Liverpool To make 'major announcement' at 3

uberwolf

Originally posted by Bannor

Ballack wants a move to Barcelona. Bayern want to sell him but ideally they want an auction for the player. Barcelona won't be held to ransom and have decided to go after the man Bayern saw Ballack's replacement - Deco. There's still a bit to run in the transfer saga.

Of course having missed out on Gerrard Chelsea will now move for Deco (prob) meaning Barca could be priced out leaving Ballack to Barca more likely?

Any idea what inspired the change of heart?
Any truth in the suggestion above that Terry and Lampard were doing there bit to influence him?

mike65

My only worry is that with Barros setting the Euro 2004
alight the board may figure they could make a killing. He came in for 3.4 million he could leave for nearer 15.

So Villa could'nt afford him!

http://euro2004.skysports.com/list.asp?hlid=204610&plid=10602&clid=367

Mike.

Bannor

Originally posted by redspider
Owen is needed at Liverpool with Baros, and with Cisse as replacement for Heskey. Liverpool are likely to have the same set of players as last year, by and large. I dont see them purchasing a star for 30m, although Duff at 15m might be plausible. Maybe Bannor knows more.

Cisse is due to sign on Thursday apart from that nothing is certain.

All previously negotiated transfers are on hold, Benitez is being allowed bring in his own players which is where the move for Ballack came from.

Baros was told before going to Euro 2004 that unless he had a change of attitude his agent had better find him a new club or Liverpool would. The players making the headlines with potential moves away from the club are all doing so under their own steam (or rather that of their agents) - they're not willing to take their chances with the new manager.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for Liverpool to sign Duff. It's doubtful whether there'll ever be a transfer between the clubs for the foreseable future unless there's a fire sale at Chelski. Liverpool made it known to them via agents last week that any move for Gerrard would have to involve Terry and Lampard going the other way. The board were purely testing the resolve of Chelsea to get Gerrard. Realistically they would have accepted money plus Duff and Gallas. The response had something to do with a cold day in hell.

eyerer

Originally posted by Bannor
Gerrard leaving was not "just speculation" - last night he was preparing to go on his holidays and had already given his agent instructions to sort out his move to Chelsea. He had a change of heart over night and informed the club earlier today.

As stated before Benitez contacted Bayern about getting Ballack as a replacement for Gerrard. Whether he still wants him now that Gerrard is staying is another matter.

Ballack wants a move to Barcelona. Bayern want to sell him but ideally they want an auction for the player. Barcelona won't be held to ransom and have decided to go after the man Bayern saw Ballack's replacement - Deco. There's still a bit to run in the transfer saga.

i said ballack to pool was just speculation, some people said the gerrard deal was signed, when it wasn't
what happened with van der Vaart's proposed move to pool? from what i've seen of him, i'm not disappointed if it has fallen through, maybe he just can't play well in the dutch team?


chelsea said they wouldn't move for deco, so unless gerrard staying changes their minds they are unlikely to get him, think hes overrated anyway


baros must stay
can't wait to see cisse play in the red

Bannor

Originally posted by uberwolf
Of course having missed out on Gerrard Chelsea will now move for Deco (prob) meaning Barca could be priced out leaving Ballack to Barca more likely?

Any idea what inspired the change of heart?
Any truth in the suggestion above that Terry and Lampard were doing there bit to influence him?

Deco said no to Chelsea, the club spun it that they dropped their interest in the player in order to pursue Gerrard - the old first team football chesnut was the sticking point. Deco has told Mourinho that he wants to move to Barcelona.

The change of heart I put down to a combination of blackmail and the threat of physical violence. Gerrard posted a written transfer request to the club from Lisbon, Parry still has the letter. In a meeting with Gerrard on Saturday, Parry read from the letter and queried the conflicts between it and public statements made by Gerrard in the past few months. Parry made it clear him that if he turned his back on the club there was no coming back and that the club would repond to any stories spun by SFX in the press to facilitate the move with the truth (the written transfer request) and show Gerrard to be a scheming hypocrite. There are also stories that yesterday members of his own family threathened to break his legs if he joined Chelsea.

