The Ultimate Soccer Thread 2012-2013 Vol. 3 Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga etc

Speaking of dope names, I've always thought Crystal Palace was a sweet name. I wish a billionaire would buy that team
 
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Some tweets from @DarrenArsenal1 Financial Times: Arsenals current cash in bank stands at £153.6m. "Austerity is in Arsenal’s culture. Once known as the Bank of England club, it has been cautiously run for decades." Ivan Gazidis “We dont spend more than we have.In football thats seen as conservative.That tells u a little bit about environment we’re in.” Gazidis: “Are there loopholes in the way FFP works? Quite possibly. FFP is not part of our strategy.” ER SORRY NOT WHAT CLUB & U HAVE SAID. Arsenal’s revenues to hit £300m 2014. Interest costs on the club’s debt have dropped to a manageable £13.5m, with net debt at £98.9m. “We’re coming through a period of risk to a period of less risk,” acknowledges Gazidis. FT "Arsenal’s new revenues won’t be enough to lift it back into prizewinning zones – certainly not in time for Wenger." For clarity cash figure is a old number, need to add the summer sales net return plus the first part of QR, so I estimate cash to be £180m

Ivan :{
 
I can say in my lifetime that I saw Michael Jordan come into the league & roll into his prime & I can say I've seen Messi do the same. Greatness. Glad I was able to watch & marvel at their talents...
 
Newcastle is making moves.

"Newcastle have already added Yoan Gouffran, Mathieu Debuchy, Moussa Sissoko, Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa and Massadio Haidara to their squad this January - five of Ligue One's most talented performers."
 
Going to be interesting what Galatasaray is going to be able to do in the Champions League with Sneijder and Drogba...
 
Balotelli to Milan eh?

The rumor keeps popping up so I'll believe it when I see it...The question is, why would Milan or any other club want to trade for him? Seems to be a head case...

Looks like Galatasaray really wants to contend after getting Drogba & Sneijder...

Also for Arsenal fans, saw this on ESPN FC & thought it was interesting...

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/s...y-wants-me-in-full-control-of-arsenal?cc=5901



Usmanov: Henry wants me in full control
January 28, 2013
By Ian Holyman, France Correspondent


Russian oligarch Alisher Usmanov has told L'Equipe that former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry is pushing for him to buy the Gunners outright.

Usmanov, 59, holds a 29.9% share in the Premier League side after buying up former vice-chairman David Dein's stake five years ago.

American businessman Stan Kroenke is the club's majority shareholder, but Usmanov, the world's 28th-richest man, admitted in an interview published on Monday that Henry is encouraging him to use his fortune to take total control - something he says he would have already done had his image not been undermined.

"I like many footballers, and I'm in contact with some of them. Perhaps my favourite of the last ten, 15 years is Thierry Henry. He's pushing me to buy all of Arsenal's shares, but I cannot predict the future," the Uzbek-born billionaire told the French sports daily.

"When I had the chance to buy some shares and become one of the main shareholders in the club, I didn't hesitate for a second. I was even ready to take total control. That wasn't possible because certain people preferred to make a profit and create, using me, an outside enemy. I remain portrayed as a pirate, an enemy. They have won that game."

The financial fair play regulations currently being enacted by UEFA may mean that even if Usmanov were to wrestle total control of the club away from Kroenke, his estimated wealth of some $18.1 billion could not be used to radically revamp Arsene Wenger's squad.

However, with Wenger regularly forced to remodel his team as his best players are sold off, Usmanov believes the Frenchman is being short-changed by the powers-that-be at the Emirates Stadium.

"For me, he's one of the best coaches in the world, but it's not easy for him," Usmanov said. "I think he deserves that players are brought in at Arsenal when they're needed.

"The best players, and not being satisfied with selling our best players to our rivals. If that happens, we can ask everything of him. But, today, he's sacrificed. Because of the policy, and we're all to blame. Everything's in Mr Kroenke's hands, and I hope he succeeds, even if he doesn't go along with my ideas."

He added: "The greatest achievement of Arsene Wenger is to have created two teams: the one that now plays for our rivals, and the one that is trying to be among the best in the Premier League.

"That's why I say it's not enough to merely flatter the coach, but to give him the possibility to buy the best players, superstars. But not just stars, but those chosen by Wenger.

"It's unthinkable that the shareholders get well-paid while, for small clauses in contracts, we lose key players, symbols like Robin van Persie, Mathieu Flamini or Patrick Vieira. We should have increased their salaries when they started to be courted, started to look elsewhere. I don't know why we didn't propose that to them."

With Usmanov on the outside looking in, as he has "no relationship" with Kroenke, he insisted his passion for the club was born at the end of the 1990s and remains intact.

"In my opinion, that team was as good as the current Barcelona side," Usmanov said. "It wasn't a question of money or prestige. It's a choice [to invest in the club] dictated by my emotions, those provoked in me by the club. And Arsenal's current situation remains an interesting investment.

"I would like to be useful for the club, and I can be. I understand football well, and can prove it, but I'll never force myself on anyone. For the moment, Arsenal don't seem to need me. But I remain convinced that Arsenal should have only one aim in every competition: first place and winning.

"All other theories are hypocrisy aimed at covering up weakness. I'm a strong man. If someone needs my help, my money, my know-how, anything I possess, I'm always ready."
 
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Niang, sharaawy, and balo imagine the average age of starting strikers will be 20 for AC milan :x

throw in bojan coming off the bench :lol
 
newcastle is just french fc now :D

Arsenal will never buy anyone good... they have 153m euros in the bank tho... Bayern is about to go ham with the 100 million some they have this summer
 
Holtby deal done for Spurs. Not a bad piece of business.


"The London club had two offers rejected for the player, before Schalke accepted a bid of £1.25m over the weekend. It is understood Holtby had a medical at Tottenham two weeks ago before finalising his Bosman deal."

:lol

Immediate transfer instead of waiting until the summer.

Spurs are shaping up nicely for next season.
 
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Ghana just scored another goal.. 2-0 Niger....

They're looking solid out there.



Cape Verde secured their qualification into the next round yesterday....When the manager was invited to the press conference, the whole team decided to pay a visit :lol




First time they ever qualified for the tournament. First victory of the tournament (previous games were draws) and they're through. The country is so small (600,000 people), the manager is actually an air traffic controller.

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