How Ironic that Barca now have had the best close season!

[Dark Savante]

They miss out on Beckham and look like a bunch of jesters..which in turn made them vow for revenge on Man U..the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut ¬_¬

So then they home in out targets for the summer and lo....they get them BOTH..Queresma for dirt cheap and Gaucho..Making us look as dumb as can be in the process and seriously undermining our buying power in the future.

What has annoyed me is how much power Kenyon and theboard think they have on the world market.. Man U have only slight experience in dealing with other big teams from abroad and to go into deals with them acting like the Godfather is sheer idiocy... We missed out on Gaucho because of pride and arrogance..i fear we'll miss out on others now because every team will wanna play even bigger hard ball with Man U then at any time ever in the past.

This close season is looking like it's going to be a terrible failure and with time running out and not too many true stars up for sale we're running out of options. We need a partner for ruud! Makaay was available for dirt cheap and moreover WANTED to come to Man U..we ignored him totally in pursuit of Gaucho - and when you consider how half heartedly)arrogantly) we went after Gaucho it just makes you wonder... We need a centreback of the highest quality..I doubt we'll ge a support striker because they're so few and far between..and we need a right sided midfielder...and Joaquin doesn't want to leave Betis/Spain..

It looks like we're in the $hit and falling deeper into it. The board better be doing a whole lot of haggling out there and lining up some signing or we're going to end this transfer window worse off then Arsenal! Who at least have kept their team together as opposed to us weaking it.

:mad:

Grrrrr

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally posted by Dark Savante
They miss out on Beckham and look like a bunch of jesters..which in turn made them vow for revenge on Man U..the seemingly unstoppable juggernaut ¬_¬

So then they home in out targets for the summer and lo....they get them BOTH..Queresma for dirt cheap and Gaucho..Making us look as dumb as can be in the process and seriously undermining our buying power in the future.

What has annoyed me is how much power Kenyon and theboard think they have on the world market.. Man U have only slight experience in dealing with other big teams from abroad and to go into deals with them acting like the Godfather is sheer idiocy... We missed out on Gaucho because of pride and arrogance..i fear we'll miss out on others now because every team will wanna play even bigger hard ball with Man U then at any time ever in the past.

This close season is looking like it's going to be a terrible failure and with time running out and not too many true stars up for sale we're running out of options. We need a partner for ruud! Makaay was available for dirt cheap and moreover WANTED to come to Man U..we ignored him totally in pursuit of Gaucho - and when you consider how half heartedly)arrogantly) we went after Gaucho it just makes you wonder... We need a centreback of the highest quality..I doubt we'll ge a support striker because they're so few and far between..and we need a right sided midfielder...and Joaquin doesn't want to leave Betis/Spain..

It looks like we're in the $hit and falling deeper into it. The board better be doing a whole lot of haggling out there and lining up some signing or we're going to end this transfer window worse off then Arsenal! Who at least have kept their team together as opposed to us weaking it.

:mad:

Grrrrr

DS the season hasnt started yet and even then there is still time. Dino has gone, hopefully he will regret signing for Barca and United will find someone else. As they say there a lot of fish in the sea. We have made some interesting buys so far, hopefully there will be a few more of quality. We do need another striker, especially if Ruud is injured.

Arsenal havent signed anyone yet.

I would be pleased if United signed one or more of the following:
1, Joe Cole
2, Duff
3, Totti
4, Raul

Not in any order.

[prk166]

Barca are desperate. They had a horrible season last year. And they have a new president who's promised big changes for them. Other than a new GK, they really haven't done anything defensively which is too bad for them. They need some fresh blood in their back like.

[Jon Pall]

Uhh, they got Rafael Marquez.

[JBlazini24]

D.S., I am as upset as you. If we were going to put all our eggs in one basket, we should have made sure we did everything in our power to get the player -- you don't just give up after you've met resistance.

Some posters on this forum need a serious wakeup call. Raul is NOT coming to Manchester (at least not this year). Joaquin told us to take a hike. Totti? Um, no. And it's looking like Duff is going to be a tough buy, too.

We need to face the facts, here. Our management choked, and they cannot save themselves with another signing this offseason. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be to cope. Everyone cross your fingers and hope Ruud stays healthy and that the old guns still have something left in the tank. And that's just for the premiership. Forget about Europe -- if we make it to the knockout stage with this team, it will be a major success.

I just thought of another reason why it sucks to miss out on Ronny: Free kicks. I guess Veron will be taking them now? Not too excited...

