Tackles, balls and Seaman - The footie thread

[Izzy]

Its a real shame he has lied so much - we all remember his post CL final comments about how he could never leave - he's given money and success - what more does he want?

A club with a future?

Porto won the CL; if you were a decent player would ever consider staying with (let alone joining) them?

As I told anyone who would listen, I would forgive Gerrard for his post CL comments in a second. It's not like he confessed his undying love for ahis club to a tabloid on any given day, and then stabbed them in the back.

He said he would stay after winning the biggest medal he will probably ever win, do you blame him? Of course he would go over the top.

Look at the state of your club, which you will admit yourself. Would you blame him for leaving for a team with a much brither future ahead of them?

Gerrard is in lovd with Liverpool, if he wasn't, he would have left three seasons ago.

But he needs to further his career.

And face it, that is not something that he can do with you.

Are u thinking of another Liverpool?

We have just taken the Champions league, have a fantastic new manager and he's slowly clearing out the rubbish he was forced to use last season. The club is more popular than virtually any team on earth and actually doing well financially and we were three points off 4th place.

But...no future? I'd have said that applied to Aston Villa or Spurs or Newcastle

Okay. I don't really mind people bashing Liverpool (hell, i bash Man Utd all the time) but atleast keep ur assaults as close to the truth as possible.

Gerrard has no love for the club, and the club is far bigger than one man, we survived without Owen and we'll survive without Gerrard - hell, our most successful season in a decade came when we lost Owen!

I was devestated to read we've just turned down 32 million for Gerrard?!? I'd have taken much less. I hope the board don't jeapardise a money injection of that magnitude, if we wait too long Chelsea might offer less or just go away. Think who we could buy, and it would be a real help to the stadium too

[Izzy]

liverpool just knocked back a 32million pound offer for stevie g from chelsea. Are they just trying to squeeze a few more bucks out of abramovich or do they really want to keep him?

I dunno - but they would be insane to turn down so much money, especially for a player who's heart is no longer there (and who will walk for nothing eventually) - we lost McManaman and Owen for virtually nothing, the board have a bad track record when it comes to this stuff

[2NaFish]

3 points off fourth but thats still thirty or so off winning the league. It's wrong to say liverpool don't have a future but they're still not nearly consistant enough to be up there with the top 3. If gerrard left it would only be to ac milan, real madrid, chelsea or manyoo. And whilst liverpool are a huge club (in my estimation the most prestigious ever) they don't compete week in week out with those clubs.

[N.I.B]

Vieri agrees Milan switch

Tuesday, 5 July 2005
UEFA Champions League runners-up AC Milan have signed Italy striker Christian Vieri, who was released by neighbours FC Internazionale Milano last week.

Contract until 2007
Vieri, 32 next week, has put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the team that finished second in Serie A in 2004/05. "'Bobo' Vieri has officially joined Milan," said a statement on the Milan website. "The Rossoneri have signed the player and his contract will run until 30 June 2007."

Century of goals
Vieri parted company with Inter by mutual consent last Friday, despite having a year left on his contract, following six seasons with the Nerazzurri in which he scored 102 goals in 143 league games. He will compete for a place in Milan's attack with Andriy Shevchenko, Filippo Inzaghi and Jon Dahl Tomasson.
 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Just thought this might be of some importance, seeing as no big news has hit the permiership just yet.

[2NaFish]

'Hardest decision of my life' - Gerrard

Steven Gerrard described his decision to quit Liverpool as 'the hardest of his life'.

Through his agent Struan Marshall, the Reds skipper has informed the club he wishes to leave after rejecting the ?100,000-a-week contract offer put to him by chief executive Rick Parry.

The decision appears increasingly certain to trigger a British record ?40million move to Chelsea over the next week, with Liverpool demanding a massive increase on the ?32million bid from the Stamford Bridge club which has already been rejected.

In the immediate aftermath of Liverpool's stunning Champions League triumph over AC Milan in May, Gerrard had indicated his desire to sign a new four-year contract.

But, after Liverpool failed to come up with a contract during the early stages of the summer break, Gerrard slowly changed his mind and is now ready to sever his lifelong association with the club.

