The Football Thread - Season 2014/2015

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dinners said:
Costa reminds me a bit of Suarez. He is very clever at getting little 'incidents' in without them being noticed or at least if they're noticed they look accidental. At some point it will catch up with him.

I didn't se the game but I've read that he nail raked somebody's neck. That's the petty stuff I hate to see.
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That's why I think he will get caught with something big, like his stamp this season but maybe even worse, at some point. He has the nasty streak in him. :(

The Fabregas incident. What you don't see is Hazard kicking the Ball out right to Fabgregas, presumably he asked for the ball, otherwise he should have just kicked, gently, ;) towards the Ref.
 
Suarez used to go in studs up on opponents ankles. Very nasty.
West brom players looked like they'd been told to get tight to costa, annoy him, deny him any movement. Didn't like the way he responded. Nail raking a couple of times, elbows, couple of late challenges or kicks but it looks at half time he was calmed down as he took a couple of challenges resulting in yellows without responding. Manager did well taking him off before he did respond again as you could feel it coming.
 
Was just thinking about the merry go round.

Sterling (dollars or yen) has got awful advisors. I'd love Liverpool to keep him and make him rot for a year on 35k a week.

Man utd are interesting. If they sell de Gea, get Bale as part of that deal and manage to bag Petr Cech, that would be good business.

Berahino is doing himself a favour if he wants a summer move.

Man city have cocked up a bit over Milner.

I really hope Bolasie doesn't attract too much attention this summer.
 
Sir SR said:
Was just thinking about the merry go round.

Sterling (dollars or yen) has got awful advisors. I'd love Liverpool to keep him and make him rot for a year on 35k a week.
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I'd love that too, and we'd save some money when he eventually does something stupid in his social life again. Teams don't seem to have the cojones to do that these days. :( :rolleyes:

You have to be so careful with who you surround yourself with with so much potential and money in the future. Jordan Ibe was making the right noises a couple of weeks a go with saying he doesn't need Agents because he has his parents representing him, but how the Sterling situation is resolved could affect Liverpool's dealing with him, as they are seemingly very good friends.

Sir SR said:
Man utd are interesting. If they sell de Gea, get Bale as part of that deal and manage to bag Petr Cech, that would be good business.
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Yep, interesting times for Utd. I'm not keen on Utd saying that the player will decide, as it lessens their hand in negotiations imho, and Real won't be slow in taking advantage of that with a low bid. Their usual tactic. Unsettle, then put in a low bid.

Sir SR said:
Berahino is doing himself a favour if he wants a summer move.
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He is doing it at the right time, but he should have been more consistent throughout the season for me. He was being linked with Liverpool earlier in the season, but not anymore.

Sir SR said:
Man city have cocked up a bit over Milner.
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I think they thought Milner would just accept what they offered, because that is the kind of chap he seems to be, so there was no rush. But he is getting towards the end of his career, and playing more, and being valued seems more important than the money, though we'll see if he accepts Cit€h's improved offer. ;)

Sir SR said:
I really hope Bolasie doesn't attract too much attention this summer.
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I think you may get another season out of Bolasie. For me he needs a bit more consistency, and score more. If he can do that he may be away. It would take a big wad of cash though. ;)
 
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Aidy Ward doing his best to dispel the myth that Sterling/Dollars/Yen is not a money grabber.

Seriously Sterling. Sack the agent. He's ruining your reputation. Calling carra a knob too. Regardless of whether it's true or not, total lack of class. Aidy Ward. Putting the as* in class!
 
Sir SR said:
Aidy Ward doing his best to dispel the myth that Sterling/Dollars/Yen is not a money grabber.

Seriously Sterling. Sack the agent. He's ruining your reputation. Calling carra a knob too. Regardless of whether it's true or not, total lack of class. Aidy Ward. Putting the as* in class!
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Wow. It would be really good if the Liverpool management team told Sterling that they expect him to honour his current contract.....
 
My worry is that ward is forcing a move and Liverpool look to but Bolasie as a replacement!
 
