Park Life

What did you make of the Giles Barnes offer? I don't know Parky as I'm not speculating on figures like everybody else. Oh.

I mentioned this figure a couple weeks ago on N.O. taking into account the current market and some people seem shocked by it. Reg the OP sides re-build when they gain promotion to the PL not visa versa. IMO the current football model especially the PL is wholly driven by speculation, as many as a dozen sides are hoovering up whatever talent they can attract and yes some have leap-frogged us. The patient re-building model is not pertinent in this environment as you fall behind season by season and the downward spiral gives the club even less opp to compete for good players (this is in affect already). Mort is a steady chairman but not an instinctive one. Maybe the eye of Wise is needed.

Clearly we did try for some players, but it was a strange kind of trying especially in the GB case. Putting aside his attributes, we must fancy him to some degree and he widely considered to show promise...But £1.5m? Don't buy the right leg of a decent footballer never mind a whole one.

What did you make of the Giles Barnes offer? The thing I would like to know is why other clubs weren't prepared to pay what Derby wanted for him? Especially Sunlun who don't seem to mind paying over the odds for lesser players (that's assuming Barnes is as good as some are leading us to believe). Who can tell. But for me it was a strange one, ie. Did KK really want him? Or was he already on some kind of shortlist because if KK really wanted him I find it strange the club wouldn't add another million to test Derby, which leads me to believe he was already on a shortlist or someone else's idea hence the bargain basement bid (£1.5m). I like many accept the idea that Jan (reportedly) is a difficult time to re-build a side, yet I find it a total mystery why even one player couldn't be found to give the side a lift, struggling as it is to perform. I'm not saying we are going to get relegated but it might be closer than many think.

What did you make of the Giles Barnes offer?

He'll score a few goals.

My daughter reckons we should have signed 'Papagino'. Sounds like a great player to me. **I think it's German for parrot.

Is the Pandev actually any good?

Great. We're in for the biggest cunt on offer. Sorry.

I did have a little fantasy a few days ago that KK bored at looking at endless dossiers just said get me Benzema and Diego!!! Ah well.

Making a cup of tea for me and the 4yr old and watching childrens telly.

Nitey night.

Apparently Liverpool have been offering Kuyt and Riise around. Can't say we've been involved mind.

Look at your list properly. Carrick? Bridge? Garay? Richards? Sissoko? Elmander? Van Der Vaart? Deco? SWP? Berbatov? Modric? Realistic? Of the rest, some chose other clubs over us, others are players people would be horrified if we signed. It wouldn't be if whoever from the club said there wasn't £90/£100 mill etc available, theres players out there if the price is right and look where we are in the league with the coming fixtures, talk of KK being out the game for 3 years, well surely Terry Mac and Pearson etc etc would've told him the score?, even Ashley has stood and watched it, thats why I'm beginning to wonder if Ashley does not trust his money in anybody elses hands. Ashley is worth £1.9billion in assets. He has recently shelled out £200m quid. That doesn't mean he has another £50m lying in a Northern Rock account ready to be spent, does it? He's not all cracked up to be what everbody thinks then I still think we will be spending £50m this summer, but that will be money we'll have earned. I'm just not sure Ashley has a piggy bank with much left in it at the moment. Not totally sure anymore about figures like that if I was honest. I was working on getting £32m for finishing 5th bottom + the rest from season ticket sales. I don't know about taxes, but we will also be getting money in from match day receipts, merchandise and player sales to cover wages etc. If Ashley & Co want this club to go anywhere I reckon £50m is a must. And I would think KK would think the same! Well of course you're right. Anyone know what happened to all that extra telly money last summer? Above the normal telly money that is.

Bournemouth have hijacked the deal...Something about a club with more ambition.

Yeah, the majority of them. Y'know I'm guessing the majority of them haven't been, hence why there have only been about 5 suggested, unless there hasn't been any more than 9 Italians in the PL. There haven't been that many, no. It's also really ridiculous to say 'this guy's <nationality> ergo he's shit because I can't personally remember very many good players of <nationality> in the Premier League.' Let's forget for a second that you were wrong about the Italian success rate. How many dutchmen have been successful in the Premiership? I'd still have taken Bergkamp in his prime. Portuguese? Few successful ones, but I'd take Ronaldo. Argentines? Often unsuccessful. Tevez, though? Yes please. Etc. It's still difficult to foresee when you get the exception and when the rule... I agree totally that the nationality of a player should never put you off when you think the player is right. But I do also think that the likeliness to adapt to English football is connected to the football culture and way of life where players come from. So yes, I do think that players from southern European leagues or South America find it generally more difficult to be successful in the Premierleague than (less talented) Scandinavians for example. Signing them is a bigger risk than signing others imho. Northern European players are more likely to adapt imo.

