I'm afraid that you are right about the Copa de Catalunya.

Messi, Bojan and Giovanni all left Barca B behind before they turned 18.

Not sure if this has been mentionned, but Roma are apparently taking John Arne Riise off Liverpool's hands. He's in Rome discussing his personal terms with the clubs having agreed a fee (£ 4 million, I believe).

The Italian papers have that one the other way around.

He's said to have agreed terms with Roma, but they are offering 3 million pounds, while Liverpool are asking 5 million.

Regarding Barca B. I think they keep a few more experienced players on who'll never make it at first team level as "on field teachers".
Quinn signed their captain (Arnau?)on a freebie two summers ago and gave him 45 mins....Keane gave him something like 20 mins then loaned him out to Dunfermaline(?).
I witnessed about 15mins of his game under Quinn before walking out (losing away to Southend, Quinns final game) he was easily our best player.
Arnau was good mates with one of the Man Utd fanzine "Red Issue" editors(met on holiday) and had helped them with articles. He asked where the real Sunderland fan bars were and went along to introduce himself. Seemed to realise he wasnt good enough but had journalistic ambitions apparently. Very well liked on Wearside. May even still be registered with us. Totally different attitude to British players.

Meanwhile Barca's main team are getting rid of Samuel Eto'o, Deco and Ronaldinho. Which ones will top up their pension in The Greatest League In The World?

Deco -> Chelsea
Eto'o -> Arsenal (replacement for Adebayor)
Ronaldinho -> Thaksni Shinawatra's Crazy Super-Fun Soccer Situation

Arsenal wouldnever pay Eto'o's wages, where is Adebayor meant to be going?

Milan, if you believe the Italian papers.

QUOTE:
Arnau was good mates with one of the Man Utd fanzine "Red Issue" editors(met on holiday)

United We Stand, wasn't it? Andy Mitten lives in Barcelona, I think. That's where his missus is from.

Arnau did a series of articles for UWS. They were pretty good, in a sort of self-deprecating, Lars Lesse/Moritz Volz kind of way. He even stood selling the mag outside the ground for a day. Seems a bit of a dude, all things considered.

Gareth McAuley's transfer to Ipswich appears to be confirmed. Decent Championship central defender but somewhat overpriced if the £1.5 million bit is true. Obviously I'd rather they had N'Gotty. It's funny about Leicester's defence - it was the second stingiest in the division or whatever last year, but I never felt confident watching it, though it was obviously better than the voids that passed for midfield and attack.

Grant Holt off to Shrewsbury. Sounds like quite a big step down, no offence to Shrewsbury.

So thats Commons,Agogo,Clingan,Holt,Lockwood gone. But only Earnshaw coming in.

I thought we were supposed to be improving the squad after promotion. Not selling/releasing most of our players.

Laughingly, Calderwood said that being promoted automatically will give us a jump start in the Transfer market over the playoff team. He then went on holiday, renegotiated Common's and Clingan's contracts, who then promptly walked away to teams in the same sodding league. Also sold Lockwood, and now Holt. He let self-confessed World Class Junior Agogo go to Egypt to earn his fortune. Luckily as he is an arrogant, over-rated, money-grabbing, lazy, ball-greedy bastard, he won't be too greatly missed. The heights of the Egyptian league will more suit his game.

I hope Calderwood has 6 signings up his sleeve, otherwise we will have a good shot of returning to league 1. The only well known rumour is yet another bid for Leon Best.

Danny Whitaker in. Any Vale or Macc fans with anything to say about him? All we've been able to establish is that he's lightweight but creative, tending to disappear from physical battles.

The new Carlos Roca?

Crusoe wrote:

QUOTE:
Danny Whitaker in. Any Vale or Macc fans with anything to say about him? All we've been able to establish is that he's lightweight but creative, tending to disappear from physical battles.

MWAHAHAHA. Finally we have revenge for you dumping Craig Rocastle on us.

He might've proven ok at 4th division level, had he stayed at the Vale. In the 3rd he just about did enough in 50 matches to look good on the highlights tape, but he was poor to indifferent in the vast majority of games, often failing in his defensive responsibilities. There was not one dissenting voice on the Vale MB when news of his departure broke.

Bugger.

Harry, rick, etc: where the hell have Cardiff suddenly got £2.5m+ from, to be bidding for Kris Boyd?