“He’s 29”

[Raoul]

Lukaku, Pogba and Bailly is a spine.

Not a particularly effective one so far.

 

[haram]

Not a particularly effective one so far.

Nice to see you have patience with younger players. Maybe we should sign older ones.

 

[Raoul]

Nice to see you have patience with younger players. Maybe we should sign older ones.

I have plenty of patience. Pogba and Bailly have a lot of unrealized potential but the results simply haven't been here so far.

 

[haram]

I have plenty of patience. Pogba and Bailly have a lot of unrealized potential but the results simply haven't been here so far.

Well then you see why we need some guaranteed quality like the rest of the top teams have then.

 

[Raoul]

Well then you see why we need some guaranteed quality like the rest of the top teams have then.

Good then you agree with my original point.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

I have plenty of patience. Pogba and Bailly have a lot of unrealized potential but the results simply haven't been here so far.

I really really hope you’re right about this because I haven’t seen too much potential there yet. Mature, ball playing CB hopefully what he needs beside him

 

[haram]

The bigger problem with 29 is that we should be buying players who are on the cusp of breaking through not those on the downward slope who are in search of one final big contract before their careers wind down. Its not just physical, but also to a degree about hunger v complacency. That will obviously have its exceptions but in general, we should be going after players between the ages of around 18-25 who can contribute at a high level for up to a decade.

This is your original point? This is what the club is doing.

 

[Raoul]

This is your original point? This is what the club is doing.

We just bought Alexis (traded for actually) and are linked with Alderverield. That's the entire point of this thread.

 

[carvajal]

It is different a team with players of 28, 29, 30 years who have played for many years together to buy players of 29 to try to form a team.
Marcelo,for example,he arrived with 18 and has improved to what he is today but would be different to buy him with 29/30 when in general his best version has been seen or expect that he will inmediately reach the same level.
In the same way Raúl, Rooney or Torres with 29 were not the same as Modric. Each player matures in a different way. Aspas is 29 ?and is in the best moment of his career.
If you have the team done and only need a complement / assume that it will be a short stay then it is a good option. Van Nistelrooy arrived in Madrid with 30 and played 3 very good seasons.
In general, I think the CB improve with the years and are signings more reliable.
If this is about your signings I would sign Alderweireld at a moderate price but not Willian or Bale

 

[Keeps It tidy]

As someone who has just turned 29, I find it very hurtful and you're all giving me a complex.

I am 27 about to turn 28 and I do not want us to sign anyone older than me.

 

[haram]

We just bought Alexis (traded for actually) and are linked with Alderverield. That's the entire point of this thread.

You agree that we should sign these players?

 

[haram]

It is different a team with players of 28, 29, 30 years who have played for many years together to buy players of 29 to try to form a team.
Marcelo,for example,he arrived with 18 and has improved to what he is today but would be different to buy him with 29/30 when in general his best version has been seen or expect that he will inmediately reach the same level.
In the same way Raúl, Rooney or Torres with 29 were not the same as Modric. Each player matures in a different way. Aspas is 29 ?and is in the best moment of his career.
If you have the team done and only need a complement / assume that it will be a short stay then it is a good option. Van Nistelrooy arrived in Madrid with 30 and played 3 very good seasons.
In general, I think the CB improve with the years and are signings more reliable.
If this is about your signings I would sign Alderweireld at a moderate price but not Willian or Bale

Looking at the case of Manchester Unied though, who was left afer the likes of Rio, Evra, Vidic etc? What young players did we have to grow into players who were good enough for United? I am talking about after SAF’s last season and then the recruitment under Moyes and van Gaal. Are we supposed to win leagues with Carrick and Rooney on their last legs? It doesn’t compare with the likes of Marcelo or Ramos for example. The squad was a shambles.

 

[Chairman Steve]

With the advancements made in sports science and fitness, I’d probably say the average pro could maintain his peak to about 32 or 33 anyway.

Providing he doesn’t have a major injury to shorten his career like Roy Keane, as well as actively engage in body conditioning like Zlatan, Giggs and Henrik Larsson.

 

[ivaldo]

I don't think he was as great as people here seem to think. He's a bit of jack of all trades and I am not sure what exactly he is good at.

You’re very much in the minority in believing that, so he can hardly be considered an average signing in the context of all this.

