JOHAN CRYUFF HAS slammed Barcelona over the signing of Luis Suarez, believing it could signal the end of their renowned brand of football.
Following the departure of Chilean forward Alexis Sanchez to Arsenal, Barcelona confirmed on Friday Suarez had signed a five-year deal after the club agreed an undisclosed fee with Liverpool for the controversial Uruguayan striker.
Advertisement
Barca coach Luis Enrique now has a star-studded front three made up of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Suarez ahead of the 2014-15 campaign as the Spanish giants attempt to reclaim the league title from defending champions Atletico Madrid.
However, Dutch legend Cruyff — a five-time La Liga winner as both a player and coach at Barca — doubts whether Messi, Neymar and Suarez can play in the same team due to their selfish nature.
“I am happy that Germany won the World Cup. They are playing the kind of football that Barcelona are distancing themselves from,” said Cruyff in his column for Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.
“That feeling has only gotten stronger with the signing of Luis Suarez. He is a great player, but has a complicated character.
“I don’t know how they plan to play free-flowing attacking football with Messi, Neymar and Suarez in one team. They are all players who rely on their individual actions.
“In signing him [Suarez], the club are showing a preference for individual genius over a team that plays great football.
“The style of play they developed under Frank Rijkaard and Pep Guardiola is being abandoned.”
Listening to the Sky sports panel. Alan McInally seems to be genuinely confused as to why Wayne Rooney has been left on the bench!! Christ where did they get him from??
He’s out of shape and has been for his entire career. Rooney has coasted on talent and cut every possible corner. It’s no wonder that he’s 30 and looks and plays like a 35 year old.
Its a weary story. He’s unmotivated, unfit, long long past his best, overindulged by LVG, grossly overpaid, a smoker/drinker/junk food fiend, basically an all round poor professional. He’s been sanitised by captaincy of England and without the old snarl is a neutered threat. He’ll never be the football statesman he’s angling to be. Plus he clearly fancies a swansong in Everton before retirement. Time to say goodbye
So, he finally drops his worst player. The fans get what they want. He even brought him on for the second half to prove that he was right to drop him. Then, after all this time trying to get the guy dropped, there are still morons who question why he dropped him. I give in! Here’s how the game went: http://whysayanything.com/2015/12/26/united-van-gaal-do-nothing-to-convince/
Sad to see a pathetic Utd again today.
Watched a “must win” game today and there was only one team playing to win!
Fellani, Jones and Memphis are not Utd players and like LVG should be given their P45s. It’s the manner in which Utd are losing is the worst thing. No fight, class or willingness to win! Attitude is all wrong! That must stem from LVG and I include the mute Giggs in that. I watched the three management team sit quietly throughout the whole game. No giving out, cajoling or even given out instructions – just sitting mutely as another 3pts goes away. ‘ three stooges’.
I hear they are lacking confidence!! Their bank accounts are not and also no urgency!!! If inevitably Jose does get the job- he will have to sign quite a lot of “January players” and turn average players into workers. I wouldn’t bank on it- they will give the job to Giggs – who has not been able to change these players already !! Top 4 is a distant dream- get use to Thursday night football!!
LVG is in a no win situation. He will pay the price like all managers of non performing teams. Rooney has been poor for a long time and really has been overrated for years. All great to see as a non utd supporter.
6 talking points after the weekend's Leinster and Ulster senior football action
23 mins ago
0
HOME TOWN HERO
Rory McIlroy and his hometown: A tortured stew of identity politics
Declan Bogue
25 mins ago
1
As it happened
Rory McIlroy wins the Masters in mind-boggling drama
Gavin Cooney
18 hrs ago
168
Sign in or create a free account
To continue reading create a free account
Or sign into an existing account
Your Cookies. Your Choice.
Cookies help provide our news service while also enabling the advertising needed to fund this work.
We categorise cookies as Necessary, Performance (used to analyse the site performance) and Targeting (used to target advertising which helps us keep this service free).
We and our 168 partners store and access personal data, like browsing data or unique identifiers, on your device. Selecting Accept All enables tracking technologies to support the purposes shown under we and our partners process data to provide. If trackers are disabled, some content and ads you see may not be as relevant to you. You can resurface this menu to change your choices or withdraw consent at any time by clicking the Cookie Preferences link on the bottom of the webpage .Your choices will have effect within our Website. For more details, refer to our Privacy Policy.Privacy Policy
We and our vendors process data for the following purposes:
Use precise geolocation data. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Store and/or access information on a device. Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development.
