Other clubs' transfers

[Dave]

Absolutely nothing like the same.

 

Are you joking here? He's suggesting that one player is better than the other based on which country he's getting called up to, no?

 

You've totally misrepresented what he said. He didn't say Sandro must be better than Palacios at all.

[Shearergol]

Absolutely nothing like the same.

 

Are you joking here? He's suggesting that one player is better than the other based on which country he's getting called up to, no?

 

You've totally misrepresented what he said. He didn't say Sandro must be better than Palacios at all.

 

Is "more ability" something different?

[Dave]

Absolutely nothing like the same.

 

Are you joking here? He's suggesting that one player is better than the other based on which country he's getting called up to, no?

 

You've totally misrepresented what he said. He didn't say Sandro must be better than Palacios at all.

 

Is "more ability" something different?

 

He said the relative strengths of the two national teams 'suggests more ability'. Suggests, not confirms. I can't stand Spurs and Jol's ITK clowning is nonsense but the way he's been jumped on over that comment is stupid. With all due respect to Honduras, Palacios doesn't have to be very good to get a call-up for them because the competition is poor. Getting called up for the Brazil squad suggests a lot of ability because the competition is much greater. That's not to say Palacios is necessarily bad, more that Sandro must be pretty damn good.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

There's nothing wrong with the original comment, btw. Getting called up by Brazil suggests more ability, just as studying at Oxford suggests more ability than studying a Northumbria. There is more competition. Obviously, there are exceptions and it is by no means a rule, but it still is part of the screening process. The fact that I could walk into the Seychelles team at centreback doesn't make me a top footballer.

You can't really consider the top African, Asian, and North American teams to be "small" nations when they have players throughout all of the top leagues and are consistently in big tournaments. Especially in the current, I would hardly consider Hungary to be better than these teams.

 

I'm not saying they are "small", just not great in terms of achievement at the highest possible stage. And the 1950s Hungary team is one of the most influential of all time.

I just think that makes the criteria too large for what you were discussing. There's a difference between playing for a competitive nation with many good players (West African teams, Korea, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, etc.) and playing for teams with little chance of any success like Weah with Liberia.

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

To be fair, a limited player like Palacios would be nowhere near Brazil's team. Sandro's probably only there because he's yute anyway.

 

Dunga's Brazil would have had him, in my opinion. Of course I don't watch him as often as a Spurs supporter but he impressed me in the midfield destroyer role last season.

He can't pass a football.

[Lusikka]

Makes me wonder who is the best player that never played for a "big" country?

 

Puskas? Although Hungary was big back then.

 

Jari Litmanen

[Segun Oluwaniyi]

I'm going to guess that Lusikka is Finnish.

[Lusikka]

I'm going to guess that Lusikka is Finnish.

 

I'm only 28.

 

 

Never gets old.

[Dave]

[Beren]

 

That's absolutely brilliant.

[colinmk]

 

That's brilliant! God, I used to listen to that show after the results every Saturday for a few months when we were doing up this house and some of the nutters you get phoning up are hilarious!

[gazza ladra]

Weah; best player from a small country.

 

Uruguay was a big country once upon a time, but cannot be considered big in any sense of the word today. Sorry.

[gazza ladra]

There was an interesting point made in the Futebol: The Brazilan Way by Alex Bellos regarding the market for Brazilian footballers in Europe. Many smaller clubs pay way over the odds for Brazilain talent when they could get a better player for the same money from Mexico or Paraguay or wherever, but they are willing to spend big just because the player is Brazilian. It gets the fanbase excited.  And if the player is a flop; the club tends to catch less flack for spending big on a Brazilian nobody versus spending big on a nobody from Chile.

 

Also, IIRC there is (or was) quite a scandal regarding the promotion of nothing players to the Brazilian squad for financial gain. Agents know that if they can get their donkey wearing the yellow and blue kit even once, they are in for a big payday.  I'd be suspicious if all you have to go on is "he's been capped for Brazil"

[Disco]

Weah; best player from a small country.

 

Uruguay was a big country once upon a time, but cannot be considered big in any sense of the word today. Sorry.

 

Granted it is a small country of 4m (or so) people but surely you can't overlook they've just reached the semi finals of the world cup?

