The best/worst buys ever

**Troy.McClure** · 07/05/2003, 4:07 PM

Free transfers dont count!

Off the top of my head, Alex Ferguson has made some gems, Peter Schmichel, Denis Irwin and Eric Cantona, all bought for peanuts, all worth their weight in gold. Nic Anelka was a good one for Aresnal or Robbie Keane for Coventry. How about Romario for PSV Eintoven? They really got their moneys worth with him.

As for worst buys, Id probably put Nic Anelka in this as well for both Real and PSG. Flo has been a bit of a waste of space for Rangers and Sunderland also. Roberto Di Matteo was an expencive injury for Chealsea, but not as much as Ronaldo's 4 years on the sidelines with Inter Milan!

**Troy.McClure** · 07/05/2003, 6:02 PM

I wouldnt argee with Veron and Ferdinand, Man U's financial clout means that it doesnt impact them too much, now if you were a club like Darby and you got Fab Ravenilli for �45k a week and then got religated, well that would be another thing!

fonzi · 08/05/2003, 9:32 AM

man city's manager went out and splashed around 40 million at the start of this season and most of the players he got are in the reserves!

**Scotsman** · 08/05/2003, 10:30 AM

Best buy for Celtic - Larsson
�650.000 - Bargain.

Worst buy - Rafael Scheidt

**** by name and nature!!

**sadloserkid** · 08/05/2003, 10:36 AM

Originally posted by Scotsman
Worst buy - Rafael Scheidt

Stefan Bonnes must run him close...

Neil · 08/05/2003, 10:43 AM

Worst:
Does Noel hartigan count as a 'buy'
(as far as I know he was left in a basket outside the Turners Cross gate one cold November morning)
He'd be up there.
Along with Kabia and Liam O'Brien

Best:
Flynny was free so,
I'd say Mick Devine

**colster** · 08/05/2003, 10:48 AM

Augustin Delgado for Southampton.
And George Weah;s mate. Can't think of his name.

Milton Nunes, Laslandes to Sunderland.

Tino Asprilla to Newcastle, he cost them the title.

Bosnich to Chelsea.

Nigel Clough, Paul Stewart to Liverpool

Marco Boogers and Radiciou to West Ham

and the worst managerial appointment must go to Spurs on the double for Christian Gross and Ossie Ardiles. What were they thinking.

**sadloserkid** · 08/05/2003, 10:50 AM

Bosko Balaban for Aston Villa must be one of the worst in the last couple of years.

**colster** · 08/05/2003, 10:52 AM

The best ever buy must be Maradona to Napoli.
How did a team like that get him.
Rumours of some Mafia help abound but still the best buy ever.

**sadloserkid** · 08/05/2003, 10:54 AM

Originally posted by colster
And George Weah;s mate. Can't think of his name.

Ali Dia I believe... Though George denies the whole thing! Another awful managerial appointment was Crystal Palace appointing Lombardo as boss... Brolin was made assistant because he was the only person around who could speak English and Italian...

**colster** · 08/05/2003, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by sadloserkid
Ali Dia I believe... Though George denies the whole thing! Another awful managerial appointment was Crystal Palace appointing Lombardo as boss... Brolin was made assistant because he was the only person around who could speak English and Italian...

Ali Dia thats him. This bloke even got a game... well a few minutes before he was taken off.

Another bad buy was Branco to middlesborough. Good player in his day but well past it at 'Boro.

How about worst managerial decisions.
Ruud Gullit benching Shearer,
Ferguson letting McGrath go.
Wilkinson selling Cantona to United.

**�anna** · 08/05/2003, 11:08 AM

Originally posted by Scotsman
Best buy for Celtic - Larsson
�650.000 - Bargain.

Worst buy - Rafael Scheidt

**** by name and nature!!

i would have said agathe at �35,00 runs him close

Neil · 08/05/2003, 11:09 AM

Originally posted by �anna
i would have said agathe at �35,00 runs him close

In the good or bad buy category?

