: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:20 pm  

changa wrote:

you cannot spot the difference in the 2 squads

Yeah, one lot are English the others are Australian. Next question..

Mintball wrote:

Thank you, GT.

No problem. It's also nice to see a blue who appreciates Cantona. I'd like to know how all those who slagged him off for what he did would react if someone came and shouted a racial slur towards their mothers...

Oh - and Ronaldo's fee. Reports today suggest it'll be paid in four annual installments of £20 million. Won't do the debt nor the transfer kitty any good!

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:21 pm  

Mintball wrote:

More recent immigration has come from different parts of the globe. In the case of football, many players now come from ethnic backgrounds that are African (England U-21 skipper Nedum Onuaha, for instance) and many from backgrounds where slavery was involved – and this is what I mentioned earlier but you have ignored: that such people often have European names that were given to their ancestors by the slave owners. Or they are from mixed-race relationships and have a European name.
.

i dont think we had many .if any african non white slaves come with the convicts. maybe a few convict stock slaves

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:24 pm  

changa wrote:

i dont think we had many .if any african non white slaves come with the convicts. maybe a few convict stock slaves

Does that mean you don't know

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:25 pm  

PAUL M wrote:

Lavezzi's agent reckons Liverpool have made a bid for him to Napoli.

Anybody know if he is any good?

I hope he is anyway.

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:29 pm  

Platini ignores Real Madrid's spending as he only ever slags English clubs off the French tw... Oh, wait.

Platini ignores Real Madrid's spending as he only ever slags English clubs off the French tw... Oh, wait.

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:30 pm  

Robbie Rotten wrote:

Only time I ever believe rumours is if they're in the Echo.

Don't you have any confidence in what is reported in The Sun?

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:30 pm  

GT wrote: Platini ignores Real Madrid's spending as he only ever slags English clubs off the French tw... Oh, wait. Im truly shocked that he is moaning about a non English team i didnt think i would ever see that

GT wrote: Platini ignores Real Madrid's spending as he only ever slags English clubs off the French tw... Oh, wait. Im truly shocked that he is moaning about a non English team i didnt think i would ever see that

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 1:33 pm  

Supreme Optimist wrote:

Anybody know if he is any good?

I hope he is anyway.

He's rated at 90/100 on Soccer Manager

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:07 pm  

GT wrote:

... No problem. It's also nice to see a blue who appreciates Cantona. I'd like to know how all those who slagged him off for what he did would react if someone came and shouted a racial slur towards their mothers...

I had one hell of a battle at the paper I was at at the time to get to write an op ed on it – the overall editor (I was sports ed) wanted no comment on it for some reason. I got my way eventually. And yes, I agree about people would themselves react to such an aggressive slur.

I have fond memories of Cantona's goal in the FA Cup final in '96. God, that was a dull game that didn't come close to living up to the hype. The entire press corps was absolutely praying for someone – anyone – to score so that we wouldn't have to go through it all again.

And then Beckham's inswinging corner, James's punch and Cantona's extraordinary hop back on his left peg, the contortion of the trunk and the almost balletic strike straight into the net. One piece of absolute class to illuminate a match that, otherwise, I'd have forgotten completely.

GT wrote:

Oh - and Ronaldo's fee. Reports today suggest it'll be paid in four annual installments of £20 million. Won't do the debt nor the transfer kitty any good!

Indeed. It's one of the things I'm happy about at City at present – apparently we just paid straight away for Barry. All done.

: Fri Jun 12, 2009 2:11 pm  

Mintball wrote:

The gossip round-up on the BBC every day is a riot at present – one report says X, the next report contradicts it.

It's simply impossible to believe anything until it actually becomes concrete.

A lot of intended transfers will have been thrown up in the air by the Kaka & Ronaldo deals. Clubs that had intended buy certain players will now be looking to see who Real Madrid release to make way for those two. Players that had been thinking of signing for clubs will now be wondering if United might be interested in them. Its like starting all over again.