[Archived] Champions League 2012/13

[Tom]

Eyjafjallajökull out!

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11676/6098564/Pole-s-Blackburn-trip-off

[Mr. E]

from bbc:

Rewind three years and Blackburn Rovers were reportedly in the hunt to
sign tonight's four-goal hero Robert Lewandowski. Sam Allardyce fancied a
move for the then Lech Poznan striker. The German side pipped Rovers in
the end in a deal worth around £4m.

*starts crying*

[Guest Norbert]

Eyjafjallajökull out!

http://www1.skysports.com/football/news/11676/6098564/Pole-s-Blackburn-trip-off

Makes me think of that drunk Scottish bloke. "I hate Iceland!"

[Amo]

The Trust wouldn't bankroll the £4m for Lewandowski.

Unless my memory's fuzzy, Lewandowski was linked the season *after* we bought Kalinic. The Trust must have smelt a sale at that point, which is why Benjani on a free was Big Sam's only signing.

Could be wrong but I doubt it.

[Stuart]

Could be wrong but I doubt it.

Tell you what, the atmosphere for the last 2 German Champions League matches has been amazing. They really have got it sussed when it comes to prioritising the fans...

[T4E]

The Trust wouldn't bankroll the £4m for Lewandowski.

Unless my memory's fuzzy, Lewandowski was linked the season *after* we bought Kalinic. The Trust must have smelt a sale at that point, which is why Benjani on a free was Big Sam's only signing.

Could be wrong but I doubt it.

You're right, Kalinic signed in August 2009 and Lewandowski went to Dortmund in June 2010

On another note, Jamie Redknapp makes me really sad.

[thenodrog]

Glad we got Kalinic instead

Lewandowski........ £4m Allardyce bid for him 4 years ago but he plumbed to go to Dortmund...... either the Walker Trust would not meet his wages OR he must have had a bloody crystal ball!

[TugaysMarlboro]

Having Redknapp next to those two is like having Gemma Arterton and Scarlett Johanssen star alongside Helen Hunt. One gets in the way whilst you concentrate on the other two.

[DE.]

I do like the way the other Sky pundits treat Redknapp with disdain, like a loud child who keeps trying to get noticed by talking a lot. Souness in particular always looks irritated when Redknapp speaks.

[RoyRover]

Actually they are all German speaking but the north Germans are very different from the bavarians. It's like trying to compare Scots to the people who inhabit the strange area around London.

One of my really good friends is from Munich. I went to university with him in the U.S. The first couple of times I met him, I thought he was a complete pr!ck. He had an arrogant air about him, which gave the impression that he thought he was better than you. But after he thawed out and warmed up to me, we became really good friends and he turned out to be a great guy. I've gone over to stay with him and vice versa. He told me that this is just the way they are. Some people are like that all the time (like anyone else), but that's just the mannerism of the people.

[RoyRover]

For me, it already is.

£15 a match at the top teams, safe standing, fan representatives on the board and if this season is anything to go by, the quality difference isn't too much behind England (top are probably even better). When you think of the kind of things that fans complain about in Britian, Germany seems like the promised land.

Been banging this drum for years. The Bundesliga has quietly gone about becoming what I think is the best league in Europe. Quality teams, two of who are head and shoulders above the rest like most major European leagues, with a whole host of other very good teams that make for a very good standard of football. The tickets are affordable, the stadiums are full, fans have a say in the running of the club, the players are relatively unknown but are quality, young German players get a chance, They really have their house in order.

[Majiball]

I have to admit this season I've watched more Bundesliga than anything else.

Betting on Bayern and dortmund is also a good way to make cash, week in week out.

Still very surprised at the results, especially tonight's.

[RoyRover]

I have to admit this season I've watched more Bundesliga than anything else.

Betting on Bayern and dortmund is also a good way to make cash, week in week out.

Still very surprised at the results, especially tonight's.

Me too. I have hardly seen any Premier League football this season.

[gumboots]

Been banging this drum for years. The Bundesliga has quietly gone about becoming what I think is the best league in Europe. Quality teams, two of who are head and shoulders above the rest like most major European leagues, with a whole host of other very good teams that make for a very good standard of football. The tickets are affordable, the stadiums are full, fans have a say in the running of the club, the players are relatively unknown but are quality, young German players get a chance, They really have their house in order.