Terry and Lampard made themselves Gerrard and Rooney's best buddies in the whole world through out the build up to the tournament and during England's involvement. At the same time their girlfriends were shopping with Posh Spice and Frank Lampard's girlfriend who were telling them of the amazing shopping opportunities in London etc.

Bannor

Originally posted by eyerer
what happened with van der Vaart's proposed move to pool? from what i've seen of him, i'm not disappointed if it has fallen through, maybe he just can't play well in the dutch team?

Before the tournament started VdV informed Liverpool that he was still interested in joining the club. The decision as to whether or not to sign him is purely down to Benitez - he is being allowed to bring in his own players (apart from Cisse) and staff.

Big Ears

Originally posted by seansouth

Another thing I noticed about Owen in the Euro's is that he seems unwilling to run at his top speed, perhaps he is concerned about his hamstring.

its not he's concerned about his hamstring he's just lost pace . Well thats what he told the press before the tournament .

and a Michael Owen without pace is a poor striker .

_blank_

Originally posted by Big Ears
its not he's concerned about his hamstring he's just lost pace . Well thats what he told the press before the tournament .

and a Michael Owen without pace is a poor striker .

But after he scored the goal against Portugal he looked inspired for a while after.

Remember the ball he chased down right into the corner and crossed for Rooney?

I think his loss of pace could be more of a psychological problem.

kida

Do you really want to keep a player that tells the manager who to play?

Apparently the senior players were Gerrard and Owen (The Journalist was interviewd on newstalk last night)

Guardian Story

A brief flurry of goals when he returned suggested he had been sorely missed, but his mysterious disappearance from the Liverpool side that played Manchester United in April painted a different picture.

Gérard Houllier had included the Czech in his starting line-up, only for Anfield's senior players to pressure the Frenchman into a change of plan. Baros dropped out, Harry Kewell played off Michael Owen instead and Liverpool won 1-0. The young striker spent the remainder of the season kicking his heels again on the bench.

Dub13

Originally posted by kida
Do you really want to keep a player that tells the manager who to play?

Apparently the senior players were Gerrard and Owen (The Journalist was interviewd on newstalk last night)

Guardian Story

Under normal circumstance no...but the manager was a clown even my other half could see that and she is only intrested in football a year or two.

Bannor

Originally posted by kida
Do you really want to keep a player that tells the manager who to play?

Apparently the senior players were Gerrard and Owen (The Journalist was interviewd on newstalk last night)

Guardian Story

Baros playing for Liverpool and Baros playing for the Czech national team are two different players. As admitted by the player himself if he can transfer his international performances to his club games then he will give the manager a selection problem.

The three points are all that matters in league games - I wouldn't care if the tea lady picked the team if it proved to be the winning one.

Bannor

Originally posted by eyerer
i said ballack to pool was just speculation

An update on Ballack :
The sticking point with the transfer is Bayern's evaluation of the player (same situation with Barcelona). Bayern reckon Ballack is worth £15M, Liverpool's evaluation is £8M and Hamann has also been offered in part exchange. Bayern have enquired about the possibility of including Dudek as well (Kahn is still in negotiations with Man Utd). Benitez is happy to let Dudek go because he is confident that Canizares will join from Valencia.

Valencia have also notified Liverpool and Benitez that they intend to take legal action seeking compensation for the loss of their manager. The regulation cited by Benitez allowing him to leave the club after a 15 day notice period contains a clause which states that if he takes another position within the following twelve month period Valencia are entitled to compensation.

smemon

Originally posted by Bannor
An update on Ballack :
The sticking point with the transfer is Bayern's evaluation of the player (same situation with Barcelona). Bayern reckon Ballack is worth £15M, Liverpool's evaluation is £8M and Hamann has also been offered in part exchange.

