The 2012 Summer Transfer Window thread

[brenchill]

Confusion between the MLS and Olympic squads, maybe?

Possibly, but even then, I still don't see how Gareth Bale fits into the equation.

If we're just throwing random football players names around here's one:

Zlatko Zahovic.

[stokeriño]

Confusion between the MLS and Olympic squads, maybe?

Possibly, but even then, I still don't see how Gareth Bale fits into the equation.

If we're just throwing random football players names around here's one:

Zlatko Zahovic.

I figured he assumed you were saying "so you're allowed three good [senior] players but everyone else [the U23s] is shit? and was throwing up an example of a 'good' 22 year old.

It's the only silly logic I can come up with...

[Dynamite]

Didn't Benitez come out and even say that he did actually want to sign Keane? Can't remember the exact quote but I definitely remember him saying something along the lines of having Barry on the left side of midfield putting in balls for both Keane and Torres.

[therockbox]

Didn't Benitez come out and even say that he did actually want to sign Keane? Can't remember the exact quote but I definitely remember him saying something along the lines of having Barry on the left side of midfield putting in balls for both Keane and Torres.

I think he probably did want him, but not for £20m and not ahead of Barry. I don't think we'll ever know what happened that summer, but several journalists who have been 'close' to Rafa in the past have basically said Rafa told Parry he wanted Barry and Keane, but Barry was the priority if we only had the funds to sign one of them. Benitez didn't think that Barry would cost anywhere near the £20m we were eventually being quoted, and thought with a competent negotiator we could have got Keane for a reasonable fee as well.

The owners and Parry then decided that Keane was more 'marketable' - it's no surprise that we went all out to sign him at the same time as we were looking to open a new LFC store in Dublin - so threw £20m or so at Spurs. It would have been clear fairly early on that Keane wouldn't have fit into our system as it was, which is when we were trying to sign Barry to 'replace' Alonso to maybe switch to a system that would get the best out of Keane. I know Rafa gets a lot of stick for attempting to replace Xabi with Barry, but it's worth remembering that not a single club in Europe wanted Alonso at the time, which tells you how average he'd been for the previous two seasons. Barry is also now part of a midfield that has won the title, so, you know, he's not that bad.

[Berober]

What Stoker said

[Colly]

Confusion between the MLS and Olympic squads, maybe?

Possibly, but even then, I still don't see how Gareth Bale fits into the equation.

If we're just throwing random football players names around here's one:

Zlatko Zahovic.

Julian Joachim :/

[Matticus]

Michael Owen released by Man Utd. Been lots of rumours liking him with Reading the last month or so.

Only reason we'd get him is for the brand name/marketing opportunities.

[Matt]

Anyone and everyone's been linked to him, us included, mainly because Warnock said he's still a top striker on his day or something. Not sure Owen's going to want to play for a Kit Kat and £20 HMV gift voucher though.

Stoke, Brighton and Everton seem to be the favourites to sign him though.

[Colly]

If he stayed fit he could really do a job in a good footballing side that would give him the ball in the box. Brighton, Everton, someone like Reading or Southampton would be perfect. Problem is he can't stay fit, and most of those clubs couldn't afford to pay him to benchwarm.

Stoke would be a disaster.

[Hobo]

Didn't Benitez come out and even say that he did actually want to sign Keane? Can't remember the exact quote but I definitely remember him saying something along the lines of having Barry on the left side of midfield putting in balls for both Keane and Torres.

I think he probably did want him, but not for £20m and not ahead of Barry. I don't think we'll ever know what happened that summer, but several journalists who have been 'close' to Rafa in the past have basically said Rafa told Parry he wanted Barry and Keane, but Barry was the priority if we only had the funds to sign one of them. Benitez didn't think that Barry would cost anywhere near the £20m we were eventually being quoted, and thought with a competent negotiator we could have got Keane for a reasonable fee as well.

The owners and Parry then decided that Keane was more 'marketable' - it's no surprise that we went all out to sign him at the same time as we were looking to open a new LFC store in Dublin - so threw £20m or so at Spurs. It would have been clear fairly early on that Keane wouldn't have fit into our system as it was, which is when we were trying to sign Barry to 'replace' Alonso to maybe switch to a system that would get the best out of Keane. I know Rafa gets a lot of stick for attempting to replace Xabi with Barry, but it's worth remembering that not a single club in Europe wanted Alonso at the time, which tells you how average he'd been for the previous two seasons. Barry is also now part of a midfield that has won the title, so, you know, he's not that bad.

That's something I think is very easily forgotten and got revised into 'Benitez tried to get rid of him, he's awesome, Benitez is stupid' because of the season he had before he left for Madrid.

[GoGo Yubari]

Yup. Each team is allowed three maximum. Primary example is LA Galaxy who have Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and Robbie Keane.

So, in essence, you are allowed 3 good players and all the rest are crap?

No.

[Lineker]

Owen has already said that the Championship is "not an option" for him, and may be looking further afield.

Swansea City have denied making a bid for Nottingham Forest's Cardiff City-bred defender Chris Gunter. Forest have said they are unaware of a bid for Gunter, who made 50 appearances for the club last season.

[Matt]

Owen has already said that the Championship is "not an option" for him, and may be looking further afield.

Swansea City have denied making a bid for Nottingham Forest's Cardiff City-bred defender Chris Gunter. Forest have said they are unaware of a bid for Gunter, who made 50 appearances for the club last season.

Until Leicester offer him £60k per week, I assume.

[Dingle]

Owen has already said that the Championship is "not an option" for him, and may be looking further afield.

Swansea City have denied making a bid for Nottingham Forest's Cardiff City-bred defender Chris Gunter. Forest have said they are unaware of a bid for Gunter, who made 50 appearances for the club last season.

Until Leicester offer him £60k per week, I assume.

Maybe he's afraid of being hacked down by the dirty clubs that inhabit the championship .

[brenchill]

Yup. Each team is allowed three maximum. Primary example is LA Galaxy who have Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and Robbie Keane.

So, in essence, you are allowed 3 good players and all the rest are crap?

No.

But it kinda does. Aside from the 3 DP players, all the rest are useless.

[GoGo Yubari]

Nope.

[HailtotheYo]

Yup. Each team is allowed three maximum. Primary example is LA Galaxy who have Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and Robbie Keane.

So, in essence, you are allowed 3 good players and all the rest are crap?

No.

But it kinda does. Aside from the 3 DP players, all the rest are useless.

Link ?

[Matt]

Just having a quick glance at the rules, the salary limit outside of your designated 3 players seems to be $2.5m, given a 25 man squad, minus your 3 DPs, wouldn't that leave you with an average weekly wage of about $2k per week for the remaining players. I'm not sure how many quality players you could get to come for that wage (excluding the American players who haven't moved abroad, obviously). But then again, that doesn't seem right, that'd mean an MLS side's budget was lower than your average league one club's.

[brenchill]

Yup. Each team is allowed three maximum. Primary example is LA Galaxy who have Landon Donovan, David Beckham, and Robbie Keane.

So, in essence, you are allowed 3 good players and all the rest are crap?

No.

But it kinda does. Aside from the 3 DP players, all the rest are useless.

Link ?

Keane, Beckham and Donavon are good players. The rest of the LA Galaxy squad are not.

[Hobo]

MLS operates on a different financial model to European leagues. DPs are paid for by the league and club owners. All MLS contacts are owned by MLS not clubs.

Not every club has three DPs either.I'm sure GoGo or Httk can explain it better than I.