World class overseas players united have actually captured

Originally Posted by Redordead

Kagawa

Veron is the only one that really stands out. Barthez too perhaps. Everyone else was either 'very good' or on their way to being world class.

Wayne Rooney

Up until about 2002 united didn't have the financial strength for either the transfer fees or wages to compete with the top European clubs in signing the world class players. I think it was only around that point when united started to generate yearly profits greater than the world record transfer fee, and generating income levels where they could pay comparable wages to the other top foreign clubs.

Having finally built the clubs income to a point they could finance such players, they mostly concentrated on expensive British players and europe's highest rated young players - Rooney, Ferdinand, van nistlerooy and Ronaldo. Whilst also signing veron. All in quick succession, and an indication of uniteds growing financial power in relation to europes biggest clubs.

Then the glazers put united into a shit load of debt and the club lost its hard earned financial strength in the transfer market. 15 years of work down the drain. The boards own fault for not buying up shares with the spare cash or taking on a little debt, and protecting the cash rich club from such a takeover that happened.

A bit like bayern Munich in recent years, havng worked hard to build their income to the point they can now do what they've been doing in recent seasons. They are now capable of paying the fees and wages to attract the expensive and world class foreign players. Only they won't now be bought and placed in loads of debt, so their newly acquired financial power with regards fees and wage budget will remain. They're at the stage financially, in comparison to the top foreign clubs, that united reached in the 4 or so years prior to the glazer takeover and an example of what united could and would now be if it had never happened.

Originally Posted by Jammy Dodger

Up until about 2002 united didn't have the financial strength for either the transfer fees or wages to compete with the top European clubs in signing the world class players. I think it was only around that point when united started to generate yearly profits greater than the world record transfer fee, and generating income levels where they could pay comparable wages to the other top foreign clubs.

Having finally built the clubs income to a point they could finance such players, they mostly concentrated on expensive British players and europe's highest rated young players - Rooney, Ferdinand, van nistlerooy and Ronaldo. Whilst also signing veron. All in quick succession, and an indication of uniteds growing financial power in relation to europes biggest clubs.

Then the glazers put united into a shit load of debt and the club lost its hard earned financial strength in the transfer market. 15 years of work down the drain. The boards own fault for not buying up shares with the spare cash or taking on a little debt, and protecting the cash rich club from such a takeover that happened.

A bit like bayern Munich in recent years, havng worked hard to build their income to the point they can now do what they've been doing in recent seasons. They are now capable of paying the fees and wages to attract the top european players. Only they won't now be bought and placed in loads of debt, so their newly acquired financial power with regards fees and wage budget will remain.

great story mate but didn't United break the british transfer fee record about ten times in the 90's?

Originally Posted by The Return of JC

Veron is the only one that really stands out. Barthez too perhaps. Everyone else was either 'very good' or on their way to being world class.

I think Barthez might qualify, actually. Good first season, too

Perhaps Schmeichel? I suspect back then he was regarded as an emerging world class 'keeper.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I think Barthez might qualify, actually. Good first season, too

Perhaps Schmeichel? I suspect back then he was regarded as an emerging world class 'keeper.

I think he was definitely considered world class after Euro '92 but there wasn't that much talk about him before United signed him. Well not that I can recall anyway.

Originally Posted by S/Side.Red

I think Barthez might qualify, actually. Good first season, too

Perhaps Schmeichel? I suspect back then he was regarded as an emerging world class 'keeper.

I was quite excited when we signed barthez, huge fee for a keeper at the time too.

Originally Posted by carlosartorial

Of course he was considered world class at the time.

Also had a fantastic first season, which people don't care to remember.

The revisionism about Barthez is a bit weird imo. I know he turned utterly shit, but he'd won the Champions League, World Cup and European Championships by the time United signed him. He was considered one of the world's best keepers.

Originally Posted by Tumescent Throb

Schmeichel / Barthez
(VDS)
Stam
Evra
Vidic
RvN
Veron
(Muhren)
Hernandez (look at his international stats)
(Valencia)
(RvP)
Kagawa
Ronaldo

But how many of them were prospects rather than the real deal ??

Originally Posted by Zorg

The revisionism about Barthez is a bit weird imo. I know he turned utterly shit, but he'd won the Champions League, World Cup and European Championships by the time United signed him. He was considered one of the world's best keepers.

Your icon woman arouses me . Top neatly saver bartez. Tap boots tap boots

I liked barthez, still do...

Quintessential mental keeper.

Was never that impressed with Barthez even in his first season, tbh

Originally Posted by red in cumbria

Was never that impressed with Barthez even in his first season, tbh

I remember that Leeds game where he went crazy and kicked the leeds player,gave away a penalty, stayed on the pitch and then saved it

He just didn't make glaring errors in his first season like in his second. Passing the ball straight to Henry for example

Of course, that moment of madness v West Ham was in his first season. Sign of things to come, perhaps?

Veron should have been a united legend if only he had brought half the ability he had showed in italy and playing for argentina .
A amazing footballer but it didnt quite work out with us seemed to loose all confidence .

Love this youtube footage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48h2CNJj28E&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Originally Posted by believe

great story mate but didn't United break the british transfer fee record about ten times in the 90's?

The fees and wages we paid then were nowhere near what europe's top clubs were paying for the world class players.

Originally Posted by Jammy Dodger

The fees and wages we paid then were nowhere near what europe's top clubs were paying for the world class players.

The fees weren't far off but the wages were totally different