Transfer: 2016 Summer Transfer Window

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Power Man

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Sep 30, 2008
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Damn LCFC is gonna get riiiiiiiiich :amazed:

- Leicester City Football Club announces financial results for 2014/15
- Club posted record pre-tax profit of £26.4m for the year ending 31 May 2015
- Revenue grew to over £104m in first Premier League season in 10 years
- Average attendances grew to 31,693
- Chief Executive says latest results highlight Club’s firm foundations for long-term progress
Read more at http://www.lcfc.com/news/article/le...sults-201415-2985593.aspx#VXdqRfLC2YHut3VY.99

Add to that potential CL money and the potential sale of their star players
 

Pavel Buchnevich

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Bayern has no competition in the Bundesliga, and they've fallen short with Pep in the UCL. Its hard to consider his time there a big success, unless they win the UCL this season. Its also hard to make a judgement on how good of a coach someone is when they are coaching Barcelona in the Messi-era.

I'm curious to how he does with Man City. Its a lot more of a project than Barca or Bayern.
 

Deficient Mode

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Bayern has no competition in the Bundesliga, and they've fallen short with Pep in the UCL. Its hard to consider his time there a big success, unless they win the UCL this season. Its also hard to make a judgement on how good of a coach someone is when they are coaching Barcelona in the Messi-era.

That's the narrative at least. It's highly misleading however.
 

cgf

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That's the narrative at least. It's highly misleading however.

Why even bother? People have their beliefs about Pep. They'll either change them when confronted with following his decisions closely within their league, or they'll continue believing what they believe about him regardless of what he does until the day he takes a club like my Eiserne to a CL title.

Especially not with the legend that Jupp's tenure at Bayern has become now that people have forgotten that he was there for more than just that final season.
 

Deficient Mode

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Why even bother? People have their beliefs about Pep. They'll either change them when confronted with following his decisions closely within their league, or they'll continue believing what they believe about him regardless of what he does until the day he takes a club like my Eiserne to a CL title.

Especially not with the legend that Jupp's tenure at Bayern has become now that people have forgotten that he was there for more than just that final season.

I don't really bother with the "Bayern and Barca having no competition" part of it anymore. The criticism of him for going to City is a less over-worn argument at least.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

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Actually, if he could beat beat a team like Barca on the way to winning the UCL, my opinion of his time at Bayern would change.Until that happens though, it won't change. I don't expect him to win the UCL every season with Bayern, but an 0 for in three years should not be something that the Bayern fans accept. They've been right there for many years with the absolute top teams in the world, I don't know why people don't even regard how easily his team's have been dispatched in the later UCL stages the last few years.

I don't think winning the Bundesliga is enough. When I say they have no competition, we have to consider other teams relative to their level. There are potentially two teams that are consistently at that level, Barca and Real Madrid, and neither plays in the Bundesliga. Occasionally you see a different team that can compete with them like Atletico, Dortmund, Juventus, an English club in a good year for English football, PSG that can compete at that highest level, but year after year they stand alone with Barca and Real Madrid as the top tier of the sport.
 

YNWA14

Onbreekbaar
Dec 29, 2010
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So what happens if Pep flops at City? What does it do for his reputation?

I don't think it'll happen because personally I think that he's a great manager, but imagine if he were to flop...I can see the haters coming out in full force.
 

cgf

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Well if it happened it would call his reputation into question. But I can't see him flopping; needing some time to adapt to the english style, sure; but not flopping.
 

chasespace

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So what happens if Pep flops at City? What does it do for his reputation?

I don't think it'll happen because personally I think that he's a great manager, but imagine if he were to flop...I can see the haters coming out in full force.

What would be considered a flop at City though? Not winning the league every year or winning no silverware in a given year?
 

Savant

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So what happens if Pep flops at City? What does it do for his reputation?

He will get another high level job elsewhere and try again.

