The SL Benfica Thread [2005-2006]

[Vinnie Jones]

The funny thing is that Marcel cost around 2 million euros (not 100% payed by Benfica, there's an investment group involved in this, like the Luisão deal). But I guess no one cares about that, the 3.5 million suits better so everyone can bash Vieira and Veiga.

And yes, the Académica chairman lied on the AG when he said that. He knows that as well as I do. Benfica didn't pay the release clause. When the Briosa accounts get investigated after he leaves, you'll see I was right and you were wrong. There are many lobbies with construction companies inside Académica. Those same lobbies brought Marcel from Korea in the first place...

But that isn't important, what's important is believing a lie. Afterall, when you say a lie a lot of times, it ends up becoming a truth. And that's how our country is sinking in the mud

 

[3m1n3m]

Vinnie Jones: do you think Académica is always fighting for relegation because of the refs and you are the best squad in the world?

Oh, and of course, Zé Castro was offered the biggest wage in the Académica roster but because Académica are intelligent and Castro is dumb, he rejected.

Oh, and Marcel wasn't sold in January to Benfica! The Koreans of Samsung Blue Wings and the constructions businessmen that owned most of Marcel's sporting rights are a pigment of my imagination!

...

Or could it be the disastrous management policy José Eduardo Simões has done since he took over?

Another reason for our country being in the mud: as pessoas atiram areia para os próprios olhos para fazer de conta que nada se passa. Maior prova? Taxas de abstenção nos diferentes actos eleitorais.

 

[3m1n3m]

BTW, Virgo: I've done my share of investigation to say this. Search throughout the Internet and by talking to people inside the reality of Portuguese football, try to know exactly where to look.

If the media say something, does it mean its true? Do you really think Vieira doesn't want Miccoli? Or did you just read that he didn't?

If this deal was to be public, the Académica president would be crushed by the opposition inside Académica and by the constructions businessmen that are supporting everything "behind the scenes". He'd be isolated and wouldn't be able to do anything but resign from his post. And Benfica agreed to never release any details of this deal.

Do you remember some news in February/March, when José Eduardo Simões was being investigated by PJ? That his home and his office were being searched from A to Z? That the Marcel transfer was one of the main subjects of these investigations? That was when I started to want to know about it.

 

[Paulo Da Silva]

show us links, proof...anything else is just speculation.

as of know ot stands as a 3.5 million euro bid.

however, i do agree that something sounds fishy...

 

[3m1n3m]

Inform yourselves, like I did. Talk to people who know well the backstage deals in our league. See beyond the newspapers and the paper-written speaches to the press.

Paulo da Silva: if I say something is speculation, and if the press says something is the dogmatic truth? Ok. Won't argue about that. The only difference is I don't sell what the info I get, but they do (many times, lies).

But that same thought in your last line made me begin searching for more about this. This and other matters. And some moves by Benfica and Porto are that clean. Specially in the last few years. If you don't believe me, do the same I did. I have no links, but if I had I'd gladly post them here, I'd have no problems with that.

 

[Paulo Da Silva]

i read that mid week last week. Since then there has been over a week for somebody to come out and say what the Academica pres said was a lie. You know what i mean.

I only brought this up, not to provoke, but to just point out how stupid benfica's leaders are being (if this is true). if you can afford 3.5 then why not make a little extra puch and pay 5 million for a quality player in Miccolli

 

[Tiago_10]

It seems Benfica is interested in Katsouranis from AEK. Fernando Santos is said to know him well, since he already worked with him.

He's a defensive midfielder so unless we bench either Petit or Fernandes he will be a sub. If this is to replace Beto I'm all for it, just guess Katsouranis won't be very happy to be benched for most time, and that might create a problem in the team's environment.

What do you guys think about this ?

