GET EXCITED - World Cup 2018, now with even more corruption!

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 21 Jul 2006 01:11 pm

Texas wrote:Spurs is a good choice for JubJub, BigK. But have we scared him off?

Maybe. Or maybe he started supporting the Hotspur and got food poisoning?

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 22 Jul 2006 08:23 am

Newcastle United have emerged as front-runners in the race to sign Chelsea's Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff. With a bid of £10 million, Newcastle are thought to have eclipsed Tottenham. Duff cost Chelsea £17 million when he joined from Blackburn three years ago.

If they do get him it will be interesting to see where he plays. First of all Newcastle will have to win their match tonight againt Lillestrom in Oslo. If they do that, they will be in the UEFA Cup... a position that seemed impossible when they were stuck in 14th position in the second half of last season, with Graeme Souness as manager.

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 23 Jul 2006 08:06 am

Newcastle beat Lillestrom 3 - 0 last night to progress to the EUFA Cup!!!!

Awesome news, hopefully will help in persuading some more top level players to the club.

+1 Duff!

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 25 Jul 2006 09:53 am

Here's a brief run-down of other EPL news.... in case anyone is still reading this thread

my comments in italics.

Valencia have asked Manchester United to name their price for midfielder Cristiano Ronaldo in the hopes of signing the player, so play alongside other new signings Fernando Morientes (ex Liverpool), and Asier Del Horno (ex Chelsea). Manchester United's Response: One Zillion Pounds! F'Off!

South African striker Benni McCarthy has been given permission from his club Porto to talk to Blackburn Rovers. It is now up to Blackburn to come to personal terms with McCarthy, pending the result of a medical inspection. Blackburn targetted the player last season, only to opt for Craig Bellamy who recently departed to play for Liverpool. Will be interesting to see him play in the Premiership... has been plenty of talk in the past of him coming, finally it looks like he actually will.

Steven Gerrard is looking forward to the new Premiership season, stating that the objective for Liverpool is to get involved in the Premiership title race. "We are also coming back to Liverpool on the back of the FA Cup win and hopefully we can deliver the Premiership title." He added: "Chelsea are a fantastic team, but there are also your Manchester Uniteds, your Arsenals, your Tottenhams and there will be one or two surprises, so I am sure the title race will be difficult to get involved in, but it is our priority." I hope they challenge Chel$ea for the title as well. No one likes watching a one horse race. I think what he means by one or two surprises is Newcastle and Everton...

Dutch striker Dirk Kuyt has returned to training for Feyenoord suggesting that he is likely to stay for at least another season. There has been heavy rumours about a transfer to the premiership for the international with Liverpool and Newcastle being the most talked about destinations. That's what happens Feyenoord when you put an unrealistic price on his head.

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has confirmed that he will be staying at Liverpool despite rumours of a potential move to Real Madrid. "I have enjoyed my first two seasons at Liverpool and I will be staying here." If you can't bring the Alonso to Spain, bring the Spain to Alonso.

Former Chelsea midfielder Damien Duff is thrilled with his £5 million transfer to Newcastle United, admitting that he chose to come to Newcastle over Tottenham and Liverpool. "It is special," Duff said to the press. "Playing here before with Chelsea and Blackburn, I know it is one of the most passionate places to play in the country. "That is one of the many factors why I wanted to come here." Glad to have you Damo.

Chelsea have admitted that they would be willing to sell Hernan Crespo if the price was right. Apparently Crespo is hoping for a return to Serie-A. Chel$ea players finally starting to learn that it's not that fun being a footballer, when you're not playing much football.

Irishman Liam Miller looks to be set to depart Manchester United after failing to make an impact since his transfer from Celtic in 2004. He spent the second half on last season on loan to championship side Leeds. At least that answers the question about the Manchester United forward in Sensible Soccer.

