united eye carlo swoop.

[srd....]

story off sky this morning.....

Carlo Cudicini has emerged as a target for Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

The Chelsea keeper has just returned from injury following three weeks out with an elbow problem.

However, the Italian shot-stopper will find it tough to get a place in the side with the form of Czech Republic star Petr Cech.

Jose Mourinho favours Cech as his number one and Cudicini finds himself as second choice at Stamford Bridge.

Ferguson has seen Tim Howard's form dip alarming recently and was forced to field Roy Carroll against Liverpool on Monday.

Cudicini was widely regarded as one of the best in The Premiership last season and he has already said that he will not be happy warming the bench.

Ferguson will no doubt give Howard another chance but should he continue to drop the clangers he has of late, he could suffer the same fate as Fabien Barthez.

No deal could be done until the January transfer window but should Cudicini still be second choice he could well welcome a move to Old Trafford should Ferguson still be in need of a proven Premiership keeper.

link. (http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=227368&CPID=8&CLID=&lid=2&title=United+eye+Carlo+swoop)

sound's very dodgey to me,as in just press talk,after all there isnt even an alleged quote from an utd source.however if it was ture would the club really sell one of the top keepers in the prem,to one of our main title rivals???

[nicephoras]

Well, I suppose that would be a good idea for United......but why would we ever agree to do that? When in the history of any top league/team has anyone ever sold a player to a close competitor in the winter, unless motivated by finances?

[srd....]

i dont belive this,lol :D within about five minutes of me posting up the first link,this one then appers on sky......

Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is happy to fight for his place at Stamford Bridge, according to his agent.

The Italian goalkeeper has been linked with a possible move to Manchester United when the transfer window reopens in January.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is looking to bolster his goalkeeping options after losing faith in Tim Howard following a series of blunders.

Ferguson is a big fan of Cudicini and is believed to be keen to lure him to Old Trafford.

Cudicini joined The Blues from Castel Di Sangro in the summer of 1999 and has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in The Premiership.

The 31-year-old has missed the start of the season through injury allowing summer signing Petr Cech to establish himself as first choice for Jose Mourinho.

Cudicini's agent Luca Bascherini of P&P Sports Management revealed to skysports.com that Cudicini is flattered to be linked with Manchester United, but that he was ready to fight for his place at Chelsea.

"Carlo is happy to stay and fight for his place at Chelsea," Bascherini told skysports.com.

"Although it is clearly a pleasure for him to be linked with such a big club like Manchester United.

"Carlo has been injured and he is working on getting fit to try and get into the team."

link (http://skysports.planetfootball.com/list.asp?hlid=227435&cpid=8&CLID=&lid=2&title=Cudicini+content+at+Chelsea)

[Andy Bennett]

Kinda makes you wonder if the original story also emanated from said Luca Bascherini as well, doesn't it. Y'know, applying a bit of pressure to get his man a game and all that.

[Acronym]

Agent talking. He is good but too old imo.

[Rick B]

Agent talking. He is good but too old imo.

I couldn't work out whether this was an edited piece from Acro or not.....

Anyway, I don't see Cudicini as being too old. I can't understnd why many Chelsea fans so suddenly seem to of turned against him and wanted Cech i goal. So he's had a good start whilst Cudicini's been injured - but your talking about the best goalie in the Prem last year!! I just don't get wht he guy has done wrong. If there is a chance that he goes, I feel that is a big loss to Chelsea.

[srd....]

Anyway, I don't see Cudicini as being too old. I can't understnd why many Chelsea fans so suddenly seem to of turned against him and wanted Cech i goal. So he's had a good start whilst Cudicini's been injured - but your talking about the best goalie in the Prem last year!! I just don't get wht he guy has done wrong. If there is a chance that he goes, I feel that is a big loss to Chelsea.

apart from were you say he was the best keeper in the prem last year rick,(imo it was Niemi )i agree 100%.he's definately been in the top three keeper's for the last few seasons and what more can you ask for other than consistency like that.i guess some of the other chelsea supporters felt that if he was going to make blunders it would be in important games,i.e. his howler last year against your boy's,but in fairness they were pretty rare,after all it's not like he was Barthez bad.also i guess chech impressed an awefull lot of people during the euro's,which could have swung a few more opinions.

to be honest though i though carlo would have started as first choice,and was a little surprized when it was chech's name on the team sheet for the opener against man u.but you know yourself new manager,new ideas etc....
still though like you said if he did leave i believe it would be a terrible loss to the club.but with two top notch keepers at the club one guy is going to be dissapointed not playing,unless mr blatter creates some new crazy double goalie rule,lol :D

[nicephoras]

First, I hope Carlo stays. Second - he wasn't the best keeper in the EPL last year. He was two years ago, but not last year. He made some blunders - Blackburn, ManUtd and Arsenal at Highbury. If you'll notice, a couple of those are big. That's the thing with Carlo - most of the time he's an outstanding keeper. But occasionally he'll pull a Howard, and he'll do it in a big game, too. Quite frankly, thus far Cech has done nothing to deserve being pulled. He hasn't put a foot wrong in goal.
I hope Carlo stays, but I can certainly understand his frustration. That being said, Cech was a wonderful purchase.