(Kahn is still in negotiations with Man Utd).

1st of all theres no truth in kahn going to utd, utd dont want him and it was kahn that made an effort to move, not utd. thats as far as i know at the minute, in fact i believe it's LIVERPOOL now more interested in kahn.

2ndly, if gerrard is worth 30m, ballack is worth 60m. offering 8m, liverpool see ballack as less than 1/3 the player gerrard is?

LizardKing

Gerrards price tag was so high mainly because of the media in UK and the fact he is an englishman. They'll do it with Rooneyand did it with Rio Ferdinands over the top price tag , it does not reflect the true cost of player...

We've seen it time and again , when an english player with a massive media reputation and price tag tries to cut it abroad away from the english premiership they fail miserably ....

uberwolf

Supply and demand, Liverpool don't need to sell, and certainly had no desire to do so, the price was a reflection of this.

Ballack seems to have indicated a desire to leave, and Bayern a willingness to sell. All part of the bargaining process.

eirebhoy

Originally posted by smemon
2ndly, if gerrard is worth 30m, ballack is worth 60m. offering 8m, liverpool see ballack as less than 1/3 the player gerrard is?

And Duff is 5 times the player of Kewell?

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by eirebhoy
And Duff is 5 times the player of Kewell?

Wow there with the logic... It will confuse the one track mind of any United supporter..



Liverpool do not want to loose Gerard. Gerard has over 4 years lefr in a contract he signed only last November. Chelsea have more money than makes sense, thus can offer whatever amount they want to get their man. The end product.... An overly inflated price, it happens all the time...

I agree, he is not worth 30 odd million, even 20 odd million.. 15 or so I would say fair enough..

PS: Is the 18 year old Ronaldo that United paid 12 million for 4 times better than Kewell?

Dub13

Sorry its a bit long but I think it is important

I do hope that this is not true.

Threats sabotage transfer
By Wayne Veysey, Evening Standard
29 June 2004

Steven Gerrard had a dramatic last-minute change of heart over moving
to Chelsea after his family were subject to a hate campaign by
furious Liverpool fans.

The Anfield skipper arrived back from Portugal on Friday night ready
to seal a £30million move to Stamford Bridge, together with personal
terms that would have doubled his wages to £120,000 a week.

But the move was sabotaged within 24 hours of the midfielder
returning to Merseyside.

He had already put in a written transfer request after meeting new
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez in Lisbon during Euro 2004 and had
told his England colleagues that he was moving to Chelsea.

Officials from Anfield and Stamford Bridge had arranged a meeting for
yesterday to put the finishing touches to the deal.

But Gerrard was concerned about the fallout from his move to London
and the impact it would have on his relatives, most of whom live in
Liverpool and are lifelong fans of the Anfield club.

The England midfielder changed his mind partly because of the
intolerable pressure his extended family faced, which included a
series of threats and abuse in local newspapers and various websites.

His father, who had been fully behind him moving to Stamford Bridge,
advised him under these circumstances that there could be serious
repercussions if he did not stay at Anfield.

This is not the first time that a high profile Liverpool figure has
been forced to deal with personal abuse.

Former manager Gerard Houllier was the subject of death threats
earlier this year while Michael Owen, who is not as popular as local
boy Gerrard on Merseyside, has admitted in the past to receiving
dozens of threatening letters.

The same obstructive attitude shown by fans not wanting Gerrard to
move down south could have a similar effect on a potential Wayne
Rooney transfer this summer from neighbouring Everton.

The England wonder boy, out injured for six weeks with a broken bone
in his foot, has been linked with a move to Manchester United or
Chelsea.

Gerrard, 24, who has been at Liverpool since he was eight, admitted
yesterday that he was all set to move until he got back to his home
city and realised just how much the club and supporters meant to him.

He looked shaken and unhappy at a press conference yesterday to
confirm that he was staying.

