that's worthy of the Sun, or even one of the ridiculous Sunday rags like the People.David De Gea (SAF confirmed signing!)
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that's worthy of the Sun, or even one of the ridiculous Sunday rags like the People.[Italian rumors]
Walter Sabatini Roma turn to Walter Sabatini the new sports director of As Roma, who are working on their transfers said "unofficially" that we signed De Gea for around 17-18 million.
He said this because he was looking to sign De Gea as well.
Walter Sabatini Roma turn to Walter Sabatini the new sports director of As Roma, who are working on their transfers said "unofficially" that we signed De Gea for around 17-18 million.
He said this because he was looking to sign De Gea as well.
Two years ago this lad was not even on the radar and now he is worth £20m.
He is 20 years of age and his GF is 25.
2 years ago, before he'd even made his debut for Atletico if I recall, was about when we were first linked with him
Two years ago Smalling had an afro and was getting lifts to games by his mum, what's your point?
DAVID DE GEA WILL TAKE HIS TIME | Football Transfer News, Football News, Fixtures, Results, Match Reports, Stats
I guess we'll have to wait for his decision...
Transfer window opens on 1st July, he'll be ours.
Atletico Madrid coach Quique Sanchez Flores has confirmed that he will be leaving his role at the end of the season.
Cock out?
Interesting he's saying June 30. You don't have to wait until the transfer window actually opens in order to sign for another club ahead of the following season. He could have said the end of the season. He's chosen the transfer date.
June 30 is probably the date Atletico players are back in training after their holiday.
Plus, as of last year, the transfer window officially opens in early June now, as opposed to 1 July.
Plus, as of last year, the transfer window officially opens in early June now, as opposed to 1 July.
F-a-p worthy!! Another reason to sign this guy I guess. Imagine this babe in the stand every game.
Yes please
Original article in Spanish De Gea: "El 30 de junio decidir mi futuro" - MARCA.com
In my opinion, reading this interview, he seems interested to continue with Atletico if they give him a good contract (2.5-3.0 million year, personal opinion).
He said he will listen his parents to take a decision.
I think he wouldn't like to change city/country, he seems like Jesus Navas, Sergio Ramos...players with a big fear to change city or country; but they are from Sevilla, the sevillans are like the brazilians with the saudade/nostalgia, De Gea is a Madrid-born, I hope that's a different matter this time.
Many comments on Marca say that his words are a farewell.
fecking hope its him and not Stekelenburg..
Very much the front runner now that Stekky has confirmed he's still waiting for an offer.
Yeah I think so over the last year are Goalkeeping coach (forgot his name) and Martin Ferguson all been seen at Atletico Madrid games also the last few month so many reports in the papers about a done deal which have never been denied.
Can't help but think a 20 year old is not going to have the experience to take over from VDS. The technical aspects are only 1/2 of what it takes to be a good goalkeeper. Reading of the game is the other half and that comes with experience.
He's won the Europa league, he has more club experience than Stekkie for example.
Thats not really the point I'm making though. I'm not talking about "big game experience" I'm talking about Football experience. He's played just 50 games for Atletico, compare that to Van Der Sar who had played 419 First Team games before he signed for us.
For years, Ferguson underestimated the importance of a top class goalkeeper and we all know how disappointing some of them were. It was only when we got our hands on Van Der Sar that our defense settled and the Trophies start to stack up. Ferguson then recognised Van Der Sar's contribution and said he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
To me it just seems crazy to replace such an experienced Goalkeeper with one that is just 20 years old and hasn't even played in the Champions League yet, no matter how much promise he shows.
This sums it up for me:
Reading of the game and identfying danger early enough is the difference between a young Goalkeeper and an experienced Goalkeeper. While young goalkeepers might flatter to decieve with the odd "hollywood save", it's the older experienced Goalkeepers who regularly make the little touches and blocks that save matches. How many times have you seen a header go straight at the goalkeeper and think "lucky bugger, if that was 3 feet to the left that would have gone in". It's not luck at all, it's instinct from assessing the scenario unfolding in front of him and calling on his experience to be in the right place at the right time.
De Gea might be a wonderful goalkeeper in 5 or so years time, but right now I don't believe for a second that he is ready to be United's Number 1.
You've picked out Howard as one who couldn't handle the pressure, but how old was Buffon when he became a major star? Casillas? Cech? even Reina, none of those were exactly old timers before being first choice at good sized clubs.
I didn't pick out Howard, that was just an article I quoted that mentioned him. The actual confidence issue where Howard was mentioned is not my point at all and not one I actually agree with. If a Goalkeeper melts under the pressure a la Howard or Foster it's because he doesn't have the mentality not because he isn't mature enough.
My point is purely an experience one. Casillas has always been a great shot stopper but has only recently become a great goalkeeper. With experience. He used to be very suspect at times.
Buffon was a freak. He was 17 when he got the call up with Parma and had 4 seasons there before he made his big transfer to Juventus after he had played more than 3 times the games De Gea has.
