Transfer Talk, Rumours and Speculation

[Jacques Le Cube]

1 hour ago, Heart of Melbourne said:

Please no. Fuck, he's another murdocca

He is a much better pass, scores more goals and he is taller than Murdocca. I think he is one of the better Australian midfielders in the A-League but there have always been questions about his attitude (rightly or wrongly) since his Bleiberg comments and the way he left Adelaide.

On a side note, are we looking at any players that haven't played for Adelaide?

[Kiro Kompiro]

No to lustica.  Enough of these midget Dugandzic-esque players.

[Andrew Edmonds]

Samuel Eto'o has appointed agents to try and strike a deal in the A-League. Maybe change of formation with the new assistant and him as other marquee? Don't know how he'd be in the league though.

[Falastur]

On 13/05/2016 at 0:09 PM, Andrew Edmonds said:

Samuel Eto'o has appointed agents to try and strike a deal in the A-League. Maybe change of formation with the new assistant and him as other marquee? Don't know how he'd be in the league though.

Not that I'm trying to knock the A-League or Australia but that's a very pointed ambition isn't it? It's one thing (and entirely understandable) if he's been approached by a club or clubs, but if he hasn't then it's a very specific focus to want to go to the A-League. This is a player who has not played in either the US or China, which are generally the two countries you associate for players looking for a payday, so he's hardly exhausted his opportunities in those countries, where he must surely be able to earn far more than here. Alternatively, if he wants to play at the highest level he can then - again, no offence - you suspect height do better by staying in Turkey, perhaps. 

Not saying I don't believe it can be true, but if it is then you have to believe that there's something more to it. 

[wombegongal]

2 hours ago, Falastur said:

Not that I'm trying to knock the A-League or Australia but that's a very pointed ambition isn't it? It's one thing (and entirely understandable) if he's been approached by a club or clubs, but if he hasn't then it's a very specific focus to want to go to the A-League. This is a player who has not played in either the US or China, which are generally the two countries you associate for players looking for a payday, so he's hardly exhausted his opportunities in those countries, where he must surely be able to earn far more than here. Alternatively, if he wants to play at the highest level he can then - again, no offence - you suspect height do better by staying in Turkey, perhaps. 

Not saying I don't believe it can be true, but if it is then you have to believe that there's something more to it. 

I'd say Mourinho was right and he is older than his passport said and can't get offers else where. Looked well and truly past it last time I saw him.

[Falastur]

26 minutes ago, wombegongal said:

I'd say Mourinho was right and he is older than his passport said and can't get offers else where. Looked well and truly past it last time I saw him.

Even in China? They pretty much pay players for their names, not their performances, anyway...

[HEARTinator]

On 13/05/2016 at 9:09 PM, Andrew Edmonds said:

Samuel Eto'o has appointed agents to try and strike a deal in the A-League. Maybe change of formation with the new assistant and him as other marquee? Don't know how he'd be in the league though.

Wouldn't be surprised if this had Sydney FC written all over it with FFA likely to give the Smurfs a leg up using the new Marquee Fund. But Eto'o is going to demand a multi-million dollar contract and there is no guarantee he'll do any better than Bruno, Mclaren or The Albanian did goal scoring wise this season while costing a ridiculous amount more. Would Eto'o put bums on seats just because of his name??? A waste of money IMO.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/a-league/ffa-hoping-marquee-fund-can-lure-likes-of-samuel-etoo-fernando-torres-tim-cahill-to-aleague/news-story/2577d18da83e5ab33fd14f7f0190e6a6

***************************************************************

FFA hoping marquee fund can lure likes of Samuel Eto’o, Fernando Torres, Tim Cahill to A-League

May 12, 2016 6:39pm

 

Tom SmithiesThe Daily Telegraph

 

FORMER Barcelona and Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o is the first name on a short list of potential glamour signings for the A-League as the competition’s new marquee fund is finalised.

The 10 A-League clubs will be formally briefed next week on the criteria for signing stars whose salary could be augmented by Football Federation Australia’s multi-million-dollar fund.

Could Fernando Torres play in next season’s A-League competition?

Emboldened by what is effectively a marketing budget designed to add star dust to the competition, A-League bosses hope the clubs will be able to move quickly on a list of names already highlighted as coming off contract and potentially available.

Though Eto’o is under contract at Antalyaspor in Turkey, it’s understood he has appointed an agent to make overtures to A-League clubs, with FFA having indicated his would be a signing it would support financially.

Once European clubs formally release players in coming days, A-League clubs and a number of leading player agents will be encouraged to make contact with those off contract or who it’s believed could secure a release, to test the possibility of them coming to Australia.

