[Football] Messi

[peterward]

I've seen him once at the Nou Camp. It was a bit like going to a concert where everyone was there to scream and holler whenever he came near. It was a tourism experience more than a football experience.

That said, I would also love him to come to England, and I'm trying to think of any other occasion where I was excited by another team buying a player. Probably a few players in the 90s when the first overseas stars came here, but otherwise, it would be very exciting to see him in the premier league.

And every other teams fans will enjoy it when their defenders kick him up in the air.

I think it will happen, and I think it will be a colossal waste of money by City - they don't need him and he'll probably spend as much time on the treatment table as on the pitch. It'll be a vanity buy by their owners. Hope it happens

I think you're right on the playing side, and no way anybody is paying that ridiculous 700 million release clause for a 33 year old with 1 year left.

But as much as the money involved isnt worth it imho purely for the player (as great as he is), how much is the commercial revenue opportunity and the Man City, Abu Dhabi/Etihad airways brand opportunities?

Companies pay mega millions just to have their name written on an F1 car, having Messi would be huge for UAE/Etihad and the Man City global brand, even if like Concorde was to BA, a prestige financial loss leader. The longer term reputational gain can outweigh the shorter term financial costs.

 

[Swansman]

He's past it, now. That or taking the piss with some of his recent performances.

How many players can anyone name who went a bit m'eh because they wanted to leave a club, then bounced back as a word beater after the transfer? I can instantly name many who feigned disinterest (or worse, in one case) then went on to be . . . mediocre:


Anelka
Bogarde
Sturridge
Balotelli
Ozil (case not yet proven but does anyone expect him to pull up trees anywhere?)


The only one I can think of who (allegedly) downed tools and did better after the transfer is.....Shane Duffy!

Could Messi be the new Shane Duffy?

Messi scored 25 goals and made 21 assists in 33 league appearances this season.

The first player to make 20+ goals and 20+ assists in a top 5 league since 2002, when Henry did it for Arsenal in 2002.

But sure, Winston Bogarde & his outcome is a plausible comparison.

 

[vagabond]

He's past it, now. That or taking the piss with some of his recent performances.

How many players can anyone name who went a bit m'eh because they wanted to leave a club, then bounced back as a word beater after the transfer? I can instantly name many who feigned disinterest (or worse, in one case) then went on to be . . . mediocre:


Anelka
Bogarde
Sturridge
Balotelli
Ozil (case not yet proven but does anyone expect him to pull up trees anywhere?)


The only one I can think of who (allegedly) downed tools and did better after the transfer is.....Shane Duffy!

Could Messi be the new Shane Duffy?

No way is he “past it” not even close.

He’s changed his style, but like CR7 still capable of magic and his goals scoring record hasn’t stopped.

 

[vagabond]

Messi scored 25 goals and made 21 assists in 33 league appearances this season.

The first player to make 20+ goals and 20+ assists in a top 5 league since 2002, when Henry did it for Arsenal in 2002.

But sure, Winston Bogarde & his outcome is a plausible comparison.

If he does to City, and like most of us, I hope he does.. he will score shed loads in this City team.

 

[Skaville]

[yt]5twveLmWhvI[/yt]

Ridiculous

Finances aside, I just so, SO hope Man City land him, so I have the the opportunity of seeing probably the greatest player who has ever pulled on a pair of boots on the pitch against us. In my time watching BHA in the PL, aside from James Tompkins, there have been 2 other players who have blown me away watching them live. Eden Hazard, and Philippe Countinho, who were magnificent. I so much want Messi in my "I saw him play" scrapbook, even if we (as likely) get dry-humped.

Come on Pep. Get it over the line. Messi at the Amex - mindblowing.

Did nobody else spot the Brighton legend in this clip?

 

[Doc Lynam]

Not sure why the writer Duncan Alexander is so delighted with the idea of Messi and De Bruyne playing against Brighton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53950439

 

[Sheebo]

Did nobody else spot the Brighton legend in this clip?

Bruno got better once he grew a beard for sure! That geordie commentator did my nut in!

 

[Bladders]

Not sure why the writer Duncan Alexander is so delighted with the idea of Messi and De Bruyne playing against Brighton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53950439

He’s salivating over that attack with Messi against the best centre back trio in the league


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Stat Brother]

Not sure why the writer Duncan Alexander is so delighted with the idea of Messi and De Bruyne playing against Brighton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53950439

He's a season to late.

