With our stature we shouldn't be a feeder club

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

Allegedly... He always said it was his dream to play in Spain...

Paddy Crerand was talking about it today in an interview, he said he was a Benfica supporter as a kid. It's like the myth about Roy Keane being a Celtic supporter all his life, yet in his book the only team he mentions that he supported as a kid was Spurs because his favourite player was Hoddle.

Originally Posted by Mr_Ed

I think only Ronnie really wanted to go there - we didn't miss any of the others...

Ronnie supported them as a kid... if some midfield prodigy was a United fan and dreamed of coming to us (forget Essien in this) and wanted to then you'd be more than happy.

Simples.

Originally Posted by Sandman

Paddy Crerand was talking about it today in an interview, he said he was a Benfica supporter as a kid.

True, but it isn't as simple as that. He didn't support them as a kid, he supported Benfica. But like anyone else from that region, he knew of Madrid as the biggest (in their opinion) and (perhaps more importantly) most glamorous club in the world. So by saying he always wanted to go there, he isn't claiming he always supported them (and indeed, I recall an interview last summer which made it clear he didn't follow them closely enough to know specifically when they won league and European titles, etc). He's saying that he always saw them as the ultimate destination for a player, and for someone from the Iberian peninsula, you can't really begrudge that.

One question.

Where the £#%&! are Madrid getting all this money from ?

Someone must be investing and be pretty sure of a good return....

Originally Posted by Jizza Jazza

One question.

Where the £#%&! are Madrid getting all this money from ?

Someone must be investing and be pretty sure of a good return....

heard it said yesterday that it was "the people of Madrid".....presumably the city authorities

something to do with promoting the city on a world stage......a successful team gives the city a higher profile.......and if Madrid makes money it apparently gives it to "the city" and when they need it, it goes the other way

and bank loans

Originally Posted by Jizza Jazza

One question.

Where the £#%&! are Madrid getting all this money from ?

Someone must be investing and be pretty sure of a good return....

Madrid are the closest thing to a government run and subsidised football club.


They are £#%&!ing parasites.The £#%&!ing @#%&!s.

Originally Posted by Fatboy Shrek

Beckham
Ruud
Heinze
Ronaldo

All engineered their own moves away to those lot. What the £#%&! is it?

All past their best (I hope )

Originally Posted by Grimson

True, but it isn't as simple as that. He didn't support them as a kid, he supported Benfica. But like anyone else from that region, he knew of Madrid as the biggest (in their opinion) and (perhaps more importantly) most glamorous club in the world. So by saying he always wanted to go there, he isn't claiming he always supported them (and indeed, I recall an interview last summer which made it clear he didn't follow them closely enough to know specifically when they won league and European titles, etc). He's saying that he always saw them as the ultimate destination for a player, and for someone from the Iberian peninsula, you can't really begrudge that.

is correct.

Originally Posted by Grimson

True, but it isn't as simple as that. He didn't support them as a kid, he supported Benfica. But like anyone else from that region, he knew of Madrid as the biggest (in their opinion) and (perhaps more importantly) most glamorous club in the world. So by saying he always wanted to go there, he isn't claiming he always supported them (and indeed, I recall an interview last summer which made it clear he didn't follow them closely enough to know specifically when they won league and European titles, etc). He's saying that he always saw them as the ultimate destination for a player, and for someone from the Iberian peninsula, you can't really begrudge that.

Not so sure about this. Madrid certainly didn't have the cache they do today back in the 1980s, when they won five league titles on the bounce, or even through the 1990s when they were winning European Cups galore (well, two). They were one of the top clubs, to be sure, but I don't recall them being seen as a breed apart from everyone else etc. I think a large part of the mystique and status they possess today has developed only since Florentino Perez first took charge and started his whole galactico project.

Originally Posted by Grimson

, and for someone from the Iberian peninsula, you can't really begrudge that.

[pedant] He's not, he's from the island of Madeira [/pedant]

Originally Posted by Zorg

[pedant] He's not, he's from the island of Madeira [/pedant]

"im from England"

"ah...i met someone from England last year...a guy called Bob....do you know him ?"

Originally Posted by Jizza Jazza

One question.

Where the £#%&! are Madrid getting all this money from ?

Someone must be investing and be pretty sure of a good return....

Isn't Perez and his people worth multi-billions though?

don't suppose they fancy letting Barcelona have a free run at walking out of Madrid with the CL next season

Originally Posted by Serenity Now

Not so sure about this. Madrid certainly didn't have the cache they do today back in the 1980s, when they won five league titles on the bounce, or even through the 1990s when they were winning European Cups galore (well, two). They were one of the top clubs, to be sure, but I don't recall them being seen as a breed apart from everyone else etc. I think a large part of the mystique and status they possess today has developed only since Florentino Perez first took charge and started his whole galactico project.

Back in 1998 Real, United and Bayern were all 'sleeping giants'. I remember a right old hoohah about Real making it to the CL final. Funny how Ajax, Juve and then those three teams all kind of awoke inside a decade after doing nowt much for a decade or three.

Originally Posted by denis lawless

"im from England"

"ah...i met someone from England last year...a guy called Bob....do you know him ?"

Nice girl actually

Feeder Club

Madrid is where we pension has-Beens off to. (Ronaldo excepted)

Not sure what all the fuss is about to be honest.

This Ronaldo to Real %@#$&!s, it's just the papers stirring shit up.

Again.

Time after time after time.

Thankfully, I alone, am able to discern what's real and what's not real when it comes to the media and I'll keep you all informed.

Originally Posted by My Name is Keith

Not sure what all the fuss is about to be honest.

This Ronaldo to Real %@#$&!s, it's just the papers stirring shit up.

Again.

Time after time after time.

Thankfully, I alone, am able to discern what's real and what's not real when it comes to the media and I'll keep you all informed.

drip, drip, drip.

Originally Posted by Zorg

drip, drip, drip.

He wants to be closer to his mum.......bless and he wants to be in a climate where the paps can take plenty of photos of him with his shirt off.

£80m......they deserve each other!

£#%&! em both!

"I would not sell that mob a Virus"

I think he has, all this stardum has literally gone to his head ala Beckham

blanket coverage of a non-story last summer (while England watched the euros on tele)

bog standard coverage in passing this summer - until a deal was actually announced



glad to be of service