Séamus Coleman (D Everton b.1988)

[Charlie Darwin]

Are you suggesting Pellegrini's civil engineering degree allows him to see something in Dimichelis the rest of us don't? His 'unseen' qualities, perhaps?

[Crosby87]

Could that mean that he is an Engineer who behaves in a very civilized manner?

[Stuttgart88]

Paul, Demichelis is a centre-back deployed on an emergency basis in midfield. I'd bet you anything had Barry still been there he'd have started in midfield ahead of Demichelis.

I don't buy into the logic that excellent players will ultimately play for the very best teams, and "excellent" is pretty subjective anyway.

Also Financial Fair Play dictates that managers must make-do in certain situations rather than keeping on buying the best players at the clubs close behind them.

[peadar1987]

Civil Engineer? That explains why he makes stupid decisions.

(Signed: A mechanical engineer )

[tetsujin1979]

There isn't a flaw, there is an exception to every rule. It shows how bad Arsenals striking problems are that they still have him anywhere near the team even on the odd occassion.

Pellegrini brought in Demichelis, so I'd say he was happy he was there. Interestingly I heard that Pelligrini is a qualified Civil Engineer.

does that mean he's not an engineer until you see him do some engineering?

[paul_oshea]

Very good tets

I'm sure now that ye(plural) have been told though ye will see it regardless of whether I see it or not ; )

[Bungle]

I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the exact moment... surely United will come good again and offer a much better career overall. Everton are have having a stormer of a season by their standards and still won't end up in the Champions League. I like Everton and all that but it would be nice to have a top player playing at a top club again.

In theory United will come good again. However, football doesn't always sing to the hymn book as Liverpool and to a lesser extent Everton fans could testify after the past 20 years. I actually see pretty choppy waters ahead for United if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. The really top players won't want to go there and those top players that do are more likely to be of the mercenary persuasion. United have an exceptionally ordinary team and two of their three world class players could go this summer. If they started next season badly, it could be a horrible place to be a player.

While I want to see Irish players playing for the top 5/6 clubs in England and that includes United, I think Seamus should put a bit of consideration into his next move, if he does decide to move on. Personally, I think he'd be better off staying another season with Everton, who I think will only get better. If they do and they begin to get into the Champions League on a regular basis, then why move from a club where he is loved and is fast becoming a cult hero with their support.

[DeLorean]

Even if United did turn into a Liverpool they would still be challenging for trophies and making the Champions League fairly regularly and, realistically, that's a worst case scenario. In my opinion there's no comparison as to what he could achieve at United compared to Everton. Even their best seasons don't amount to much in terms of real success. That's not a dig at them in any way, they're a great club but unfortunately compete with at least one arm tied behind their back.

[tricky_colour]

I wouldn't get too wrapped up in the exact moment... surely United will come good again and offer a much better career overall. Everton are have having a stormer of a season by their standards and still won't end up in the Champions League. I like Everton and all that but it would be nice to have a top player playing at a top club again.

Well I guess a move at the end of the season would be OK, assuming Man U do come good again, however their
fall from grace has been quite dramatic and there has been little sign of improvement yet, but with their money
I assume they will get back up the table eventually, Coleman could be a part of doing that as they seem to be stagnating at the moment.

[tricky_colour]

In theory United will come good again. However, football doesn't always sing to the hymn book as Liverpool and to a lesser extent Everton fans could testify after the past 20 years. I actually see pretty choppy waters ahead for United if they fail to qualify for the Champions League. The really top players won't want to go there and those top players that do are more likely to be of the mercenary persuasion. United have an exceptionally ordinary team and two of their three world class players could go this summer. If they started next season badly, it could be a horrible place to be a player.

While I want to see Irish players playing for the top 5/6 clubs in England and that includes United, I think Seamus should put a bit of consideration into his next move, if he does decide to move on. Personally, I think he'd be better off staying another season with Everton, who I think will only get better. If they do and they begin to get into the Champions League on a regular basis, then why move from a club where he is loved and is fast becoming a cult hero with their support.

Wow, I was thinking Man U's current position might be something to do with the Glaziers failing to invest in the club.
So I went to look to see the last time Man U broke the transfer record which revealed some rather surprising facts (to me at least!!).

