Barca-Inter-Barca-Inter-Barca……

By: Chris | June 27th, 2007

The Great Hair Debate continues today with one of the most anticipated match-ups of the first round: David Beckham v Ronaldo (The Real One) and Fernando Torres v Cristian Lara. You can still vote for the one’s yesterday by clicking on that Hair Debate halfway down the page under Categories. I’d link to it but I’m too lazy. And I just don’t care right now. I just got yelled at for blaring rock music (she’s a 22yo geezer) so early in the morning (at the crack of 10am). Wanna know what the rock music was? Vivaldi’s Four Seasons (Winter specifically). And I had headphones on. That’s some real death metal right there. I’m gonna go play in traffic.

All Chivugate All The Time:

Chivugate has hit the stretch run and a deal with either Barca (I’d bet on it) or Inter (that’s him up top enjoying Luis-sh Figo’s backside - wait for it…..) will be announced fairly soon, likely today. Daniele Prade flew to Catalonia yesterday to spend the evening knocking out a deal with the Spaniards. That was expected, but today it’s been said that Roma’s “Closer,” Cristina Mazzeloni who is in charge of the finances and official transactions, has headed to Barcelona as well. That is a sign that a deal is essentially complete and will be announced very soon. Usually. It looks as though Inter does not want to top Barca’s offer of €15m for Chivu, even though the Romanian prefers a move to Milan. Hey, Christian, shut up and ship out. The deal should be done today one way or the other, to the great relief of everybody. I’m still willing to bet he goes to Spain. So start printing up those Nerazzurri Chivu kits.

And if anybody was starting to get their hopes up regarding the Roma management, think again. Supposedly Real Madrid was very serious about jumping into the fray but Roma politely refused their advances. Why, you ask? Out of respect for Barcelona, they did not want to start a bidding war with the two rivals. Read that again.

You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s the ideal situation. Absolute perfection. Two teams with huge bank accounts duking it out in an auction. Teams dream of that. But because Roma is run by pansies who are too polite, they’ll take a lesser deal so that everybody is happy. This is why Roma can’t make that jump to the elite level. Peace, love and fucking happiness. I’d rather see Maurizio Zamparini running the club at this point. There is no excuse for that level of incompetence. It’s time. Coup d’etat at Trigoria.

I’m heated. Cooling down……

Anybody Still Here?:
I) It looks like Kappa will be making Roma’s shirts for the next three years, to the tune of €6m per. Legea was widely assumed to be the front-runner for months but it looks like the old boys won out, pending an officially official announcement of course. This is one of the only instances where it is more beneficial to have a woman running the club (notice I said more, not just beneficial - I don’t need a NOW convention on my front step), because the Legea jerseys are just brutal and this required some fashion sense, which is where most of the Roma budget goes - Rosella’s handbags. Kappa has always been one of my favorites for uniforms, save for whatever is going on at Werder Bremen right now (they look like something I made on Windows Paint when I was in 3rd grade). I especially liked those old Auxerre Kappa shirts when Djibril Cisse was bagging goals galore in Ligue 1. Simple but classic. And yes, the last time Roma took home the scudetto they were wearing Kappa. Good juju.

* - I was on ebay looking for stuff to buy when I was bored one night in Dec ‘03 and was thisclose to buying that exact Cisse jersey. Then I found a ridiculous pair of brand new still in the packacge Volkl skis that were marked way down. So I spent the $800; I was so stoked and went and planned a couple ski weekends. Less than two weeks later I broke my wrist at practice, was out for the ski season and then moved to Atlanta in the summer. I tell you this for one reason: Do not trust my decision making. Believe me.

II) It looks like Arsenal wasn’t just interested in Aquilaninho, they were real interested. They called up Roma to ask them what it would take to pry him off their hands. Roma responded by saying Aquilaninho wasn’t for sale at any price, much to the entire city’s delight. Let’s hope that’s the answer to every inquisitory phonecall throughout his career. If he continually progresses at this rate, he and Daniele De Rossi will go down as legends within the city walls.

III) Don’t start jumping off that Julien Faubert to Rome bandwagon just yet. It seems yesterday he went to the Bordeaux management and reiterated his demand to be transferred. After they slapped that ridiculous €15m pricetag on his head, the phone probably went a little bit silent, much to Bordeaux’s delight. They have made it clear they do not want to sell, but he isn’t hearing any of that. It’ll still take a decent bit of cash but it isn’t impossible to think Roma could use half the Chivu-cash to secure his services. At least I hope.

IV) It seems Valerio Virga is looking for some playing time next season. Good call. Expect to see him head out on loan at some point.

V) Multiple sources have reported Roma are waiting until Chivugate is over before announcing anything, but that they will be acquiring the services of Giandomenico Mesto for €2.5m. I’ve read nothing about co-ownership, but that number seems quite low to me and either Roma will just be getting the 50% or there are pieces headed the other way. The first thought would be Matteo Brighi, who has been courted by Reggina, and/or a loan of Virga, Stefano Okaka Chuka or someone else. I’m even thinking Marco Cassetti could be a possibility if they’re expecting Mesto to come in and play RB as opposed to the wing. This could be announced before the weekend, but this is Italia. Who the hell knows.

* - I went to google images and typed in Giandomenico Mesto and this is what came out. I’m pretty sure there aren’t two of the same person on that page. Not only is he versatile on the pitch, apparently he’s a fricken chameleon too. Is there anything he can’t do?

VI) Like I needed to be confused anymore, Roma are also said to be discussing another €2.5m move for the other Reggina fullback, Francesco Modesto. Was their wing play from the backline really that damn good last season? I know Mesto can play all over but he seems spend a lot of time a RB. Which would mean Roma wants to acquire both of their starters. As with Mesto, the pricetag is a little confusing as well. The original asking price was €6m, so it leads to believe this may be a co-ownership as well, or a package deal, which will see some pieces head back from Rome. Mesto I’m sure of, Modesto I don’t really know much about ( I saw Reggina play twice last year, I know next to nothing about them). I’ll trust Luciano here.

VII) Pietro Leonardi is very enamored with Matteo Brighi. That’s fine, but he’s going to have to come in a deal for Fabio Quagliarella, nuck-futter.

(I still think it’s doubtful, but don’t write Fab Quags off just yet. Roma just sold off one of their few elite players and I’d imagine Luciano wants to see some serious money put back into the squad or he’ll be pissed. And we all know about his man-crush on Fab Quags. Im just sayin. I’ve seen stranger.)

VIII) By the way, Roma have spent about €11m of their supposed €20m budget for next year. Say they offload some guys (Nonda, Kuffour, Montella, Brighi, etc) and pick up €5m minimum. Is it too much to ask to use that €5m to sign Mesto and Modesto and then use the remaining €9m from the original budget to sign Faubert, and then call it a summer? I’m sure Bordeaux would bite at €9m, that would leave the entire Chivu sum for contracts and/or debts, and the great majority of the fanbase would be happy. No?

It’s too simple, I know. It would never work with this management; but, in theory, it looks pretty good, right? It’s not exactly fantasy - all are current targets - and the prices are either reported or very reasonable. I need to stop getting my hopes up. You’d think after growing up in Boston I would have learned by now.

* - I took down 12 cups of coffee in a short period of time and knocked out a long post regarding where the inevitable Chivu sale leaves Roma in about 30mins, which will be unleashed at some point later today. Just a warning.