It's Quiet thread 14 - 'do one' edition

[Marvin]

Still don’t understand, if Messi is not a Barca player now, why are they so keen (reportedly!) to do a deal through Bartomeu?!

My take is that La Liga and Barca maintain Messi is a Barcelona player so if possible it's better to get an agreed transfer as it reduces the chance of subsequent litigaton.

If we are 100% convinced that Messi can be regarded as a free-agent then negotiating with Barcelona is an act only of good faith and we can dictate terms.

 

[lonestay]

Who better striker can jesus get as a mentor than aguero. Well messi is but aguero and messi are not that vocal leaders. they only lead through actions but not like kompany/terry does.
We need a clinical striker. Well jesus might be/ can be one but the thing is if we can get messi he can be let go. Not necessarily as i dont want him to go but for messi that much we have to sacrifice. But its not a certainty that they will want jesus. Barca might ask for bernardo instead of jesus. Whatever happens we trust our board.

Jesus will never be the same type of striker as Augero, Jesus is a tricky fast feet type of striker whereas kun is a power striker, hard to knock of the ball but he isnt going to show the defender the ball drag it back and then push it threw the defenders legs, thats Jesus with confidence high. Kun would be all power in that situation. Jesus has to learn his trade from a tricky striker who has those close ball skills and the ability to hold the ball in a tight situation .

 

[ctid1894]

I know but Messi could play his position til he's 40. He walks around or stands still through a game and he has 10-15 bursts when he's off before anybody clocks him.

I respect your opinion but I completely disagree, it's generally the bursts of energy which go first in my opinion. Toure, perfect example, he used to be able to do 4-5 bursts a game, slowly that declined to 1-2, then to one every half a dozen games at the end, but his actual running stats (e.g. distance) wasn't that bad even when his lack of energy was killing us in terms of ball recovery.

Technical ability alone Toure and Silva would still walk into our team, there becomes a point when that's simply not enough.

 

[Neville Kneville]

I think that's spot on.

Messi has informed Barca that he's activated a clause in his contract and is no longer a Barca player. As Barca are disputing his interpretation of the clause, we need those two parties to reach an understanding before we can take formal steps towards signing him.

If Messi's Dad is unable to convince them to honour the clause in the contract then no doubt they will escalate it, I'm guessing to FIFA? So it looks like City will either sign Messi on a free, when it is confirmed we are able to do so, or we will have to pay Barca if that is deemed necessary. We aren't going to volunteer to pay them now, but I'm sure we will have all angles covered and are prepared to move quickly once we have clarity on the status of his employment.

That's my take on it anyway, but I KFA so it might play out completely differently.

IF, there is a meeting with Messi's Dad, there has to be a reason for it. There is absolutely no point in him travelling to Argentina, just for both parties to tell each other to fuck off & things stay the same. Then what ? He flies home again ?

So he's either going to agree to stay, which seems ridiculous & pointless, or the two sides agree in what happens next, be it a transfer deal, FIFA, court, whatever.

When that is decided, unless he stays there, we start to become entangled in the procedure or we bail out, which again seems unlikely.

 

[WRicko]

Tancredi Palmeri

Here Barcelona signing since 2015: Arda Turan, Aleix Vidal, Umtiti, Digne, Cillesen, André Gomes, Marlon, Semedo, Coutinho, Dembelé, Paulinho, Yerri Mina, Vidal, Lenglet, Malcom, Arthur, Murillo, Wagué, Todibo, Boateng, Neto, Griezmann, Junior Firpo, Braithwaite, De Jong, Pjanic

That’s why Messi is fed up and wants to leave. He feels that in last 5 years Barcelona have signed players not to enrich the team, but to enrich someone... And he feels that someone filled their pockets with money counting on fact that Messi’s blanket anyway would cover all

Plenty of good or supposedly good players in there but some not so much and lot just never did what they should have

 

[Keeper!]

If we get messi one of the attackers will be surplus to our requirement. Aguero/jesus/sterling/torres/Mahrez/bernardo/foden... with CMF of Debruyne/Gundo, Rodri/Ferna we already have 11 players for 6 position. Yes 12 is needed for that some academy guy can come. So we can afford one of our strikers to leave and if required buy a tall lanky striker in cheap. As some plays need a tall striker. That may not be needed if messi is here but just for options. Not necessary but if jesus is willing to go we can afford that.

We can't afford for any of our forwards leaving and that's including if Messi does sign.

 

[Marvin]

Jesus will never be the same type of striker as Augero, Jesus is a tricky fast feet type of striker whereas kun is a power striker, hard to knock of the ball but he isnt going to show the defender the ball drag it back and then push it threw the defenders legs, thats Jesus with confidence high. Kun would be all power in that situation. Jesus has to learn his trade from a tricky striker who has those close ball skills and the ability to hold the ball in a tight situation .

Kun, Messi and Jesus all have a low centre of gravity. They are all dribblers. Messi, especially the Messi of 19-30 was completely unplayable when in full flight with the ball at his feet. The goals videos are just incredible to watch.

