Judging by our business this summer it’s clear we weren’t quite prepared to lose Ilkay for at least another year or two. But yeah, ultimately what’s happened has happened. Wish him all the best, just rushed our plans a bit.
Global shift to renewable energy by 2030? Sounds more like pure fiction to me.They don't. The Saudi's are desperate because their oil revenue is drying up.
Prices of crude have been so low, they've been losing money between 2015 - 2022, & their saving grace was Putin's war in Ukraine massively inflating oil revenues.
They have Agenda 2030 whereby they're desperate to complete several massive infrastructure projects whilst they still have the revenue rolling in. After this, Saudi will be floating on a precious resource, with fewer & fewer takers because of the global shift to renewable energy.
They need to diversify into other areas of business & a big part of this is attracting Western investment & expertise. HOWEVER, that's easier said than done in a country governed by Sharia Law, which routinely airs public beheadings, & where alcohol, pork, nicotine & living with an unmarried partner are illegal.
Attracting major sports stars as a distraction to their population, & the ensuing softening of their restrictive laws to enable this transformation, is proving problematic because of the push back from Conservative Clerics.
Mohammad Bin Salman has been utterly ruthless in defence of his modernisation programme. Ronaldo isn't married to his long-term partner, but this has been overlooked as the Saudi's look to attract the biggest stars in world football.
Quite what happens when economic reality kicks in after 2030, remains to be seen. For now, Saudi Arabia presents a clear & present danger in terms of attracting the world's biggest football stars, irrespective of what the PL & UEFA would have you believe. )(
I don’t think Gundo being 33 was a concern tbh he never relied on one or two attributes. Likes of David and Fernandinho were doing totally fine even with Pep demands at nearly 35Or we felt confident on Bellingham? Really no point in worrying now as Kovacic has been a fantastic signing so far and Gundo would have been 33 anyway?
I agree with the first part - not sure about the "full of shit" bit.So you read the fact he says it was his childhood dream to play for Barcelona, that he got the perfect ending, after wanting to concentrate on football which in part resulted in talks being late, as, he really wanted to stay and the club messed it up? Ok.
One thing is almost certain, those that reiterate the 'he wanted 3 years but we would only give him 2 so he left' KFA bullshit are full of shit.
He obviously had a great season, and played a lot last year, which may have changed everyone's view, but I'm sure there was a lot of talk in the season or two before about him being in pain, and wondering how long he could go in the Premier League.I don’t think Gundo being 33 was a concern tbh he never relied on one or two attributes. Likes of David and Fernandinho were doing totally fine even with Pep demands at nearly 35
I agree with the first part - not sure about the "full of shit" bit.
Walker has admitted he was close to leaving, and the suggestion is that it took two increased offers to persuade him to stay, as well as Pep telling him how important it was. If he'd not got that second offer, do you think he'd do an interview saying that he got one offer, but it wasn't enough to persuade him? Or do you think he'd have said it was the perfect time to leave, and he'd always wanted to play abroad?
Negotiations are inevitably a lot more of a grey area, and I'm sure all of us have made decisions that were complicated during our lives/careers, which could have gone either way, but that we would put a much more positive spin on if asked.
I see it as being just what I'd expect from Gundo, in terms of a nice, intelligent guy, giving away as much as he wants, while keeping everyone happy.
That’s certainly KFA bullshit but what’s not bullshit is had we actually not left it too late and considered his terms he would’ve stayed. Lots of players dream to play for real and Barca, but being a clubs captain lifting the treble maybe he felt he was owed more importance, and we clearly are too ruthless and bereft of emotion when it comes to business to do that. He could’ve even left for Barca next summer for a minimal fee to realise his dream, time wasn’t running out.So you read the fact he says it was his childhood dream to play for Barcelona, that he got the perfect ending, after wanting to concentrate on football which in part resulted in talks being late, as, he really wanted to stay and the club messed it up? Ok.
One thing is almost certain, those that reiterate the 'he wanted 3 years but we would only give him 2 so he left' KFA bullshit are full of shit.
“If this happened a little earlier, the situation would've been different.”It can't be both. We can't have been unprepared for him leaving, and failed to offer him a contract on time.
Players' contracts get extended a year or more before their final year. If his didn't, regardless of which side swayed it, then we were prepared for it.
That’s certainly KFA bullshit but what’s not bullshit is had we actually not left it too late and considered his terms he would’ve stayed. Lots of players dream to play for real and Barca, but being a clubs captain lifting the treble maybe he felt he was owed more importance, and we clearly are too ruthless and bereft of emotion when it comes to business to do that. He could’ve even left for Barca next summer for a minimal fee to realise his dream, time wasn’t running out.
He could have, you are right. But he didn't want to. He wanted to leave after that treble, while still able to play at this level, after a perfect ending and the perfect time for something new. As he said, then, and now.
The only way he might have stayed is if any deal had already been signed long before the run-in. Which he also says, in saying he only wanted to focus on football at that time. And lets face it, being 10 points behind arsenal and just into the knockout stages of the CL is ot really the best time to he handing out contracts.
He is literally telling people he wanted what he's got, and he got exactly what he decided he wanted. And somehow people will still try to turn it around as a failing by the club.