Greatest Bargains of all time

Death or Glory

Murderpool? f*ckin hell........ and I got a week ban for calling Harry Kewell a tosser.

No consistancy

Pepe LeFrits

Death or Glory wrote: »

Murderpool? f*ckin hell........ and I got a week ban for calling Harry Kewell a tosser.

No consistancy

:rolleyes:

Report the post and stop crying.

PHB

Red card for OhNoYouDidn't for blatent unprovoked abuse
Yellow card for meditraitor responding to the abuse
Yellow card for Death or Glory for debating moderation in thread

This card system is nice ain't it

aidan24326

RefulgentGnomon wrote: »

I agree with many of the above but I don't buy into this Solskjaer thing. The chap is remembered as being greater than he actually was IMO.
His goalscoring records aren't great and I never really felt he was that important for United in the nineties. If he didn't score THAT goal, I think he would be remembered quite differently......

Have to disagree with you. Solskjaer is not just remembered by United fans for 'that' goal, not at all. He is remembered as a superb finisher and a great pro, and probably the greatest supersub of all time. You forget that Solskjaer didn't start alot of those games, but even coming on for 20 minutes he was always likely to nick a goal, as he did so often. His testimonial is guaranteed to be a sell-out, which shows the affection in which he's held at United.

I bet in a goals-to-chances ratio he would be up there with the very best.

Zaph

NinjaTruncs wrote: »

WRT Cantona, a Million was quiet a bit of cash pre premiership. I'm not saying he wasn't worth it but i would hardly call it a bargain.

Even at the time £1m for Cantona was considered a steal seeing as he single-handedly reinvigorated Leeds at a time when their title challenge was flagging. Without him we wouldn't have won the league that year. His subsequent career at Man U made it look as if we should have asked for £10m for him.

ITT-Pat wrote: »

Scott Carson, £3.25m

Liverpool bought Scott Carson from Leeds for only £1m. I'd say that was a bigger bargain.

For me, the £300k that Leeds spent on Gordon Strachan was possibly the best money the club ever spent.

Esse85

Peter Schmeichel and Henrick Larsson

CantGetNoSleep

Kaka only cost £4.5 million

Mr Alan

CantGetNoSleep wrote: »

Kaka only cost £4.5 million

**** me-thats incredible business, considering it was in 2003 that really is peanuts.

Racing Flat

aidan24326 wrote: »

Have to disagree with you. Solskjaer is not just remembered by United fans for 'that' goal, not at all. He is remembered as a superb finisher and a great pro, and probably the greatest supersub of all time. You forget that Solskjaer didn't start alot of those games, but even coming on for 20 minutes he was always likely to nick a goal, as he did so often. His testimonial is guaranteed to be a sell-out, which shows the affection in which he's held at United.

I bet in a goals-to-chances ratio he would be up there with the very best.

A great bargain and a great sub, but I find it hard to call someone a great player when he was never a first choice starter for his club. Always a sub, or a starter only when those before him were injured. As for 'great pro' - 'loyal' might be a better description - would a 'great pro' not go to another club lower down the league to try and be a starter, when it's clear after a few years that he will never be a starter at his current club?

Racing Flat

Beckham to real Madrid? - did they not make so much in jersey sales etc. as well as Sky Sports suddenly putting a lot more emphasis on Spanish soccer (maybe Madrid benefited from this).

Everyone going for cheap deals - Shearer for 15mill was massive at the time, but in terms of value for money, shirt sales, giving a club some identity etc. it was probably a great bargain.

mormank

Nah i cant believe ole gunnar is being touted here as the best bargain of all time!!! Come on. seriously, grand a bargain but the thread title is best bargain of all time. He doesnt even come close. Just cos people like him doesnt mean he was a bargain.

And santa cruz...pffft.. not a chance either. One season he has had, come on, one season. Toure is a better bargain than him at 150k!!!

weemcd

Lot of differing opinion on Solskjaer on this thread.