City will then buy another glamour manager and they will probably be fine too.
 

les Habs

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Actually, if he could beat beat a team like Barca on the way to winning the UCL, my opinion of his time at Bayern would change.Until that happens though, it won't change. I don't expect him to win the UCL every season with Bayern, but an 0 for in three years should not be something that the Bayern fans accept. They've been right there for many years with the absolute top teams in the world, I don't know why people don't even regard how easily his team's have been dispatched in the later UCL stages the last few years.

I don't think winning the Bundesliga is enough. When I say they have no competition, we have to consider other teams relative to their level. There are potentially two teams that are consistently at that level, Barca and Real Madrid, and neither plays in the Bundesliga. Occasionally you see a different team that can compete with them like Atletico, Dortmund, Juventus, an English club in a good year for English football, PSG that can compete at that highest level, but year after year they stand alone with Barca and Real Madrid as the top tier of the sport.

For starters, the third year you're referring to isn't even complete and we're not even into the QF stage yet. So discounting this season is presumptuous even if Bayern don't look favorites to win it at the moment. That aside though the fact that Pep has consistently made the Semis while at Bayern is all that anyone should have expected. Of course anything less should have been considered a disappointment, but expecting Bayern to win is unrealistic considering the nature of the competition and the competitors Bayern have faced. It amazes me that people don't account for Bayern going out to the eventual winners (the two teams you claim stand at the top along with Bayern I might add) each of the past two seasons, both of whom just happen to have been among the strongest looking sides in recent memory if not ever. That's not to mention some of injuries Bayern were dealing with during the Semis last season. While your expectation isn't rare it's based on a narrative that doesn't put things into context, such as Bayern not being as strong as everyone thought they were in 2013 in the first place.

Of course winning the Bundesliga isn't enough. Pep hasn't just won the Bundesliga though. He also won the Cup in the two seasons he's thus far been at the helm along with a European Super Cup and World Club title. Now to put that into context, that's in two seasons. More important than that though, Bayern have not only won the league since he took over but have run away with it and look set to win it yet again for the third season in a row. While that for comes as no surprise and he should win the league, you could say that of other clubs in Europe who aren't finding it so easy. Anyway, as I already mentioned, in addition to what he's achieved with Bayern already he's also thus far consistently made it to the CL Semis.

So what happens if Pep flops at City? What does it do for his reputation?

I don't think it'll happen because personally I think that he's a great manager, but imagine if he were to flop...I can see the haters coming out in full force.

Hard to say until it happens. I would say you'd have to put it into context. Still his reputation isn't that great with a lot of folks out there as it is so I'm sure it'll take a bigger hit than anyone else's would. The "haters" are in my opinion already out in full force and have been for some time.

Just in England (let's assume that's where he wanted to go), United and Arsenal would have made a ton more sense.
No Chelsea for the reasons you noted though, no doubt.
But do you think he would have trouble taking a team like, I don't know, West Ham or Tottenham, and make them a trophy winning team in a couple of seasons?
I don't think he needs more money, does he? And even then I'm sure Arsenal and United would have given him blank checks.

No, the real reason is his ego. He wants to go to a (somewhat) failing team and make them a powerhouse.
But in this case he should have gone for less money.

I'm curious as to why United or Arsenal make more sense.

I highly doubt his ego has anything to do with it. Was it his ego that took him to Bayern because they were a (somewhat) failing team that he wanted to make into a powerhouse? No. While I can't say for certain why Pep chose City, I'd say the fact that it's run to some degree by former Barça managers/executives and the squad has some excellent players that he likely prefers goes a long way. On top of that he's likely been promised a certain degree of control or influence.

I certainly hope that he next time Mourinho takes a similar appointment, something he's done as much his entire career, you chime in with the same enthusiasm.
 