Portsmouth have entered the race to sign Argentina and Villareal full back Juan Pablo Sorin. The 30 year old has been linked with several clubs including Tottenham, Bolton, Inter & Stuttgart. The reported transfer fee is in the vicinity of £2.5 million. Seems like good business to me. He looked to be a good player at the World Cup, and as a left footed defender he could fill a position that many clubs struggle to.

Liverpool are believed to be trialing Greek striker Lazaros Cristodoupoulos. The 20 year old currently plays for Greek side PAOK Saloniki. Lucky I told you he was Greek.. you would never have guessed it.

Everton manager David Moyes has backed new signing Andy Johnson saying that he thinks that he will shine. Moyes thinks that Johnson will be the man to end Everton's goal scoring problems. Missing: James Beattie - last seen sobbing in the Everton training room "I can't be stopped".

Tottenham Hotspur captain Ledley King believes that new signing Dimitar Berbatov will be the man to help fire the club to "new heights". The 25 year old Bulgarian striker, who cost Tottenham £10.9 million in a transfer from Bayer Leverkusen scored a brace in a pre-season friendly against recently relegated side Birmingham. PS - He's ugly.

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 25 Jul 2006 12:36 pm

Great roundup BigK. I appreciate it! I'm sure Cardsy and Chaos do too, and the ohhers that only lurk! COME OUT AND POST! except if you support Chelski...

General Chaos · Post by **General Chaos** » 25 Jul 2006 01:28 pm

Yes I appreciated it. I may have even learned something.

Can't wait for the season to kick off again. Finally something to watch on my fucking pay TV.

brent · Post by **brent** » 25 Jul 2006 01:44 pm

Love your updates man, keep em coming.

I don't really support any one team, but pretty much watch every game I can on Foxtel. If pressed, my favourite team to watch is Liverpool, so I might throw my support behind them this year and pay alittle more attention to them.

Question.. my boss is a huge, huge Reading fan - is there any chance that they will last in the top division or are they going to fall back down at the end of the season?

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 25 Jul 2006 03:16 pm

brent wrote:Love your updates man, keep em coming.

I don't really support any one team, but pretty much watch every game I can on Foxtel. If pressed, my favourite team to watch is Liverpool, so I might throw my support behind them this year and pay alittle more attention to them.

Question.. my boss is a huge, huge Reading fan - is there any chance that they will last in the top division or are they going to fall back down at the end of the season?

It's a tough call with any of the sides coming up from the Championship. Sunderland set a record for wins in teh Championship, and then backed it up setting a record at the other end of the spectrum in the premierleague!...

It depends on their style of play, and the players resolve. I haven't seen much of them and don't know a lot about their players, so I'm not really qualified to comment on their credentials. Last season West Ham and Wigan showed that you can put in strong performances in the Premierleague in your first year up.

Liverpool will be a good team to follow this season.. they've got a excellent squad, with quality across the park. They could challenge Chel$ea for the title, which will be nice, as noone likes watching a one horse race.

Cardsy · Post by **Cardsy** » 26 Jul 2006 09:22 am

I'm digging your updates BigK keep'em coming!!

I'm really looking forward to watching Liverpool this season ... I've just got this sinking feeling Man U are going to disappoint again unless they can nail a quality "marshalling" midfielder before season kick-off.

Just throw some cash at Viera FFS Fergie!!!

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 10:04 am

Cardsy, I guess maybe they were waiting for the appeals in Italy to be finalised... looks like they have... the penalties have been reduced.

Juve stay in Serie-B, but their points penalty has been reduced from 30 to 17 points. AC Milan stay in Serie A, with a reduction in their points penalty - down to minus 8 from minus 15. AC Milan will also enter the third round of Champions League Qualifying (though tihs is being appealed by Juve and Fiorentina). Lazio and Fiorentina will remain in Serie-A.

Soccernet.com wrote: ROME, July 25 (Reuters) - The relegation of Juventus to Serie B for their role in a match-fixing scandal was confirmed by an Italian soccer appeal court on Tuesday but Lazio and Fiorentina received a reprieve and will stay in Serie A.