"I made it clear that I haven't been happy with the progress of the
club over the past two years and for the first time in my career I
really thought about the possibility of moving on," he said.

"But I came back home and spoke to my family and friends and listened
to what they had to say.

"I talked with my dad, and my girlfriend and asked for a fourth
meeting with Liverpool's chief executive, Rick Parry, and I went with
the decision in my heart.

"I am 100 per cent committed to Liverpool Football Club. I love the
club, I love the supporters and I have decided I can't turn my back
on that. That's what it boils down to."

Liverpool have not increased the terms of the new four-year contract
that their best player signed last November.

Parry admitted that Gerrard had been on the brink of a record-
breaking move to Chelsea when he revealed the details of a phone call
on Saturday night.

His captain left a message asking Parry to ring him back urgently.

"It was with some trepidation I made that phone call," said Parry.

"I suppose I thought the worst, but he gave me an indication that he
had gone to the precipice and couldn't make the jump. I can't tell
you what he said, because it isn't printable, but he gave us hope by
asking for a meeting.

"We sat down and talked on Sunday night, and then he came in on
Monday and said that he couldn't leave."

Parry added ignoring the real background to Gerrard's decision:

"It is a triumph for traditional values. Let us just say that nice
people can go to the precipice and still pull back because home-town
values have prevailed.

"It almost restores my faith in modern footballers. I certainly had
some sleepless nights and really this has come as a very pleasant
surprise. We were never completely resigned because we hoped when he
came back to his home city surrounded by his friends and family he
would think again.

"When players are away on international duty, there is a different
environment, different inf luences and pressures.

"There are always people whispering, and there will always be
temptations. Stevie just said that, in the end, he didn't like what
he had to do to make the jump.

"I think his family have played a major part."

Big Nelly

He would have been protected by Abramovich and all his Mafia connections! haha! he wud have been a friend of the family!!!

super_furry

Ahh yes, another fine "exclusive" from Chelsea's private journalist Harry Harris. The same journalist (and I use that in the loosest possible terms) that, for the past two weeks has insisted that Gerrard was a Chelsea player. Can't make himself look bad now can he, so it must have been those horrible, evil supporters that made him look like the idiot he is.

Harris is working for Chelsea, and both the scummy Mail and their cockney sister paper The Evening Standard are stupid enough to employ him as a supposidly impartial journlist. And just in case you weren't totally convinced of his connections to Chelsea, the following are books he's written...

Ruud Gullit - The Chelsea Diary'
'Hoddle's England - The Road to France'
'Zola Numero Uno - The Zola Biography'
'Terry Venables - The Inside Story'
Gullit - My Autobiography
Glen Hoddle - Spurred to Success
Terry Neil - Revelation of a Football Manager
'Vialli - A Diary of the Season'

Bannor

The Evening Standard story is the Chelsea spin on the failed transfer attempt.

Struan Marshall the slime ball agent from SFX who represents Gerrard asked Parry to issue a press release in a couple of weeks stating that Gerrard was staying with the club because they had failed to agree a fee with Chelsea. Parry refused and insisted on the press conference yesterday to put an end to the matter and prevent the Chelsea mafia getting their claws in to the player while he was on holiday.

Gerrard has also been advised to get rid of SFX because they clearly don't have his best interests in mind - obviously helping Abramovich and Kenyon save face rather than the client they represent is more important.

kida

Did any else notice Gerrard hardly seemed over the moon at the press conference. I think he thinks Chelsea might put in a massive bid that Liverpool couldn't refuse and by saying yesterday he wanted to stay he can't be blamed.

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by kida
Did any else notice Gerrard hardly seemed over the moon at the press conference. I think he thinks Chelsea might put in a massive bid that Liverpool couldn't refuse and by saying yesterday he wanted to stay he can't be blamed.

