Top 10 Transfer Deadline Talking Points
I love City, honest!
1. Manchester City as a new superpower
When Blues fans woke up yesterday morning they cannot have been expecting the rollercoaster day ahead. Just a couple of weeks ago they were outraged by rumours Vedran Corluka and Stephen Ireland were to be sold. Yesterday, Corluka slipped out the day to Spurs virtually unnoticed as City fans concentrated on rumoured bids for the likes of Dimitar Berbatov and David Villa.
2. Robinho the mercenary
It is impossible to make a strong case for any motive for Robinho’s move to Eastlands other than money. Disgruntled Real Madrid were not impressed by their former star and have been only too happy to let the sordid details come out. €6 million a year after tax and not a Champions League football to be kicked in anger. The maths is not difficult.
3. Abramovich the pauper
Poor old Roman Abramovich is probably ready for a nervous breakdown this morning. Us mere mortals are familiar with the situation. You are watching an item on eBay, you have made your highest bid and there doesn’t seem to be any competition. Then at the last second, you get pipped at the post by some chancer. Chelsea’s owner must be wondering just how much lighter his wallet is going to get if he is to keep up with the new boys.
4. Newcastle’s Spanish connection
The words ‘Albert Luque’ are bound to make even the most forgetful of Geordies wince, but Newcastle have continued to stalk La Liga for their new signings. Having already brought in Argentine duo Jonas Gutierrez and Fabricio Coloccinni from Spanish clubs, the Magpies have now secured Deportivo La Coruna striker Xisco and Valencia’s Uruguayan midfielder Nacho Gonzalez.
5. Roy Keane’s hypocrisy
The man who once told modern players they were under their WAGs’ thumbs and should ignore the missus’ pleas to stay in London has gratefully snapped up George McCartney who requested a transfer from West Ham because his wife had not settled in London!
6. Everton’s face saving exercise
Some wonderful individual talent has graced the Everton squad in recent years, so when the club smashes its transfer record to bring in a relatively unknown Belgian you have to wonder whether the big money was splashed without the usual care to pacify fans who didn’t consider Carlo Nash a big signing. Marouane Fellaini has a hefty price tag to live up to.
7. Tyrone Mears and his loan move to Marseille
If he is still there at Christmas I will eat my snail.
8. Undisclosed transfer fees
This seems to be an increasingly frequent annoyance. The fans buy the tickets, the replica shirts and the pies so let us know how much of that money you have just blown on that donkey who is going to sulk around the reserves for a season or two.
9. Joey Barton’s text to Sky Sports News
It reportedly said: “I don’t want to comment on speculation but I don’t want to leave Newcastle. I owe the club and fans a lot for all I have put them through.” Or possibly: “i dnt wn2 cmnt on…” Nice enough thought, but why can’t he just keep his head down for a while? There is no need to draw more attention to yourself.
10. Fraizer Campbell’s confidence
Sir Alex Ferguson has spent the last fortnight convincing us that Campbell is capable of leading Manchester United’s attack only to flog him to Spurs on-loan as part of the Berbatov deal. It’s a fickle game.
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the single biggest talking point is how ManUtd were able to speak with Berbatov and give him a medical even though they had not been given permission by Spurs and had not had a bid accepted? Spurs were eventually placated by the payment of a few extra quid, but surely the Premier League needs to take some action.
So just how did ManU manage to keep Berb’s tied up all day so that he couldn’t talk to the 2 clubs that had supposedly bid more for him?
There’s not a lot they can do if, as we understand, there is a clause in the deal about Spurs not pressing further complaints in relation to the tapping up etc.
City may have made all the headlines as the transfer window closed, but I’ll edge out on the limb and say that Robinho is ultimately a bust.
Obviously MU thought they had been very underhand - especially if it is true that they were waiting for Berbatov at Manchester airport when he had flown in to meet Mark Hughes - that they wanted a clause put into the contract !!!
Spurs accepting it allows MU to do it again, as they will not get their hands rapped by the FA or hav a black mark against their underhand tactics.
Rob Parker! What R U talking about of course the governing body of the PL can take action and ’should’ for it was their rules that Man U broke nothing to do with what Spurs did or did not sign. The rules state no team can approach nor talk to another teams player/players without consent of the players present team. This goes for ALL teams and every other team lives by this and every other rule. All teams including Man U /Spurs might stretch or bend the odd rule and take their punishment, though Yesturday was just outrageous and a disgrace what Ferguson and United done they basically stuck two fingers up to the rule book….They are not above the law no team is!!!!
