I'm a little confused.  Can you guys explain again what happens to a player like Downing's contract?  I had thought that it just gets ripped up and a new one gets signed with his new club.  

Cheers.

Drogba doesn't know what to do with himself.. and honestly would a gaffer really want to take a risk on him if he may just create drama in the dressing room?

Maybe teams purposly leak the transfer rumour for their star players, to purposly push the price up and or create distance from offering clubs and the star.

Looks like Defoe is getting taken for 15million pounds... although I think Portsmouth will do good things with the money they recieve from their transfers.

Downing is making a move in the modern world of football, more money in his pocket from a transfer and more money a week... why not? Wouldn't we do that when we have a wife and kids?

An age rule or maybe capped wages for younger players may help the clubs, however in every major leagues other then the FA have had shake-ups at the top (Champions /UEFA cup spots) One shouldn't worry too much about the FA cause there is a lot of money coming into leagues at multiple levels, the new moneywill attract more English youth and it was not too long ago that Chelsea wasn't a top three club.

Steven Gerrard was probably walking around with a big X on his chest for something messed up to happen and TAADAA! we have an incident. He, being a professional will handle whatever comes his way seperatly from his football. He's a great player like that and essentially he will continue to dominate.

I hope the MLS gets their act together and takes away the canadian rule from TFC. It's a north american league... we can't be forced to field a team with more Canadian players then we have available. Plus the lack of quality from the current crop of players is an issue,

Great show lads! Enjoy the fatness :)

Robbie - we'll look into this, but I think that if a player forces a transfer through, ie, hands in a transfer request, then the contract is torn up.  However, if the club decide to sell the player against his wishes, then they are on the hook for the entire amount, but the moneys could be accounted for in the transfer fee.  I'll post a blog about this at some point this week once I get a definite answer.

Enjoyed the first show of 2009.  Welcome back guys.

I think that Bridge to City has a chance of working out.  But I would be worried if I were him, he went to Chelsea and wasn't there very long before Cashley Cole was brought in.  Also Scott Parker is being talked for City.  These are both players that were bought early on in Chelski period and then deemed surplus and now they are lined up for the same treatment at City, at least they are paid well...

I am sad to see Defoe go after less than 12 months, but on the other hand I don't really want someone who doesn't want to be at the club, and I was very disappointed to see him ask for a transfer and in fans leaving threats on his phone, both are classless moves.

I should add that I understand a player asking for a transfer when they have signed a contract and are healthy and not getting any games, but when you are a first team regular, back in the england squad, I don't see what he is unhappy about, which is why I think that his transfer request is a shit move.

With all of the talk about Boro not being a massive club, I remember how it stung when Pompey sold Yakubu to Boro for £8M.  I remember thinking that we are competing against Boro and shouldn't sell them our best player.  I understand the point about Spurs, but I think that this is a very risky move for Downing, there are a lot of highly touted underachieving players at Spurs, and if they don't produce in the second half of the season... All of the Spurs players will be branded as overrated and will find it hard to get the same money that they are on now.

I think that professional athletes should spend some time meeting the fans, and talking with them.  I always liked that when Curbs was at Charlton he made sure his players knew the history of the club.  I would hope that if players understood a little of the fans mentality then they would handle themselves better.  

With the footballers being workers there is no comparison they live in an alternate world.  Perhaps that during the close season they should pair up a player and a fan, and have the player live with the fan and see where they work etc, and then they can stop whining about needing that extra 5k a week.

I was really hoping that Forest Green would hold on against Derby that was my cupset pick on KJ's blog.  

I can understand free tickets when the players don't make a lot, I myself benefited from getting free Calgary Storm tickets from the players allocation, but they were a part time team, why on earth players that make 100,000 a week need free tickets is beyond me.  

Dunlop seemed to crave for a TFC DP rumour so I am going to start one. - Samuel Eto'o he seemed interested in playing in Uzbekistan during the summer, so that tells me that if TFC offer an absolutely ridiculous sum of money he would have no problem suiting up for TFC.

Spot the ball questions - which lower division side would you like to see in the FA Cup final?

What are the odds of a Pompey - Cardiff rematch in the final?

Which Canadian is most likely to end up in the Premier League during this transfer window?

I have to agree partially with Pompey-Canuck about Forest Green.  Would have loved to see them knock off Derby County, but on the plus side it gives my Forest (who I couldn't be more proud of) a derby date with the Rams at Pride Park...which will be on Setanta!  The magic of the FA Cup eh?

Lahm-of-God I agree that part of the magic of the FA Cup is getting to play against rivals especially when you are not in the same division Pompey v Soton for example.  

Which got me thinking about another Spot the ball question - Excluding the club that you support what is the best rivalry in Britain?