Village Idiot

He obviously should have sent his players shirtless, the pansies.

suppose it just took him a bit of time to get used to the role and league, class player on his day Always thought he would excel in that position. He doesn't have the discipline to be just a sitting player but his surging runs were always wanktastic. Wish Pep had given him the "Keita role".

So far they can service all their debts (don't forget their revenue is €500m), the problem is if they want to keep the same levels of investment that Pérez has used to.

Abgonlahahahahahaor neither. Injuried again?

I've been told that those banks will only ask for the money back as a last resort because of Reals status in Spain Banks aren't just going to forget about €700m. Now, they can get favors like the training pitch business, but they had to do that because the banks were calling in the debt. Banks are banks.

These are the contending designs according to our press, apparently the board favors #1 but needs to be discussed with both Unicef and the Qataris. http://www.sport.es/vivo/recursos/fotos/foto_456/foto_456130_CAS.jpg I'd rather have us stop trying to have our cake and eating it and just drop UNICEF entirely (displaying the logo is just optional in our contract with them, afterall)

Why not? I can see that case being made for ManCity and Chelsea, but Real owe it to banks and banks aren't in the business of giving away money.

Yeah your right, it's still a big amount though. It is, and it is good that our new board has pledged to reduce it. But isn't comparatively bigger than say, Madrid, Atlético, Valencia, ManU, Chelsea, Liverpool before the takeover, and quite a few others...

Our revenue to debt ratio is smaller than a lot of clubs out there.

Oh, a tree. I like trees.

From scrying several boards it looks like opinion is split 50/50 on the issue. There are some people calling for protests/banners this weekend but I'll be honest and say that I don't expect anything massive. We are a docile set of fans why lie (we have it good afterall). And a lot of people that are disgusted (like me) understand the economic necessity of it. I myself will abstain to buy Barça shirts for a while until I get myself to accept it, I have 10 of the feckers anyway. But I won't protest. When you look at it it's silly since we have shitloads of sponsors anyway, and Nike pays us a king's ransom for wearing their shirts and displaying their brand, but it still doesn't feel right after all these years.

Actually our board has just blamed the old board for it. Fun and games.

We already considered shirt sponsors under the Laporta board, as the club was essentially bankrupt when he took over. He sought permission from the club members that voted yes, a necessary step since it wasn't allowed in our statutes. Ultimately, though, we went with the UNICEF deal. There has always been talk that this was only a "stepping stone" of sorts to get people used to a name in the shirt, and the rumors have always been there and in the past years we where linked with deals with Basf, China, Betfair... We need the money, there's no arguing about it. But it still saddens me.

Just confirmed by our board. Five years, €30m+performance bonuses. Ah well, a small bit of our identity ripped apart, but we can't pretend this isn't about money.

El Mundo Deportivo claims we are apparently going to announce our first commercial sponsor, who'll share shirt space with UNICEF. "Qatar Foundation" would pay us €30m per season. http://simdecksimulator.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/b_4793.jpg Ah well, guess we need the money.

"As" claiming that Moratti will sack Benítez after the CWC, even if he wins it.

WC year.

Is that legit? How boring/self-absorbed can somebody be to talk about his football tactics to his mistress? Good grief. PS: Don't let him near the mackem lasses.

Six seasons... not even Ferguson is on that long. I suppose there are provisions for severance but it is mental to hand out such a contract.

Signing unknown Brazilians for 15m and peddle them on loans?

No fan of Pardew but that's bollocks. Not even their worst manager of the past 10 years. You might want to check facts on that. the 2006–07 season Pardew was criticised after seeing West Ham through their worst run of defeats in over 70 years which included a League Cup defeat to Chesterfield Zola was worse. And I like the guy since I admired him as a footballer, but he was terrible for them.

No fan of Pardew but that's bollocks. Not even their worst manager of the past 10 years.

Gazetta claiming Del Bosque will win the managerial one in front of Pep/Mou.

Benítez won't make it to February.

Valencia, Inter, Milan, Copenhagen, OM, Arsenal, Roma, Lyon... some really tough last 16 pairings there.