So players turn down playing for the so called biggest club in the world due to some rain? Not buying that at all. Middlesbrough attracted Brazilians in the 90's and they are located in that hole that is Middlesbrough!! London gets plenty of rain and we've a squad full of Brazilians. United are a big club but for whatever reason there just isn't the kudos of playing for you that there is playing for the Spanish clubs. You only have to list the foreign players they have attracted compared to you. Jeez even your best player in the P.L wanted to play for Madrid over you once he became good enough that they wanted him.
I'd say Milan have fallen a bit behind in recent years. They have the history, but like Liverpool they haven't really lived up to that history sine 2007. Fans and attendances at Milan are way down compared to other big clubs IIRC. I think the kudos is there, but we haven't had the track record of actually going in for the biggest players in the world over the past few decades. SAF always seemed to want to train up his own players rather than buy the big names, hence we got Ronaldo when Barca got Ronaldinho. Buying the big names also seems to be mainly a Spanish thing - Bayern haven't bought many big international stars I can think of in recent years. Ribery is the only major name they've attracted in recent years - Robben was actively sold by Madrid after failing to meet expectations there. I think that links to the Spanish model of the club choosing the players to buy, and the coach largely being there just to train those players.
Bayern like United often buy from within their own league but have also had so many good players come through the youth set up that they haven't had to buy as much recently. I agree the Spanish love to buy a name but they also have a history of attracting great foreigners that the English clubs perhaps don't in comparison. I may be wrong but I thought United had all but signed Ronaldinho until Barca came in. Getting Ronaldo looks brilliant in hindsight but not even Fergie could have any real claim to how good he became. No one could have predicted that and the lads own will to succeed would have meant he'd have been brilliant anywhere.
I would simply say that Man U, like Bayern, simply aren't as glamorous or cool as the Spanish Big 2, for whatever reason, even if the success in recent years is comparable (last season excepted).
That's not the point though is it? UIR was referring to City and Chelsea spending money as if we'd had no success despite doing it - nothing to do with the last 100 years. More like the last 5-10 max. Chelsea have had the money for 10 years and have had brilliant success in that time. City have also done really well domestically since having the money, especially given they had to catch up even more than us.
That's my point. Ask 100 players outside of Spain and England who'd they'd most want to play for out of United, Real and Barca and I think United would be a very very distant third. Location plays a part I accept but only a part.
Aye, probably a fair comment. But I think it's partly a case of buying big names leading to more buying of big names. Barca and Real have this image of being the glamorous place to play because they have that history. So it's quite self fulfilling in that regards - Ronaldo was attracted to Real because he'd watched Figo, Zidane etc when younger, the next generation of players will be attracted by Ronaldo and Bale and so on. It also helps that Barca and Real can get away with all sorts of financial fiddling in order to pay world record transfer fees whilst avoiding tax and having debts written off. Which seems largely related to the Spanish authorities traditionally being willing to put the good of the clubs ahead of the country and economy, when in the UK and Germany it's largely been the opposite.
Barca have still won 15 European trophies compared to your 5. And have got bigger crowds than you over the last 50 years
in Even when Barca were relatively not that dominant they signed Cruyff and Maradona. Would either player have even dreamt of going to United? Playing in front of 26k v Stoke or 100k in the Nou Camp??
Youve had success. Limited as it may be both clubs have nought a trophy or two. Compare it with united over 5 and 10 years and it starts to look like poor value for money.
Who knows? The fact is, the current barcelona side is based around ajax and united. A policy of buying amd producing the best home grown players. Not aiming to buy the current fad like other.
And they have won 8 to our 4. Theyve also had a substantial number of seasons with europe available to them (english clubs have missed over a decade of european football compared with spanish clubs). Fairs cup was not an official uefa competition. Super cup doesn't count either. Thats half their european success gone right away. For tge majority of tge last century, barcelona have just had to beat real over a season and be guaranteed success of some sort. Bar a period in tge 90s the same cannot be said for united. If united were spanish our trophy haup would be double. If barcelona were english, they would have won far less.
True, but then why aren't they as inspired by watching the players of (to continue the example) Man U or Bayern? If we say that over time the success is similar, is it just a question of style and flair?
That's quite some statement! If Barca were English you'd have won a lot less, like those 3 titles from 2007 for instance!!
Nah, if they were english united would be spanish. We would have won more. The easier tge league, tge more tge better clubs win.
On phone. Gave up correcting it. Effort lol. The, tge, ze, de all the same. The letters b and n like to appear between words aswell...