Players coming off contract include Fernando Torres at Atletico Madrid, Mikel Arteta at Arsenal and Emmanuel Adebayor at Crystal Palace. Torres has an offer on the table to stay at Atletico but also interest from the MLS and the Chinese Super League, having told Spanish media he wants to decide his future before the Champions League final on May 28.

Though the offer from China will dwarf any other, A-League officials have told clubs they hope that a significant financial offer twinned with a lifestyle pitch is worth making to any player.

Tim Cahill is also likely to be a leading figure in discussions, despite the spat between him and FFA in January over the extent of the latter’s desire to bring him back to the A-League.

They may have had their differences but the FFA would love to lure Tim Cahill to the A-League.

Cahill comes off contract next month with Hangzhou Greentown and remains by some way the Socceroo with most box-office appeal.

Seven-figure support could be made available from head office for a candidate who could have a effect similar to Alessandro Del Piero on the A-League, with potential signings clearly needing the potential to add to attendances home and away, as well as drive up TV ratings.

Outgoing A-League boss Damien de Bohun confirmed that clubs were being urged to move quickly.

“The timing is perfect with the end of the European season looming and a number of top-class players coming on to the market,” said de Bohun.

“Now is the time for clubs to explore all options”.

Samuel Eto'o is top of the FFA recruitment list.

“The key difference with the new marquee fund is that FFA wants to be involved at the start of any discussions, instead of the back-end. Any investment that FFA makes will be based on clear criteria that will see the marquee player impact the entire league, not just one club or one market.

“The clubs will still need to carry the substantial part of the investment, but FFA will build out a package to make the A-League a highly desirable destination.”

[Shahanga]

On 2 May 2016 at 10:36 PM, malloy said:

 

 

On 13 May 2016 at 9:09 PM, Andrew Edmonds said:

Samuel Eto'o has appointed agents to try and strike a deal in the A-League. Maybe change of formation with the new assistant and him as other marquee? Don't know how he'd be in the league though.

Didn't he retire about 10 years ago?

Might go alright in NPL I guess.

Just read the above post. This is why FFA shouldn't get involved in recruitment, they don't know what they are doing. 

Edited May 15, 2016 by Shahanga

[jw1739]

Just remove the salary cap and let clubs manage their own affairs FFS.

[johnno cpfc]

Removing the salary cap has got to come soon rather than later for me anyway, it is becoming more and more difficult to recruit good potential a league players particularly in some positions (defence in particular) as we all know. I also want the league to become autonamous before too long which would let the clubs decide on who they want for marque players and would in my opinion open the way for better signings and more spectator appeal thus increasing memberships etc.

[strider]

Arteta as marquee 

[Deviant]

6 hours ago, strider said:

Arteta as marquee 

I'd buy his shirt.

In saying that, i wonder how many KOREN shirts were handed back in the $30 offer the club had going. 

 

Nek minit: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/16/mikel-arteta-arsenal-retires-coaching-role

Edited May 16, 2016 by Deviant
Thought process escalation

[hakz7]

8 hours ago, strider said:

Arteta as marquee 

Gonna turn to coaching.

[Dylan]

5 minutes ago, hakz7 said:

Gonna turn to coaching.

Assistant/Marquee

[thisphantomfortress]

A year with Pep at City then will come to us like Viera did at NYCFC, continuing the fine CFG tradition of ex-Arsenal captains

[jeffplz]

Brattan leaving Manchester

 

 

[hakz7]

1 hour ago, jeffplz said:

Brattan leaving Manchester

 

 

Looks like he's leaving on tour with a band...

[jw1739]

1 hour ago, jeffplz said:

Brattan leaving Manchester

I don't see that it means that at all. But why believe some bloke on Twitter anyway?

[Tesla]

On 15/05/2016 at 9:30 PM, Falastur said:

Not that I'm trying to knock the A-League or Australia but that's a very pointed ambition isn't it? It's one thing (and entirely understandable) if he's been approached by a club or clubs, but if he hasn't then it's a very specific focus to want to go to the A-League. This is a player who has not played in either the US or China, which are generally the two countries you associate for players looking for a payday, so he's hardly exhausted his opportunities in those countries, where he must surely be able to earn far more than here. Alternatively, if he wants to play at the highest level he can then - again, no offence - you suspect height do better by staying in Turkey, perhaps. 

Not saying I don't believe it can be true, but if it is then you have to believe that there's something more to it. 

I think the problem is that people are assuming he has appointed agents to exclusively look for a deal in Australia. 

The reality is probably that he has  agents looking for a deal in China, USA, Australia, and other places. Basically anywhere were an ageing star can get one last pay day, and while Australia wouldn't be at the top of the list it's still an option worth exploring if he can't get more money elsewhere.

