So now it's time to close the barn door?

UEFA targets Real Madrid, Manchester City spending

now uefa is sounding the alarm because transfer fees are getting out of hand? seems to me that a few years ago when the man u, ac milan and madrid ruled the roost, their spending was tolerated quite nicely. uefa let those squads set the terms that the others now have to play financially suicidal games.

__________________
"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

Manchester City is backed by Middle East money ---------- but even by Middle Eastern standards, Man City's recent spending spree is gigantic.

Ditto Real Madrid : they bought Ronaldo for 80m quid : where do they get their money from?

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

quite in agreement, lim.

even though i'm for city (blame denny tueart), i go bug-eyed when i hear the amounts the new city backers are throwing around. but my point is the same here as in pro-cycling--astana, saxo, radioshack (?), and sky have such large budgets they can lock in domestiques who'd be pushed as gc candidates on other squads. something which might be at root for the boring nature of these late issue tours. very little chance to compete when you are riding against three of the better riders as evans did last year.

i certainly don't think that the above mentioned teams bear the full weight of blame, but uefa/uci should have been aware of the coming storm before now. even i recognise that the red bastards used mostly home grown talent, but they had a leg up on most premiership squads when it came to bidding for the foreign talent.

by the bye, so long bobby robson. sir robert, you were a honourable football man.

__________________
"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

If you’re a Dennis Tuart fan, you’re of a certain vintage : not far of my own it has to be said!
I remember my father bringing me and my brother to Maine Road to see Man United play
Man.City in the 1970’s.
City ‘s line up included Frannie Lee, Rod Marsh, Colin Bell (now there was a player), and I think
a very young Joe Corrigan keeping goal (great keeper).

Man Utd had Charlton, Law, Stepney, playing for them.

Great days : in that era the game was much better (in my view) or maybe I’m just getting old!
My father was a Utd supporter.

But getting back to the main topic : I think you’re going to see cycling go the way of the premiership
where effectively only a few times have a realistic chance of their rider winning the GT’s and other
other races.
Which is a pity...............but sport, all sport, seems to be weighted toward the individual/team who can
attract the most investment in terms of money.

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

yes, of that vintage. for me, i watched some talented (arguably past their "prime") footballers in my beloved nasl. one of the few times i was a fan of a perpetual frontrunner in the new york cosmos. so be it. watching tueart work the wing was an inspiration. also got to see the man i think was the greatest of his generation, even though no world cups to lift, johan cruyff work the pitches over this side. magnificent touch. and just for good measure, our local pbs (public broadcasting system) televised the weekly feature match from the premier league and the bundesliga. watching those matches helped me falll in love with the beautiful game.

as for the gist of the thread, where relegation used to keep things in check, i cannot help but hope that the uci/uefa look to salary caps as a solution. in the nhl, the cap has helped level the playing field a good measure. at least that seems to be the case as many smaller market teams can add the elite player to their roster and make a push for the cup. the cap also allows for the manager with suicidal tendencies to gamble the near future for a mad rush to immediate success.

oh, and condolences on your dad's love of the red bastards.

__________________
"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues

Yeah, Dad is a died in the wool Man U fan – and has been so since 1940’s.
Must be down to the Irish connection to Man U.

Me?
I support the Yids (Tottenham Hotspur) since the 1970’s.
They break my heart each year and no doubt they will do so again this year
(even after their great start to this season).

__________________
.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it" - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

blast it all. how am i to rub your nose in it when the lilywhites are tied with the citizens?

by the bye. ran into a transplanted city fan in the far-flung hell hole in which i live recently.

__________________
"Kick over the statues and the tyrants die. Wave bye bye to their heroes with a hammer."
--The Redskins, Kick Over the Statues