Parky

I don't care about Arsenal. Wenger is a one off. Like I said, manu and chelsea don't do it, you show me Wenger, and I will show you Ferguson and Mourhinho and tell you they buy the best players. Before them, Liverpool bought the best players. Clough broke transfer records. Revie broke transfer records. Keegan the first time bought the best players. Its a signing that is hoped to be a "bargain" buy. Like it or not, this is the truth. Coming on the back of losing top targets to the likes of Spurs, if you think this sort of standard is good enough for NUFC, its your problem. They won't succeed if they throw all their eggs into this ridiculous "bargain" idea. And they won't succeed if they operate tight financial restraints when trying to sign the best players. Money talks in any walk of life. I understand why people are rejecting this, but at the end of the day, they are paranoid, clueless and should apply common sense and look at these other clubs and accordingly observe how they get success. Why don't you think we can't buy World Cup winners ? We have signed a few of those over the last 16 years or so, so why not now ? Cos like John Carver pointed out, our global standing has since plummented. Top and recognised/famous players will not join us. Diane could jolly turn out to be as successful as Wenger's African contingent That`s what I was thinking until I saw Andrea Barzagli (Italian international who won the 2006 World Cup) signing for a below average German side (Wolfsburg) a few days ago.....I wish we had signed the lad.........but I know what you mean Fair enough I would consider this a missed opportunity. Not sure what the fee was?

Not knocking the player, questioning the ambition of the club. Do you honestly think this is a player who will be challenging Owen or Martin's place in the 1st team? You're pre-empting the whole summer transfer merry go round. We really need to see where we are at the end of July/early August. I didn't think I was pre-empting anything. I thought I was commenting on this potential transfer, and noting that this transfer would be the type of transfer an unambitious club would make. I'll make a note to try and not have any opinions on anything until the transfer window is closed. Edit: Actually, that's not fair really, I shouldn't comment until after the end of next season to see how the new transfers work out. Edit 2: Actually, that's not fair either I shouldn't comment until after the new chairman has had a few years in charge to make his mark. Edit 3: Actually, even that's not fair, he didn't appoint Keegan did he. I'll wait until the next manager has had a few years. Suddenly I'm feeling really sleepy.

Not knocking the player, questioning the ambition of the club. Do you honestly think this is a player who will be challenging Owen or Martin's place in the 1st team? You're pre-empting the whole summer transfer merry go round. We really need to see where we are at the end of July/early August.

This is a classic, people are knocking a player they know nothing about, who hasn't even signed based solely on the price.

Haven't seen him play and know nothing about him, but a friend who 'follows' French footie says he's twice the player Shola is. Quite pacey and can play from deeper positions as well. FWIW. Again, for the money I think it is a shrewd buy. Anyway fees have never been a guarantee of success at any club.

Looks likely to be the first signing. Shrewd acquisition imo.

People have to bear in mind we're only mulling the obvious ones that have been in the media. There will be some nice surprises for us I'm sure of it.

They will be granted an exemption for the good of the sport. Looks like they're beginning to panic at the sight of rich English clubs winning the CL every year.

But you get to watch beautiful football.

We have to bear in mind a lot of people want to see KK fail. Sad fuckers that they are and mainly from the media. This combined with MA's enemies in the City means our media footprint will continue to be mixed to put it politely. The media and certain elements of the football freternity like to have things in nice neat packages, they can re-sell to the public, KK coming back and taking center stage with his romantic and imo mostly correct observations has thrown the cat amongst the pidgeons. Stay as you are Keegler.

Not worried in the slightest.

Baggio has gone 'off reservation' will be interesting to see how this pans out.

Uh Oh!

I thought he was on about 70k tbh inc performance clauses. Would be shocked if it was 90k.

Would rather have Gomis than the Giraffe. Tbf KK is only doing what the thinks is best for us. I like Kapo, very underrated player.

Totally agree with him.

Mort has fulfilled his obligations and delivered to the best of his ability in difficult situations. I liked him cause he took time out to listen to the supporters and some people from this very board. It was pretty much clear that he would only be taking a break from Freshfields at Ashers request and he's done most of the tidying he was asked to do behind the scenes. He has delivered some stability and also deployed some fresh blood in new roles, which is always difficult at a big football club. He perhaps has made some mistakes, but I guess anyone would in the first year in a new job. Good luck to him.

It's fair to say ManU have worked hard for this one and deserve it overall.

The pitch is dangerous.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/may/20/premierleague.chelsea All this talk about the big 4 clubs having huge debt is nothing really. Many successful modern institutions run on deficit spending. Any of the big 4 going under is just about as likely as the United States of America going bankrupt due to their ginormous national debt. ie, it's not impossible, but not damn likely any time soon. The difference being top football clubs can't start wars.

Quite stunning that! This guy has blown a hell of a lot of money on a bunch of players who don't even make the team anymore. Shocking stuff. Why were you the first reply to your own thread and you did it with a quote of the whole article? That kind of thing's really annoying when you're reading the site on your phone. Basically as I've always maintained there is no magic about this system. Buying players is always a gamble, some work, some don't. However what we have now with a little more oversight is preferable than what we had before, but it won't be a magical fix.

I wouldnt bother - apparently you'd be kidding yourself into thinking that this transfer was anything else but clear cut.... You see, there you go getting it wrong again. I honestly dont know how the deal was conducted but one thing im near enough certain about, is that Modric does not have a minimum release clause in his contract. Hardly any club in the premiership operates in that way, and our stingy owners wont have that one bit. See, usually when people use the phrase "wrong again" it implies that i made a mistake in the first place - care to point out where you proved me wrong? See, what makes me laugh about this post is that you start by making with a definite statement - "getting it wrong again" then go on to say "I honestly dont know how the deal was conducted", You're mistaking me for someone who thinks there definitevely is a minumim fee clause in the deal, which i dont, i was just saying that its perfectly viable and pointing out the fact that this deal isnt just a simple case of the Mamic brothers choosing an inferiro deal for the benefit of the player - thats plain bollocks. It must be clear to anyone with a bigger body mass than an ant the Spurs offer was advantageous to M's advisors and had little to do with M.

He's actually not that well known anymore down here. He means nothing to the younger generations and the older ones often barely remember him playing for Hamburg - especially as the bigger successes at Hamburg came post-Keegan. Especially Tony Woodcock probably is better known, as he worked later in Germany again while Keegan is only remembered from his spell as English national manager, but not from his playing days for HSV. Nah, he's still talked about in Hamburg. Mrs P's dad especially. Yeah I know about his status in Hamburg, but it's all going downhill the further you move south. That's fair enough. What is beginning to hurt a little is Mrs P's dads romance with Spurs.