Thiago Alcantara | Signed for Bayern Munich

[Mockney]

So, are the lads back in pre-season training yet?

 

[Ramshock]

Two heavies drive Thiago and his dad out to an abandoned airfield an hours drive from Barcelona. A small executive jet lands, we keep the engines running while Glazer gets out with a bag of plain used 50 Euro notes. Thiago is led blindfold to his seat in the plane, strapped in and sedated. We fly out. His dad is released once they've checked the money.

Its Thiago not B.A Baracus

 

[Mockney]

It's T.A Barca-Us.

 

[jojojo]

Its Thiago not B.A Baracus

He's not going to want to leave his dad with them. He's already got a rescue plan in mind for Rafinha. Thiago's a good lad.

 

[Ash_G]

Do you just not get that clubs invest time and effort into their youth players? If you devote your resources to helping them develop and then they piss off for far less than their value with the club unable to do anything, it's very frustrating.

It isn't just all about the player and how much they can get, as quickly as they can get it.

I guess as a Porto fan you just see players as a commodity, and don't really get the United nurturing culture..

Clubs invest money and time in to players but its the smaller clubs who get screwed over the most. Pogba may have left is for less than his worth but we already poached him from another club who did arguably the most important part of his development. When we take a player from another team for a nominal fee we aren't thinking about loyalty so don't see why we should get that annoyed when it happens to us.

 

[Member 39557]

It's T.A Barca-Us.

Get out!

 

[Revan]

My clubs nurturing culture has been destroyed by the money culture in football and the advent of the all-powerful big leagues. Porto won the CL in 1987 with a team that was not only majorly composed of Portuguese players, but of whom the majority were born in Porto and its neighboring towns. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1987_European_Cup_Final Had it been nowadays and none of those players would be here by 22. So we had to adopt and start preying on weaker south american clubs, much like bigger European clubs prey on it's less powerful continental counterparts. What has the insistence in a nurturing culture brought Sporting CP for example? 7th on the table last season, with their best prospect apparently refusing to renew a contract with them on the chance of fecking off cheaper to Chelsea or whatever.

Get out of your high horse.

Pogba was an instrumental player in Juventus midfield and earned his first caps for the French National team. You people are suggesting he should have exchanged this for being a back-up option at United. Point is, Juventus needed him more than United so they've offered him better guarantees than United. Not everyone wants to go the Cleverley route. I understand the later will be more appreciated by the fans, but he won't necessarily have a happier career than Pogba. That depends on what each of them wants. And a football player in the beginning of his career should have the freedom to make these decisions.

We also have a Cleverely here at Porto. His name is Castro. He's a hard working kid that wishes nothing but succeed here and the fans love him. Yet now that we sold Moutinho we didn't chose to bet on him for that spot, even though Moutinho himself guarantees that Castro might be ready. No, we paid 10m gor a Mexican player to play Moutinho's role. Another season of bench warming awaits Castro.

Excellent post Arruda. Really it's just biterness for losing a great prospect on free, nothing more. Pogba made the right choice, as will Thiago make if he comes here. If the club don't play young players and they have better offers at other similar big clubs with more money and more playing time, they are right to make the move. I have said here before that calling Pogba a twat and wishing for Thiago to come here is a hypocrisy of the biggest order.

Big clubs have big expectations so it's normal to rely on more experienced players. But so is normal for young players to go to play to other similar clubs than to stay on bench for 3-5 years (or going to championship/shit EPL clubs on loan) waiting for their chance which possibly will never come.

 

[Jaap]

The red curtain had been in front of the press since they entered the room. Voices whisper and mutter, echoing around the room with wonder. Today is the first day of David Moyes reign as Manchester United manager. It had been 15 minutes since the journalists were allowed in, when suddenly the lights dimmed.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the moment you have all been waiting for..."

Silence.

Celebration by Kool and the Gang starts to play. The curtain lifts. There is a runway.

The music kicks up a notch... the announcers voice comes back on.

"Introducing, our first new signing. All the way from Barcelona. THIIIAAAAAAGOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Boom! Confetti bursts from the runway, Thiago comes out. He's on rollerskates wearing Man Utd speedos. He screeches to a stop at the end of the platform and does a wink and point. He skates back to the side of the runway and dances on the spot.

