European Soccer Part XIII

[Bob Gray]

Serie A matches were on gol tv last year. I watched a fair amount of Serie A football there. I don't know if that'll carry through to this coming season or not.

I was always annoyed that they showed German soccer last year primetime saturday morning when most of the EPL games were being played. I wouldn't mind some other European games on tape delay for in odd hours, particularly La Liga, but most of the non-EPL leagues only have 1-2 teams that I would have any real interest in watching. I wish they would shown English Nationwide (or whatever ridiculous name they changed it to) games on top of the EPL coverage. Then Chuck and I could cheer on Wolves as they try to bounce back to the top league!

Hard to believe the EPL is almost ready to start up again. While I'm glad as a fan, I can't believe how little break the players get.

[BigPieps]

Originally posted by Bob Gray
Serie A matches were on gol tv last year. I watched a fair amount of Serie A football there. I don't know if that'll carry through to this coming season or not.

I don't think I get that :(

[Don King]

Originally posted by Bob Gray
Tucson is a decent place as long as you don't become a U of A fan. What brings you to AZ?

Funny you should mention those two things in a row... I'm moving to Tucson for graduate school at the U of A. :D

The Vieira-to-Madrid rumors are picking up. Forgive me if I panic. :(

[3W]

I wonder how many millions of dollars it would take to kill Setanta one and for all and actually get a live European match or two each week on free TV.

Just a thought.

[Nathan]

I love the idea of having more English matches shown. The Bundesliga bored me to tears this season, and the broadcast of the Eredivisie was terrible. I could hardly see the matches because the transfer was so bad.

[Bob Gray]

Originally posted by Don King
Funny you should mention those two things in a row... I'm moving to Tucson for graduate school at the U of A. :D

The Vieira-to-Madrid rumors are picking up. Forgive me if I panic. :(
Well, I guess the fact that you will be a Wildcat is balanced out by the positives of you being an Arsenal fan!

I haven't paid that much attention to the Vieira stuff, as I haven't seen anything that makes me think it's very solid. Agents in European soccer seem to stir the pot more than they should, which I think is probably the case here. I have a hard time seeing Vieira leave Arsenal after last season's success and the team chemistry, etc.

[Terrierbyassociation]

Charlton has reported Chelsea for breaking the agreement that was made with the Scott Parker deal regarding the loan of Carlton Cole, the striker that was loaned to Charlton last season.

Part of the deal was that Cole would not be loaned to another Premiership club, and Chelsea has gone against their word and loaned him to Aston Villa. Which obviously is another Premiership club.

So Charlton has to bring in lawyers to reign in the big boys.

[Bob Gray]

The new Chelski coach, Mourinho, is a real piece of work. In sending off Crespo for a yearlong loan in Italy, Mourinho stated that he doesn't want players on his team that have any kind of off field problems, as apparently Crespo was having some difficulty adjusting to life in England. I'm not giving justice to the flavor of it, as it really came across as a crass attitude that he doens't want to have to deal with players situations at all.

[nubobcat]

Arsenal complete signing of Flamini


Arsenal have tonight completed the signing of France Under-21 international Mathieu Flamini from Marseille.


The midfielder, 20, has signed what the Gunners have described as a 'long-term' contract' after he was the target of criticism from Marseille coach Jose Anigo for agreeing to Arsenal's advances.


Manager Arsene Wenger said: 'We're very pleased to welcome Mathieu to the club. He may be young, but already he has a good level of top flight experience.

'He is very powerful and plays with great creativity, both as a defensive and attacking midfielder, and will be a tremendous addition to our squad.'

Flamini added on the club's official website: 'I am really happy to be joining a club which has been so successful in recent times and throughout its long history.

'The squad is full of top class players and I know that I will learn a lot from them all.

'It's a very exciting time for me, and I'm looking forward to meeting up with my new team-mates very soon.'

Bringing in Flamini enables Wenger to strengthen his midfield in the face of increasing speculation over Patrick Vieira's future.

French reports suggest Flamini has signed a four-year deal after a rejecting a senior contract with Marseille, much to Anigo's chagrin.

'This is a beautiful treason. He (Flamini) used me,' Anigo said.

Anigo had hoped Flamini would sign a permanent deal with Marseille, for whom he made 14 league appearances last season, but believes the player was tempted by the financial rewards on offer at Highbury.

