English Premier League EPL Thread

[RagingBull]

Manchester United have confirmed a 10 year deal with Adidas that will bring in a minimum of £750 million over a 10 year period starting from the 2015-16 season.

Not bad for a team that's supposed to be in decline

Love them or hate them. They are the biggest team in the world

Some will argue it's Real Madrid because they currently do earn more money than them but that's misleading. If Utd got the vast majority of Tv money & Government Tax breaks etc like what Madrid enjoy plus there's the Glaziers

No team would be able to compete with them

There's still a lot of work to be done at Utd though but it's starting to look bright if your a Utd supporter. They just need to get shot of Rooney

 

[axecutioner18]

Do you mean biggest team in terms of visibility and revenue? Then ofcourse its ManU. The huge SouthEast Asian Population support ManU.

Thing is they still think David Beckham is in the team.

And when I say support ManU, Im not sure about them watching the games, but they sure as hell buy the merchandise.

 

[thecorsair]

Love them or hate them. They are the biggest team in the world

Some will argue it's Real Madrid because they currently do earn more money than them but that's misleading. If Utd got the vast majority of Tv money & Government Tax breaks etc like what Madrid enjoy plus there's the Glaziers

No team would be able to compete with them

There's still a lot of work to be done at Utd though but it's starting to look bright if your a Utd supporter. They just need to get shot of Rooney

The Glazer factor cannot be ignored. Since they took over they've swiped about £650 million of the profits for their other businesses and whilst all that wouldn't have been used for new signings some of it damn well should have been.

Even so the £800 million debt has been less than halved and is obviously manageable, the Champions League money is a pittance to a club with United's revenue and the loss of it for a year won't make any significant dent in the profits.

As fine and dandy as things are off the pitch none of that will mean much if the team can't bounce back from last season.

Shaw and Herrera represent a more positive start to the transfer window than last year's debacle but it will be intresting to see who else gets brought in once van Gaal starts on Wednesday.

Spending big isn't the only way to rebuild and I'm also intrested to see what happens with the young players as van Gaal has a good record with bringing youngsters through.

In recent years United have produced virtually nothing from their own youth setup and most of the brighter prospects end up on loan indefinitely or play a couple of games in the League Cup and never get seen again.

I'd like to see a change to this policy and think Nick Powell, Jesse Lingard, Michael Keane and Wilfried Zaha deserve a chance.

LVG also has a reputation for upsetting people, he's pissed off the likes of Cruyff and Rivaldo over the years so given his excellent relationship with RVP it seems pretty likely that he's already on a collision course with Rooney....see ya Wayne!

 

[RagingBull]

Do you mean biggest team in terms of visibility and revenue? Then ofcourse its ManU. The huge SouthEast Asian Population support ManU.

Thing is they still think David Beckham is in the team.

And when I say support ManU, Im not sure about them watching the games, but they sure as hell buy the merchandise.

What is up with you?

Football in Asia is huge & there just as passionate about football as they are here in Europe

 

[axecutioner18]

What is up with you?

Football in Asia is huge & there just as passionate about football as they are here in Europe

I live in Asia, and the passion is misplaced. What you see as passion is something more of a lifestyle adopted by high school kids... which stick to them till say once they get married.
And they are not fans of the game, fans of a club, rather a brand. The majority gain their knowledge and produce judgement via the infamous football memes.

They are always updated to the trends. However ask them anything about their national team/local club or even any insight about the sport. And see for yourself.

And its no joke that in China and Malay region ManU is a huge brand. If you see postings on facebook about best World XI of all time you get postings of 'fans' from these countries saying 'Why isnt David Beckham here?'

They started and got into the ManU brand due to David Beckham.

Football is not a hallowed sport anymore, its a lifestyle statement here.

The total lack of local knowledge is testament to that. Because for real fans football is about the game first, and then the clubs.

 

[RagingBull]

I live in Asia, and the passion is misplaced. What you see as passion is something more of a lifestyle adopted by high school kids... which stick to them till say once they get married.
And they are not fans of the game, fans of a club, rather a brand. The majority gain their knowledge and produce judgement via the infamous football memes.

They are always updated to the trends. However ask them anything about their national team/local club or even any insight about the sport. And see for yourself.

And its no joke that in China and Malay region ManU is a huge brand. If you see postings on facebook about best World XI of all time you get postings of 'fans' from these countries saying 'Why isnt David Beckham here?'

They started and got into the ManU brand due to David Beckham.

Football is not a hallowed sport anymore, its a lifestyle statement here.

The total lack of local knowledge is testament to that. Because for real fans football is about the game first, and then the clubs.

To be fair even if they don't know much about football it doesn't matter. They buy the merch they wear the colours they support club

But when you say real fans it's all football 1st & then the clubs. I disagree I grew up supporting Arsenal, I didn't choose to support them it just happened. They were boring as hell back then to but your club some how becomes part of life. If it was just about football & the best players believe me I wouldn't of supported Arsenal.

But real fans are the guys who support there local teams. The ones who keep going to watch there team, even when they lose more than when they win.

I've got some mates who support Southend. There terrible, they struggle in the lower leagues all the time but there always there supporting them. There real supporters

People who support the massive clubs are 80% plastic glory hunting supporters but it's vital them clubs have them supporters to be financially where they are.

 

[axecutioner18]

Maybe in terms of revenue but Ill loathe to call them fans... trendists maybe.

