Summer Transfer Window

[the dude abides]

I wonder what Uruguayan Spanish for woodwork is?

 

well the Spanish (in this part of the world) for wood, is madera

unsure what the spanish for work, is in this context.

if I were kenny in south america, with my broken spanish, I would be ranting about MUCHO MADERA

[Tes]

well the Spanish (in this part of the world) for wood, is madera

unsure what the spanish for work, is in this context.

if I were kenny in south america, with my broken spanish, I would be ranting about MUCHO MADERA

No wonder my Mum's Madera cake was always as tough as teak.  If the ball had have hit it, it would have exploded on impact (the ball not the cake). 

[the dude abides]

 

[Juan]

Spurs, under strict chairman Levy, are certainly pushing the boat out.

But I predict a disappointing season for them (top 6 at best).  Harry Rednapp is a far better manager than AVB.  Thus, they will come up short in the dugout department.

I cannot see them competing with the top tier of clubs, for a top 4 spot.  We face a similar season ahead too.

Agreed with all of that. Tbh I was initially hoping we would replace Kenny with AVB but Im glad we didnt. I think the jury is out on how good of a manager he is, Chelsea could still turn out to be a blip in his career but the guy has his head in the clouds. Ive seen a few of his press conferences and havent been impressed. Next season is a big one for is career.

[Juan]

Here's our 33 goals a season guy Woo Ork

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=So6xFti0taQ&feature=g-vrec

I think his middle names begin with d and w 

Sickening.

I wonder how many points the woodwork cost us, as in ignoring the games where we won anyway.

I know many will disagree but if we had won the games we deserved to win we would have been there or there abouts for CL places.  The final third of the pitch killed us. Saying that though there was something more fundamentally wrong than just being unlucky.

[Juan]

[bLiverpool set to snap up £750k Wolves keeper De Vries before landing £15m Allen][/b]

25 July 2012


Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is poised to sign Wolves goalkeeper Dorus de Vries in a £750,000 deal.

The move for another former Swansea player comes as the Welsh club reacted angrily to details of midfielder Joe Allen’s contract clause becoming public.

Sportsmail revealed Liverpool are to sign Allen for £15million and the deal is to be completed after the Olympics.

A Swansea statement read: ‘The club are extremely disappointed that speculation regarding aspects of his contract have been released by parties outside the club.’

De Vries, 31, joined Wolves on a free transfer last summer.

Liverpool are expected to off-load keepers Brad Jones and Alexander Doni.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2178984/Liverpool-set-sign-Dorus-Vries-Wolves.html

Jones I can understand getting rid of but not Doni. Doni didn't look a bad keeper when covering for Reina. Maybe it's a case of him being unable to settle in this country.
And we still appear to be doing what we've done far too often recently and that's buying in players that are hardly an improvement on who they'll replace.
Unless we can get a noticeable upgrade keep the cash for all these players, invest in fewer but get quality over quantity and try and get an improvement out of the player(s) that was/were to be replaced by a marginal upgrade.

Doni has talked about being unsettled himself during the season. Jones isnt good enough.

I trust Rodgers if he feels Vries would be a capable understudy. In fairness with Reinas consistency and he fact that hes rarely injured its hard to find a keeper that is good enough but also willing to play second fiddle.

[Juan]

Apparently Joe Allen's picked up an injury. That's sealed the deal. £15M and injured. Just the way our club appears to like them. 

I can't see why we can't wait another year before looking to spend £15M on Allen. If he proves himself next season then we pay £15M for a £15M player.
If he bombs we have the opportunity to pay £5M-£7.5M and try and turn him into a £15M player. If we can't we have a £5M-£7.5M player that we paid £5M-£7.5M for.

How was Allen last night? I saw clips of him and he looked like a player who used the ball well. Anyone actually watch the whole game?

[Ed]

  I think I may have a copy of the Ed Spanish dictionary. So much more educational and informative than the bland old Collins versions.

LOL 

[Tes]

How was Allen last night? I saw clips of him and he looked like a player who used the ball well.

Sad thing is Juan the majority of foreign players can do that to at least a 'decent' degree. When a British, though mostly an English player, shows any sign of being able to do, he gets lauded.  We shouldn't be paying 'caviar prices' for 'bread and butter' players.

