ES Soccer Thread

[Elessar78]

"Ambition" = how much are you willing to pay me. Can't say I blame them but what's the point as it's not a level playing field.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Couldn't agree more Elessar. What happened at Chelsea when Abromovich came was bad enough, but the City situation is a complete new level to that. Their quite happy to buy players and sit them regardless just to stop other clubs getting them. Just because they can.

Shy of being taken over by a mega rich Arab and buying everything that moves (which I would hate, as much as I crave a 19th Championship); I honestly don't see how you can compete with that.

And I don't know how you stop it. You can't bring in a cap like in US sports as they'd just go legal and claim restriction of trade. It really is a worrying problem for a competitive product in a league that's currently up for grabs to two teams at most.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Teams like Chelsea and City are no different than thoroughbreds . . . toys for the mega-rich. But then you have clubs like Barca, which are supporter owned, and profitability is NOT a concern since their economics works as long as they break even.

In a way, if I was a neutral observer, I might say that it's "fair" considering Chelsea and Citeh would have had no chance to win anything if not for this. The traditional powers don't have a lock on the trophies. Despite the season not panning out as I had wanted, I can't say it was a dull season.

[DCranon21]

Today he told his teammates he's leaving, he didn't tell his future destination. Rumors saying he'll play in China.

China huh. Never thought he'd leave Chelsea. Well good luck Didier if the rumors are true. I think my friend will be taking this one hard.

[MartinC]

Couldn't agree more Elessar. What happened at Chelsea when Abromovich came was bad enough, but the City situation is a complete new level to that. Their quite happy to buy players and sit them regardless just to stop other clubs getting them. Just because they can.

Shy of being taken over by a mega rich Arab and buying everything that moves (which I would hate, as much as I crave a 19th Championship); I honestly don't see how you can compete with that.

And I don't know how you stop it. You can't bring in a cap like in US sports as they'd just go legal and claim restriction of trade. It really is a worrying problem for a competitive product in a league that's currently up for grabs to two teams at most.

Hail.

UEFA are bringing in a rule about club finances and the deficit/debts//wage bills etc I think for the end of next season. The only sanction though is clubs who break it are not allowed to take part in the Champions Leauge/UEFA League - although that's a tough sanction. If of course they enforce it - be interesting to see how they treat clubs like Chelsea/City/Real Madrid etc who run huge losses on their football operations.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Like anything else, there's ways and means around it.

City are already deep into building a luxury hotel on their site to aid a clubs own generated income. And can you really see UEFA coming down hard on a Madrid for example? All they have to utter is the words 'breakaway Super League' and UEFA will **** themselves and smooth whatever transgression over. Any talk of sanctions from Nyon is just that, talk.

The big clubs hold ALL the power; and there's ways and means around anything. The bigger clubs will exploit the very big loopholes through even bigger sponsorship and commercial deals totally unrelated to the football side to show the company's earning more than it's spending.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Like anything else, there's ways and means around it.

City are already deep into building a luxury hotel on their site to aid a clubs own generated income. And can you really see UEFA coming down hard on a Madrid for example? All they have to utter is the words 'breakaway Super League' and UEFA will **** themselves and smooth whatever transgression over. Any talk of sanctions from Nyon is just that, talk.

The big clubs hold ALL the power; and there's ways and means around anything. The bigger clubs will exploit the very big loopholes through even bigger sponsorship and commercial deals totally unrelated to the football side to show the company's earning more than it's spending.

Hail.

I tend to agree that they'll try to circumvent the rules. But I think the breakaway super league is a bluff they will be called upon. No matter the TV deals, I think clubs like Real Madrid still need ticket sales from the other 36-some odd league games and domestic cup matches to make their business model work. What teams would go into the super league? RM, Barca, Chelsea, Citeh? Not sure the Italian super clubs or Bayern would follow suit.

The fact is that Chelsea and Citeh are johhny-come-latelys, so the football world doesn't necessarily need them. Some other billionaire willing to abide by the rules will fill the void and take, say, Aston Villa or Preston North End to the top. Citeh don't have a big following either, "half" of Manchester? And I doubt they have a big enough, LOYAL, international following to support their own TV deal.