Sir SR said:
My worry is that ward is forcing a move and Liverpool look to but Bolasie as a replacement!
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I've not read of Liverpool being interested in Bolasie. Like I said earlier, I think Bolasie has to be more consistent and score more to maybe attract a move . Liverpool need guaranteed quality if they want to kick on, after so many of last summers buys not setting the World on fire. :( :rolleyes:

With regard to Sterling, I think there has been mistakes on both sides, but his agent is making huge mistakes with his client, and his own reputation. I can't believe he seems to be attracting new clients too. :rolleyes:
 
I don't actually mind what Sterling has said (the little I read so maybe I missed something). He basically wants to go to a club that will win things. He doesn't think that will happen at Liverpool so is going to try to go to a club that will.
 
akr said:
He basically wants to go to a club that will win things. He doesn't think that will happen at Liverpool so is going to try to go to a club that will.
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And yet if his performances in the second half of the season had been anything like the first half, Liverpool could be in the Cup Final and the Champions League. He is already at a club that *can* win things, but it doesn't seem to occur to him that he needs to make some effort himself.
 
I see it from Sterling's point of view but also from Liverpool's.

How often do we hear that a contract isn't worth the paper it's written on and read the debates over over whether the club or player holds holds the cards ?

Football is an odd one.

What other industry are employees 'bought' by one company from another ?

Shouldn't a footballer be allowed to simply resign ?

Some want to abolish 'transfer fees' but how else would the money filter down through the lower leagues.

It's a tough one and the Sterling case is hardly unique.
 
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dinners said:
I see it from Sterling's point of view but also from Liverpool's.

How often do we hear that a contract isn't worth the paper it's written on and read the debates over over whether the club or player holds holds the cards ?

So all he had to do was say OK, thanks for the extra money, but I want clauses put in in relation to who I can move to, and when and for how much depending on how Liverpool do over the next few years. That covers all bases as to being at a team that doesn't win things, as long as they continue not to win anything. ;)

dinners said:
Football is an odd one.

What other industry are employees 'bought' by one company from another ?

Shouldn't a footballer be allowed to simply resign ?
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Players give up some of their rights to gain a (lucrative) contract that will paid regardless of performance or injury. They can actually earn more depending on performance. I think there are statutory sick pay for so many weeks for most of us. If a player gets a bad injury, they continue to get paid. Some player have had a year or more out.

It is a two way thing with regards to moving, players can buy out their contract to move, and clubs can pay a player off to leave/move, but as far as I know, neither can just walk away unless for a gross disciplinary situation. If I don't work, I don't get paid. :(
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But the 'transfer fee' - what's that all about.

the idea that a person is an asset ?

You offer to employ somebody based on their credentials / ability and your needs as an employer. You offer a more attractive package than another potential employer to secure their services.

Contract is signed and both employee and employer have clear rules regarding how employer or employee can end that contract.
 
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dinners said:
But the 'transfer fee' - what's that all about.

the idea that a person is an asset ?

You offer to employ somebody based on their credentials / ability and your needs as an employer. You offer a more attractive package than another potential employer to secure their services.

Contract is signed and both employee and employer have clear rules regarding how employer or employee can end that contract.
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Of course players are assets, without them there is nothing. And as an asset, they have a value.

In the beginning it was a way to control the players movement, (for very little pay) and ensure the stability of clubs and their assets, the players. Now it is still the latter, but it is increasingly players are getting more control of their movement, and especially when they move. It needs both parties to agree to a move, so while you are an asset that can be bought and sold, if you don't want to move, you don't have to. And if a club doesn't want to sell, they don't have to.

No one is forcing football players, or many different sportsmen (and women) to sign these contracts. They do so in the knowledge that they are giving up rights, (in all the four Leagues of English Football, for way over the average national wage) that most other occupations have.
 
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dinners said:
But the 'transfer fee' - what's that all about.

the idea that a person is an asset ?

You offer to employ somebody based on their credentials / ability and your needs as an employer. You offer a more attractive package than another potential employer to secure their services.

Contract is signed and both employee and employer have clear rules regarding how employer or employee can end that contract.
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What's the notice period on your contract of employment? Without having any idea what you do, I'd be willing to guess that it's probably no longer than a month.

But how could a professional football team function *as a team* if all the players had contracts that allowed them to leave with a month's notice? It couldn't. So it makes sense from the club's point of view to have their players relatively long fixed term contracts.

And then, if a rival employer (club) wants to offer a particular employee (player) a better package, the only way to do that is to "persuade" his existing employer to set aside the contract. That's where transfer fees come in.

