Alonso Speaks...

[red g]

Did I say he played fantastic those 2 seasons? Straw mans a calling again?

I disagree with the reasoning, not the quality.

He was in and out of fitness and didn't have a chance to get a good run together and get his form back.

Towards the end of those 2 seasons he had started to show signs of recovery (especially that match against Newcastle, some sublime passing skills were seen there), but in the main he was average at best yes.

Not to mention he was in and out of fitness so that would put a question mark over buying at the price we were asking as well.

even Lucas managed to look like a world beater against newcastle

[EwarWoo]

How do you know?

I suspect you can't be certain about that and it's silly to suggest otherwise.

I don't know and I'm not certain, it's a forum mate, opinions are the go

It just makes far more sense to me in my opinion (see no need to get your knickers in a twist) this way.

Just as no-one can be sure Rafa trying to sell him was the cause of his vastly improved form.

It's being stated with as much certainty as I'm stating I don't believe it to be the case. Go tell them they have no way to be sure

[Tee]

I've never bought that argument and never will.

He had his best season after getting back to full fitness after a spate of injuries.

Being whored about had nothing to do with it.

[Nicey]

well he was either a pussy or a greedy **** for not wantng to hand in a transfer request.......course he is a pussy he didnt want to look bad to the Liverpool fans imo. He wanted to leave in May, why not come out and tell us straightaway?

Utter bollix ... most high profile transfers happen without the need to hand in transfer requests and in football things can change in 12 hours let alone 3 months, Alonso as far as I can see it, kept mum and basically left the suits to sort it out saying he would be happy what ever happened.

He obviously wanted out and fair enough, it happens and he left us for a team many consider the biggest club in the world in his home country in World Cup Season.

People do not know jack **** about what went on .. and untill they do or someone says look I am with the club or I know for a fact people should lay off the insults to a player who was for the most part a sensation player for us.

My memory must be shot because I seem to rememeber him only having 1 off par season and then coming back tronger than ever

[Neil Young]

Where did i post that then?

Post 32.

I admire him too Shaggy and yes, having belief in your own mind and methods is important without doubt.

Being totally inflexible and not seeing where something needs changing however, is counter productive.

[Craig_H]

Post 32.

Where in that post does it say the words 'Rafa is too stubborn to change his mind' ?

[Neil Young]

I don't know and I'm not certain, it's a forum mate, opinions are the go

It just makes far more sense to me in my opinion (see no need to get your knickers in a twist) this way.


It's being stated with as much certainty as I'm stating I don't believe it to be the case. Go tell them they have no way to be sure

I know they have no way to be sure. I don't know if they're all stating with such clarity though that it's true. They simply aren't dismissing the possibility like you are. Still, I did say anyone claiming either way with certainty is being silly.

The thing is, if someone states their opinion with such certainty when there is no real evidence for it then they're in danger of stopping listening to contrary arguments.

I wasn't singling you out in particular; my final comments were about the thread as a whole.

[Neil Young]

Where in that post does it say the words 'Rafa is too stubborn to change his mind' ?

OK, there's no implication there.

[DannyMan2006]

Look, this is football. Is anyone really shocked or suprised by what has happened?

Last season the manager thought the player could be improved on and acted in the usual manner that a club does, makes him available and sets a price he is looking to do business at. If he had been desperate to off load him he would have accepted a lower fee. But the idea was to sell Xabi for £18m and buy Barry for £10m. The deal was called off when it became clear no one would up their bids on Xabi and Villa would not lower the fee on Barry.

This season Rafa wanted to keep Alonso. Real spoke to Xabis agent and came straight in and offered £18m, last seasons asking price. It was turned down. When Alonso made it clear he wanted to leave his agent was given the new valuation and the condition that any deal would only happen if Xabi put in a transfer request.

Whilst the above was going on we spoke to Gareth Barry. He turned us down because we could not guarantee him a starting place in CM, which he wanted for England. He therefore joined City where he got those guarantees and no doubt plenty of other promises.

The reason we missed out on Barry was fully down to the fact that we were more than happy to keep Alonso unless the two conditions were met.

However, anyone who says Rafa did not see Xabi as essential to his plans is bang on the money. We could easily have told him to shut the **** up like we did Mascherano. People say Barca were offering £40m. Maybe Euros, don't remember.

That said, I reckon that if Xabi had wanted to stay he would still be here, in fact I reckon he could quite easily got a new contract if he had wanted one. But he wanted to leave.

[Craig_H]

OK, there's no implication there.

So you work on what you perceive is being implied?

Good thing you're not a published writer

[Neil Young]

Also, Post 25:

I really dont hold out much genuine belief that Rafa will learn from this or change his ways. He never thinks he's ever wrong, so it's a mighty long shot.

[Neil Young]

We need a 'drumming fingers' smiley.

[red g]

Utter bollix ... most high profile transfers happen without the need to hand in transfer requests and in football things can change in 12 hours let alone 3 months, Alonso as far as I can see it, kept mum and basically left the suits to sort it out saying he would be happy what ever happened.

He obviously wanted out and fair enough, it happens and he left us for a team many consider the biggest club in the world in his home country in World Cup Season.

People do not know jack **** about what went on .. and untill they do or someone says look I am with the club or I know for a fact people should lay off the insults to a player who was for the most part a sensation player for us.

My memory must be shot because I seem to rememeber him only having 1 off par season and then coming back tronger than ever

if he was happy whatever happened why did he not stay?
personally i think that was a load of ****e, ie alonso not saying what he really wants
His manager wanted him to stay we all know that......so if he was just going with the flow why move?

Alonso ' i am happy whatever happens'
Alonso ' i made my mind up to leave last may'

one of the above statements is false......and its the first one.




I have no issue him leaving, its with the way he left .....but then without going through 70 pages of that Alonso thread i also do recall probably 90% of posters being pissed off that none of us knew whether he was coming or going, yet he had made his mind up last may.......thats not the way to treat the best fans in the world is it?

[dww]

Also, Post 25:

That one is pretty conclusive to be fair.

[Reece]

We need a 'drumming fingers' smiley.