Toffeeweb - The Mail Bag - More Sunday Tabloids re Arteta

Karl Jones
1 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:07:37

In Milner and Arteta not only would Man City be signing two excellent players, but seriously weakening their competition for fourth place... Surely it's up to Everton and Villa as to whether they sell, unless a transfer request is handed in.

It seems as though once again Man City are using the media and most probably the players' agents to unsettle players. Football stinks of corruption at the moment.

Gavin Ramejkis
2 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:19:39

Matt, your opening line of the source closed the logic, News of the Bullshit: not going to happen. Shitty know they can get good wedge for Ireland and Onuoha from selling them on their own... why would they try a deal with them as makeweights?

Pundits using the latest filthy rich club as a good reason to sell shite newspapers.

John Crook
3 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:51:02

Of the players being continually linked with moves out, I was just wondering what's the odds or fans perceptions that Arteta, Heitinga, Pienaar, Yakubu and now Gosling will remain at Everton after the close of the August transfer deadline??? My perception:

Gosling: Unless there is a rule that he has to leave, because he wasn't offered his deal properly, then there is no point worrying about this ? he wont be fit till 2011 anyway.

Yakubu: A good pre-season and some early goals will take Yak back to his 2007-08 form (but I would say it's Yak's last chance saloon this season).

Pienaar: for me the most likely of the above 5 mentioned to leave but ? considering his World Cup was very low key and with Spurs apparently signing Cole ? I think he will see his sense and sign a new deal.

Heitinga: some silly comments (lost in translation???) says he's fully happy at the club and has no get out clause so I can't see anything happening on this one. Unless Holland win the World Cup and he suddenly sees himself not wanting to play for a team fighting for 7th/8th?

Arteta: I must admit I had that 'Lescott feeling' after reading this morning's papers. But the fact that we have nursed Mikel back to full fitness ? and that fact his best buddy is Tim Cahill, and the fact he ain't tried to get out of the Australia tour, holds us in good stead for a new deal? Would Mikel rock the boat???

Ray Robinson
4 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:50:29

City may well be interested in Arteta but can't see this scenario being a runner as how could we afford to pay the wages of 3 players in exchange for those of Arteta's?

John Crook
5 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:51:02

Of the players being continually linked with moves out, I was just wondering what's the odds or fans perceptions that Arteta, Heitinga, Pienaar, Yakubu and now Gosling will remain at Everton after the close of the August transfer deadline??? My perception:

Gosling: Unless there is a rule that he has to leave, because he wasn't offered his deal properly, then there is no point worrying about this ? he wont be fit till 2011 anyway.

Yakubu: A good pre-season and some early goals will take Yak back to his 2007-08 form (but I would say it's Yak's last chance saloon this season).

Pienaar: for me the most likely of the above 5 mentioned to leave but ? considering his World Cup was very low key and with Spurs apparently signing Cole ? I think he will see his sense and sign a new deal.

Heitinga: some silly comments (lost in translation???) says he's fully happy at the club and has no get out clause so I can't see anything happening on this one. Unless Holland win the World Cup and he suddenly sees himself not wanting to play for a team fighting for 7th/8th?

Arteta: I must admit I had that 'Lescott feeling' after reading this morning's papers. But the fact that we have nursed Mikel back to full fitness ? and that fact his best buddy is Tim Cahill, and the fact he ain't tried to get out of the Australia tour, holds us in good stead for a new deal? Would Mikel rock the boat???

Gary Creaney
6 Posted 04/07/2010 at 15:57:27

Spot on, Ray. I really think people need to stop getting so deeply drawn into newspaper and obscure website reports about players leaving us or signing for us. Just a week ago, Arteta was returning to Spain and now he's going to City. You couldn't write this shit ? Oh wait, you could... but you'd need to be a bored lazy journalist twat.

I would put my mortgage on him playing at least one more season for us. Same goes for Pienaar. Moyes senses something special like the rest of us and being the stubborn bugger he is he'll undoubtedly hold dear to every chance of helping it reach fruition.

