Deco & if not him then it is Joao Moutinho

[Guest float one in]

Sportin CP must have mint youth facilities. Producing talents like Ronaldo, Nani, Miguel Veloso and Joao Moutinho

 

Not sure if the facilities are the main factor, they get the best youngster in Portugal because they are the biggest club in Portugal.

 

Benfica's the biggest club in Portugal, and has been all the way through the modern era. That said, Porto have had much more success over the last 15 years, but Sporting are almost always the underdogs. They've had a couple of sporadic successes in recent times. Got a brilliant academy though, particularly for attacking players. Porto have a reputation for producing good defenders.

[Colos Short and Curlies]

Well I've heard that Deco has said no unless we sign some big name players first.

[Guest float one in]

Deco's a brilliant player to watch when he's on his game, but I could only see him playing in Owen's current position in a 433 if he came here. As it seems Kev might still be keen to go back to 442 next season I can't see where we'd play Deco. Midfield alongside a more defensive player? Could be great, especially if we've got strikers with good movement (owen and one other) but what happens when he goes missing? He's not been that consistent for Barca for what I can gather.

[indi]

Think people are looking at this with their black and white striped sunglasses on a bit.

 

At the moment we are not a very attractive option for the world's top players (no European football, poor league position, a perception - rightly or wrongly - of having overly demanding fans, etc), therefore we have to accept that we're not likely to be able to buy world-class players at the top of their game for a reasonable fee. In other words we're going to have to pay over the odds for the top players and the majority of them simply aren't going to come here whatever we offer them.

 

Therefore we're left with either up-and-coming youngsters with the potential to become world stars, but also the potential to be complete flops; or the bigger/more successful clubs' hand-me-downs, players like Deco who are quality but are coming towards the end of their careers.

 

Keegan's job now is to try and find the best value players from within those groups - the youngsters with genuine potential and the older players who still have the appetite and physical attributes needed to deliver - and mould them into a squad that will improve us to a position where we can attract the true world stars. Given our current position, people need to understand that we will have to pay over-the-odds to do this, we're not going to be able to attract these players for the same kind of fee/wages that Man U, Arsenal or Chelsea can as we don't have the same level of non-monetary benefits to offer them as those kind of clubs. Under the previous board this was a real problem as the club was entirely self-financing and therefore the money to do it simply wasn't there without getting the club in even more debt, a situation that isn't viable in the long term and had been going on for something approaching the long-term by the end. Under Ashley, who seems willing, and is also able, to invest his own considerable resources into the club that may not be a problem, certainly in the short-run. This is why I have changed my tune with regard to this and don't feel like a hypocrite; the situation has changed and I have changed my view accordingly, so don't even go there!!

 

As always, a lot of people seem to think that NUFC can do this overnight, that simply isn't true, if you think we're going to do that then you're deluding yourself and you're going to be disappointed. NUFC is at the beginning of a process that will take at least a couple of seasons. It is a two stage process; firstly we need to establish ourselves as a genuine force in the domestic scene and then we can use that additional pulling power to attract the players we need to become a European force. It will not be quick and it will not be easy, it will take some time, a lot of good management, and a fair slice of luck, if people are expecting it to happen immediately then they are making it less likely, rather than more likely.

 

Basically, what I'm saying is don't be so quick to turn your noses up at the likes of Deco, he's an improvement on what we've got so long as he's motivated, if we end up paying over the odds for him that's not as important as it used to be, and we're not going to get Messi are we!?!

[indi]

Well I've heard that Deco has said no unless we sign some big name players first.

 

This is the problem we'll have; no-one will want to be the first to sign on the dotted line. Might require Keegan et al to be a bit creative with the truth, a la Rob Lee.

[Shearergol]

Well I've heard that Deco has said no unless we sign some big name players first.

 

He tell you that?

[Unlucky Luque]

                    Butt

          Deco          Barton

 

                  Owen

              Oba      Viduka

 

Beye and Enrique have been wingbacks during the last games, which means Deco and Barton (?) could push on forward in the middle.

[Guest Knightrider]

Deco could be a revelation in a KK side, everything could go through him. Picture Butt's performance (outstanding) yesterday who was spraying the ball about and linking play up brilliantly, but with more range, better technique, more intelligence, quicker tempo and the player himself, better movement. Every week. The service could be tremendous and a Deco would only enhance our improving ball retention abilities you feel. I'd trust KK to get the best out of him and to be able to motivate him enough to do the business for us and a Deco would signal our intent and maybe help us attract other top players.

[Unlucky Luque]

Deco could be Keegans new gen Ginola

[sparta]

we wont get players if we dont try

[thewellander]

I'd much rather we got a younger player for that amount of money, but if Deco can be the key to getting us back into Europe over the next couple of years, then that would lead to us being able to sign better, younger players. I guess my point is, even if we can only get a couple of years out of Deco, if he can be instrumental in us getting to the position we should be in, then the cash is worth it.

[fredbob]

Im always wary of signing players who are 30 years or older. In fact, 28 years is abit too old for me, i dont know why, its completely irrational but i like the idea of having a younger side who mature together.

