"The Championship is not an option" - I Love Football off-season and transfer speculation thread 2012

WEST HAM BID 7M FOR BAS DOST

Do not let this happen, other 19 members of the Premier League. Although, if he laughed at the idea of going to Villa, i'm not sure spending a year picking up balls rebounding off Kevin Nolan's arse is going to have more appeal.

Time for a Bas Dost thread I say.

BIG SAM SEEKS BAS-RELIEF

is a headline i didnt see today

remind me again why we're forcing the cult thing onto this dude?

Sometimes you just know, y'know? Here's his chance to let us down in record time.

on his way to Utd or Arsenal allegedly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JKRr605voU&

surprised swansea appear to be being given a free run at sigurdsson

It’s been my first full season. I thought I started well and then had some ups and downs towards the end. Overall, I am happy with the way things have gone. From where I was with the injury that I had I think I’ve done pretty well. It was a long season and it was something my body has not been used to. It was quite obvious that I would get tired towards the end. To ask me to play to a high standard week in, week out in the Premier League when you think of the pace that goes with it, was very physically demanding.

People do forget how long I was out of the game and what happened.

?

nice to see italian police wait until the end of the season to arrest lazio captain Mauri and... possibly search the home of Juve boss Conte

I'm seeing conflicting reports on the Conte thing - he has at least been part of the investigation and some say his home was one of the 17 searched.

Liverpool need to slow down on Martinez, Emery could still walk in the shadow of Rafa

Emery, who has already accepted an offer to coach Spartak Moscow next season

ok one day i'll learn to do more than read headlines

hiddink is all but confirmed in DoF role?

Getting the manager/head coach to do press conferences and gee the team up a bit, and the dof to do everything else (tactics, signings, youth set-up etc) seems a smart move to me. If that IS how they're gonna do it.

Van Gaal is it not

https://twitter.com/hazardeden10/status/207052543505858560

"...and you can find out my decision on my live tv special"

Johnny Stokes, voice of the people.

Johnny Stokes ‏@johnny_stokes
@hazardeden10 your a twat. Your not even in england yet and I dislike you. Your not messi or ronaldo.

p sure that tactics fall under coach's remit, essentially the goods are supplied as per yr operational requirements, up to you to then get results.

Traditionally tactics fall under the coach's remit, but I don't see why it necessarily has to. Managers who are good with the press are often not the best actual managers, and the Rafa/Hodgson/Kenny run of poor public faces maybe convinced them to switch it up a bit. I mean, why pay Hiddink an enormous amount of money just to sign players when his reputation is largely based on his tactical nous?

guys, why do you keep saying Hiddink

fair question, i can't answer it tbh.

but, dof role is really designed as a background role providing longterm supply of suitable players and taking the responsibility for transfers out of the hands of a coach that may typically stay in the role for only a few years.

There's an argument for tactics being allied to that role, i suppose, but were you to make that argument then you'd not really be leaving a role for a coach. tactical decisions inform selection, probably have a lot of influence over motivation, and why you'd want someone dealing with the press when they aren't actually answerable for these calls i couldn't say- or, at least, call a spade a spade and just have the pr guy do it and forego the pointless 1st team coach role entirely?

hiddink and van gaal are the same person, NN? Hiddink Van Gaal?

Emery, who has already accepted an offer to coach Spartak Moscow next season

Ooh you are awful... but I like you

Haha Number None, Eden Hazard is acting v Lebron-esque. Shame he's not currently one of the best 2 players in the world.

Dunno whether anything's happening at Liverpool or not, but Brendan Rodgers is now favourite with some bookies. Klopp's odds have also come right in. That run on Hiddink still hasn't materialised though.

Do these betting exchanges accept bets on someone NOT becoming the next LFC manager? If so I would look into re-mortgaging my house to put money on Klopp not taking the job.

Emery, who has already accepted an offer to coach Spartak Moscow next season

Ooh you are awful... but I like you

― Charles Kennedy Jumped Up, He Called 'Oh No'. (Tom D.), Monday, 28 May 2012 11:54 (49 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

haha

van gaal dof is going to be a big fat fuckin car crash just you wait

what happened to martinez? thought that was a done deal, having ice cream and all.

also it looks like gylfi is staying at swansea? that makes me happy

http://www.goal.com/en/news/596/exclusive/2012/05/28/3131748/sevilla-in-hunt-for-reo-coker-agent

uh huh

The press still says Martinez to be confirmed tomorrow. I just happened to notice he was no longer favourite and thought it odd. I don't actually know if anyone knows anything tbh, it may all just be Dave Whelan shooting his mouth off.

Just give Van Gaal the manager's job if the alternative is Martinez imo

did not know that bobby martinez has released an autobiography. will have to get myself a copy.

apparently no one wants to sign you Eden because you waited too long. sorry about that Eden you'll have to stay at Lille. Awkward!

http://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpghttp://i.imgur.com/2O3oy.jpg

http://www.footballfancast.com/2012/05/championship/return-of-pride-will-stop-hammers-going-for-barton

i know picking on random bloggers is fish in a barrel stuff but oh how i lol'd long and hard at this

content tbh

valuable content

oh well

Eden hazard ‏@hazardeden10
I'm signing for the champion's league winner.

Hazard heading to Manchester

Lille star Eden Hazard has confirmed he will be playing in Manchester next season, but refused to say whether it will be at City or United.

Last Updated: 14/05/12 at 21:18

Hazard's future has been the subject of intense speculation for some time with a host of clubs across Europe chasing his signature.

The Belgian international revealed over the weekend he would be quitting Lille at the end of the season after six years at the club.

City and United have both been strongly linked with Hazard having watched him on several occasions this season with reports suggesting City are in pole position to land the playmaker.

The 21-year-old has now confirmed he will be moving to the Premier League and will be plying his trade in Manchester next season after being named Ligue 1's Player of the Year for the second consecutive season.

"To Manchester, I've already said," Hazard replied when asked about his likely destination at the end of the current season when speaking at the awards gala.

"The decision will be taken soon."

expect a follow up tweet along the lines of "...the 2013 Champions League winner. Now that I've signed for them."

he sounds like a scummy little cunt

hate this arsehole.

chelsea are just so utterly repugnant, if he had any sort of choice (and it must be supposed he did) then fuck him

cuz yes notionally he has less competition, but the whole club is so badly run that he could experience a similar fate to torres, or to lukaku, or to duff, or to veron, or to cole, or to mutu, or to crespo or even robben or however many other promising/established attacking players were poorly managed there

another wanker on the pile, good to have them all in one place at least

oh the pile spilleth elsewhere tbfttl

Eden Hazard on Liverpool (2010): "I've heard about interest from them & its nice to be linked with the best teams in the world." (Not exact)

Eden Hazard (2011): "My dream is to play for Arsenal or Real Madrid."

Eden Hazard (2011): "Inter & AC made me offers. Every league has its merits, all the big clubs make me dream.

Eden Hazard (2012): "Maybe I'll join Tottenham, they are a great English club with very good players."

Eden Hazard (2012): "Spain is perhaps more my style of game but if I move it must be to either Barcelona or Real Madrid."

Eden Hazard (2012): "Arsenal will always be an option, they have Thomas [Vermaelen] there and they play wonderful style of Football."

Eden Hazard (2012): "The two Manchester clubs are great, I won't which colour I prefer though."

Eden Hazard (2012): "I will play in England next year."

Eden Hazard (2012): "Chelsea winning the Champions League has made things interesting."

Eden Hazard (2012): "It will either United, City or Chelsea."

Eden Hazard (2012): "I don't know I'll join."