Cookies Preference Centre
We process your data to deliver content or advertisements and measure the delivery of such content or advertisements to extract insights about our website. We share this information with our partners on the basis of consent. You may exercise your right to consent, based on a specific purpose below or at a partner level in the link under each purpose. Some vendors may process your data based on their legitimate interests, which does not require your consent. You cannot object to tracking technologies placed to ensure security, prevent fraud, fix errors, or deliver and present advertising and content, and precise geolocation data and active scanning of device characteristics for identification may be used to support this purpose. This exception does not apply to targeted advertising. These choices will be signaled to our vendors participating in the Transparency and Consent Framework.
Manage Consent Preferences
Necessary Cookies
Always Active
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then these services may not function properly.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we will not be able to monitor our performance.
Store and/or access information on a device 113 partners can use this purpose
Cookies, device or similar online identifiers (e.g. login-based identifiers, randomly assigned identifiers, network based identifiers) together with other information (e.g. browser type and information, language, screen size, supported technologies etc.) can be stored or read on your device to recognise it each time it connects to an app or to a website, for one or several of the purposes presented here.
Personalised advertising and content, advertising and content measurement, audience research and services development 149 partners can use this purpose
Use limited data to select advertising 117 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times an ad is presented to you).
Create profiles for personalised advertising 84 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (such as forms you submit, content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (for example, information from your previous activity on this service and other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (that might include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present advertising that appears more relevant based on your possible interests by this and other entities.
Use profiles to select personalised advertising 84 partners can use this purpose
Advertising presented to you on this service can be based on your advertising profiles, which can reflect your activity on this service or other websites or apps (like the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects.
Create profiles to personalise content 39 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service (for instance, forms you submit, non-advertising content you look at) can be stored and combined with other information about you (such as your previous activity on this service or other websites or apps) or similar users. This is then used to build or improve a profile about you (which might for example include possible interests and personal aspects). Your profile can be used (also later) to present content that appears more relevant based on your possible interests, such as by adapting the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find content that matches your interests.
Use profiles to select personalised content 35 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on your content personalisation profiles, which can reflect your activity on this or other services (for instance, the forms you submit, content you look at), possible interests and personal aspects. This can for example be used to adapt the order in which content is shown to you, so that it is even easier for you to find (non-advertising) content that matches your interests.
Measure advertising performance 138 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which advertising is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine how well an advert has worked for you or other users and whether the goals of the advertising were reached. For instance, whether you saw an ad, whether you clicked on it, whether it led you to buy a product or visit a website, etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of advertising campaigns.
Measure content performance 63 partners can use this purpose
Information regarding which content is presented to you and how you interact with it can be used to determine whether the (non-advertising) content e.g. reached its intended audience and matched your interests. For instance, whether you read an article, watch a video, listen to a podcast or look at a product description, how long you spent on this service and the web pages you visit etc. This is very helpful to understand the relevance of (non-advertising) content that is shown to you.
Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources 78 partners can use this purpose
Reports can be generated based on the combination of data sets (like user profiles, statistics, market research, analytics data) regarding your interactions and those of other users with advertising or (non-advertising) content to identify common characteristics (for instance, to determine which target audiences are more receptive to an ad campaign or to certain contents).
Develop and improve services 86 partners can use this purpose
Information about your activity on this service, such as your interaction with ads or content, can be very helpful to improve products and services and to build new products and services based on user interactions, the type of audience, etc. This specific purpose does not include the development or improvement of user profiles and identifiers.
Use limited data to select content 37 partners can use this purpose
Content presented to you on this service can be based on limited data, such as the website or app you are using, your non-precise location, your device type, or which content you are (or have been) interacting with (for example, to limit the number of times a video or an article is presented to you).
Use precise geolocation data 49 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, your precise location (within a radius of less than 500 metres) may be used in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Actively scan device characteristics for identification 27 partners can use this special feature
With your acceptance, certain characteristics specific to your device might be requested and used to distinguish it from other devices (such as the installed fonts or plugins, the resolution of your screen) in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Ensure security, prevent and detect fraud, and fix errors 95 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Your data can be used to monitor for and prevent unusual and possibly fraudulent activity (for example, regarding advertising, ad clicks by bots), and ensure systems and processes work properly and securely. It can also be used to correct any problems you, the publisher or the advertiser may encounter in the delivery of content and ads and in your interaction with them.