**Macy** · 08/05/2003, 11:12 AM

Originally posted by Conor74
A bad buy is a bad buy. Veron has undoubtedly been a bad buy. He's not a particularly bad player, but any Man Utd fan must groan at the thought of the �28m that could have been spent on, say a Zidane or Greg O'Halloran or just about anyone else...

Utter Boll0x Conor, Veron was and still is class - don't believe the media hype and listen to the match going United fans... You shouldn't judge on first seasons, and that applies to Ferdinand as well - he's a young player who's come from a small club to a big one... Personally I think United may have paid over the odds, but only time will tell - this time next season we'll have more idea...

On Webb - he was excellent for United until he picked up that injury playing for England that ruled him out for well over a year - went from a potentially great player to fat lazy lump.....

Main ones for me would be Keepers - Leighton, Bosnich, Taibi

**sadloserkid** · 08/05/2003, 11:20 AM

I think Bosnich did well for United, certainly better than Barthez has overall. Ferguson and Edwards were using him as a pawn in their own little game but United treated him very shabbily. He was signed on a free anyway wasn't he?

**Ash** · 08/05/2003, 11:26 AM

Bad
===
I was gonna say Marco Boogers to West Ham as well.
Got sent off twice in his first 3 or 4 games then locked himself in
a caravan for a few months before admitting himself to a mental
clinic or something.

Redknapp also bought Joey Beuchamp form Oxfrod (I think)
Supposed to be the next big thing at the time but just before
his 1st training session with WHU he declared he never wanted
to leave Oxford and they made him cos they needed the money.

He refused to train/play and stayed with his Gran/Aunt and
refused to speak to anyone until he was allowed to rejoin Oxford
on a free!

Tomas Repka and Cristian Dailly - Disasters!

Good
====
My old mate Paolo Di Canio was a bargin buy - Pure Genius

Ludo Miklosko Lou Macari signed him for peanuts from Banik
Ostrava

(sorry to carry the WHU theme but I follow them)

For Athlone Town (whom I support), in recent enough times

Best
===
Barry Murphy - The Terminator, take the ball past him at your peril

Frank Darby - squeky voiced but made all clearences and free
kicks look continental (Italian soccer was on rte at the time!)

Tervor Molloy - was class for us

Rod de Khors - Living Legend

Andy Myler - Golden Boots

Stewie Connolly - was deadly and his career seemed to be over
when he left for the cash of Dundalk!

Gary McCormack - signed from Ballymun Utd a.f.a.i.k. was was a
tower of strenght at the back. Unfortunately work comittments
forced him to quit Athlone. Playing for Tolka Rovers last I heard

Worst
====
Eric Smyth - his feet and knees never seemed to do what his
brain and mouth ask

Mickey Fox - 5' 2" Goalkeeper who apparently got signed as he
was a mate of the manager used to keep him a parking space at
the airport

Eamon O'Donahue - another apparent friend and work colleague
of the manager who was brutal s a striker

David Murphy - came with a letter of recommendation fom Willie McStay who let him go from Celtic?!?!? Couldnt hit a bulls a.rse
with a banjo

Shane Harte/Alan McNevin/Glen Fitzpatrick - just never impressed
while with Town ... probably due to the patrizan crowd constantly
telling them to fupp off back to Dublin!

**Macy** · 08/05/2003, 2:19 PM

Originally posted by SCOTTY II
Shearer to Blackburn
Keane to USh!ted

Interesting choices, as both were record buys at the time.... Prices should be judged at the market of the time, and these only look excellent now after the hyper inflation that went on in the transfer market in the mean time....

**colster** · 08/05/2003, 2:23 PM

Originally posted by Macy
Interesting choices, as both were record buys at the time.... Prices should be judged at the market of the time, and these only look excellent now after the hyper inflation that went on in the transfer market in the mean time....

Even so they were still great buys even at record prices. Worth every penny and more.

**Schumi** · 08/05/2003, 2:36 PM

Originally posted by Ash
Glen Fitzpatrick - just never impressed
while with Town ... probably due to the patrizan crowd constantly
telling them to fupp off back to Dublin!

No, he was just $hit!