The Daily ITK Discussion Thread - 26th May 2012

Blake Griffin said:

schweinsteiger is one of the highest paid footballers in the world, he's on around €200k per week before bonuses.

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Well maybe, I go by only want I am told and was informed he was on 4million euros a year, which is just under 80k a week. Yes bonuses add on to this but that's a false currency as we too pay bonuses and never include those in our supposed low wages.

Still, not saying my info is 100%, just what my Bayern friends say.

R.

I remember there were a few posts about levy and money ball. Sometimes they used numbers to back his adherence to the economic principals. Oh yeah.....that was me. Iz can has ITK baj now?

As for BM, despite their ability to purchase, I was doing anaylsis of German youth products when my computer crashed and I lost it. Never had the heart to start over. I thought 1860 would be the best youth system, and for their size, they aren't bad, but it was Bayern that stood out. Every team has one decent player that started out there. The point being is that if we are scouting BM......scouting at their academy is almost up there with La Masia or Ajax or Rennes

RuskyM said:

All of our current strikers (including Saha) are better than Fletcher.

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In what respect are they better? This is taking out Adebyoar so for arguments sake, it's Defoe and Saha.

The point being is that going forward our system is evolving into having a focal point up top which can be fairly fluid as seen with Adebayor drifting out to the left and I'm sorry but Defoe just doesn't offer nearly enough to warrant a starting role, or as an effective substitute for Adebayor.

As I've said on previous threads, as a shift-and-shoot striker he is right up there but in terms of footballing nous, team ethic and positional play he is a long way off being top 4 material and whilst it's purely speculative on the part of considering Fletcher a worthy substitute, I would say his qualities in what we as a team are looking for are more apparent than what Defoe would bring.

That's why I think a good few are looking at someone like Fletcher who wold not cost the earth, yet represents a sound investment that has plenty of upside and on a side note, another 'homegrown' talent to add to the squad which should be taken into consideration with all these mass transfer wish lists that people bring up constantly.

I would much rather have Jordan Rhodes as 3rd choice, that boy has a big big future. Just check the type of goals he scores, quality finisher! Even in lower leagues the way he executes from difficult opportinities, I think he will smash it in the premiership soon. Best young striker I seen since Rooney that is English

noahrobert said:

I would much rather have Jordan Rhodes as 3rd choice, that boy has a big big future. Just check the type of goals he scores, quality finisher! Even in lower leagues the way he executes from difficult opportinities, I think he will smash it in the premiership soon. Best young striker I seen since Rooney that is English

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He's not English.

Luka Van der Bale said:

He's not English.

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My bad, just ignorantly assumed it, Irish?

He is English but plays for Scotland.

Yeah I assumed he was pure Scottish because he plays for them.

tiger666 said:

He is English but plays for Scotland.

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In which case he considers himself Scottish, not English. He said it in an interview on Football Focus.

That's a hell of a lot of info from Akqayid. It certainly gives us plenty to mull over, even though most will most likely fail to materialise.

It will be a relief to see Vertonghen officially announced that's for sure. But with Nelsen heading out the door we have to ask ourselves, is it an upgrade?

Remy is another one that has dragged on and it would be great to tie that deal up as well. With him being out of the Euros it gives us a bit more time to work on.

The one that has dragged on longest however is Leandro. I sure hope this transfer is settled this summer. I would absolutely love us to sign Verts, Remy and Leandro before the Euros. I doubt it will happen but it would be a huge statement of intent from Daniel Levy.

Lloris has to be the other French player. I can't see it being Diarra because we already have good cover in that position. But Llloris would be a dream signing really. If we managed to pull off Lloris and Vertonghen our defence would seriously improve for next season.

I can't imagine we can attract any Bayern players but the ITK doesn't say we will, I think it simply means we're trying. It's no different to the Real Madrid players we looked at, even including Kaka. We have history of at least trying to sign big in the hope we pull off another Klinsmann. If you don't try you'll never succeed. I doubt any of us would have believe we would sign Van Der Vaart.

The player I imagine we're looking at is Robben. We've shown interest before and he would fit into the system we're playing more these days. I can't imagine we stand a chance particularly with his wages. But it would not surprise me if we're at least trying. He did sign a new contract recently though so the price would be very high now. Although with Bayern fans turning on him I wouldn't be surprised to see him leave.

