to do that.

But apparently, life is still good, and they've got the money for Cesc ... providing that Arsenal will accept the few pennies that Barca are prepared to throw their way.

Me, I see a mass exodus from Spanish football in the next 18 months, in much the same way as has happened with the Italian league.

Mind you, I'm not entirely sure that the Prem will be the beneficiary - it's not like it doesn't have its own financial issues which are likely to be hitting harder and harder over the next few years.

Edited July 8, 2010 by oafc0000

[Steve P]

I'm getting confused about what the situation really is.

I've just read on the Sky TV Text sports letters that, supposedly, Barca don't have any accumulated debt at all. So this letter said, the only reason they needed this loan is because a TV company has been late making a 100M euro payment to them, and the loan is just to tide them over until it's paid.

[ralph250]

Excellent blog on Barca's debt. Read the comments aswell, as he answers further questions.

Interesting that they still owe Arsenal £16m for Henry and Hleb though, though guess it could be how the payment plan was laid out.

http://swissramble.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-can-barcelona-afford-cesc-fabregas.html

[ralph250]

Well I know that in the run up to their presidential elections, Roussel said they were in the region of €450m in debt. That it might be manageable based on their income doesn't change the fact that it puts them in a fair bit of trouble. The interesting bit to me is that the TV company that owes them the cash looks like going into liquidation. As they negociate their own deals, and this one was in place before Spain got into the real financial mess that they are in now, I wonder if they'll be able to get the same ammount of cash again from someone else?

[The Nal]

So what are the chances of Utd getting Sneijder then? Inter hardly have much tv money coming in, Serie A being f**ked as it is. They may have a shot with 30 million on the table!

Still though, it shouldve happened last year. Fergies refusal to deal with "that mob" has come back to bite him. 12 million last year for him or 30 this year!?? Why didnt he ask for 65 million and Sneijder for Ronaldo last year?

[pink_triangle]

I would say man city have more chance of getting him than man utd, I personally think he will stay in inter. I just cant see man utd spending that sort of money. However they definitely need a player like him, in my opinion. For Man utd standards the midfield currently looks very average.

Edited July 8, 2010 by pink_triangle

[The Nal]

I would say man city have more chance of getting him than man utd, I personally think he will stay in inter. I just cant see man utd spending that sort of money. However they definitely need a player like him, in my opinion. For Man utd standards the midfield currently looks very average.

[pink_triangle]

Id be shocked if he left, but if Rafa wants Mascherano? He may have to sell.

Either way, Fergie does have cash to spend......

[TheGayTent]

Going back to JC, he's played in the wrong position for the last 5 years. Had he not been, we'd have probably seen a player that England would have built their team around.

[eFestivals]

Either way, Fergie does have cash to spend......

What planet are you on? He clearly doesn't. His witterings are made to fool the likes of you, and it seems they're working.