In this modern era of football we so often see the word ‘saga’ follow any talk of transfers, with money playing such an important role in our game and complicating so many situations.
The first transfer saga that really got under my skin involved us, Chelsea and John Obi Mikel, and with hindsight, the timing of this mess probably sparked my fury as much as the behaviour of the player.
Chelsea had just won the title and we had just finished third for the second year running, a massive 18 points off the top. Whilst we still clung on to the belief that we would be back, the press were certain our period of dominance was over, just like Liverpool’s had been after the 80′s.
The day before Chelsea claimed the title with a 2-0 win against Bolton, we signed young Nigerian John Obi Mikel for £4m. He attended a press conference wearing our shirt and grinning proudly. “I am pleased to get the chance to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world,” Mikel said. “I’m looking forward to it. I am surprised that a big club like Manchester United wanted me. I had a contract with Lyn and not with Chelsea. I read about it in the papers, but haven’t heard from them.”
Ten days after the press conference, Mikel spoke to the press again. “I will join Man United in January,” he said. “It’s a dream come true for me.”
Then the situation took a turn for the worse.
Mikel went missing, he had received death threats and there was reports claiming he was on his way to London with his agent. The next time we saw him he was on the television claiming he had been forced to sign for United against his will and he really wanted to play for Chelsea. It was as if the press conference two weeks before, where he was grinning in his United shirt, had never happened. Within the space of a couple of days Mikel changed his mind. It wasn’t a dream come true to be a United player, it was his dream to play for Chelsea. Whether it was his angry agent who had missed out on his cut with the United deal, whether it was the pressure from the death threats he’d received or whether it was the promise of more money at Chelsea, it became clear pretty quickly that a future at Manchester United was now untenable for a want-away Mikel.
To cut a long story short, Mikel missed out on the next fourteen months of his career, playing for no team, before Chelsea forked out £16m (which left us with change from the Vidic and Evra purchases that year. Cheers, Roman!) and we sold him.
Of course, we got the last laugh where this player is concerned. We’ve won the title every year he has been at Chelsea and we beat them in the European Cup final. Every time I see him playing for Chelsea I get pleasure in remembering just how hard he worked to get out of our contract and how much football he gave up, just to see us go from strength to strength. But I’m not angry any more. That feeling came from the bitterness of seeing Chelsea as the most successful club, a position we had claimed for so long, and there they were, throwing their weight (and their money) around to pinch players from us who had claimed they were fulfilling some ‘dream’ in playing for us. But rather than admit he’d had a change of heart (motivated by money), he lied and claimed he had been forced in to the deal. Is it that difficult to be honest? Is it easier to pretend you haven’t been seen beaming in our shirt and telling everyone it’s a dream come true than it is to say that you’ve been offered a more lucrative deal elsewhere?
I am very aware that football is a short career for most players and see no problem in them trying to earn as much as they possibly can. Whilst people can question the morals and ethics behind doctors, teachers and fireman earning in a year just a fraction of what a footballer makes in a week, I don’t really see the problem. For example, United paid Cristiano Ronaldo £120,000 a week (just over £6m a year) but in scoring the goal in the European Cup final in 2008 he earned us more than £100m. It might be sick that there is so much money involved in the game but players will only earn what the club believes they’re worth. We have made an absolute mint on Ronaldo, from the money he’s earned us in prize-money, ticket sales, merchandise and his transfer fee from Real Madrid, despite forking out what appears to be such a large salary. What he made from us was nothing in comparison to what we made from him.
After Emmanuel Adebayor completed his £25m move to Manchester City from Arsenal, he spoke more honestly than most players do about the money. Whilst still insisting the money wasn’t the be all and end all, he acknowledged that it played a part in his decision.
“I know a lot of people will say ‘He’s gone for the money’,” he said. “But I would like to see one Arsenal fan who worked somewhere for £10 and was offered work elsewhere for £30 to say they would refuse. Yes, they offered me a very fine contract and I have signed it.”
It’s completely true. If I could treble my wages working for a different company, whether it rivalled my current employers or not, then I would be off. I don’t begrudge players, particularly those coming from very poor backgrounds, trying to earn as much money as they can before their career is over. There are coaching jobs to think about and a better paid job on the telly if they are lucky, but players have limited time to make a lot of money because after the age of 35-years-old they won’t be making money lucrative from playing (unless they’re Sol Campbell!).
