Football Guy's thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid

Hi and hello football fans, it's your old pal Roko the Football Guy, whats going down? I hope all is well wherever you are! Things are humid here in the broom closet at football guy towers, for some reason in the winter this is the coldest place in the tower and in the summer it's too hot and considering it's not really that hot in the grand scheme of things in London you can only imagine what it must be like for me if the temperature really got high......

As you can guess from the title of the post, I'm going to be talking about the proposed transfer of C-Ron to Real Madrid. I've tried to put off talking about such things until they actually happen but hey, it's a slow Monday.

First off I'd like to say that Real might actually be the first team to ever have a Championship Manager summer and by that I mean amass a team of superstars all in one transfer window just like you could in Championship Manager. I do wonder where they are getting all this money from, but to be fair it is Real so the Spanish government has probably subsidized them with a secret loan that has 0% interest and has to be paid back at 1p a month for the next 2000 years. I wouldn't mind if the rumors were that they were just buying Kaka and C-Ron but from the sounds of it that's just the beginning, where will it end? Well since their just throwing money about I'd like to offer them my services as the official Real Madrid DJ/Announcer, you know, that guy who plays the tunes before the match starts and lets you know what the starting XI's are. Plus I get to make announcement during the game like -

"Could Mr Gonzalez please see your nearest steward as your car is parked illegally"

It would be great, plus when C-Ron scores I can do the whole - "GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLL" - thing as it sends the crowd wild.

I actually applied for that at the Emirates but they turned me down because they said I'd make to much noise and it would distract the players...............

My Thoughts

OK, I kind of lied to you, these are not going to be my thoughts on the transfer but rather my thoughts on the comments people have made about the proposed transfer.......... You'll see what I mean.

"Am I surprised (that Ronaldo is joining Real Madrid)? No, because I knew it would happen at some stage.

"We already knew that Real Madrid had a pre-contract agreement with Cristiano Ronaldo and that it was only a matter of time.

"I don't know exactly when that agreement was made, but I do know it was in place."

Football Guy's reaction

Not a lot (Happy Martin?) has been made of this supposed agreement between Real and C-Ron where they would have to pay him £25m if they did not sign him this summer. How and when did they sign this agreement? Is it even legal? How do I go about getting one?

Seriously, was this signed whilst he was at United? Because that to me seems quite fishy as it seems like some soft of breach of contract to me. I guess it must be fine as United have not complained about it but I know I would be pissed if I found out an Arsenal player had such an agreement with another club.

Is this going to be added into next seasons Football Manager?

"These excessive transfers are happening almost every day. It is very puzzling at a time when football faces some of its worst ever financial challenges.

"These transfers are a serious challenge to the idea of fairplay and the concept of financial balance in our competitions."

Football Guy's reaction

Well Michel, the only thing I find puzzling is where have Real got all this cash from, other than that it's nothing new, throughout the course of Football the bigger teams have attracted the bigger players either through prestige or money.

And as for your idea of fairplay and financial balance, when you left France to go and play for Juventus, did you leave because you grew up supporting Juve or because they paid the most money for you? Pot, kettle, black!

"It sets a standard that so many clubs will be unable to compete with - and if you do try to compete (financially with Real Madrid) you are building massive volumes of debt.

"That's one of the reasons Manchester United couldn't refuse the bid - they were bought on the back of a leverage bid. They owe money and they've got interest to pay.

"Football isn't immune to the world's problems and, as such, is very vulnerable."

Football Guy's reaction

Remember the big outcry from United fans when the Glaziers took over, they didn't want the club saddled with debt. Well ever since they took over that debt has been growing, I think it's up at around £700m. Now as Taylor has said, that needs to be paid back (well the interst does at least) and £80m is a very nice sum to be able to pay back some of that and still have money to invest in new players.

"It's fantastic for the league because next year there will be so many stars.

"Madrid is reinforcing itself, spending a lot of money, but I prefer something that already works and that is a guarantee of titles and will definitely work next year."

Football Guy's reaction

I'm not really sure what Pique is trying to say here...... Is he happy Real are getting better? Does he realize that this could hinder his own teams chances of winning the league?

I think young Pique has spent a little too much time in the sun drinking sangria..... Poor demented youngling.

"The most important thing for the team is to achieve a group mentality.

"I think Madrid need five signings. Most of them in attack, as that is Real Madrid's playing mentality."

