ToffeeWeb - Season 2007-08

Paul Momber
1 Posted 17/11/2007 at 04:33:24

He has always stated that he will play for Athletico at some point in his career because that is his team, does not mean it will be anytime soon, maybe at the end of his current deal when he wil be 30 he will go. Good luck to him and at least we know where we stand.

Peter Pridgeon
2 Posted 17/11/2007 at 05:26:19

I dont think Athletico Madrid are his team, as he is a Basque possibly Athletico Bilbao?. I doubt he is taking about the end of his career here if you read it.

Sean Allinson
3 Posted 17/11/2007 at 09:16:02

I thought his team was Real Sociadad?

Neil Humphrey
4 Posted 17/11/2007 at 09:38:07

what utter shite. can’t believe anyone believes this nonsense. how many times have we seen similar garbage about mikel? he’s going nowhere.

Martin
5 Posted 17/11/2007 at 09:46:01

Wouldnt read too much into it. I would expect its no different to Roy Keanes desire to play for Celltic. We will get the best out of him and then he can end his career back home.

Connor Rohrer
6 Posted 17/11/2007 at 10:11:48

Mikel Arteta will end up in Spain as he has always stated but I think he will see out most of his contract with us. He is Basque and his team are Real Sociadad so I wouldn’t read to much into his "dream to play for Athletico Madrid".

Anyway I’m sure that story is very just the same as one a few months ago but done up a bit.

The Spanish newspapers are as bad as the english ones and this story is bollocks.

Mike Whittaker
7 Posted 17/11/2007 at 10:14:40

Like any player that’s a level above a journeyman pro - Arteta will go to a team that can present him a stage worthy of his talents e.g European Football on a regular basis. Hopefully he can achieve that with us in the next five years. If he cant then he will be off, if one of the elite teams come in for him. Contracts are not worth the paper they are written on, apart from the fact if he still has 2 or 3 years left on one we will get a decent fee for him. I’d be surprised if its to Atletico though cos they are the Newcastle of Spain arnt they?

Glen Anderson
8 Posted 17/11/2007 at 11:43:52

Right, first things first, I speak fluent Spanish and have located the source article in a very respectable Spanish online news site here:

http://www.elconfidencial.com/cache/2007/11/15/49_mikel_arteta_algun_acabare_atletico.html

The article is a direct interview with Arteta and in it he confirms

1 - He is from San Sebastian
2 - His team is Real Sociedad
3 - He dreams of playing for Spain
4 - He also dreams of one day playing for Atlectio Madrid as it is a club he has always admired (NOT Athletic Bilbao)
5 - He believes that one day he will end up at that club (Atletico Madrid)
6 - But he is more than happy at Everton now
7 - He sees EFC as a club that is trying to emulate Sevilla
8 - He says life is very quiet in Liverpool but he does not mind that - it enables him to concentrate on his football
9 - He enjoys the friendly rivalry between the RS and the Blues
10 - In short, he is happy at Everton and wants to help the club progress but one day has designs on a move back to Spain.

Andy Mckenzie
9 Posted 17/11/2007 at 12:07:44

He’s always stated he wants to leave for spain and finish his career in his homeland, if we get 3-4 years more out of him i’ll be happy, and wish him well.

Jeremy Benson
10 Posted 17/11/2007 at 12:28:31

I think you have to look at in context - if he wanted an imminent move to Spain, he wouldn’t have signed a 5 year contract recently. He would have negotiated it down to 3, or even not signed one at all, to lower his transfer fee to help "his club", or leave on a free.

I doubt he will be leaving anytime soon. However, unless we make great strides in the next 2 years, its clear to see that Arteta WILL probably move on in the future, he is a class above.

I think key to him staying longer term, is that he must get into the spanish national side. He must have dreams of playing in the next world cup, whilst he is at his peak, and so I hope for a call-up to the qualifying squad. Or maybe even the euro’s, who knows.

John Murphy
11 Posted 17/11/2007 at 13:15:04

I think that the comment he may of made will have been along the lines of, ’I am flattered to be linked with a club like Atletico Madrid. It is always nice to be linked with other clubs but for now I am more than happy at Everton.’ The next day the headlines are Arteta stuns Toffees announcing he wants to go to Atletico. How many people are going to fall for these stupid journalists twisting what people have said. They have got to put something in to sell the papers havent they.

Glen Anderson
12 Posted 17/11/2007 at 13:24:09

John, I speak Spanish. I am not lying. The Spanish used was:

?Algún día acabaré en el Atlético. Es un club que siempre me ha gustado y donde me gustaría jugar?

Which translates directly into:

"One day I will end up at Atletico. It is a club that I have always liked and where I would like to play."

This was a DIRECT INTERVIEW with Arteta and is not paper talk or transliteration.

I agree with others however. He is not saying "I want to leave now." He is simply saying that he is only 25 years old, is doing well and that one day in his hopefully long career he would like to move to Atletico.

Jeremy Benson
13 Posted 17/11/2007 at 15:17:18

Thats probably because rafa will end up as spanish coach within the year....

Bri L
14 Posted 17/11/2007 at 19:18:19

Lads, this can’t be a quote from Mikel. It’s b*llox.

"If someone had told me at the start of my career that at 25 I would already have played in three different countries, I would have said they were mad."

Unless he’s had a bang on the head and can’t remember, he has played in 4 countries: Spain, France, Scotland and England.

Crock of sh*t

Bri L
15 Posted 17/11/2007 at 19:29:56

Paul - where is his official site. I can’t find it.

Can you post link please?

Glen Anderson
16 Posted 17/11/2007 at 19:44:08

Bri L, in Spain they don’t think of Scotland and England as two seperate countries, ignorant as it may seem.

Also, in Spain, unlike in England, interviews are written with direct quotes from the interviewees so I am certain that everything is a direct quote.

You can believe what you want but I can definitely say with some certainty that Arteta did say those words.

Bri L
17 Posted 17/11/2007 at 20:08:29

Glen, it is strange that he hasn’t included Scotland in his total because it’s obviously a different league as well as a different country.

I do accept that these are probably his words.

I think Peter has sensationalised some completely innocent comments.

Glen - did you go to St Edwards College in West Derby? Your name seems familiar

Bri L
18 Posted 17/11/2007 at 20:08:29

Glen, it is strange that he hasn’t included Scotland in his total because it’s obviously a different league as well as a different country.

I do accept that these are probably his words.

I think Peter has sensationalised some completely innocent comments.

Glen - did you go to St Edwards College in West Derby? Your name seems familiar

steve cavanagh
19 Posted 17/11/2007 at 21:58:59

hi peter
good to know i’m not the only toffeweb devotee in nz! whereabouts are you - i’m in napier

Peter Pridgeon
20 Posted 18/11/2007 at 03:09:28

Hi Steve
I am in Tauranga. are you an ex pat or kiwi Evertonian?
Good to hear from you, I have posted on here about starting an Everton supporters club are you interested?
Peter

Peter Pridgeon
21 Posted 18/11/2007 at 03:16:03

Steve
My email is peterp@noleaf.co.nz

Paul Okell
22 Posted 18/11/2007 at 13:39:05

If I told you one day I would like to own a BMW 4 wheel drive would you interpret that as that I am going to buy one now.
That what this paper crap talk about Arteta is similat ro.
That is his favourite team and one day he hopes to play for them. Practically all foreigners eventually return to their homeland to play or finish their career.