[Chris p]

On 16/05/2016 at 0:48 PM, johnno cpfc said:

Removing the salary cap has got to come soon rather than later for me anyway, it is becoming more and more difficult to recruit good potential a league players particularly in some positions (defence in particular) as we all know. I also want the league to become autonamous before too long which would let the clubs decide on who they want for marque players and would in my opinion open the way for better signings and more spectator appeal thus increasing memberships etc.

Not going to happen big boy 

[johnno cpfc]

So tell me something i don't know. But i still want it to happen and not too far into the future.

 

[jw1739]

2 hours ago, Chris p said:

Not going to happen big boy 

 

2 hours ago, johnno cpfc said:

So tell me something i don't know. But i still want it to happen and not too far into the future.

Because if it doesn't, the league will stumble along just as it does now with no growth. A mere 10 clubs prevented from bringing the players they want to the league to play the football they want to provide the entertainment they need to get the attendances, hype and media coverage they need to grow the game and hence attract new investment. Look what's happened so far this off-season - most of the clubs have disappeared off the public's agenda and are in snooze mode unless they're still in the ACL - because there's almost nothing to interest anyone. Consequently we'll have to try and crank up the public's interest from scratch come September/October. Every season is the same - the re-birth of the A-League.

[Chris p]

5 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

 

Because if it doesn't, the league will stumble along just as it does now with no growth. A mere 10 clubs prevented from bringing the players they want to the league to play the football they want to provide the entertainment they need to get the attendances, hype and media coverage they need to grow the game and hence attract new investment. Look what's happened so far this off-season - most of the clubs have disappeared off the public's agenda and are in snooze mode unless they're still in the ACL - because there's almost nothing to interest anyone. Consequently we'll have to try and crank up the public's interest from scratch come September/October. Every season is the same - the re-birth of the A-League.

 

Right, i fail to see how that correlates with the salary cap 

[NewConvert]

10 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

 

Because if it doesn't, the league will stumble along just as it does now with no growth. A mere 10 clubs prevented from bringing the players they want to the league to play the football they want to provide the entertainment they need to get the attendances, hype and media coverage they need to grow the game and hence attract new investment. Look what's happened so far this off-season - most of the clubs have disappeared off the public's agenda and are in snooze mode unless they're still in the ACL - because there's almost nothing to interest anyone. Consequently we'll have to try and crank up the public's interest from scratch come September/October. Every season is the same - the re-birth of the A-League.

Too many assumptions here. You are assuming that if the clubs bring in the players that attendances, hype and media interest will follow suit but that is a supposition and given the NSL's history I would suggest that it may not be warranted. Additionally, I don't believe that the EPL clubs are totally dependent on attendances, they rely more on broadcast monies, Champions/Europa League, winning prizes, and sponsors. I don't think that we could replicate the Champions/Europa Leagues and similarly we could not match prize winnings.

You also mention to attract new investment but what the clubs need is profitability and a positive cash flow.

The closest analogy I could think of are the Melbourne Festival and the International Comedy Festival. The Melbourne Festival began as the Spoletto Festival which is an Italian Festival transplanted to Melbourne but that was not as successful as was expected with heavy losses. It then became the Melbourne Festival and was reduced in size until it could grow enough and here we are talking about 20 years. Similarly, the Comedy Festival had to be rescued more than once from bankruptcy - it took a long time for it to grow organically and have its finances in the black.

Personally I am optimistic with younger players with better skills coming through will eventually see a bigger league. If for example CFG got $10M for Mooy that would attract interest and if was to make a successful career in Europe then that would bring more people to the sport. Organic growth is patient growth.

[heart_fan10]

I wonder if we were still Melbourne Heart under the previous owners if people would be happy with the salary cap removed 

[KSK_47]

42 minutes ago, heart_fan10 said:

I wonder if we were still Melbourne Heart under the previous owners if people would be happy with the salary cap removed 

Of course not!

I said it in another thread- when it comes to how i feel about the cap, i am like the poor student who is a staunch anti-capitalist but then gets a well paying job after graduating uni and suddenly starts calling anyone not wearing a suit a hippy and tells them to get a job and constantly complains that my tax dollars are paying for their lifestyle choices.

Now we are rich, i suddenly believe in an unregulated market

Edited May 18, 2016 by KSK_47

[belaguttman]

51 minutes ago, heart_fan10 said:

I wonder if we were still Melbourne Heart under the previous owners if people would be happy with the salary cap removed 

The previous owners wouldn't have cared either way. They had the money, they just had no interest in investing more than they did.

A part of AFL sponsorship is 'payment in kind', the media agrees to run continuous nothing stories about the AFL during the off-season so that it never disappears from public consciousness. The AFL usually has double the A League coverage during summer. What connects the issues of course is the FFA management of the League, no advertising or marketing during the season, less in the off-season, then we wonder why there is no growth or money for marquees

[heart_fan10]

FWIW I do agree the salary cap is low, but I don't agree that removing it is the solution. I think a gradual increase every season would be more suitable. 

