General Football 23/24

[Roboklopp]

I read that Purslow is being linked to the vacant Southampton position for the rest of the season- and then to oversee a sale. Do you think Purslow still describes himself as the Fernando Torres of finance, or has Torres simply become the Christian Purslow of strikers?

[Chazza]

Franck Ribery has been left baffled by the decision to give the FIFA Ballon d'Or to Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of him.

Ronaldo was crowned the world's best player last week but the Bayern Munich star was left wondering how he could be overlooked after all the success he had last season.

Ribery was part of the Munich team that won the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup, while Ronaldo's Real Madrid team ended the year without a trophy.

Although Ronaldo's individual performances were nothing short of brilliant, Ribery feels his titles should have counted for more.

"I won everything, with the team and individually. Ronaldo won nothing," the France international said in an interview with Munich's TZ newspaper.

"I feel I had earned this award. It's all politics."

The Frenchman also appears to be disheartened by the whole experience, as he added: "The Golden Ball doesn't interest me any more."

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11890/9125456/ballon-dor-franck-ribery-angry-at-missing-out-to-cristiano-ronaldo

[Fosterbloke]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...stiano-ronaldo

Perhaps being prosecuted for alleged payment for sex with an underage prostitute might have something to do with it?

[Roboklopp]

Wasn't that the year before? Anyways, whatever.

[Shaggy]

http://www1.skysports.com/football/n...stiano-ronaldo

He's a muppet. As much as I don't like Ronaldo, it's an individual award. **** all to do with how much a team won.

[Shaggy]

Completely ridiculous

REVEALED: THE 23 CHELSEA PLAYERS OUT ON-LOAN

With his move to Aston Villa, Chelsea fullback Ryan Bertrand becomes the club's 23rd player to move away on-loan today.

And here is the full squad list:

GOALKEEPERS

Thibaut Courtois (Atletico Madrid)

Sam Walker (Colchester, expires January 19)

DEFENDERS

Patrick van Aanholt (Vitesse)

Wallace (Inter)

Todd Kane (Blackburn)

Kenneth Omeruo (Middlesbrough)

Ryan Bertrand (Aston Villa)

MIDFIELDERS

Oriol Romeu (Valencia)

Marko Marin (Sevilla)

Christian Atsu (Vitesse)

Bertrand Traore (Vitesse)

Cristian Cuevas (Vitesse)

Ulises Davila (Cordoba)

Thorgan Hazard (Zulte Waregem)

George Saville (Brentford)

Nathaniel Chalobah (Middlesbrough)

FORWARDS

Victor Moses (Liverpool)

Romelu Lukaku (Everton)

Lucas Piazon (Vitesse)

Milan Lalkovic (Walsall)

Patrick Bamford (Derby)

Jhon Pirez (Leganes)

Stipe Perica (NAC Breda)

[Yozza]

The New Camp! Barcelona reveal £495m plan to develop 105,000 capacity stadium with roof

Barcelona's board of directors have rejected the option of building a new stadium and will push ahead with a remodelling of the Nou Camp.

Barca members, who collectively own the club, will be given a chance at the beginning of April to vote on the proposal that would increase the capacity of Europe's biggest stadium from 98,000 to 105,000 and help increase matchday income, president Sandro Rosell told a news conference on Monday.





The project, which also includes the construction of a new indoor basketball arena and various other installations, is expected to cost around £495million (600 million euros) and work would begin in 2017 and be completed by early 2021.

Barca plan to take out bank loans worth £165m and expect £82.5m million from selling naming rights. The rest of the cost would be covered by existing funds.
Matches would still be played while the work, which would see a striking new roof added to the current structure, was carried out.

'It was a difficult decision,' Rosell said. 'The two projects were very attractive but we were committed to put to a referendum a project that was viable from a technical, urban-planning and economic perspective.

'The Nou Camp is part of our collective memory, the biggest stadium in Europe and an icon of the city of Barcelona.

'The option of building a new stadium on a new site has been rejected as the final cost could have saddled the club and its members with debt and tied the hands of future boards of directors,' added Rosell.

The plans for the remodelled stadium, which opened in 1957, include building a steeper bottom tier to improve visibility for spectators.

