Football Close Season Thread
 

Seeing as there's only a game or two left.

David Beckham could be on his way back to England with AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti hoping to take the midfielder with him in a switch to Chelsea.

Just What Chelsea need, another player well past 30. Let the rebuilding begin Carlo

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Ancelotti becomes boss

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ea/8076779.stm

Celtic approach Swansea's Martinez

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/foot...ty/8076867.stm

Got to say if I were a fan of either club, I'd be feeling completely ambivilent to either appointment.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Martinez is one of the most respected non-premiership managers in the game. What's he's acheived at Swansea in such a short space of time is amazing. We'll be sorry to see him go. We can't compete with Celtic, they have the potential for regular European football. I'm just hoping Huw Jenkins can offer him something big to stay but it doesn't look good, Roberto's wife is scottish and they're getting married this summer.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

And he has done is spending peanuts + he played in Scotland, still he'll have a job convincing them he is the right man for the job.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

His wife's Scottish, and he's getting married in the summer? Isn't that kind of naughty ;)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I don't think so. Many people consider Scottish Premier football to be on the level with English Championship (not saying I agree). With a good budget I think he'd impress.

---------- Post added at 13:37 ---------- Previous post was at 13:36 ----------

lol ok Nuggles you knew what I meant.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Certainly did, but it was funny. Kinda bigamy to admit it really :)

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I actually think it would be a brave appointment and hope it works out as to many lower league managers have the paths to top jobs blocked by the same old tired, average managers. I stand by my comments that he'll have it all to do to convince both the fans and the players that he is the right man for the job though.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

taxi for Nugget:D

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

It's a tricky one, can you really afford to wait half a season for him to stop sulking and perform like last season, think I might let him go.

New Real Madrid president Florentino Perez believes Cristiano Ronaldo would be the ideal player for the Spanish giants and will not be put off by his hefty price tag.

I thought he said he only wanted to leave for a cub playing Champions League football, think like Robinho he thinks he's signing for that other team in Manchester

Aston Villa have confirmed that midfielder Gareth Barry is in talks with Manchester City

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

He has actually said a few times recently that he wants to stay, but then again he said the same at the end of last season as well :dozey:

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Hmm, speaking as a Villa fan, if Barry goes to City, it's obvious that he's gone for the money, and has little respect for Villa. Last year, he was saying that he wants Champions League football (which is fair enough), but City haven't qualified for Europe, whereas Villa have.

All in all, bad show from a former fan favourite...

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Its been going around the Spurs forums and the ITKs that Spurs have been in some talks with Villa over Barry. Few expect him to come to us, but apparently he and his family are made Spurs fans which may help us over City. We have a rigid wage structure so he won't get silly money from us. The announcement from Villa was a surprise but I think it might be to egg up our side of the negotiations?

We aren't short of decent CMs but he is quality. Him and Palacios in CM would be immense.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

Funny I thought he said he didn't know and then spent the summer trying to engineer a move away and when it didn't happen he spent the next few months sulking. One thing is certain if some one wasn't egging Madrid there wouldn't be any headlines or uncertainty.

---------- Post added at 15:07 ---------- Previous post was at 15:04 ----------

I hate it when some one that kisses the badge and says he's one of you leaves, at least when it's for the Liverpool's and United's it's easier to accept but City, do me a favour, yet another mercenary, although perhaps he is using these talks to get Liverpool to show their hand.

Re: Football Close Season Thread
 

I hope that's the reasoning behind it. This time last year, most of the Villa fans hated him but, by performing as well as he has this season, he got the majority of them back on his side. If he leaves to a team who have performed worse than Villa, he's going to leave a nasty taste for quite a while...

---------- Post added at 16:13 ---------- Previous post was at 15:43 ----------

According to The Guardian, the deal for Barry could even go through tonight :shocked:

At 12 million quid, it's a good deal financially for Villa, but who on earth can we get to replace him? It definitely appears like he's gone for the money, so a lot of goodwill will be lost...