Transfer Thread #18: Out with the old, in with the new...hopefully.

Please enlighten me as to who has come out of it recently and achieved what Xavi, Iniesta and Messi have?

Oh and please comeback to me on my other question...RE Pogba. Thanks.

 

I am worried that he didn't say anything about not getting Ronaldo.

 

We probably already have Pogba and Falcao wrapped up, but Flo is waiting until 11PM on the final eve before starting the announcements in motion. He wants to bask in the glory of himself supposedly negotiating two mega deals going into the final minutes, the will he, won't he, and finally silence as the window slams shut.

We all sit there on the edge of our computer chairs and sofas, fidgeting in bed as we struggle to sleep, waiting for any spec of news. Then, an hour later, the news breaks, he did it. We all head to our closets to kneel before our makeshift shrines in the back, raising our arms in the air, praise be to Uncle Flo!

 

I'm wondering if we might see CA opt for a different formation with these changes, its already been noted that James doesn't fit into our current system.

I think the exits of Arbs and Xabi and the fact that CA had Dani playing as a winger kinda suggest we want our wingers to be able to give us the width we need and Arbs is past it. Xabi distributes the ball wonderfully and still tackles quite well but he doesn't have the pace anymore.

Perhaps we might be looking for a more athletic and quicker player to compliment what we have in Kroos and Modric. We can also use a more traditional 9 who can work the CB pairing.

I know its less about formations and more about personnel but without ADM in mid we need some pace in front of the back line.

 

Call me cray cray, but for some reason I don't like pre-season Demo......

....lol..... as much as post-season Demo:

I can't quite put my finger on the reason why.

 

Indeed this whole summer seems like it's been madness.

Xabi and Arbeloa leaving sucks only because they were leaders and influential but on the field I'm not too bothered by their absence. As others have stated Nacho is more than adequate cover for Dani and a better player than Arbeloa. This move does make me wonder about out CBs options especially if they move Varane to DM. Xabi I did not figure would play much this year so again not too worried and as YS mentioned Kroos or Modric could play there. I'm still wondering about James though, I mean even if we bring in a DM or play Varane there than what do we do with James? Oh Pogba if only you could salsa dance the ladies and Flo's heart LOL. I wonder if this means we see more of Illara, who can also replace Xabi...

Alma that is an interesting list of players that the club informed they would listen to offers for, the only one I would say should not be on the list is Marcelo. The others I can see why the club made that decision. The only thing left to ponder is the striker position, the Reus rumors make no sense for this year or next year unless he can play as a CF?

 

I will be so excited if what u said comes true. #dreamteam
Bring on Falcao. Wanna watch Real obliterate Atletico so bad right now...

 

I have it on good authority that this is indeed what is happening. My cousin's friend who knows someone, who's dad's friend down the pub was browsing twitter and read something vaguely similar wouldn't lie to me like that.

 

American football isn't as direct, but you can hold out, complain, etc for a better deal. Difference being the league and owners rob the players in American football, in international soccer they are far better paid, have longer healthier careers, etc.

 

Twitter Rumour: Real Madrid have moved ahead of Man Utd to sign Vidal.

 

Man....welcome red card magnet. I know people are high on him but no thanks I'll take Pogba instead.

 

Also this:

MARCA: If Arbeloa leaves this season, #RealMadrid will replace him with #ACMilan's De Sciglio.

 

Twitter rumour: Crimson has been sighted in Madrid trying to put a red bow on Arbeloa to gift him away to any team.

 

So ala Nacho, I like this very much as long as he's as good as Nacho who really impressed me last year.

 

Unless Uncle Flo can pull it out of the bag on the last day, Pogba may be for next season. If we sign Vidal instead, I would be happy to have purchased a quality player to strengthen the midfield.

If we can grab Falcao, Vidal/Pogba? and a versatile defender like De Sciglio then I would pass this summer dealings as a success. Books balanced and brought in quality and youth.

 

American sports are completely different because of American labor laws. All American professional sports are "collectively bargained", meaning that a labor union works out the parameters of what is and is not allowed with the group of owners. So the maximum and minimum salaries, salary caps for entire teams, etc are dictated by that. Some of them are very restrictive, some aren't at all. It really depends on the strength of the labor union and how good they were at negotiating. This is also why MLS salaries are obscenely low, with a few exceptions. The overall team can only be paid 3.5 mil (or something like that), but then there are all these exceptions where you can sign certain types of players over the cap and have them only count as 350k. That was put in so that LA could afford Beckham. So the top players getting European level salaries with 7-8 mil a year, and the bottom players get 50k a year. Insane discrepancy.

But still, despite that infrastructure, and despite what @YOUNGSTARS87 said, which is 100% true about the underpayment of players, holdouts are really only common in football. And that is because football contracts largely aren't guaranteed. Some of the money is, a lot of it is not.

So what can happen to a player is they can get injured or decline 2 years into a 6 year contract, and if the team has already paid the guaranteed money, they will just release the player and not pay him the last 4 years. Because of this, when a player has a big year and their salary is low, the only actual recourse is to just "hold out", meaning skip practice and try to renegotiate their contract. If the shoe was on the other foot, the team would release them, so the motivation to "honor" the contract is non-existent. They have very little leverage though, because the contracts are guaranteed for the team, not the player. If the team chooses to keep the contract intact, it remains intact. It's really mostly effective for QBs, because they are so much more important. Most players end up holding out, getting fined for missing practice, and then returning to play with their previous contract.

Baseball and basketball have guaranteed contracts. So, there is no real reason to hold out (although occasionally players will to try and force a trade, it won't be for money). Those contracts are locked in, and when you get traded, the contract goes with you. There is no mechanism to void out the rest of it. Even if the team agrees that you are underpaid, they can't void the contract and then pay you more. There are things like options years which if not exercised make a player a free agent, but nothing to say, "we want to keep you and pay you more, so here's a raise." They can sign extensions, but it doesn't kick in immediately. It adds years and money onto the end of the contract. So, the only purpose of holding out is to get to another team. It won't help you monetarily because they can't change your current contract. The player benefit to that is if a team signs you to a big contract, and then you stink, unlike in American football, they still honor it and keep paying you until the contract runs out. So, if they sign you for 3 years, 20 mil, and you mess your knee up and stink. You still get that money. If it was American football, they would just let you go and whatever money is left would not get paid.

Now, in futbol there is actually the ability to do that. If we insisted, Di Maria would have had to show up, and play under his existing contract. The reason the players get "their way" in futbol is that the team is financially incentivized. You usually end up with a disgruntled player who wants to leave, 1 team wanting him and wanting to pay him a lot more, and the other team willing to give him up because a bucket load of money is coming their way, so why keep a player who doesn't want to be there when you can get a financial windfall? Other sports just don't have those competing economic forces to force that kind of movement. The incentives and mechanisms are not their for management to acquiesce to most player demands.

Probably a lot more than you wanted, but there it is.

 

So, other than Gustavo and Veratti, have any other names been mentioned as Xabi replacements? Dont like either tbh.

 

I can't wait. There are at least two more signings in us yet.

 

The un-guaranteed contracts are the worst part. It is theft. Plain and simple. Let me stop digressing..

 

If I remember right Nacho also played LB so all 4 can't be injured at once right . Nacho seemed better as a CB/RB but still love the cover he provides and having another player who can do that is excellent for us. Good cover along the back line.

Akramzizou, Illara....