**OFFICIAL Association Football 2012/2013 Season thread**

[MickeyG]

Yeah, it is. There's been a fair bit of knuckle-dragging there from Millwall in the last few weeks so you'd like to think security will be high.

Especially if two teams from Germany are playing the final!

Lets not exclude West Ham fans either from the knuckle dragging. Inter City firm!

[pieceofme]

QPR and Reading relegated.

[Hellsinkey]

QPR and Reading relegated.

What's Cliff Byford's opinion? I can't remember a game where both teams got relegated.

[Tenacious_Dio]

I'm fascinated by the idea of relegation. There's no way that would work in American sports. If the Kansas City Chiefs got demoted to a 2nd tier league, they'd be playing in an empty stadium.

[Rageman]

I'm fascinated by the idea of relegation. There's no way that would work in American sports. If the Kansas City Chiefs got demoted to a 2nd tier league, they'd be playing in an empty stadium.

People in this country are strange

"I deserve only the best. I won't waste my time watching second rate sports"

Then shortly followed by their commentary on their favorite college football team which is second rate football.

I will never get that.

Relegation rules because there is no packing it in for poor performing teams at the end of the season.

[Hellsinkey]

Looks like now there's a real chance of Ronaldo retuning in the summer, which would be great. Ronaldo, Rooney and Van Persie together.

[pieceofme]

Looks like now there's a real chance of Ronaldo retuning in the summer, which would be great. Ronaldo, Rooney and Van Persie together.

Where did you hear that?

All I've heard is Ronaldo will either stay with Madrid or go to Paris St Germain.

[Hellsinkey]

Looks like now there's a real chance of Ronaldo retuning in the summer, which would be great. Ronaldo, Rooney and Van Persie together.

Where did you hear that?

All I've heard is Ronaldo will either stay with Madrid or go to Paris St Germain.

Manchester United feel they may finally have the financial package to force Real Madrid’s hand over a summer move for Cristiano Ronaldo, ESPN understands.






Associated Cristiano Ronaldo has over 100 international caps for Portugal


Speculation intensified in England on Tuesday over the forward’s potential return to Old Trafford, with the Sun reporting details of a bid.

ESPN wrote in January, however, that any future move was dependent on a number of circumstances aligning and United figures have privately indicated that is increasingly proving the case.

The biggest stumbling block has been the finances, particularly given Ronaldo’s age and the Old Trafford club’s previous attempts to balance their debt with a prudent financial policy.

Due to the Glazer family’s aggressive marketing, this summer’s significant new Premier League broadcasting deal and a number of huge sponsorship contracts, however, United expect to have a particularly high transfer budget this summer - possibly up to £20 million more than any close-season since 2007. They have also approached their main commercial partners about funding a bid. Whereas Nike said no, though, Chevrolet remain interested.

It is expected that any deal for Ronaldo would involve a fee of between £50 million and £70 million, although United may look to offset it by adding a player. Real, however, have already rejected the prospect of bringing Wayne Rooney to the Bernabeu.

One of the other key facets to any prospective deal is Ronaldo’s personal willingness to make it happen. The 28-year-old has indicated both privately and publicly that he will not sign a new deal with Real when his current contract runs out in 2015, and that will further leverage United’s position. Ronaldo is understood to be unwilling to wait around for another period of relative transition at the Bernabeu once Jose Mourinho makes his anticipated summer departure.

Since January, the Portuguese manager’s exit has effectively been confirmed and, unless Chelsea fail to qualify for the Champions League, the scene looks set for him to make a return to Stamford Bridge.

For his part, and as he now enters the prime of his career, Ronaldo greatly wants to work with Sir Alex Ferguson and United again. Should the chance arise, he would select a move to Old Trafford over Paris Saint-Germain, regardless of wage. The French club are also widely reported to be readying a bid. Ronaldo’s depth of feeling for his old manager and club, though, can genuinely not be understated.

United, though, have been keeping their options open at the same time. Ferguson told United Review: "Hopefully the players we bring into the club in the next year or so will be of the quality we need. We're competitive in the market - we're not Chelsea or Manchester City in terms of money but we're competitive.

"We've been doing a bit of work on that over the last three or four months, targeting who the players are that we feel could enhance us, make us better or help us maintain the level we're at."

Although they have looked at the possibility of a bid for Gareth Bale, any such move is apparently close to a “non-starter”. Not only are Tottenham reluctant to do business with United, the player himself favours a move to Real Madrid far above anyone else if he is to leave White Hart Lane.

The Old Trafford club do remain privately encouraged that a deal for Robert Lewandowski can yet be struck, following on from Ferguson’s comments at the weekend.

Although the Polish striker’s representatives are understood to have agreed the principals of a deal with Bayern Munich, there is nothing sorted with Borussia Dortmund, who are hugely reluctant to let their rivals buy a second of their key players after Mario Gotze.

Similarly, such baseline agreements are common practice for the agents of highly sought-after players, who will look to maximise their client’s opportunities. Lewandowski is known to have a number of other representatives exploring possibilities outside Germany - not least with United.

