Comments on: Karim Benzema and Jeremy Toulalan Extend Their Contracts!!!!!!!!

By: Shazback

Shazback — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:36:48 +0000

Eh, I’ve been on vacation (yep, real proper vacations!) skiing in the Alps.

I’m planning on liveblogging Rennes-PSG if I can, ahem, “manage” to watch it.

But honestly, Rennes is really just “that club that’s there but that never has anything interesting that happens to it”. And that’s one of the reasons why I like them!

As for Man U – Lyon, I found that both teams set out very defensively, but Lyon didn’t manage to scare Man U, save Kader Keita’s shot on the post (but even that, strangely, didn’t scare me much…), whilst Manchester seemed pretty happy to go for 1-0, and wait for a second goal on a counter-attack… Made for a boring game.

By: Inara

Inara — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:22:40 +0000

Well, Aulas has been talking about the buyout clause, and considering that Benzema looks to be heading to La Liga anyway, it makes sense in his case. Anything to increase his value…it’s very rare when a player actually goes for anything near the amount on the clause. Also, Ederson had a buyout clause on his contract with Nice, of 12m, so there is a precedent.

You are right that Lyon lost the midfield battle last Wednesday. They shouldn’t have because Fletcher + Carrick + Anderson aren’t better (not necessarily worse either) than Juninho + Toulalan + Kallstrom, but unfortunately, Juni and KK didn’t show up on Tuesday. Juni is getting old, and KK seems to blow hot and cold lately. Don’t know what’s up with that. Ederson will be most welcome, and hopefully Bodmer will get his place too. He’s been looking pretty good these past few weeks.

And you need to update your blog! Where else will I get my weekly fix of Nino??

By: Shazback

Shazback — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:11:44 +0000

Inara, I don’t know what you mean by “buyout clause”, because it’s not mandatory in France (as it is in the Spanish Liga), and very few players sign one (the only reason a player would sign one is so that he can be sure he can leave should there be a good offer)…

However, it’s great news that Benzema and Toulalan have extended their contract! Now for Ben Arfa and Nasri and the Ligue 1 will be a little more exciting!

However, Lyon will still have to up a level if they want to progress in the Champion’s League, IMO. Let’s hope that Ederson will help in midfield. That’ll be a start. Because Lyon lost (by quite a margin) to Manchester in midfield…

Good luck for Sunday against Blanc(mange)’s boys!

By: Inara

Inara — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:58:37 +0000

Well, if Juninho had to go to another club, Vasco is the best place. The fans adore him, and he truly loves that club. I’d be sad though, as I was kind of hoping he’d retire at Lyon so we could build a statue for him. He’s terrific and the main reason (besides Aulas) that Lyon are where they are today,

I think it was Pride of Lyon who coined the term, OMJ, as opposed to OMG. Makes sense, right?

By: Caio

Caio — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:22:04 +0000

Inara, i know that is almost impossible his transfer to São Paulo, but Juninho said many times that he will come back to Vasco to end his career at 2010, when his contract with Lyon ends

like he said on that video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlIGp50Aas0

here is the translation :

Fan:Juninho,Speak,please!…
Fan:Shirt of “Vascão”(Vasco da Gama)…
Juninho:Shirt of “Vascão” its historical…
Fan:This shirt its like Gold!..
Juninho:This shirt is everything…And is the number 8…
Fan:Força Jovem(in Brazil,the most fanatical fans in the soccer have a special name…Força Jovem its this “hooligans” of Vasco da Gama)
Fan:Juninho is Força Jovem…
Juninho:I will be back one day!

By: Inara

Inara — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:50:13 +0000

Caio, I just can’t believe that. First of all, Juni has said millions of times that he wants to end his career at Lyon, and furthermore, that he wants to continue living in France.

Also, I don’t see him doing that to Vasco fans. He loves that club and wouldn’t backstab like that, especially since Sao Paulo won’t be paying him that much money.

It’s possible that some contact took place, and Sao Paulo is hopeful that good relations between the two clubs might facilitate something, but I just don’t see it.

By: Inara

Inara — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:35:59 +0000

I just wanted to mention that his buyout clause will probably be in the realm of 100 million euros…

By: Caio

Caio — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:30:37 +0000

omg also at sao paulo website

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.saopaulofc.com.br%2Fnews.php%3Fcod%3D27779&langpair=pt%7Cen&hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF-8

By: Caio

Caio — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:13:50 +0000

wtf!!!

i read some rumors about a juninho transfer for são paulo!! i think its only especulation… but im a vasco da gama fan and also a juninho fan ..but if he goes to são paulo it will be a shame for all of us

here is the link

http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.netvasco.com.br%2Fnews%2Fnoticias14%2F49784.shtml&langpair=pt%7Cen&hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF-8

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 20:15:06 +0000

I just read the story and am sooo pleased for Lyon. Mostly because ManYoo won’t be getting him now. I like to see that clubs in France/Germany/Holland can keep their young talent without EPL/La Liga/Serie A teams poaching them. Now only if Hamburg can keep Van Der Vaart. . .