As a united supporter I feel Ole was a player you couldn't really put a price on or quantify, he brought an extra dimension to united when they needed a shot in the arm, when i look at united now id give anything to have a player the calibur of Solskjaer on the bench dying to get on and do some damage to the opposition (who's gonna do that atm, darren fletcher? michael carrick? I think not.) His ability to change the run of play in such short time periods is not to be sniffed at. When you take into account his versatility in filling the role on the right wing when Beckham was unavailable, even resigning David to the bench on more than one occasion - unthinkable when you think of the perception David Beckham has had over the years, the shirt sales, the transfer fees, captaining Manchester United AND England, undoubtedly the most recognized footballer on the planet! Yet for a time Ole kept him out of the position, there's a special element there that isn't really quantifiable by statistics such as goals per games ratio or how many starts he had...

Considering he must have had offers to go to albeit smaller clubs where he would have been top dog, he didn't, a truly loyal servant to our club in his playing days. Now his career as a player is finished he has taken on an ambassador role for the club touring Asia, managing the reserves and earning his coaching badges.

That's all before you even think about 1999, dragging us from the brink of disappointment to winning the biggest prize in club football, characteristically netting in injury time - a sight United fans were all too familiar with, it might as well have been the dying minutes against a mid table premiership team to avoid a massive upset.

I for one will be going to Colerane VERY early on the 27th, before he kicks off the milk cup to try and catch a glimpse of the man himself.

BARGAIN player if there ever was one.

herbieflowers

Cantona was pretty inexpensive iirc

Unearthly

How about Sol Campbell? Granted he was given a huge wage but he did contribute a lot towards 2 league titles and the fact he came from their local rivals must make it even sweeter.

Apart from that there are the obvious ones already mentioned

Seaneh

Flamini to Milan, not a bean paid, happy out =D

sitout

tim cahill to everton from milwall 1.5 million about 3 years ago . case closed.

CHD

Kevin Keegan £35,000 from Scunthorpe to Liverpool 230 Apps and 68 Goals
Aldridge £250k Real Sociedad to Tranmere 242 Apps and 138 Goals

iregk

I wish people would stop looking at past transfers and bench mark it against todays fee's and quantify that as a bargain. Yes 500k for Kenny Daglish is a Bargain when you think of the 48million Real paid for Zidane but thats not like with like. The Daglish transfer was an English record at the time and possibly a world record also so in my mind that doesn't count. Neither does Ian Rush to Liverpool as that was mega money for a teenager at the time.

Bargains for me is the 300k Chelsea paid for Tore Andre Flo and then sold him to Rangers for 12mil, likewise Anelka.

So if we are talking context to market value i'd have to say Marco Van Basten 1m to Milan. The same summer they also signed Gullit for 8m!!!!

CHD

iregk wrote: »

I wish people would stop looking at past transfers and bench mark it against todays fee's and quantify that as a bargain. Yes 500k for Kenny Daglish is a Bargain when you think of the 48million Real paid for Zidane but thats not like with like. The Daglish transfer was an English record at the time and possibly a world record also so in my mind that doesn't count. Neither does Ian Rush to Liverpool as that was mega money for a teenager at the time.

Bargains for me is the 300k Chelsea paid for Tore Andre Flo and then sold him to Rangers for 12mil, likewise Anelka.

So if we are talking context to market value i'd have to say Marco Van Basten 1m to Milan. The same summer they also signed Gullit for 8m!!!!

yeah good shout.

sitout

CHD wrote: »

yeah good shout.

+1

sitout

6 grannie smiths in tesco today for 49 cents. now thats value!

HashSlinging

Vladimír Šmicer to Girondins Bordeaux in the summer of 2005. Free.

gosplan

Necronomicon wrote: »

126 goals in 366 appearances isn't a great record? Whether you think he's a great player or not, I don't see how you can't consider that a bargain for the money paid. Solskjaer changed absolutely countless games for United. He must've been a manager's dream, never complaining about having to start on the bench. Even when he was asked to do a job out on the right wing, he completely re-invented himself and pretty much kept Beckham out of the team. After years of rehab and coming back from a career threatening injury (and one that ultimately undid him) he still managed to get 11 goals when United won the Premiership two seasons ago, despite limited playing time and having to retire towards the end of that season. Arguably the most clinical finisher we've ever had, certainly in this generation. How was he not a bargain?