 

[NightCrawler]

Katsou...who??? Hm... This guy seems like another Machairidis...
Well... If FS wants to screw up the lockeroom even more... I don't want to see Manel or Petit benched to start this Katsouranis dude, Beto should be the bench warmer for this 2 guys. Karagounis could also do Manel's place... We need to star thinking in buying a winger and a decent striker instead of more "defenders".

 

[3m1n3m]

Comparing Katsouranis to Machairidis is ridiculous. What's next, comparing Rui Costa to Sabry? The circus is in town...

One thing I've noticed since Greek players began to be talked about moving to Benfica: there's a complex against Greece amongst Portuguese. A big one. The reason, could be many. The Euro is the main one, but there are more.

 

[NightCrawler]

Comparing Katsouranis to Machairidis is ridiculous. What's next, comparing Rui Costa to Sabry? The circus is in town...

One thing I've noticed since Greek players began to be talked about moving to Benfica: there's a complex against Greece amongst Portuguese. A big one. The reason, could be many. The Euro is the main one, but there are more.

Yup, that's it, I don't want a "Great" player to come to Benfica just because he's Greek... I don't like Karagounis either, he stinks... Jeez..
No, wait a second... Someone just told me that I don't want Katsouranis because we don't need another player for that position, especialy one that costs us 2.5M or something and we are in greater need of a winger...

P.S.- I compared him to Machairidis because, if he comes and goes to the bench, we're gonna have the same sort of trouble in the lockeroom... Then the circus will be in town...

 

[RuiCosta_10]

Believe me, we really need another player for that position...

Just look back to last season when Petit or Manuel Fernandes couldn't play, we had to play Beto, and the results used to be horrible...

So we definitely need to be safe at that position, so we'll have the greatest defense in Portugal...

First the defence, then, the attack, my opinion.

 

[smoove]

Well, Katsouranis could be a really useful player for us, but I doubt we have the money to get him.
We'd need to pay 5-8 Mio for him as he has 2 more Years left on his Contract at AEK.
That, in my opinion is far too much for a player that would likely be a bench warmer.

 

[RuiCosta_10]

5-8 M?!

No way Veiga will pay that for a player, just look to Miccoli case...

Specially for a player that will probably be a second option, he'll try to get him cheap with some Benfica players involved in the deal, i think.

And, no way in hell Katsouranis value is around that...

 

[smoove]

His value is ~7Mio...AEK rejected a 3 Mio offer from Werder Bremen last Season. He won't be cheap as he's by far the best player on their Squad.
Miccoli on the other Hand would have been 5th Striker at Juventus.

 

[Virgo]

the papers are talking about 2M€, doubt we'll pay more than that as we obviously can't afford it.

we're also trying to get D'Alessandro on loan.

Judging by the players we're trying to get, and if we Simao, F.Santos prefferred system will definitely be the 442 diamond

 

[NightCrawler]

Yes, if Katsouranis comes we're gonna have a great defense, but in my view I don't see the need for spending such a large amount off money (smoove even said 5M) for a "bench" player... I don't know if you agree but I would like to see a guy like Roberto Brum from Académica in Benfica, he seems quite good... We have that Diego guy now too, I think he is a Defensive Midfielder, not sure though...

The newspapers are talking about Papadopoulos, according to them he's a winger addapted to "striker"... I don't know him verywell but I rather have him instead of Katsouranis... Ok.. I rather have Wilhelmson instead of both, but I guess Veiga isn't looking to Anderlecht.
We also need to start pointing towards Miguelito, if we loose Leo we're srewed...
What do you think?

 

[3m1n3m]

If we don't need a defensive midfielder, who do we need then? A central defender maybe...

When we have Beto to replace Petit or Manuel Fernandes, I'm THIS CLOSE to having a heart attack. Even with Diego Souza, who the coach needs to see in action, he's isn't confirmed on the squad for the season, only for the pre-season tour to Central Europe.

And if we can get Katsouranis on the cheap... I don't see why. He's no bench player, we don't need to buy bench players. We do need to buy players to fight with last season's regular starters. High-level competition is healthy, and only benefits the team itself.