There would be new restaurants with a view of the pitch and so-called 'super boxes' and other VIP services.

'To maintain our status as leaders we have to take this historic step which will require effort from everyone involved but which will guarantee the comforts that come with a new installation with the latest technologies at the service of its users and athletes,' Rosell said.

'What's more we will increase the value of our real estate and the capacity to generate additional income without having to sell off assets.'

Analysis

"A key factor behind Barca's desire to update the Nou Camp is their need to take greater advantage of the opportunities available in the highly lucrative corporate hospitality market.

"Barcelona is one of the world's most popular destinations for big-money trade shows, and the chance to attract more high-paying business customers is a major potential revenue stream for the club.

"The current Nou Camp's facilities in that regard are woefully inadequate, and it's notable that the plans released by the club on Monday include "a new ring of boxes, restaurants and other VIP facilities" with the addition of 3,500 new corporate seats."

[Alex]

Strike Sam Walker off that list of Chelsea players. He has just signed permanent with Colchester.

Been a revelation since hes been down here

[Shaggy]

Police called to Swansea after row between Garry Monk and Chico Flores

• Club denies that Monk was threatened with brick
• Police say they spoke to officials at training ground

theguardian.com, Tuesday 21 January 2014 09.07 GMT

Swansea have admitted that police were called to their training ground on Friday following a row between defenders Garry Monk and Chico Flores.

Reports have claimed Flores was seen brandishing a brick during the incident, but this was denied by the club.

"The club can categorically state that nobody was threatened with a brick," it said.

A statement from South Wales Police said: "Police were called to the training ground at around 1.30pm on Friday.

"Club officials were spoken to and no police action was required."The pair clashed as the Swans prepared for Sunday's 3-1 home defeat against Tottenham, which extended their winless run to eight games and left them three points above the relegation zone.

A Swansea spokesman said: "Chico Flores and Garry Monk had an exchange of words, which is not uncommon between players in training grounds across the country, but no threats or altercations took place between the players in question.

"It's understood a member of the public phoned the police, who felt no action was required.

"The club can categorically state that nobody was threatened with a brick.

"The matter has been dealt with and is concluded."

The former captain Monk has not played since September after suffering a knee injury, while Flores, who joined from Genoa in the summer of 2012, has struggled for his best form in recent months.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jan/21/swansea-police-row-monk-flores?CMP=twt_gu

[PTP]

the chelsea loaning thing - it's ridiculous - shouldn't be allowed, how can one club have so many -players on their books they can loan out an entire 23 man squad, that looking at, argubly could compete in the prem....all be it lower end of the prem

and on top of that...still have a 28 man squad available!!

[john316]

Total abuse of the system. Should be limits of loaning out of players over a certain age to stop them from hoarding people. Courtois has been 'at Chelsea' for seemingly donkeys years yet they've been able to keep building up his value without having to make any decision with him.

[baitman]

Neymar: Spanish judge to hear lawsuit after Barcelona transfer

A Spanish judge has agreed to hear a lawsuit brought against Barcelona president Sandro Rosell over the club's signing of Neymar from Santos.
Barcelona club member Jordi Cases alleges that the actual amount paid was more than £48.6m (57m euros) and that Rosell misappropriated funds.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/25848893

[Liverpel]

the chelsea loaning thing - it's ridiculous - shouldn't be allowed, how can one club have so many -players on their books they can loan out an entire 23 man squad, that looking at, argubly could compete in the prem....all be it lower end of the prem

and on top of that...still have a 28 man squad available!!

Can't be done.

Regulations permit clubs to only have two loanees from fellow Premier League sides

[ChesterDave]

Just noticed that one of the Frequently Asked Questions on the Premier LEague website is

'Are Referees Trained'

Thousands of exasperated fans ask that question every week!

[Kenneth]

Total abuse of the system. Should be limits of loaning out of players over a certain age to stop them from hoarding people. Courtois has been 'at Chelsea' for seemingly donkeys years yet they've been able to keep building up his value without having to make any decision with him.

I think it should be as simple as no loans to teams in the same division. Makes sense to me.