And, we’re off.......2018/2019

[Deleted member 15344]

Tbf I don’t see the top clubs paying the reported £60m that West Ham have stated in the past. That said, he still has years to play at the top level and if he has aspirations of winnings things I can’t see China sorting that. No top player is gonna list any trophy’s won there with pride are they?

I understand if they’re 35 and going for the money, as some have done with the US, but I’m sure loads have ignored China as money isn’t all they want.

Have you seen the list of players that have gone to China to pick up massive wages and that are in the prime - pride ? Sorry but it’s long gone in the sport now let’s be honest with ourselves here - the players first and foremost are going to look after themselves

It is dominated by money but not every players necessarily picks the highest wage on offer.

Do you think some of the Spurs players could have kicked up a fuss in the last 1-2 years and earned an extra 40 and maybe even up to 100% more?

China is a career graveyard, fantastic money, but no real success on offer.

Is that the same Spurs players who have all signed some very big new contacts to give themselves some nice wages - and the other Spurs players that are looking to also leave because of not signing extra long contracts

Kane etc have all been given nice big new juicy contracts - but if Madrid etc come calling with big wages they are going to want to go same with Eriksen etc but a lot of them already got their extra 100% - was is £62 mil contract for Kane ?

Dembele already on his way without signing one , Aldwrwied will be the next one

You don’t find many players turning down the bigger money let’s be honest here.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Have you seen the list of players that have gone to China to pick up massive wages and that are in the prime - pride ? Sorry but it’s long gone in the sport now let’s be honest with ourselves here - the players first and foremost are going to look after themselves


Is that the same Spurs players who have all signed some very big new contacts to give themselves some nice wages - and the other Spurs players that are looking to also leave because of not signing extra long contracts

Kane etc have all been given nice big new juicy contracts - but if Madrid etc come calling with big wages they are going to want to go same with Eriksen etc but a lot of them already got their extra 100% - was is £62 mil contract for Kane ?

Dembele already on his way without signing one , Aldwrwied will be the next one

You don’t find many players turning down the bigger money let’s be honest here.

I'm not saying that players dont chase bigger wages, just that in EVERY case that they just pick who offers the most, and all of the time. You make it sound automatic.

An argument you have used in the past, when related to Liverpool.

 

[Papas1982]

Have you seen the list of players that have gone to China to pick up massive wages and that are in the prime - pride ? Sorry but it’s long gone in the sport now let’s be honest with ourselves here - the players first and foremost are going to look after themselves

When Pelle left us for China he went for rumoured 300k a week. Now just in the prem there are probably 100 players better than him still on less than 50k. If all players or even most went just for money a lot would have followed.

From my memory there aren’t many players that have left top clubs when in their prime to go to China. Just a selection of players who most weren’t surprised by.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

When Pelle left us for China he went for rumoured 300k a week. Now just in the prem there are probably 100 players better than him still on less than 50k. If all players or even most went just for money a lot would have followed.

From my memory there aren’t many players that have left top clubs when in their prime to go to China. Just a selection of players who most weren’t surprised by.

You only need to look at the list of players from Carrasco to Gaitan , Oscar , Hulk , Teixeria ( who turned us down for them ) , Lavezzi , Pato - plus many more top players who could be playing CL football but wouldn’t get as much money for it. Recent rule changes has slowed it down because at one stage the clubs were going to be full of high paid foreign players -

There are the odd player coming to their career end who has turned the move down people like Rooney and Ibrahimovich

It’s a shame that football has got that way but if Arnautovic goes to China it’s clear to see why when he can get a damn sight more money than a Prem club is going to pay him

 

[Papas1982]

You only need to look at the list of players from Carrasco to Gaitan , Oscar , Hulk , Teixeria ( who turned us down for them ) , Lavezzi , Pato - plus many more top players who could be playing CL football but wouldn’t get as much money for it. Recent rule changes has slowed it down because at one stage the clubs were going to be full of high paid foreign players -

There are the odd player coming to their career end who has turned the move down people like Rooney and Ibrahimovich

It’s a shame that football has got that way but if Arnautovic goes to China it’s clear to see why when he can get a damn sight more money than a Prem club is going to pay him

I genuinely don’t see a club bigger than the ones they left coming in for them. Teixeria maybe the exception to the rule, but pato, hulk, Oscar, Haitian and lavezzi were imo on the decline and would have had to make a step down to get regular football and with that likely less money. So I accept they chose money first, but they weren’t players where the idea of success and pride go hand in hand imo

 

[Tashyboy]

Being realistic Tashy, only the keeper, zinchenko and Garcia aren’t first teamers. The rest may not start, but they are still involved. But my issue wasn’t from a fitnes POV. It’s more that it didn’t give enough of the youth players a chance. It says a lot about the faith Pep has in your youth is he doesn’t think Burton could have been swept aside by any 11 you put out.

