brummie

I feel like the kid in your avatar after today's news. What? The Arshavin news? Or have I missed something? Much panic everywhere. It is still June. Be patient, black and white striped friends.

Once he started doing it in the EC he was never going to go to any PL club outside the Sky 4, it just wasn't going to happen. He'd also been talking about Barcelona for a while. It was always going to end this way.

Very popular down here, did a good job with our academy. They know him as Dickie Dosh.

But the role played by gate money in clubs' income these days is getting smaller and will continue to do so. There's a big difference between Liverpool and any one of Newcastle, Everton, Villa, Spurs etc etc, which is that there are millions of Liverpool shirt-wearing television fans across the world. There aren't millions of Newcastle fans in Thailand, Malaysia and Japan. That's one reason why talk of the top four being broken up is, in my opinion, fanciful. These clubs are global franchises. Whether Newcastle get 52k every week or 42k is immaterial, it won't make any difference if they start trying to compete with the big four. One day the top four will decide to negotiate their own foreign television deals instead of going with the collective, shared arrangement we have now, and when that happens we might as well all give up.

In 1984 Aston Villa DID appoint Graham Turner who had done well in the lower leagues. It ended badly. Think of that, winning the European Cup and two years later you appoint Shrewsbury's manager.

I've renewed. Not where you lot have, mind. I had to do it really quickly and on a credit card the Mrs doesn't see the bills for. I'm that sad.

Modric is a good player, but he won't be allowed to swan around like some sort of ice skating rat / gazelle combo in the PL. First time he tries that shit over here, someone will kick him into Row Z or snap him in half.

Blackburn's chairman said 2 or 3 days ago that they wouldn't make any decision on Bentley until the new manager was in place, then he would decide. Given that they have no new manager, and I *know* that at least one club has bid far more than the rumoured Spurs price for him, I'd be very surprised if this were true Although to be honest, so much stuff just conflicts. I fucking hate the close season. I think clubs should only be able to play players they have from birth. Identify the prospects in utero, then develop them. Fuck this stupid transfer system. What a load of old cock. I might go for a lie down.

I think he's a good signing. I don't think he's going to directly replace Barry, though, he's a different kind of player. I think he wants a midfield of: Young - Sidwell - NRC - Bentley / Milner / AN Other.

That'll be it until August 31st, 23.50 though. Honestly, KK doesn't even come near MON's frustration inducing tardiness.

That could be because Lennon spends most of his time running into blind alleys and losing possession whereas Milner is more likely to try to whip the cross in? Obviously, that's a massive simplification but the point is valid. Statistics are misleading. I saw one last year that said statistically Nigel Reo-Coker was one of the best passers in the league, whereas I and most of the 40,000 odd people sat around me could tell you that most of the time, he couldn't pass wind.

is it wrong I clicked "GEt flash player" in the hopes it would automatically sign us Arshavin? Ha ha, very good.

SSN saying 5 million pound fee agreed Nice one, that'll do for me for a first signing.

What difference does it make how long someone has been posting here? In that case, does it also matter how many posts they make?

Ooh thanks ever so. The last thing you said was you didn't want to offend anyone except for me. Then you spiralled off onto some crazy homophobic tangent, then accused Role Model of being a Johnny Come Lately. So you've certainly done your bit to bring an interesting slant to the board tonight. I'm sorry I disappoint you, though.

Glad he isnt coming here Me too. Almost as disturbing as Barry going to Liverpool was the worry Riise might go in the opposite direction

No he really does not. Just likes to bleat on about how good his club are at the moment. It's one bloody season. Could you back this up with a bit of evidence, please? Go on, try it. Look back over my posts and you'll find my main concern is that we're going to struggle next season if we don't buy a whole lot of players. I was also pessimistic throughout most of last season. Do you have some kind of problem with outsiders or something? Do you feel threatened? Only two people on here have had a problem with my posts. You, several times, and another one who had problems with pretty much everybody. I was going to answer your post but I got to that puerile comment about "gawd awful accents" ("gawd"? Are you a Cockney?) and realised it was a bit pointless.

We had ours redone last season. We were similarly excited. It was done (again) by PremierTV. It is still fucking shit, it just looks different.

Young - Reo Coker - Sidwell - Bentley. Hmmmm.

I know how much we've offered for Bentley, and it is considerably more than that. He won't come though.

