*Official* English Football Season 2007-08

[BoyBrumby]

Ludicrous to say the least.

So what then? You're suggesting (say) Richardson went to Sunderland to challenge for honours? The fact is United are a buying club.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Surplus to requirements isn't the same as not being wanted. SAF wanted him, but you can't keep 5+ first-team strikers even if you want them all. I'll agree he's surplus for now, but after a couple of years I can see him returning. Soljskaer is in his last season and we'll need a fourth striker once he's gone... I doubt Dong will be that man.

That's sort of my point about it being economics; as I said initially £7 million (reportedly anyway) is a very good price for a player who'll be bench warming at best.

If Villareal hadn't offered what is to my mind a very good price for a largely unproven talent United would've kept him or loaned him out again.

 

[roseboy64]

So what then? You're suggesting (say) Richardson went to Sunderland to challenge for honours? The fact is United are a buying club.

No because he wouldn't get first team opportunities at Utd. Ferguson said the only people leaving would be those who wanted to leave. Has been true so far.

 

[roseboy64]

That's sort of my point about it being economics; as I said initially £7 million (reportedly anyway) is a very good price for a player who'll be bench warming at best.

If Villareal hadn't offered what is to my mind a very good price for a largely unproven talent United would've kept him or loaned him out again.

It wasn't solely economics though. The player wanted to leave and he'd only be allowed to leave for a decent price to a decent club who would accept a buy back clause. Economics may have been a factor in Villareal signing him but he would have left anyway.

 

[BoyBrumby]

No because he wouldn't get first team opportunities at Utd. Ferguson said the only people leaving would be those who wanted to leave. Has been true so far.

On United's terms tho. Witness Heinze.

& doubtless if Ronaldo wanted to leave (as was suggested after Rooneygate in the world cup) United would move heaven & earth to stop him going.

 

[roseboy64]

I don't buy it. Players only leave United because they're surplus to requirements. When was the last time a player left to better himself? All the big names who've gone (Stam, Beckham, Van Nistelrooy) had fallen out with Fergie first. Except with Scottish players (cf McClair & Fletcher) Sir Alex shows an admirable lack of sentimentality.

Also Forlan left not because he was surplus to requirements but he wasn't up to the standrd apparently. Whe he left, if memory serves me correct, Utd were short of strikers and Giggs was playing second striker to RVN. And that statement about his sentimentality was the ridiculous part.

 

[Loony BoB]

On United's terms tho. Witness Heinze.

& doubtless if Ronaldo wanted to leave (as was suggested after Rooneygate in the world cup) United would move heaven & earth to stop him going.

...and make him not want to leave.

Fact is that I can't remember the last time a player wanted to leave United and wasn't allowed to.

 

[roseboy64]

On United's terms tho. Witness Heinze.

& doubtless if Ronaldo wanted to leave (as was suggested after Rooneygate in the world cup) United would move heaven & earth to stop him going.

Well that's understandable re: Heinze. No club willingly sells a good player to a hated rival. And that was last season not this season. Also, think the allowing players to leave thing was about some not getting regular football. Ronaldo's guaranteed regular football TBH so he doesn't fall into the category anyway.

 

[Matteh]

Well that's understandable re: Heinze. No club willingly sells a good player to a hated rival. And that was last season not this season. Also, think the allowing players to leave thing was about some not getting regular football. Ronaldo's guaranteed regular football TBH so he doesn't fall into the category anyway.

Luis Figo imo. And he's not an isolated example.

 

[roseboy64]

Hmm you're right. Vague and erroneous statement on my part. Still though been more than 40 years or so since a player was transferred directly between Man Utd and less tolerable half of Merseyside.

 

[Matteh]

Tony Coton moved from Man City to Man Utd however.

 

[roseboy64]

Giggs is the only City trainee in recent times that was great so understandable he didn't make it.

 

[Loony BoB]

Fat lot of good that did him.

EDIT: In response to Matteh, this one.

 

[Matteh]

Haha.

 

[Agent TBY]

Luis Figo imo. And he's not an isolated example.

Luis Enrique the other way.

Liam Ridgewell the most recent example.

 

[GIMH]

Hmm you're right. Vague and erroneous statement on my part. Still though been more than 40 years or so since a player was transferred directly between Man Utd and less tolerable half of Merseyside.

Believe me the red part (not half, because there is another professional outfit on merseyside you know ) are much, much more tolerable than the moaning, whining, whingeing, spitting, mobile phone throwing, good for nothing blues.

Some of them are okay mind

 

[Tom Halsey]

Some of them are okay mind

Nah.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

CL draw:

Liverpool vs Toulouse FC (French 3rd place)
Arsenal vs AC Sparta Prague (Czech title winners)

Both potential banana skins. Very tough draw.

Meanwhile, I'm laughing at Rosenborg / Astana vs Tampere United / Levski Sofia.

(Other decent clashes:

Dinamo Bucuresti vs Lazio
Spartak Moskva vs Celtic
Ajax vs MSK Zilina/Slavia Praha
Benfica vs FC København/Beitar Jerusalem
Sevilla vs AEK Athina)

 

[sideshowtim]

As a United fan, nothing would pleasure me more than seeing Toulouse trash Liverpool.

 

[Agent TBY]

As a United fan, nothing would pleasure me more than seeing Toulouse trash Liverpool.

Optimistic, are we?

Arsenal are the far more likely team to be skittled out. They have a weaker squad and tougher opponents than the Kop.

Edit: ****, Spartak Moscow v Celtic? Great tie.