What is the fascination with Real Madrid?!

As most of you already know, I'm a chelsea fan and today i read in the paper that Frank Ribery has ruled out a move to England with any club because he will only leave Bayern for Real Madrid.

How many more, 'world class' players are going to throw there career away by joining Real Madrid?!! It's so frustrating. The club as a whole has proved time and time again that you can't win anything with a club full of egos like that. I know it was unlikely he would have joined chelsea anyway but why don't these great players want to come here. I know our weather is shit but our league is easily the best in the world. I just don't get it. Our fans, stadiums are better. Fans in Spain don't have proper songs, their league is nowhere near as competetive as ours. Are they scared? When will we start seeing the worlds biggest names in English football!!

Apparently, his wife does not want to come to England because of the Winter weather. I suggest she does a little more research as Madrid is nearly 2,000 ft above sea level and it can be brass monkey in the winter. Admittedly, the rest of the year the weather is a damn sight better.

(25-03-2010 22:26 )CaptainVimes Wrote:  Apparently, his wife does not want to come to England because of the Winter weather. I suggest she does a little more research as Madrid is nearly 2,000 ft above sea level and it can be brass monkey in the winter. Admittedly, the rest of the year the weather is a damn sight better.

fuckin women.

(25-03-2010 22:31 )jimbo5030 Wrote:  

(25-03-2010 22:26 )CaptainVimes Wrote:  Apparently, his wife does not want to come to England because of the Winter weather. I suggest she does a little more research as Madrid is nearly 2,000 ft above sea level and it can be brass monkey in the winter. Admittedly, the rest of the year the weather is a damn sight better.

fuckin women.

I think we've got back on to the John Terry is a disgrace thread. Ha, ha

9 European cups gives Real massive pulling power in attracting the best players. It comes down to that and the fact that also the best players tend to be Latin or Latin American, and the Spanish culture is similar. And of course the weather is much better over there then England. Also, they pay less tax over there then here.

(25-03-2010 23:11 )seth Wrote:  Also, they pay less tax over there then here.

Most Premier League players have the full team of tax and accountancy professionals at their beck and call. You can bet your bottom dollar, no pun intended, that they never pay the tax rates for the brackets they should. Limited companies, offshore companies for image rights etc.

(25-03-2010 23:16 )CaptainVimes Wrote:  

(25-03-2010 23:11 )seth Wrote:  Also, they pay less tax over there then here.

Most Premier League players have the full team of tax and accountancy professionals at their beck and call. You can bet your bottom dollar, no pun intended, that they never pay the tax rates for the brackets they should. Limited companies, offshore companies for image rights etc.

well apprently the new wages players are getting are after tax. this was the only reason lamps and terry stayed at chelsea because of these deals. i just think nobody has come here tried it and succeeded and so they all just bottle it.

Plainly and simply, glamour. Once you start earning a certain amount, a few extra thousand each week makes no earthly difference and you start picking your clubs based on what you want to tell your kids and grandkids you did in your playing career. The fact of the matter is, Real have the glamour and history on their side. In this country, only Man Utd and Liverpool have a long tradition of success in Europe's top competition. Juventus, AC and Inter have it in Italy and for a little while Ajax had it too. For now, Chelsea and Man City just don't have that aura of glamour, although it'll come in time. How long it remains is dependent on how long the success - and the money - lasts. Players used to queue up to join Parma, or Atletico Madrid, strong and wealthy sides in the powerful leagues. Not so much these days... Don't forget, even Barcelona, Roma and Lazio are second in a lot of players minds in terms of history and glamour.

(25-03-2010 23:40 )Mister Gummidge Wrote:  Plainly and simply, glamour. Once you start earning a certain amount, a few extra thousand each week makes no earthly difference and you start picking your clubs based on what you want to tell your kids and grandkids you did in your playing career. The fact of the matter is, Real have the glamour and history on their side. In this country, only Man Utd and Liverpool have a long tradition of success in Europe's top competition. Juventus, AC and Inter have it in Italy and for a little while Ajax had it too. For now, Chelsea and Man City just don't have that aura of glamour, although it'll come in time. How long it remains is dependent on how long the success - and the money - lasts. Players used to queue up to join Parma, or Atletico Madrid, strong and wealthy sides in the powerful leagues. Not so much these days... Don't forget, even Barcelona, Roma and Lazio are second in a lot of players minds in terms of history and glamour.

ill agree with that. what i will say is that because the champs league is so big, all the big clubs are in that. the uefa cup used to be huge because it was 3rd in the leagues competiting keeping clubs like athletico madrid parma etc big.

Probably the biggest myth in football is that the Premier League is the most competitive league in Europe.
How many teams have qualified for the CL group stages in the last 10 years? 6: Arsenal; Man. United; Liverpool; Chelsea; Leeds and Newcastle. Spain, on the other hand, have had about 10 different teams in the last 5 years: Barcelona; Real Madrid; Sevilla; Atletico Madrid; Real Betis; Valencia; Villareal; Celta Vigo; Real Sociadad and Deportivo.

About as competitive as playing hide and seek on Saddleworth Moor with Brady and Hindly.