Our country has a HUGE no of youngsters who 'support' foreign clubs. Manchester United is the majority. These guys have NEVER seen a real football match live, at our local stadium. Which is the second largest football stadium in the world. They wont be able to name one player from the two main teams of our city. Heck they probably dont know that one of these clubs is one of the oldest football clubs in the world, our local derby is listed by the FIFA as one of the most top fiery traditional derbies.

Our stadium has had Pele play, seen the full Argentina 1986 WC winning team play as a pre match before the main World Cup, Oliver Kahn's last competitive game was here, The current Argentina team with its debut of Messi as captain and Sabella as coach started here against a friendly vs Venezuela. They dont even know of these things

All they do is watch matches on the telly, slag of each other on Facebook like as if they are Manchester born and Liverpool born englishmen for whom the rivalry has an ethnic and local flavour. Ensure they have the ManU/Real Iphone cover etc etc

Tell me how can I give them the same respect as fans?

 

[meth head]

Arsenal need to step up and buy Vidal under the noses of Utd. Vidal is the perfect replacement for Paddy, who we haven't truly replaced IMO.

Ecstatic we have Sanchez! He will be for us what Suarez was for Liverpool

 

[The Tuggernaut]

Looks like the Vidal transfer might not go through as United aren't willing to spend £34million. Although before seeing this, I read that it was essentially a "done deal."

Obviously this type of thing is commonplace during transfer windows, but it's ridiculously frustrating. Supposedly it's Vidal's knee injury that is concerning United. Fair enough, but I'd still love to see him at the club.

 

[thecorsair]

Looks like the Vidal transfer might not go through as United aren't willing to spend £34million. Although before seeing this, I read that it was essentially a "done deal."

Obviously this type of thing is commonplace during transfer windows, but it's ridiculously frustrating. Supposedly it's Vidal's knee injury that is concerning United. Fair enough, but I'd still love to see him at the club.

Fair play to the Glazers, they sure know how to con the fans into getting excited enough about the new season to ensure the season tickets sell out. It wouldn't suprise me if that's where all the transfer stories originate.

Once they've achieved that all the excuses about there being no value in the market start and so called "done deals" fall through for one BS reason or other.

When Shaw and Herrera were signed so quickly it seemed like a proper rebuilding of the squad was on but the lack of activity since only made me suspicious.

When I woke this morning and read that the Vidal deal was probably off I rolled my eyes and thought "Here we go again".

 

[axecutioner18]

Vidal is a player easily worth 34m... if Luke Shaw can be 30, Vidal at that price is criminal...

 

[greygoose]

Ecstatic we have Sanchez! He will be for us what Suarez was for Liverpool

Good signing. I hope his wife likes London.

 

[The Tuggernaut]

Fair play to the Glazers, they sure know how to con the fans into getting excited enough about the new season to ensure the season tickets sell out. It wouldn't suprise me if that's where all the transfer stories originate.

Once they've achieved that all the excuses about there being no value in the market start and so called "done deals" fall through for one BS reason or other.

When Shaw and Herrera were signed so quickly it seemed like a proper rebuilding of the squad was on but the lack of activity since only made me suspicious.

When I woke this morning and read that the Vidal deal was probably off I rolled my eyes and thought "Here we go again".

I agree that the signing of Shaw and Herrera in quick succession was promising, and the quietness since then has been disappointing. But with that said, now that the World Cup is over and players will be returning from holidays soon, hopefully more deals will be done.

Vidal is a player easily worth 34m... if Luke Shaw can be 30, Vidal at that price is criminal...

You would think so. If United continue to play hardball, I doubt Juve will take anything less for him.

 

[meth head]

Good signing. I hope his wife likes London.

Plenty of great shops and restaurants in the capital, she'll be fine

 

[greygoose]

Plenty of great shops and restaurants in the capital, she'll be fine

I wonder if she'll like Manchester once he moves there next season. That's how it works right?

 

[meth head]

Nope, this is the beginning

 

[greygoose]

I think it will be City and Chelsea fighting for the title next season with Arsenal strong for third and Liverpool and Utd battling for fourth.

 

[gypsycatcha]

I think Liverpool will slip out the top 4. I wouldnt be at all surprised if United make a push this season. They have some very good players and no euopean football to contend with. could make them dangerous.

And a great manager.

 

[thecorsair]

I agree that the signing of Shaw and Herrera in quick succession was promising, and the quietness since then has been disappointing. But with that said, now that the World Cup is over and players will be returning from holidays soon, hopefully more deals will be done.

I'm hoping Louis van Gaal arrives tomorrow and kicks Woodward's arse into gear.

£34 million for a top class midfielder that doesn't appear to be concerned about the lack of European football should be a massive no brainer for a club in United's position.

gypsycatcha,
I don't think a trophy is on the cards yet but I think that LvG will get them playing something like the United of old.

In an interview before the World Cup he was quoted as saying "We're a team, we fight to the end".

That's the United way in a nutshell.

Moyes was more like "Thanks to my negativity we're a collection of confused individuals with no confidence and no real plan. We gets lots of possession early on, go a goal down and then crumble. I will insist we played well in the post match interview".

 

[The Tuggernaut]

I'm hoping Louis van Gaal arrives tomorrow and kicks Woodward's arse into gear.

£34 million for a top class midfielder that doesn't appear to be concerned about the lack of European football should be a massive no brainer for a club in United's position.

If it's true that the main factor in United not signing Vidal right now is due to his knee, then their skepticism is somewhat justified. However, I'd still sign him as soon as is humanly possible.

And it looks like Juve manager Antonio Conte has just resigned. Now is the time to strike.