Jimjim

English players in Greece:

Derbyshire has transferred to Olympiacos. I guess he was already on loan there. I didn't even notice.

Also, watch out Man U fans, Real Madrid seems the favored destination for Ribery. They are sure getting a lot of interest from top players for winning nothing last season...

Yes, it quite clearly meant every fan of every club looks for what big clubs their respective club will play against in the coming season. Of course you can disagree and say that you look for certain fixtures like derbies, etc., but the writer didn't meant as a West Ham fan you eagerly look at Chelsea's fixtures, that just wouldn't make any sense.

But then again, I don't speak English...

USA! USA!

Talk about a big match, maybe nobody cares about Confederations Cup but there's been some good matches, and the U.S. just shocked Spain in the semi-final 2-0. Goals from Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey. Torres was nowhere to be seen and Howard saved many shots, including a fantastic strike from Villa. Sorry to see the Liverpool players lose but for international matches, it has to be the USA for me. Quite happy. Great win. U.S. was lucky to even get in the semis just sneaking in by amount of goals scored as they were tied on goal difference with Italy.

I'm telling you, this Altidore is only 19, he's tall, he's extremely strong, and I think he's the kind of player who could survive in the Premier League (eventually), especially if he improves his ball control. Great young prospect. He's owned by Villareal now but I think he has a bright future. Scoring the first goal versus the number one ranked team in the world doesn't hurt his standing among scouts, that's for sure.

As I said before, the rights for each country are sold separately. The article you read probably showed ESPN has the rights to show Premiership matches in the UK only. Ok, I just read an article and that is the case. ESPN will now be shown on Sky in the UK. That deal only has to do with the UK. No, ESPN does not have all the rights now. Whatever games Sky or BBC or whomever already had before, they still have those games. This deal is only about Setanta as because they had no more money their rights were up for sale so ESPN stepped in to take Setanta's Premiership package only, and as far as I can tell, this deal only pertains to the UK. U.S. rights would have to be bid on separately, so this doesn't really make any difference in the U.S. at the moment, though I suspect it eventually will.

Setanta never even had a channel in Thailand so it has absolutely no bearing on the Premiership TV rights in Thailand. True Visions owns those rights so, no, they will not let ESPN Asia show them as they don't have the rights and haven't for the last 2 seasons. The ESPN that bought the rights for the UK is actually considered a different entity than ESPN Asia, anyway. ESPN Asia is obviously affiliated to the original ESPN in the United States but has it's own staff and corporate structure as I understand it.

In another note, Setanta also had/has a channel in the U.S. so those rights will probably be up for sale as well, I assume. I assume it's all the same corporation so it may mean ESPN can move in to take the Premiership rights for the U.S. as well, but that would be a whole separate deal as like I said, the TV rights are sold separately for each and every country. ESPN Asia has the Premiership rights for several countries in Asia, but it's only because they won the bidding for each country, and lost the bidding war in Thailand last time around.

Make sense now?

I think True has the rights for this one next season, and then there will be bidding again. I may be wrong, but I remember it being a three year deal. If that's the case, that likely means the Premier League TV rights for all of SE Asia will be up for grabs yet again.

I hope that bar had comfortable sit-down toilets.

I love it.

Relax, everyone, they're doing this for the likes of the U.S. Secretary of State and other important leaders going to Phuket. They did the same when Bush and many other important leaders came to Bangkok in 2003 for APEC. Bangkok security was tight, police all over, and they even went to red light areas and rounded up any foreigner who didn't have their passport with them on their person. It's just a temporary measure then all will go back to laxness...

Anyone else notice this guy on Thailand's team? Peter Lang and he does play for that club, a Swiss club. Must have a Euro dad and Thai mum or Thai dad and Euro mum. Anyway, interesting right? Has to be a Thai citizen as well, and at least on the wikipedia page for FC Schaffhausen, who are in the second tier of Swiss football, his nationality is only listed as Thai.

I'd like to see manager's come out with the lineups for next year's FA Cup. That'd be bravado, wouldn't it?

edit:

Actually, Reid didn't name the starting 11, just the squad he'll pick from, so that doesn't sound nearly as strange now. Seems quite normal to name an international squad a few weeks in advance. Squad, not team.

I did see something about a young player but forgot to read further.

Latest is Owen to Hull City. Frankly would be about his level of club and he gets to stay up in the North so that's good for him. Also, Mourinho looking at Man U's Macheda but I can't see that happening. That boy's a talent that I think they want to keep...

Should have absolutely no bearing here as each country's contracts are worked out separately. Liked it better on ESPN, but I think True have it for at least one more season.

Haven't really seen any strikers strongly linked with Liverpool lately, guess someone from the club needs to start the rumors going. Hopefully, though, nice, quiet deals for a couple of more players will only be in the press once they're done and settled. That's the way to do it.

Channel 7 Stadium, my apologies.

I also don't see how reading that article would make you not want to go, unless he was talking about throwing fights. So? Happens in fights around the world, but most likely an average viewer would not even notice this either.

I just think some get mad when they are told they can't pay the Thai price as they are a foreigner, and are not given the option to pay a lower price even if they don't mind sitting uncomfortably. You could say it's because they know Thais will bet a lot of money but even if a Thai goes in there and doesn't bet he can still get in there at the lower price. 2000 baht just does not equate with the standard of living in Thailand as this is what you could pay to go to a fight in the U.S. I would only pay that if I knew it was the best fighters or a big title fight, but the average tourist is going to have no clue so that's why I think they're being ripped off a lot of the time.

Tingnongnoi, as I won't be in BKK on 3 July how would I know a good time to go otherwise when there would also be a lot of big fights happening? Is there some website I can go to that gives regular updates about this?

What's the deal with your ownership now, MSingh? I don't understand how you're owned by a bankrupt, non-existent bank. Thought it was shut down?

There it is, no more rumors of Chelsea pipping it.

Where will Tevez end up? I say Man City.

Rather unfortunately, 5 years is going by way too fast and I could honestly see Thaksin being PM some day. If not him, his ex-wife as a proxy PM. I think their divorce was purely for show and to keep her out of possible trouble for some of his legal cases.

Don't worry about it, just a lawyer...

I heard Real Madrid are going to buy out Man United to use them as a reserves/feeder team.

I think they were taken over already on 8 June, but by the bankrupt bank that according to Wikipedia was closed by the government, so I don't really understand. Anyway, back to Liverpool.

Hey all, I think this should be a popular thread to rival each club thread, at least until the end of August. Talk about all transfers, confirmed or not, club takeovers, etc.

To start it off, obviously a lot of stupid <deleted> that would never in a million years happen gets tossed about in the press, particularly England. I mean, c'mon, Torres to Man U or Chelsea? Give me a fricking break, would never happen.

So, give your take on all the rumors here, stupid or not, and report anything you maybe have a scoop on.

Example, today it's been reported a Premier League club will be taken over by someone from the Middle East. What club will it be? Tell before the announcement and get it right, so we can be wowed at your prognosticating skills.

Also, I heard Tevez is going back to West Ham and Rooney is headed for Liverpool F.C....

Just kidding...

I think if you get the guesses right before the real transfers start to happen after the footballing vacation, well then you'd be quiet the man.

Aren't West Ham in pretty desperate need of a buyer or did the Icelandic banker already sell?