[prk166]

Well, I suppose that would be a good idea for United......but why would we ever agree to do that? When in the history of any top league/team has anyone ever sold a player to a close competitor in the winter, unless motivated by finances?

Oooh! Ahhh!

I know, I know! :)

Technically, it wasn't a winter transfer cuz they didn't have the TranWin back then. But I'll give you a couple clues.

Date : 27 November, 1992
Amount : £1 million.
First Goal for New Club : Dec 19, 1992 @ Chelsea
First player to win consecutive championship medals with different clubs in England's top flight.

[Grah]

Oooh! Ahhh!

I know, I know! :)

Technically, it wasn't a winter transfer cuz they didn't have the TranWin back then. But I'll give you a couple clues.

Date : 27 November, 1992
Amount : £1 million.
First Goal for New Club : Dec 19, 1992 @ Chelsea
First player to win consecutive championship medals with different clubs in England's top flight.

Or of course there's the other one actually in January.

He joined Manchester United in January 1995 for a British record transfer deal, though things took a while to go to plan. He played his part in United's successes but was hit by injury and loss of form.

He started the season with pneumonia, then broke both legs in a Reserve team tackle with Neil Ruddock, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made hay in the first team.

He returned for 1997/98 campaign and finished as United's top scorer with 25 goals only to be left out of England's squad for France 98.

The arrival of Dwight Yorke led to a superb partnership with his new bosom buddy and they grabbed 53 goals between them as United roared to the Treble.

His reputation for not scoring on the big occasion was answered with a goal in the Champion's League semi-final and the goal that secured the Premiership title against Tottenham on the last day of the season.

Season 1999/2000 was his best for United as he scored 22 goals, with a couple of contenders for Goal of the Season, and he passed 100 goals for the Red Devils.

He also found time to release a single, "Outstanding". He is, despite the views of many knockers, a better player than singer!

and it wasn't Nat

[Clan]

Oooh! Ahhh!

I know, I know! :)

Technically, it wasn't a winter transfer cuz they didn't have the TranWin back then. But I'll give you a couple clues.

Date : 27 November, 1992
Amount : £1 million.
First Goal for New Club : Dec 19, 1992 @ Chelsea
First player to win consecutive championship medals with different clubs in England's top flight.

Can't seem to get an answer ;)

[Clan]

Or of course there's the other one actually in January.

He joined Manchester United in January 1995 for a British record transfer deal, though things took a while to go to plan. He played his part in United's successes but was hit by injury and loss of form.

He started the season with pneumonia, then broke both legs in a Reserve team tackle with Neil Ruddock, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer made hay in the first team.

He returned for 1997/98 campaign and finished as United's top scorer with 25 goals only to be left out of England's squad for France 98.

The arrival of Dwight Yorke led to a superb partnership with his new bosom buddy and they grabbed 53 goals between them as United roared to the Treble.

His reputation for not scoring on the big occasion was answered with a goal in the Champion's League semi-final and the goal that secured the Premiership title against Tottenham on the last day of the season.

Season 1999/2000 was his best for United as he scored 22 goals, with a couple of contenders for Goal of the Season, and he passed 100 goals for the Red Devils.

He also found time to release a single, "Outstanding". He is, despite the views of many knockers, a better player than singer!

and it wasn't Nat

:confused:

[nicephoras]

The second one has to be Andy Cole, I would think. But I wouldn't say his side were direct competitors to United.
As for Cantona - I highly doubt those situations are similar. Both in terms of the players and the relative financial might of each club.

[Clan]

The second one has to be Andy Cole, I would think. But I wouldn't say his side were direct competitors to United.


Thats the only player that fits.

But, his last line says it isn't???

[nicephoras]

Thats the only player that fits.

But, his last line says it isn't???

The only other person I could thin of remotely who played for United at the time would be.....Shearingham? And I don't think that fits too well.

[Grah]

Thats the only player that fits.

But, his last line says it isn't???


It is Andy Cole and the last line says it isn't Nat in Nat King Cole. Andy Cole is not a brilliant singer but is a brilliant soccer player


http://soccernet.espn.go.com/player?id=8882&cc=5901

Also at http://www.the-english-football-archive.com/football_league.htm

You can see that Newcastle in the year before the Sale and the year after they where challenging Man U