"Coming up next, signing number two.... KEVIN STROOOOOOOOOTMAAAAAN"

Confetti launches from the stage again, but Strootman is nowhere to be seen. The reporters gasp as they notice him ziplining from the rafters to the stage. Also sporting Man Utd speedos, he lands like a graceful swan, turns around and belts out a rendition of Oh Robin Van Persie.

The music is still blaring. "CEEEELEEBRAAATE GOOD TIMES, COME ON!". At this point the press are swaying side to side and clapping.

"Time for signing number three. We have no need for him but we signed him anyway. IT'S GARRRAAAAAYYYYYYYY!".

More confetti. Garay, donning United speedos, backflips down the stage. It's the greatest thing some of these reporters have ever seen. He flexes at the mic and then joins Thiago and Strootman in dancing at the side of the stage. They form a guard of honor.

"Time for the piece de resistance, people. Meet the man who made this all possible. DAVVVIIIIIDDDD.....MOOOOOYYYYEEEESSSS!!"

fecktonnes of confetti rain down. Moyes is in a bitching suit. He struts down the runway like a don, reaches the mic and signals for the music to stop. Suddenly everyone notices the human shaped object right by the mic that has been there the whole time. It is draped in a red sheet.

Silence. Moyes stares at the press. One journalist cannot take his death stare and runs out of the room crying.

Moyes grabs the sheet, and pulls.

It's Cristiano Ronaldo.

BOOM. the music kicks back on. Confetti is absolutely everywhere. Moyes rips off his entire suit in one move to reveal United speedos. He's also wearing rollerskates, nobody noticed this. Ronaldo, also in United speedos, starts dancing. Moyes does the best move everyone has ever seen. He is joined by all his new signings as they strut around the stage.

"CEEEELLLLEEBRRAAATTE GOOOOOD TIIIMES, COME ON!"

TAKE A BOW, SOLIUS!

 

[Drainy]

Pogba was an instrumental player in Juventus midfield and earned his first caps for the French National team. You people are suggesting he should have exchanged this for being a back-up option at United. Point is, Juventus needed him more than United so they've offered him better guarantees than United. Not everyone wants to go the Cleverley route. I understand the later will be more appreciated by the fans, but he won't necessarily have a happier career than Pogba. That depends on what each of them wants. And a football player in the beginning of his career should have the freedom to make these decisions.

Pogba was being groomed for a starting place during the 2011/12 season, he wasn't quite ready but was being given opportunities during the cups and on the bench in the league. Those were opportunities he took from other, more dedicated players and he never had the intention of staying because he'd already agreed a deal with Juventus- we have every right to be pissed at him for doing that. He would have been far more important for our midfield than for Juve if he had stayed because as you can probably tell we are short of reliable first team quality midfielders. He just needed to be patient, but feck patience this is modern football, eh

 

[rimaldo]

Two heavies drive Thiago and his dad out to an abandoned airfield an hours drive from Barcelona. A small executive jet lands, we keep the engines running while Glazer gets out with a bag of plain used 50 Euro notes. Thiago is led blindfold to his seat in the plane, strapped in and sedated. We fly out. His dad is released once they've checked the money.

my thiago dream's are similar to that, but it's not money he's released for.

 

[moses]

Pogba was being groomed for a starting place during the 2011/12 season, he wasn't quite ready but was being given opportunities during the cups and on the bench in the league. Those were opportunities he took from other, more dedicated players and he never had the intention of staying because he'd already agreed a deal with Juventus- we have every right to be pissed at him for doing that. He would have been far more important for our midfield than for Juve if he had stayed because as you can probably tell we are short of reliable first team quality midfielders. He just needed to be patient, but feck patience this is modern football, eh

United felt he wasn't ready, but Pogba and a few on here felt he was. At that point we didn't match his ambition, like Le Harve didn't when we nicked him. To ignore what we did and criticise 'modern football' because he left for first team football makes no sense. Arguably leaving for first team football is proper old old school, not enough players do it in my opinion.

