comment by Mex- The Angel has landed (U6687)
posted 3 hours, 25 minutes ago
I'd go 4-2-3-1 this week

Valencia----Jones----Evans----Blackett

--------------Fletcher---Rothwell-----------

Januzaj-------------Mata--------------Di Maria

----------------------Rooney---------------------
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Evans?

Rojo instead for me

I know they do, but I'm just saying it isn't impossible for a club like United to become a bigger brand. Just look at our recent sponsorship deals, they're insane.

All I'm saying is money talks and will have greater power in years to come in terms of football.

But they still had massive pulling power even before Perez, he's just taken advantage of it massively. This makes it even harder as Real Madrid are brilliant at marketing themselves, so overtaking their brand is hard enough.

When it comes to the pulling power of players it just isn't going to happen, no matter how much money you have. Make no mistake, the next time there's a world class player that really catches the eye of Barca or Real Madrid they'll nab them again.

We've struggled with attracting top players for years, just because Woodward is a good marketer doesn't mean we can become Real Madrid.

comment by Mex- The Angel has landed (U6687)
posted 2 hours, 29 minutes ago
What are we going to do without Evil Kagawa if Shinji leaves?, will we have to have a Evil Di Maria account, with his wing-a-backing?
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Just spit my coffee everywhere.

I think you're overstating the brand. United have been a huge brand for ages. For years it was a bigger brand than Barca. But we still never had the pull that they did.

Barca and Madrid are by far the most attractive teams for players to sign - especially Latin players, who make up the majority of the world's talent.

I suspect the climate and respective merits of the cities are secondary issues. Of greater importance are spending power and the cultural accessibility. Spain is always going to be more attractive to a majority of Latin American and Iberian players than an Anglo-Saxon club, and that immediately puts us at a disadvantage in relation to a chunk of the best players in the world.

But really United have never competed seriously in those markets until now. And right now we are some way below the level of the best sides in the world.

We'll have a clearer view of the extent of the cultural disadvantage once we claw back to contention and still wave wads of cash around.

By the way, Italy is a good example of money trumping culture and climate. Which city is the most popular destination for top footballers? Not Rome or Florence but Turin, the industrial shït-hole with the rainier climate. Even Milan isn't that beautiful a city (cathedral notwithstanding).

RR

But I'd much rather live in Milan than Florence, offers far more in terms of contemporary culture(design, fashion etc). Not that I think many footballers give a sh-t.

comment by DTKF~Ashley 'ronaldo' young will save us (U10026)
posted 1 minute ago
I think you're overstating the brand. United have been a huge brand for ages. For years it was a bigger brand than Barca. But we still never had the pull that they did.

Barca and Madrid are by far the most attractive teams for players to sign - especially Latin players, who make up the majority of the world's talent.


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Apart from what I just wrote above, I think it has a lot to do with policy. When Barca were signing Cruyff in 70s and Maradona in the 80s it wasn't because they had a stronger pull, but because we didn't even try signing non-British players at the time.

The legacy of these different approaches may mean we are still at a disadvantage but I don't see this as an inevitable, permanent state.

Darren

But those strides we have made in terms of our brand over the past 15 years has been huge. Branding will continue to grow and have significant importance, admittedly real are pretty good at it too but things can change, people are fickle.

1982

Fair enough but Turin is another matter.

And I think it's safe to say that if Inter and Juve were wealthy famous clubs based somewhere else in Italy, the big players would still join those clubs.

RR, fair points.

I'm still of the opinion that Madrid and Barca are just far more attractive than any other club. And unless they become skint, I don't see that changing.

We need to try and become a more attractive prospect to star players ahead of City and Chelsea before we even contemplate Madrid and Barca.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 11 minutes ago
I know they do, but I'm just saying it isn't impossible for a club like United to become a bigger brand. Just look at our recent sponsorship deals, they're insane.

All I'm saying is money talks and will have greater power in years to come in terms of football.
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Mu82

I agree with that.

This window tells me we will be blowing most out of the water in years to come.

Di Maria didn't join to play for a mid table team

Made me laugh when people claimed Manchester United would struggle to sign top players without CL

Money rules.

If I told you 10 years ago City would be one of the best clubs on the planet you would have put me in a mental home. Football is always changing and money more than anything is the key.

comment by manutd1982 (U6633)
posted 1 minute ago
Money rules.

If I told you 10 years ago City would be one of the best clubs on the planet you would have put me in a mental home. Football is always changing and money more than anything is the key.
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Maybe you are in a mental home, and City are still in League 1.

And if Barca and Madrid become royally skint, I'd agree with you.

I just don't see us becoming rich enough to do what Madrid have done. I'm happy to be proven wrong but signing Di Maria because they didn't want him and PSG have financial sanctions placed on them doesn't indicate to me that we are the second coming of Madrid.

If that were the case we'd be signing better players than Herrera and Rojo.

This window tells me we will be blowing most out of the water in years to come.
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You serious?

I'm not saying it'll happen over night. I'm just saying money will always rule and things can change.

I hope it doesn't have too big an effect as I feel money is already ruining the game but what the f-ck can I do about that.

It would be nice to strike some kind of balance, make big bucks and spend when we want but also be sensible and think about what is best for the club and the future.

Maybe living in London has a lot to do with it. Seeing how much and how quickly this city has changed over the past decade is insane and it's completely to do with money.

I just don't see us becoming rich enough to do what Madrid have done. I'm happy to be proven wrong but signing Di Maria because they didn't want him and PSG have financial sanctions placed on them doesn't indicate to me that we are the second coming of Madrid.
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Dazza

Check how much we have spent

Now check PSG

FFP us starting to bite but not us

And Herrera is brilliant.

1982 sounds reasonable to me. We are way ahead of almost everyone commercially, would be ahead of Madrid if it weren't for their individual TV deals. If FFP does have teeth, we'll be a monster and that ought to breed the increase in pulling power City have enjoyed recently - only from a much higher starting point.

comment by DTKF~Ashley 'ronaldo' young will save us (U10026)
posted 7 minutes ago
This window tells me we will be blowing most out of the water in years to come.
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You serious?
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Of course we will dazza

We've spent 133 mill without flinching

Ask city and Chelsea if they can do that anymore

Hopefully we'll be able to buy Cattermole for £100m next summer.

Fair enough, I don't agree. I don't think London changing so much due to money is relevant to United competing for players with Barca and Madrid.

London is one of the world's biggest trade centres, naturally money and people with money will flock to it.

comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 28 seconds ago
1982 sounds reasonable to me. We are way ahead of almost everyone commercially, would be ahead of Madrid if it weren't for their individual TV deals. If FFP does have teeth, we'll be a monster and that ought to breed the increase in pulling power City have enjoyed recently - only from a much higher starting point.


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This

It isn't hard to see it

It's simple. We could afford di Maria under FFP. PSG couldn't

Look at Anzi and now Monaco

We'll be monsters in the transfer market along with Barca and Madrid

But my point is location can be irrelevant when money has enough power. Look at Dubai, it's a disgusting placed ruled by money yet idiots flock there.