[the dude abides]

Agreed with all of that. Tbh I was initially hoping we would replace Kenny with AVB but Im glad we didnt. I think the jury is out on how good of a manager he is, Chelsea could still turn out to be a blip in his career but the guy has his head in the clouds. Ive seen a few of his press conferences and havent been impressed. Next season is a big one for is career.

agreed, Juan.  The jury is out on AVB.  There is gonna be a helluva pressure on him this season.  And Levy is a hanging judge.  If Spurs do not get off to a good start, the shadow of the rope will be hanging over the dugout very quickly.

rule of thumb, never appoint folk in their 30s, to top managerial jobs in the premiership. 

they just do not have the experience to cope.

[Tes]

One season of success with Porto and suddenly, well the world's gone mad I tell ye, mad, mad, mad.

He was never going to replicate Mourinho because he hadn't had the club management Mourinho had. Nevermind achieving success THEN bettering it.

AVB believed/s his own hype. He should have stayed at Porto for at least another year, seen if he could repeat either the title or UEFA Cup victory before even thinking of moving on.

Mourinho is one of a kind. A thoroughly repugnant a-hole of a human being but someone who just 'gets' football, and unsurprisingly can relate to and with footballers. You don't win the number of league titles and CL with the number of different clubs in the range of countries, money or not, if there's not 'something' about you.

I'm glad we didn't get him or be the club where he attempts to repair a paper thin (anyway) reputation and get his 'career' (back) on track. Levy is a tough task master. But I wouldn't say 'no' to having someone like him at Anfield.

[the dude abides]

But I wouldn't say 'no' to having someone like Levy at Anfield.

 agreed with all your earlier points.
 
 re Levy.  I know what you mean.  He is a tough task master.  The crucial question will be, will Levy recognise a top manager when he finally gets one.  Will he then give that man the time and the resources to develop the club.  SO far, I see someone with very little patience.   Or is it more of a social problem - does he quickly get bored and/or fall out with people.   
 
 time will tell re Levy. 
 
 But at some point, he will have to give a top boss time.  Patience is the key.   

Long term success is not built on continually sacking people and endlessly restructuring a club.
 
 
 
 

[Tes]

 agreed with all your earlier points.
 
 re Levy.  I know what you mean.  He is a tough task master.  The crucial question will be, will Levy recognise a top manager when he finally gets one.  Will he then give that man the time and the resources to develop the club.  SO far, I see someone with very little patience.   Or is it more of a social problem - does he quickly get bored and/or fall out with people.   
 
 time will tell re Levy. 
 
 But at some point, he will have to give a top boss time.  Patience is the key.   

Long term success is not built on continually sacking people and endlessly restructuring a club.

That's possibly Levy's one flaw. Football is a business, a football club has to be run like a business, but it's a business like no other. Context is too often underrated and underestimated.

I wonder how long both Rodgers and AVB will get and how long both Levy and our owners think is long enough, and if they have the ability to re-assess those parameters based on issues and circumstances that are not known at present, but may/will arise.

For now I'd settle for seeing a balanced team, functioning how a team is supposed to and with evidence that the football being played is showing signs that it is achieving and will continue to achieve results.

[Ed]

agreed, Juan.  The jury is out on AVB.  There is gonna be a helluva pressure on him this season.  And Levy is a hanging judge.  If Spurs do not get off to a good start, the shadow of the rope will be hanging over the dugout very quickly.

Yeah, the media don't like AVB...

AVB believed/s his own hype. He should have stayed at Porto for at least another year, seen if he could repeat either the title or UEFA Cup victory before even thinking of moving on.

Wait 'til the press cotton on to there being two Mourinho disciples managing top clubs in direct competition
(actually we're playing Spurs tomorrow). Cue endless articles with them pictured head to head. I'm thinking
they may cast AVB as the arrogant remote type vs. Brendan the humble man manager. Time will tell who comes
out on top...

[the dude abides]

That's possibly Levy's one flaw. Football is a business, a football club has to be run like a business, but it's a business like no other. Context is too often underrated and underestimated.

I wonder how long both Rodgers and AVB will get and how long both Levy and our owners think is long enough, and if they have the ability to re-assess those parameters based on issues and circumstances that are not known at present, but may/will arise.

our owners, and the mouth Rodgers, mistakenly reckon that they have plenty of time.

let me tell you, if we are mid-table at Christmas, and not doing much better by March/April, the calls for Rodgers sacking from the Anfield fans will be deafening.   At that point, our owners will have to make a big call....be it Rafa, or some other very experienced manager.