So, the Premier League want to investigate. Who will they want to speak to first? Spurs. And Spurs won’t want to talk because they have agreed not to and they want it to go to bed now. So what action can the Premier League take without the evidence of the main ‘witness’?
Its easy. The Premier League need to ask THFC to provide formal confirmation of the actual time at which they gave Man Utd permission to kidnap their player. If they won’t - charge them. When they do, as they will be obliged to do - charge Man Utd with illegally tapping a player.
The only question the PL will have for Spurs is did you or did you not give Man United permission to talk or approach Berbatov Yes or NO????? The answer would be ‘No’ so United broke the PL rules so nothing to do with tapping up etc just they broke a few rules set by the PL governing body really the Law of the best League in the World and if they want to keep control of it they have to be seen standing by the rules they set for all teams. I am not talking about anything to do with the tapping up of Berbatov and its nothing to do with it being Man U its simply every football fan was watching the window activity on Sky last night and they seen what United was doing for themselves and Im sure the PL big boys where watching. I would love to of heared United fans if Real Madrid done those actions with regards to Ronaldo. The rules are there to protect all teams and their players including Man U so if any team including Spurs brake them they must face their punishment or we will have all teams doing the same and United will loose players this way as well!!!!
Your all talking about how United broke rules to get berba. You don’t have any proof. You weren’t there behind the scenes to know what was happening. All you know is what’s told to you by the Sun and Mirror tabloids. You base your opinions on publications who profit off talking shit. What about Spurs in this. Firstly they say that they are formally putting in a complaint about Liverpool and United ‘tapping’ up their players and they try to look like they are taking the high road. Then all Liverpool do is give Spurs extra cash for a charity and the complaint is dropped. Then, United buy Berba for 30 million quid which is more than Liverpool paid for a striker who had been at Spurs for a big part of his career. All of a sudden the complaint against United is dropped and Spurs are 30 million richer.
My point? Spurs are just as hyprocritical and act just as badly as the big clubs.
Arsene Wenger not plugging a huge gap in Arsenals engine room should have been here I think. This is significant and is likely to ensure that Arsenal will not be competing for the premiership this your. (From an Arsenal fan)
Spurs are just whining to get over losing their CL tickets. Let’s get on with it.
Surprised not to see Liverpool’s 18-year old foreign legion being mentioned - if Rafa wants to win the next Olympics he’s right on track.
even though spurs had dropped charges against manchester united and the fact the the ” F.A ” are aware of alex feguson has broken the rules quite often, i really would of thought they would step in and give man-u a slap on the hand anyway or do they ignore their own rules? illegal pursuit of players should have a point penalty or if the player goes to another club with out permission causing chaos should be banned from the premiership!!!!
i dont think spurs need to say anything for proof seeming it was on the news all night last night!!!
Robinho is a sell out. Just another player who puts his millions above trophies and prestige
I think it’s great for Man City. They’ve been struggling for a while and it will be good for the team to have some certainty.
And keane has always been a hypocrite.
berbatov has signed for man.u so what?he signed for us at spurs and what loyalty did his signature mean
I dont think Joey Barton owes Newcastle anything I’d be glad to see him go
I will celebrate that day! I agree 100% Keane is a hypocrite and a thug
do some homework, will you: read that everton tracked the “relatively unknown Belgian” for two years. he grew large on their radar screen after nearly helping to dump liverpool out last month. so, at most, you can say they paid over the top - like robinho, berbatov et al. such is today’s market
How can United have acted without Spurs’ permission if the player said his goodbyes to his teammates, before he flew to Manchester, before Spurs said he had no permission, before United announced they had a verbal agreement with Spurs (and Spurs not bothering denying it).
I don’t know what happened during the negotiations, but nether does Sky, BBC, or anyone on this forum. Lets save the accusations until after there is sufficient proof???
Why not just write “I hate Man U”, instead of the nonsensical drival based on no facts whatsoever.
It translates into the same thing anyway!
Of course he had permission and the City bid came later in the piece. Berbatov wasn’t interested and the deal was done.
The whole tapping-up thing was based on Levy throwing his toys out of the pram when Keane and Berbatov were both referenced in the press as being targeted.
He based his Utd claim on a misquote in The Sun from SAf. The cameras were there…he never said it. He had no case and dropped both claims with the FA.
There is no eveidnece to the contrary and before the Levy tantrum there was nothing in the press regarding Utd pursuing Berbatov so the statements about “this summer long saga” and “all last season” are nonsense.
We know you hate Utd but stop making pratts of yourselves.
Get over it!