 

[Drainy]

Excellent post Arruda. Really it's just biterness for losing a great prospect on free, nothing more. Pogba made the right choice, as will Thiago make if he comes here. If the club don't play young players and they have better offers at other similar big clubs with more money and more playing time, they are right to make the move. I have said here before that calling Pogba a twat and wishing for Thiago to come here is a hypocrisy of the biggest order.

Big clubs have big expectations so it's normal to rely on more experienced players. But so is normal for young players to go to play to other similar clubs than to stay on bench for 3-5 years waiting for their chance which possibly will never come.

apart from the difference is that Barcelona, on an equal standing, agreed to give the player playing time in a contract that they signed and failed to meet that requirement so are losing him, while Pogba used his contract situation to try and dictate terms to the club to get more playing time knowing that he was joining Juventus all along.

But hey it's exactly the same.

 

[Genius Me!]

United felt he wasn't ready, but Pogba and a few on here felt he was. At that point we didn't match his ambition, like Le Harve didn't when we nicked him. To ignore what we did and criticise 'modern football' because he left for first team football makes no sense. Arguably leaving for first team football is proper old old school, not enough players do it in my opinion.

And do you really think he would have got the game time at juventus the year before? He would have been a first team player this season gone.

 

[pocco]

Somebody should phone up the hospital pretending to be Thiago/one of his reps, asking for a reminder of what time his examination is booked in.

 

[SATA]

Take the Pogba shite out of this thread. I want to read some Thiago mudfest

 

[moses]

And do you really think he would have got the game time at juventus the year before? He would have been a first team player this season gone.

Who cares what I 'think'. He left to play first team football and got it. That is a fact. I think we are too used to speculation on here that we actually miss the odd fact.

By your own logic you must have been dismayed when he left Le Harve?

 

[Stretch]

We still haven't signed him

 

[Drainy]

United felt he wasn't ready, but Pogba and a few on here felt he was. At that point we didn't match his ambition, like Le Harve didn't when we nicked him. To ignore what we did and criticise 'modern football' because he left for first team football makes no sense. Arguably leaving for first team football is proper old old school, not enough players do it in my opinion.

United were grooming him so he would be ready for a first team place in the 2012/13 season.

They might not have felt he was ready that year, but if he'd have been patient he would have played.

 

[Gazza]

Whenever someone posts old news that's already been posted, I immediately think of this

 

[Revan]

Pogba was being groomed for a starting place during the 2011/12 season, he wasn't quite ready but was being given opportunities during the cups and on the bench in the league. Those were opportunities he took from other, more dedicated players and he never had the intention of staying because he'd already agreed a deal with Juventus- we have every right to be pissed at him for doing that. He would have been far more important for our midfield than for Juve if he had stayed because as you can probably tell we are short of reliable first team quality midfielders. He just needed to be patient, but feck patience this is modern football, eh

But he had 7 appearances as a sub player while last year he had 37 appearances for Juve, starting most of them. He started on UCL, he started on many important games for them. How would he have been more important for us then for them? Last year Scholes and Fletcher would have been preferred instead of him, while this year Thiago would have got that position. Pogba chose the right move, simply as that.

Thiago has had more than a hundred appearances for Barca but he doesn't think that it's enough. He thinks that he is better than coming as a late sub or starting some unimportant matches. He can wait for his chance at Barca, and that chance will likely come. Xavi doesn't have more than 2 years on top so then it will be him fighting with Fabregas for that position. But why to wait for another couple of years when he can go to another similar big team and play as a starter and get a shitload of money. And who guarantees him that when Xavi retires Barca won't get the hottest midfielder to replace him, extending his bench stay forever.

If clubs want those young players, they should play them, regardless if they are fighting for a title (Juventus was fighting for title and Champions but that didn't stop them to play Pogba). If the player is talented enough and they are not playing him enough it's normal to expect that another club will appreciate him more.

And finally, Pogba was ready to play in his last season here. He was ready to immediately playing for Juventus so I doubt that he got developed that much in the summer. He is now better than all of our midfielders bar Carrick, so we are the only losers in this story. As will be Barca if Thiago reaches his potential and become the player a lot of people think he will become.