Halladay

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I think he could win the league next year, but won't run away with it. City needs an overhaul on their midfield.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

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For starters, the third year you're referring to isn't even complete and we're not even into the QF stage yet. So discounting this season is presumptuous even if Bayern don't look favorites to win it at the moment. That aside though the fact that Pep has consistently made the Semis while at Bayern is all that anyone should have expected. Of course anything less should have been considered a disappointment, but expecting Bayern to win is unrealistic considering the nature of the competition and the competitors Bayern have faced. It amazes me that people don't account for Bayern going out to the eventual winners (the two teams you claim stand at the top along with Bayern I might add) each of the past two seasons, both of whom just happen to have been among the strongest looking sides in recent memory if not ever. That's not to mention some of injuries Bayern were dealing with during the Semis last season. While your expectation isn't rare it's based on a narrative that doesn't put things into context, such as Bayern not being as strong as everyone thought they were in 2013 in the first place.Of course winning the Bundesliga isn't enough. Pep hasn't just won the Bundesliga though. He also won the Cup in the two seasons he's thus far been at the helm along with a European Super Cup and World Club title. Now to put that into context, that's in two seasons. More important than that though, Bayern have not only won the league since he took over but have run away with it and look set to win it yet again for the third season in a row. While that for comes as no surprise and he should win the league, you could say that of other clubs in Europe who aren't finding it so easy. Anyway, as I already mentioned, in addition to what he's achieved with Bayern already he's also thus far consistently made it to the CL Semis.

I don't look at Bayern like that. I think they are right up there with the best clubs in the world, and should expect to be the best, not be happy going out to the eventual champion.

You are right that they've done what's expected of them in the league and the cups, but unless any team in the Bundesliga elevates to their level, that should be a requirement each season. I think expectations for the CL should be ambitious but not crazy. I'm not saying they should be winning it every year, but winning once in Pep's three years is a reasonable expectation.

The season isn't over, but we are talking about perceptions if they didn't win it this season.
 

Evilo

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You know me, Mourinho isn't exactly my cup of tea and I don't respect him a whole lot, so I'm surprised you refer to him as if I'd pass him anything.

As for Pep, I was firmly against his choice to go to Bayern as well.

Lack of character to me. Going to FC Hollywood when they had a powerhouse was weak. And I can say I love every second of him getting asskicked out of the CL (though I can't say I loved Real beating them).
Him going to City is also weak to me. Money, money, money. As if he didn't have enough.
United, because of recent success and support and Arsenal because of the town would have made more sense.
As I said, Tottenham or a team with less media appeal would have been so much respectable. Building a winner from a decent team.
Here, he once again takes the best roster in the league. And the richest. Just like in every league.
 

Deficient Mode

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Mar 25, 2011
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I don't look at Bayern like that. I think they are right up there with the best clubs in the world, and should expect to be the best, not be happy going out to the eventual champion.

You are right that they've done what's expected of them in the league and the cups, but unless any team in the Bundesliga elevates to their level, that should be a requirement each season. I think expectations for the CL should be ambitious but not crazy. I'm not saying they should be winning it every year, but winning once in Pep's three years is a reasonable expectation.

The season isn't over, but we are talking about perceptions if they didn't win it this season.

Stop. Pep is a big reason why Bayern are at that level. Nearly any other manager in the world would have struggled to win as consistently as Pep has for three years in the league, even with their talent advantage. It's a pitiful way to discredit him.
 

Pavel Buchnevich

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Stop. Pep is a big reason why Bayern are at that level. Nearly any other manager in the world would have struggled to win as consistently as Pep has for three years in the league, even with their talent advantage. It's a pitiful way to discredit him.

So you think they lose the Bundesliga with a different manager?
 

Deficient Mode

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So you think they lose the Bundesliga with a different manager?

Far higher chance of it. Especially this year with a very strong second place team. Most managers struggle to adapt to injuries and different opponents and continue to win almost every match several years in a row.
 

cgf

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I don't look at Bayern like that. I think they are right up there with the best clubs in the world, and should expect to be the best, not be happy going out to the eventual champion.

You are right that they've done what's expected of them in the league and the cups, but unless any team in the Bundesliga elevates to their level, that should be a requirement each season. I think expectations for the CL should be ambitious but not crazy. I'm not saying they should be winning it every year, but winning once in Pep's three years is a reasonable expectation.

The season isn't over, but we are talking about perceptions if they didn't win it this season.

