Summer 2016 Window Thread

[SLB]

His best position on the right

I do not agree. His crossing is quite poor, he was useful with Jorge Jesus cutting inside from left and shooting or assisting at the head of the box.

By the way...do you guys remember Collins John? Ola is his brother. Sadly he may be following his brother steps. Both are quite good players, they could have done interesting careers...However they lack the right mentality for a top level player...

 

[Siggy]

Not sure why we need another LW with Costa and Graham to return. If Costa has been brought in to play on the right fair enough but seems strange.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

 

[wordsleywolf]

Thought John played on the right. Reading fans seem to like him generally. And he's got that Championship experience that we so desperately need, because only 9 of our starting team on Tuesday had ever faced a Mick McCarthy team before so no wonder we struggled!
It's not exactly a signing to create a buzz but on loan I'm sure he'd do an ok job, even if it's only coming off the bench to replace someone.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Absolutely this. Utter garbage player and the type of rumour I'd hope we weren't going to be involved in, However he is a proven championship player so that should please some.

If just any cunt who has played in the championship is a "proven championship player" then I wouldn't be suggesting "proven championship players". Proven to be shit is a different matter, if that was not so why would I suggest getting anybody in we have our own shit players who have played in the championship.

 

[Deleted Cyber]

its a squad game now and perhaps he adds some extra depth and cover. Or maybe he is a shoe in and has a blinding season. Watch this space.

 

[Johnny75]

If just any $#@! who has played in the championship is a "proven championship player" then I wouldn't be suggesting "proven championship players". Proven to be $#@! is a different matter, if that was not so why would I suggest getting anybody in we have our own $#@! players who have played in the championship.

So what is the definition of 'proven championship player'?

 

[Jinky]

Some very, very harsh comments on John above.

In terms of our squad, he'd improve us.

 

[SLB]

So i do not know if this is the best place to put it, but as i said on my first post today, i will do something for you guys that i would like that someone would have done for me a couple of years ago. Seems like your club is the the most recent member of what we in Portugal like to call "The Mendes System". With Benfica being one of the founding members, i think i have some knowledge to help you understand what will mean in the future to be a member of this brotherwood...That way:

1-First the members so far: Benfica, Monaco, Valencia, Zenit and now Wolves.

2-You will see a ton of players rotating between those clubs. Benfica has sent for those 4 clubs more than 20 players in the last 4 seasons.

3-Forget about pounds and euros. From now on the transfers of your club will use Euromendes as currency. This means that the value of a transfer will no longer have a meaning. Ex: Benfica sold a few years ago Ivan Cavaleiro (dont ask) for 15M euros to Monaco. That same year Bernardo Silva (yep the wonderkind) for the exact same value. This year we sent Gaitan to Atletico for 25M (too cheap you would say) and we overpaid 22M for Jimenez. Why does this happen?

4.It's simple. Mendes System works like a bank. When a club needs money, that same club will send a player to other member of the System and get overpaid for it. But you will be in debt to Mendes, so next year do not be surprised if you sell your best player for 500k. A few years back we sold Garay (!) to Zenit for 3M...However 2 years before we sold also to Zenit, Witsel for 40M. The debt was paid...

5-You have to do the man some favours. Sometimes you will say "but we already have 4 left backs on the squad". It does not matter. If the man just signed a promissing left back in...lets say...Aruba, that kid will be part of the squad. And most likely will be the first pick most games. Luckily he usually signs only decent players.

6- Some players will arrive and leave and not play a single minute for the club. Benfica has 98 players with a pro contract. I would say that at least 50 never played in our first squad. Those players are used to enter what we call "Mendes Carousel". They will spend years being loaned to other smallers clubs until the contract runs out. Dont ask the reasons...

Well and for now thats all. Any doubts or questions feel free to shoot away. And enjoy the ride!

 

[StuardoWulf]

So what is the definition of 'proven championship player'?

not just anybody who's played in it, people who are good in it. I can't give you a definition but you know what I mean and meant
you were being obtuse, you seem to know what you are talking about but if you disagree just disagree no need to be
condesending

 

[Tony Towner]

So i do not know if this is the best place to put it, but as i said on my first post today, i will do something for you guys that i would like that someone would have done for me a couple of years ago. Seems like your club is the the most recent member of what we in Portugal like to call "The Mendes System". With Benfica being one of the founding members, i think i have some knowledge to help you understand what will mean in the future to be a member of this brotherwood...That way:

1-First the members so far: Benfica, Monaco, Valencia, Zenit and now Wolves.

2-You will see a ton of players rotating between those clubs. Benfica has sent for those 4 clubs more than 20 players in the last 4 seasons.

