Summer Transfer Thread 2015: Post here about Africans you've never heard of

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Ray Parlour > Summer Transfer Thread 2015: Post here about Africans you've never heard of

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blue footed boobie: Sep 14, 2012; UEFA SUPREMACY

I bet Wengy buys Cech and then just some kids.

Also I guess this is the right place for this; Suarez apparently has an autobiography and talked about the Arsenal deal:

quote:

The desire to get away in the summer of 2013 was the accumulation of various things. The previous season had seen us fail to get into the champions league; I had been given a ten game ban for biting Ivanovic and was back to being public enemy number one. I was unable even to take my little girl to the park in peace and I felt under siege with the paparazzi following me and my family wherever I went. I think most people would struggle with to cope with that level of negative attention. It was getting to me and upsetting the lives of the people I love most. I’m not a robot, I have feelings. And I was mostly feeling miserable at the time.

I was tired of seeing myself in the papers all the time. I was tired of: ‘Suarez is this’ and ‘Suarez is that’. I was tired of everybody pontificating about me and my actions. If it wasn’t the Prime Minister then it was the manager of this team or that team and I just thought: ‘I can’t stand this anymore. I want out’. I just wanted to leave England. I thought Sofi and the children and I would all be better off elsewhere.

I was conscious of the fact that I had done something wrong on the pitch. I had accepted my punishment, apologised, and still the critics kept on. I couldn’t see a way out and I thought it was going to be virtually impossible to come back and start playing again in England. In my confused state, getting out of the country seemed like the only solution.

I was also still not playing in the Champions League. I was approaching my twenty-seventh birthday and I was looking at another season outside of Europe’s top competition. I was aware of a clause I my contract that meant if Liverpool finished outside the Champions League I could negotiate a move away provided a buying club offered over £40 million for me. So I had the reasons to leave; I had the contractual right to do so; and if the rumours were to be believed I had clubs who were interested in me too. It was down to my representative, Pere Guardiola, to find out what the options were. He didn’t have it easy. I was the guy who had just been banned for ten games for biting someone and a year earlier had been accused of being a racist. I think there were big clubs who thought I’d bring problems and damage their image. Part of me thought: ‘Judge me on what I do on the pitch’ – but then again, the biting incidents happened on the pitch. There were clubs that showed an interest, but only one officially made a bid that went over the £40m threshold: Arsenal. This was not going to get any less complicated and the deeper in I got, the more torn I became, the more confused and unsure, but one idea kept resurfacing: I have to go. I wanted out because I wanted out of England, but there was also my frustration at not being able to play in the Champions League. Now here was a club that was in the Champions League, but was still in England. My head was all over the place. Would this move be the answer or would it create even more problems? I didn’t know what to do. I was not training well; emotionally, I was not right. I wanted people to understand why I wanted to leave but I was just being seen as the greedy player with no loyalty, something that is very far from the truth.

Because Arsenal had emerged as the club most interested in signing me, I started to wonder whether a change of city might have the same effect as a change of country. I told myself that it’s easier for players to become anonymous in London and that was what I wanted. I couldn’t walk down the street or go to a supermarket in peace any more. My family felt under pressure too. I had told Pere that I couldn’t go to another club in England. There had been too much abuse and too much attention; there were the three cars of photographers following me and my family out of our house and the four cars that would follow us home. If you can’t walk down to the end of the street in peace, it’s time to go. But maybe, I now told myself, London was an option. A big city; a chance to get lost and to play Champions League football. Deep down, it wasn’t what I really wanted, but I began to tell myself that this might work. The doubts resurfaced quickly, though. Going to Arsenal had the potential to be even worse. I would still be in the same country only I would have Liverpool fans against me as well as everybody else. I was about to alienate the only people who had really stood by me, people whose support I had been so grateful for.

I’ve never really thought about what would have happened if Liverpool had accepted Arsenal’s bid. Would I have become an Arsenal player? I would have regretted it and I’m not just saying that because of the way things turned out for the team – I don’t know what position Liverpool would have finished in 13/14 without me or in what position Arsenal would have finished with me – but the regret would have eaten away at me when I saw the Liverpool supporters and when they saw me in the shirt of one of their rivals.

There was one reason for going to Arsenal and that was the European football they offered. I had tried to convince myself that it was the key when really the key was getting away from it all; it was as if I was on the rebound. I was grasping for a way out, telling myself that anything would be better. I just needed to do something, I didn’t know what, but something.

That was where Steven Gerrard came in. He assured me that if I stayed at Liverpool we would be back in the Champions League in just one season. If I was going to leave Liverpool, he said, I should only do it for one of the giant clubs abroad. I shouldn’t take a move that did not entirely convince. If I was going to go it had to be the right move and for the right reasons. We exchanged text messages while I was in Japan with Uruguay, then spoke at Melwood. I had been training apart from the Liverpool team before the trip, but I did have a knock, otherwise I think I would have been with the group. This wasn’t an attempt to force my way out – Stevie knew that. He understood. He told me to wait. There was no point missing what could be a big season for Liverpool and the chance to make it up to the fans after the ban, and no point in leaving unless it was for a huge new football challenge. Something clicked inside my head after speaking with him. I came away thinking: ‘I’ve fought so hard to get where I am today as a player I’m not going to ruin it all for something stupid, an ill-thought-out and wrong turn in my career. I had thought that moving on was the answer; now I was convinced that it wasn’t.