However, if money is the deciding factor in a player’s career, then they need to be honest about it. I don’t mean in their unveiling press conference they need to announce they are only there for the money but they shouldn’t put up a pretence of loyalty and love for the shirt they are wearing if money is the most important factor in their arrival.
This summer we have seen plenty of players batting their eye-lids at clubs with lots of money. Some of them have made the move, others have stayed put, but all of them have failed to be honest.
Emmanuel Adebayor claimed he had to pay Arsenal back for putting him where he was today and that he wouldn’t leave the club until he’d help win them trophies. Two months later he was a Manchester City player. Nobody made him kiss their badge and nobody made him claim he was definitely going to stay, so why bother? If the money makes or breaks your decision on who to play for, why pretend to be loyal and committed to Arsenal?
John Terry is known as ‘Mr Chelsea’ and his loyalty to the club was never questioned. When Manchester City started sniffing around him Chelsea fans will probably have laughed it off. “I want to end my career at the club which I love,” he said in February after Chelsea turned down a January bid for him. When it came to the summer though, Terry was a lot more quiet as the rumours circled and the bids came in. He stayed quiet for a whole month in fact whilst the fans showed up at pre-season games with signs begging him not to leave. After the decision was finally made, Terry confessed to having a hard time making it, claiming “you get the odd sleepless night and things move around in your head.” But at the same time he also said “if I’d been tempted I’d have gone.” If he wasn’t tempted then why the sleepless nights? Just be honest.
Gareth Barry told Aston Villa, the club he was the captain of and had played at for twelve years, that they couldn’t match his aspirations. After praising the fans for their tireless support which gave him belief in his International career, he decided he had to be playing Champions League football at his peak to get in the England side. If Villa could get in to the top four, he promised that he would stay. But they couldn’t.
“My mind’s made up, I want to join Liverpool,” Barry said last summer. “There’s no going back, it’s time for me to move on. I’m desperate to play Champions League football and that’s why I have to leave Villa.” Then he signs for a club who aren’t in any European competition, let alone the Champions League.
So be honest. If you are desperate to play Champions League football at your peak, that is fair enough and a totally valid reason for leaving, even if it is a club you’ve been with for twelve years. But if you would prefer to earn a fuck load of money with a club you believe will be playing Champions League football when you’re in your 30′s, then admit it. Don’t make out Champions League football is the be all and end all when your salary is clearly more important.
When Cristiano Ronaldo left us for Real Madrid there was of course an element of irritation in our reaction. For him, United weren’t the crème de la crème and as a fan that’s hard to get your head around. You imagine you would play for your club for free and would give anything to score goals at Old Trafford. But Ronaldo was always honest, he didn’t kiss our badge and now the dust has settled we can’t begrudge him his move. He will always remember us fondly and we are grateful for everything he helped us achieve, but I don’t expect every player, particularly from the continent, to come to United, fall in love and want to stay here forever.
The frustration comes when players behave as though they do love the club and fans but are tempted away so easily. Why bother saying you intend to see out your career when in reality you know you will leave if you’re offered more money elsewhere? It’s so unnecessary. We’re not asking them to commit forever and regardless of how popular it makes players to claim they’re staying for life, it serves no purpose to say it if their heart is not in it. They are just setting themselves up for a fall because sooner or later a rich club will call their bluff.
Whilst United are spoilt with one-team players like Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville, Paul Scholes, Wes Brown, John O’Shea, Darren Fletcher etc., you don’t have to kiss our badge and tell us you will love us forever to be popular here. Patrice Evra and Wayne Rooney regularly voice their commitment to the club, but it is not a requirement. Michael Carrick, for example, gets on with the job without grabbing his badge when he scores or waxing lyrical about his love for the fans. Maybe he imagines he will stay with us forever or maybe he thinks one day he’ll move on… or maybe he just wants to get on with his job and take each day as it comes. He’s a football player, not a football fan, and I would much rather his approach than that of so many other players in the modern era.
Whilst for so many of us our lives revolve around our loyalties to our club, the same can’t be said of the vast majority of footballers. I don’t have a problem with that. What I do have a problem with is footballers claiming they want to see out their career with a club, kissing the badge whenever they score, proclaiming their undying love for the club and fans… then jumping ship the moment a bigger wad of cash is waved under their nose. Just be up front and honest, not fake and phony simply to gain popularity. Surely that’s not too much to ask for.