It's really quite straightforward. How else could it work?
 
I've been a permanent employee at the same company since 1998 and my notice is 2 months. When I began here in 1996 I was on a 18 month contract with 4 weeks notice.

I understand 'why' there are transfer fees - it was more a question of what other industry operates in such in a way that employer and employee can become embroiled in some sort of unhappy stalemate.
 
StewartR said:
And yet if his performances in the second half of the season had been anything like the first half, Liverpool could be in the Cup Final and the Champions League. He is already at a club that *can* win things, but it doesn't seem to occur to him that he needs to make some effort himself.
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Sure but any team can in theory win anything. He wants to go to a team more likely to win things, and most likely more likely to be in the Champions League.

dinners said:
I've been a permanent employee at the same company since 1998 and my notice is 2 months. When I began here in 1996 I was on a 18 month contract with 4 weeks notice.

I understand 'why' there are transfer fees - it was more a question of what other industry operates in such in a way that employer and employee can become embroiled in some sort of unhappy stalemate.
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I have a one year notice period. If i ever wanted to go somewhere else, I imagine this might cause me issues as that's quire a long period to wait for someone. As it happens, I doubt I'll end up in this situation, but I can see why people get into conflict in these situations, I can't see and don't know of anyone however 'buying' out the contract etc in my type of situation, I think most companies prefer to put people on gardening leave etc.

Many years ago we had a non-poaching clause with our clients, where if a client took a member of our staff they would have to pay us x % of their annual salary. We nearly enforced this once but reached a more amicable agreement which is about as close as I've seen in practice getting close to the transfer fee.
 
StewartR said:
But how could a professional football team function *as a team* if all the players had contracts that allowed them to leave with a month's notice?
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I'd get rid of the January transfer window and only allow transfers in the close season.
 
Meanwhile Rodgers does the right thing: "Raheem has two years left on his deal and I expect him to see that two years through."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32842736

Now it will be interesting to see what Sterling is made of. Liverpool stood up to Suarez a couple of seasons ago when there was that fuss about him wanting to go to Arsenal, and to his credit Suarez took it like a grown-up and responded in the best possible way. (Shame about the biting incident at the World Cup, but that's a separate issue.) What will Sterling do?
 
StewartR said:
Meanwhile Rodgers does the right thing: "Raheem has two years left on his deal and I expect him to see that two years through."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32842736

Now it will be interesting to see what Sterling is made of. Liverpool stood up to Suarez a couple of seasons ago when there was that fuss about him wanting to go to Arsenal, and to his credit Suarez took it like a grown-up and responded in the best possible way. (Shame about the biting incident at the World Cup, but that's a separate issue.) What will Sterling do?
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I expect him to get his head down and work, if he stays. I heard Colin Murray on the radio the other day, who compered the Liverpool end of season awards, and he said all the players were still getting on with him OK.

With a player you can't rely on being around for the long term though , you start making alternative plans. Sterling has younger, similar players, in Ibe and possibly Sinclair who may be able to take his place, and the closer he gets to the end of his contract, the more they should be bringing the younger players through, if they haven't already by that point. And that doesn't take into account whether Liverpool go out and buy someone else. Ibe has apparently just signed a new 5 year deal, so you can plan with him in mind for at least 5 years.

The best scenario is that Sterling improves a lot, and is consistent next season, and has all the big clubs sniffing about for a lot of money next Summer, and Liverpool actually get a lot of money. ;) And they will have done it by saving £70k+ per week. :LOL: Why wouldn't Liverpool keep him if he were to be playing so well? Because his Agent has already said he won't sign a contract. So they have a season before he can sign a pre contract with another club.

Sorry, the best scenario is that someone makes a stupid offer now and this problem ends. :rolleyes: :LOL:
 
Hoping Wycombe win today, managed by one of my favourite players of recent times Gareth Ainsworth - an amazing player to watch, 100% commitment!
 
Very dramatic end to the Southend v Wycombe game. 0-0 at full time. Wycombe score in the 5th minute of extra time. With some Southend fans leaving, they equalise in the 2nd minute of extra time of extra time. ;) It was funny seeing the those that left running back up Wembley way. :LOL:

Southend go on to win the penalty shoot out. :clap:

Why anyone leaves before the final whistle is beyond me. :confused:
 
16-year-old Martin Odegaard on for his Real Madrid debut.

