Interesting. I thought that transfers couldn't be done until the January window, or can they sell him now because he is already there on loan? PS: I hope they got a handsome fee for him. I also hope they use that fee (and then some) to get a terrific striker in January.
Deals can still be done and agreed to, but the actual transfer can't happen until the windows. In Leno's case, he's already a loanee at the place so in theory there isn't much difference to him or the team other than he's there for the long term now. If he was somewhere else, then he couldn't actually travel there til the window, but the deal can be completed before hand.
ttp://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/bundesliga/startseite/561375/artikel_ende-des-pokers_leno-bleibt-bei-bayer.html We got lots of money, and that's how we roll. We will be able to say in the future that Germany's best goalkeeper was a VfB player, and he never played once for the senior side. We are the perennial bitch willing to offload all our great players, nowadays even to clubs we should have no reason not to compete against. Wolfsburg, Leverkusen. We never buy a starting player from Hamburg or Bremen, why is this?? Because we are content to be in the middle. It was always clear, give us tons of money (although he will be worth more in future anyway) and it will work out. Ulreich is not as good as Leno, but by our mentality he is good enough. No hate on him btw, he has played a very good season so far, but i'm just saying. I see Leno now, I saw Ulreich when he was 18 - Leno is lightyears better. Im just bitter as I would have loved him to stay. And the 8-9 million im sure we got for him won't do much good anyway. Do you see us reinvesting it and buying a start winger for 8-9 million this Xmas? Neither do I
No kidding. I really don't get this club. The sad part is I had a chance to select any Bundesliga club I wanted when I got into soccer 5 years ago. I went with Stuttgart because my family is from the Austrian border half way between Munich and Stuttgart. I have no real family history with either team, so I had a choice. (I obviously wasn't going to pick Hansa Rostock or Bremen ) I went with Stuttgart because I hate the Yankees, Cowboys, and Lakers (the three main "big spending" monopolies in American sports). I pull for midwest teams: Packers, Brewers, Bucks, Badgers... It just wasn't in my DNA to pull for a team like Bayern who always win. But now I'm starting to not have a lot of fun with the decision. At least my Wisconsin teams try to win hard every year and re-invest. Maybe I'm spoiled by the directors and management of the Packers and Brewers, but it's so disheartening to lose the likes of Gomez, Khedira, Leno, and the rest and see us not re-invest with players who sparkle. I have a 4-year-old jersey. It's of Gomez because he was amazing 4 years ago and he got me into soccer. Heck, he was probably the main reason I picked Stuttgart -- it's just like having the likes of Braun or Rodgers in my American teams... I was ready to get a new kit this year. But there isn't a single player on the Vfb team that I am fascinated with. Cacau being the closest? Maybe Tasci? Meh... no one! There is no star, and we refuse to spend the $ on decent stars or keeping decent stars. Maybe it's harder than it seems and I'm thinking too much like the world is Football Manager 2012... but MAN I'M PISSED.
Yeah, it seems like VfB is more like my Cincinnati Reds: they groom young players who become very good, then sell them to the larger, wealthier teams. They sometimes compete for a Division Championship (once in a blue-moon may make it to the World Series), then do a sell-off and become a low/middle echelon team again. I follow VfB because I lived in Stuttgart for 4 years when I was a kid, and all of my German friends were fans.
http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...l_bobic_wir-gehen-nicht-auf-shoppingtour.html From the horse's mouth. We 'will not go on a shopping tour'. One or two new buys could be possible, however. We will see, but I do not expect us to bring in anybody good..
My question is this. Do you really think Leino is worth that money or has Leverkusen overpaid for potential?? I only ask because I feel goalkeeper is a position that if you search hard enough, you can find a very good one at a decent price. I don't think Leverkusen was "wrong" to pay what they did. I understand they see Leino as a future challenger to Manuel Neuer for Germany #1. I understand why Stuttgart did the deal. You have a very good young keeper in Ulriech and the money was damned good. I know Leino is very good, but is he really 5-6M better than Ulreich?? I don't think so. And that's why I feel VfB Stuttgart is laughing all the way to the bank. I really hope no VfB fans are upset at this deal. I think it is a good one. I don't blame you guys for being REALLY UPSET if they don't re-invest at least some of that money........
Dude, the guy has the best average rating (for what its worth) of any goalkeeper in the entire Bundesliga, and he's only 19. He is worth much more than 8-9mil I think. Seriously, there is no greater prospect at that age in the world right now that I can think of. And we just give him to a competitor team for 5 million less than Traesch to Wolfsburg... I remember when Ulreich was 18. He ********ing sucked massive balls. The faith in him has paid off and he has played a fairly brilliant season so far this year, and I give him major props for that. I also think he offers a long term stable solution to the goalkeeper issue, and hopefully he will carry on his very positive development. But Leno is just better in my opinion, certainly more than 6 mil more valuable I would say. Now there is an argument to be made that since we have a solid keeper anyway, it's fine to cash in and reinvest it in other areas of the squad. But we better do that, and I'm not sure we will.