Man Utd News 24/7
The Obi MIkel situation had a lot to do with agents and owners than it did the player. As a result, your assessment is not quite accurate.
Rather than placing any blame on Obi Mikel, you have to feel sympathy for him in a way, as he was the victim of what almost results in people traficking.
what a fantastic read scott
also i think ive used the line money grabbers would be bearable if they were honest in many different ways but all ment the same thing,
the story i’ve always found amazing as a united fan the hate that berbatov gets when talking to spurs fans
and the love captain fantastic robbie keane gets and got when he was a dipper flop
berba said he wants champions league football, levy said no , he played a season assited keane to be the top goal scorer berba himself had his best season and was there second top scorer. all the while saying he wanted champions league football
keane ,inked with the dippers, said he was going no where
sep first shitty get money and trow most of it at berbatov
robbie keane still stayin
berbatov says no to the money doesnt disrespect the spurs fans by lyin to them and not only does he want champions league football he wants the champions league winners
keane is still staying, god bless robbie keane
berba doesnt sell out sticks to his word he gave spurs fans after givin his all in his last season , goes to champions of europe manchester united
keanes staying keanes staying keanes in talks keanes gone
berbatov hated keane respected berbatov boo’d keane flops anit berbatov chants keane returns a hero berbatov just used spurs to get to united
football is no longer a game where people play because they love the game but just play for money.there are very few exceptions.barry,adebarnoor,cuntevez,mikel are all examples.I wont criticize Ronny though.He had a valid reason won everything and needed a new challenge.He could have gone in 2006 but chose to fight on and prove everybody that he can suceed in England.He has never disrespected the club.
The others have not even achieved 1/4th of Ronny so there was no need for them to leave.
I completely agree Scott, but the old adage sticks in, football is a funny old world. Getting carried away in the emotion, the passion, the fans, you kiss the badge, you declare your love you want to stay forever. Then a year later, you fallout with the new manager, you realise that the club aren’t going to play champions league football, the same fans who loved you boo you after a bad game. Like in a relationship with a woman you fall out of love. And that leads to bitter divorces.
Gareth Barry is a money grabbing c*nt, he lied and took the money, same with Mikel, but Adebayor and Terry? At some points they loved their clubs, but that love dies (terrys waivered). Or maybe you give a quick glance to help your next pay day. Its not the worst thing in the world to do. At least Adebayor and Terry didin’t come out and say We want to stay but at the same time talk to city behind the fans back. Maybe they had months before but thats when the love was strong and since then something changes
i agree with some lads in other thread saying u should be workin in times mate..it’s a fantastic read..
back to reality..this is why i admire scholesy so much..he’s my first united idol..for his quietness, loyalty,passion for the club and also for letting his football does the talkin on the turf..
i could see rooney could be in his footstep real soon..
i think u forget tevez
3 words – Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
and i hate this picture of ronaldo kissing the badge of UNreal
@gotta hate tiny tears
thats not entirely true…. berbatov had a chance to join united b4 he joined spurs but he believed that united were on a downfall and would never be the champions that they were because we had not won for 2 years…. at that point i hated berba because of his statements about utd
but now i dont care whether he hates or loves united but its good that he is honest in saying what he’s here for and i hope he helps us win another ucl coz he is a very good player….
great article scott….absolutely love it…..
3 seasons ago i was in the pub watching a champions league game and before the match they had a post match pre recorded sitdown interview with scholes
me and my mate where watching and we just copped that as mid 20 year olds who loved united and watched all the games from here in ireland
we didnt really know what scholes vioice sounded like
he didnt need to be on tele before and after the match kissing his badge saying he loved the club and would never leave
he wasnt on talk shows red carpets soccer am blah to make me believe in his heart
FUCK JOHN TERRY
ADMANUTD
MY POINT WAS HE WANTED TO PLAY CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL
AND HE WENT TO THE TEAM WHO JUST WON THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
IM NOT LOOKING FOR LOYILTY FROM A PLAYER THAT HAS ONLY JUST SIGNED
admanutd
sorry about the captails
but did you see rio on the red cafe lastnight
he hated united and he said he’d play for anyone but them
then they came in with an offer and he snapped it up
the guy is a would be captain who lifted the champions league trophy for united
he’ll never leave so it doesnt matter what 004/005 berbatov taught about united
he didnt lie to the spurs fans
ghtt…. your right…. FUCK JOHN TERRY…..