Keeper 2nd choice,
Walker, not played for a 2-3 weeks, been woefully out of form, Danilo keeping him on bench,
Otamendi, behind Stones, Laporte and Kompany.
centre half, Debut on 18th birthday.
Zinchenko, third choice left back, he's a midfielder
Sane, 1st choice.
Silva, 1st choice
Gundoghan, 2nd choice.
KDB, coming back from injury req match fitness
Mahrez, behind Stirling.
Jesus, behind Aguero.


Pep put out a team that should of won the tie in the first leg and he has. If he dosent play youngsters in the second leg then I will understand the critisism.
Re Burton, it could be easy with hindsight to say any eleven should of mullered them, but Pep was quite respectful in putting out an 11 that did a job. Don't think anyone could accuse him of being disrespectful of playing youth players in the second leg. Re youth players City are the only U 21's team left in the check a trade comp, so City have enough good young un's. I trust Pep as to as and when he plays them.

 

[Papas1982]

Keeper 2nd choice,
Walker, not played for a 2-3 weeks, been woefully out of form, Danilo keeping him on bench,
Otamendi, behind Stones, Laporte and Kompany.
centre half, Debut on 18th birthday.
Zinchenko, third choice left back, he's a midfielder
Sane, 1st choice.
Silva, 1st choice
Gundoghan, 2nd choice.
KDB, coming back from injury req match fitness
Mahrez, behind Stirling.
Jesus, behind Aguero.


Pep put out a team that should of won the tie in the first leg and he has. If he dosent play youngsters in the second leg then I will understand the critisism.
Re Burton, it could be easy with hindsight to say any eleven should of mullered them, but Pep was quite respectful in putting out an 11 that did a job. Don't think anyone could accuse him of being disrespectful of playing youth players in the second leg. Re youth players City are the only U 21's team left in the check a trade comp, so City have enough good young un's. I trust Pep as to as and when he plays them.

1st or 2nd choice, they’re still first teamers. Any suggestion otherwise is spin.

Do you genuinely think your youth team will learn anything when starting with a 9nil lead?

As to Pep and the youth, I hope you’re right as it’ll be good for English football. But I wouldn’t say his track record for promoting from within is that spectacular.

 

[Orikoru]

You only need to look at the list of players from Carrasco to Gaitan , Oscar , Hulk , Teixeria ( who turned us down for them ) , Lavezzi , Pato - plus many more top players who could be playing CL football but wouldn’t get as much money for it. Recent rule changes has slowed it down because at one stage the clubs were going to be full of high paid foreign players -

There are the odd player coming to their career end who has turned the move down people like Rooney and Ibrahimovich

It’s a shame that football has got that way but if Arnautovic goes to China it’s clear to see why when he can get a damn sight more money than a Prem club is going to pay him

I think for some players, particularly South Americans who may have come from poor backgrounds, making as much money as possible is a big factor for them. It does seem to be mostly South Americans who have gone over there.

If Arnautovic does go there I would lose a bit of respect for him. Making 300k a week if all fine and good, but he could make 150k and play in an actual competitive league and remain a household name. If he goes it just means he doesn't care at all about prestige and playing at the top level. I never begrudge a player moving for more money if they're staying in a competitive league. But to use a golf analogy it would be like if someone offered Rory a massive appearance fee to go play in a par 3 course against some club golfers every weekend, and he took it. Surely as a sportsman you enjoy the challenge of taking on quality opposition and beating them, not simply getting paid.

 

[clubchamp98]

If he goes to China you can see why - £10m a year , double what West Ham are paying and it sets him up for life and he will know doubt at least have a chance of winning things over there

Just greed £5 mil a year not enough.?

 

[Tashyboy]

1st or 2nd choice, they’re still first teamers. Any suggestion otherwise is spin.

Do you genuinely think your youth team will learn anything when starting with a 9nil lead?