Even the best teams in the world can't expect anything more than making it to the CL SF any given year...especially not when they're hit hard by injuries and enter the SF outgunned because of it. Yeah they should win a CL during his time there for it to be a smashing success, but expecting that the year he took over wasn't reasonable, especially after the core of that team had just won absolutely everything in sight over the previous 12 months and were satiated. Then look at the injuries they were battling last year and tell me that you really think Pep should've beaten Barca.

I get the notion that in three years he should win the CL with one of the 3 best clubs on the planet; but look at what's specifically happened in those CLs campaigns. You can't look at any of them and say his team should've gone any further than they did. If they get past Juve this year, despite their injuries in defense necessitating an Alaba-Kimmich CB pairing, that'll be a strong achievement in and of itself; but I already know the Pep doubters will paint it as just doing what he's supposed to. Even though Juve have had even less competition in Serie A, and can be even more dangerous than last year's finalists now that they have Dybala up top, Marchisio's no longer in Pirlo's shadow, Cuadrado & Sandro give them dangerous width, and Rugani's joined that much venerated CB rotation.

As for what they've done in the BuLi; it's easy to say that winning the saladbowl should be the requirement each season...but them dominating the way they have can not be expected as it's simply unprecedented. He's dominated more than Bayern managed to when most of the golden-era West German NT was in their lineup and they had one of the 3 greatest players of all time driving them from the back. Nevermind that even just winning the league was still something Pep's predecessors failed to do in 2 of the 3 seasons prior to his arrival. Winning the BuLi just isn't that easy, even with more money than BVB/S04/HSV/the-plastics. Jupp couldn't do it until that treble-season; and Jupp was a very strong manager in his own right; despite the BuLi having had much less depth in the european places then than it does now.

You know me, Mourinho isn't exactly my cup of tea and I don't respect him a whole lot, so I'm surprised you refer to him as if I'd pass him anything.

As for Pep, I was firmly against his choice to go to Bayern as well.

Lack of character to me. Going to FC Hollywood when they had a powerhouse was weak. And I can say I love every second of him getting asskicked out of the CL (though I can't say I loved Real beating them).
Him going to City is also weak to me. Money, money, money. As if he didn't have enough.
United, because of recent success and support and Arsenal because of the town would have made more sense.
As I said, Tottenham or a team with less media appeal would have been so much respectable. Building a winner from a decent team.
Here, he once again takes the best roster in the league. And the richest. Just like in every league.

That powerhouse had failed to win the league for multiple seasons before that Treble that they won because every player was at full focus all season long after the Vice-treble the year before. That focus was visible very early in the season, and it's not something that we get to see on a team-wide basis very often. Thinking of the way that team played during that unique season is why people have these warped expectations of Bayern under Pep; it leads folks to ignore the issues they had had prior to the boys 'winning one for Jupp'.

At least Madrid had an identity with Mourinho

And he had the balls to drop players who were not playing well

I...is this meant to be a critique of Pep? Cause he's absolutely changed Bayern's identity and dropped under-performing players.

So you think they lose the Bundesliga with a different manager?

There's a couple others who could've won it each season as well, but it's unlikely they'd have done it with as much dominance and that assumes that the guys with the tactical nuance capable of doing so would've been able to take over such an ego-rich locker-room. i.e. if they had gotten Mourinho, Prandelli, Conte, Allegri or Rafa instead they'd surely have lost 1 saladbowl, at least; but it's tough to say whether FC Hollywood would've followed someone like Tuchel or Favre, who had the tactical acumen to get it done. Simeone and Pellegrini probably could've won 2 league titles but it wouldn't have been a sure thing, and they wouldn't have been as dominant in doing so.

Plus none of those coaches would've gotten them past Barca last year, or gotten the satiated 2014 team to stop Real from winning La Decima.
[/my-pep-spiel]
 
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Evilo

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So you're saying he didn't go to the richest team? He didn't go to the best roster in Germany as well?