Gotta Hate Tiny Tears
well said GHTT
Ronaldo never kissed the badge?? That one stumped me.. i thought he had done it once or twice! And anyway he scored a bucketload of goals which is more appreciated than badge kissing.
And we got the best deal out of Mikel and his ‘saga’.
@ghtt
ur absolutely right about that…..
but then according to me i dont think we can include tevez in that category coz he clearly said why he left united….it was because that pussy felt insulted that fergie and gill didnt sign him earlier when they had a chance to…maybe there was money involved i dont know but i dont think it was about the money…
@admanutd o i think it was. I love manutd fans but im going to shity,their lokal rivals because of mr Ferguson who didnt want to play me and didnt want to pay me 150000
admanutd
we dont sing whos’s that money grabbing whole
for no reason
*whore
On a related note: City are really showing their true colours; shipping off Richard Dunne, captain for years and their player of the year for about 3 seasons. “Sorry Rich, you don’t fit our profile of spoiled, over-payed shite bags, toodle-oo”
Great post Scott. I agree with almost all of it, except the idea that football players aren’t the same as football fans. In one sense that’s obviously true (otherwise I’d be paid £120,000 a week too), but in another way it’s not. I’d bet almost every player who ever makes it as a pro started out as a fan, of a team, of a player, of a nation, something that inspired a love of the game. Some players lose that feeling for their team, some never do. For instance, loyal though he’s always been to United, we all know Scholesey supports Oldham and adored Andy Ritchie (that was a big blow when he left United for Athletic, incidentally, but that’s a tale for another time). All the really top players still have a basic love of the game, and remain never happier than playing, and sometimes even can’t wait to get training. If I was a pro, which I’m still working on as it’s still ‘my dream’ (literally actually), I can’t believe I wouldn’t just thank God everyday for being paid to do what I love doing. You can see that in older players , as they approach the end of their careers and realise it’s all going to end, they start to value what they sometimes took for granted. With some there’s more a desperation to win trophies (Berbatov?) or for personal glory but when that comes to fruition, the player can start to identify with the team with whom they achieve it (Rio?) It must be an incredible feeling for someone with a particular team for a long time if you keep winning things (Giggs, Neville, Scholes etc), being part of something bigger than the individual, yet valued for what you contribute as an individual. The comradeship at its best must be an amazing experience, something that endures for life. You can see that in the Ex -United Players’ Association (wouldn’t you just love to be a member of that??) Just because you’re a superstar and get paid zillions doesn’t mean you can’t apprecaite something like that. I don’t believe Ronaldo was principally driven by money, although he’s no fool and will not have under-sold himself. I’m sure he’ll always look back with affection for his time at United, and may eventually come to see it is the best time in his life.And I bet he always looks for United’s results, whatever happens in the rest of his career.
Steve Gerrard Gerrard,
He kisses the badge on his chest,
He hands in a transfer request,
Steve Gerrard Gerrard.
i am missing Ronaldo already…
Not because the team arent playing good without him…
But all those goals and memories while he play for the red devil always stick around…
I am still not born yet when Best dazzled Manchester United fan wearing no 7…
I am still beginning to love football when Cantona inspired Manchester United fan wearing no 7…
I am still beginning to love Manchester United when Beckham became a football star wearing no 7…
But when Ronaldo start his debut against Bolton, United always in my heart and to follow the journey of a young boy to superstar footballer was a great experience for me…Wish he could stay longer…But Giggsy like loyalty arent easy to find nowaday…
Fcuk, Thats one of the best bits of writing on the topic i have read. Well done lad.
What a great read…! Fantastic blog Scott.
loved all the comments from fellow United fans here.
fooart you somehow made me emotional with your comment. It’s a wonderful experience watching Ronaldo blossoming at our club. Ronaldo will always be remembered.
How about giving carlos tevez a shout in this article? Greedy, cave troll-looking cunt.
Keep up the good work scott
No mention of bluenose tevez??
solskjaer is a perfect example of loyalty…he never questioning fergie decision in paper…and he seem never want to go away…which is good though…and hopefully somehow he can became a great manager and succeding fergie as our beloved club manager…
No need to tell the champion league winning goal…LEGEND…
Fair & objective article, Scott! Great stuff. After reading most of the comments, I ‘ve to say the most sincere players are people like Giggs, Scholes who are one-club sloggers. More so if the club is ManUtd, eh?