 

[moses]

Take the Pogba shite out of this thread. I want to read some Thiago mudfest

Shut up, it's the only actual constructive discussion in the thread.

 

[Genius Me!]

Who cares what I 'think'. He left to play first team football and got it. That is a fact. I think we are too used to speculation on here that we actually miss the odd fact.

By your own logic you must have been dismayed when he left Le Harve?

No disrespect to Le Havre but you can't compare leaving them for us to leaving us for juventus. Fair enough if he just didn't like Manchester but you're citing first team football as the reason, he would have got that this year with us.

 

[moses]

United were grooming him so he would be ready for a first team place in the 2012/13 season.

They might not have felt he was ready that year, but if he'd have been patient he would have played.

You don't actually know that. And if he stayed at Le Harve he would have played sooner. He's now playing anyway, so all good for the lad. To only be bitching about 'modern football' when he leaves us for first team football and not care that he leaves Le Harve to go to our reserves is hypocritical beyond belief.

 

[Drainy]

But he had 7 appearances as a sub player while last year he had 37 appearances for Juve, starting most of them. He started on UCL, he started on many important games for them. How would he have been more important for us then for them? Last year Scholes and Fletcher would have been preferred instead of him, while this year Thiago would have got that position. Pogba chose the right move, simply as that.

Thiago has had more than a hundred appearances for Barca but he doesn't think that it's enough. He thinks that he is better than coming as a late sub or starting some unimportant matches. He can wait for his chance at Barca, and that chance will likely come. Xavi doesn't have more than 2 years on top so then it will be him fighting with Fabregas for that position. But why to wait for another couple of years when he can go to another similar big team and play as a starter and get a shitload of money. And who guarantees him that when Xavi retires Barca won't get the hottest midfielder to replace him, extending his bench stay forever.

If clubs want those young players, they should play them, regardless if they are fighting for a title (Juventus was fighting for title and Champions but that didn't stop them to play Pogba). If the player is talented enough and they are not playing him enough it's normal to expect that another club will appreciate him more.

you are comparing an 18/19 year old who wasn't ready and getting prepared to come into the team's playing time to a 22 year old who is playing at the club with probably the greatest midfield of all time.

Pogba should have been patient, Thiago has been

 

[Revan]

apart from the difference is that Barcelona, on an equal standing, agreed to give the player playing time in a contract that they signed and failed to meet that requirement so are losing him, while Pogba used his contract situation to try and dictate terms to the club to get more playing time knowing that he was joining Juventus all along.

But hey it's exactly the same.

And Fergie said in the beginning of the season that Pogba will play a role in that season because if he doesn't play he'll leave. And yet continued playing the same players, returned Scholes from retiring and played Park and Rafael when we didn't have a single available midfielder. Clubs don't usually fulfill their promises, most of the time is okay but at times they pay for that. We don't know when Pogba agreed terms with Juve, and from a lot of interviews I have listened to him he looks exactly that he left cause promises didn't got fulfilled and he didn't get his chance.

 

[Woodzy]

This is a very cryptic transfer. Has a transfer ever been more on without an actual comment on the transfer from the three parties involved. Keep up the good work Muppet detectives.

 

[Brwned]

Pogba simply believed that he was capable of having an important role at a top team right away and he didn't think that the club supporting him in doing that. He moved on and played more than he would've done for us and established himself in one of the best midfields in Europe. And he made a bit of extra cash in the process. Fair play to him. He was ambitious and had confidence in his own abilities and it paid off for him.

 

[Drainy]

And Fergie said in the beginning of the season that Pogba will play a role in that season because if he doesn't play he'll leave- IN A COUPLE OF YEARS. And yet continued playing the same players, returned Scholes from retiring and played Park and Rafael when we didn't have a single available midfielder. Clubs don't usually fulfill their promises, most of the time is okay but at times they pay for that. We don't know when Pogba agreed terms with Juve, and from a lot of interviews I have listened to him he looks exactly that he left cause promises didn't got fulfilled and he didn't get his chance.

corrected that for you.

Yes, but judging on his performances in the cups and in the reserve league he shouldn't have played. He would have been picked based on talent alone and it would have sent a dangerous message to him and the other talents at the club. Just piss about and you'll get an opportunity eventually.

