That's about what I read we were going to pay Juventus for ZaZa. Just hope we don't give him penalty taking duty!
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The 2016-2017 Football Thread
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Well, "decent" Premier League strikers - that is, fully fledged, and, complete - that is - developed Premier League strikers in their prime from whom much can be expected - can be said to cost that much. That is if all you are looking for si the finished article, and all you demand is instant success.
However, there are two other currencies which - to my astonishment - are not valued anywhere nearly as much. Time, and patience.
Time to allow kids to develop if you want to nurture, and bring along, capable youngsters, and patience, if you want to scout in unfashionable places and find a few rough, unpolished, perhaps imperfect gems.
Leicester last year fashioned a team - an excellent team - from ambitious and hungry players - some of whom had a point to prove - players who were snapped up as bargains from lower leagues in the UK and and abroad. Mr Wenger used to be very good at that sort of hunting and scouting.
And, really, already Mr Mourinho has made it clear that capable youngsters - Marcus Rashford is the obvious example - have no real future in his vision for United.
In a way, it is astonishing that United have forgotten their own history, where the alchemy of the stupendous talents of the homegrown 'team of 92' and the fortuitous appointment of Mr Ferguson as manager allowed - after sufficient time had elapsed to allow for them to blend efficaciously together - for an unprecedented period of sustained success at the club.
That success wasn't the success of the 'quick fix'. Rather, it was the success of careful, incremental, long term slow growth - augmented, admittedly, by the simultaneous emergence of a generation of supremely gifted footballers through the academy system, which may be a one-off, but the idea of identifying and generating an internal supply of decent footballers, through the academy system, teaching them and training them properly in their trade/profession, and giving them the time to develop and grow naturally remains a sound one.
Buying in 'completed' strikers is a quick fix, and the culture of shareholders (and yes, fans) who demand instant success feeds into it, but - in the long term - it is better for a club (and the region, and its finances) to try to develop, encourage and nurture talent internally and bring it along responsibly, where possible.
However, there are two other currencies which - to my astonishment - are not valued anywhere nearly as much. Time, and patience.
Time to allow kids to develop if you want to nurture, and bring along, capable youngsters, and patience, if you want to scout in unfashionable places and find a few rough, unpolished, perhaps imperfect gems.
Leicester last year fashioned a team - an excellent team - from ambitious and hungry players - some of whom had a point to prove - players who were snapped up as bargains from lower leagues in the UK and and abroad. Mr Wenger used to be very good at that sort of hunting and scouting.
And, really, already Mr Mourinho has made it clear that capable youngsters - Marcus Rashford is the obvious example - have no real future in his vision for United.
In a way, it is astonishing that United have forgotten their own history, where the alchemy of the stupendous talents of the homegrown 'team of 92' and the fortuitous appointment of Mr Ferguson as manager allowed - after sufficient time had elapsed to allow for them to blend efficaciously together - for an unprecedented period of sustained success at the club.
That success wasn't the success of the 'quick fix'. Rather, it was the success of careful, incremental, long term slow growth - augmented, admittedly, by the simultaneous emergence of a generation of supremely gifted footballers through the academy system, which may be a one-off, but the idea of identifying and generating an internal supply of decent footballers, through the academy system, teaching them and training them properly in their trade/profession, and giving them the time to develop and grow naturally remains a sound one.
Buying in 'completed' strikers is a quick fix, and the culture of shareholders (and yes, fans) who demand instant success feeds into it, but - in the long term - it is better for a club (and the region, and its finances) to try to develop, encourage and nurture talent internally and bring it along responsibly, where possible.
Sadly in the modern game things like the Bosman ruling have many clubs deciding it's a waste of time to try and bring talent through.
Put all the time and effort in in growing and nurturing a talent just to see them up and leave the moment a bigger club comes knocking.
Sadly the players (and worse their agents) have too much power in the modern game.
West Ham was once a club renowned for bringing through young talent.
Rio Ferdinand
Frank Lampard (Jnr)
Jamaine Defoe
Michael Carrick
Joe Cole
All came through the academy. All up and left for a bigger club. We didn't even do that well in the prices we got imo. If those players had stayed just think what might have been.
Most clubs have a similar story. Thats why the chairmen will often settle for a short term fix. As will the managers.
Take the Special One for example. He isn't thinking about bringing through young talent so he has a great team in 5 years. He knows he won't be there in 5 years.
Re The Special One, given his career to date, I'm not sure he'll be still there in two or three years, let alone five.
Mind you, I understand your perspective, @Apple fanboy, - and , for that matter, your evident frustration at the situation, but I was merely pointing out that there are alternatives to spending €25-30milion on a proven striker, but they mean using another currency, that of time, and involve spending time, (sometimes, many years of time), not money, or - failing that - careful, intelligent, meticulous research and scouting.