"The last six weeks have been the toughest of my life and the decision I have come to has been the hardest decision I have ever had to make," he told Sky Sports News.

"I fully intended to sign a new contract after the Champions League Final but the events of the past five or six weeks have changed all that.

"I have too much respect for the club and the people at it to get involved in a slagging match."

[Izzy]

I just pray we get the money - this will only tempt Chelsea to offer less, we now have to accept what they offer - thats why i said they should have accepted the initial 32 million

I wish Gerrard all the best, he's a traitourous little biatch but i've never rated him as highly as everyone else so i won't lose too much sleep over it. Isn't it funny both him and Owen claim to love the club and claimed they'd stay with certain conditions met - then left anyway

But just imagine a bidding war for him! We could take 40 million! Imagine what the club could do! We could rebuild the entire midfield, could be the start of something very special

[MadmanDan]

The Glazers (sounds like a bad TV show:)) should see a possible Gerrard swoop as the perfect opportunity to improve their relationship with the fans, and, by beating the transfer kings Chelski, prove that they have the recources  to keep ManYoo at the top.

[Izzy]

The Glazers (sounds like a bad TV show:)) should see a possible Gerrard swoop as the perfect opportunity to improve their relationship with the fans, and, by beating the transfer kings Chelski, prove that they have the recources? to keep ManYoo at the top.

They have a 25 mill transfer cap - so ur about 7 million short.

[Izzy]

The hell? Gerrard has just announced he wants to stay?!?!?!?

Well i'm somewhat at a loss as to what to say - if he has suddenly realised he loves the club then all is forgiven, but this is mighty odd.....(bizarre attempt to get more money??)

[Danny Top Hat]

No, it is because he loves the club.  See, I believe Gerrard because he has always been a fan, since he was a kid.  I can imagine how tough it would be to choose between your favourite team and a team that could bring you massive success.  After holding the Champions League trophy and having my agent constantly prodding me saying "if you move to another club, you could win things like this every year" I would be tempted too.  Luckily, Gerrard made absolutely the right decison (and not just because I didn't want him at Chelski).  Gerrard probably would have won a lot more if he moved, but staying at Liverpool is the only way he could truely become a footballing legend.  Tony Adams wouldn't have been a legend if he had moved to Real Madrid, he would have been a sellout - same goes for Charlie George, Liam Brady, David Seaman et al.  By staying at Liverpool, Gerrard will become a cult hero, instead of just another galactico.

Are you listening, Rooney?

[Jim]

I agree with everything you just said, but...

...you can't really compare Rooney's situation. At least Liverpool can be labeled 'contenders' for pretty much every trophy.

Okay, Everton got to the Champions League (maybe). They had an incredible season. Well done to them. But Greece won Euro 2004. And how many of their starting line up can you name? No doubt Everton will be down with, and hopefully lower than, us, Spurs, and the rest of the also rans next season.

Gerrard can go down in history if he stays with Liverpool his entire career.

Could Rooney have, if he stayed with Everton?
Only in Merseyside, maybe...

[N.I.B]

Liverpool set sights on Sissoko
Saturday, 9 July 2005
Liverpool FC manager Rafael Ben?tez has returned to his former club Valencia CF to agree the transfer of 20-year-old central midfield player Mohamed Sissoko for an undisclosed fee.

Mali international
The Mali international, who was signed by Ben?tez while he was coach of Valencia in 2003, was born in France and started his career at AJ Auxerre but has spent the past two years at Valencia, starting 15 games last season.

Double winner
Sissoko was a member of the triumphant Valencia squad which completed the UEFA Cup and Primera Divisi?n double in 2003/04. The UEFA Champions League winners announced on Saturday that Sissoko must pass a medical before completing his move, but Ben?tez is already looking forward to linking up with the youngster again.

'High energy'
"He's a young central midfielder who plays a high energy game with a high tempo," Ben?tez said. "He's young, he's not bad on the ball and he will improve the balance of our team. He's had two good years with Valencia where he has won trophies. I know him well and he's a very good player."