Tevez is one of the most blatant examples, course, but I wanted to be able to write something without being accused of doing so just because I was bitter.
This is good for a laugh though: http://therepublikofmancunia.com/tevez-changes-his-tune-i-want-to-stay-at-united-forever/
The Mikel saga is typical Nigerianism.
I have a certain sympathy with players I guess, it is a short career they have and if they get a career-ending injury it can be tough because they’ve more often than not been pushed to playe the game from an early age and therefore have no real educational qualifications to speak of or experience of the real world.
But there’s a difference between that and, say, Chelsea’s lavish birthday party the other week where they spend hundreds of thousands of pounds in full view of the press and fans that have probably just lost their jobs.
absolutely brilliant read
Scott I pretty much eat up every word you say but I think to call Ronaldo honest is B.S. This summer and last weeks before the season ended he came out with all that crap about how United was his ‘home’ and where he belonged etc.etc. How many denials? How many laughs in press conference? All the while he was plotting an exit.
I don’t begrudge him for going to the team he says he supported as a kid. If I were a pro, for anyone, and United came a calling I would do everything I could to get a transfer. But, as you say, why lie? Guess the answer to that is “only God knows”!!
Summer 2008 Ronaldo humiliated us. He made himself the talking point at a time when everyone should’ve been talking about our Champions League/Premier League double. He’s made the right noises since he left (but didnt he always with Mendes’ PR machine behind him? “I love this club”, “these fans always supported me” blah, blah, blah).
Ronaldo is no more honest than Adebayor or Terry. Even when he interviewed himself he still lied!
great article scott!
am I the only one that thinks this was a good thing.
I don’t rate Mikel very highly at all. The only time I notice he’s on the pitch is when he makes some ridiculous foul and then moans about it.
Terrific piece.
The only slightly odd thing was the lack of a reference to Tevez. To me, he too is in the Adebayor category he went for the money. I don’t even think he betrayed the fans, he seems one of those guys who is a true “professional”. You pay him – he works his bollocks off for the team, and appreciates the fans. If he thinks he can earn more elsewhere, he goes and does it again.
champions league draw.
uefa defender of the year. john terry. ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS????
no Real…Besiktas CSKA Moscow so far
sean_m11
That was my exact reaction. Vida is WAY better. Even Pique is. The awards are a joke.
We got a good group. Ha Real got AC. SHAME! They will definitely struggle.
Quick Question why is there a team from Israel? Im not very good at geography but i swear they are in Asia?
lol Israel… bloody hell! I wouldn’t wanna be an away fan!
mind neither would I in South Korea (soon to be East Russia in the EU…)
lol Israel… bloody hell! I wouldn’t wanna be an away fan!
mind neither would I in North Korea (soon to be East Russia in the EU…)
Add sol “it’s always been my dream to play for notts county” campbell to that list
Brilliant Scott.
After reading your article I have even more respect for Berbatov for turning down City and the extra money.Players like Scholes and Giggs could have left UTD and become talismanic figures for clubs looking for high profile signings whether they were past their best or not.I think it boils down to Ferguson’s unique style of man management than the strength of these player’s loyalty.Utd have many one club players because Fergie instills a belief in them that the adulation of the fans should overcome the lure of the bigger wages.In recent years the Agent has become more powerful and can influence a young player’s thoughts towards the financial rewards of a certain club rather than the status and potential achievements of a bigger club.Ambitions don’t pay for the Lambo’s and Ferrari’s like hard cash does.Don’t think we are at the stage yet where Messi will sign for Notts County and say that as a boy in Argentina he dreamed of playing for them but who knows what will happen in the next 20 years as the oil rich Arabs look at buying smaller clubs on the cheap in order that they can get a foothold on the golden goose that is British football.
I have no time for the footballing mercenary whether he has a short career or not.He will always be a fuckin whore to me.Nearly spat my coffee out when I heard that UTD are looking at Robben, a player on the brink of signing for us but went to Chelsea for the money.Fuck him.Let him go to a shit club and earn a better wage.Same goes for Essien who also did the dirty on us.Incidentally I think Essien is Chelsea’s best player but if he was transfer listed in the near future I would hope UTD would be the last club to show an interest in him.