AC Milan will also remain in the top flight as decided at a previous hearing but with a smaller number of points deducted - minus eight rather than minus 15.

Crucially, the six-times European champions will now be entered for the third qualifying round of the Champions League after their points penalty on last season's tally was reduced.

Juventus and Fiorentina said they would appeal against the latest decision.

Juve did receive some clemency with the appeals court reducing the penalty points they start next season with from minus 30 to minus 17.

They will also have to play three matches at a neutral venue and have been fined 120,000 euros.

The decision to revoke the last two Italian league titles won by Juventus in 2005 and 2006 was confirmed by the appeals court although no decision has yet been made on who will be declared champions for those two seasons.

With the various points penalties and Juve's relegation, Inter Milan come out on top of last season's standings but it is not yet clear if the title will be awarded to them as it may be left unallocated.

While not the kind of change Juventus had hoped for the reduction does give them a chance to push for promotion back to the top flight Serie A next season.

But the saga may not yet be over as Juventus said they intended to continue to appeal against the decision, raising the prospect that their case could end up in a civil court.

Chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli said in a club statement: 'We absolutely cannot accept this sentence. For this reason we have decided to push our case in every possible forum'.

The first step Juve could take is to turn to the Italian Olympic Committee and should they remain dissatisfied they could then appeal to a regional civil court - a potentially protracted process.

Fiorentina also said they did not accept the decision with club owner Diego Della Valle saying: ' We haven't done anything and we will go down every avenue to clear our name'.

The appeal court overturned a tribunal's decision to relegate Fiorentina and Lazio, allowing them to stay in Serie A next season but with a heavy penalty.

Fiorentina will start the new season with minus 19 points and Lazio with minus 11 points. Fiorentina must play three matches at a neutral ground, Lazio two matches and both were also fined 120,000 euros.

Both clubs also had 30 point penalties imposed on their tallies from last season, removing them from any of the European competition slots.

AC Milan's penalty points for next season were reduced from minus 15 to minus eight and the retrospective punishment on last season's points tally was reduced from minus 44 to minus 30.

Italy's two teams automatically entered in the Champions League next season will be Inter Milan and AS Roma. AC Milan and Chievo Verona will play in the qualification round.

Palermo, Livorno and Parma will take part in the UEFA Cup.

No decision has yet been taken on who will be handed Juve's place in the top flight as Italian rules are far from clear on the procedure.

Should the league table be used as the basis for deciding who is reprieved then Sicilian club Messina, who finished third from bottom in Serie A last season, would be saved.

Lecce and Treviso are the clubs to lose out following the appeals verdict.

The pair, who finished last season as the two bottom clubs in Serie A, were reinstated to the top flight - along with 18th-placed Messina - after the original verdict.

But with Fiorentina and Lazio back in Serie A, Lecce and Treviso return to the second tier.

Messina stay up, with Juventus failing in their bid to climb back into the top flight.

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 10:36 am

Harry Redknapp want Lomana Lua Lua to stay at Portsmouth. The striker expressed discontent at the new contract offer from the club, claiming that they were trying to force him out.

Redknapp also ruled out a swoop for Argentine fullback Juan Pablo Sorin.

Joey Barton has signed a new 4-year deal at Manchester City ending long-standing speculation that the midfielder would leave the club.

New recruit Craig Bellamy thinks Liverpool have what it takes to challenge Chelsea for the Premier league title.

Striker Benni McCarthy is relishing his eventual move to the premier league. The deal with Blackburn is all but inked.

Athletico Madrid's 22 year old striking star Fernando Torres has confirmed that he will be staying with the Spanish side.

Damien Duff has explained part of his reasoning behind snubbing an offer from Tottenham Hotspur. As a Chelsea player for three years, he could not bring himself to play for another London club. His heart also told him to go to the North-East.

.... Not a lot in the news today ....