Of course he did.
You present that Bayern team almost like a cinderella team. LMAO. They had reached two CL finals in the previous three years (losing one in ths shootout) before Guardiola agreed to coach them. He thought of himself as the guy who would help them take that next step. Instead, Bayern won before he came and he failed to win that CL, let alone a final.

Pep chose the richest team with the best roster in the league he chose to coach in. Twice in a row now.
He'll be EPL champ, I have no doubt. Hopefully he still fails to win that CL.
 

cgf

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Oct 15, 2010
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So you're saying he didn't go to the richest team? He didn't go to the best roster in Germany as well?

Of course he did.
You present that Bayern team almost like a cinderella team. LMAO. They had reached two CL finals in the previous three years (losing one in ths shootout) before Guardiola agreed to coach them. He thought of himself as the guy who would help them take that next step. Instead, Bayern won before he came and he failed to win that CL, let alone a final.

Pep chose the richest team with the best roster in the league he chose to coach in. Twice in a row now.
He'll be EPL champ, I have no doubt. Hopefully he still fails to win that CL.

Not at all what I'm saying. Just that going to the richest team in germany, with the best roster, is by no means a guarantee of the kind of dominance he achieved with them. Forgive my poor phrasing, as it's a crazy day leading into a crazier weekend; but no I wasn't saying that Bayern were some cinderella team when they won the treble. My point was mostly just to remind folks that they were absolutely unreal that year; compared not only to the Bayern teams that came after, but also those that came before.

You could see (from very early in the season) that they were driven and hungry for silver across the lineup, in a way that we rarely see from big money clubs. Real's "La Decima" winning side are the only giant team in recent memory who had anywhere near the same kind of clarity/unity of purpose and drive/dedication, and even they weren't at the same level. Bayern's focus in the treble year was almost completely absolute, and they would not allow anything to stop them. The form they had from the first kick of the season until the final trophy was secured wasn't repeatable, because that type of motivation could not be replicated; even if Jupp had stuck around and the tactics/roster not changed at all. And too often people only remember that exceptional level of play that they had in that unique season or how dominant they looked, and use that to inform their expectations of Pep's tenure.

Which is why I wanted to remind folks that they hadn't exactly been reeling Trebles off left and right before that campaign. Sure they had made the CL final the year before; but on the way there they stomped on a very inexperienced Basel side, throttled a very meh Marseille, and then needed penalties against one of the weaker Real sides of the CR7 era...despite having much better health than any of Pep's Bayern sides and playing much uglier/worse than they would in Jupp's final season or in any of Pep's. That was a down year for all big clubs, and most of the real giants had stumbled over Chelsea's parked bus to. In the previous season they went out in the round of 16; and the year before that actually was a Cinderella run by a Bayern side who had no business being in that final that they lost to Inter.

The biggest reason Pep hasn't won the CL with the Bavarians...if not their injuries...is simply that Barca and Real have gotten a lot stronger than they were on the day Pep was announced by Bayern. Messi returning to health, alongside the arrivals of Neymar & Suarez, has simply transformed Barca; taking them to a different level than any club Jupp had to beat in either of his runs. And Real became a new team after Modric was integrated, Bale was brought in to terrorize teams from his side of the pitch, and di Maria was moved to a wide-8-like position (to cover the left wing when CR7 would abandon it to play striker)...at least until they actually won La Decima and went back to lacking any purpose...

[/rant]
 
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Vipers31

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Aug 29, 2008
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I've been in the argument about Jupp's version of Bayern being remarkably glorified too often. It was a good team, with exceptional will power. Not that great tactically, or technically, but the willpower behind that team was exceptional. What helped tactically was that Bayern wasn't yet seen as the actual powerhouse it is today. We actually got to counter! Those were the days. Today, even other European powerhouses park the bus. Can't blame them, but it paints a picture.

Who cares whether some people would like Pep to take more of a "challenge". Pep isn't so insecure that he feels he has to prove something to armchair coaches around the world. They can talk about greenkeepers winning titles with those clubs as long as they want, and he'll continue to improve clubs that are giants to begin with and win many titles along the way. He doesn't need any superficial doubter's approval.
 
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