Losing Modric would be a big blow, but if we could get a few top quality players in first it would soften the blow. If we do sell him then it simply has to be abroad. If we could get a couple of quality players in the deal then that would be great. We may struggle to convince Real Madrid players to join us but we could pull of another VDV. I'd be happy with Sahin in that deal. Only then could we consider loaning THudd.

There's a bit of conflicting news in refernce to Harry. On the one hand it says he has no say in the deals so no Rio, on the other it says he's talking to Joe Cole. I just don't believe these links. Harry is always getting linked with former players and this is no different. Harry is a smart man and he knows these aren't the players to take us to the next level. Sure we signed Saha and Nelsen but they were only stop gaps to replace Pav and Bassong until the summer.

Finally, the Beko logo should look smart on our new shirt.

Regardless very very good young player, finishes well; very composed.

strader said:

Everyone sells players from their first XL, at one point we are gonna sell modric for the right price. If the price is right then he goes. Come to think about it their GK took a pen

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I know the situation of Bayern Munich. And so I know the management. They have enogh money, and the players are simply not to sell. And for sure not to a Europe League contender who can't offer high wages. Sorry, but there is no sense to believe we can get a good player of them...

Living Legend Colm G said:

In which case he considers himself Scottish, not English. He said it in an interview on Football Focus.

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In which case he feels he can walk into the Scottish team but never be good enough for England? Sullyesqe.

Aren't the Bayern fans pretty anti-Robben?

Rob said:

Aren't the Bayern fans pretty anti-Robben?

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even some chavski fans I know were pretty anti-robben during his time there though. which is nothing strange considering how much of a prick he is...

Rob said:

Aren't the Bayern fans pretty anti-Robben?

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True Bayern Munich fans aren't anti-Robben... only some stupid idiots

SO this thread has swung from talking about Neuer and Schweinsteiger (two of the best players in the world) to Steven Fletcher. Really is silly season!

OK Fletcher has done alright at Wolves, but you guys seriously think he would better for us than Saha? Thats straight up crazy talk! Fletcher has had a few good games (mainly against us) but I wouldn't say he has enough about him to be of benefit to us. If Defoe can not play in this system then Fletcher has no chance.

As the 1 striker system continues to just become more and more widely used, if you have 1 striker on the pitch why would you want Fletcher over Defoe or Saha?

hybridsoldier said:

SO this thread has swung from talking about Neuer and Schweinsteiger (two of the best players in the world) to Steven Fletcher. Really is silly season!

OK Fletcher has done alright at Wolves, but you guys seriously think he would better for us than Saha? Thats straight up crazy talk! Fletcher has had a few good games (mainly against us) but I wouldn't say he has enough about him to be of benefit to us. If Defoe can not play in this system then Fletcher has no chance.

As the 1 striker system continues to just become more and more widely used, if you have 1 striker on the pitch why would you want Fletcher over Defoe or Saha?

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Saha's leg's have gone, and Defoe is a midget.

Fletcher is good in the air, gets on the end of crosses, and works hard. He could play a lone striker role, and would get more service than at Wolves. I think we could do worse for a player to deputise for Adebayor, if we even sign the latter.

cockeral said:

U obviously haven't watched Fletcher that much then if u honestly believe that. Think he's better and more useful than both Defoe and saha

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I have. He's not that good.

Just because he did okay in a struggling/average side doesn't mean he's decent. See: Steve Sidwell, Bobby Zamora, Andy Johnson and many more.

And Christ, Defoe doesn't get nearly enough credit on here.

Wellspurs said:

In which case he feels he can walk into the Scottish team but never be good enough for England? Sullyesqe.

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No mate, my point being that its wound me up for years the fact that some people can't accept some people choose to play for the nation they believe they belong to. If I ever was lucky enough to have been a pro footballer than I would have given ANYTHING to play for Ireland as that is the place my parents are from and Its the place I have always called home even though I was born and bred in London. Quite simply, if the almost impossible happened and Ireland were to not want me but England offered me the chance......I would have declined because as I say it would be Ireland or nothing. Maybe Rhodes is the same and the way he spoke about the pride his dad Andy felt playing for Scotland, than I am inclined to believe him.