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 12:42 pm

Yeah, except for the reductions in penalties in Serie A. I thought that AC got off VERY LIGHTLY after the appeal, esp. with their reintroduction into UCL play...

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 02:08 pm

Yeah.. in the end it almost makes a mockery of their crimes.

They should easily get through the third qualifying round of the Champions League - imagine being the poor team that draws AC Milan to play in a qualifying round! Won't be much of a financial penalty for them, and with that small reduction in points and the removal of Juve, they shouldn't find it too hard to qualify for Champions League again next season.

Tex - Check your email.

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 02:17 pm

all over it thanks BigK

Yeah, to me it sends very mixed messages about the investigation procedures, but we are talking about Italian justice here...

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 02:31 pm

Yeah..

Seems to me that they came out initially with comparatively harsh penalties as a front to make it seem as though the clubs were penalised quite heavily.

Now it seems as though AC Milan have paid off the tribunal to get rid of their biggest competitor - Juventus. I was hoping for the harshest penalties possible, as it would mean that they was more chance of some players coming to the premier league! Now it looks like bugger all will be leaving.. most likely none from AC Milan.. who will see this as just a tiny speed hump.. and next year as a benefit to them (assuming Juve don't get promoted).

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 02:41 pm

Now only Inter stand in the way of Milan. And we know why only Juve had a Fire sale...the others knew they were staying up/in the hunt...
Draw your own conlcusions, kids. And no-one has mentioned the Milan-Mafia connections either...
As they say in Chel$ki, some serious BLAT there, my friends...

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 03:03 pm

Would you guys be interested in a premierleague.com fantasy teams comp?

If we get enough interest I'll start a comp.

Grimey · Post by **Grimey** » 26 Jul 2006 03:06 pm

I might be but I would have to get help because I have NFI.

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 04:07 pm

I'd be happy to provide some guidance.

PremierLeague.com Fantasy Football Competition Interested Parties

Patrick 'Big K' Kluivert
Vinnie 'Grimey' Jones
Texas'I'm still tall even when I' Crouch
Pat 'Fly-Kick' Cantona

Competition Details

Where: http://fantasy.premierleague.com
Comp Name: Rancho Relaxo Liga
Comp Code: 287021-50142

......more teams required... there's no limit to the numbers so get in before the competition kicks off on August 19!

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 04:11 pm

Add tex to the list, mate. And I'm sure that some of our other forum members would be keen too, but they dont come in here all that often...

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 04:47 pm

As an aside, whaty other teams do you guys support? Obviously not with the same passion as our EPL teams, but who else does ya follow?

Me:
Barca - Leo Messi = second coming. And they aren't Real.
Milan - I know, but it was the first authentic shirt I ever had (and it's a Lotto one!)
Dortmond - same as Milan, got given the shirt (Nike, Black and Electric Green! Was wicked to wear at warehouse parties!)
Hibernian - only cause of Irvine welsh! Go the Hibs!

Haven't settled on an A-League team yet.

EDIT - come on BigK, change the name back!

¡Amé el nombre español para el hilo de rosca!

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 04:59 pm

Tough to say..

Have to say Athletico Madrid in La Liga, because I'm a Fernando Torres and also Maxi Rodriguez fanboy! Also quite a fan of Valencia.

In the Italian league, not sure after the latest incident. They're all cheats!

In the A-League I'm now a fan of the Perth Glory, thanks to Stan Lazaridis coming to play there.

Pat · Post by **Pat** » 26 Jul 2006 04:59 pm

Put me down for it djbigk

Texas · Post by **Texas** » 26 Jul 2006 05:08 pm

Yeah, I'm a big fan of Maxi's work, BigK. Was so hard to choose who to get on my Argentina shirt: Leo, Maxi, or Maradona. And despite all the spitting, I'm happy with Diego.

Oh, add Boca on my list. Diego FTW!

DjBigK · Post by **DjBigK** » 26 Jul 2006 05:11 pm

I'll change the name back once my Alliance of Brute Force Marketing Objective (tm) is complete.