Summer Transfer Speculation and Shit.

[Niall_Quinn]

There is participation - which is what we do and have always done as people seeking an escape from the bullshit of weekly life and then there is manipulation, which is what the powers that be have sculpted into an art over ther past thirty years or so, starting with the Thatcher/Reagan axis. We all participate in the monstrosity of modern capitalism too because you have no other choice. Which is exactly what they've done to our sport. Left between a choice of trying to find enjoying in the essence of what that sport still gives you whilst trying to swallow the endless stream of bitter pills that increase year on year.

Even with all it's problems, I much preferred the athletics this week to any football match that was going on. That will change as more money enters that sport too, but for now there are still moments that cut through the bullshit and rise to the top. Bolt beating the druggie. Priceless.

[Niall_Quinn]

Its not sane, its insane to keep £200m in the bank in a world where Juvenus made €100m for their CL run to the final, United sign a £700m Adidas deal, 4 teams are fighting for 5 CL spots and you have a flawed squad.

It is INSANE, in a world where 2 years ago you could get a Di Maria calibre player for £30m then a year later he costs £59m. That money in the bank is turning to shit because football inflation is at a rate of naughts. One year £32m gets you Sanchez, next year it cant get you Sterling. Beginning of the summer £32m gets Benteke, now it cant get you a French 19 year old. IT IS INSANE to keep money in the bank and not in player capital. Buy 30 and loan them out if you have to, but in the bank is insane.

That's what I'm saying is insane, the inflation. I don't agree with the club sitting on cash at all. It's the worst of all outcomes, charge the biggest prices and then sit on the cash. Agreed. By sane approach I don't mean spend nothing. £26mill invested in Vidal would have been a great deal. On the other hand the cash sitting in bank isn't insane if there is no intention to invest it in the football. If it is earmarked for something else, in fact if it is driving up the share price then it's a big win for the usual suspects.

[BOBN]

Dont think United come under the doping scenario really. They earn all their money over the years. So are able to splash a lot of earned cash.

All this is the champions league fault.Too much money and everyone wants to play in it so all the best players move to those teams. The only way other teams can compete is via mega rich benefactors.

The champions league should be champions only or even extend it to champions and cup winners. That would open up the cup to more teams. Even out prize money. Or even get prize in reverse order like nfl where worst team gets first choice. In football worst team could get most money to even up the league.

So teams like QPR, the biggest criminals and distorters of the market because they overpay for average players rather than top talent, and who were slapped with an FFP fine for blatant rule-breaking, would get rewarded with the most money for their failure.

You are typing for the sake of typing.

[Kano]

I get what your saying but it's just football. You can switch it off if it's that unbearable. It's not like the gas and electricity companies taking the absolute piss or TFL and the rail companies.

I'm not that bothered by what other clubs spend. That's not the insult to injury.

But isn't that the point of sport? It is supposed to be our escape from the companies that rip us off and drain our wallets and the pressures of everyday life. The essence of what sport means to us as people is why us bunch of losers are on here every day talking shit. It isn't just football. It means far more than that in the larger framework of our physiological make-up. We're humans with imaginations, rather than machines performing automated functions. Some people scratch that itch through films. Others through music. Or train spotting. Or collecting Nazi memorabilia. Whatever suits. We can't function by merely grinding through the gears of everyday life. We're competitive beasts at heart and need to find ways to demonstrate that outside of crushing individuals and families in the race to make as much money as possible. For the time being I have learnt to adapt to the bastardisation of our game but just saying 'switch off' is a weak-minded argument. It's an obstruction of free speech that creates a lob-sided argument where everyone agrees, the worst kind of level-headed utopia imaginable. Otherwise we may as well not have an opinion at all if the best possible option is to walk away. If you are going to complain then you need to hear and understand the complaints of others.

[Static]

Where are all the playa?

[Kano]

Even with all it's problems, I much preferred the athletics this week to any football match that was going on. That will change as more money enters that sport too, but for now there are still moments that cut through the bullshit and rise to the top. Bolt beating the druggie. Priceless.

That's why I've found increasing solace in tennis over the past few years. They earn insane money for winning tournaments but at the end of the day, it comes down to two individuals, similar to athletics, to rely on their raw skills to win. Sure the best athletes can get in bette trainers, dieticians etc but there are limits to how far that takes you compared to football when building a squad of the best distorts the competition. Athletics is still a sport people take up for passion first above all else because only the elite earn really good money from it. The ironically good thing that drugs have done is probably ensure that financial investment into the sport has slowed right down.

[KSE Comedy Club]

Januzaj to Dortmund on loan though...

My bad, it was januzaj to Dortmund, someone else tweeted about Hernandez in the same thread.

Januzaj to BVB
Reus to RM
Benz to us


So.... It's on!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

De Gea move has collapsed, the papers didn't arrive in time apparently (Spanish window for players in closed at 11pm our time).

What a farce.

[Munchies]

FFS

Would laugh if he leaves on a free now

[Marc Overmars]

Oh dear.