On the Ball (new Football Focus)

[mockney piers]

Youll get no argument from me as to whether Spain is shonky, nepotistic and corrupt believe me. I remember the ayuntamiento (think glc) bought the training ground at an inflated price that happened to match Real's debts about 10 years ago. I just don't see that there would be sums anything like these going from public funds to buy players, the government, local or national would quite simply be lynched right now as The bottom falls out of Spains property Market and unemployment is creeping back to the bad old days levels

[matthew123]

Mike Riley and now Steve Bennett has retired.. that's got to be worth 10 points a season..

[david_carnell]

Owen to Man Utd is now confirmed.

A brave choice by Sir Alex but I think he might work well with Berbatov. And he'll be guaranteed to get more service than he ever did at Newcastle.

[matthew123]

After missing out on Benezma with a late ?35m bid on Wednesday, Ferguson then invited Owen for breakfast the next morning. It was then at breakfast yesterday morning that Fergie made his offer. I cannot see Owen and Berbatov playing together as they're both too lazy. More like Owen will be used as a super sub after starting the first few games of the season to get Berbatov to pull his finger out.

I think there is now a strong chance Tevez will reconsider the reason why he said no to Liverpool as that reason appears to have now gone up in smoke with Owen well and truly burning his bridges at Liverpool. Whether Tevez will be convinced is another matter but I'd certainly say Liverpool are back on the radar.

[Keef]

Will seem really odd seeing him in a united shirt, that's for sure. Still, Liverpool never wanted him back, and he now has the chance to build a partnership with Rooney, and possibly get his England place back. I do believe he is a player, like Beckham, who still really wants to play for his country, and in that sense, he couldn't ask for a better move.

[????]

How in any way is this a risk as some on BBC are saying (and you DC ;-))? - MO's a free agent if they pay him ?50k a week on a 2 year contract that's still 'only' 5 million which is buttons for a striker , especially one who has scored everywhere at every level when fit. I'm not sure he'll play that much but for a club with Utd's money it's almost a no-brainer with a potential massive return. Seriously who would they pick up for ?5m in the 'real' market?

[red devil]

Wishful thinking again Matthew, Tevez has said he won't play for 'pool out of respect for the Utd fans, doesn't strike me as the sort of person to change his mind, and Owen moving to Utd is irrelevant. I'd say 'pool burned their bridges with Owen, Benitez had his chance to take him back. Why is Owen ending up at Utd such a big deal anyway, he was never liked that much by the 'pool fans in the first place, now if it had been Fowler that signed, than yes that would be a big deal.

As Quids said this is a no-brainer for Utd and I think easily the best bit of transfer business this summer. Saw on Sky this morning that he had the best conversion rate of chances in the Prem last season of 29%, Tevez only got 11%, Torres 19%, and that was playing for a team that got relegated. He is going to get a shed load more chances to score at Utd, and won't be a 'super-sub', that's a 70's concept, it's now a squad game and he will start his fair share of games. There's also the added bonus of his experience and professionalism both on and off the field, he'll be a mentor to Welbeck and Macheda, and hopefully England will benefit if Owen is a success, perfect timing for next years World Cup.

Welcome to Utd Michael! - 'Once a Red, always a Manc'...

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/46009000/jpg/_46009635_owenshirtc466.jpg

[matthew123]

Haha. The only thing United will need to worry about (apart from injuries) is his work ethic off the ball. Since losing his blistering pace he has not been a team player and that is what has frustrated Rafa and Capello as to whether to bring him back into the fold. Be interesting to see how he and lazy bones Berbatov combine.

I don't think it will sit easy with United fans that they've signed a washed up former Liverpool star 48 hours after Benzema turned down their ?35m bid to join Real Madrid. Liverpool of course took on ex-United skipper Paul Ince but that was to fill a gaping hole in our ranks but Owen to United just seems to be at best an attempt to try and rub Liverpool's nose in it, as after all the only other clubs interested were Hull and Stoke.

Good luck Michael on your 2 year contract at 'a top club' - if you can prove yourself again who knows ;-)

 

[red devil]

Signing Benzema - ?35+ Million

Signing Owen and winding up the Scousers - priceless!

[mockney piers]

seriously Matthew, inverted commas?!

[matthew123]

I tend to quote a phrase if it's not my own - in this instance the words of Owen, the full quote was 'I'm sure a top club like this can re-ignite my career'.

[????]

Mathew - do you write those reviews outside west end theatres by any chance?

[matthew123]

I'm not familiar with any such reviews but in a word, no

[mockney piers]

There is a certain implication in the use of quotes however that they're his words, not necessarily reflecting reality.

I have to say, love em or loathe em, a top club they most certainly are.

[Sandperson]

Matt, why have you started with the name calling again? I go away for a couple of nights to climb some alps and come back to United signing Owen and 'Lazy Bones Berbatov'. Come on, you can do better than that. How about analysing his playing rather than jumping on name calling band wagons after all that so called lazy player has a Premiership medal in his pocket.

Seems to me that you might be a little bit annoyed about the signing. I know it would annoy me, so just admit it and move on ;).

I'm not sure that Owen is going to be that good but he's cheap, he can score if he's fit (and I think we can keep him fit better than most teams) and I trust everything Fergie does.....like Veron, Forlan, and Djemba Djemba :))

[david_carnell]

Don't forget Taibi!

[Keef]

Ha ha, he was amazingly bad.

[Sandperson]

Damn, there's always one more to add to the list. Prunier....Barthez...

[red devil]

Ladies and Gentlemen I give you 'the next Thierry Henry' - David Bellion,

not forgetting he's from Brazil so he must be brilliant - Kleberson,

and finally my personal favourite - Ralph fooking Milne...at least we knew he was shiiit

[Bellenden Belle]

.

[david_carnell]

Whilst his winning ability is unquestionable, and the youth development programme at Old Trafford is uniquely successful, would the MU fans on the forum say that Fergie's transfer policy is generally successful?

I'd say yes, but as illustrated above, there have been some high profile failures.

What about the other clubs?

Wenger did buy Francis Jeffers!

Off the top of my head I'd say Houllier/Rafa have been the most hit & miss if only due to the sheer number of players bought and sold over the last decade. But I've not thought about it that hard.

[Sandperson]

Argh, it's amazing how you blank them out. Bellion and Kleberson....oops. Interesting blog from McNulty on the Beeb:

Blog.

[matthew123]

I see David O'Leary is up to his old tricks this time trying to get back into management with this corker

'The only people who could take me as a number two would be an Alex Ferguson or an Arsene Wenger and I'd be back tomorrow. I don't want to be making out that my tongue is hanging out ass licking to get into a job. That's just not me.'

Loyal to the last he then gives Harry Kewell a glowing tribute..

'It didn't surprise me with Kewell. He was a cold boy. I told Peter Ridsdale to take the money before people realised about him. Gerard Houllier was a friend and asked me about him and I told him he'd peaked young and I thought he wouldn't go on to do much.'

[red devil]

Fergie and Arsene must be hitting the speedial button as we speak...

[mockney piers]

The youth program is self evidently successful bit I wouldn't say uniquely. West hams academy can arguably be deemed every bit as good, we just don't have the resources to hold on to those players or have the chance to offer them champions league football.