My son in law and my 2 grandchildren are Bavarians. I'm not suggesting they're not pleasant - just different from the north Germans in the same way I have family in Scotland and in the south east. All equally nice but of very different general character and outlook .

[CapeTownRover]

if Bayern can beat Barca 4-0 at home, then Barca can beat Bayern by 4-0 as well. Only problem is, Barca dont have a defence, so it might be a long night for them in the 2nd leg trying to push for early goals.

[T4E]

It's hugely unlikely that they will stop Bayern scoring.

[John]

It got blocked at that particular time, said Allardyce, adding: "My distant memory is not that great but John [Williams then Rovers chairman] and the board said, we are not going to commit that amount of money to him. He was put forward to sign, very strongly, by our recruitment staff, but unfortunately it was one that got knocked back.

Asked how much the asking price was for the Pole back then, Allardyce said: It was around thee or four million euros (between £2.5 and £3.3million), something like that.

Financially, Blackburn Rovers was particularly strapped at the time and it was one of those where, I cant be absolutely certain, but it did get turned down. I cant exactly remember what the reasons were but it did.

http://www.london24.com/sport/west-ham/west_ham_boss_dortmund_star_now_worth_40m_but_i_could_got_him_for_4m_at_blackburn_1_2167919

[speeeeeeedie]

Barring an Arsenal miracle the "Best League in the world" will have no teams particiapting in the last 8 of the Champions' League.

My money is on a German team winning it all.

It's a shame I don't bet.

[RoyRover]

My son in law and my 2 grandchildren are Bavarians. I'm not suggesting they're not pleasant - just different from the north Germans in the same way I have family in Scotland and in the south east. All equally nice but of very different general character and outlook .

I've never been to northern Germany, but I've heard that they are more warm and friendly in their manner. While the Baverians are more restrained and cold with theirs. It's not that they aren't nice people, but there is a serious, nearly arrogant manner, that takes a while to get use to.

[Audax]

What's fascinating to me is how Pep has done this with Bayern.

Story in the press has Messi saying Barca will come back. Mourinho saying RM have a chance to overcome their deficit too.

I doubt though of course, obviously, that either Spanish club can come from that far behind.

I expect an all-German final, BVB did win the CL in '97 I saw. So good luck to those clubs, whomever makes it, still not that long ago there was an all-English final. The German fans are very enthusiastic and seem to be very nice people.

[jim mk2]

Wh The German fans are very enthusiastic and seem to be very nice people

There's someone who doesn't know the master race.

Personally I always enjoy it when a German team and especially the German national team gets thumped.

It's a war thing - the buggers dropped bombs on us.

[Audax]

There's someone who doesn't know the master race.

Personally I always enjoy it when a German team and especially the German national team gets thumped.

It's a war thing - the buggers dropped bombs on us.

Oh well, BVB's star is from Poland. Those clubs are still largely German vs. and English club and that, I'm not a fan of.

http://int.soccerway.com/teams/germany/bv-borussia-09-dortmund/964/

I think a lot of people put those things out of their mind meaning World War II but it's up to all of us how we think and I don't criticise that.

[Guest Norbert]

I like Germany. Spent some of my childhood there. Not sure how old Jim is (from what I gather from this board he is a generation older than me) but I don't go in for all the 'Achtung, Surrender' nonsense. That was all before my dad was born, and my grandad was torching Japs and doing PTI instruction on the Indian/Burmese border.

As for them dropping bombs on us, I think we paid them back enough.

[Majiball]

Me too. I have hardly seen any Premier League football this season.

The premier league for me just isn't what it used to be and is on the decline.

I'd put both Spain and Germany above the EPL these days.

[Audax]

Sunderland got bombed, some of those people say how could they hire DiCanio because of that and gee, I don't even know if the Italians personally did it so many of us may have relatives all the same who went through World War II and those bombings killed a lot of innocents I am led to believe. I just don't link the two things that much. Now, the old German team, the NationalManschaft with Rudi Voeller, etc., I think at times, they did not always play on the level. But this one of recent years has been sporting and I don't have problems with citizens of Germany being scoundrels or anything, in fact, I think they are rather warm but we all have our views and I respect that. In general, if a sports club, athlete, by themselves are playing a fair game, that's good enough for me.