Simon Templeman
7 Posted 04/07/2010 at 18:40:29

One thing bugs me most about Citeh, it seems they want to buy the better players of the clubs around them, not to make them stronger but purely to weaken their natural opposition. Marwood and Cook I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

Stewart Littler
8 Posted 04/07/2010 at 18:53:41

According to the 'story', Mancini has asked Everton to name their price. So it's simple really ? Moyes needs to find out what Arteta's plan is; if there's something wrong with his kid, it's hardly gonna help moving 25 miles away... if he wants success, and doesn't think he can get it at Everton, then does he wanna try and help us crack it one more season or go now?

If he wants to go now, then tell Mancini £20M plus Ireland and Onouha (Johnson not worth it injury-wise). Ireland is a like-for-like replacement, and £20M would allow us to sign a right winger and striker.

Either way, as is always the case, Everton will live on regardless, but my gut feeling tells me that we'll have the same squad we do now come end of August.

David Thomas
9 Posted 04/07/2010 at 19:27:24

Stewart,

"Ireland is a like-for-like replacement"

How is Stephen Ireland a like-for-like swap for Arteta?

Iain Love
10 Posted 04/07/2010 at 20:19:42

Tabloid shite. No offense but, with Citeh's money, they will be looking at higher profile players than Arteta. They have signed Yaya and Silva; with what they already have, I can't see a need for Mickey (although De Jong, Boateng, Viera & Barry then signing Yaya doesn't make sense either).What they do need to do is clear some space and the three mentioned makeweights might seem suitable for a team down the M62.

I would like Onuoha and Moyes would too; Ireland would be worth a punt as a player but wages and temperament probably make that a no-no; Johnson (as previously pointed out) is a sicknote and, after our last season, we don't want players like that.

We will do as last season: try and hold on to what we have; if it seems likely that one of our players is on the move, then Moyes will try & line up replacements. A good thing is we have got in some young promising players and our young players are now a year older. Add that to a full fit squad and things look good, especially as only Citeh seem to be strenghthening and I wouldn't be suprised if the so-called other top clubs went into next season the same as last or weaker.

Alasdair Mackay
11 Posted 04/07/2010 at 20:46:29

If it really is "name your price" time then I say: £50M + Ireland, Richards, Hart, Wright-Phillips... and if they could cover all of their wages plus Pienaar's for the next 6 seasons that would be great! Oh and pay for a new stadium for us.

Richard Harris
12 Posted 04/07/2010 at 22:52:19

Gawd - I say this every year to ignore all the transfer rumours from the papers but here we are again with the same old bollocks !! If you look back on previous seasons most of it won't happen (and was probably not even a possibility). Now with all the online sources it's even worse - there are too many wannabes who believe they have inside information and want to boost their self esteem by being the first to break the news - when the contract is signed and the player is shown holding up the shirt/scarf/novelty club item then it's real otherwise it's speculation. So just enjoy the break and stop worrying....

Alan Chadwick
13 Posted 04/07/2010 at 23:33:04

On Talksport radio at 945 tonight, the question of Mikel Arteta transfer activity was directly asked of Spanish journalist Guillem Balague - a man who genuinely knows his stuff (from the inside) when it comes to Iberian-related footy issues.

In a heartbeat, Guillem stated categorically that Arteta would be staying with Everton for a long time to come - so much so that he confidently expects Arteta to one day be on the Board of Directors/Management of the club.

Brendan O'Doherty
14 Posted 05/07/2010 at 01:38:44

Alan Chadwick - that is reassuring news. I would definitely believe Senor Balague before any of the crap that appears in the papers. He does have the 'inside knowledge' of Spanish players and is usually right with his predictions. Personally I think Arteta just doesn't want to be rushed before signing a new deal, and will eventually commit.

