The Mail Bag
Ibrahim Afellay
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According to the Gossip pages on the BBC Sport website, it was stated that:
"PSV Eindhoven's Dutch winger Ibrahim Afellay, 24, claims he turned down a move to Everton this summer because he did not like "the feel" of the Goodison Park club."
This pissed me off somewhat, as it appeared a direct dig at Everton FC. I thought to myself, I wonder what happened? Was it Moyes he didn't like? The Chairman, the stadium, the city? When you read into it further though, the lad's actual quote was
"There were several clubs that tried to sign me this summer. Hamburg and Everton wanted me, but there has to be a good feeling with a club, and that was not the case, so I decided to stay at PSV."
Now is it me, or do those two quotes appear, although similar, actually quite different? I just think this highlights very well how the media, by putting a subtle twist on what someone has said, can make things seem quite different to how they are.
Lee Smith, Posted 08/09/2010 at 11:18:13
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Its is just normal spin from the newspapers.
A couple of months ago there was an article on the back page of the Mirror saying that "the Mirror can exclusively reveal that Fabregas will join Barcelona within the next 48 hours". 2 pages from the back of the same paper on the same day there was a small article in the top left hand corner saying "After discussions with Wenger, Fabregas was willing to stay at Arsenal for at least one more season".
The way BBC Gossips it, you would have thought the lad had been invited to Goodison, been shown around by Kenwright, told about our history and plans for the future by Moyes, and then after all that, decided EFC wasn't good enough for him. But on reading what he actually said, it wouldn't surprise me if he hadn't even got as far as having talks with the club, and his decision was based purely on money, as Brendan puts it.
I think David's #3 example perfectly illustrates the level of bullshit spun by the English press!!
Does it really matter? He's never gonna play for us so forget it.
Was is not in the papers that Blackburn were on the verge of being taken over and that Sam would have a transfer kitty of £100M?
The reference to Afellay was under the heading "Transfer Gossip" ? that says it all really, doesn't it? Gossip doesn't always = the truth!!!
When he's on the wing.
ps: Tony Cheek (#13), everyone looks good on YouTube, even I could look like Messi with a bit of editing.
In Dutch press he recently declared he wants to go to Spain because of the climate and because he thinks both the lifestyle and football would suit him better. You could say that means he doesn't "feel" it at Everton. In Dutch press they also quote him as saying this "feel" thing, but their source is always the Daily Mirror... Lazy journalism probably.
"We didn't feel right on the technical area about clubs that expressed interest in him ." I don't really know how to translate that "technical" part, he means that the type of football isn't good enough for him, I guess. Voetbal Internationals' journo has added that the two teams interested in Afellay were Hamburg and Everton.
So I guess this is the original source of al this nonsense. The quote is not from Afellay, it's from his agent, and he does not name Everton, the journalist names us. Still, could be true, especially in the light of his Spain-oriented remarks.
I mean, why wouldn't Everton feel right to him, our spirit amongst the squad is second to none, we've got a cracking training facility and we're a good club in the best league in the world. With Heitinga already here, I'm sure he would of told him what a good place Everton is to be.
But he is a really good player and probably someone we wouldn't have a chance of seriously getting IMO, too many good clubs would be interested in his services and he would choose others ahead of us, that's just how it is, either cos of money or European qualification.
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1 Posted 08/09/2010 at 14:17:05
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That's how they make their money.