[JBlazini24]

Originally posted by prk166
Barca are desperate. They had a horrible season last year. And they have a new president who's promised big changes for them.

Barcas not desperate anymore. Laporta has made good on those promises. He's brought in a hell of a keeper, a solid defender in Marquez (although he is a punk), and the best player on the market (soccer-wise, obviously Becks brings in more money commercially).

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally posted by JBlazini24
D.S., I am as upset as you. If we were going to put all our eggs in one basket, we should have made sure we did everything in our power to get the player -- you don't just give up after you've met resistance.

Some posters on this forum need a serious wakeup call. Raul is NOT coming to Manchester (at least not this year). Joaquin told us to take a hike. Totti? Um, no. And it's looking like Duff is going to be a tough buy, too.

We need to face the facts, here. Our management choked, and they cannot save themselves with another signing this offseason. The sooner you realize that, the easier it will be to cope. Everyone cross your fingers and hope Ruud stays healthy and that the old guns still have something left in the tank. And that's just for the premiership. Forget about Europe -- if we make it to the knockout stage with this team, it will be a major success.

I just thought of another reason why it sucks to miss out on Ronny: Free kicks. I guess Veron will be taking them now? Not too excited...

I dont think they choked, they had a limit on how much they would pay and must have thought he wasnt worth anymore money. You cant pay anything someone asks.

Its not the end of the world there will be other players, other stars. SAF has made some bad and dubious signings but on the whole they have been good.

The Great Dane
Keane
Cantona
Bruce
Pallister
Irwin
Ole
Ruud
Ince

thats just a selection. United have always had players coming from the youth team. We have O'shea recently. With Richardson and Fletcher looking promising.

[imasyko]

As an impartial observer, I believe ManU were used - 'Dino wanted to play in Spain all along - witness all of the Real Madrid 'noise'.

[haven]

Of course, if Barca fail to make the CL next year, Man Utd might just be able to pick Ronaldinho and Quaresma up from them once they're in administration next year ;).

It *would* be funny.

They can't be in an easy financial situation. Remember, Laporta was originally considered a joker by most of the press. Literally *all* of the respectable candidates said there was no money. He got the Presidency with promises that everyone thought were insane.

He's not Abramovitch... so just maybe he's taken far too big of a risk.

[Lancashire Lad]

Originally posted by haven
Of course, if Barca fail to make the CL next year, Man Utd might just be able to pick Ronaldinho and Quaresma up from them once they're in administration next year ;).

It *would* be funny.

They can't be in an easy financial situation. Remember, Laporta was originally considered a joker by most of the press. Literally *all* of the respectable candidates said there was no money. He got the Presidency with promises that everyone thought were insane.

He's not Abramovitch... so just maybe he's taken far too big of a risk.

You have to ask about money when considering Barca. Getting rid of some players and cutting wages, then buying new ones, is not going to get rid of their debt. they are not Real so dont expect the government to bale them out. Its going to take year at least before they get Champs League money. Will they be another Leeds?, probably not, but the force they once were?

[nicephoras]

but I agree with DS, looks like the ManUtd management screwed up. I think the biggest reason though, is something you've had a problem with the past few years - you target one player, make it obvious, and then are forced to overspend for him. It happened with Veron, and especially Rio, and now Dinho. That's why so many of them become protracted sagas - the other teams sense ManUtd is a bit desperate to get that man. This time, the board wouldn't overspend, so you didn't even end up with Dinho.

There are plenty of fish left in the sea, but you're going to have to scramble a bit. I still think Joaquin is a terrific idea, his protestations notwisthstanding. If offered enough, he'd come. Everyone denies they're interested in Real, and they still somehow end up in Madrid! Also, a defender like Boumsong, or Van Buyten could still probably be had. Makaay hasn't left Depor yet either.

[MadridForLife]

Just wanted to make sure LAncashire Lad knows that Raul and Totti will NEVER play for Manure. There are a few reasons. One, it would cost a huge amount of money for either club's president to accept a bid and something tells me it would break the world transfer fee. Second, Totti and Raul are both the symbol of each of their respective clubs so Perez and whoever Roma's president/chairman is would be killed by the supporters if they ever sold them. And third, I doubt they want to leave their clubs they are likes gods in their respective club's and for their national teams. I know you could say that about Becks, but he was told he wasn't wanted. Actually if I was a Man U fan I would be ashamed at the way Kenyon or whoever handles the transfers there at the way Becks was treated. It is the only club he had ever signed for, he put so many years into the club and they never had to pay a transfer fee for him. They could hav at least treated him like a person, not a bargaining tool. And the last reason Raul and Totti would never want to play for Manure. Have fun sitting behind Arse, Chelsea, and the 'Pool in the EPL.

