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***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (1 Viewer)

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Mount
Onana
Jonny Evans? Welcome back old friend. Still better than Maguire.

Outgoing
Telles off to Saudi Arabi for 4m
Henderson soon to be off to Nottingham for 20-30m
Fred possibly to Saudi or Fulham

Need to get a striker and sell off McT (West Ham/Roma rumors), Maguire (love the Chelsea rumors), Bailly, Donny VdB....
 
Newcastle have signed Tonali and some youth guys so far. Looks like they will be shipping Saint-Maximin off to Saudi and possibly bringing in Harvey Barnes. They still don't really have a deep enough squad to realistically challenge in the Champions League and will likely struggle a bit in the league with the extra games added in. Unless they bring in some loan reinforcements (espeically LB, CB next to Trippier), I'd be happy if they qualify for any of the European leagues this season.

But their starting 11-15 or so look pretty great! The MF projected backups can pretty much play anywhere, these are just kind of guesses. For all I know Eddie will change formation altogether. edit: the formatting didn't work out.

Pope/Karius

Tripper/Krafth/Ashby Schar/Botman Botman/Burn Targett/Burn

Bruno G./Longstaff Sandro Tonali Joelinton/Willock

Almiron/Gordon/Murphy Barnes?/Gordon/Anderson/Isak/Joelinton

Isak/Wilson
 
Been researching the women's side a bit to familiarize myself with the new names and faces and who to look out for. We know Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz. But here are 3 names to watch:

Sophia Smith: 22 years old and leading USWNT goal scorer in 2022 with 11 goals in 17 games. She's got a great strike.

Trinity Rodman: Dennis Rodman's daughter ICYMI. Her dribbling skills are insane. Ballon D'or finalist before she turned 21 years old (her current age).

Alyssa Thompson: #1 pick in the draft this year and only 18 years old.

Naomi Girma: Both rookie of the year and defensive player of the year last year. Looks to be a world class defender.
 
gianmarco said:
Been researching the women's side a bit to familiarize myself with the new names and faces and who to look out for. We know Alex Morgan and Julie Ertz. But here are 3 names to watch:

Sophia Smith: 22 years old and leading USWNT goal scorer in 2022 with 11 goals in 17 games. She's got a great strike.

Trinity Rodman: Dennis Rodman's daughter ICYMI. Her dribbling skills are insane. Ballon D'or finalist before she turned 21 years old (her current age).

Alyssa Thompson: #1 pick in the draft this year and only 18 years old.

Naomi Girma: Both rookie of the year and defensive player of the year last year. Looks to be a world class defender.
Click to expand...
WRONG THREAD
 
Al-Ahli starting top 3 is set to be Saint-Maximin, Firmino. Mahrez.

Mane now talking to another Saudi club. (eta: Ronaldo’s) That stupid league is going to make me subscribe to something, isn’t it? Becoming tough to ignore.
 
McBokonon said:
Al-Ahli starting top 3 is set to be Saint-Maximin, Firmino. Mahrez.

Mane now talking to another Saudi club. (eta: Ronaldo’s) That stupid league is going to make me subscribe to something, isn’t it? Becoming tough to ignore.
Click to expand...
How much did the J league or Chinese super league subscription cost? Watching a player or two in each team with a bunch of sub MLS level scrubs... You going to pay for that?
 
El Floppo said:
How much did the J league or Chinese super league subscription cost? Watching a player or two in each team with a bunch of sub MLS level scrubs... You going to pay for that?
Click to expand...
I would watch a TV series following some of these guys as they move to that area for 9 months of the year.
 
El Floppo said:
McBokonon said:
Al-Ahli starting top 3 is set to be Saint-Maximin, Firmino. Mahrez.

Mane now talking to another Saudi club. (eta: Ronaldo’s) That stupid league is going to make me subscribe to something, isn’t it? Becoming tough to ignore.
Click to expand...
How much did the J league or Chinese super league subscription cost? Watching a player or two in each team with a bunch of sub MLS level scrubs... You going to pay for that?
Click to expand...

Maybe. I don’t remember this flurry of high level defections to those leagues, but I’m still fairly new to following soccer compared to most here.

But I also have a flexible work schedule, disposable income that comes with not having kids, and a crippling soccer addiction. So yes?
 
McBokonon said:
El Floppo said:
McBokonon said:
Al-Ahli starting top 3 is set to be Saint-Maximin, Firmino. Mahrez.

Mane now talking to another Saudi club. (eta: Ronaldo’s) That stupid league is going to make me subscribe to something, isn’t it? Becoming tough to ignore.
Click to expand...
How much did the J league or Chinese super league subscription cost? Watching a player or two in each team with a bunch of sub MLS level scrubs... You going to pay for that?
Click to expand...

