Cleggitus is contagiousNo, and we're not signing Herrera. And we suck.
#BasedClegg
All comes down to what defines "big" or "huge" or whatever word you use.
Arenal's history is fantastic. If you compare that aspect of the club to say, City (not trollin', they're a good example here)...Arsenal are well ahead. They've been a club which has operated at the top level in alot of aspects for years and years. They have worldwide appeal, a top quality stadium, amazing facilities etc.
In that sense, they will always be a "big" club and it would take a long period of stagnation, probably even going backwards, to change that.
But if you're talking about competitively...obv. they have fallen off. The mentality of a club also comes into it IMO. I think part of being an elite club is to retain your best players, to bring the best players in...it's all part of having the best of everything. Maybe there are some question marks there regarding Arsenal.
GTA IV is probably still the best open world game this generation. Saints Row: The Third is good too, though. I couldn't finish Red Dead Redemption, thought it got really boring once you crossed into Mexico.
I didn't think it was that bad, solid 7/10.
Conte's press conference. FUUUUUUUCK. Conte is fucking MAD.
Jesus Christ ...
'Big club' is so last decade.
It's all about being Massive now right Viva?
Oh fuck, I'm out! I totally forgot about it. What's he saying?
At the League’s annual meeting the idea of tighter financial controls being imposed on clubs was advanced by Liverpool. It gained the support of a number of their rivals, including United’s chief executive, David Gill, who had previously helped shape Uefa’s ground-breaking Financial Fair Play rules.
The delegation from Arsenal is believed to have spoken up in favour. The club’s owner, Stan Kroenke is, like Liverpool’s John W Henry and United’s Glazer family, familiar with restrictive financial regulations through the US sports franchises they own. West Ham United’s joint chairman David Gold also gave his approval.
Gold told The Daily Telegraph: “I was involved in bringing in the FFP rules in the Championship and at the time I thought should I get to the Premier League, I’ll lobby for it. I made it abundantly clear we shouldn’t be doing nothing. David Gill was marvellous. He made lots of sense. Even the big clubs now are saying we have to get to grips with costs.”
But the subject was not unanimously supported. Manchester City, whose owner, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan , subsidised spending with £43.3million in cash between June 1, 2009, and the end of May 2011, are believed to have cautioned that they would prefer to manage their business as they see fit.
Fulham, whose rise through the leagues was financed by ‘soft’ loans from the chairman, Mohamed Fayed, have also historically expressed the view that they would not endorse a system that “kills the dreams” of others. However, this time they did not push back against Liverpool’s proposal.
It all meant the Premier League executive staff have been tasked with drawing up a report on what proposals could be introduced. One option would be to adopt wholesale the Uefa FFP regulations. Both Chelsea and United were instrumental in developing these, which require clubs to break even within a margin of “acceptable deviation” of €45 million (£35.5 million) over the first two years of their formal implementation – next season and the following.
Chelsea and United are confident of meeting Uefa’s rules despite their inclusion not just of cash expenditure but accounting charges relating to historical spending under “amortisation”. However, City will find that particularly challenging. Their Premier League champions’ operating loss in the 2010-11 season alone – the most recent for which accounts are available – was £194.9 million. Even though some areas of this spending will be discounted as allowable, the discounts are unlikely to bring operating losses under FFP to within the £35.5 million cushion over two years.
David Gill, Manchester United’s chief executive, has told Parliament: “We were involved through the European Club Association, as were other clubs, such as Chelsea, who were on the working group to develop those proposals with Uefa.
“It made sense and was for the benefit of football clubs could operate within their own resources and it would bring about a limiting effect on player cost, in terms of transfers and wages. We are comfortable with it. The critical issue will be around implementation and the sanctions around that, and making sure that it is appropriately applied. But I do not think anyone can criticise the objective of ensuring that clubs operate within their own resources.”
How to guarantee compliance would be one of the biggest challenges of a new Premier League regulatory regime and this month Henry expressed his concerns about Uefa’s will to impose its own FFP regulations. But that view contrasts with recent Uefa actions.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has upheld Uefa’s expulsion under financial fair play rules of Besiktas. The Turkish club will be banned from the next two European competitions for which it qualifies over the next five years.
The English top flight is the only league in the country not to have its own cost-restraint framework. Leagues One and Two have both implemented salary capping while the Championship has introduced a financial fair play system for this season based on the Uefa model. Championship clubs flouting Football League rules will be hit with a transfer embargo
Btw, here is the City kit on Silva (from the email they sent out) as well as the image details:
[IMG']http://i.minus.com/ibaq7RQmlCLkEG.png[/IMG]
Love it! Since I bought the third kit last season, I will wait until next summer and try and get it when it drops in price.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/gervinho-i-want-to-emulate-robert-piresGervinho will look to follow the shining example of Robert Pires as he embarks upon his second season with Arsenal.
It's 12 years since Pires joined Arsenal from Marseille but his exploits are hard to forget. After taking time to adapt to the physical nature of the Premier League, the former France international ended his second campaign in London as Footballer of the Year after Arsène Wenger's side won the Double.
Gervinho showed plenty of promise in his own debut campaign - making 37 appearances - but like Pires he needed a while to acclimatise to a quicker, more muscular style of football. Now the Ivory Coast international wants to follow in Pires' footsteps by raising his game and winning trophies.
"You should always look at these examples from the past," Gervinho told Arsenal Player. "Robert is a fantastic player, very experienced, and I saw this for myself [when Pires was] training here.
"I really hope to emulate Robert Pires in my second season, hopefully do even better, but I hope to carve out my own niche of course.
"I hope to push on personally, also to progress with the team and to showcase my qualities. I've learnt lots of things, coming to a new club, being new to the Premier League. I've learnt to adapt on the pitch and, when I think back, also in front of goal.
