Has the world of football gone totally fecking mental?
£30m
- Thread starter CnutOfAllCnuts
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In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran hold a long overdue conversation about United's awful league form with 1 win in 7. They discuss a disappointing draw at Bournemouth, a not so disappointing draw against Liverpool and a crushing defeat at Chelsea - Is time nearly over for Erik Ten Hag?
Then in a special second half of the pod, Nik welcomes Natalie ( https://twitter.com/natalie_17) to discuss the fortunes of Manchester United Women as they booked a place in the FA Cup Final after a historic first ever win vs. Chelsea.
Has the world of football gone totally fecking mental?
I think it's safe to say yes, it has. When Fergie says 'there's no value in the market', he's not wrong. I'm sure it's not sustainable.
Has the world of football gone totally fecking mental?
Yea, that's way over the odds.
People are always complaining about money ruining football etc however. I seen a programme on BBC3 last night where Keith Hurle(?) became the most expensive defender in England around 1991. Some of the commentators were worried about the money side of football as there was an ongoing recession, for everyone except football managers that is.
So crazy money for not so great players, but it's nothing new.
People are always complaining about money ruining football etc however. I seen a programme on BBC3 last night where Keith Hurle(?) became the most expensive defender in England around 1991. Some of the commentators were worried about the money side of football as there was an ongoing recession, for everyone except football managers that is.
So crazy money for not so great players, but it's nothing new.
Wolves paying 7.5million for Steven Fletcher 
Press releases like that are meant for City and no one else.
What did Lescott go for again?
What did Lescott go for again?
Chris Sutton cost 7 million around 10 years ago!Wolves paying 7.5million for Steven Fletcher
I believe Lescott went for 24m, about double any other club would pay for.
Good point but at least he'd won the league and scored a few goals over a number of seasons in the PL.
I have been shocked and obsessed for few years with Andy Cole 7m transfer.
30m? For Gary Cahill? You're having a laugh.
I think Baseball players have always done much better than footballers, especially the top ones. In fact North American sports have always paid higher salaries. While Robson (who was England Capt at the time) was earning 50k a year in the early 80's, Nolan Ryan was pulling down close to $1 000 000 USD a season, hell even Wayne Gretzky signed a million a year contract in the early 80s. I'm guessing Joe Montana was in a similar pay range. Even in the early seasons of the premiership, UK based footballers were earning a fraction of what their North American counterparts in other sports were earning. In the Mid 90s look at some the contracts handed out to Shaquelle O'Neal, Alex Rodriguez and Jaromir Jagr all well over $12 a season.
Even now, while the gap is smaller, the very top athletes in North America will still earn more than their European counterparts... just watch what LeBron James will make next season
...and I forgot to mention the $30 Million or so Michael Jordan was making in the early 90s... although his deal was sponsorship loaded, much like David Beckham's current deal
lebron will be capped at around 100 million for 7 years due to NBA cap.
convert that to euros/pounds, ronaldo's madrid contract destroys it.
I agree though in aggregate, top ballers, baseball players, and peyton manning-ish qb's pull down more money. But its tough to compete with ronaldo, esp factoring in taxation and exchange rate. Ronaldo's take home pay smashes US players i'd reckon.
Mind You, for pure sport based pay (so endorsements don't count), what Kimi was pulling at ferrari for f1 tops anyone. the best f1 driver, driving for macca or ferrari will get you something better than anything in football or US sports.
Jordan hit around that number in the latter 90s after his comeback. He was earning like 3-4m per year in the early 90s. Hot Rod Williams was making more than him, salary-wise.
Haha, I remember listening to the radio and some arguing it was insane money and the one defending it was saying we had to do something THAT drastic as we would never win the UCL with an attack comprising of Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (the latter in a very derogative tone).
Yaya Toure - £28m 
Shocking isn't it?. City are also pushing the prices up for everyone else.
I can't remember the last time I saw a rumour about a decent player without them also being linked (probably by the selling club to push up the price).
I can't remember the last time I saw a rumour about a decent player without them also being linked (probably by the selling club to push up the price).
It's nothing though, is it. We're sitting here talking about how £30m is a mind-boggling sum of money, but the simple fact is that for the people financing City, it's the equivalent of getting a tenner out to pay for some chips.
In this crazy distorted market Toure is worth that much money
no he's not
Something has to be done about this type of things. Paying this much for him is going to going to raise valuations the actual good players who we might want.
They bid 30m for a player no longer needed at his club and was desperate to jump ship. You'd think they would hold all the bargaining power. Not to mention the crazy wages he must be on.
It makes him one of the five-six most expensive players in the Premiership, ever, if I am not wrong!
Rio, Berbatov, Robinho, Veron and Schevchenko
Seeing that list makes me realise he might be worth it!.
Poor return on investments there, with the obvious exception of Rio.
Poor return on investments there, with the obvious exception of Rio.
Just goes to show how big money signings rarely live up to expectations.
I think 'rarely' is a bit harsh. Maybe it happens more in British football. Ronaldo for Real, Zidane, Figo, Crespo, Buffon, Nedved, Vieri - those have worked well. Rather than being rare, big deals seem to succeed or fail as much as any other transfer.
Partly they need to lure players with astronomical wages (and clubs with huge transfer fees) because they can't offer Champions League football, partly I think it's a deliberate strategy to inflate the market.
Since they've got almost limitless funds at their disposal, an insanely inflated market won't hurt them at all, it will only hurt their rivals.
Of course £28m for Yaya Toure is complete and utter madness.
They've got the highest wage bill in the Football League.
City are a massive club.
City are a massive club.
An 18m crocked Hargreaves
A 28m Toure
Reckon who's got the better deal?
A 28m Toure
Reckon who's got the better deal?
I have seen rumours that Toure is not the best phyisically too.
Yes he was. I couldn't believe that Clough paid £1,000,000 for him but then he went and won Forest the European Cup.
I can remember when Tottenham shelled out £200,000 for Martin Peters. That was pretty astounding at the time but that figure soon became the norm. Frank O'Farrell paid that for Ian Moore and a bit more for MacDougall, who was then playing in the 3rd Division. We thought football was a bit money-mad in those days too. Imagine George Best getting £200 a week! A king's ransom to me who earned £2.50 delivering papers morning and night.