 

[Burtonblue]

Having thought about this a lot over the last week or do these are my conclusions.
Messi wants out and wants City as it suits his style of play and he knows he will win trophies.
He understands the financial limitations and therefore has invoked his contractual right to leave on a free. It means we will be in a position to afford his salary without him taking a massive pay cut from his current earnings. Not turning up to training and getting fined is worthwhile collateral damage.
The last thing Barca wasn’t is to lose him for free hence their aggressive stance. It’s to be expected and those of us who think we would be better are hypocrites. They are trying to rescue something out of a badly drawn up contract hence them sacking their legal team in the process.
Our stance has been quite magnificent. Deafening silence to date and letting Messi and Barca sort out their shit before coming to the table in all likelihood in a placatory role.
A deal will be done in order for Barca to save some face and for Messi to leave with some dignity. It will not involve key players for us. If Barca were to play hard ball with us we could just let Messi run down the last year of his contract and get him on a free whilst he causes discontent at Barca. This is the very last thing they will want hence they will deal on our terms.
Whichever way, we and Messi hold the upper hand.
Loving it all.

 

[Akpowell]

Also read, city offering a 2 year deal...if any of this is remotely true, then piss off

Would be a very stupid deal

It should be 3 years minimum I reckon

 

[mat]

How would Blues feel about a trade off?

As we know football is political. Tebas Is raging and will do all he can to stop Messi leaving La Liga. Even moreso if it's for us.

What if City offered Real Madrid Sterling to placate him. Not many English players can say they've played for 3 so called elite teams and I think he'd fancy the challenge and it would suit his game.

Would you accept this?

Personally I wouldn't.

 

[Akpowell]

Four or five people I know got the same info as he did about the CAS appeal at around the same time. It came from a pretty low level source from within the club so I've been told. I can't see that same source being privy to delicate info about the Messi negotiations.

I don't think anyone in the club will know a thing apart from Cheeky, Soriano and Khal, maybe Pep.

 

[Bellamy's Caddy]

IF, there is a meeting with Messi's Dad, there has to be a reason for it. There is absolutely no point in him travelling to Argentina, just for both parties to tell each other to fuck off & things stay the same. Then what ? He flies home again ?

So he's either going to agree to stay, which seems ridiculous & pointless, or the two sides agree in what happens next, be it a transfer deal, FIFA, court, whatever.

When that is decided, unless he stays there, we start to become entangled in the procedure or we bail out, which again seems unlikely.

Yeah, you've got to think both parties have indicated a willingness to reach some sort of agreement as otherwise, like you say it would be a very short and pointless meeting!

If it wasnt for the fact that we have Sorriano, Pep, Aguero etc I would be worried that we are being played, but it seems like Messi is adamant he's leaving and I don't think he'd risk ruining his relationship with Pep by messing us about.

Very strange situation all round though!

 

[markbmcfc]

How would Blues feel about a trade off?

As we know football is political. Tebas Is raging and will do all he can to stop Messi leaving La Liga. Even moreso if it's for us.

What if City offered Real Madrid Sterling to placate him. Not many English players can say they've played for 3 so called elite teams and I think he'd fancy the challenge and it would suit his game.

Would you accept this?

Personally I wouldn't.

Not a chance. And Madrid fans will murder him if he keeps missing sitters.

Plus City would want £150-200m which Madrid don't have I don't think.

 

[brightwelleyes]

How would Blues feel about a trade off?

As we know football is political. Tebas Is raging and will do all he can to stop Messi leaving La Liga. Even moreso if it's for us.

What if City offered Real Madrid Sterling to placate him. Not many English players can say they've played for 3 so called elite teams and I think he'd fancy the challenge and it would suit his game.

Would you accept this?

Personally I wouldn't.

Would you offer the milkman a go on your girlfriend to placate him for all the early mornings?

 

[StillBluessinceHydeRoad]

Interesting insight. Thanks for posting.

When you look at things in these terms, which probably most fans don't, it makes you realise how fortunate were are to have probably the best owners in football. How many have replicated our model? Not many. There are signs that Wolves or Sheffield United might be looking at how we do things, but the traditional big clubs - Liverpool, Arsenal, United et al, plus others in the G14, are all standing around, pointing, ridiculing, laughing, saying it won't last as we are just a play thing of the rich. And while they are doing that, Khaldoon turns us into the most powerful football entity on the planet.

Look at Rawk, or Red Cafe. Their fans generally all complaining, accusing us of cheating because we're getting Messi. How unfair it is, because they are big clubs and we are just an upstart with no history. Well, wake up and smell the coffee. Whilst we might be 'a small club with no history', they are fast becoming insignificant clubs with no future. We have overtaken Liverpool in terms of income. United are in our sights. If they are as big as their fans always claim, ask them why are Liverpool and United giving us a free run at Messi? Deep down, they know they are operating at levels well below ours.