 

[Brightonian]

Take the Pogba shite out of this thread. I want to read some Thiago mudfest

This.

 

[Skywarden]

Two heavies drive Thiago and his dad out to an abandoned airfield an hours drive from Barcelona. A small executive jet lands, we keep the engines running while Glazer gets out with a bag of plain used 50 Euro notes. Thiago is led blindfold to his seat in the plane, strapped in and sedated. We fly out. His dad is released once they've checked the money.

Outstanding. I feel enlightened.

 

[Revan]

you are comparing an 18/19 year old who wasn't ready and getting prepared to come into the team's playing time to a 22 year old who is playing at the club with probably the greatest midfield of all time.

Pogba should have been patient, Thiago has been

Yep, a 19 years old midfielder didn't get more than 7 sub appearances in a midfield which consisted of Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson and Cleverley.

Thiago, a 22 years old player has 101 appearances for Barcelona, the team who had the best midfield of all time and a team that had Busquets, Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas and Song. I don;t know how much you have watched Barca but it isn't that Thiago has barely played for them, he got 36 games last season, and 45 the season before that. To make a comparison, Cleverley who is considered a regular got 47 games for United in last 2 seasons combined, as much as Thiago on 2011-2012. It's just that he wants more than what Barca can give him.

 

[Arruda]

Almost every football club in the world had a "nurturing culture", it's part of the roots of the game, and it makes sense in the perspective of a team sport in which pieces are supposed to fit together. United isn't particularly special on this regard, the only difference is that you are one of the few privileged clubs who can still nurture your players and most often than not decide whether you want to keep them or not, whilst other clubs don't have that possibility any more. It's the nature of a game which is not only a highly competitive sport but also a show business worth millions.

Take solace in the joy that when you see a talent blooming in your club you will most often than not be able to chose if you will keep him or not. If you don't want him for the first team than you have to accept that some will prefer to seek first team football elsewhere, it's a short career. Iturbe fecked back off to Argentina as soon as he understood he wouldn't get enough first team football here.

Imagine one day seeing an outstanding player blossoming in your team and not being able to fully enjoy it because along with the pleasure of watching comes the feeling that the better he his, the less time he'll play for you. Sporting fans were actually wishing for Bruma to not being too noticed in the U-20 championship because that would increase his chances of staying another year. Quite a few manifested some happiness with Ghana eliminating Portugal.

United is a privileged club. And so are Porto, in the tier immediately below.

 

[Red Hand Devil]

A much more sensible answer than what Drainy said.

Le Havre situation was firmly in the back of mind man..

Every fan would get pissed off when something like happened tho, because we want all our players to be loyal to the club like we are, but thats not always the case unfortunately. Fair enough that a player wants out if he's gettin treated like shit by the club / Manager or both, but if ur not & ur at one of the top 3 clubs in the world, ur only 18, ur being managed by a legend who has an obsession of moulding young players into superstars & the club take care of ur every need (even brazzers & hairdressing) - all ur ambitions can be realised in due course when the Manager thinks ur ready, so there's no need to leave when all thats considered from the clubs point of view & the fans also..

Everyone connected with the club was gutted when he left & that always leads to anger to soften the blow - bit like gettin dumped by a girl who was just startin to beautifully blossom into a cracker... That soon turns to: "feckin ugly shit-tits cnut.."

Fair enough that things have worked out for him at Juve, we had such high hopes for him at United - especially that he plays in mid-field, and many of us would have watched him on MUTV each week so we knew what a player he's gonna be / is becoming..

Naturally i'd like to wish him all the best with his future...... but i wont - feck him & good riddance - he was shit anyway

 

[Hectic]

my thiago dream's are similar to that, but it's not money he's released for.