Again, much of that depends on the future of Rooney - who may yet leave for Paris Saint-Germain. It is set to be a summer of intrigue at Old Trafford.

http://espnfc.com/news/story?id=1430712&cc=5739

[pieceofme]

This was reported in the Sun so the reliablitiy of the source is hardly great.

If either Ronaldo, Bale or Lewandowski are signed I will be a happy man.

Even if it means letting go of Rooney.

[SebastianLeeDanzig]

Lewandowski already has an agreement with Bayern, according to pretty much the entire German football media. Apparently, those cocksuckers need no less than four national team center forwards (Poland, Croatia, Peru, and Germany), who all just happened to play for other Bundesliga teams before which could have become a threat.

God, I'm gonna throw up if they win the cup.

[pieceofme]

Lewandowski already has an agreement with Bayern, according to pretty much the entire German football media. Apparently, those cocksuckers need no less than four national team center forwards (Poland, Croatia, Peru, and Germany), who all just happened to play for other Bundesliga teams before which could have become a threat.

God, I'm gonna throw up if they win the cup.

Dortmand will win the final.

Enjoying Bayern destroying Barca atm though

6-0 aggregate atm

[Hellsinkey]

Lewandowski already has an agreement with Bayern, according to pretty much the entire German football media. Apparently, those cocksuckers need no less than four national team center forwards (Poland, Croatia, Peru, and Germany), who all just happened to play for other Bundesliga teams before which could have become a threat.

God, I'm gonna throw up if they win the cup.

Dortmand will win the final.

I hope so.

I hate that rubberface Thomas Muller. Good player and all, but every time he falls, it looks like he's dying and taking a shit at the same time.

[ShearMagic]

I think Bayern is going to win the final, but it would be crazy for them to lose a third final in four years.

How many players are going to be on that team come next january? Remember how fast Pep got rid of Zlatan when he didn't fit in Pep's team. This Bayern team is filled with big headed characters like Zlatan.

[SebastianLeeDanzig]

As much as I hate Bayern, I don't see many Zlatans in their rows. Robben is an obvious one, maybe Ribéry. But both are already replaceable by Xherdan Shaqiri, not to mention Mario Götze. I don't see any of the homegrown talent (which make up a big part of the team) butting heads with the star coach and being let go. Bayern might actually fire even Pep before, because that's how they roll.

[Hellsinkey]

Small article on Premier League bosses from their playing days.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... ECIAL.html

[Rageman]

Happy footy day.

Although you don't care about MLS, great matchup with a solid Columbus Crew squad hosting Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and the Red Bulls on NBC Sports Network

Also this cool piece by the Portland Timbers will make you smile

http://www.portlandtimbers.com/video/20 ... at-timbers

May the 4th be with you.

[pieceofme]

As much as I hate Bayern, I don't see many Zlatans in their rows. Robben is an obvious one, maybe Ribéry. But both are already replaceable by Xherdan Shaqiri, not to mention Mario Götze. I don't see any of the homegrown talent (which make up a big part of the team) butting heads with the star coach and being let go. Bayern might actually fire even Pep before, because that's how they roll.

This.

Robben is the only one really.

[MickeyG]

Dunno how much of a troublemaker Ribery is, he just likes to pay underage sluts for sex.

I think most managers come into a club giving all players a fair shot unless they've crossed paths before, fell out and can't forgive and forget. Fergie's one for holding a grudge.

[Rageman]

So who is going to replace Fergie? He can't be around much longer.

[MickeyG]

Klopp.

[Hellsinkey]

Mourinho

[MickeyG]

Anyone after that debacle today. Jones in midfield again, pure genius.

[Hellsinkey]

Neither looked like winning at anytime. Lucky deflection off Jones. Rafael's wasn't a red, Luiz was even laughing after he fell.

[Hellsinkey]

Fergie finally retires. Going to stay as a director. Too bad Pep and Mourinho look like going elsewhere. Moyes has been mentioned, but I hope it isn't him.

[Hellsinkey]

.

[MickeyG]

Hope to fuck it's not Moyes.

[pieceofme]

Hope to fuck it's not Moyes.

Likewise.

He has won fuckall in over 10 years. Possibly the most over-rated manager in England.

We will go the way of Liverpool if we hire him, except without the odd trophy!

[Rageman]

Bruce Arena


















I'm kidding.

[Hellsinkey]

Hope to fuck it's not Moyes.

Likewise.

He has won fuckall in over 10 years. Possibly the most over-rated manager in England.

We will go the way of Liverpool if we hire him, except without the odd trophy!

Yeah. He's a mid-table manager, who hasn't proven himself on a higher level. Compared to Everton the pressure is huge. Fergie looking over his shoulder as a director doesn't help.

[Rageman]

Who would be better than Moyes?

He has barely had anyone on his squads that was worth a shit.

If he was repeatedly given stud player after stud player to form his roster and then finished mid-table I would say you guys have a point. But since he has repeatedly finished in the top half of the table with much less . . . who would be better?

When was the last time he was in a relegation battle?

There are only seven squads in the EPL with a winning record and they are also the only seven with a positive goal differential. Wanna guess which of those seven has the smallest payroll?