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James Collins Is Only 29. Tough Paper Round
He is one of a number of solid shouts for players that look old before their time. We also have the final words on lovely D-Beck and a rejection of end of season playoffs...
Without Posh, Becks Could Have Been Scholes
That's one opinion, but others give their thanks to the man. We also have ideas for a relegation playoff, happy memories of the season and a defence of Liverpool's campaign...
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Indeed He Did
Would I be right in saying that Becks could have signed for anyone from November till nearly the end of the season, but chose transfer deadline day to do so ?
George (Maybe he was learning the lingo! Meh) Murray, Edinburgh
English For The English?
I've seen a few people over the past couple of days (including this mornings Mailbox) complaining about the media circus that follows Beckham and how other players are more deserving. Although I admit the coverage can be a bit much I was thinking, do we not just get so much coverage because he is English and we're watching English media? Did the French media not go nuts over Zidane in his day, the Portuguese media over Figo/Ronaldo and so on and so forth. Beckham doesnt get more coverage because he's considered a better player, just because he's from this country and was arguably for a long time the best English player we had.
As a Liverpool fan I couldn't stand the man when he was at Man Utd, but I can still appreciate him for the player he was. Lets just praise the man for doing a thoroughly nice thing by giving his wages to charity and stop the pointless moaning yeh?
Martin (Warrington)
Hating David Because Of David
Beckham is like Apu when he spends 7 days wooing Manjula after missing Valentines day, he just makes us all look bad. We all acknowledge he's a decent footballer if not up there with those listed by Sizwe (Odemwingie....LMFBAO!) JHB RSA, it's just I can't find anything that's wrong with him. That's what's wrong with him.
I listened to the news yesterday going home. The Prime Minister was in Lybia, but the news broke away from this to concentrate on Beckham signing for PSG. That's what's wrong with him.
When he announced the generous gesture of donating his wages to charity my immediate instinctive thought was not one of respect, it was 'you smarmy b*stard'. That's what's wrong with him.
Probably speaks more about me, but if I confessed to an irrational hatred of David Beckham to David himself, I would imagine he would absolve me of any blame, take me for a pint and insist we could be friends. The barmaid, who I fancy, would probably fancy him and ask me to get his number. He'd pose for pictures with the kids, donate something to our local club side and everyone would say what a nice chap he is after he had left, and I'd just end up hating him even more, because deep down I'd probably know they are right.
So in summary, with no reason whatsoever, I agree with Earlsfieldblue's final exasperated Arrrrgghh.
Chris ITFC (He's actually annoyed me whilst writing this mail), Liverpool
Defending Beckham
Lord, Earlsfieldblue, I don't know who is worse; you for the complete nonsense you write or the MC for publishing your complete nonsense. As a self-appointed "true fan", you don't half talk a load of utter tosh.
So you hate Beckham for being mediocre (it's subjective, but you're wrong - he was one of the finest footballers of his generation), good looking (oh, the crime), and marrying a Spice girl (again, another serious crime - and so related to football). You also hate him for ruining the '98 World Cup for you. So not Simeone for, as he himself admitted afterwards, over-reacting to a slight tap to the calf to get him sent off, or for fouling him all the way through the game, or the rest of the Argentinian team for goading the referee in to sending him off? But the best bit is where you say how you hate him because he's more famous than the more skilful Zidane who is only remembered for his sending off. This would be the Zidane who reacted foolishly after being wound up by the opposition, right? Doesn't that sound familiar, to, oh I don't know, Beckham in the 1998 world cup? But don't let the facts worry you.
Beckham may not have been the most naturally gifted player, but he made the most of what he had and, through hard work and sheer determination, turned himself in to one of the best players of his time and one of my sporting heroes (just behind Ali, if you're interested).
On a day when Peter Odemwingie threw his toys out of his pram, I am reminded of how many times Beckham faced major crossroads in his career and didn't moan in the press, didn't go on strike, but knuckled down and got on with it. Remember when Capello said he'd never play for Real Madrid again? Do you think the likes of Lampard, Rooney, Suarez et al would have reacted the same way as Beckham?
When it comes to inspirational players, club loyalties go out the window for me. Beckham is an inspiration and a far better role-model for aspiring footballers than most footballers I can think of today. But hey, he married a spice girl, so he's s**t, right?
Tool.
Michael, Chelsea, London
...You don't break into the United team as a mediocre footballer.
You don't CAPTAIN England as a mediocre footballer.
Real Madrid do not pay £25-30 million for a mediocre footballer.
AC Milan aren't desperate to take on loan and play mediocre 36 year old footballers.
Beckham in his prime was a workhorse with the most devastating right foot the game has ever seen. The sheer volume of goals and chaos his crossing provided from that right wing was incredible and (no one seems to remember this) Rivaldo robbed him of the Ballon d'Or in '99 with that overhead hat-trick thing. And Rivaldo was an ugly bugger. And United had 6 players splitting our votes.
