Defensive gems?

[Brunauge]

What about Calum Chambers at Arsenal.

Would he be a good pick for 4.5, or is it likely that he wont be a regular starter?

[travatron]

What about Calum Chambers at Arsenal.

Would he be a good pick for 4.5, or is it likely that he wont be a regular starter?

risky. hes young, and has debuchy as competition

[TheChairLeg]

I'd move for an extra couple of million a year or whatever. Wouldn't you?

If I was earning £500 a week and someone offered to double my wages then of course I would. But if I was already on £2 million… how much money can you spend?

The money they earn before they retire has to last roughly 30 years longer than the average person's does.
Sagna has about 2 or 3 working years left to build the pool of money he, and his family, has to depend upon for the next 50 - 60 years.

[roadrunner]

OK, there are only a limited number of coaching, scouting, hospitality and punditry roles, etc, available in football worldwide after your playing days are over, but what is to stop them from retraining and doing something else? PE teacher or something. Anything. Hell, they can go and get a job down at Biggie Burger like the rest of us would have to if we fell on hard times.

Someone like an airline trolley dolly has a fairly limited shelf-life I would imagine. Is that taken into account in their wages? Is it f*ck!

Bacary Sagna has been on about £3 million a year for the last few years (I just looked it up on the internet, which is never wrong lol). If he's got a decent accountant he's probably not paying much tax on it either. If you can save a couple of million out of that, and in theory why couldn't you, then again with good financial advice you can surely make £100,000 a year from that in interest without even touching the capital sum.

And we're supposed to feel sorry for them because their football career ends in their 30s?

Now, I accept that they don't always get good financial advice, as highlighted by Berregol. But that's a separate issue is it not?

[chandler]

Thomas Gravesen didn't do badly. After he retired he invested his money very well in some businesses and now lives in Las Vegas, worth more than £80m.

https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/ea ... 43405.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[roadrunner]

"We all live in a Robbie Fowler house..."

[TheChairLeg]

OK, there are only a limited number of coaching, scouting, hospitality and punditry roles, etc, available in football worldwide after your playing days are over, but what is to stop them from retraining and doing something else? PE teacher or something. Anything. Hell, they can go and get a job down at Biggie Burger like the rest of us would have to if we fell on hard times.

Someone like an airline trolley dolly has a fairly limited shelf-life I would imagine. Is that taken into account in their wages? Is it f*ck!

Bacary Sagna has been on about £3 million a year for the last few years (I just looked it up on the internet, which is never wrong lol). If he's got a decent accountant he's probably not paying much tax on it either. If you can save a couple of million out of that, and in theory why couldn't you, then again with good financial advice you can surely make £100,000 a year from that in interest without even touching the capital sum.

And we're supposed to feel sorry for them because their football career ends in their 30s?

Now, I accept that they don't always get good financial advice, as highlighted by Berregol. But that's a separate issue is it not?

Nobody's asking you to feel sorry for them but with such a short career it makes sense to maximise your income while you can.
It is very difficult to quickly change how you live. Going from living on a multi-million pound budget to a £100k one is a struggle which is why most go bankrupt quickly. Financial discipline would prevent all of that, of course, but the average Joe struggles with that as well even without ever experiencing such a sharp drop in income. Of course, it's not all misery. The retired sportsman has a powerful platform to enjoy themselves and find more success. Just like the link above.
About re-training, most professional footballers had to seriously sacrifice their education to get where they are. Most will have no other qualifications. It is very difficult to learn a new trade from scratch in your mid-thirties, especially a trade which will support the lifestyles they have become accustomed to.

In short, I reckon Sagna would have been a fool not to spend the last few years raking it in at Man City.

[Sutter Kane]

Nobody's asking you to feel sorry for them but with such a short career it makes sense to maximise your income while you can.It is very difficult to quickly change how you live. Going from living on a multi-million pound budget to a £100k one is a struggle which is why most go bankrupt quickly.

However I try and reframe the situation to give Sagna a break, the exact definition of greed pops up and tells me bankruptcy would teach certain insanely wealthy sportspeople some valuable character building lessons regarding the reality of life for mortals, if indeed he can't live of that much interest at retirement. Sagna will likely have to cut out those monthly Bentleys at some future point, regardless of how many extra millions he grabs now.

Disclaimer: I hope he doesn't ever go bankrupt of course; I instead hope his intention was to get regular first team football in the twilight of his career...ahead of Zabaleta. Not even going to mention blood sucking agents but I think this whole situation makes me favour world communism which displeases me.

I've heard it mentioned but is Ben Davies a minor gem? I can't find many reasons to suggest he's worth 0.5mn more than the shedload of other options.

