Football 2010-2011

[Cardboard Box City]

there are far, far better people out their than mowbray to manage a team like middlesbrough.

[Cardboard Box City]

On the subject of Celtic players, there's only McDonald I'd want to be keeping (maybe Robson).

[ampersand]

why not southgate? proven at that level. and proven to get you relegated if promoted. and club legend. sounds familiar...

[Cardboard Box City]

why not southgate? proven at that level. and proven to get you relegated if promoted. and club legend. sounds familiar...

[ampersand]

What'd he do like? Get us to second with the three best players in the league who were gone by the end of August and January?

[ampersand]

On the subject of Celtic players, there's only McDonald I'd want to be keeping (maybe Robson).

[Cardboard Box City]

did better than who he was replaced by. your board have proven why they are a bunch of turkeys.

[ralph250]

Presstalk of Rooney asking for £200k a week, doubling his wages. Ridiculous if true. Would be 80k higher than our next highest (Rio), and 110k higher than Vidic's newly signed contract, 120k higher than Berba and Giggs etc. What kind of squad harmony does that promote?!!!

Rooney has left his Old Trafford future hanging by a thread after informing United's hierarchy last week that he would not commit himself to a new long-term contract.

But United are in no rush to restart contract talks with the England forward after being stunned by his wage demands. The former Everton player, whose current deal expires in June 2012, is understood to be angling for a pay hike to £200,000 a week.

Edited October 19, 2010 by ralph250

[Steve P]

Thing is if true, does he not realise that asking for a ridiculous wage like that impacts on our ability to sign further players. That's £50-60k that could be the wages for another top class player. There would probably be even less available after every other player looks for an improvement citing Rooney's contract.

Slight criticism that we didn't tie up his contract earlier in the summer, hints of pennypinching (more time on the older lower contract as opposed to new improved terms), but think it was mainly Waynes camp that wanted to wait until after the World Cup, as anticipated a good one to which could negotiate higher terms.

I'm not saying that his ability doesn't warrant a good contract, he's one of the best players in the league but we were supposedly offering him £150k, which is still a helluva lot of money, would've fit within our budget and is £40k more than Torres, £10k more than Gerrard, the same as Lampard, £1k less than Terry. Only City are paying higher than that, and it's irresponsible for us to be trying to compete with City on the wages front.

edit: looks like sell on clause expired.

[The Nal]

In january he'd be cup tied so only really Man City would be interested at that stage. Come the summer, with only a year to go, who's going to pay a fortune when they know he'd be available on a free the following year? To me, if you can really believe what's being said in the press, then he's got you over a barrel in terms of his wage demands.

Edited October 19, 2010 by The Nal

[eFestivals]

just read on the BBC's footie gossip that Rooney can buy himself out of his Utd contract next summer for the value of a year's wages - so that's £5M.

I'd guess that if Utd think that's a real possibility, he'll be gone in January.

[benc]

just read on the BBC's footie gossip that Rooney can buy himself out of his Utd contract next summer for the value of a year's wages - so that's £5M..

[Steve P]

Well f**k him then he can go to City. Ronaldo didnt leave for money, he gave Utd another season of full commitment even though he wanted to go to Real. When Fergie didnt let him go he had a quick tantrum and then got on with it. Rooney will never feel "home" anywhere else, he plays off passion and confidence. If he goes to City he may win the league and maybe more, but its to escape the shitstorm hes in at the moment and to earn more money, like most of Citys players, not because he wants to play for them. Fair play to him.

[eFestivals]

There's an agreement between all the big clubs that they'll never go with this.

I was wondering why there's not been a case of this in England so far. I guess that explains it.

But .... it's not something that's really within any club's control. If Rooney wanted to buy himself out and then wait for an offer, it bypasses that agreement unless (say) Shitty were mad enough to say "no, we won't sign that freely-available player because of that agreement".

It's an agreement that'll come to mean nothing at some point down the line.

[benc]

It's an agreement that'll come to mean nothing at some point down the line.

[The Nal]

I just never saw him as that type of player, one who’d move for the money. Is he using all this banging pros stuff as an excuse to move? Ive no idea. Fergies press conference later will be interesting.

[sifi]

I just never saw him as that type of player, one who’d move for the money.

[The Nal]

I'd imagine it comes as a huge surprise to just about everyone. Well, everyone who isn't from the blue part of Liverpool, anyhow.

[ampersand]

Like Benc you mean? With respect to Everton, Rooney was never going to stay there. Hes won 3 leagues and a champions league at Utd. Going from Utd to City is very different. And in fairness, Everton got a good deal with the payouts etc when Utd won things. Not as good as the Lescott deal though!!

[The Nal]

leaving everton to man utd doesn't show real ambition to me. it's just the shortcut to trophies. why can't players stay and better the club that nurtured them?

[ampersand]

Because its 2010.

Oh they'd be right up there. Mourinho would be going on about "The real special one is Gary O'Connor" no doubt. They'd have won a few Champions Leagus by now.

From an Irish point of view, I wish Paul McGrath stayed with St Pats in Dublin, Roy Keane stayed with Cobh and Robbie Keane stayed with Crumlin Utd. They all would’ve had to work jobs though and wouldn’t have realized their potential, but the 50 people that turn up to the games on Sunday would’ve been happy.

What century do you think it is up in Scotland?

[Steve P]

leaving everton to man utd doesn't show real ambition to me. it's just the shortcut to trophies. why can't players stay and better the club that nurtured them?

[jump]

It's like saying why do people move on in work places rather than just staying at the same company. As fans we'd love to see players stay but they're no different from us and will go where there's money.

Edited October 19, 2010 by jump

[ampersand]

It's like saying why do people move on in work places rather than just staying at the same company. As fans we'd love to see players stay but they're no different from us and will go where there's money.

[sifi]

Like Benc you mean? With respect to Everton, Rooney was never going to stay there. Hes won 3 leagues and a champions league at Utd. Going from Utd to City is very different. And in fairness, Everton got a good deal with the payouts etc when Utd won things. Not as good as the Lescott deal though!!