Morientes double
The news was announced as Liverpool warmed up for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League first qualifying round tie against Total Network Solutions FC with a 4-3 victory over Wrexham FC in a friendly match at the Racecourse Ground. Fernando Morientes and Milan Baro? both scored twice for Liverpool who gave debuts to new signings Jos? Reina and Boudewijn Zenden.

'Good game'
"It was a good game for the fans with seven goals being scored," Ben?tez said. "I'm not concerned that we conceded three because it's still very early in our preparations and it was a very hot day. I'm sure when we play on Wednesday evening we will be much better. It could be good that we have a competitive match next midweek and it could stand us in good stead for the rest of the season."

Gerrard deal
Before the match Steven Gerrard paraded the Champions League trophy on the pitch. It was the Liverpool captain's first public appearance since signing a new four-year deal with the club on Friday.
 

[N.I.B]

Monaco make Meriem move
Monday, 11 July 2005
AS Monaco FC have signed France midfield player Camel Meriem from FC Girondins de Bordeaux for a fee in the region of ?6m.

Long association
Meriem has put pen to paper on a four-year contract with Monaco, bringing an end to his four-and-a-half year association with Bordeaux. "Monaco have bought out the last two years of Meriem's contract," said Bordeaux in a statement.

Signed from Sochaux
The 25-year-old joined the Girondins club from FC Sochaux-Montb?liard midway through the 2001/02 campaign, going on to make 82 league appearances and winning the French League Cup in his first season.

UEFA Cup finalist
He was loaned to Olympique de Marseille in 2003/04 and impressed as the V?lodrome side reached the UEFA Cup final against Valencia CF. Meriem played nine games en route to Gothenburg, but had to wait until November last year, when he was back at Bordeaux, to earn the first of his three France caps.

Change of role
Meriem was deployed on the right of midfield by Bordeaux coach Michel Pavon, yet is expected to fill a more central role for Monaco. The principality team, third in Ligue 1 in 2004/05, will enter the UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round.
 

[Izzy]

Well Viera has finally gone - can't believe there isn't more being said about it, i suppose Arsenal are happy to get so much for a player that is now well past his prime - 14 million for a 29 year old - crazy

[Jim]

Yeah, how come last year it was slapped right across every back page, and this year (when it is actually happening) there's only bits here and there.

Wasn't it 12.5, though? Though, that's just being pedantic I guess, same difference...

Apparantly the 'smoothest transfer in years'...

...Weird.

[2NaFish]

the transfer fee is 13.7 million. 6.9 million right now. 3.4 million on the 14th of june next year and another 3.4 mil a year after that.

Yes, i've been sitting on my ass watching sky sports news all day.

As shit as it must be for arsenal fans to lose viera its not the first time wenger has let quality go - anelka, petit, overmars. He's always replaced them with class.

[Izzy]

Lol - Anelka is ''desperate' to go to Newcastle, place your bets now - which team will he be desperate to go to after he screws them over?

Any manager who signs him with his history must be raving mad - he's a terrible, terrible player with more backage than a fair sized airline

He's one of those players that is held in high regard, but has never justified that faith - just like Alan Smith.....

[Chris Misfit]

With all the rows in Newcastle, and after getting rid of two players for being edjits, he'd be mad to sign Anelka.

[2NaFish]

With all the rows in Newcastle, and after getting rid of two players for being edjits, he'd be mad to sign Anelka.

It's Greame Souness. He is mad.

[Izzy]

Oh goody, Chelsea are going to waste a bit more money

21 million on that Wright-Phillips kid

What can i say but:

 

Unless Chelsea are totally stupid they must see that all that deal does is make Man City a better team a) they get rid of an average player b) it allows them to rebuild their entire team - what a cash injection!

Remember when we thought Chelsea would dominate the league? All their doing is investing in every club and making them stronger!

Phillips is worth about 6 million, and from his performances for England even that figure is probably too high

Equally funny is how Benitez is going to buy Crouch instead of Owen. I have never been convinced by Benitez and if he signs Crouch then he's as poor a manager as Houllier, Crouch is a disgrace and to prefer him to Owen is hilarious

Emile Hesky mark 2, place ur bets now - will he get 3 goals?