[Sammy the Crab]

Bertrand gone to Southampton which rules out Targett

[The Catman]

Bertrand gone to Southampton which rules out Targett

Pity - especially as he's £5.0m

[Isalla]

S. Taylor? Started all preseason games so far, though Williamson is not even in the squad, so I don't know whether he has prolonged summer or injured or out of favour. Any fans with more insight?

[chandler]

Bertrand gone to Southampton which rules out Targett

Christ that came out of nowhere. Makes you wonder what other incoming transfers are lurking in the shadows

[brownie30]

S. Taylor? Started all preseason games so far, though Williamson is not even in the squad, so I don't know whether he has prolonged summer or injured or out of favour. Any fans with more insight?

Yep been watching this too, looks like he is likely to start alongside Coloccinni.
Newcastle fans is Williamson injured??

[CupidStunt000]

Bertrand gone to Southampton which rules out Targett

Makes you realise how fragile your team is when you have to tear it all up for a base price defender.

[Stemania]

S. Taylor? Started all preseason games so far, though Williamson is not even in the squad...Any fans with more insight?

Yep been watching this too, looks like he is likely to start alongside Coloccinni.
Newcastle fans is Williamson injured??

Yeah, this was actually brought up earlier in the thread so you're not alone in noticing.

As far as I know Williamson's lack of games is a bit of a mystery to all - there's been no reported injury - just a lack of fitness maybe? The general chatter/expectation (certainly among the local press) is that Taylor may have moved up in the pecking order, although Mbiwa has figured in most friendlies too.

The strange thing is that Williamson was pretty much nailed on by the end of the season. I think it's a case of continueing to watch the preseason.


Edit: I've done some scouring and it turns out Williamson had an "unspecified injury" during our New Zealand tour. It's mentioned as a throwaway comment in this article. Strangely their sister paper have since published a more recent articlesin which they suggest they are unaware of an injury.

I think on this info I'd expect Williamson to still be first choice.

[Droughton]

S.Taylor is a quality player in my opinion. He is the sort of player that can read the game and is pro-active rather than reactive which is exactly what Newcastle were lacking last year. He is a leader too....... Looks like a good option if he has started every game and is in line for a CB slot

[Moist von Lipwig]

S.Taylor is a quality player in my opinion. He is the sort of player that can read the game and is pro-active rather than reactive which is exactly what Newcastle were lacking last year. He is a leader too....... Looks like a good option if he has started every game and is in line for a CB slot

I see where you're coming from, you're just missing the Greek tragedy aspect.

[redcat1]

Any west brom fans about ? I'm considering picking Baird over wisdom in my squad.

[Purple Sneakers]

With Bertrand moving to Southampton, any chance he will be used in midfield? I seem to recall him playing there with Chelsea on occasion.

[chandler]

With Bertrand moving to Southampton, any chance he will be used in midfield? I seem to recall him playing there with Chelsea on occasion.

No he'll be playing left-back in Koeman's 4-3-3

[SuperGrover]

With Bertrand moving to Southampton, any chance he will be used in midfield? I seem to recall him playing there with Chelsea on occasion.

Like the Champions League Final (seriously...how the eff did that team win again?)

[SuperGrover]

What about Calum Chambers at Arsenal.

Would he be a good pick for 4.5, or is it likely that he wont be a regular starter?

risky. hes young, and has debuchy as competition

Also talk of playing him at CB as well as that may be his ultimate position.

[baganboy]

With Bertrand moving to Southampton, any chance he will be used in midfield? I seem to recall him playing there with Chelsea on occasion.

Like the Champions League Final (seriously...how the eff did that team win again?)

The answer is in the question.

[travatron]

What about Calum Chambers at Arsenal.

Would he be a good pick for 4.5, or is it likely that he wont be a regular starter?

risky. hes young, and has debuchy as competition

Also talk of playing him at CB as well as that may be his ultimate position.

then mert and kos.. can see him playing in the domestic cups

[SuperGrover]

Just watched the Newcastle-Wellington game on DVR. Newcastle played a back 3 with S Taylor, Colo and YMBW. Interesting certainly. Have they done that in any other game?

[Douglas Reynholm]

So Steven Taylor played again.

That's every pre season game now, I'm sold on him and Wisdom as two 4m picks.

[Billy Bongo]

Yep, and they rotate well. Paired with Krul and Foster they could be some sneaky points earners

[ruudy]

Isn't Taylor made of Balsa Wood?

[sehs527]

I don't understand the love for Ben Davies. Vertonghen, BAE and Rose are all viable options at LB so he isnt nailed on. Anyone have any logic?

[bulgarche]

Defensive gems are Show, Baines, Kompany and Cahill - maybe the top 4 defenders with the best score at the end of the season.