Maybe. I don’t remember this flurry of high level defections to those leagues, but I’m still fairly new to following soccer compared to most here.

But I also have a flexible work schedule, disposable income that comes with not having kids, and a crippling soccer addiction. So yes?
Click to expand...
there was a large influx into China but not the quality of player we are seeing move to Saudi over all.

The big question is if Saudi are in this for the long haul. They certainly have endless money so if they want, this can continue every summer for a long long time before they have to start worrying about how to turn a profit.
 
NewlyRetired said:
The big question is if Saudi are in this for the long haul. They certainly have endless money so if they want, this can continue every summer for a long long time before they have to start worrying about how to turn a profit.
Click to expand...
Man, they should be.

I think investing that money in international sports has a much better chance of helping those countries long term financially than building stupid buildings in the desert to try and increase tourism.

Everyone thinking sportswashing is about people's attitudes, changing minds. I don't think those people give one small little speck of a **** what people think or write about them. They know the oil party is winding down, they need new businesses that produce money. And they love sports.

NFL team purchase coming next....
 
Dinsy Ejotuz said:
massraider said:
NFL team purchase coming next....
Click to expand...
Underestimating the greed of NFL owners is a losing proposition, but I doubt they'd sign off on this.
Click to expand...
Ten years ago, I would have agreed.
Ye Olde English Premier League wasn't thrilled, but it happened.

And the Saudis aren't morons, they would have some front man, and just be "part of the group" buying the team. They could pay for an entire team, but just take 40% of the team, and it could be worth it long term.

Look how fast golf happened.

None of these leagues are similar to the NFL, for sure. But the prices of NFL teams now leave out regular old billionaires.
 
massraider said:
None of these leagues are similar to the NFL, for sure. But the prices of NFL teams now leave out regular old billionaires.
Click to expand...
This is the key.

The NFL will have no option but to consider either outside sources of money or groups that purchase teams because the list of single humans that can afford to buy an NFL team by themselves is getting smaller every year.
 
It is interesting the even though Miami is dead last in the league, they still have paths to the Champions League next year, via US Open Cup (they are in the semi's), and the new Leagues Cup which will send the top 3 teams to the CCL next year.
 
Maybe a dumb question but why MLS for Messi? I imagine he could have played anywhere and any team would have paid up for him? Why did he decide to this when he’s still so good?
 
CletiusMaximus said:
Capella said:
Maybe a dumb question but why MLS for Messi? I imagine he could have played anywhere and any team would have paid up for him? Why did he decide to this when he’s still so good?
Click to expand...

my guess
Click to expand...

From what little we know, Antonella nixed Saudi Arabia. I have not heard anything else.

After that, there were only a VERY small handful of teams that could match the package Miami put together. And one of those few was the team he just left and was never going to re-sign with.

Barcelona wanted Messi extremely badly but they could not even get any where close to the money from Miami. The gap was said to be "hilariously big" by the media.

Really only Saudi Arabia would have eclipsed the money from Miami but as I mentioned earlier, his wife said no to that from the jump.

So he picked a place where he can make oodles of money, be in a Spanish climate, be in a destination city, be in a city his wife likes, have less pressure, get ownership in the fastest growing league on the planet and bring the teammates he wants with him.
 
Last edited:
NewlyRetired said:
Barcelona wanted Messi extremely badly but they could not even get any where close to the money from Miami. The gap was said to be "hilariously big" by the media.
Click to expand...
No PL team would have paid him? Or he didn’t want to go there?

Doesn’t the MLS have a salary cap?
 
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
Barcelona wanted Messi extremely badly but they could not even get any where close to the money from Miami. The gap was said to be "hilariously big" by the media.
Click to expand...
No PL team would have paid him? Or he didn’t want to go there?

Doesn’t the MLS have a salary cap?
Click to expand...

I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is an enormous long term carrot.

I can't say whether he would have wanted to go or not. There are not many Miami like cities in England though.

Yes MLS has a salary cap but they have these things called "Designated Players" which can be used to sign a player for any amount of money a team wants and only a small amount of the salary goes against the cap. Each team has 3 of these slots for players over 22 years old.

The rule was first invented back when Beckham came over, and the league had to figure out how to pay a big name player.
 
Last edited:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
 
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...

Well the Miami bid was extraordinary because they got very clever with it. They worked on this for years. It contains these 4 major items, along with I am sure other benefits we do not know about.