As much as I love Giggsy, and I really do, Beckham was a far more effective footballer in his United tenure, hampered only by "her" and by his strange desire to move into the middle. ( How did it work out that Beckham + centre midfield = Quarterback? )
Get over your stupid insecurities over his godly appearance and strangely enhanced package. Beckham has been light-years ahead of Thierry Henry in the MLS but Arsenal fans still clamour for their old boy to return. Again. Just appreciate that at 37 that beautiful, merciless right foot is still operational.
Simon MUFC
Who Will Entertain Off The Pitch?
Now that Mario is over in Italy causing riots outside restaurants on his first night home, who is left to do all the fun stuff outside football? Who is going to go to a school and teach a bully a lesson? Michael Carrick? I don't think so. Who is going to set off a bunch of fireworks in their bathroom? Tony Hibbert? Leave it out! Who is going to fill the back pages when there is another nil nil and we need to read about thousands of pounds in the front seat of camouflaged Lamborghini? Mikel Arteta? The chap is blander than baby food.
There is a void for the cheeky chappy Jimmy Bullard type or a Full Blown Captain Insano Mario type. But who will fill the void?
Brian F, LFC Ireland
Dash And Slaughter
Re Graham Simons, Gooner, Nacho, Nacho Man, Arsenal's Left Back is a Nacho Man, Norf London's letter, he does seem to be forgetting that Mikel Arteta also signed in that deadline-day dash in 2011. Yossi Benayoun also came in, albeit on loan, but did a job when asked.
Acknowledging that three out of five were relatively successful makes it harder to slaughter the manager though.
Denis Hurley
...Sorry if I have misunderstood. For I surely must have.
But I am certain that I have just read a letter in this morning's mailbox in which an Arsenal "fan" (yes, the inverted commas are necessary in this case) has criticised Arsene Wenger for signing someone and, implicitly, for wasting the club's money in doing so.
Any stick to beat him with, eh, Graham Simons??
Javed, LFC (What a class act Beckham is, cap doffed sir)
...As a Gooner the email of Graham Simons' troubles me.
Andrey Arshavin delivered what, exactly? Well, the Champions League really.
When he signed in 2009 Arsenal were on the outside looking in, in fifth, with five losses already in the league and a lacking imagination up front. Enter the fat-arsed Russian, who introduced such novelties as dribbling and shooting from distance to Arsenal's game and was a central figure in Arsenal eventually clinching 4th comfortably. He scored four goals at Anfield and ended up coming second in Arsenal fans' player of the year.
While he might be a flabby shell of the already-flabby player he was back then, by giving us the momentum to get to the Champions League positions he did enough in his first half-season to literally pay back the money Arsenal spent on him.
So lay off him.
Will O'Doherty
...You'll probably have loads of these, but Graham Simons lists Mertesacker, Santos and Park Chu Yung, only three of five deadline day signings for Wenger in August 2011. Since 2 of the 3 are "flops," he criticizes Wenger. How about the transfer of Arteta and the loan of Yossi Benayoun, both done the same day as those 3? They turned out to be useful players. And on the same momentous day, we shipped Bendtner off to Sunderland which by anyone's standards counts as an Arsenal success.
Total rubbish, Graham. Wenger got the Ox earlier in the transfer window, got a small fee for Eboue, and worked loan deals for Denilson (thank the good lord!!) and Carlos Vela. Yes, we lost Nasri and Fabregas, but we got decent fees for both and could never have kept them. I'll admit, Gervinho was also acquired in summer 2011 and while I like him, I could hardly argue he's been a huge success. Yet, he played a ton, especially last season when we finished fourth.
The Nacho transfer actually is the best bit of business Wenger has done lately. We usually wait half a season after one of our glass players shatters before finding a replacement. In this instance, Wenger moves for a replacement only a couple of days after Gibbs gets hurt. Many of us wondered why he ever played Santos at all, and now we see Wenger was just as concerned by his lack of ability as the rest of us. Carzola, Arteta, Mertesacker, Nacho, Girroud, Gervinho, Podolski,and Santos (and Benayoun) all represent established players, the very type Wenger had ignored for many years. So of the 9 veterans he's purchased or loaned, 8 have worked out pretty well.
Several valid critiques of Wenger's transfer dealings could be dredged up, surely, but Graham hasn't managed to locate any of them.
