Roland

Micheal Ball was on a free, and only signed a 1year deal with an option for another year, allthough he is only 25y. So think PSV see this as a short term solution. But have to say, they again have got some promising players of the NL league who can develop in very good players and enough experience to have another good season.

That players want to go to Villa and Spurs is not that strange. Bouma and Lee have been at the club for years now and won everything they can with PSV. The semi final was much more than everybody would expected and likely a once in 5 years achievement. Players know that and want a new challenge. and of course. they don't go all to Chelsea, Milan etc. Then, they choose a good club from one of the big leagues.

Livorno, were a good midtable team in their first serie A year last season. and indeed, Lucarelli became topscorer of the league. PSV have signed English defender Micheal Ball from Glasgow Rangers, is he any good?

Reiziger from Boro to PSV, talks are still going on. Reiziger was also linked with AZ Alkmaar (former coach van Gaal there now). Looks like it will be a deal today.

First, I agree with SCF_NUFC. Can remember myself saying 1.5 year that Kuyt woudl be a decent Feyenoord player but never make it in the PL. Now, he scored 30 goals and half the PL wants him in the team. But Phil K is right about the scouting. Newcastle is now aiming at Kuijt, Owen and Anelka who are big names and at a good age. It would be fantastic if we would get that sort of player but everybody now is afraid that there will be no striker at 31 of August. But it must be possible to find a striker at a smaller club, scout him during a season and at this summer buy one of those targets. In NL, PSV just loaned ( with a option to buy Koné). Huntelaar at Heerenveen is valued at 3/4 million pounds. The NUFC scouts in NL surely know these players and likley there are a lot more in Germany, France, Scandanevia etc etc. Sometimes, I got the feeling that NUFC is only trying to get big names to SJP and thing will come ok after in stead of really building a team and improve it where needed. Of course, getting a foreign player in or a player of a smaller club is a risk, but that is the task of the scouting system. Now, you gamble on getting expensive players and after that, making a team of it.

With the transfer of Lee and Bouma, almost the total succesfull team of PSV has left. Would like Bouma at NU. can play centre half and back up for left back (played there before). Good signing by Villa.

Difference was in the Robben case, the difference in contract length. Robben only had a contract until 2005 I thought. Zlatan was the bargain of the year for Juve, Ajax was received a lot of critisism because they sold for 16 mln euros. Of course you will overpay, because only a week before the deadline.Feyenoord does not want to sell, but with a huge offer, they can not refuse because of their financial state. They are not as wealhty as Ajax and PSV. And if you believ Kuyt is the answer, you can better get him now at a high price, than wait for a year (get someone not gooid enough perharps), risking the fact that a good World Cup will give him a transfer to another club.

Kezman never got the time to adjust himself. He is of course not as good as RvN of Ronaldo, but still he prove himself as a natural goalscorer. And van Hooijdonk (I'm not objective he is for NAC Breda what Shearer is for NU), he left NAC Breda for 1 million pound for Celtic and I think think after that a huge fee is never paid for him. He is a good striker who has reached the maximum possible in his career, winning a UEFA Cup and playing for big name clubs as Celtic, Benfica en Fenerbache. But on topic, it will be very interesting to see what Feyenoord will do if the 13mln offer comes in, because I think it is a very good offer and no other team will value Kuyt much higher. It is for example more than what Juve paid for Zlatan, Chelsea for Robben and Roma for Chivu.

Good for vdM, he can get a regular place in a good PL side. Will see if he is good enough, don't think he will make a huge impact but who knows. But remains his place? Since van Basten, vdM is no international player anymore. Robben, van Persie, Kuijt, Babel, Castelen all are prefered above him.

Villareal. hehehe... Bye Everton Betis-Monaco, Sporting-Udinese will not be very happy about the draw either.