A fringe player, no matter how good they are, is still a fringe player. I don't think you can claim greatest bargain of all time for someone who's first position was on the bench IMO.

Wreck

Mr Alan wrote: »

Sami Hypia is ... one of the best defenders ever to play in the Premier League

Eh, how are you defining best there? Is it like he is in the top 100 defenders or something? Because he's not even the best defender to play for Liverpool, a team that hasn't even won the premiership. He has been a great servant for the club and plied his trade admirably, but he is in no way one of the greatest defenders to play in the premiership.

On topic, Toure for 150k is unbelievable, considering the way the market was when he signed.

Necronomicon

gosplan wrote: »

A fringe player, no matter how good they are, is still a fringe player. I don't think you can claim greatest bargain of all time for someone who's first position was on the bench IMO.

Not to sound pedantic, but the title of the thread is Greatest Bargains of all time. I'm not claiming he's the biggest bargain ever, but he is most certainly a bargain for the impact he made on the club.

Besides, I think it's unfair to call him a fringe player. It's a myth that he scored more goals off the bench, he actually scored more when starting.

HalloweenJack

Tim Cahill from Millwall to Everton.

He's worked wonders for them.

Mr Alan

Wreck wrote: »

Eh, how are you defining best there? Is it like he is in the top 100 defenders or something? Because he's not even the best defender to play for Liverpool, a team that hasn't even won the premiership. He has been a great servant for the club and plied his trade admirably, but he is in no way one of the greatest defenders to play in the premiership.

well i would disagree very strongly.

I think he is the best defender to play for Liverpool in the last 15-20 years.

Him never having won the premiership is totally irrelevant. He has won every title he can win with Liverpool with that one exception. But i think its highly insulting to write off a player whos honours include;

Winner

* 2001 League Cup
* 2001 FA Cup
* 2001 UEFA Cup
* 2001 Charity Shield
* 2001 European Super Cup
* 2003 League Cup
* 2005 UEFA Champions League
* 2005 European Super Cup
* 2006 FA Cup
* 2006 Community Shield

Runner Up

* 2001–02 FA Premiership
* 2002 Charity Shield
* 2005 League Cup
* 2005 FIFA Club World Championship
* 2007 UEFA Champions League


Wat about LeTissier?Kinkladze?Asprilla?Ginola?Zola? are they not classed as "great players"? their PL trophy haul would certainly indicate they aren't, but yet of course, we know better.

IMO Sami Hypia is in the top tier of defenders in the PL since its inception, right up in the top tier, as in, he'd be in with a good shout of making a PL "best team ever". If you disagree, fair enough but you have to be taking the piss with;

He has been a great servant for the club and plied his trade admirably, but he is in no way one of the greatest defenders to play in the premiership.

That is the kind of thing you'd say about John O'Shea,Lucas Neil and other distinctly average players. Not, imo, a player of Samis calibre.

Frisbee

Hyppia is in now way one of the greatest defenders ever to play in the Premiership.
Thats and absolutely farcical statement to make.

Dixon
Adams
Winterburn
Irwin
Stam
Vidic
Ferdinand
Carragher
Evra
Cole
Clichy
Terry


All much better players than him, and most are recent players. Didnt even try to cast my memory too far back...

Mr Alan

Frisbee wrote: »

Hyppia is in now way one of the greatest defenders ever to play in the Premiership.
Thats and absolutely farcical statement to make.