 

[Sandikan]

I have plenty of patience. Pogba and Bailly have a lot of unrealized potential but the results simply haven't been here so far.

To be sure then, are we 2nd because everyone else In the team is good? Or because everyone else in the league is poor? Or do we not deserve the results we've got this season and should be lower?

I just ask as we're 2nd, and everyone keeps saying how sh!t we're playing and how rubbish everyone is!

 

[Keeps It tidy]

It is different a team with players of 28, 29, 30 years who have played for many years together to buy players of 29 to try to form a team.
Marcelo,for example,he arrived with 18 and has improved to what he is today but would be different to buy him with 29/30 when in general his best version has been seen or expect that he will inmediately reach the same level.
In the same way Raúl, Rooney or Torres with 29 were not the same as Modric. Each player matures in a different way. Aspas is 29 ?and is in the best moment of his career.
If you have the team done and only need a complement / assume that it will be a short stay then it is a good option. Van Nistelrooy arrived in Madrid with 30 and played 3 very good seasons.
In general, I think the CB improve with the years and are signings more reliable.
If this is about your signings I would sign Alderweireld at a moderate price but not Willian or Bale

And Real's starting CBs were teenagers when they signed for Real.

 

[haram]

The younger players signed under Fergie during the peak years of players like Rio and Vidic for example were the da silva brothers, Smalling, Jones, Anderson, Nani etc. There was a lack of investment in general and especially in CM where we were playing Gibson and Cleverley. Now that these players should be our older players, where are they and how good are they? This is what the problem is. We didn’t have anyone. It was Rooney, Carrick, Young, Smalling, Jones and Valencia left. Carrick has retired. Rooney is going to be playing in the MLS, Young and Valencia are now fullbacks, Jones and Smalling are not top quality, Phil is always injured anyway. This does not compare to teh top European teams at all. That is not even a remotely controversial statement.

So from this position, what do you do? You need quality. You need leaders. The squad was not good enough. No one should be complaining about us signing players like Sanchez and Matic considering the state of the squad when Mourinho arrived.

 

[shamans]

Being 29 is a bit old weather you like it or not (for a football player!). A ton of players lose their zip once they touch 32/33

 

[Oldyella]

We already have a lot.

Not really. Would imagine both full backs are being replaced this summer and they are our most experienced players.

Hypothetically speaking, if I offered you the chance to start our league campaign in August with this line up, what would you say?

GK De Gea
RB Valencia
CB Sergio Ramos
CB Chiellini
LB Marcelo

CM Fernandinho
CM Modric
CM David Silva

RW Willian
ST lewandowski
LW Sanchez

I would obviously snap your hands off, although Modric/Valencia/Chiellini are showing their ages now. How much would it cost though, and how much would it cost in a year, maybe 2 to replace almost all of them.

 

[Champ]

There are so many examples, in our own club, of older players getting signed and performing when over 30 and existing players performing well into their 30s, (Scholes, Giggs, Larsson, Zlatan, Vidic, Ferdinand, Young, Carrick etc etc)
It baffles me when people claim overs 30s are 'past it', if they're good enough then age doesn't matter.

 

[Gopher Brown]

Signing a 29 year old winger is very different to signing a 29 year old centre back.

Heck, a 29 year old GK is in the throws of youth still.

Younger players can grow and change with the club. Older players are more stuck in their ways.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Not really. Would imagine both full backs are being replaced this summer and they are our most experienced players.



I would obviously snap your hands off, although Modric/Valencia/Chiellini are showing their ages now. How much would it cost though, and how much would it cost in a year, maybe 2 to replace almost all of them.

Just an example that an entire team of 30+ year olds can still look the part.

What would be amazing is to see all our mid-early 20s players hang around for 6-7 years and see what kind of level they can get to.

 

[Jim Beam]

We had a poster called 'don't sign old players', he must have been a bit of a tosser because he got banned, but I liked his username.

We signed Matic and he probably had a meltdown.

 

[Dolf]

Sorry for the long post but I felt this was really needed for some perspective.
Based on the current players I think we can easily conclude that, unless you're an amazing athlete, you're pretty munch done at top level after the age of 33.