Mind you I remember an interview that Balague did with DM last year on Sky's Spanish football programme, in which he asked him did he ever see himself managing 'a big club', including managing abroad. I nearly put my foot through the TV screen.

Ryan Rosenberg
15 Posted 05/07/2010 at 03:14:46

I'd take Ireland, Onuhoa, Bellamy (I know, I know), + £15 million. hopefully that is what Moyesy said back to Citeh about how much for Arteta. I believe he will stay, same as Pienaar, and the Yak.

Ellen West
16 Posted 05/07/2010 at 07:55:32

Can anybody tell me the last time a Premier League club used a player plus cash to secure the services of another player?

One thing that bothers me about stories like this is that it comes across that Ireland, Onuhoa and Johnson have no say in there own future. "right lads, your all signing for Everton, no matter what wage or contract they offer you, because we want to bring in Arteta."

Also, I do feel a little bit sorry for these journalists. I'm sure they are on a crap wage and they are not able to go out and find a 'real' story, and I'm sure they have to make up these stories just to keep themselves in a job or keep the editor off their back.... Actually, I'll take all that back. Fuck em, there's plenty of other opportunities out there for them to put their skills too. Lazy fucking journo hacks.

Mike Allison
17 Posted 05/07/2010 at 09:10:25

I'm with Alisdair (post 11). If they don't offer that, we'll just keep Mikel.

John Nelson
18 Posted 05/07/2010 at 10:18:38

As stated above, only lazy journalism could muster converting Arteta wanting to move back home for his child's health into wanting to move to another Prem club ? although footballers in general are mercenary twats, I don't think they could be that callous (or fucking thick for that matter) to warrant moving to further your career.

Notwithstanding any of the above, regardless of how much I can't fucking stand them Man City tramps (they are still tramps by the way), I firmly believe they will win fuck all no matter how much they spend.

Steve Hopkins
19 Posted 05/07/2010 at 10:32:06

@ Alan Chadwick: I remember when Balague correctly predicted Manuel Fernandes returning for a second spell on loan, so his predictions certainly hold some weight with me.

Aidy Dews
20 Posted 05/07/2010 at 10:51:36

Balague is quite reliable but I have known him to get one or two things wrong in his time when watching Revista de la Liga.

But I do think he could be right about Arteta cos I get the impression Arteta is a top bloke and knows he's at a good place and wouldn't leave us to join another English club. If he did want to go, I think it would be for a move back to Spain, which I wouldn't like but it would be easier to get over quicker than if he moved to the likes of them cunts (Shiteee).

Alan Clarke
21 Posted 05/07/2010 at 15:29:04

City can't get rid of three of their home grown players because of the 6+5 rule. Another reason the story is bullshit.

Karl Masters
22 Posted 05/07/2010 at 17:26:25

City are right up there with Chelsea in the New Money, No Class stakes.

By and large their fans are less loathesome than the substantial proportion of obnoxious twats who flock to the Bridge, but their ways of conducting transfers by unsettling players in the media make them the Kings of Bad Taste in my book.

I wonder when Lescott counts his cash whether he ever stops to think about what he swapped and lost by going over to them.

Personally, I think the only way is down when you pass through the Goodison exit doors. Whether your name is Francis Jeffers, Michael Ball, Nick Barmby, Don Hutchison, Tomas Radzinski, Andy Johnson, James McFadden, Joleon Lescott, or even a certain Mr Rooney ( after his dismal World Cup he is not fulfilling his true potential ) somehow you seem to get a whole load of bad luck, injuries and loss of form and go backwards. I can only think of Gary Speed, Richard Dunne, Olivier Dacourt and Marco materrazzi who have left Everton in the last 15 years and really achieved anything at all.

It's something for Mr Pienaar and co. to reflect upon isn't it?

Karl Masters
23 Posted 05/07/2010 at 17:47:07

Oh, and remember the 24-year rule!

Anybody leaving now and doing a ''Stevie McMahon'' will surely live to regret it! :)