Dixonfull back
Adamsis better
Winterburnfull back
Irwinfull back
StamHypia is/was better imo
Vidicone good year, lot to do to be better than Hypia
Ferdinandpossibly, but only really shone imo over the last couple of years, but ok, i'll accept him and hes been very good for a long time and outstanding over the last couple of years
Carraghernope afraid not
Evrafull back
Colefull back
Clichyfull back, and you're obviously having a laugh including him in a list of the best ever anything? so so so so so much to prove
TerryHypia would eat Terry for breakfast, Sami was the far better player


All much better players than him, and most are recent players. Didnt even try to cast my memory too far back...

its not really fair to compare attacking full backs to Sami Hypia tbh.

so you've come up with Adams and Ferdinand, one of which is debatable.

Wreck

Mr Alan wrote: »

well i would disagree very strongly.

I think he is the best defender to play for Liverpool in the last 15-20 years.

IMO Sami Hypia is in the top tier of defenders in the PL since its inception, right up in the top tier, as in, he'd be in with a good shout of making a PL "best team ever". If you disagree, fair enough but you have to be taking the piss with;

That is the kind of thing you'd say about John O'Shea,Lucas Neil and other distinctly average players. Not, imo, a player of Samis calibre.

I realise there is little point in arguing as its very unlikely you will change your opinion but here goes anyway.

The claim that Hypia would be even close to a PL 'best ever team' is ludicrous to the point of absurdity. I can list at least ten better central defenders off the top of my head, and I'm not even that knowledgeable about soccer. Hypia ahead of Bruce, Pallister, Ferdinand, Vidic, Staam, Adams, Keown, Campbell, Terry, Carvalho, Desailly, McGrath? I think not. And outside of the cream of the preimership defenders there is a second tier of players who are just as good, if not better than Hypia - players like Gallas, Ledley King, Woodgate, Southgate etc.

I'm astounded that a Liverpool supporter rates Hypia above Carragher, personally I don't think he even comes close.

Having said that, I certainly don't think he is a bad player, and (back on topic for a second) at 2.6 million was certainly value for money.

eZe^

eZe^ wrote: »

Luis Enrique... Signed on a free transfer from Madrid.. Bargain...

73 goals in 200 odd games, in a struggling struggling team... Not bad for a free transfer from your bitter arch rivals.

Mr Alan

Wreck wrote: »

and I'm not even that knowledgeable about soccer.

Ah see, this is where our problem is stemming from

Hypia ahead of Bruce, Pallister, Ferdinand, Vidic, Staam, Adams, Keown, Campbell, Terry, Carvalho, Desailly, McGrath? I think not. And outside of the cream of the preimership defenders there is a second tier of players who are just as good, if not better than Hypia - players like Gallas, Ledley King, Woodgate, Southgate etc.

I'd have Hypia ahead of Pallister,Vidic,Stam,Keown,Terry,Carvalho.

and would call it a close call with Bruce,Campbell and Desailly and basically personal preference.

I'm astounded that a Liverpool supporter rates Hypia above Carragher, personally I don't think he even comes close.

In the last couple of years Carra has been better, no doubt, but Hypia is in the twilight of his career.

ah well may as well call it a night.

undeniably a massive massive bargain.

Charlie

Lads you can debate defenders all day, but there is only one man ftw, Phillipe Albert!

Smartly Dressed

If he continues to improve at his current rate, Gael Clichy at £250,000.

Arguably the best left back in the Premier League, and maybe even the world and he hasn't even won an international cap yet.

DSB

I think you're overrating Hyypia a tad there.

~Rebel~

Anyone saying Sami doesn't belong in this thread is nuts. The number of years of service, the importance and size of his impact over the time, and his initial price make it a no brainer. Im not gonna go into who he's better then, but imo he'd have made pretty much every team in the premiership at his peak. Fantastic player, fantastic in the air, fantastic reader of the game, fantastic leader.

meditraitor

~Rebel~ wrote: »

Anyone saying Sami doesn't belong in this thread is nuts. The number of years of service, the importance and size of his impact over the time, and his initial price make it a no brainer. Im not gonna go into who he's better then, but imo he'd have made pretty much every team in the premiership at his peak. Fantastic player, fantastic in the air, fantastic reader of the game, fantastic leader.