[Lancashire Lad]

You should never say never. It is admittedly unlikely, you have to put a bid in first. Things change. Everone has a price, would United pay it, unlikely but who knows what the future holds.

United need ambition, and we are not manure in the United forum. If you want to call us that please do that elsewhere.

[DigitalTron]

Agreed that Barca have had the best transfer period thus far, but they do have to offload some players. I for one wouldn't be adverse to looking at Saviola as an addition. Similarly, Riquelme could probably be had for a cut rate, and I'm sure Barca are entertaining offers from clubs around the world.

Makaay is talented, but he wouldn't start next to Ruud, and he would be wasted as his sub. I think it wasn't such a bad decision to leave him in limbo.

Frankly, the perfect partner for Ruud would be Donovan. He's got the ability to play forward and midfield, he's skilled fast and unselfish, never gets injured, fiesty leader, plays defense and pressures defenders, is comfortable in the center or along either flank, is just beginning to come into his prime, can cross, chip, shoot, and dribble. In fact, he's one of the fastest players in the world with the ball at his feet, he loses almost no speed while dribbling under complete control. He'd fit in very well with Ruud, Ole, Scholes and Giggs. And, he'd probably be had for 1/3 of Ronaldinho's money. Plus he is fluent in Spanish and could help create a comfortable environment for other Spanish/Portuguese speaking additions in the future.

Donovan, great buy just waiting to happen. And only a few clubs can really pull him away from MLS. The timing is right.

-Digital

[haven]

Man, talking about a troll.

Man Utd certainly haven't gotten better, but they've hardly gotten worse at the same rate as Arsenal ;). At least Man Utd have gotten a couple of players who *could* help them in the coming year. And Liverpool, of course, wasn't even close to Man Utd last year outside of one near-irrelevant cop final. Kewell's a nice player, but he's only had one season where anybody would consider him world class. I hardly think he's going to bridge a big gap all by himself... especially considering that there's certain to be at least *one* high quality signing...

BTW, can't believe anybody's still buying the "Beckham was done wrong" line. Beckham's own early negotiations betray his "poor little me" lines. An attempt to re-negotiate and extend his contract was made. He refused.

[MadridForLife]

My apologies Lancashire Lad. Won't happen again.

[Kelly Vargas]

Originally posted by DigitalTron
Frankly, the perfect partner for Ruud would be Donovan. He's got the ability to play forward and midfield, he's skilled fast and unselfish, never gets injured, fiesty leader, plays defense and pressures defenders, is comfortable in the center or along either flank, is just beginning to come into his prime, can cross, chip, shoot, and dribble. In fact, he's one of the fastest players in the world with the ball at his feet, he loses almost no speed while dribbling under complete control. He'd fit in very well with Ruud, Ole, Scholes and Giggs. And, he'd probably be had for 1/3 of Ronaldinho's money. Plus he is fluent in Spanish and could help create a comfortable environment for other Spanish/Portuguese speaking additions in the future.

Donovan, great buy just waiting to happen. And only a few clubs can really pull him away from MLS. The timing is right.

-Digital

i dont know how easy that would be to do because if im not mistaken bayern own his right until like 2007 and he's supposed to play there this year or next. oh yeah, donovan is overrated. i say go for cole.

[yossarian]

Originally posted by Kelly Vargas
i dont know how easy that would be to do because if im not mistaken bayern own his right until like 2007 and he's supposed to play there this year or next. oh yeah, donovan is overrated. i say go for cole.

I assume you meant Bayer Leverkusen and not Bayern. I don't think that Landon could crack the starting XI at Man. U. but I'm not sure what you mean by over-rated.

[Kelly Vargas]

Originally posted by yossarian
I assume you meant Bayer Leverkusen and not Bayern. I don't think that Landon could crack the starting XI at Man. U. but I'm not sure what you mean by over-rated.

yeah leverkusen,and i say overrated because i dont think he would start either, hes a good player but definitely not the second striker were looking for

[El_Maestro]

Ronni presented in Barca

http://www.sport.es/media/articles/000000070000/000000070243000000076199.jpg