Oh no your not. And there are two other factors in the equation - first, the Agent and second, City need to boost the number of 'home grown' players in their squad (I could be wrong but I think Agger just squeeks in - he signed for L'pool in Jan 06 and was born in Dec '84, so he was "21 in the January of the season (05/06) he signed").
Derek Boateng Acording to reports we have had a bid for the Dnipro player rejected - http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11661/7989616/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter Ah well, still looking for Etuhu's replacement then.
Must say he was a player that impressed me when we played them, he was on my list of players I'd sign this summer, and I think we put in a bid last January window for him.
The website had nothing to do with LFC or even directly with FSG. It turned out to be an error by an over-night American journalist. PS - Agger doesn't count as home-grown. PPS - Rodwell to City is them bolstering their home-grown players - Agger is fantastic (but made from glass). Would rather he moved to the other interested party, Barca.
Thanks NI-as ever on the ball. On something completely different. As you'll know we're drawn with you in the new U21 Leadge - did L'pool get Category 1 Status confirmed?
Yeh, we're in a tricky enough section from what I remember - I'm not sure if we're evaluated for our status until the season starts - I read that there are two rounds of inspections and ours is in the later one. Don't see why we wouldn't though - good facilities, very successful youth sides and very well acclaimed coaches (Pep Segura and Rodolfo Borrell. The latter was the main coach at La Masia for the Pique, Messi generation). The most interesting youth competition is the 'Next Gen series' - but we've drawn Inter and BVB in the group stage! Inter were very good last season and BVB bring through a lot of good young players (like all of Germany seems to right now).
Journalists Like most I take the transfer rumours published in papers with a pinch of salt, but this one takes the biscuit. For starters the headline bears no relation to the story beneath - http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2188406/Fulhams-Clint-Dempsey-rejects-West-Ham.html?ITO=1490 For another West Ham have not made a bid, so no contact has been made with Dempsey never mind him rejecting an offer. Indeed Allardyce today admitted that 95% of the players they were interested in haven't come off and the reason is simple - West Ham 'leak' names to stimulate interest among fans and sell season tickets. I've got no problem with journalists on the "Nationals" having favourites but I do object to aiding and abetting. And worse I abhor editors who slap a headline on top of a byline to create news that doesn't exist.
Arouna Kone (28) Striker from Levante has signed for an undisclosed figure to Wigan One of the players we were reported to be after has signed for Wigan as Rodallega's replacement.
Best news I've heard all week - N'Gog is not for sale http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/wanderers/wanderersnews/9873128.Wanted_Ngog_is_not_for_sale/
Jurgen Klinsmann on Dempsey situation taken from an interview earlier this week - "On the omission of players like Clint Dempsey and Carlos Bocanegra from the roster: Clint is in preseason and he had discussions with Fulham about his personal situation. They left him behind for training camp and I spoke to him several times. He’s just not in a rhythm yet. He hasn’t played any preseason matches and he’s anxious to sort out his own personal situation. We had a similar situation last year with Michael Bradley. It’s good for Clint to take care of these things. It’s similar with Carlos. He just started the season. Gooch (Oguchi Onyewu) also is just in preseason so far and Steve (Cherundolo), as well. That’s how I go through every name on our list. Every situation is different and we get to it and then we make our decision.” Not anything new but pretty much sums things up.
Well, all the drama will be over on Aug 31, one way or another. At this point, I hope he transfers. It's not that I don't want him on the team, but I think both he and the team will be better off when it's over. I even bought a Fulham shirt with Dempsey #23 on it to help speed things along.
We're now being linked with Paul Taylor from Peterborough United. He only has a year on his contract so he would be cheap and Peterborough fans have a lot to say about him but it doesn't excite me unfortunately. My brother is a Peterborough fan and he seems to think he has found his level in the Championship. I'd stay clear. http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/taylor-in-fulham-link-1-4155714
Spoke to a friend who occasionally goes to Peterborough,his comment was "Fulham a premier club" surely they can aim higher than this,the lad would not make an average championship player
RVP to Man Utd and Modric to Real Madrid - could that mean a move to North London for Clint???? For all the talk of him going it still seems very quiet.
If those two moves go ahead, I wouldn't be suprised to see both on there way out. If RVP, 29 years old with 1 year left is worth 24m, Dempsey has to be 15m? Sadly though if he doesn't sign a new contract we should take anything above 6. Same with dembele, but would be suprised if we did not pick up about 15m for him. Would love to see Adam Johnson in a fulham shirt. Looking great against Italy, and always rated him highly. Wants to play football. Would be expensive but worth it as a Dempsey replacement/upgrade. Berbatov now must be on his way out too? But wages would be to high I imagine
Indeed. It's a bit like my kids, Fred, when you can't hear them you know they're up to something. However I fear Ireland may be correct: Both North London clubs of course are known for coming in with low offers. If either does, for either player, I trust we will stick to our own valuation and if necessary play the Wolves game. If that causes problems with the players, so be it. I don't rate Johnson as highly as that Gilly; great as an individual but not as a team player. Heard a rumour that Berbatov would be around £5m. However if we lost the double Ds I would not sniff at them coming to the Cottage. The problem with both as you say would be wages.
There is a very interesting article about FFC,written by Philip Cornwall on, football365.com. Well worth a read.
Is this the one rosc? http://www.football365.com/f365-features/7992508/Fulham-Can-They-Keep-Hold-Of-Dempsey- If it is, I'm not surprised that Cornwall dwells (sic) on the charm of the Cottage (a lot of his stuff is 'heritage' based) but am surprised at his dismissive approach. Not least towards MAF and Jol. Some of what he says (about Murphy for instance) is true. However he fails to acknowledge the need to transform an ageing squad (and arguably the real challenge that Jol foresaw). Nor does he discuss in the article whether "Fulham can Hold on to Dempsey" as the title suggests but instead limits himself to "what ifs". Another night of not being impressed by journalists I'm afraid. Cornwall write for the Guardian as well - just saying.
That article is actually incredibly patronising to the club. While obviously Al-Fayed is pivotal to sustaining our top-flight status, he doesn't mention how he is trying to make us more self-sustainable over the next few years and decades to come, hence the redevelopment of the Cottage. Makes no reference to how well we've done to finish in the top-half in recent seasons, he seems obsessed with location despite that the fact footballers will virtually always live in affluent locations away from their home ground, and he seems to talk about Jol as if he's taken some sort of early retirement when actually as Cottager points out, the task of rejuvenating our ageing squad is incredibly challenging and is something we have hotly debated.