3-Forget about pounds and euros. From now on the transfers of your club will use Euromendes as currency. This means that the value of a transfer will no longer have a meaning. Ex: Benfica sold a few years ago Ivan Cavaleiro (dont ask) for 15M euros to Monaco. That same year Bernardo Silva (yep the wonderkind) for the exact same value. This year we sent Gaitan to Atletico for 25M (too cheap you would say) and we overpaid 22M for Jimenez. Why does this happen?

4.It's simple. Mendes System works like a bank. When a club needs money, that same club will send a player to other member of the System and get overpaid for it. But you will be in debt to Mendes, so next year do not be surprised if you sell your best player for 500k. A few years back we sold Garay (!) to Zenit for 3M...However 2 years before we sold also to Zenit, Witsel for 40M. The debt was paid...

5-You have to do the man some favours. Sometimes you will say "but we already have 4 left backs on the squad". It does not matter. If the man just signed a promissing left back in...lets say...Aruba, that kid will be part of the squad. And most likely will be the first pick most games. Luckily he usually signs only decent players.

6- Some players will arrive and leave and not play a single minute for the club. Benfica has 98 players with a pro contract. I would say that at least 50 never played in our first squad. Those players are used to enter what we call "Mendes Carousel". They will spend years being loaned to other smallers clubs until the contract runs out. Dont ask the reasons...

Well and for now thats all. Any doubts or questions feel free to shoot away. And enjoy the ride!

Thanks for this. It will be interesting as I'm not sure either the English fans or press will stand for some of these practices over any sustained period of time.

 

[StuardoWulf]

The Bank of Mendez thats a uncomfortable arrangment, but hey ho if it takes us forward who cares?

 

[Del Woppio]

Blimey, that's a fascinating insight. Would you say it's been of a benefit, overall, to Benfica?

 

[slink]

Not that i know but i can't see Fosun buying a player because Mendes says to, we are also a bit different compared to those other teams because Fosun own part of Mendes's company and i don't think any of the others do. Time will tell though and if we get players like Teixeira through it then i don't care, i'll take watching players like him or better every week even if are only going to sell them as another player will come along.

 

[SLB]

The Bank of Mendez thats a uncomfortable arrangment, but hey ho if it takes us forward who cares?

Blimey, that's a fascinating insight. Would you say it's been of a benefit, overall, to Benfica?

Some people love it...some people hate it. Personally i would like that my club would make deals without so many smoke and mirrors. And that some of the most iconic players would be treated with more respect (Gaitan was pushed out of the club because Mendes wanted so and the same goes now with Luisão. With all due respect to Wolves, Luisão deserved to end his career in Benfica even though he would not be used the entire season).

On the other side...we became again the Benfica we used to be. We were champions for the third time in a row, we have been in 2 european finals in the last 5 years and we just reached the last 8 in the champions last years. Of course not all credit goes to Mendes but some does for sure.

PS: Forgot to mention but as you probably already noted Atletico Madrid is also part of it.

 

[Kenny]

We were champions for the third time in a row, we have been in 2 european finals in the last 5 years and we just reached the last 8 in the champions last years.

.

If Wolves can copy that, then Mendes can have a stand named after him at Molineux and a Statue by the ring road for all I care

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Interesting stuff, thanks.

On the big squads point - I wouldn't say this is just a Mendes thing, it's a lot more prevalent in Europe than it is in England. When Parma got liquidated I think they had 80+ players contracted to them, big Italian clubs frequently sign players who never play a senior game for them and just go out on loan until they're ready to be sold. There's only really Chelsea in England who have tons of senior players who they keep under contract and send out year after year (and it's not a strategy that their fans are happy with). Watford do a lot of swapping players with Udinese and Granada who are owned by the same people but that's a slightly different prospect.

 

[wordsleywolf]

In the short term this can only benefit Wolves as we are currently the weakest in player terms. Of course on promotion to the Premiership things change as we would become the richest club in the group, even without Fosun. That could lead to us effectively being used as a cash reserve for the others.
I suppose like anything if we are successful virtually no one will care. If it all goes wrong everybody will have seen it coming.

 

[FrankMunro-371]

Just how much power does Mendes have?

 

[darlowolf64]

Just how much power does Mendes have?

Not enough to play in a Kenny Jackett midfield

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

In the short term this can only benefit Wolves as we are currently the weakest in player terms. Of course on promotion to the Premiership things change as we would become the richest club in the group, even without Fosun. That could lead to us effectively being used as a cash reserve for the others.
I suppose like anything if we are successful virtually no one will care. If it all goes wrong everybody will have seen it coming.

Back to Watford for a second, you could argue that's already started a bit with them after they stayed up for a season then sent £12.5m Granada's way for Isaac Success. He looks a pretty promising player but it's a lot of money for a bloke who only managed seven goals in two seasons in La Liga. But yeah, how much do Watford's fans care at the moment.