The only top players aged 33 or older:

- Buffon (39)
- Ibrahimovic (35)
- Robben (33)
- Iniesta (33)
- Ribery (34)
- Barzagli (36)
- Dani Alves (34)
- Cech (35)

Of those, two are goalkeepers, but the others are still usefull for their club even though they're not always starting. You wouldn't buy these players right now but it wouldn't be bad to have them at your club either.

The top players aged 32:

- Ronaldo
- Chiellini
- Handanovic
- Thiago Silva
- Miranda
- Fernandinho

Again, except for Ronaldo, I don't think any top club would buy these players right now but they're nice to have in your squad.

Top players aged 31:

- Neuer
- Ramos
- Modric
- David Silva
- Godin
- Filipe Luis
- Kompany
- Marchisio
- Valencia
- Koscielny
- Mandzukic

These players might seem 'old', and they might give you the idea that they've been around for ages and should retire soon, but they've usually shown no signs of aging and can usually go on for another year, perhaps two.

I'm not even listing the players of 29/30 years old because there are just too many, including the likes of Messi, Suarez and Pique.

So what we can conclude from this is that if you buy a player at 29 he can probably go on until he is 30/31, and with a bit of luck even until he is 32/33 meaning you get atleast 2 to 3 years out of him and in the best case scenario you get him for 4, maybe 5, years.

 

[Eckers99]

Don't mind signing older defenders, as the best ones rely on anticipation as much as pace but I'd rather sign younger attackers. Nothing more exciting than watching a young player blossom.

 

[Deleted member 101472]

Sorry for the long post but I felt this was really needed for some perspective.
Based on the current players I think we can easily conclude that, unless you're an amazing athlete, you're pretty munch done at top level after the age of 33.

The only top players aged 33 or older:

- Buffon (39)
- Ibrahimovic (35)
- Robben (33)
- Iniesta (33)
- Ribery (34)
- Barzagli (36)
- Dani Alves (34)
- Cech (35)

Of those, two are goalkeepers, but the others are still usefull for their club even though they're not always starting. You wouldn't buy these players right now but it wouldn't be bad to have them at your club either.

The top players aged 32:

- Ronaldo
- Chiellini
- Handanovic
- Thiago Silva
- Miranda
- Fernandinho

Again, except for Ronaldo, I don't think any top club would buy these players right now but they're nice to have in your squad.

Top players aged 31:

- Neuer
- Ramos
- Modric
- David Silva
- Godin
- Filipe Luis
- Kompany
- Marchisio
- Valencia
- Koscielny
- Mandzukic

These players might seem 'old', and they might give you the idea that they've been around for ages and should retire soon, but they've usually shown no signs of aging and can usually go on for another year, perhaps two.

I'm not even listing the players of 29/30 years old because there are just too many, including the likes of Messi, Suarez and Pique.

So what we can conclude from this is that if you buy a player at 29 he can probably go on until he is 30/31, and with a bit of luck even until he is 32/33 meaning you get atleast 2 to 3 years out of him and in the best case scenario you get him for 4, maybe 5, years.

Good post and thanks for the effort, but the bolded is where my issue arises. Such is the level of science and facilities/coaching available to footballers, pretty much ANY player (injury plague barring) should be in that latter category, where they can get 4 or 5 more years at the top, thus justifying putting faith in signing a 29 year old. I genuinely believe that list with the 32 year old should be at least quadrupled by the time current 29/30 year olds get to that age.

 

[gormless]

Fernandinho is 33 and is having his best season.

And Chelsea signed Makélélé after he had turned 30

 

[Swift Football]

I am not a particularly fan of youth to be frank, but its so obvious that bringing in many 29 year olds is very short terminism. While having 1 or 2 oldies such as Matic and Sanchez is not particularly a problem, but adding 3 more ( reported Bale, Toby, Willian or whoever) is certainly a big issue. First of all, no top club spends so much on a 29 year old except for few exceptions. They buy around 24/25 and let the players play with each other for long time. Second, we cannot simply plan for just next 2 years. If we have 4 players in starting XI who are 29/30, it will take just 2 more years to replace few of them, ruin the team chemistry, and spend a lot again.

Cafe's mentality: If you are not yet 29, then you cannot make immediate impact?! Really?

We live in a world where medical science is as good as it’s ever been. Physios are better, treatments are better, medication is better and recovery times are shorter.

Bailly and Jones say Hi.