Yeah, AEK rejected a €3M bid last season from Werder Bremen. His price has dropped precisely because of that. They didn't sell him on the right time, and now they risk having to sell him for less than he's really worth. And that's when Benfica arrives to the scene. I believe we can get him for less than €2M.

EDIT: It's just like Simão and Benfica. If Benfica don't sell Simão this summer for €18-20M, we'll sell him next summer for €12-14M. It's all about the right time.

 

[Vinnie Jones]

Vinnie Jones: do you think Académica is always fighting for relegation because of the refs and you are the best squad in the world?

Oh, and of course, Zé Castro was offered the biggest wage in the Académica roster but because Académica are intelligent and Castro is dumb, he rejected.

Oh, and Marcel wasn't sold in January to Benfica! The Koreans of Samsung Blue Wings and the constructions businessmen that owned most of Marcel's sporting rights are a pigment of my imagination!

...

Or could it be the disastrous management policy José Eduardo Simões has done since he took over?

Only saw this pearl today. I´m not really going to waste my time with you and your stupid arrogance. If you want to have a decent discussion learn to respect the other clubs.
You´re an idiot. First Académica is a traditional club with a rich history but it´s obviously a middle table club. We have natural limitations that prevent us from fighting for other objectives. But i prefer this way rather than acting like Vitória de Setúbal and many other who don´t pay the wages to their players and staff or pay taxes. You have done your investigations? So what? What does it mean? You think it´s the truth? You know ****. I live in Coimbra, i´m a socio, know all the gossip and go to the "Assembleias gerais". You realize that in the "Assembleias gerais" we discuss the club´s "orçamento e contas"? They were all approved and there was nothing illicit. We don´t forge any documents, we don´t have Vale e Azevedo´s here. Construction lobby´s? In Académica? Stop talking our of your ass. Mention that to any person in Coimbra and they will laugh at you.
About José Eduardo Simões you are partially right. I don´t really like his style (loud mouth; Zé Castro affair) but there is no disastrous management. He was able to keep us on the Liga Betandwin, got us Manuel Machado and has big ambitions for our club. We have a 900mil "contos" "orçamento" this year. Yes the Policia Judiciária made some "rusgas" in his "office" and at the club but have you ever heard that every man is innocent until proven guilty? Was he charged of anything? I don´t think so.
I don´t really care about this affair. Académica didn´t lose money with Marcel and i always voiced my opinion about him here. I never liked him and i warned that he wasn´t that good player. He left, we got our money and started playing Joeano who even scored more goals than him and helped us stay in the Liga Betandwin.
Keep doing your investigations and sell them to the "24 Horas". They are very fond of publicizing crap.

 

[3m1n3m]

I'm being honest VJ, I didn't fully read you're reply. From the moment you stated your arguments on me being an idiot, I didn't read the rest with the same anticipation I was when I saw you had a new post.

If it weren't for your insults, I'd gladly discuss this matter with you. I'd have no problem if you proved me wrong after a long and constructive argument. It must be my arrogance...

But if you prefer to start defending yourself by calling me a stupid arrogant and an idiot, fine. Did I insult you personally in any way? I guess not... I have no interest in taking part in those kind of low education demonstrations. Sorry.

 

[NightCrawler]

If we don't need a defensive midfielder, who do we need then? A central defender maybe...

I clearly stated what, in my oppinion, we need the most. So read some posts behind instead of making those lousy assumptions!

I don't want to see Manel or Petit dragged out of the starting lineup, so that the new guy, who veiga is going to sky rocket to stardom even if he stinks, can play.
You guys may say that he is a great player, he's gonna do wonders to our team and I respect that, if so, he is more than welcome on bord... But actually I've never seen him play, I really don't pay alot of attention to the Greek League or the Greek NT, I'm not gonna be able to see him at the world cup either. I think we already have the best Greek midfielder. So if Katsouranis doesn't come I'm not gonna be sad about it...