Adler was at one time too. Dude, I'm not trying to put Leino down, but the Bundesliga is a league where you find good young keepers. And Leino's kicker rating is only .3 better than Ulreich's. I don't think that's really strengthening your point. That part, I disagree with. I agree that he's the best young German GK prospect. No question about that. But 8-9M. No. Sorry. There are too many others who aren't 5M Euros worse than he is. Really? Please man. In Germany alone, I think Gladbach's Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Schalke's Lars Unnerstall are right up there with him. Dude, that kid is good, but I can't tell you how much I think you're overrating him. I can't tell you how much I disagree with you. Only time will tell on this one, but I think VfB not only did the right thing, but pulled one over on Leverkusen. As far as re-investing in the squad, that's an entirely different conversation. But on whether they got enough for Leino or not, we really can't discuss. We're so amazingly far apart on that one, it is astounding to me.
Sounds like we are one of two finalists in the bidding for Havenaar, the Dutch-Japanese international. http://twitter.com/#!/1893news/status/143686811670155264
Forgot to mention this at the time, but congratulations to Daniel Didavi on his first Bundesliga goal. He scored in Nuernberg's surprise 3-0 thrashing of Leverkusen away. Maybe things are starting to come right for him there after an injury-plagued start to the season. I will wish him the best for the rueckrunde
In future always check livetv.ru, it's your best bet. Apparently we are interested in Nick Proschwitz, the current leading scorer in the second division: http://www.kicker.de/news/fussball/...-dem-wunschzettel-des-vfb.html#omfeaturednews
We've got a new player! His name is Gotoku Sakai. He is a twenty year old Japanese defender who can play both as a leftback and rightback. He is on loan for one and a half years, until summer 2013, at which point we will have an option to buy. Bobic says he has rarely seen a player that age who is as advanced in his development in those defensive positions. I can't judge, as I had not heard about him until this morning. But he sounds quite promising. He is half-German, by the way. He was in the Japanese NT squad that won the Asian Cup earlier this year.
http://www.vfb.de/de/aktuell/meldungen/news/2011/ausleihe-sakai/page/3278-0-3-1324635853.html?f3 The kid.
Does this mean no Timothy Chandler, then? (I read in a different thread that VfB is(was?) interested in him.)
So, many rumors over these last weeks, but nothing concrete has occurred yet. We seem to be particularly interested in getting a new striker. Bobic pooh-poohs any and all rumors but there are so many that I still belief there is fire behind the smoke. We have been linked to: - Djibril Cisse. A potential trade with Lazio whereby we would acquire Cisse in return for Kuzmanovic. It would be a real star name, perhaps the most famous player I can remember us ever signing, but it sounds unrealistic and I do not expect it to happen. - Ibisevic. Would be a very interesting candidate. Bobic says he is too expensive, but BILD seems to take the rumors seriously. - Lakic. Has flopped at Wolfsburg, played a very good season with Kaiserslautern last year. - Proschwitz. Leading scorer in the second division. The least well-known of the names listed, currently playing for Paderborn. Would be more of a budget choice and I see struggle to see him replacing Cacau or Schieber in the pecking order. But who knows. Certainly 'realistic'. Of these guys, who do you guys believe could happen, and who would you like to see come?
I'd love to see L. Messi come, but there's no way that's happening! With my rusty/crappy German skills, I'm pretty much reduced to reading everything about VfB in the English press, and by the time it gets there, it has either already happened, or already fallen through. (See my post re: Chandler, above.) Realistically, from what I've read in this forum and what I've gleaned from VfB's website (in English), is that someone moving up from the academy is probably the best hope this team has of improving the forward positions. It appears that management is not going to spend a lot of money on "Stars," so bringing journeymen in is not going to help much, unless it is for depth at various positions. And that is what I don't get: Stuttgart is not a small town like Hoffenheim, but it seems to always plead poverty when they need to sign a "quality" player. Where does the money go when they sell the Khediras, Gomezes, Lenos, & etc? Unless all of VfB's star players leave on free transfers, there should be a decent chunk of change coming in to buy new good players. It seems to me that it is hardly ever spent on quality replacements, though.
Just remember that "famous" doesn't equal "good." There's a reason Cisse has been more known for his hairstyles and being a locker room cancer than his playing skills for a long time now..... I've always liked this guy even though he always freakin' kills us. I think he would be a good pickup for you guys....... He never had a chance with Magath. Not Magath's kind of player. I also still worry that he was a "one-year wonder......" Perhaps they see him as a third striker with "potential?" I think all of them "could" happen. Not all moving to Stuttgart together of course, but maybe one or two of them. I think the most likely are Lakic and Proschwitz. I hope VfB isn't stupid enough to give up Kuz for Cisse. Of course, if Kuz won't extend, sell him and get the money. Don't bring that cancer to Cisse to Germany......