[Fillipo Simone]

Well let's put it this way

If La Liga/EPLA are the Ferrari or the footballing world for me Italy Germany are the Mercedes Benz while the French league is just a tricked out BMW 3 Series.

Ligue 1 has always been a feeder league to the others. That's what makes it a step down. Neymar is mostly looking at the financial gains he'll be getting but overall this is a step back for him as he won't get the exposure I'm sure he craves in France.

For me, I'd rather watch Dortmund v Wolfsburg than Monaco v Lille and I'm sure many have the same sentiment considering the viewership of the 2 leagues

Mostly we agree. But you say Ligue 1 has been a feeeder league. Sure, up from the 1990s, yes. But Serie A is a feeder league as well nowadays, with the exception of Juventus and the lucky thing that Italians usually unlikely move abroad. Hell, even BuLi is mostly a feeder league if you don't make it to Bayern.

But you didn't answer my question, who do you think Neymar should have picked before PSG? Haven't you seen the sum they payed? So, who qualifies to do the same: Citeh, maybe United and who else? Why would he prefer any English club to PSG really? I honestly think that in the next 2-3 years PSG has a chance of getting the CL, whereas I don't exactly see that happening to City or United - apart from some miraculous season.

[Danny]

Ligue 1 stopped being a feeder league when Silva and Ibra went there.

I'd argue even Bayern is a feeder club. When was the last time Bayern made a marquee signing from outwith the Bundesliga? The only one to come close is a surplus Rodriguez from Real and that's only a loan!

When it comes to non-feeder, only the EPL and Spain's top two really qualify as desired destinations. EPL's standard is cr*p but it has the money and the fake reputation. And Barca and Real remain the absolute pinnacle of football whether we like it or not.

My 11 year old nephew is obsessed with them both despite being raised a Rangers fan. Those two are where all players want to go.

Not Milan. Not Juve. Not PSG. Not Man Utd. Not Bayern. But Barca and Real.

[Jack Sparrow]

Yes. There is a more or less glorified atmosphere there. Interesting you brought up Barca, I honestly believe that with the departure of Neymar, they've got about 2 years left with the Messi halo still there to bring in players who could keep them at the same level.

Otherwise I think Barca are looking at a collapse and going back to the pre-Rijkaard levels.

[Fillipo Simone]

Hopefully. But with the kind of money they possess, they won't be coming near to that pre-Rijkaard period.

[Danny]

Hopefully. But with the kind of money they possess, they won't be coming near to that pre-Rijkaard period.

Utd have more and are worse.

[Jack Sparrow]

Utd have more and are worse.

United just did no planning for a post-Alex era. Maybe SAF himself was responsible wanting to be the only king on the throne or whatever. In the end, perhaps his heart melted for a fellow Scot who had no business managing a club with the ambitions of United.

[Danny]

United just did no planning for a post-Alex era. Maybe SAF himself was responsible wanting to be the only king on the throne or whatever. In the end, perhaps his heart melted for a fellow Scot who had no business managing a club with the ambitions of United.

You're very argumentative today!

[Fishdoll]

Well, Utd still haven't really replaced Cristiano Ronaldo. They'd started selling off the family jewels before that. Sure, they have loads of $$$ hut their management has no long term plans and they've badly overpaid for some guys (Pogba). I haven't seen anything cohesive there from a sporting perspective since Ferguson retired.

Ditto fwiw for Barca since Laporta left. (Plus the Catalonian martyr complex)

[Danny]

Well, Milan still haven't really replaced Ibra/Pirlo/Cafu. They'd started selling off the family jewels before that. Sure, they have loads of $$$ hut their management has no long term plans and they've badly overpaid for some guys (Silva). I haven't seen anything cohesive there from a sporting perspective since Berlusconi shipped the entire team out.

[Jack Sparrow]

Lol. Well yeah, but at least Milan can claim they sold the family jewels coz they had no food to put on the table. What Utd's excuse. And surely Pogba vs Silva is a few magnitudes of difference. Granted I think it was Juve who got the worse end of the stick than Utd in the Pogba deal. That just makes me happy. :-D

[Danny]

Lol. Well yeah, but at least Milan can claim they sold the family jewels coz they had no food to put on the table. What Utd's excuse. And surely Pogba vs Silva is a few magnitudes of difference. Granted I think it was Juve who got the worse end of the stick than Utd in the Pogba deal. That just makes me happy. :-D

They got 90M for an overrated pile of shite! I'd take that!

[Jack Sparrow]

They got 90M for an overrated pile of shite! I'd take that!

No they didn't!! Raiola took a big chunk of it into his own pocket. They didn't really make more than 70 in the end I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[d'Arc.LP]

No they didn't!! Raiola took a big chunk of it into his own pocket. They didn't really make more than 70 in the end I think. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

The transfer was 105m, Raiola took 15-20m , which leaves Juve with 85-90m. Now compare that with 64m we got for Kaka (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

[han2503]

The transfer was 105m, Raiola took 15-20m , which leaves Juve with 85-90m. Now compare that with 64m we got for Kaka (IMG:style_emoticons/default/dry.gif)

Actually Juve got around 70m as confirmed by Moratta

Juve might have made huge profits on him but they got played by Raiola in the end

As for Ligue 1, Danny, I just noticed your comment about the league not being a feeder league since PSG bought Ibra. 1 club being bought out by Qatari oil money does not change the quality of the league in fact it made is far less competitive.

Fact is, all clubs in the league end up selling their best players, either to PSG or abroad. That's why it's a feeder league and has been for as long as I can remember. Look at Monaco this summer. They had a break out year with all of their young talent showing great potential and they've basically been dismantled in a couple of months. And they supposedly have rich owners as well.

@ Fillipo, I think Neymar should have stayed where he was. Messi is not getting any younger and his time to shine would have come sooner rather than later. EPL would have been a sideways step, but going to a club like United and resurrecting them would have always been a huge opportunity for him to reach Messi/Ronaldo levels in the coming years

[Danny]

Uhhhh Monaco just won the title. Och you and X have a chip on your shoulders about Ligue 1 and you won't hear otherwise.

So I will move on!