It doesn't really seem to jive with the way I remember things going down, but it's interesting that he still thinks he had a release clause and Liverpool just said "no."

blue footed boobie fucked around with this message at 18:09 on Jun 28, 2015

# ? Jun 28, 2015 18:05

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# ? Jun 11, 2024 06:02

DEAD MAN'S SHOE: Nov 23, 2003; We will become evil and the stars will come alive

There was in fact a 40m release clause but they flat out denied it following that infamous bid

John Henry posted:

What we've found � is that contracts don't seem to mean a lot in England � actually, in world football.

It doesn't matter how long a player's contract is, he can decide he's leaving. We sold a player, Fernando Torres, for �50m, that we did not want to sell, we were forced to.

Since apparently these contracts don't seem to hold, we took the position that we're just not selling.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/mar/02/liverpool-john-henry-luis-suarez-clause

# ? Jun 28, 2015 18:16

Shoren: Apr 6, 2011; victoria concordia crescit

Henry bluffed by saying that there was no release clause and bet that Arsenal wouldn't take them to court over it.

# ? Jun 28, 2015 18:45

Vegetable: Oct 22, 2010

And now in the eyes of the law Arsenal are giant pussies

# ? Jun 28, 2015 18:57

blue footed boobie: Sep 14, 2012; UEFA SUPREMACY

I thought that quote turned out to be fake, but it seems that I've imagined that.

# ? Jun 28, 2015 19:17

Ewar Woowar: Feb 25, 2007

John Henry is cool.

# ? Jun 28, 2015 21:56

Breath Ray: Nov 19, 2010

Part of me thought: ‘Judge me on what I do on the pitch’ – but then again, the biting incidents happened on the pitch.

# ? Jun 28, 2015 22:46

dkj: Feb 18, 2009

T Bowl posted:

Cech, Schneiderlin, and Vidal... ok if that happened i'd be fine with no other transfers.

Too bad I think all 3 are still unlikely, no matter what's been said about Cech.

Sure you wouldn't want them to put in a bid for Messi?

# ? Jun 28, 2015 22:55

TelekineticBear!: Feb 19, 2009

Breath Ray posted:

Part of me thought: ‘Judge me on what I do on the pitch’ – but then again, the biting incidents happened on the pitch.

ftw

# ? Jun 28, 2015 23:25

PerpetualSelf: Apr 6, 2015; by Ralp

Arsenal is a poo poo club. Hope Ospina joins Real Madrid or something.

# ? Jun 28, 2015 23:30

8raz: Jun 22, 2007; He's Scouse, He's Sound.

blue footed boobie posted:

It doesn't really seem to jive with the way I remember things going down

Makes you think.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 00:48

T Bowl: Feb 6, 2006; Shut up DUMMY

dkj posted:

Sure you wouldn't want them to put in a bid for Messi?

Nah we have Giroud, Walcott,and Welbeck, duh.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 00:48

dkj: Feb 18, 2009

Breath Ray posted:

Part of me thought: ‘Judge me on what I do on the pitch’ – but then again, the biting incidents happened on the pitch.

Wasn't he racist on the pitch too?

# ? Jun 29, 2015 01:48

Barvo: Feb 19, 2008; by Ralp

dkj posted:

Wasn't he racist on the pitch too?

He was never racist

# ? Jun 29, 2015 01:57

corpuscollossus: Apr 19, 2007

Several sources saying Arsenal have made a �13m bid for the strapping Ezequiel Garay from Zenit. Anyone know anything about him?

# ? Jun 29, 2015 09:42

Ewar Woowar: Feb 25, 2007

Clyne should go bold in the next day I would imagine.

Just need to pick up a quality striker really and I'll be pretty stoked. We seem to be linked strongly with a lot of central midfielders too so I would be surprised if we didn't pick up one too. Doubly so if Lucas leaves- which I imagine he will.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 10:13

Breath Ray: Nov 19, 2010

corpuscollossus posted:

Several sources saying Arsenal have made a £13m bid for the strapping Ezequiel Garay from Zenit. Anyone know anything about him?

Soccer style kicker graduated from Collier High June 1976, Stetson University honors graduate class of 1980, holds 2 NCAA Division One records, one for most points in a season, one for distance, former nickname "The Mule," the first and only pro-athlete ever to come out of Collier County and one hell of a model American.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 10:52

MrBling: Aug 21, 2003; Oozing machismo

Turns out the Vidal to Arsenal rumours were just some guy on twitter making up journalist quotes.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 13:31

generally I prefer: Apr 17, 2006

MrBling posted:

Turns out the Vidal to Arsenal rumours were just some guy on twitter making up journalist quotes.

