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Montaine's departure is bad news indeed. If Sociedad qualify for the CL, I fear they might do a Villareal without him at at the helm.
Thanks for the update TBS. As much as I want Neymar, I don't want us to break the bank so I'm glad we are starting low in our offers. That being said, it's easy to look at our transfer history and see that we were willing to dish out €26 million for A. Sanchez so Santos will probably want at least that, if not €30 mil.
I'm glad you brought up the fact we are losing a few quality managers from La Liga. I knew they were all leaving but it didn't really dawn on me how that will affect us and the league. I suppose the only consolation is that Ancelotti is linked with Madrid. Maybe Rafa Benitez will go to Malaga...
I'm glad you brought up the fact we are losing a few quality managers from La Liga. I knew they were all leaving but it didn't really dawn on me how that will affect us and the league. I suppose the only consolation is that Ancelotti is linked with Madrid. Maybe Rafa Benitez will go to Malaga...
http://www.thebusbybabe.com/2013/5/23/4357966/thiago-alcantara-manchester-united-transfer-rumour-barcelona
Have a read of this article on subject of Thiago to united (or to another club for matter of this post),
Below are the main points from article & my thoughts on them ,
Firstly Tito is been criticized for the not giving thiago enough minutes to keep his €90m intact , which is unfair in my opinion , as pointed by the writer due to an injury thiago missed the pre-season along with the start of the season ( injury timeline was 24.05.2012 to 01.08.2012 , though he didn't missed any game of current season because of this injury but still a player who is coming from long term injury & without proper pre-season is not expected to start in quite a few matches ) & then again he got injured during September which kept him out for the period of 07.10.12 to 25.11.12 (during which Barcelona played 6 matches & that accounts for almost 10% of the games we played this season thus far) .
I do believe that tito should have picked him more often during the 2nd half of season (after almost wrapping the League trophy) but as we know tito wasn't on the bench, though he had enough say on team management but still he was in no position to decide on starting the youngster,as he was far away from training ground to assess their performances in training & to take decision on their involvement.
2ndly reliability of the rumor, if this rumor is generated from our beloved news paper marca then I am assure that thiago isn't going anywhere ,as writer posted ( What better way to take attention away from Madrid's troubles than to throw a spanner in the works of Barcelona's future) .
The drastic drop in that Buyout clause seem to be a fake one too , which I am sure must be forced by his manager ( his father I think) I one was there . I am sure tito must have had a look at that contract and must had say in it & if that clause was for real , he should have done anything necessary to compile with that .In past I have heard his father was not happy about his son's playing time & I have a feeling that his father is having a part in this rumors just to put pressure on our management to play him more.
3rdly why the teams he is rumored to isn't the best one for him (just my opinion)
United – where he is rumored to play in either that 2nd striker role or that CDM Kindoff role , United have enough player to cover their 2nd striker role with better eye for goal then thiago , so that place hardly make any sense unless they push him little deeper and make him to play in role which ozil plays for Madrid . As for CDM role I don’t think he will be best suited to play that long passes & he certainly isn’t the best option to cover their defense which is required from that position , So again if thiago is to play for untied I think they have to cut down on either 2 CDM or that 2nd striker role .
other factor which might play a part in this transfer is management change (SAF’s retirement) , I am sure any youngster would love to play under SAf’s guidance but he’s no longer united manager & I don’t think thiago would take a risk under new manager at united
Mancity & FCB will be a step down but with no guarantee of more playing time , after Man city’s (cities) treatment of youngsters like Sinclair or nasri , I am sure one would think more than twice to think about them ,same can be said for Bayern Munich but due to their super balanced side & good enough bench to cover their all starting 11.
I always applauded our youngsters mental toughness and will do it again, In most of his interviews which I have read, he seems level headed & hard working lad, who knows that it’s difficult to make a room in this star midfield but yet always patience & aware of the fact that we see him as the heir of king Xavi (which he is capable of), which leave me satisfy & assure that he isn't leaving anywhere :)
Sorry for such a big & not so well written post :)
Have a read of this article on subject of Thiago to united (or to another club for matter of this post),
Below are the main points from article & my thoughts on them ,
Firstly Tito is been criticized for the not giving thiago enough minutes to keep his €90m intact , which is unfair in my opinion , as pointed by the writer due to an injury thiago missed the pre-season along with the start of the season ( injury timeline was 24.05.2012 to 01.08.2012 , though he didn't missed any game of current season because of this injury but still a player who is coming from long term injury & without proper pre-season is not expected to start in quite a few matches ) & then again he got injured during September which kept him out for the period of 07.10.12 to 25.11.12 (during which Barcelona played 6 matches & that accounts for almost 10% of the games we played this season thus far) .