Very good article, a lot of the deceit is orchestrated by the the PR machine as stated by United4eva but does it really matter. You only want players that have passion and DEMONSTRATE their commitment out on the pitch. This has been the main ingredient of Man U’s success over the years. It is their ability to find that bit extra in the tight situations that allows them to achieve at the highest level. Commitment to the cause at hand will always be stronger than dedication to the bank balance.
Passion rules and Man U’s history is full of it.
Couldn’t agree more. I’ve never understood fans of any club frothing at the mouth and going into hysterics when a player wants to leave. Spurs are a good example. Look at them when Berbatov announced he wanted out, in order to win trophies, not earn more money, so a perfectly valid and understandable reason. The vitriol they filed things like 606 with was a disgrace, especially as just a couple of months earlier they’d signed Bently, a player who demanded a move from his club in order to further his career. Why didn’t they scream abuse at him? Oh, because he wanted to JOIN Spurs, not leave them.
You should expect loyalty from players who are at their boyhood club, like Neville, Adams, Le Tessier, or Stevie “2 transfers requests” Gerrard. People might throw Rooney’s name in, but the lad was clearly a genius and Everton simply weren’t a good enough team at that time, he wanted to win titles and cups and that wasn’t going to happen at a club that has won 1 trophy in the last 22 years.
It’s why I’ve never slagged off Ronaldo, so he wanted to play for Madrid. Big deal. If I played for Madrid, or Barcelona, Milan, Juve, whoever, and Man United came in for me, I’d be off, simple as.
It’s just sad to hear the likes of Barry, spouting off about his dream of playing in the Champs League, then turning his back on Europe for extra cash
Giles,for the record,Scholesy is a United fan and not an Oldham fan.I saw it in one of his very few interviews.
Hi boogeyman. I think I may have seen the same interview and yes I have certainly seen him talking about being a United supporter, but it’s also true that he has said grew up supporting Oldham and sometimes goes to their games.If I’m not mistaken I think I’ve even seen pictures of him in the crowd, years ago. In the past he used to say that when the time came when he could no longer play at United he would like to end his days at Oldham. You’d have to be a bit of an Athletic fan to mention Andy Ritchie in glowing terms so many years after he hung up his boots. I don’t see it as being a contradiction for Scholesy to support both teams. United will always come first for him if there’s ever a conflict of interest, but mostly they are in different divisions. I think what he’s trying to convey when talking about such an ‘unfashionable’ team is that he has a love for the roots of the game and has a commitment to the local community. It’s all part of his non-flash , down to earth personality. It may even have been an oblique comment on the trappings of the game which he hates, such as the cult of celebrity. None of this in any way suggests he’s anything other than United , through and through. He’ll always be one of my all-time favourite players, and I dread the day he heads off to Oldham.
He’s one of my all time favourite players too,Giles.But then I’ve only supported United for around 5 years.
Scholesy is probably one of the most down-to-earth footballers there is.He doesn’t have an agent,for God’s sake.If he is an Oldham fan and wants to play for them,I wouldn’t and don’t think Sir Alex will begrudge him that.
PS:This one moment is my favourite Scholes moment.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqP_jSrOiZY
Watch it,it’ll make you feel very happy.Especially the look on his face.
What a treat, Boogeyman, many, many thanks. As soon as you wrote that it was your favourite Scholes goal I just knew it would be that one. How did I know? Because it’s my favourite too. Just love the look on his face. Great to see this clip the same day as Scott put up Giggsy’s FA Cup cracker against Arsenal, two of the greatest goals in United history.
Great post!
It difficult to said NO to money but we still need loyalty, honest and truth!
It is a shame for tevez and mikel to said different things when they wanna decide to leave.
Although in fairness Jon Obi is half decent, ffs what is he laughing about in the piccie.? lmao.
looks good in a Manchester united top, I have found the soloution to our midfield, but would prefer a Malouda type midfielder.
The most important thing is to be sucessful in life, to make ur dreams come through. I acknowledge mikel for his tremedious work over the years, he has worked hard to achieve his goals and made a right-ful discision on the club he entered. So many footballers think of the amount of money that the will earn when a club wants to sign them, but football isn’t all about making money, as far as am concerned its all about attaining good results at the end and to be a respectful well known player.