"I really feel that I've come on a lot, I feel really good in training and I'm ready for my second season."
Gervinho emerged with credit from Arsenal's 0-0 draw with Sunderland after showing his willingness to take on defenders. He knows he is no longer an unknown quantity to top-flight opponents but remains confident he can step up to a new level.
"I'm fully aware of that and I'll have to give even more and raise the bar even higher after my first season here," said Gervinho. "I'm up for the challenge, I've got lots of confidence in my own ability and I know I've got to keep up my standards.
"I may have to change the way I play, mix up my game a bit, but as I said, I've learnt and can take a lot from my first season. I'll relish the challenge and I really want to show the Club and the fans [what I can do] this year."
Btw, here is the City kit on Silva (from the email they sent out) as well as the image details:
Love it! Since I bought the third kit last season, I will wait until next summer and try and get it when it drops in price.
No, and we're not signing Herrera. And we suck.
#BasedClegg
Has this been posted yet?
Clubs in the Premier League now pushing for FFP-style regulations
The 'big four' are pushing hard for this, 14 clubs need to be in favour for any rule changes in the Premier League.
After reading up on Atletico's financial woes recently, I fully support an FFP-style regulation in the PL. So long as salaries are able to remain competitive with the other leagues around Europe, so as not to become less alluring for talented players, then it sounds great to me.
I find it funny that all the top clubs (+Liverpool) are for it, except ... Manchester City. Hahaha
Torres last night.
Who was asking for the Sahin and Liverpool rumours?
http://www.marca.com/2012/08/23/futbol/equipos/real_madrid/1345726439.html
The saga Sahin still finished, but is about. And? Seems that the final chapter will close in Liverpool, where yesterday Reza Fazeli, the player's agent, met with the owners of the Anfield club to finish finalize the terms of the agreement.
Sahin The representative went on Monday to the Bernabeu with the idea of ​​bringing the Turkish firm to the Emirates. Pressure Wenger had worked on the player and was determined to go to Arsenal, but Madrid changed the course of the case when informed the player who did not accept the gunner finally set the assignment and wanted a transfer. Conditions that neither Madrid nor frown Sahin.
So, the Liverpool reappeared on the scene as the first and best option, as the player via Mourinho knows that Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers will have him as a starter.
Pretty much. It's a good move but only if it's applied Europe wide otherwise it could lead to some clubs becoming less competitive, because they basically cant take on debt or make losses.Must be said, it is rather limiting on smaller clubs. United are all for it because our revenue streams shit on everyone else's and therefore once the Glazer debt is satisfied we'll tower over pretty much everyone else in the English leagues. Also, it will hugely limit City.
They should be paying alot more than they are, they're lucky.Spain is different,actually a fucking shame.Clubs must pay 752 million to the state in taxes. Right now, all incomes of some clubs are going directly to state.
Youre awesome, Garcia
Eurobot: SOUTHAMPTON - More on Gaston Ramirez: it is understood a fee and payment plan has been negotiated for the 21-year-old winger, who has won nine caps for Uruguay and is reported to be commanding a club-record fee of £12 million. Former club Penarol, who own 30% of his registration, are also satisfied by the terms of the agreement.
Who knows anymore man, who knows.
Yeah it would have to be a competition wide cap, so UEFA wide in the case of Europe.No way a cap could work. Too many different leagues. Cap 1 league then they suffer in the CL.
Pretty much.The way all the clubs look at FFP will depend on their own position, as they're obviously only out for their best interests. No disputing that.
However, you can't simply allow clubs to spend out of control.
Yeah, 9:25 sky sports 2Is the El Classico on Sky? I'll record it for after, if it is.
Yeah, 9:25 sky sports 2
Prediction: 2-1 Madrid
Nooooo Kaboul a doubt for Saturday with a knee injury. Gio (lol) also out with a calf strain.
Yeah, 9:25 sky sports 2
Prediction: 2-1 Madrid
Wasn't that confirmed already, though? I thought it was additional payments that hit a snag, or perhaps Bologna throwing a hissy fit about Gaston lubing up Southampton in the press. One thing's for certain with Gaston, there's more to the transfer than meets the eye. He's been shopped around covertly for the last six months, someone is really eager to profit from his sale, and I suspect it's that which is currently impeding the deal.
Ozil be stylin todayMadrid will lose I think. Barca with a dominant win.
Albiol is playing. Messi will finish him.
Yeah, 9:25 sky sports 2
Prediction: 2-1 Madrid
I think Madrid will do it, and by a bigger margin.
Just got dat feeling.
Madrid will lose I think. Barca with a dominant win.
Albiol is playing. Messi will finish him.
It'll be a tough game that one.
It was glossed over because of all the 'lolerpool' jokes, and rightly so, but West Brom were immense. Steve Clarke's got them playing really well, and he's taken them a step above the well regimented style that Hodgson had. They're tenacious now, rather than simply organised.
Well, I do sympathise with Bologna.Its just how Bologna want to money to be paid, they want pretty much all up front which is never going to happen. Seems like they are in real financial woes.
Madrid will lose I think. Barca with a dominant win.
Albiol is playing. Messi will finish him.
I think Madrid will do it, and by a bigger margin.
Just got dat feeling.
moistness defined by dudes.
You can do this a lot on FM. It's a bit of a bug. As Spurs I signed £70m worth of players with a £30m budget paying sometimes nothing up front and the rest over 4 years.Well, I do sympathise with Bologna.
On my FM save, City offered £22 million for Hamsik, but only £4 million up front, and the rest to be paid over 4 years. Fuck that bullshit, especially when it's City, who've got more cash than sense (not hard).
I think Madrid will win, oddly.
Facism, you need a new avatar.