 

Deco should be a signing that gets me very very excited but it just doesnt, especially at £15m, just seems too much.

 

 

[Tooj]

Going by the people on here who don't want to sign older players.

 

Good job we never signed that Beardsley fella back eh?

[TRC]

Not really a fan of Deco, seems like another Veron. Rather we just splashed the cash on Bentley, as I can't see any of the big 4 after him.

[Taylor Swift]

Bentley or Deco. Fuck me. Different class.

[fredbob]

Going by the people on here who don't want to sign older players.

 

Good job we never signed that Beardsley fella back eh?

 

True, good job we didnt go for Barnes and Rush as well.

[Tooj]

Not really a fan of Deco, seems like another Veron. Rather we just splashed the cash on Bentley, as I can't see any of the big 4 after him.

 

He's nothing like Veron. Has a work ethic for a start.

[fredbob]

Bentley or Deco. f*** me. Different class.

 

But one is proven in the premiership is younger and financically cheaper, hungrier and ambitiuos and the the other is unproven in this league, more expenisve longer term and maybe not as hungry to prove himself.

 

Although as you say ability wise not entirely comparable but i can se the merit in wating Bentley.

[TRC]

Veron was awesome at Parma. I just don't really rate Deco that high, and don't see what the point in signing him would be, when we don't know how he would adapt, and what would motivate him to come here, dunno anything about that other kid, but Bentley is the main man at the moment we should take the chance while we can unless he does another Shauny Wright and fucks off to Chelsea to play 5 games a season.

[Exiled in Texas]

If Arshavin can play every week, like he played for Zenit against Leverkusen in the Waffa cup this week, he would be a great addition.

[Thespence]

Going by the people on here who don't want to sign older players.

 

Good job we never signed that Beardsley fella back eh?

 

People do seem obsessed with youth & for some strange reason squad/fringe players these days. I often think squad/fringe players happen naturally i.e academy/reserve player improving & first team players being replaced with better players.

 

The concern I have with Deco is will the game here be too fast & physical for him like it was for other great technical players Veron,Futre,Popescu,Rebrov etc. The fee quoted in the article seems high, I am not that keen on signing a player who has been a bits & pieces player for his team this year. BUT HE WOULD BE A MASSIVE IMPROVEMNET ON ANYTHING WE HAVE IN MIDFIELD.

[oldtype]

Bentley >>>>> Deco?  Blimey. I mean, yeah Bentley's younger, but we're talking about somebody who's been very good for about as season and a half now v. somebody who's been world class for most of his career. No contest.

 

Is 15 milliion and 100,000 a week for a thirty-year old, as good as he is, overpaying? Yes. But are we going to get significant improvements over the current squad in any way other than drowning them in cash? I think we all know the answer to that question.

 

Don't see how the comparisons to Smith/Duff hold any water. Smith was never actually that good, and even Duff was only a "pretty good" player at his peak. Deco was tearing up the Champions League and was universally recognized as one of the world's best midfielders as recently as a season ago. The only reason he's fallen down the pecking order in Barca is because of politics really, same as Ronaldinho.

 

Him or Moutinho? I say have Ashley write a check for 30m so we can get both. 

[Tooj]

Going by the people on here who don't want to sign older players.

 

Good job we never signed that Beardsley fella back eh?

 

People do seem obsessed with youth & for some strange reason squad/fringe players these days. I often think squad/fringe players happen naturally i.e academy/reserve player improving & first team players being replaced with better players.

 

The concern I have with Deco is will the game here be too fast & physical for him like it was for other great technical players Veron,Futre,Popescu,Rebrov etc. The fee quoted in the article seems high, I am not that keen on signing a player who has been a bits & pieces player for his team this year. BUT HE WOULD BE A MASSIVE IMPROVEMNET ON ANYTHING WE HAVE IN MIDFIELD.

 

The thing I like about Deco as I've mentioned which makes me  think he could adapt is his work ethic. He isn't exactly a lazy player, and is always closing down etc. Although his petulance would annoy a lot of our fans.

 

Veron was awesome at Parma. I just don't really rate Deco that high, and don't see what the point in signing him would be, when we don't know how he would adapt, and what would motivate him to come here, dunno anything about that other kid, but Bentley is the main man at the moment we should take the chance while we can unless he does another Shauny Wright and fucks off to Chelsea to play 5 games a season.

 

He was even better at Lazio playing just off the striker. The game was just too quick for him over here, he's still a class act though.

[Guest Knightrider]

Deco's work rate is very underrated and often gets unnoticed because like many great technicians, he makes the ball do all the work for him. I used to think he wouldn't be able to adapt to play in the Premier League or rather excell here like he has done for Barca and Portugal, but I see a number of players like him doing well in our league, none more so than Paul Scholes who is similar in my opinion, or has been playing that type of Deco game in recent years as he's aged.

[Cronky]

I've not seen him recently, but he's always looked like a game little bugger who would cope with the Premiership despite his size. Providing his form hasn't deteriorated spectacularly, I'd take a punt. He could be our Beardsley.