I do believe that tito should have picked him more often during the 2nd half of season (after almost wrapping the League trophy) but as we know tito wasn't on the bench, though he had enough say on team management but still he was in no position to decide on starting the youngster,as he was far away from training ground to assess their performances in training & to take decision on their involvement.
2ndly reliability of the rumor, if this rumor is generated from our beloved news paper marca then I am assure that thiago isn't going anywhere ,as writer posted ( What better way to take attention away from Madrid's troubles than to throw a spanner in the works of Barcelona's future) .
The drastic drop in that Buyout clause seem to be a fake one too , which I am sure must be forced by his manager ( his father I think) I one was there . I am sure tito must have had a look at that contract and must had say in it & if that clause was for real , he should have done anything necessary to compile with that .In past I have heard his father was not happy about his son's playing time & I have a feeling that his father is having a part in this rumors just to put pressure on our management to play him more.
3rdly why the teams he is rumored to isn't the best one for him (just my opinion)
United – where he is rumored to play in either that 2nd striker role or that CDM Kindoff role , United have enough player to cover their 2nd striker role with better eye for goal then thiago , so that place hardly make any sense unless they push him little deeper and make him to play in role which ozil plays for Madrid . As for CDM role I don’t think he will be best suited to play that long passes & he certainly isn’t the best option to cover their defense which is required from that position , So again if thiago is to play for untied I think they have to cut down on either 2 CDM or that 2nd striker role .
other factor which might play a part in this transfer is management change (SAF’s retirement) , I am sure any youngster would love to play under SAf’s guidance but he’s no longer united manager & I don’t think thiago would take a risk under new manager at united
Mancity & FCB will be a step down but with no guarantee of more playing time , after Man city’s (cities) treatment of youngsters like Sinclair or nasri , I am sure one would think more than twice to think about them ,same can be said for Bayern Munich but due to their super balanced side & good enough bench to cover their all starting 11.
I always applauded our youngsters mental toughness and will do it again, In most of his interviews which I have read, he seems level headed & hard working lad, who knows that it’s difficult to make a room in this star midfield but yet always patience & aware of the fact that we see him as the heir of king Xavi (which he is capable of), which leave me satisfy & assure that he isn't leaving anywhere :)
Sorry for such a big & not so well written post :)
+3
I don't know if the rumour of his €19 or €20m clause is false, I hope it is though. He's also never going to play as a defensive midfielder like you said he might. He's an attacking midfielder in the first place, a central midfielder in the second and could be deployed as a winger with creative freedom as well.
United can definitely use a guy like him to replace Scholes. They have Carrick to be the more defensive player, along with a guy like Thiago and Kagawa in front of them both they would have a formidable midfield. I also hope all of these rumours are false, but the temptation to become an instant starter at United is big if you just had a season where you played less than you'd have liked to at Barça. I hope our players and coaches convince him it is best to stay. He's such a great talent, we cannot lose him. The midfield trio Busquets (DM) Cesc (CM) Thiago (AM) is our future.
United can definitely use a guy like him to replace Scholes. They have Carrick to be the more defensive player, along with a guy like Thiago and Kagawa in front of them both they would have a formidable midfield. I also hope all of these rumours are false, but the temptation to become an instant starter at United is big if you just had a season where you played less than you'd have liked to at Barça. I hope our players and coaches convince him it is best to stay. He's such a great talent, we cannot lose him. The midfield trio Busquets (DM) Cesc (CM) Thiago (AM) is our future.
^One thing I'd like to see Tito try during pre season though. Busquets at the CAM spot. With his footballing brain, he might actually make an incredible CAM, but of course, he'd be best deployed as a DM. But it's just my curiosity, to test his limits.
+2
If these rumours are indeed real... the team which should try to get him is definitely Dortmund.
You bring up good points about his injuries keeping him unavailable for games. Match fitness is much harder to get without a pre season camp which he didn't really have the luxury of having. Cuenca was out for a similar amount of time and didn't get a game till he was loaned to Ajax. I really hope that Thiago feels that he has a place for him in this team... If not, I really hope Xavi takes him under his shoulder and tells him why he should be patient and why the wait is worth it.