Look at your list properly. Carrick? Bridge? Garay? Richards? Sissoko? Elmander? Van Der Vaart? Deco? SWP? Berbatov? Modric? Realistic? Of the rest, some chose other clubs over us, others are players people would be horrified if we signed. It wouldn't be if whoever from the club said there wasn't £90/£100 mill etc available, theres players out there if the price is right and look where we are in the league with the coming fixtures, talk of KK being out the game for 3 years, well surely Terry Mac and Pearson etc etc would've told him the score?, even Ashley has stood and watched it, thats why I'm beginning to wonder if Ashley does not trust his money in anybody elses hands. Ashley is worth £1.9billion in assets. He has recently shelled out £200m quid. That doesn't mean he has another £50m lying in a Northern Rock account ready to be spent, does it? He's not all cracked up to be what everbody thinks then I still think we will be spending £50m this summer, but that will be money we'll have earned. I'm just not sure Ashley has a piggy bank with much left in it at the moment. Not totally sure anymore about figures like that if I was honest.

Look at your list properly. Carrick? Bridge? Garay? Richards? Sissoko? Elmander? Van Der Vaart? Deco? SWP? Berbatov? Modric? Realistic? Of the rest, some chose other clubs over us, others are players people would be horrified if we signed. Exactly, and as well as that, why pay over-the-odds for players just for the sake of it? Panic buying just adds to players we'd probably have to get rid of when Kev decides to get his own players in and to get players like that in you're likely to have to pay silly wgaes too. You have to pay over the odds for good players. Those mentioned are better than just good. They wouldn't come here. Simple as. This seems to be a repetitive theme on these here boards. So how will we EVER AGAIN buy a quality player patsy?

Look at your list properly. Carrick? Bridge? Garay? Richards? Sissoko? Elmander? Van Der Vaart? Deco? SWP? Berbatov? Modric? Realistic? Of the rest, some chose other clubs over us, others are players people would be horrified if we signed. It wouldn't be if whoever from the club said there wasn't £90/£100 mill etc available, theres players out there if the price is right and look where we are in the league with the coming fixtures, talk of KK being out the game for 3 years, well surely Terry Mac and Pearson etc etc would've told him the score?, even Ashley has stood and watched it, thats why I'm beginning to wonder if Ashley does not trust his money in anybody elses hands. Ashley is worth £1.9billion in assets. He has recently shelled out £200m quid. That doesn't mean he has another £50m lying in a Northern Rock account ready to be spent, does it? He's not all cracked up to be what everybody thinks then You can see they want the club to operate as a proper business ie no more adventures in the transfer market. They will buy youth and spend moderately on decent/goodish players. Hope I'm wrong. I mean look at this fiasco with Dennis taxi wallah Wise...Does that suggest they have any kind of clue? They are just circling the chariots and bringing in people their mates have recommended.

Look at your list properly. Carrick? Bridge? Garay? Richards? Sissoko? Elmander? Van Der Vaart? Deco? SWP? Berbatov? Modric? Realistic? Of the rest, some chose other clubs over us, others are players people would be horrified if we signed. Exactly, and as well as that, why pay over-the-odds for players just for the sake of it? Panic buying just adds to players we'd probably have to get rid of when Kev decides to get his own players in and to get players like that in you're likely to have to pay silly wgaes too. You have to pay over the odds for good players.

I reckon they'll catch the plane to the Bahamas. [bymistake/]

In a couple of weeks time we'll have lost another 3 games.

There's just nobody out there[/keegan] Or no fucker wants to join us... Last window and this...I'm afraid the money saving motif is beginning to flourish in the garden of my anxiety.

There's just nobody out there[/keegan] Careful people will start accusing you of wanting to panic buy.

I would give Ashley Young a few games. Campbell!!1!1)*_)