Seeing Messi booted up the arse by Big Shane would pretty much complete my sad miserable pointless life.

 

[Poppett63]

You have all missed the smokescreen, he doesn’t need the money but wants to nurture young Macillister, so Bruno gave him a call and he is on his way to put on the Royal Blue and white pinstripes........ oh what a lovely dream that was ��

 

[Icy Gull]

Not sure why the writer Duncan Alexander is so delighted with the idea of Messi and De Bruyne playing against Brighton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53950439

Bit rich from a Wycombe fan

 

[Nigella's Cream Pie]

Probably the best dribbler ever (maybe along with Best), but not the best all round footballer.

Scored a few goals as well

 

[vagabond]

Not sure why the writer Duncan Alexander is so delighted with the idea of Messi and De Bruyne playing against Brighton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53950439

Like most mainstream pundits has very little knowledge of teams outside top 6.

Willing to bet he still sees us as the Hughton team and unaware how Potter has transformed us.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Messi scored 25 goals and made 21 assists in 33 league appearances this season.

The first player to make 20+ goals and 20+ assists in a top 5 league since 2002, when Henry did it for Arsenal in 2002.

But sure, Winston Bogarde & his outcome is a plausible comparison.

As should have been obvious from my concluding comment, I was being a little playful with that post.

In all seriousness, he will need to get his head out of his bottom, going forward. Like you I expect he will be able to do that. Whether he can actually be bothered, though, is another story.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

He's a season to late.

Seeing Messi booted up the arse by Big Shane would pretty much complete my sad miserable pointless life.

(I'd have enjoyed watching a tussel between him and Adam El Bad, in the latter's pomp, Adam ruffling the Messi hair and tugging on the Messi beard every second the ref wasn't looking).

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Ahem, there were overseas players in English football way before the 90's. Especially since the Argentina world cup in 1978. Some great Argentinians and Dutch players amongst others found a lot of success here.

yeah, but I was a bit too little to get excited about them

 

[GT49er]

If Barcelona are in financial trouble, you'd think they would realise it was because they are paying (apparently) 1.14M (Euros?) every week to Messi. That's why they can't afford a decent team to play around him! If he wants a free transfer, give him one - and save yourselves the equivalent of a lottery win every week!

I would love it - LOVE it in a very Kevin Keegan way - if once he was released, no other club would take him - too expensive (yes, he really is), a troublemaker who wants to tell the manager and the club what to do, so we can't be bothered with him. Yes, he would improve the team for a year or two - but improve it by 1.14M a week ? Nah - let him stay without a club! He won't rot in poverty, but it might just be the first crack in the ridiculous football wages scandall - yes, high wages for top footballers by all means - but it would be good to see bl**dy ridiculous ones getting the heave-ho.

 

[GT49er]

Getting fined £100K a day for not showing up. That leaves the poor b*gger on only £300K a week. Hope he knows how to access crowd-funding!

Still, a decent saving for Barca every week - could be a big help in resolving their financial crisis, eh?

 

[Swansman]

Getting fined £100K a day for not showing up. That leaves the poor b*gger on only £300K a week. Hope he knows how to access crowd-funding!

Still, a decent saving for Barca every week - could be a big help in resolving their financial crisis, eh?

Overall he is not their economical problem, Barcelona got the highest income in the world of all clubs and Messi is a huge part of that. He probably carries his own weight in that sense. However, their other high earners are not - and they pay about £80m (their whole deficit) a year for old, bad transfers like Coutinho and a lot of other failures who dont sell any shirts or sponsorship contracts to compensate for their transfer fees/wages.

They have also already paid a lot of dollares in planning their £600m Camp Nou refurbishment, projected starting date: never.

They are in a shit situation economically which is probably one of the main reasons they want to keep Messi, despite his wage, or at the very least be able to sell him. In his own eyes he no longer got a contract with the club, so I dont think he cares too much about them not paying him.

 

[Farehamseagull]

Like most mainstream pundits has very little knowledge of teams outside top 6.

Willing to bet he still sees us as the Hughton team and unaware how Potter has transformed us.

You couldn’t be more wrong about Duncan Alexander. He is a Wycombe Wanderers fan for a start and as one of the main men at Opta, has a vast knowledge of football. He is fully aware of our change of style under Potter and has regularly commented on it.

He does have a sense of humour though and lot of his comments, like this one, are made tongue in cheek.