As to Pep and the youth, I hope you’re right as it’ll be good for English football. But I wouldn’t say his track record for promoting from within is that spectacular.

Trouble is both PSG and last night Barcelona suffered shock defeats in there cups, ? Underestimated opposition.

 

[Papas1982]

Trouble is both PSG and last night Barcelona suffered shock defeats in there cups, ? Underestimated opposition.

Lets be honest Tashy, you wanna see the best in City and Pep and thats fine.

BUT, PSG and Barca both lost to top flight teams. You were playing a team a League 1 team. The comparisons aren't even close.

 

[sam85]

Lets be honest Tashy, you wanna see the best in City and Pep and thats fine.

BUT, PSG and Barca both lost to top flight teams. You were playing a team a League 1 team. The comparisons aren't even close.

For years and years teams have, quite rightly IMO, got a lot of stick for devaluing the competition by fielding weakened teams in the cups. Am I reading this right, that we are now criticising Man City for playing too strong a team?

 

[Papas1982]

For years and years teams have, quite rightly IMO, got a lot of stick for devaluing the competition by fielding weakened teams in the cups. Am I reading this right, that we are now criticising Man City for playing too strong a team?

Yep. I can't say i've ever openly criticised a team for player a mixed squad in the league cup. But i'd have thought that a team such as city would have been able to mix it up more to give their heralded youngsters a chance.

I have far more issue with big clubs snapping up talent and then wasting them than i do with a big club playing a weakened team.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Trouble is both PSG and last night Barcelona suffered shock defeats in there cups, ? Underestimated opposition.

It would be shock of seismic proportions akin to me hitting single figures if a City development team or reserve side lost a 9 goal lead. I don't think it's a case of underestimating opposition but it's a dead tie now. Even if Burton were to play a full strength side I can't see it being anywhere near enough.

 

[Orikoru]

It would be shock of seismic proportions akin to me hitting single figures if a City development team or reserve side lost a 9 goal lead. I don't think it's a case of underestimating opposition but it's a dead tie now. Even if Burton were to play a full strength side I can't see it being anywhere near enough.

City could probably field only eight players and still not lose the game 10-0.

 

[Tashyboy]

City could probably field only eight players and still not lose the game 10-0.

They would with me in the team. 😁

 

[sam85]

Yep. I can't say i've ever openly criticised a team for player a mixed squad in the league cup. But i'd have thought that a team such as city would have been able to mix it up more to give their heralded youngsters a chance.

I have far more issue with big clubs snapping up talent and then wasting them than i do with a big club playing a weakened team.

Each to their own I guess. I accept times move on but growing up as a kid I can remember the Coca Cola cup being a big competition that everyone genuinely wanted to win. Competitions such as this and the FA Cup have gone down in importance as more and more teams field weakened sides. This was a semi-final, if teams like Man City cant be arsed at this stage of the competition then we may as well scrap the competition altogether.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

For years and years teams have, quite rightly IMO, got a lot of stick for devaluing the competition by fielding weakened teams in the cups. Am I reading this right, that we are now criticising Man City for playing too strong a team?

I think the only critical things I have seen is around Foden - a lot of smoke has been blown up his backside about him being the next big hope for England so why didn’t he start ? It seems that the younger players look to leave quickly at City as it’s hard to be given chances to prove themselves. But talk of City being disrespectful because they smashed them is pretty poor

 

[Papas1982]

Each to their own I guess. I accept times move on but growing up as a kid I can remember the Coca Cola cup being a big competition that everyone genuinely wanted to win. Competitions such as this and the FA Cup have gone down in importance as more and more teams field weakened sides. This was a semi-final, if teams like Man City cant be arsed at this stage of the competition then we may as well scrap the competition altogether.

I remember those times too, teams had squads of 16 or so players who were realistically gonna play. So the use of reserves was a little bit unexpected. Nowadays clubs have 25. So rotation is to be expected i guess.

Imo, the top clubs not giving youth a chance will do more harm to the game, than giving said youth a run out in the cup.

 

[sam85]

I think the only critical things I have seen is around Foden - a lot of smoke has been blown up his backside about him being the next big hope for England so why didn’t he start ? It seems that the younger players look to leave quickly at City as it’s hard to be given chances to prove themselves. But talk of City being disrespectful because they smashed them is pretty poor

I just find it truly bizarre that Pep is getting criticised for his team selection after his side has just won a semi final first leg 9-0.