1 Man U have *never* broken the transfer record!!
2 Only one British club has (since 1952) Shearer to Newcastle

1996

Alan Shearer

Blackburn Rovers

Newcastle United

15,000,000[7]

So I guess I really need to looking at UK transfers.
Last time they broke it was 2002, however the record is not broken often enough for it to be
much of a guide.
I guess they signed Mata for a fair sum but I don't know enough about their dealing to say much more,
so I will quit digging.

Break over!!

I think the reason may be the sacking of the coaching staff after Sir Alex left, there was no
need for that, it does not send out a good message to other staff/player, it's not as if they
were doing a bad job.

[tricky_colour]

Seems Roy agrees with me!!

http://www.soccerbyives.net/2014/02/...r-nearing.html

Great minds think a like

The story was post some hours before my post, so I can't try and make anything out of it.

[paul_oshea]

I read a different article to that TC and it reads completely differently. I think it was the metro/evening standard ill try and find it.

[Charlie Darwin]

Coleman, McGeady and McCarthy were all set to start v Crystal Palace, with Delaney starting on the opposite side, but it's been called off, as has Sunderland v Man City.

[paul_oshea]

Sorry for hijacking the Seamus Coleman thread! But last night was the 2nd time I have seen Luis Suarez in the flesh, and he in my opinion is (my definition of it at least) excellent. His all round game last night, off the ball, technique, movement was just excellent. I have watched a good few games of his on the tele but like watching Ibra that time in the Aviva, you don't appreciate how good they really are until you see them in the flesh. But as I say, that is what excellent truly is in my humble opinion.

[DeLorean]

Yeah but if he was that excellent he wouldn't be playing for a team that finished behind Everton the last two seasons

It depends what your definition of excellent is, if he was excellent he will be at a top club soon the likes of arsenal, city or chelsea, Barry has been good for Everton but he was surplus to requirements for City cos he isn't good enough, but good enough for Chelsea. If he is excellent as you suggest we should see him at one of those clubs in the next year or so.

Suarez is world class by the way. If they're the standards you're already judging McCarthy by it's little wonder you're so disappointed.

[paul_oshea]

You must be a liverpool fan, talking in the past as always DeLorean :P We are all about the here and now. Also you will note the use of the word "will".

he was brought to a club expectant of playing in the CL and challenging top 4 - obviously for liverpool it has taken a bit longer to acheive that, assuming they do this year!

[DeLorean]

The here and now is that they are competing with Everton and Spurs for top four, yet McCarthy needs to be playing for Arsenal, City or Chelsea in the next year to be considered excellent. Well Suarez is a few years older than McCarthy and he is still playing with a side with the same ambition as Everton. You're the one living in the past if you're thinking Liverpool's main aim is any greater than that.

Anyway, I don't disagree about Suarez but you might as well be comparing McCarthy to Messi or Ronaldo really.

[paul_oshea]

No suarez isnt as good as them.

DeLorean, its completely subjective what Liverpool are aiming for, but I'm pretty sure for a long time now rodgers behind the scenes has been gearing them up for a title push. He will say something to the media - like today where he leaves it open ended with the ambition statement - but they aren't really competing with Everton(8 points behind with 1 game in hand), perhaps spurs, but i think they are competing for at least at the very least top 4, not just top 4 with everton and spurs. They are 4 points off the top hardly settling for staying in 4th at 4 points off the top!!!

You cannot say that Liverpool with american owners who have invested quite heavily already and liverpool having invested more than utd over the last few years, and way more than everton have the same ambition as Everton. Thats plain wrong. Everton 19th liverpool 5th http://www.transferleague.co.uk/leag...e-seasons.html

As mentioned in an earlier thread Liverpools purchases are way ahead of UTDs.

[Crosby87]

Yeah the Red Sox group owns Liverpool and they are not afraid to spend money like water.

[paul_oshea]

Ya Crobsy, Henry had a big interview a couple of years ago with the Daily Telegraph, I actually thought he might have paid for that article, anyway it was about what they had done as a sports management group, and how they had wanted to model their FSG red sox on liverpool. Basically he said they weren't afraid to spend money but would rather bring players through, but that the only reason they would get involved was to win titles and cups. These guys have a proven track record, and we know what they did to acheive a red sox domination, it will be interesting if that model works in the PL though.

I think this is the one, whatever one i read anyway was interesting and gave insight into his thinking http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/foo...t-Anfield.html