Yes. And I remember the reaction when Sheikh Mansour bought the club in New York. No-one realised that this was the birth of the CFG, the world's first multinational football entity. Arsene Wenger scoffed his ever so sanctimonious a** of, told us what a distraction it would be and assured us that Kroenke would only invest his money in Arsenal. Since then Kroenke hasn't actually invested a penny in Arsenal and doesn't have any intention of so doing. This is what he has in common with the other American owners in the PL: they take money out first and leave the club with what's left.

On the other hand the CFG is growing and growing. In 2014 City seemed rather calm about a settlement regime which included several rather nasty elements but included some apparently minor details about the CFG, which seemed rather minor itself at hat point. My son, though, could not believe what UEFA had accepted so unconcernedly, almost with a dismissive wave of the paw. And now we're beginning to realise. The CFG offers unrivalled opportunities for monetising a megastar like Messi, to his benefit and the group's. And unique avenues to reward him. As Tolmie told us the club are offering a share option in the CFG, cutting FFP out completely, which Messi can either redeem at the end of his contract or simply keep and remain a shareholder. Either immense riches or the face of the CFG - win-win for both parties? Or "big club" rivals don't have the resources - or the wit - t compete with this level of activity. They're more at home in the world of dodgy emails.

 

[eastlands oasis]

How would Blues feel about a trade off?

As we know football is political. Tebas Is raging and will do all he can to stop Messi leaving La Liga. Even moreso if it's for us.

What if City offered Real Madrid Sterling to placate him. Not many English players can say they've played for 3 so called elite teams and I think he'd fancy the challenge and it would suit his game.

Would you accept this?

Personally I wouldn't.

Not a chance. Tebas deserves everything he and the league get from losing their best players. The way he has shown such contempt to City he gets nothing from us. Let alone Stirling being so vital to our success

 

[Marvin]

Having thought about this a lot over the last week or do these are my conclusions.
Messi wants out and wants City as it suits his style of play and he knows he will win trophies.
He understands the financial limitations and therefore has invoked his contractual right to leave on a free. It means we will be in a position to afford his salary without him taking a massive pay cut from his current earnings. Not turning up to training and getting fined is worthwhile collateral damage.
The last thing Barca wasn’t is to lose him for free hence their aggressive stance. It’s to be expected and those of us who think we would be better are hypocrites. They are trying to rescue something out of a badly drawn up contract hence them sacking their legal team in the process.
Our stance has been quite magnificent. Deafening silence to date and letting Messi and Barca sort out their shit before coming to the table in all likelihood in a placatory role.
A deal will be done in order for Barca to save some face and for Messi to leave with some dignity. It will not involve key players for us. If Barca were to play hard ball with us we could just let Messi run down the last year of his contract and get him on a free whilst he causes discontent at Barca. This is the very last thing they will want hence they will deal on our terms.
Whichever way, we and Messi hold the upper hand.
Loving it all.

Good post. I believe Messi also feels the pressure at barcelona. I imagine he feels he is carrying them, and if the side is failing this must be very depressing. I think he needs to leave for himself.

And as for Barcelona is is natural to build your side around a world class player but when the central cog gets to 33 and the other cogs are getting warn, it might be better to replace the entire mechanism. For a couple of years now bright new cogs have come in in Countinho, Griezmann, Dembele and all struggled.

 

[DontLookBackInAnger]

For me, while I would love to see Messi in a blue shirt, I have faith in our system over the last four years, truthfully we have missed most of our key targets, its been very hit and miss. However, we have been successful regardless. Will this happen? on balance I would say our recent track record would indicate no.... but we will remain successful anyway and any transfer can't be seen in isolation

 

[Neville Kneville]

Yeah, you've got to think both parties have indicated a willingness to reach some sort of agreement as otherwise, like you say it would be a very short and pointless meeting!

If it wasnt for the fact that we have Sorriano, Pep, Aguero etc I would be worried that we are being played, but it seems like Messi is adamant he's leaving and I don't think he'd risk ruining his relationship with Pep by messing us about.

Very strange situation all round though!

They have to agree how to proceed, even if that's to declare war on each other.

Sitting around doing nothing, is not an option for either side.

 

[ScottSinclair]

How would Blues feel about a trade off?

As we know football is political. Tebas Is raging and will do all he can to stop Messi leaving La Liga. Even moreso if it's for us.

What if City offered Real Madrid Sterling to placate him. Not many English players can say they've played for 3 so called elite teams and I think he'd fancy the challenge and it would suit his game.

Would you accept this?

Personally I wouldn't.

Don't know why people think that fat **** Tebas has any authority over anything relating us as an english club.

He just whines about the things we do like the bitch he is in the media after the fact, he can do very little to stop us.

The way I see it, if all reports about Messi really pushing to join us is true which we have to assume it is(still feels too good to be true), the only thing that can hinder these negotiations being a succes is the fact that Barca is severely mismanaged at every level. This Bartomeu clown is everything we have come to hate in De Laurentiis and he seems willing to go down in flames if the thinks it would save him face.