 

I'd use the definition of a team that has never reached a major final in a continental or world tournament.

 

[Disco]

There was an interesting point made in the Futebol: The Brazilan Way by Alex Bellos regarding the market for Brazilian footballers in Europe. Many smaller clubs pay way over the odds for Brazilain talent when they could get a better player for the same money from Mexico or Paraguay or wherever, but they are willing to spend big just because the player is Brazilian. It gets the fanbase excited.  And if the player is a flop; the club tends to catch less flack for spending big on a Brazilian nobody versus spending big on a nobody from Chile.

 

Also, IIRC there is (or was) quite a scandal regarding the promotion of nothing players to the Brazilian squad for financial gain. Agents know that if they can get their donkey wearing the yellow and blue kit even once, they are in for a big payday.  I'd be suspicious if all you have to go on is "he's been capped for Brazil"

 

Not Brazillian but Christian '30 caps' Bassedas springs too mind. South American countries often have friendlies where they only pick domestic players and therefore their squad is a lot weaker and people who wouldn't normally pick up caps do.

[Thespence]

Seeing this thread go to the top I thought Spurs had announced another just in time deadline day signing.

[Shearergol]

There's nothing wrong with the original comment, btw. Getting called up by Brazil suggests more ability, just as studying at Oxford suggests more ability than studying a Northumbria. There is more competition.

 

Why can't people see this point? Your ability will determine whether or not you will study at Oxford or Northumbria. Your nationality determines whether or not you can play for Brazil or Honduras.

 

If Jol had compared two Brazilians, there would be no issue with what he said.

 

Question for you: Does Sandro having Brazil caps suggest he's better than Essien, with no Brazil caps?

 

Anyway, I'm leaving it. Some people clearly don't understand why the comparison doesn't work, and never will.

[High Five o]

There's nothing wrong with the original comment, btw. Getting called up by Brazil suggests more ability, just as studying at Oxford suggests more ability than studying a Northumbria. There is more competition.

 

Why can't people see this point? Your ability will determine whether or not you will study at Oxford or Northumbria. Your nationality determines whether or not you can play for Brazil or Honduras.

 

If Jol had compared two Brazilians, there would be no issue with what he said.

 

Question for you: Does Sandro having Brazil caps suggest he's better than Essien, with no Brazil caps?

 

Anyway, I'm leaving it. Some people clearly don't understand why the comparison doesn't work, and never will.

 

This. 

[Guest gggg]

Also, IIRC there is (or was) quite a scandal regarding the promotion of nothing players to the Brazilian squad for financial gain. Agents know that if they can get their donkey wearing the yellow and blue kit even once, they are in for a big payday.  I'd be suspicious if all you have to go on is "he's been capped for Brazil"

 

Exhibit A: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafael_Scheidt

[Optimistic Nut]

We'll no doubt discover tomorrow morning that Spurs made an offer for Carles Puyol at 4.56pm on Tuesday so they'll be able to sign him to replace Dawson.

[Guest kingdawson]

We'll no doubt discover tomorrow morning that Spurs made an offer for Carles Puyol at 4.56pm on Tuesday so they'll be able to sign him to replace Dawson.

 

Yep. We can also look for special dispensation pt 2 now that Woody looks finished.

[AlanSkÃrare]

We'll no doubt discover tomorrow morning that Spurs made an offer for Carles Puyol at 4.56pm on Tuesday so they'll be able to sign him to replace Dawson.

 

Yep. We can also look for special dispensation pt 2 now that Woody looks finished.

 

That's a tradegy regarding Woodgate. Brilliant defender in his time, could have gone on to be a fantastic footballer if it wasn't for his fitness.

[Ronaldo]

Complete wanker, deserves every ounce of bad luck.

[mrmojorisin75]

Complete wanker, deserves every ounce of bad luck.

Woodgate? 

 

Not that I'm disagreeing with you about his character but I'd like to have seen him in his prime at a world cup for England instead of average shite like Terry.

 

Or indeed staying at the toon and being fit.

[Ronaldo]

I'd rather Terry was in my defence than Woodgate any day of the week. To call him average s**** is ridiculous. He's consistently been the best defender in the PL (alongside Rio) for well over 5 years now.