Anyone who thought that they were for real is real dumb, op.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 13:48

Akileese: Feb 6, 2005

MrBling posted:

Turns out the Vidal to Arsenal rumours were just some guy on twitter making up journalist quotes.

It actually gets better. The journalist retweeted him, went onto Argentine TV and then parroted his own stuff from the imaginary radio talk.

You cannot make this poo poo up. I mean you can...but holy poo poo.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 14:31

trem_two: Oct 22, 2002; it is better if you keep saying I'm fat, as I will continue to score goals; Fun Shoe

Guangzhou Evergrande announced the signing of Paulinho from Tottenham, �14M fee.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 14:36

blue footed boobie: Sep 14, 2012; UEFA SUPREMACY

Akileese posted:

It actually gets better. The journalist retweeted him, went onto Argentine TV and then parroted his own stuff from the imaginary radio talk.

You cannot make this poo poo up. I mean you can...but holy poo poo.

yeah IDG this part at all. The journalist retweeted a made-up quote of himself?

# ? Jun 29, 2015 14:38

shoplifter: May 23, 2001; bored before I even began

trem_two posted:

Guangzhou Evergrande announced the signing of Paulinho from Tottenham, �14M fee.

Levy, you evil genius.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 14:51

MrBling: Aug 21, 2003; Oozing machismo

trem_two posted:

Guangzhou Evergrande announced the signing of Paulinho from Tottenham, �14M fee.

Thats some good business for a player that cost �8m.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 14:56

sassassin: Apr 3, 2010; by Azathoth

MrBling posted:

Thats some good business for a player that cost �8m.

BBC say he cost �17m?

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:03

shoplifter: May 23, 2001; bored before I even began

That's what I remember reading but I'm not sure anyone knows what the details of the fee were as far as incentives that weren't met. I'm sure either way Spurs took a hit on him, even if a small amount in the end but to offload him for that is nothing short of a miracle.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:18

blue footed boobie: Sep 14, 2012; UEFA SUPREMACY

Cech to Arsenal is a done deal

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150629/petr-cech-agrees-to-join-arsenal

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:32

sassassin: Apr 3, 2010; by Azathoth

Long term contract for a 33 year old with a broken head. Arsene knows.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:37

T Bowl: Feb 6, 2006; Shut up DUMMY

blue footed boobie posted:

Cech to Arsenal is a done deal

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150629/petr-cech-agrees-to-join-arsenal

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:38

T Bowl: Feb 6, 2006; Shut up DUMMY

sassassin posted:

Long term contract for a 33 year old with a broken head. Arsene knows.

Cech will be playing til he's 40, it's fine.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:40

Bea Nanner: Oct 20, 2003; Je suis excité!

blue footed boobie posted:

Cech to Arsenal is a done deal

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150629/petr-cech-agrees-to-join-arsenal

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:45

Breath Ray: Nov 19, 2010

sassassin posted:

Long term contract for a 33 year old with a broken head. Arsene knows.

lol

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:47

Breath Ray: Nov 19, 2010

He needs to have his head examined. Cech too haha

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:47

Hashtag Banterzone: Dec 8, 2005; Lifetime Winner of the willkill4food Honorary Bad Posting Award in PWM

Arsenal doesn't have the best track record with signing players from the previous season's premier league winners.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:47

paddyboat: Feb 20, 2013; Maxi, Maxi Rodriguez
Run down the wing for me

Barca-knowers, is Bobby Adekanye really "The Nigerian Messi"?

He looks like Aly Cissokho's little brother.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:56

Machinegunboyo: Apr 26, 2010; life is good

blue footed boobie posted:

Cech to Arsenal is a done deal

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150629/petr-cech-agrees-to-join-arsenal

quote:

The transfer is subject to the completion of regulatory processes.

Not quite a done deal? Mods

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:57

T Bowl: Feb 6, 2006; Shut up DUMMY

Yeah you guys are right he's totally poo poo now that's why Chelsea sold him. Hahaha foolish Arsenal.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:58

triple sulk: Sep 17, 2014

blue footed boobie posted:

Cech to Arsenal is a done deal

http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/20150629/petr-cech-agrees-to-join-arsenal

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:59

Gigi Galli: Sep 19, 2003; and then the car turned in to fire

Machinegunboyo posted:

Not quite a done deal? Mods

Eh, it's on the club website, will let this one slide.

# ? Jun 29, 2015 15:59

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# ? Jun 11, 2024 06:02

blue footed boobie: Sep 14, 2012; UEFA SUPREMACY

Machinegunboyo posted:

Not quite a done deal? Mods

https://twitter.com/PetrCech/status/615527561918025728

# ? Jun 29, 2015 16:04

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Sports Argument Stadium > The Ray Parlour > Summer Transfer Thread 2015: Post here about Africans you've never heard of

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