He seemed to be able to cross alright at Villa the other year, for some reason. Yes, he did. I'd like to see him back - and if you took a poll of Villa fans, 90 percent would agree with me - to see if John Robertson could make him an even better crosser. How much do you reckon he is worth/would you be willing to pay? 5m or so. Liverpool have got a problem with the value of English midfielders at the moment, so they'll probably offer you a couple of players from the Merseyside Paper Boys XI and some scratchcards for him. You're having a laugh aren't you, in today's market he's worth anywhere between 7mill and 10mill, especially considering the length of contract he is on. 5 Mill will buy you a Michael Chopra at best, if that's all you think Villa will pay, then I would back that he won't be playing there next season. And Liverpool, don't seem to have too many issues paying a good wedge for English players. They paid 7 Million For crouch a few years back when the market was no where near as in flated, and also 6million for Pennant. Offering 12 - 15 million or whatever it is for Barry, is a good offer. What about the three teenagers they offered you for Milner, was that a good offer? Liverpool have issues spending money this summer because, other than that raised by the Alonso sale, they haven't got any. What they paid for Crouch a few years ago is immaterial. I think Milner is a good player, but to take the top end of your range for him, and the bottom of what you think is a good offer for a player like Barry - 2m difference between Milner and Barry? The poster above asked me what do i reckon he is worth / what do I think we'll be willing to pay. It is the latter I was answering. If MON is going to spend much more than that, I think he'll look elsewhere. OMG where to start ? OK there is nothing official comming in about what, if anything Liverpool have offered for Milner. The common gossip is they are offering a deal worth around 7mill, this could be made in cash or players whose value approach that fee or a combinaion of both. That could be true or complete garbage. So please don't state things as FACT when the they are not. Rumours again that they have a limited spending, this could very well be true, but if it's limited, it's limited for all players not just because they are English. Absolutely no argument Barry is a much better player, but he's also older and hasn't just signed a 4 or 5 year contract. That's what brings the valuation down. If I were Villa I would sell a 15 mill, but if an offer came in a 12mill plus a good prospect, I would be tempted also. If we got 10 million for Milner I would take it in a heartbeat, if the best Liverpool, Villa or anyone else could offer is 7 Mill then I would only take it if we had a replacement already signed. I would tell anyone to piss right off with a bid of 5mill. EDIT: Just to add if you're right about O'Neill's valuation and this is indicative of how he'll be trying to do business this summer, then you're in for a very boring one because a lot doors will be slamed in his face. But I doubt you are as he didn't seem to shy to get the cheque out for Young and Reo-Cocker. I didn't say Liverpool's spending was limited only for English players - what sense woud that make? I thought it was pretty clear from what I said, Liverpool have no money, regardless of the nationality of player they want. WHere did this "English players" thing come from, anyway? You're taking it literally, I mentioned it obviously referring specifically to Gareth Barry, what with him being an English midfielder. The three youth team players offer was the one widely reported. I'm not saying that is what I think he is worth, just that Liverpool are being cheeky gits in the market this summer. If we got offered 15m for Barry, I too would take it. He hasn't just signed a 4 or 5 year contract, no, but he does still have 2 years on his contract. He's an England midfielder and recent captain with 20 caps. We've got to replace him if we sell him, we don't need the money, so the fee we look for should reflect that. Which good prospects could Liverpool offer us as makeweights in the Barry deal, incidentally? Milner for 10m? Look back at my posts about him, I really rate the lad, but nobody is going to give you 10 million for him. Nobody. I didn't say this is indicative of how MON will do business this summer, I said that is what I think he would be prepared to pay for Milner. He clearly likes the lad, he was about to buy him 2 years ago when FFS pulled the plug at the last moment. I just don't think he's sufficiently bothered to pay much more than 5m for him - an "if i can get him for not too much, I'll take him, otherwise I'm not bothered" signing, if you like.

Bit gutted tbh, I think he'd have been a shrewd buy for us. Ah well, fingers crossed we have someone better in mind. He can't pass to save his life. That's what a bluenose acquaintance of mine has been telling me the last 12 months. 5m is mental money.

He seemed to be able to cross alright at Villa the other year, for some reason. Yes, he did. I'd like to see him back - and if you took a poll of Villa fans, 90 percent would agree with me - to see if John Robertson could make him an even better crosser. How much do you reckon he is worth/would you be willing to pay? 5m or so. Liverpool have got a problem with the value of English midfielders at the moment, so they'll probably offer you a couple of players from the Merseyside Paper Boys XI and some scratchcards for him. You're having a laugh aren't you, in today's market he's worth anywhere between 7mill and 10mill, especially considering the length of contract he is on. 5 Mill will buy you a Michael Chopra at best, if that's all you think Villa will pay, then I would back that he won't be playing there next season. And Liverpool, don't seem to have too many issues paying a good wedge for English players. They paid 7 Million For crouch a few years back when the market was no where near as in flated, and also 6million for Pennant. Offering 12 - 15 million or whatever it is for Barry, is a good offer. What about the three teenagers they offered you for Milner, was that a good offer? Liverpool have issues spending money this summer because, other than that raised by the Alonso sale, they haven't got any. What they paid for Crouch a few years ago is immaterial. I think Milner is a good player, but to take the top end of your range for him, and the bottom of what you think is a good offer for a player like Barry - 2m difference between Milner and Barry? The poster above asked me what do i reckon he is worth / what do I think we'll be willing to pay. It is the latter I was answering. If MON is going to spend much more than that, I think he'll look elsewhere.

Lampard to Inter Gerrard to Chelsea Barry to our reserves.

Class avatar From the local paper the day after the great event happened. I have several of those pics pinned to the wall in my office. They cheer me up when I am down.