'It's good money-wise that he hasn't signed for us. His sporting argument, that he feared he would play less, is no longer valid,' Anigo added on Marseille club website.

'This story has brought me to one conclusion: from now on, I'll no longer play anyone in the league who hasn't signed a professional contract.

'That deals a blow to me, because the team is all I am bothered about. But my view in that regard will never be the same again.'

Born in Marseille, Flamini established himself in the first team during the second half of last season, and also played a significant role in helping the team reach the UEFA Cup final.

As Flamini arrives, former England international Ray Parlour is expected to leave for Middlesbrough after not travelling with the rest of the squad to Slovenia for tonight's friendly against Maribor.

And sources in Holland suggest Tunisian full-back Hatem Trabelsi is close to agreeing a switch from Dutch giants Ajax, who did not include him in the squad which played QPR in a friendly yesterday.

[MavrckMngr]

Originally posted by Terrierbyassociation
The away kit for Arsenal looks outstanding. The home...meh. Keep the old home kit.

Liverpool's away jersey...crikey, it looks like an Aussie National Team jersey.

Yech.

At least Charlton's are still pretty.
And Crystal Palace's rock.

Palace always has great shirts. I'm an Avs fan so I guess I'm biased, but you can't ever go wrong with red and navy. :p

Man City's home shirt is pretty decent, although the last time MCFC had a similar design, one of our players, well, you know, died. However, the new away shirt is waaaaaaaaay beyond pug-fugly.

[Jon]

I'm going to Liverpool/Celtic in Hartford on Monday. :D

Should be fun if only for the world's largest singing of "You Never Walk Alone"... :)

[Bob Gray]

I can't say I know much about the players Wenger is picking up these days, but they sound like the diamond in the rough type players that he has a pretty good eye for picking up.

The Vieira transfer rumors continue. I'm starting to get a little worried, as I heard some comments from a pretty reliable Gunner source that Vieira was on his way to Madrid for 39 million Euros and then Emerson is on his way to Arsenal for 13 million.

[Don King]

Originally posted by Bob Gray
The Vieira transfer rumors continue. I'm starting to get a little worried, as I heard some comments from a pretty reliable Gunner source that Vieira was on his way to Madrid for 39 million Euros and then Emerson is on his way to Arsenal for 13 million.

Geez, thanks Bob, now I won't panic at all. :( What's the probable drop-dead date for this kind of thing to happen?

[Craig P.]

I wouldn't think there'd be a true drop-dead until the transfer window closes at the end of August.

[Don King]

Originally posted by Craig P.
I wouldn't think there'd be a true drop-dead until the transfer window closes at the end of August.

'Tis true. But I would imagine that, if Vieira plays for Arsenal on the Premiership opening weekend, there's probably a pretty good chance that he's gonna stay in north London for the season. And we can't be too far from the beginning of preseason training-- friendlies have already begun.

The other thing is, I think that Arsenal (with Vieira, of course) has at least as good of a chance of winning Europe as Real Madrid does, if not a BETTER chance. Though they've never made it past the quarterfinals, sometimes it takes a few years of losses to understand just what it takes to win the whole thing, and I think Arsenal's to that point. They're a team that hasn't lost a league game for fourteen months now, that has lost one FA Cup match in the past three years. They've got the talent and the experience. Why not Arsenal in Europe in '05?

Then again: I would say that, wouldn't I? :D

[nubobcat]

FSW is showing the replay of yesterdays Celtic-Chelsea match up right now.

[Terrierbyassociation]

Soccernet is reporting that Tiago and C. Ronaldo are playing for the Portuguese squad in the Olympics. That means they'll miss the first 6 games of the season.

Btw, is there a more hated manager right now that Mourinho? He capatilizes on his team being the best divers in Europe, and then starts throwing around the fact that Chelski can't lose. Great. Not only did I already hate Chelsea with a burning passion, I want them to play horribly this next year, so that that punk gets fired.

[Craig P.]

Luis Boa Morte for Fulham will also reportedly be playing in the Olympics (which is nice from a YA POV, since it likely means less competition for McBride).

[Terrierbyassociation]

Viera to Real Madrid.

It's official. Arsenal better get 25 million plus for him.

[FerrisLives]

FC Porto is going to become rich taking all of Chelsea's money. They've signed away Carvalho for 30 million Euros. What a rip off. Chelsea also paid a fortune for Paolo Ferreira to Porto.