Comes on to replace Ronaldo (who scored a hat trick) to take his tally to 61 goals for the season. :confused:
 
redhed17 said:
Very dramatic end to the Southend v Wycombe game. 0-0 at full time. Wycombe score in the 5th minute of extra time. With some Southend fans leaving, they equalise in the 2nd minute of extra time of extra time. ;) It was funny seeing the those that left running back up Wembley way. :LOL:

Southend go on to win the penalty shoot out. :clap:

Why anyone leaves before the final whistle is beyond me. :confused:
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Watched the end of the 2nd half and extra time - had a bad feeling Southend were going to equalise but thought they'd missed their chance a few minutes before. Great day to support one team, terrible for the other. I still maintain nothing will ever be as bad for any team as losing a Championship play-off final to Cardiff in Cardiff - still at lest it meant we got out alive!

As for people leaving early I never get it unless you have something you really can't miss for a game of this importance - I never leave early myself but I understand why some people do, but not for a play-off final! If you have to leave fine, but you can;t then try and get back in - I wonder if they were let back in?

Some fans are, IMO, mad. At QPR when I had my ST, I would regularly see people come in 10 minutes after kick-off, leave 10 minutes before 1.2 time to get a drink (our queues are / were pretty bad), come in late again 2nd half and then leave early again before the final whistle - some of them were literally missing almost the equivalent of a half!

fabs said:
Especially when it's only 1-0!. I remember when I was a kid and my Dad took me to loftus Rd. He hated being in traffic so we always left 5 minutes from time, the amount of late goals I missed! :rolleyes:
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Had it happened this season you would have been thanking him! Hope you were not at the Newcastle 5-5!
 
Who do reckon is going down then. Hull or Newcastle ?

I'd like Steve Bruce & Hull to stay up but that would require a Man United defeat which I don't want.
 
Hull winning and Newcastle drawing could be an interesting end to the season
 
new2me said:
Hull winning and Newcastle drawing could be an interesting end to the season
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Newcastle go down on goal difference if that happens. It would certainly make the 2 games interesting as they're played out though.

I can see Newcastle loosing their game and Hull will right up for it.
 
dinners said:
Newcastle go down on goal difference if that happens.
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I have nothing against hull, but would be happy with a break from newcastle in the premiership for a while :)
 
I'd like Newcastle to go down to spite Ashley, because he is a terrible owner with no respect for the Newcastle fans or their history. I like the Newcastle fans though. :thinking: Some of them seem to be willing to go down in the hope that Ashley would leave.

Saying all that, I can't see Hull beating Utd. :rolleyes:
 
My God Liverpool are embarrassing today :oops: :$ Most of the team should be donating today's wage to charity :mad:
 
johnnypanic said:
My God Liverpool are embarrassing today :oops: :$
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And it could get worse. :eek:

Stoke just want it more. So much for the players playing for Gerrard. Adds credence to Sterling wanting to to go to a Champions League team. Still doesn't mean he's gone about things the right way though.
 
redhed17 said:
I'd like Newcastle to go down to spite Ashley, because he is a terrible owner with no respect for the Newcastle fans or their history. I like the Newcastle fans though. :thinking: Some of them seem to be willing to go down in the hope that Ashley would leave.

Saying all that, I can't see Hull beating Utd. :rolleyes:
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That's what I wanted too.

Hope west ham drop next season now. Sam has done a great job, what do they expect???
 
dinners said:
I pray that Brenton doesn't get the sack now.
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I like BR and think he has a lot of potential. He strikes me as one of the few managers who actually coaches people better.

Left field suggestion. Ancelotti in at Liverpool, BR to west ham?
 
Sir SR said:
I like BR and think he has a lot of potential. He strikes me as one of the few managers who actually coaches people better.

Left field suggestion. Ancelotti in at Liverpool, BR to west ham?
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I think he has done well overall so far, would be surprised to see him go now, over achieved last season, under this. He made some mistakes in the transfer market, has next season to correct those, if the players will sign for a non champions league team that he wants. Last season was a definite missed opportunity.
 
fabs said:
Wenger out? :D
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Yes. With a couple of the right signings last summer we could have won the league. If we had a world class keeper and decent cb plus a great def mid champ league could have been possible. Stuff that has been clear for ages.
 
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