You bring up good points about his injuries keeping him unavailable for games. Match fitness is much harder to get without a pre season camp which he didn't really have the luxury of having. Cuenca was out for a similar amount of time and didn't get a game till he was loaned to Ajax. I really hope that Thiago feels that he has a place for him in this team... If not, I really hope Xavi takes him under his shoulder and tells him why he should be patient and why the wait is worth it.
@ jeroen , even along with defensive partners , scholes end-up doing lot of defending or "dirty work" as its called in other words , which Thiago isn't capable off , IMO players like Gündoğan or Khedira will be better suited for that CM position then Thiago
@BSM: Yeah, I agree. I don't understand how some people see a natural CM in Thiago, because IMHO he is the perfect modern AM. Not a n°10 yet, because he isn't a natural goalscorer in the box or out of it (yet), but he's not a natural CM either. He's the heir of Iniesta.
would love to see him at man utd. How many games he played for barca this year
^^^^^^^^^
;)
;)
I'll liven this post up with a dash of Ronaldinho:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPd6PGsp2JQ
And a pinch of Rémi Gaillard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ZO2FD4pNA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPd6PGsp2JQ
And a pinch of Rémi Gaillard:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ZO2FD4pNA
why does thiago even have that clause in him for???? hes too good to be let go off for that cheap
Because as a football club you don't always get what you want.
Teams would pay their players minimum wage if they could get away with it
Teams would pay their players minimum wage if they could get away with it
lol imagine if players were getting minimum wage.
Imagine if they were getting minimum wage and everything else was performance incentives :O
^ Then I wouldn't want to be a youngster or a benchwarmer. Unless warming the bench really well is a performance.
Whats this thiago rumor....If this happens then Tito has to go simple as that...And personally i think he is way too stubborn as he refuses to give chances to young players and thinks (if its true) that hummels is same as pique......
If we buy thiago silva and sell thiago then somebody needs to bitch slap him......
If we buy thiago silva and sell thiago then somebody needs to bitch slap him......
+5
You can read all about it in the past pages, just take a scroll down
I think Tito may have been forced to play the starting 11 more and more to win laliga or Cl because its his first year as head coach.Tito knows if he end up winning nothing it will be a disaster.Also Tito said "Please judge me after the end of next season."
I am forced to think Tito is very weak in player assessments. Last season he bought Song instead of silva for defensive purpose.It was a total failure considering the purpose of transfer(Song is not a bad player.But he can not play CB). Now after one year he want only silva as new CB.A player like Hummels wont be available in every transfer window.Most shocking is his statement "Hummels is similar to Pique".Only Tito in the world will say that and understand that.I am still dreaming hummels at barca next season.
If thiago goes,barca not signing hummels and signs silva for 40 mil then,Tito,it will be a dark page of your coaching career
I am forced to think Tito is very weak in player assessments. Last season he bought Song instead of silva for defensive purpose.It was a total failure considering the purpose of transfer(Song is not a bad player.But he can not play CB). Now after one year he want only silva as new CB.A player like Hummels wont be available in every transfer window.Most shocking is his statement "Hummels is similar to Pique".Only Tito in the world will say that and understand that.I am still dreaming hummels at barca next season.
If thiago goes,barca not signing hummels and signs silva for 40 mil then,Tito,it will be a dark page of your coaching career
+1
Thiago better stay this season or else I'm gonna be depressed next season. to me he is the second most entertaining players on the team and he has potential to be a legend here. I already made my argument for him starting next season so Tito better not mess up again and play him less games than the contract holds his buyout clause. united are drueling over his price tag of only 20 mil and I think that's way too low as well.
+5
Dont worry dude.He wont go, sure.
If he goes, hopefully we put a buy-back option. That would benefit us way more as he would get regular playing time and come back even better.
For me second best entertaining player is Inesta, but I hope he stays too.
If thiago is sold then tito should be forced to leave......
Just take a moment to enjoy and appreciate David Villa's mastery in what could very well be his last season with us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHmNZOswCYQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHmNZOswCYQ
+2
Adriano extends his stay until 2017 with 90 mil buy out clause :)
+5
Thats great news! Adriano puts his heart out no matter where they play him.
+1
I just hope he isn;t gonna be playing at CB...EVER AGAIN
+3
I like Adriano when his head is in the game. He is so versatile and can score long-range goals unlike Jordi and Dani (oh I miss when he could score).