Deliver and present advertising and content 102 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
Certain information (like an IP address or device capabilities) is used to ensure the technical compatibility of the content or advertising, and to facilitate the transmission of the content or ad to your device.
Match and combine data from other data sources 73 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Information about your activity on this service may be matched and combined with other information relating to you and originating from various sources (for instance your activity on a separate online service, your use of a loyalty card in-store, or your answers to a survey), in support of the purposes explained in this notice.
Link different devices 54 partners can use this feature
Always Active
In support of the purposes explained in this notice, your device might be considered as likely linked to other devices that belong to you or your household (for instance because you are logged in to the same service on both your phone and your computer, or because you may use the same Internet connection on both devices).
Identify devices based on information transmitted automatically 92 partners can use this feature
Always Active
Your device might be distinguished from other devices based on information it automatically sends when accessing the Internet (for instance, the IP address of your Internet connection or the type of browser you are using) in support of the purposes exposed in this notice.
Save and communicate privacy choices 72 partners can use this special purpose
Always Active
The choices you make regarding the purposes and entities listed in this notice are saved and made available to those entities in the form of digital signals (such as a string of characters). This is necessary in order to enable both this service and those entities to respect such choices.
Listening to the Sky sports panel. Alan McInally seems to be genuinely confused as to why Wayne Rooney has been left on the bench!! Christ where did they get him from??
Everton Robert. In 2004.
He’s on for the second half – I’ve never seen a United team as devoid of passion or any spark as this one. Christ it’s bleak.
You’re not wrong Robert. Painful to watch. Fellaini is absolute shite as usual.
I will not lie, the way they play is horrendous, but these comments sections make up for it!
Fellaini not the worst of them. Memphis, herrera and blind all absolute rubbish. And all bought by van gaal.
He’s out of shape and has been for his entire career. Rooney has coasted on talent and cut every possible corner. It’s no wonder that he’s 30 and looks and plays like a 35 year old.
He has played top level first team football sooner then most. No suprise the body is starting to get weary.
Compare him physically to Ronaldo. There is no comparison.
Its a weary story. He’s unmotivated, unfit, long long past his best, overindulged by LVG, grossly overpaid, a smoker/drinker/junk food fiend, basically an all round poor professional. He’s been sanitised by captaincy of England and without the old snarl is a neutered threat. He’ll never be the football statesman he’s angling to be. Plus he clearly fancies a swansong in Everton before retirement. Time to say goodbye
He wouldn’t get in the Everton team.
He’s a throw back to the footballers of the 1980s
Lvg in.
Dwight Yorke is a shocking pundit. Calling Rooney “Wazza” goes to show where his prerogative is.
Agree. One of the many brain dead cliche-ridden ex-player pundits that Sky use. Redknapp, Henry as well.
And I forgot to mention the sleep inducing Niall Quinn who tops the lot in my opinion.
So, he finally drops his worst player. The fans get what they want. He even brought him on for the second half to prove that he was right to drop him. Then, after all this time trying to get the guy dropped, there are still morons who question why he dropped him. I give in! Here’s how the game went:
http://whysayanything.com/2015/12/26/united-van-gaal-do-nothing-to-convince/
its time for Rooney to be moved on. He has been useless for the last 3 seasons. should have kept Hernandez
Looks more like a darts player than a footballer
Sad to see a pathetic Utd again today.
Watched a “must win” game today and there was only one team playing to win!
Fellani, Jones and Memphis are not Utd players and like LVG should be given their P45s. It’s the manner in which Utd are losing is the worst thing. No fight, class or willingness to win! Attitude is all wrong! That must stem from LVG and I include the mute Giggs in that. I watched the three management team sit quietly throughout the whole game. No giving out, cajoling or even given out instructions – just sitting mutely as another 3pts goes away. ‘ three stooges’.
I hear they are lacking confidence!! Their bank accounts are not and also no urgency!!! If inevitably Jose does get the job- he will have to sign quite a lot of “January players” and turn average players into workers. I wouldn’t bank on it- they will give the job to Giggs – who has not been able to change these players already !! Top 4 is a distant dream- get use to Thursday night football!!
Dude, on every article?
United looked better when he was on the pitch which is saying alot about what went on in the first half .
LVG is in a no win situation. He will pay the price like all managers of non performing teams. Rooney has been poor for a long time and really has been overrated for years. All great to see as a non utd supporter.
Fletcher scored.. Should have kept him as well I suppose