1) They gave him an ENORMOUS salary. Said to be more than any player makes in the EPL

2) They gave him a piece of ownership which has long term value

3) Apple is giving him a % of all who sign up for Apple TV

4) Adidas is giving him a cut of merchandising

These 4 items when put together was almost impossible for any single team to match that was not in Saudi Arabia.
 
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...
No Premier League team is going to offer him the level of external incentives that IM would do, which I think is more important for Messi at this stage
 
titusbramble said:
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...
No Premier League team is going to offer him the level of external incentives that IM would do, which I think is more important for Messi at this stage
Click to expand...

Miami was lucky in that both Adidas and Apple wanted Messi in the league. With out those two external pieces, I don't know if they would have landed him. You have to give Mas and Beckham credit though, they turned over every leaf to get this deal made.

Only sad part of the whole deal is that Messi will retire before the beautiful new stadium in Miami is finished. It would have been nice to have him there when it opened.
 
NewlyRetired said:
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...

Well the Miami bid was extraordinary because they got very clever with it. They worked on this for years. It contains these 4 major items, along with I am sure other benefits we do not know about.

1) They gave him an ENORMOUS salary. Said to be more than any player makes in the EPL

2) They gave him a piece of ownership which has long term value

3) Apple is giving him a % of all who sign up for Apple TV

4) Adidas is giving him a cut of merchandising

These 4 items when put together was almost impossible for any single team to match that was not in Saudi Arabia.
Click to expand...
Thanks, had no idea
 
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...

Well the Miami bid was extraordinary because they got very clever with it. They worked on this for years. It contains these 4 major items, along with I am sure other benefits we do not know about.

1) They gave him an ENORMOUS salary. Said to be more than any player makes in the EPL

2) They gave him a piece of ownership which has long term value

3) Apple is giving him a % of all who sign up for Apple TV

4) Adidas is giving him a cut of merchandising

These 4 items when put together was almost impossible for any single team to match that was not in Saudi Arabia.
Click to expand...
Thanks, had no idea
Click to expand...

to give a rough idea of the importance of the ownership piece, we can look at Beckham.

When Becks was signed, the league gave him the chance to purchase an MLS expansion franchise for $25m after he retired. He used that to start the Miami team.

Before Messi was signed and before the stadium deal was finalized (both of which almost certainly will significantly increase the teams value), Forbes valued Inter Miami at $600m.
 
Last edited:
massraider said:
NewlyRetired said:
When Becks was signed, the league gave him the chance to purchase an MLS expansion franchise for $25m after he retired. He used that to start the Miami team.
Click to expand...
This.
Click to expand...

note that Messi's deal seems different than the Becks deal. From what we know Messi is not being offered a chance to buy an expansion team at a cut rate price. It looks like he is going to get a direct % of Miami itself. I do not know how big a piece.

Back when Becks came in, every owner had to agree to the expansion price since it was coming out of everyone's pocket. But this time it is all on Miami from what I can understand for the ownership piece.
 
NewlyRetired said:
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
Capella said:
NewlyRetired said:
I think 3-4 EPL teams could have afforded him but it would have been a massive lay out. Messi was never going to get things like a piece of the team which is a massive carrot.
Click to expand...
I understand not getting a piece of a team but I don’t get how any mls team could outbid a high level epl team, but I don’t know much or anything about soccer financials.
Click to expand...

Well the Miami bid was extraordinary because they got very clever with it. They worked on this for years. It contains these 4 major items, along with I am sure other benefits we do not know about.

1) They gave him an ENORMOUS salary. Said to be more than any player makes in the EPL

2) They gave him a piece of ownership which has long term value

3) Apple is giving him a % of all who sign up for Apple TV

4) Adidas is giving him a cut of merchandising

These 4 items when put together was almost impossible for any single team to match that was not in Saudi Arabia.
Click to expand...
Thanks, had no idea
Click to expand...

to give a rough idea of the importance of the ownership piece, we can looks at Beckham.

When Becks was signed, the league gave him the chance to purchase an MLS expansion franchise for $25m after he retired. He used that to start the Miami team.

Before Messi was signed and before the stadium deal was finalized (both of which almost certainly will significantly increase the teams value), Forbes valued Inter Miami at $600m.
Click to expand...
Had no idea an mls team was worth 600M. Wow.
 
I don't know if it matters alongside all that other stuff as well but isn't Messi also a big fan of Miami the city as well? Already owns property there, allegedly vacationed there all the time.

For a guy that has already won everything and is just looking to ride out the last years of his career while making stupid money, I would imagine chilling on the beach in Miami alongside a nation and fans that are just happy to have you there is more appealing than living in some dreary English city where fans are going to turn on you if you don't instantly win them every trophy in existence.
 
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