+1

semibluff

one of THE biggest bargains of all time, i think, surprisingly came in more recent time.

When Chelsea decided to PAY arsenal 15 million to give them a more superior player ( Gallas) in return for taking a troublesome average left back off their hands ( A. Cole)

now thats a bargain beyond belief

event

from my clubs perspective, lucas radebe for £250,000

played for 11 years, captained the club and at his very best, was a brilliant defender. A leader on and off the pitch, with his work with FIFA against racism. A legend of a man.

ITT-Pat

Mr Alan I too think that you're slightly overrating Hyypia but I think most others are really underrating him. Its true that Hyypia was immense from 00-04, he was a rock.

2005 may have been the start of the decline and its around this time that Carragher really started to emerge with his excellent form. This may co-incide with the timeline of when more people started to pay more attention to Liverpool so maybe thats why people are prefer Carragher

leninbenjamin

in terms of return to capital, it surely has to be only one winner: Anelka.

in terms of impact on their club: Cantona. it's rare enough you can buy someone as influential as Cantona, more typically this type of figure has to be raised at the club a la Scholes, Gerrard, or spend the best part of a decade at least. without Cantona Fergy may never have won the league or lay the foundataions for what the club is today. phenomenal piece of business by Utd, i always wonder though what the hell were Leeds thinking when they sold him?


also: Hyypia was a solid defender, and would certainly be pushing on for a spot in my top 10 defenders to have ever played in the Prem list. and at his peak he was a better player than Carragher was imo (who too often is a bit headless chickeny without someone calm and reassuring like the Finn). but there were much better bargains to be had.

Xavi6

leninbenjamin wrote: »

in terms of return to capital, it surely has to be only one winner: Anelka.

Anelka - Cost £500,000, Sold for £22.3 million

Shaun Wright-Phillips - Cost nothing, Sold for £21 million

Neck and neck between those two for me.

Smartly Dressed

semibluff wrote: »

When Chelsea decided to PAY arsenal 15 million to give them a more superior player ( Gallas) in return for taking a troublesome average left back off their hands ( A. Cole)

I'm pretty sure it was £5million. Either way it was a good bit of business as you said.

PHB

If we're including people grown up in the clubs, Beckham would win in terms of money made both in marketing and in tranfser fees.

ITT-Pat

Xavi6 wrote: »

Anelka - Cost £500,000, Sold for £22.3 million

Shaun Wright-Phillips - Cost nothing, Sold for £21 million

Neck and neck between those two for me.

By that rationale you could put Beckham in there too- Cost Nothing, Sold for £25m

Xavi6

I don't see why homegrown players WOULDN'T count as bargains. Arsenal recognised Anelka's talent so bought him, City recognised SWP's talent that Nottingham Forest didn't, and United recognised Beckham's talent at the Bobby Charlton Soccer School.

Sure look at Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs. How much have United saved on transfer fees in the last 15 years or so? How much have Liverpool spent on left wingers since 1991?

leninbenjamin

Xavi6 wrote: »

Anelka - Cost £500,000, Sold for £22.3 million

Shaun Wright-Phillips - Cost nothing, Sold for £21 million

Neck and neck between those two for me.

he was still a youth, only 15. i don't see how you can include him when making comparisons. else every fricken youth who makes pro would be a 'bargain'

besides, can you quantify the return to capital on SWPs registration? i can't.

ITT-Pat

ah you're just sayin that cos Man City never had a great player that was a bargain:p

Seriously though, those players are clearly great bargains and technically they saved/made more money for their clubs, but I think the idea of the thread was to discuss transfers that were great value for money

Xavi6

ITT-Pat wrote: »

ah you're just sayin that cos Man City never had a great player that was a bargain:p

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=56604016&postcount=13

ITT-Pat wrote: »

Seriously though, those players are clearly great bargains and technically they saved/made more money for their clubs, but I think the idea of the thread was to discuss transfers that were great value for money

Well I claim a technicality on this one so!

ITT-Pat

Yeah you can win by de-fault, the two greatest words in the English Language!