My Thiago dream is a bit different. He finally gets into Carrington after being chased by a mob of dedicated Barcelona supporters, and quickly slams the doors shut behind him. A smile, perhaps his first for years, finally breaks out and he closes his eyes with a sigh of relief - he has made it. That's when Moyes comes over, hands in his pockets, full-tracksuit, maniac smile the fecking lot. He starts laughing, but then Sir Alex, stepping out of his shadow directly behind him, finishes the laugh in a sinister manner. He shouts out in a menacing tone "Tuggy.....Whaur th' fook urr think ye gaun?" Thiago's smile falters, he's confused now, his mouth drops as Fergie ambles over to him. Moyes, standing behind in the corner, crosses his legs, hands still in pockets and starts humming a song, it's a Scottish one no-one knows. Fergie knows it though, and starts an awkward shuffle that he thinks is a dance, and moves ever close to Thiago. He takes a hand out and throws a five pound note at Thiago's face. Thaigo, confused and scared, looks into Fergie's eyes, who nods slowly at him and says "Work it...." Moyes nods his head and laughs in the background, he softly whispers "make it rain". Fergie follows instructions and again throws a fiver at Thiago, who is now beginning to understand the situation he finds himself in. He stammers "please...please no....." but it's too late, Fergie is swaying from side to side with his bad dancing and is definitely making it rain on Thiago. The dream ends with Moyes and Fergie both dancing around him, completely invading his personal space, and as the cash rains down around him he breaks down into tears and screams "Barcelonaaaaaaa".

 

[Siorac]

Yep, a 19 years old midfielder didn't get more than 7 sub appearances in a midfield which consisted of Scholes, Giggs, Fletcher, Carrick, Anderson and Cleverley.

Thiago, a 22 years old player has 101 appearances for Barcelona, the team who had the best midfield of all time and a team that had Busquets, Keita, Xavi, Iniesta, Fabregas and Song. I don;t know how much you have watched Barca but it isn't that Thiago has barely played for them, he got 36 games last season, and 45 the season before that. To make a comparison, Cleverley who is considered a regular got 47 games for United in last 2 seasons combined, as much as Thiago on 2011-2012. It's just that he wants more than what Barca can give him.

I'd say it's a good post but your location is blasphemy so everything you say is now irrelevant.

 

[Van Piorsing]

!

Jeston, Olly, now Solius.

This thread shall be remembered.

 

[Arruda]

Yeah, and sorry for derailing this, I didn't even remember what thread I was posting anymore. I'll save my next ramblings for one of my "football was better in the old days" threads.

 

[Sassy Colin]

So, are the lads back in pre-season training yet?

Nothing on indykalia news yet.

 

[Rozay]

Folk were pissed off alright - pissed off at Pogba!

Pogba was 18 when he left - he'd barely kicked a ball for us. Was offered a decent contract but turned it down. Juve came in & offered him more. We dont offer massive contracts to kids who havent even kicked a friggin ball for the 1st team - the same as most clubs do aswell.

Isnt that the problem with young footballers now - bunch of spoiled brats thinkin they've made it before they've even played a handful of games for their club? Look at Cleverely & Welbeck goin on loan for about 2-3 seasons each & then gettin rewarded when they came back. If reports are true - Pogba wanted the same money they were rewarded with when they returned - Pogba had only played 3 games of first-team football ffs!

United were absolutely spot on regarding his salary. Maybe Fergie could have played him more of course, but as Fergie always said - choose when to put a young player in the 1st team or risk shattering his confidence if he has a stinker - slowly but surely!

He wanted our young players to be grounded - not twats like Pogba & Morrison who wanted it all now before they've done anything to earn it. Welbeck & Cleverely are great lads & have worked their asses off & you never hear them complain about anything - thats the type of young player we try to develop at United, we dont need the Pogba-mentality at the club.

Do we not have rules for even the cars that young players drive also? No flash motors etc.. I love that!!

The bolded sounds like made up stuff to me to support your point. Many reports stated we had offered more than Juve financially, and there was nothing that suggested he wanted parity with Clev and Welbeck on about 50k.

Now, I am a fan of his and would have rather he stayed too, but the reasons you have given to discredit him seem fabricated.

 

[Revan]

Yeah, and sorry for derailing this, I didn't even remember what thread I was posting anymore. I'll save my next ramblings for one of my "football was better in the old days" threads.

In Moses we trust for derailing the thread. It's better anyway than making clause jokes. We won't get anything new till tomorrow.