[Old Bay]

Someone buying a lower league side like PNE and bringing them up would be fantastic. I think managers who claim that they're the shiz should go to a lower league and really prove their mettle by hoisting them up as well. I know it won't happen. I enjoy the Blackpool, Norwich, Swansea stories more than the next $50 mil Man City drops on one player.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Loving the fact Michael Laudrup is apparently on the list of guys L'pool are interviewing.

Him or AVB would top my list now Morinho has confirmed the new deal in Madrid and ruled himself out along with Pep and De Boer.

Hail.

[Elessar78]

Someone buying a lower league side like PNE and bringing them up would be fantastic. I think managers who claim that they're the shiz should go to a lower league and really prove their mettle by hoisting them up as well. I know it won't happen. I enjoy the Blackpool, Norwich, Swansea stories more than the next $50 mil Man City drops on one player.

Exactly. There's NO story in Man City's accomplishment. I don't think it's any secret that if you splash around a lot of cash that you're very likely to win it all.

---------- Post added May-22nd-2012 at 11:27 AM ----------

Loving the fact Michael Laudrup is apparently on the list of guys L'pool are interviewing.

Him or AVB would top my list now Morinho has confirmed the new deal in Madrid and ruled himself out along with Pep and De Boer.

Hail.

To this day I'm still not sure about the great player become manager phenomenon. L'pool's most recent experience should be enough of an example. It's not that these guys are dumb but things came so easy for them that they never really furrowed a brow trying to solve problems. Players, maybe it's a stereotype, aren't the most introspective lot. There are too many former greats who were average at best at being managers.

Pep and and Cruyff are startling exceptions but they were both very philosophical players who thought a lot about the game. To WHICH, I think Laudrup might be another startling exception as he is from that Cruyff-Pep-Ajax/Barca school of football.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Whilst it's very true that great players, and make no mistake about it for any casual reader happening by, Michael Laudrup is worthy of consideration alongside the likes of Cruyff, Platini, Zidane et all as Europes GOAT, don't always make great coaches; I think Laudrup has all the makings of breaking that adage for all you've mentioned and more.

By all accounts, he's taken that same philosophical approach he had on the pitch into coaching. Although he's not vastly experienced as yet, all his teams have been full of the same, inventive, attacking flair he showed as a player. And he's from great footballing stock, not only out of the same school's so to speak as you mentioned; but his father and uncle before him who steeped both Michael and his brother in the beautiful ways of the beautiful game. I also love the fact he has his full set of UEFA coaching badges, which should be of paramount importance in selecting coaches to me but often sadly isn't.

He'd be a perfect fit for everything FSG want to do as regards a long term, young, hungry manager who's got the clout to appease players and fans alike following on from a living legend. And it would nicely right our massive faux pas back in '83 when we had the soon to be World class Danish youngster all but signed; but lost him to Juventus for the ridiculously trivial thing of 1 extra year on his contract.

Given time to get his own philosophy across and money to bring in the type of players to play that way, I could see a very bright future with either Laudrup or AVB.

Presuming we are indeed heavily courting both men.

Hail.

And for anyone new to the name, that has a spare 25 mins or so, this is a great watch on the life of an oft overlooked, World class player:

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

Being as some of you have been discussing it the past few pages, Drogba tonight finally confirmed he's leaving Chelsea for 'a new challenge.'

Feel free to speculate where that challenge may be.

I guess this might now stop Torres bitching and moaning which is all he's done since Saturday.

Hail.

[Skinsfan1311]

Forza Napoli!!!! Woot!!!!

[bushwack]

If MLS was smart they would throw bags of money at Drogba to get him to come play over here. Drogba, especially after Saturday, is one of the most well known football players and if MLS can get him to play here that can only help not only MLS's popularity but the sport's popularity as well.

[amm0409]

MLS is garbage. I think US soccer is fine until after college. We just dont have anything for them to do, unless they go overseas.

Anyways, always fun to have a laugh