04/26/24
March 26, 2003
Becks to move South?: Real Madrid's "managing director Jorge Valdano has described the Manchester United star as looking 'like the next big project for us.'" On top of that, Owen considering Italian switch!
I understand the whole 'grass is greener' aspect but why would these two native Brits, both of whom have only played for their current clubs, even consider going? Owen, especially, needs to bring CL and Premiership titles to Anfield first.
posted by billsaysthis to soccer at 01:08 PM - 11 comments
Owen, especially, needs to bring CL and Premiership titles to Anfield first. He'll probably be the first senior citizen playing Premiership football if he stays at Liverpool until that happens. :-P It's all just paper-talk though really. FWIW (which is very little), my personal opinion based on nothing whatsoever is that Becks will leave at the end of the season. Owen however, will be at Liverpool next season. So will Heskey unless someone appoints a manager who's been living in a cave for the last five years. Remember where you heard it first.
posted by squealy at 02:14 PM on March 26, 2003
posted by billsaysthis at 03:07 PM on March 26, 2003
Manchester United isn't even in the top 20!
posted by StarFucker at 03:38 PM on March 26, 2003
Shit, scratch that...they ARE the top... Dammit! Gotta learn to read!
posted by StarFucker at 03:39 PM on March 26, 2003
Hey! That fackin' list is two years old! It reports Leeds as moving up the list with 54mil+ pounds profit. Hahahahaha! That's before they bought all those players. It'd be nice, tho, to see the Rich List that's mentioned in StarFucker's linked article especially the comparison with NFL teams.
posted by worldcup2002 at 05:22 PM on March 26, 2003
I thought that Leeds was selling all their good names and that's why Venables got the sack.
posted by billsaysthis at 10:20 PM on March 26, 2003
Leeds is 75mil pounds in the red. They had to sell, with or without Venables. Venables saw the writing on the wall as all the best players (and hooligans -- I'm looking at you, Bowyer and Woodgate!) were offloaded, stated his objections publicly, and got to walk out early without having to suffer the remainder of the season. I wouldn't feel too badly for El Tel, tho. He probably walked out with a nice severance package.
posted by worldcup2002 at 02:15 AM on March 27, 2003
Beckham sucks anyway, why would Real Madrid want him?
posted by StarFucker at 11:52 AM on March 27, 2003
Why Real Madrid crave Beckham:
Real's sporting director Jorge Valdano has confirmed that his club considered and rejected moving for Thierry Henry or Michael Owen before deciding that Beckham carried more marketing and merchandise potential for the European champions. The targeting of England's captain as the next world-class purchase after the signings of Luis Figo, Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo in successive summers since 2000 is the culmination of Real's plan to match and then outstrip Manchester United's global domination of football marketing and merchandising.
posted by worldcup2002 at 12:44 PM on March 27, 2003
Yeah but Figo himself came out today and said no way is Beckham taking his position, nor is he willing to be "traded" to ManU.
posted by billsaysthis at 05:32 PM on March 27, 2003
It all looks perfectly reasonable to me. Titles? Challenge? Becks has won everything with one club. Why not do it with another? Doesn't matter who you win a Champions League title with, does it? Owen maybe getting tired of Houllier's boring play, and not winning the big ones. More money? These guys are top earners in the EPL, no doubt, but they're looking at the prospect of adding another "0" to their weekly salary, the best salaries in the world. Becks has to feed a retired pop star and kids. Owen has to feed his gambling jones. Heh. Nothing to lose? Even if things turn sour, they can walk back into any EPL team at the same, if not higher, salary. Rushie did it (Liverpool - Juventus - Liverpool).