So be it then. He is one of our best players and I don't want to see him leave. He is not worth the figures thrown about but if Chelsea were to offer say 40 mil or a swap deal with some quality player, the club could not refuse the offer.

I really don't understand why Chelsea are not offering Scott Parker or Joe Cole as part of the deal. Liverpools primary worry would surely be how to replace a player of Gerard calibre with the main worry being it would be impossible to find a ready made placement. Parker would certainly be a sufficiently good replacement for Gerard if Chelsea offered a large transfer fee with it.

eyerer

i think once mourinho has had a couple of weeks with the squad he'll start shipping out those he don't want
at that stage i could see scott parker being on the move and several other squadies
would be worth keeping an eye on for a bargain, everyone knows they don't need the money

atm an exchange would be unlikey because mourinhoe doesn't know who the excess players are yet

Bannor

The source for the threats to Gerrard and his family story in the Evening Standard is Simon Greenberg, former assistant editor of the paper. Coincidentally he recently took up the position of Director of Communications for Chelsea Village. Surprised?

super_furry

I'm really beginning to develop a serious dislike for Chelsea. They seem to think that they can just ignore the rules and pretty much do whatever they feel like just because they suddenly have a few quid. They're not a big club, have no history to speak of and haven’t won anything. Sure they may be putting together a nice, highly paid band of mercenaries but when things turn sour, as they did with Claudio Ranieri, there are going to be a lot of unhappy people.

Big Ears

Originally posted by super_furry
I'm really beginning to develop a serious dislike for Chelsea. They seem to think that they can just ignore the rules and pretty much do whatever they feel like just because they suddenly have a few quid.

I hope ur not a United fan , because they have been tapping up players and the like for years .

PHB

Like what?

Big Ears

The like is for unlicensed agents and other things to that extent .

PHB

What are you talking about?
Unlienced agents? For what?
What is it they've done, I'd like to know

jesus_thats_gre

Liverpool To make 'major announcement' at 3

Ahem... keep it on topic will ye. dont want it getting closed over some united crap again.

PHB

Yeah either do I, hence why I'm asking him what the hell he is talking about?

He goes on about the same random unbacked up comments all the time in every thread and I'm fed up with it, and would like to ask him what the hell he is talking about, so we don't have this crap in every thread

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by PHB
Yeah either do I, hence why I'm asking him what the hell he is talking about?

He goes on about the same random unbacked up comments all the time in every thread and I'm fed up with it, and would like to ask him what the hell he is talking about, so we don't have this crap in every thread

I pity the fool that touches my thread!!

Granted, what you talking about fool?

Jivin Turkey

Originally posted by PHB
Yeah either do I, hence why I'm asking him what the hell he is talking about?

He goes on about the same random unbacked up comments all the time in every thread and I'm fed up with it, and would like to ask him what the hell he is talking about, so we don't have this crap in every thread

Didnt Jaap Stam admit that Fergie had done this to him? Wasnt there also another incident involving PSV and Robben?

PHB

So if they have done illegal stuff why havn't they been called on it?

Bannor

Chelsea warned for overtures (Telegraph, 1 July 2004)

The Football Association are to have a quiet, admonitory word with Chelsea about the pursuit of Steven Gerrard while the Liverpool midfielder was away on England duty at Euro 2004. FA mandarins feel that one reason for Gerrard's subdued performances was that he was distracted by Chelsea's obvious interest.

"a quiet, admonitory word"??

Dont be at yourself

Originally posted by PHB
So if they have done illegal stuff why havn't they been called on it?

Hah. Please, PHB. Even my granny knows that Man Utd are balls deep in dodgy deals, be it in the form of tapping up players (step forward RVN, Stam, Saha...), unlicensed agents, or agents receiving suspiciously large sums of money.

They haven't been called on it because FIFA don't want anything to do with it, and are continually pushing the responsiblities onto the national associations, who are seemingly both incapable and unwilling to do anything about it, especially when it involves a big club.