Robb Sinn, AFC, USA
Swansea: Tip Thy Hat
Firstly, thank you for taking the time to read this mail on what must be a very busy day for you. I read Football 365
With the winter transfer window now closed, I think it is fair to say that Swansea City have done some very good business in the 2012/13 season:
Transfers In (Total 16.1m)
Pablo Hernandez - £5.6m
Ki Sung Yeung - £5.5m
Chico Flores - £2m
Michu - £2m
Kyle Bartley - £1m
Dwight Tiendalli - Free
Jamie Proctor - Undisclosed
Jonathan De Guzman - Season Loan
Itay Shecter - Season Loan
Roland Lamah - Half Season Loan
Transfers Out (Total £26m)
Joe Allen - £15m
Scott Sinclair - £6m
Danny Graham - £5m
Andrea Orlandi - Free
Federico Bessone - Free
Stephen Dobbie - Undisclosed
Jamie Proctor - Undisclosed
The deadline day sale of Danny Graham without buying a replacement is understandable to me as the squad doesn't really need too much strength in depth for the rest of the season. The Swans only have one really important game left this season which is the League Cup Final against Bradford City. If we win the League Cup then we will have qualified for the Europa League leaving no need to chase qualification through the league. Also, as long as we get about 10 points from our remaining 15 games it is unlikely we will be relegated.
Sam The Swan (the bracket bit)
Punched In The Face/Kicked In The Shins
Long time reader, first time mailer, probably won't get published but given you only had 8 mails the other week here's hoping, etc....
A short question for Villa fans to ponder over the weekend, and one I'm intrigued to know their opinion on:
Lambert or Mcleish?
Boring, stale, defensive dross inspired survival and premiership football OR easier-on-the-eye, blooding the next generation, glimpses of quality and the odd memorable result (Anfield), cup runs but slide towards relegation?
Happy weekend and all that
Ian, Southsea
#HeadsStayed
I was just having a read of the 'Big Weekend' piece there and while reading the section on Danny Graham something dawned on me, something I think hasn't been remarked upon in my usual sports media circle of consumption.
Danny Graham, fully aware of an impending transfer to Sunderland, played against Sunderland on Tuesday, three days before transfer deadline day. He almost scored all while being booed by the home Support. Can we please site this example next time we come across the phenomenon of a player refusing to play a game as their 'head's not right'?
Between Danny Graham and Jeremy Peace a little of my faith in Football has been restored this January.
Damien(Where's your head at?)Quill
It's Real
As per your deadline day moves
"MANCHESTER CITY
INS:
Godsway Donyoh (Ghana Right To Dream Academy)
Am I the only one to think this isn't real? Being transferred from what sounds like a Ghanian Political Party to a 80's Folk Rock band and to Man City!!
What have you people been smoking? And can I have some?
Simon Fitzwilliams, (sure Beck's wages donation has something to do with France's high income tax rate) Cambridge
This Is A Bit Weird, But...
Reading Sizwe (Odemwingie....LMFBAO!) JHB RSA's email I too get annoyed with the branding of Beckham and his marketing teams ploy of getting him recognised as the greatest footballer ever. I've seen this recently in the music world with Slash, a great but not God like guitarist. Both Beckham and Slash seem decent, amiable people but they have these marketing departments which brand them so heavily in the hope that future generations will associate them as the be all and end all of their respective fields. Even South Park did a whole episode on the ridiculousness of Slash's PR onslaught. So in light of this I thought I'd make a nice Friday list, great footballers and their guitarist counterpart;
(In no particular order)
Alfredo Di Stefano / Django Reindhardt
Pele / Chuck Berry
George Best / Rory Gallagher
Johan Cruyff / Jeff Beck
Franz Beckenbauer / Eric Clapton
Michel Platini / Jimmy Page
Diego Maradona / Jimi Hendrix
(Fat) Ronaldo / John Frusciante
Zinedine Zidane / Jonny Greenwood
Ronaldinho / Eddie Van Halen
David Beckham / Slash
Lionel Messi / Prince
I'm sure someone else could do much better....
Daniel, London CFC
Xisco Kid
Minty, I think you're being unnecessarily harsh on Xisco's contribution at Newcastle. He also popped up with an assist for Andy Carroll's third goal in the 6-0 demolition of Villa. Credit where credit's due.
Steven Mole
Big Money
Dan from West Brom - as far as I know, QPR weren't willing to pay £24m for Odemwingie. If they had, I'm sure Peace would have softened his stance.
Of course, with Arry in charge I may well be wrong about the £24m.
Jaimie Kaffash, London, Arsenal
Monreal
Well, sir, there's nothing on earth like a genuine, bona fide, electrified, left sided, spanish Monreal
Monreal, Monreal,Monreal..
Will he fit in with our crowd?
He'll glide as softly as a cloud
Will our backline break and bend?
Not on your life, my Hindu friend.
What about the brain-dead slob?
Santos still has his cushy job.
Was he sent here by the devil?
No, good sir, he's on the level.
The ring came off my pudding can.
Take my pen knife, my good man.
I swear it's Wengers's only choice...
Throw up your hands and raise your voice!
Monreal!
What's his name?
Monreal!
Once again...
Monreal!
Is Kieron really that cracked and broken...
Sorry, Stan, the mob has spoken!
Monreal!
Monreal!
Monreal!
Mono D'oh
Lyle Langley (AFC)