Reina had played 150+ games as had Cech before they made their big moves.
De Gea is still a nipper, full of promise but so much to prove before he earns the right to be United's #1. I'd love to see us buy him and loan him back for 2 or 3 seasons.
If I had to choose a Goalkeeper for us now it would be Cesar. Spend big and get it right.
There is no hard and fast rule in sport that the more experienced you are the better player you become (it certainly helps!) or because a player is young they might not have the experience to play for a big club.
There are examples to prove your rule but there are sometimes exceptions. The goalkeeper you cite in Cesar is indeed very experienced but I think he hasn't been having the best time of it lately himself.
There are examples to prove your rule but there are sometimes exceptions. The goalkeeper you cite in Cesar is indeed very experienced but I think he hasn't been having the best time of it lately himself.
Well, to be fair, there is
Players never deteriorate? There are loads of players out there who have tons of experience but are just decent players.
The issue I was having with Pexbo is the assumption that because a keeper is more experienced that it automatically makes him better than a young keeper, surely that's not right?
Edit: Yep, it's worded horribly reading back over, I suppose what I was trying to say is that to assume that somebody is a better player because they have experience on their side rather than a young player with less experience is slightly naive.
The issue I was having with Pexbo is the assumption that because a keeper is more experienced that it automatically makes him better than a young keeper, surely that's not right?
Edit: Yep, it's worded horribly reading back over, I suppose what I was trying to say is that to assume that somebody is a better player because they have experience on their side rather than a young player with less experience is slightly naive.
He's never ever done that. We might have failed with certain players, we he never underestimated the important. Leighton was class for him at Aberdeen, so he brought him to United. After Schmeichel, we went for a very good league keeper in Bosnich. Maybe Taibi was a bit desperate, we were running out of time, but after that year we went for a big one and paid a world record fee for Barthez. Howard was more of a gamble, but for a while it looked to be working.
Bosnich was a natural buy when Schmeichel left but it didn't work out due more to his head than his hands, after that he gambled on Taibi which didn't pay off. Barthez was also a big gamble as he already had an erratic reputation and after a good couple of years with the odd wacky act, Ferguson had enough.
Andy Goram was an odd buy, as was Andy Goram.
Roy Carroll was never going to be good enough yet he was our first choice for a long while, Ricardo was yet another in a long list of Keepers only ever going to be second choice, Tim Howard was a big risk coming from Metro Stars (iirc) no Premiership or top class European experience experience whatsoever.
Finally we got Van Der Sar for a steal at £2m. It was a fantastic peice of business but I do wonder wether Ferguson thought he was doing a shrewed bit of business rather than a stroke of genius at the time.
It probably is unfair to say he underestimates the importance of a good Goalkeeper but I think it's fair to say that picking a goal keeper is not his strong point.
2/15 is hardly a great record.
I thought it was more his feet that was the initial problem, the guy kicked like a schoolgirl!
Carroll, Ricardo, Goram, were bought as backups. Carroll only got that chance because Howard turn into a clown overnight(although it started end of the previous season where he was voted the best GK in EPL).
Calling his record 2/15 is ridiculous. Some of the keepers he bought were second choice or stop gaps. Goram was just emergency for a couple of months at a time you were unlikely to get another keeper as it was March or so, Ricardo was just extra cover for Barthez and Carroll.
Is Van der Gouw in the list of failures? He was brought as number two, he was a very good number two. Carroll was also brought as a number two, and he was a decent one. Just not a number one, which we were forced to play him as Howard's great start ended with a bit of a mental breakdown. You can't predict which player will fall apart and who won't.
When I look at some of the top clubs in Europe, I don't see any of them regularly finding great keepers. There's so much luck involved because you can see whether a keeper has the technical ability, but you can't forsee whether he'll have the mentality. Van der Sar, such a great keeper, didn't cut it at Juventus. Who knows why.
Is Van der Gouw in the list of failures? He was brought as number two, he was a very good number two. Carroll was also brought as a number two, and he was a decent one. Just not a number one, which we were forced to play him as Howard's great start ended with a bit of a mental breakdown. You can't predict which player will fall apart and who won't.
When I look at some of the top clubs in Europe, I don't see any of them regularly finding great keepers. There's so much luck involved because you can see whether a keeper has the technical ability, but you can't forsee whether he'll have the mentality. Van der Sar, such a great keeper, didn't cut it at Juventus. Who knows why.
Have you watched him play?
It seems a bit remiss to write a keeper off just because of his age. If he is the selection of SAF to replace VDS you can bet they have done all the homework on his charachter, as well as his goalkeeping ability.
I agree, age has got nothing to do with it if you have the temperament and the talent. Obviously experience helps but he has been a first choice for a couple of seasons and helped Atletico to the Europa league success last season.
In my experience not many teams of Atletico's calibre could win any trophy of merit without having a pretty good keeper.
If he's ready, he's ready.
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