Football Guy's reaction

Well Real might need five more players, but I don't think most of them need to be in attack. I think Kaka and C-Ron will bolster their attack sufficiently. Their attack was not that bad last season, they managed 83 goals which was the 2nd highest in La Liga! The problem was a defense which let in 52, that's just six less than Betis and Recreativo who both went down!

I don't see them doing it as it's not Perez's style, but some defensive improvement would not go amiss.

"When you fall out with Sir Alex, whatever may be the reasons - David Beckham did it as well with the entourage he carried with him - they're on their way.

"You can't have this disharmony brought upon the players and the club every year and I think United - £80m - cut their hands off and give Real Madrid the problem of handling Ronaldo from now on in.

"Man United are the biggest club in the world: talk about Real Madrid and Barcelona. No, when you leave Man United you go downhill."

Football Guy's reaction

With all due respect Tommy, I don't think this has anything to do with team harmony...... United have been made an offer they can refuse and are selling. I'm not sure any team would refuse £80m for any player FULL STOP.

And as for your last statement, this is what really pisses me off with United fans...... YOU ARE NOT THE GREATEST CLUB IN THE WORLD EVER!!!!!!!!!

I'm not saying this to be anti United but I truly believe that if you asked every professional player on the plant which club they would like to play for if money had nothing to do with it I'm pretty sure most would say Real and AC Milan for the sheer prestige....... United don't even have the same amount of European Cup's as Liverpool for god sake let alone Real and AC Milan!

"Cristiano's departure is not impossible to fix.

"He will be missed but United have other players who can replace him."

Football Guy's reaction

Well one things for sure......... It won't be you!

"My reaction is disappointment more than anything because he's a great, great player - this situation of 'is he or isn't he?' has been going on for last 12 months. I honestly thought he'd stay there as long as the manager would but it hasn't worked out that way, he obviously wants to go.  

"He's a great player - there's a lot of jealousy out there about great players and about Manchester United being successful so that comes into it, there's not many foreign players in England who don't do the occasional dive but he's a fantastic player.

"I never thought for one moment that he'd leave, I thought he might have stayed for another couple of years, it's a great disappointment."

Football Guy's reaction

Well, I think that's a pretty fair assessment. Whilst I thought he would leave at some stage I must say I'm surprised it was this summer.

He is a great player and it's true most people unfortunately like to take pot shots at great players about this or that and to me his diving was not really that big a problem because as we've seen from England internationals, most players dive......... C-Ron's problem for me was his reaction to not getting a free kick regardless of if he dived. Throwing his hands in the air demanding the ref take action as if to say "no mere mortal can take the ball from me without fouling." That's what I found annoying, but hey, we all have are faults right?

"When you look at this deal, you think football has gone absolutely mad. For Ronaldo to be worth £80m is just staggering.

"Something has to happen in this game because things can't go on like this."

Football Guy's reaction

I hate comments like this. What do you mean - "Something has to happen in this game because things can't go on like this."? - It's not like all of a sudden £80m transfers are going to become the norm, hell you don't really see many £30m transfers.

Basically if I own a club and can afford to pay that much, surely it's down to me if I want to pay it? I think old Dave is jealous that he can't and wishes football came down to his level.

"Manchester United are a private company and like any other private company have to think about their financial considerations. We have no indication of how much of the £80m they might use to service the debt, but clearly servicing their debt is very important to them.  

"Real Madrid's structure allows them to be much more ostentatious in terms of their spending. United are a private company, a profit-making organisation if they can, so there is an imperative to control costs while generating revenue.

"The debt is there, we are told they are controlling the debt, even so they have to pay some of the debt off on a regular basis.

Football Guy's reaction

Very well put and I have nothing to say other than to ask if he is related to former United player Luke Chadwick....... Judging from his picture I say no...... He's not ugly enough!

"I don't think they can turn it down. The only problem the manager has got is to find someone to replace Cristiano, given the number of goals he has scored.

"When Ruud van Nistelrooy left, people said the manager did not know what he is doing but Ronaldo stepped up to the plate.

"Whether this might allow them to sign Carlos Tevez now and still have money left in the kitty to get other players... the manager will not have his head buried in the sand. He will be looking and scouring the market worldwide."

Football Guy's reaction

That is going to be the key I guess, how do you replace his goals? It's not just the amount of goals he scored either that's the problem, how do you replace all those important goals, the match winners, the individual brilliance that won so many games for United over the last two seasons single handed.

It's a tough ask, but I think signing Tevez would be the right thing to do and from then on Fergie should be able to figure it out..... He is a Sir after all....

Take care

Football Guy