I must say though, I find your blinkered support of Man Utd quite amusing.

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by NekkidBibleMan

I must say though, I find your blinkered support of Man Utd quite amusing.

Might as well close her down so!

PHB

So let me get this straight,

Man Utd are engaged in illegal activities.
Fifa care but don't care enough to do anything about it, instead they push the FA to act on it.
The FA don't act for some unknown reason or because they can't be arsed?

My question is this, if Utd were involved in dodgy deals, for example Saha which you quoted, wouldn't Fulham insist that the FA take action if there was action to be taken?

What I find funny is that my logic in your view is nullified because im a Man Utd supporter

jesus_thats_gre

Originally posted by PHB

What I find funny is that my logic in your view is nullified because im a Man Utd supporter

Well you could argue that you are blindly defending ManU purely because you are a supporter. There has been numerous rumours about ManU's activities in the transfer market and this is part of the reason that the two biggest shareholders submitted a 99 questions to the board relating to transfer activities at the club. When the two biggest shareholders do this you gotta wonder, especially if its to embarass the manager!

PHB

Yeah but when you wonder about it, and when you realise that the board responded with the anwsers and that no action was taken you can stop wondering about it and realise it was press hyperbole

Dont be at yourself

Chris Coleman:

You just get that feeling that we're being bullied into selling one of our players, but I don't like bullies and I don't like to be bullied so that's why we're so determined to hang on to Louis Saha

Al-Fayed:

I am fed up with Sir Alex Ferguson trying to disrupt my club and indirectly trying to unsettle my players.

That's just for Saha. Stam himself has alleged that he was tapped up by Ferguson. PSV alleged that they tapped up Ruud Van Nistelrooy. PSG alleged that they tapped up Ronaldino. Quotes are available if you really need them, but you've heard them before.

It' not a case of FIFA not caring, it's a case of them taking the easy way out and lumping the responsiblity with the FA.

The FA won't act because the clubs aren't being reported and the clubs aren't being reported because the FA won't act, or it is perceived that they won't act. Countless clubs in England and overseas carry out illegal activities and, were every infringement reported to the FA's (or even a significant number of them), it would bring the FA's to their knees. And as soon as the first stone is thrown, especially if it's target is one of the G14, the solution will become a bigger problem than the original problem.

I mean, how exactly can you punish the biggest clubs in the world severely enough without seriously damaging not only the reputation, image and security of football and football clubs, but also the quality of the actual football itself? The FA is stuck between a rock and hardplace, and it's much easier to pretend the problem doesn't exist than to try and tackle it.

Harry2001

Man Ure (and others) have been doing it for years

Brian Clough said that Ferguson tapped up Roy Keane in 1993!!!!

It is part of the game and nothing will be done to stop it unfortunately.

redspider

Originally posted by Bannor
Baros playing for Liverpool and Baros playing for the Czech national team are two different players. As admitted by the player himself if he can transfer his international performances to his club games then he will give the manager a selection problem.

I dont think this is what he said. All Liverpool followers and even a few neutrals would have appreciated the skills that Baros showed at Liverpool last season *when* he played. The problem he had was of course his bad injury (he had in fact scored a wonderful goal against the Dutch in an EC qualifier just before that!) had kept him out for a long time and when he did come back he didnt get on. Houllier wanted to keep the current team playing. There was that joke going around abo=ut Baros scoring 15 goals in training, etc and then Heskey being preferred.

Its unclear if there was a rift but Baros has stated that he would have been playing at Liverpool if there was a different manager, and there now is, and he hopes that with Benitez he will get the opportunity to transfer the skills that he clearly has to Liverpool. Its not that he plays differently when in a Liverpool shirt.



In terms of the tapping issues, etc, its clear to the dogs on the street that when money is involved in this trading that money will be abused. Did ayone see the programme narrated by Des Cahill on the money in the clubs and the G14, Chelsea not being amongst them.