Mind you, I understand your perspective, @Apple fanboy, - and , for that matter, your evident frustration at the situation, but I was merely pointing out that there are alternatives to spending €25-30milion on a proven striker, but they mean using another currency, that of time, and involve spending time, (sometimes, many years of time), not money, or - failing that - careful, intelligent, meticulous research and scouting.
That used to be the case but everyone is so thirsty for EPL money that the mentality is now instant success/avoid relegation or die. Coaches like Pep and Mou facilitate this too with their 3yr contracts where they bleed clubs of money to build finished articles, win something and then move on. That and trigger happy owners.
I know young Marcus Rashford is a great - and very gifted - kid, and I am delighted to see that he has been given a chance to shine, albeit briefly, - especially in the light of what I wrote earlier (about Mr Mourinho's reluctance to play youngsters) - but I am truly sorry for Hull tonight.
They deserved better, and certainly merited a draw.
Moreover, I used to really dislike that old Manchester United habit of winning a hard-fought match 1-0 in the 94th or 95th minute. And, if I am completely honest, I still dislike it. I sincerely hope that it does not become the leitmotif of their season.
They deserved better, and certainly merited a draw.
Moreover, I used to really dislike that old Manchester United habit of winning a hard-fought match 1-0 in the 94th or 95th minute. And, if I am completely honest, I still dislike it. I sincerely hope that it does not become the leitmotif of their season.
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Results are going to be the only thing linking "ManMou" to the Ferguson years - at least in the short term. I can certainly see them winning silverware for 2-3 seasons under Mou, but I'll be shocked if he hangs around much longer than that.
Agreed though, Hull worked hard and deserved a draw from that game. Their whole team cost less than Rooney's dressing room chair.
I think 2-3 seasons is very optimistic. I suspect the wheels will come of the wagon long before that.
Possibly. The big question right now is, which of Man City, Man Utd and Chelsea will stumble first? So far they are all getting results...sometimes pretty narrow results.
That's easy. City, tomorrow against West Ham (hopefully!).
Going by Mr Mourinho's career to date, I'd imagine an excellent, and highly successful first season for him at Manchester United. Atmospherics and optics will probably work well, too. Silverware - possibly, quite a bit of silverware - of some sort will add a nice garnish.
However, some sort of stress and strain might be evident by the second season, - certainly might be seen by the end of it - and I'd imagine very visible problems emerging by his third season, assuming he lasts that long, followed by the usual acrimonious and explosive departure.
It is also interesting to note that Mourinho appears to love the much-maligned Fellaini. Just his kind of player - large, good in the air, physical, a bit dirty, and 1000% committed to doing whatever the boss tells him to do.
Given that Fellaini is not exactly beloved by fans, it will be interesting to see how that plays out. Will results make fans forget their stylistic objections?
Aguero probably banned for the Manchester Derby. Shame, because it ruins the contest beforehand.
Given that Fellaini is not exactly beloved by fans, it will be interesting to see how that plays out. Will results make fans forget their stylistic objections?
Aguero probably banned for the Manchester Derby. Shame, because it ruins the contest beforehand.
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Wilshere going on loan:
This should have been done ages ago. When Wilshere is fully fit, and can play a string of games, he is a good player. But, I believe currently, he is overrated, and a loan move is the best option at the moment.
Walcott:
Having said all that, I'm surprised that Walcott, wasn't sent on loan, or even sold. He's had a few glimpses of brilliance, and then he dips (maybe due to injury). Now into his eleventh year with Arsenal, time to show your mettle Walcott...
This should have been done ages ago. When Wilshere is fully fit, and can play a string of games, he is a good player. But, I believe currently, he is overrated, and a loan move is the best option at the moment.
Walcott:
Having said all that, I'm surprised that Walcott, wasn't sent on loan, or even sold. He's had a few glimpses of brilliance, and then he dips (maybe due to injury). Now into his eleventh year with Arsenal, time to show your mettle Walcott...
So it's here. The last day of all that speculation. Not sure if we will be getting anybody else. Keep reading about Boney on loan but I think that's press speculation. Where loan deals can look like a good deal, it's all the small print that can make the difference.
Anyway 18 hours to go.
Anyway 18 hours to go.
I'd take him over walcott who is apparently still a prospect at 28yrs old.
Its already gone tits up. People shuffling around like a deck of cards.
I'm interested to see if James Rodriquez and Isco remain madrid players by the end of today.
Well at least one players left Real Madrid.
West Ham have signed Alvaro Arbeloa. At 33 I hope he isn't costing much!
West Ham have signed Alvaro Arbeloa. At 33 I hope he isn't costing much!
Clearly, nobody knows what to do with all this money. The Premier League is like a tourist in a third world country, being surrounded by crowds offering worthless trinkets at exorbitant prices (a few of which they buy at random), and ending by exasperatedly throwing the rest of their money up in the air on their way to the airport, to be collected by local passers-by.
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