I also like the idea of foreign players not being included in the cap at all.

Edited May 18, 2016 by heart_fan10

[playmaker]

1 hour ago, belaguttman said:

The previous owners wouldn't have cared either way. They had the money, they just had no interest in investing more than they did.

A part of AFL sponsorship is 'payment in kind', the media agrees to run continuous nothing stories about the AFL during the off-season so that it never disappears from public consciousness. The AFL usually has double the A League coverage during summer. What connects the issues of course is the FFA management of the League, no advertising or marketing during the season, less in the off-season, then we wonder why there is no growth or money for marquees

So what is the solution?

Is it to buy time on the airways.

Will it decrease ratings for the broadcasters especially in AFL centric Melbourne?

How about just flooding free general admission tickets to large companies, government public service etc, just to get people through the gates.

Don't know, but what you outlined really seems to be a barrier for football in Victoria. The radio jocks are still afl centric in their off season and the media tends to centre around afl and big bash.

Does this exist in other states as well.

One thing I did notice in Adelaide when I attended the semis, was that everyone knew about the game and were quite passionate about it and it seemed to overshadow the afl game that was going on. Media outlets were talking about it non stop for the afternoon prior and the day after. It seemed the afl took a back seat, but not sure what it is like during the normal season.

[fiji19]

Replace Fornaroli and Mooy with Di Natale and Totti

[Jovan]

8 hours ago, fiji19 said:

Replace Fornaroli and Mooy with Di Natale and Totti

Nope. Not old enough.

Paulo Rossi and Roberto Baggio more suited.

[hedaik]

10 hours ago, belaguttman said:

A part of AFL sponsorship is 'payment in kind', the media agrees to run continuous nothing stories about the AFL during the off-season so that it never disappears from public consciousness.

Assuming there is a conspiracy going on where all the media moguls meet up weekly and plan which sport to bring down and send TV representatives dressed up as Victory fans to throw bleach at people, wouldnt News Ltd prefer to be promoting off A-League which they have a monopoly on rather than promoting a sport which is primarily viewed on the FTA channels?

[NewConvert]

Actually the biggest promotional activity for football has been FIFA201x. So many kids are playing the game that they become interested in the real football. Too many people are concerned about traditional media strategies which has diminished in actual reach. I personally think that if Mooy nets about $10M for a transfer fee and a similar amount for his salary kids for whom sport is a the only option then would think twice about which path to follow.

[belaguttman]

I don't think that there's a conspiracy, but when the AFL announces its 100 gazillion dollar media rights deal, that isn't all in cash. Much of it is in equivalent air time on TV or radio and column inches in newspapers. If media outlets are then calculating on running 20 AFL stories a week then they make sure that they have the staff, and staff with the expertise Those writers may have little interest and certainly little knowledge about football..

[bt50]

8 minutes ago, NewConvert said:

Actually the biggest promotional activity for football has been FIFA201x. So many kids are playing the game that they become interested in the real football. Too many people are concerned about traditional media strategies which has diminished in actual reach. I personally think that if Mooy nets about $10M for a transfer fee and a similar amount for his salary kids for whom sport is a the only option then would think twice about which path to follow.

Can confirm that's probably what got me interested in club level football. Bit of that and a bit of the euphoria of the 06 World Cup

Edited May 18, 2016 by bt50

[thisphantomfortress]

11 minutes ago, NewConvert said:

Actually the biggest promotional activity for football has been FIFA201x. So many kids are playing the game that they become interested in the real football. Too many people are concerned about traditional media strategies which has diminished in actual reach. I personally think that if Mooy nets about $10M for a transfer fee and a similar amount for his salary kids for whom sport is a the only option then would think twice about which path to follow.

Basically how I got a bunch of my mates into football, now if only the FFA could capitalise on it.

[Jovan]

5 minutes ago, thisphantomfortress said:

Basically how I got a bunch of my mates into football, now if only the FFA could capitalise on it.

Just replace the FFA with EA sports (or whovere makes those games) to run the sport in this country. 

[hedaik]

5 minutes ago, thisphantomfortress said:

Basically how I got a bunch of my mates into football, now if only the FFA could capitalise on it.

By relocating Real Madrid and FC Barcelona to Sydney and having a 2 team competition?

[thisphantomfortress]

Just now, Jovan said:

Just replace the FFA

You could be onto something here...

[jw1739]

I think many are missing the point here. Promotion and gimmicks can only take mediocre entertainment so far. We've already seen that free tickets and similar have a very small influence on attendances. The fundamental thing the A-League has to do is improve the quality on the pitch, and then everything else will follow.