Football is sort of above the law at the moment, in what other profession can you be owned and traded for several millions. Where is the one-months notice? Football is going through changes and the changes are not complete yet .....

Big Ears

Originally posted by Harry2001
Man Ure (and others) have been doing it for years

Brian Clough said that Ferguson tapped up Roy Keane in 1993!!!!

It is part of the game and nothing will be done to stop it unfortunately.

for those of you who havent read Roy Keanes book he , was going to sign for Blackburn Rovers , but thier office staff dont work on Fridays , so the transfer was put off till Monday .

Over the weekend Ferguson personnaly contacted Roy and conviced him to join Man Utd instead .

Big Ears

Originally posted by PHB


He goes on about the same random unbacked up comments all the time in every thread and I'm fed up with it, and would like to ask him what the hell he is talking about, so we don't have this crap in every thread

How about u back up ur comments about me going on about the same unbacked comments all the time in every thread .;)

eyerer

Originally posted by Big Ears
for those of you who havent read Roy Keanes book he , was going to sign for Blackburn Rovers , but thier office staff dont work on Fridays , so the transfer was put off till Monday .

Over the weekend Ferguson personnaly contacted Roy and conviced him to join Man Utd instead .

how different things could have been, dumbass blackburn

redspider

The facts about how Roy Keane moved to Man U are different than whats in Roys (Dunphy's?) book. You have to listen to what Kenny Dalglish and Brian Clough have had to say on the topic. Ale Ferguson doesn't comment on it.

Seemingly what happened is that RoyForest had agreed verbally to the move to Blackburn. Someone at Forest got in touch with someone at Man U again to try to up the price. Man U would by a small amount but didnt want to be seen to be in a bidding war. Man U offered an alternative to pay Clough money directly - a bung in other words. Clough accepted, Forest accepted and no doubt others had to have their palms greased. And Roy, who had thought that Man U were not interested enough in him, was on his way to Man U and signed the contract quickly.

Dalglish and Blackburn were left high and dry. They complained to the FA but got nothing out of it. They suspected things but of course had no proof, or perhaps no real idea.

Dalglish was just too honest, Ferguson and Clough on the other hand were perhaps not so ......

kida

They are very serious accusations RedSpider(even libelous) and don't be surprised to see that post dissapear. You need facts to say things like that on a public forum.

redspider

This is not the first time this has been mentioned. I will try and get some links but you just need to remember that bungs were endemic in the sport at one stage so they were happening all the time and between many. Only a few were punished for it, most notably George Graham at Arsenal. Clough was brought up for it due to the Teddy Sheringham sale.

Here is one link:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/opinion/main.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2003/07/06/do0604.xml



and an excerpt:

It was exactly 10 years ago, during the epic High Court battle between Alan Sugar and Terry Venables, that the word "bung" first entered football parlance. Sugar, the owner of Tottenham Hotspur testified that Venables, his former manager, had told him that the proposed purchase of Teddy Sheringham from Nottingham Forest would proceed more smoothly if Forest's manager, Brian Clough, received "a bung". And that this practice was widespread throughout the game. Football was shocked. Shocked!

The subsequent bung inquiry set up by the Football Association managed to finger one culprit - George Graham of Arsenal. Graham lost his job but was soon back in another one. As, of course, was Venables, despite being disqualified, on 19 separate counts, from being a company director.

The message was clear. Anything went in football - as long as there was money in it.



This is a members forum, not a publication, so my posting is not libellous as I state tat this is "seemingly" or "alledgedly" what happened. I dont claim to have any more proof than what has been mentioned discussed elsewhere, in the press, on TV documentaries, in books, etc.

The key thing to remember is that Clough was receiving bungs, as were many, and Man U were paying them, as were many, and the Keane deal went though in a dodgy manner, according to Dalglish and as seen evidentloy by what happened. Obviously Keane is not going to write about this in his book even if he knows what actually happened or not.


I'll look for more links ....