+1
Yeah Adriano has a decent technique which can blast the ball hard, but still in control enough to put it on target (or at least not high into the bleachers)
Dinho wins player of the decade!
+6
lol which dacade is that? A little too late if it is the 2000
+2
He had his heydays right in the middle of 2000-2010. So I'm not sure why you would call it late Lucas. He was the King back then, Messi is the King now, and, well, the King of all-time.
edit: I just realize you mean the poll for the player of the 2000-2010 decade is late. Yeah, it is :P
edit: I just realize you mean the poll for the player of the 2000-2010 decade is late. Yeah, it is :P
+3
no I mean announcing the player of the decade in 2013 is 3 or 4 years late.
+2
Always a better place than messi ever be in my heart,true legend..
Love this bit about Atletico Madrid in Sid Lowe's article:
Atlético were El Pupas, the jinxed one, that famous advert showing a father lost for words when his son asks him: "papá, why do we support Atlético?" There was even a supporters club called The Suffering and their centenary hymn, from gravelly-voiced folk singer Joaquín Sabina, lauded: "What a way to suffer! What a way to lose!" When their centenary came around, a problem over the rights meant that they could not play it at the Calderón. So they chose the Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get what you want instead.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/18/atletico-madrid-real-copa-del-rey
There is something so romantic about supporting a club that's destined to be second-best, always. Well, almost always ;-)
Atlético were El Pupas, the jinxed one, that famous advert showing a father lost for words when his son asks him: "papá, why do we support Atlético?" There was even a supporters club called The Suffering and their centenary hymn, from gravelly-voiced folk singer Joaquín Sabina, lauded: "What a way to suffer! What a way to lose!" When their centenary came around, a problem over the rights meant that they could not play it at the Calderón. So they chose the Rolling Stones' You Can't Always Get what you want instead.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/may/18/atletico-madrid-real-copa-del-rey
There is something so romantic about supporting a club that's destined to be second-best, always. Well, almost always ;-)
+1
Also: "In 18 months, Diego Simeone has won as much as José Mourinho in three years." When will Simeone be in the running for the Manager of the Year award?
To answer your last question: he will when he moves to England, where every player is world class when they score a goal and every manager the best in the world if they win a trophy ;)
+2
"The last victory came in October 1999, back when Christina Aguilera was being rubbed the right way,"
LMAO
LMAO
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Anyways, some interesting things happened today. First Victor Valdes held a team dinner as a farewell to the team as his time at the club is coming to an end. It seems that he wants to leave Barcelona in the off season which in my opinion is ideal because that means we will get a transfer fee from him.
One of the possible destinations for Valdes is AS Monaco which have recently become the focus of many transfer rumours.
For those who don't know, Monaco is a very small country located in France on the Mediterranean. The only thing significant football wise about Monaco though is that they do not have any income taxes so. That means that the value of the Euro in Monaco is significantly higher than anywhere else.
Monaco have also been linked to other high profile players: Falcao, James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho (Porto), and Kompany.
The other transfer rumour which everyone who follows football should know is Neymar. So yesterday Barca was in negotiations with Santos. Barca offered 20 million, and rumoured to have offered up to 25 million for him but all offers have been rejected. I am not sure if 25 million is solely for the 55% share of Neymar which Santos owns or if it is for 100% of the players rights.
Either way, Barcelona have seemingly put a limit on how much they want to spend on bringing Neymar in this summer. Not sure if they are playing transfer chicken with Santos or not though.
I would like to sign Neymar but we should not be held at ransom for him. The risk of course is that some money rich team offers him wages which we cannot match and he chooses to sign with them on a pre-contract and rejects us. Hopefully Neymar believes that Barcelona is the best place for him to develop and rich his potential.
Last item which I wanted to address is the exodus of managers in La Liga. Pellegrini will be leaving Malaga this summer with Manchester City as the most probably destination while Real Sociedad's Montanier confirmed that he will be leaving the club to manage Rennes in France. Both of these manager losses as well as the loss of Mourinho, is a huge loss for La Liga, and surely a gain for the EPL and Ligue 1.
I feel that the exodus of these extremely talented managers is a symptom of the extremely unfair sharing of media rights and money in La Liga. These managers surely cannot compete with the bigger teams unless there is more equality in resources in La Liga. I hope LFP, Barca and Real Madrid take notice of this and understand the importance of equality and adapt to the changing landscape of football.