 

[Swift Football]

Sorry for the long post but I felt this was really needed for some perspective.
Based on the current players I think we can easily conclude that, unless you're an amazing athlete, you're pretty munch done at top level after the age of 33.

The only top players aged 33 or older:

- Buffon (39)
- Ibrahimovic (35)
- Robben (33)
- Iniesta (33)
- Ribery (34)
- Barzagli (36)
- Dani Alves (34)
- Cech (35)

Of those, two are goalkeepers, but the others are still usefull for their club even though they're not always starting. You wouldn't buy these players right now but it wouldn't be bad to have them at your club either.

The top players aged 32:

- Ronaldo
- Chiellini
- Handanovic
- Thiago Silva
- Miranda
- Fernandinho

Again, except for Ronaldo, I don't think any top club would buy these players right now but they're nice to have in your squad.

Top players aged 31:

- Neuer
- Ramos
- Modric
- David Silva
- Godin
- Filipe Luis
- Kompany
- Marchisio
- Valencia
- Koscielny
- Mandzukic

These players might seem 'old', and they might give you the idea that they've been around for ages and should retire soon, but they've usually shown no signs of aging and can usually go on for another year, perhaps two.

I'm not even listing the players of 29/30 years old because there are just too many, including the likes of Messi, Suarez and Pique.

So what we can conclude from this is that if you buy a player at 29 he can probably go on until he is 30/31, and with a bit of luck even until he is 32/33 meaning you get atleast 2 to 3 years out of him and in the best case scenario you get him for 4, maybe 5, years.

Lets go to your list of players aged 31. If you have to choose between those players now or same players three years ago, who would you choose?
IN other words, do you prefer 28 year old Modric or 31 year old Modric?

Poeple here have convenienty assumed: there are no players below 28/29 years old that could not improve us. For me, there are enough players in 23-27 age range who can improve us, and this is the player bracket we should go after.

 

[Keeps It tidy]

Good post and thanks for the effort, but the bolded is where my issue arises. Such is the level of science and facilities/coaching available to footballers, pretty much ANY player (injury plague barring) should be in that latter category, where they can get 4 or 5 more years at the top, thus justifying putting faith in signing a 29 year old. I genuinely believe that list with the 32 year old should be at least quadrupled by the time current 29/30 year olds get to that age.

Those same advances are going to make younger players better too.

 

[haram]

Sorry for the long post but I felt this was really needed for some perspective.
Based on the current players I think we can easily conclude that, unless you're an amazing athlete, you're pretty munch done at top level after the age of 33.

The only top players aged 33 or older:

- Buffon (39)
- Ibrahimovic (35)
- Robben (33)
- Iniesta (33)
- Ribery (34)
- Barzagli (36)
- Dani Alves (34)
- Cech (35)

Of those, two are goalkeepers, but the others are still usefull for their club even though they're not always starting. You wouldn't buy these players right now but it wouldn't be bad to have them at your club either.

The top players aged 32:

- Ronaldo
- Chiellini
- Handanovic
- Thiago Silva
- Miranda
- Fernandinho

Again, except for Ronaldo, I don't think any top club would buy these players right now but they're nice to have in your squad.

Top players aged 31:

- Neuer
- Ramos
- Modric
- David Silva
- Godin
- Filipe Luis
- Kompany
- Marchisio
- Valencia
- Koscielny
- Mandzukic

These players might seem 'old', and they might give you the idea that they've been around for ages and should retire soon, but they've usually shown no signs of aging and can usually go on for another year, perhaps two.

I'm not even listing the players of 29/30 years old because there are just too many, including the likes of Messi, Suarez and Pique.

So what we can conclude from this is that if you buy a player at 29 he can probably go on until he is 30/31, and with a bit of luck even until he is 32/33 meaning you get atleast 2 to 3 years out of him and in the best case scenario you get him for 4, maybe 5, years.

You are missing some players. Off the top of my head Suarez and Cavani. Players like Messi are turning 31 this summer as well.

 

[Ban]

Honestly some are acting like we're in the 40s, 50s, whatever and nearing 29 means you're near your retirement. It's modern football, players retire usually at 34, 35, 36. Sure when you're at that age you're already on decline (depending on a player of course) but from 29 you can still have good 4, 5 years.
Yet every time we're linked with a 29 year old all panic brakes loose.
It's laughable.