Another 4.5M in Hibs Coffers....(NHC)

[Clerry Jambo]

......Fletcher move to Real another step forward!!

 

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/scottish-football/2008/04/13/real-madrid-consider-loan-options-for-4-5m-fletcher-78057-20381724/

[Debut 4]

Really, your trying to tell me there isn`t a tecnically better player in Spain itself at that age?

 

Madrid must see it as small change to lose if he fails because im sure 4.5m could be better spent somewhere else.

[Martin_T]

......Fletcher move to Real another step forward!!

 

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/sport-news/scottish-football/2008/04/13/real-madrid-consider-loan-options-for-4-5m-fletcher-78057-20381724/

 

 

Madrid's interest in Fletcher goes back to the Scotland Under 19's achievments at the European Championships back in 2006. A number of Spanish scouts were very impressed by a number of the Scottish players, this even led to Robert Snodgrass being offered a trial with Barcelona! I would say that Callum Elliot was of equivalent talent with Fletcher at the time, sadly through a combination of poor coaching and off field attitude, it looks like Elliot's career will follow a very different path.

[Clerry Jambo]

Really, your trying to tell me there isn`t a tecnically better player in Spain itself at that age?

Madrid must see it as small change to lose if he fails because im sure 4.5m could be better spent somewhere else.

 

Aye, correct;)

[Charlie-Brown]

Rumours in Spain or rumours on Hibs.net ?

[Sherlock]

Or another ?4.5m in STF's back pocket.

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Rumours in Spain or rumours on Hibs.net ?

 

Its true.

 

A few weeks back listening to the radio, they had the Spanish football correspondant on. He confirmed that Madrid knew all about Fletcher from the Scotland under 19's a couple of year back. He went on to say that a number of players kept getting watched by Madrid since then - Madrids interest in some players had cooled since then but Fletchers was one they were more and more impressed with as time went by.

 

It may not happen but Real Madrids scouts know who Fletcher - they have also been very impressed with him on a number of occasions.

 

Good luck to the lad.

[Drylaw Hearts]

I cannot belive Real Madrid are looking to buy Fletcher.

 

It would be the most bizarre transfer - ever !!

[Charlie-Brown]

Its true.

 

A few weeks back listening to the radio, they had the Spanish football correspondant on. He confirmed that Madrid knew all about Fletcher from the Scotland under 19's a couple of year back. He went on to say that a number of players kept getting watched by Madrid since then - Madrids interest in some players had cooled since then but Fletchers was one they were more and more impressed with as time went by.

 

It may not happen but Real Madrids scouts know who Fletcher - they have also been very impressed with him on a number of occasions.

 

Good luck to the lad.

 

Oh I don't doubt that they know about Fletcher and every other young striker of international pedigree in Europe - whether things are as advanced as that article suggests then I am sceptical. Relatively few Premiership quality players move to La Liga clubs nevermind SPL players.

[Rods]

I remember watching bits of that tournament

 

Scotland got beat by Spain in the final

 

Elliot seemed to be the better preospect at the time scored more goals etc

[maroonedinoz]

I'll believe it when I see it!

 

sounds like the sort of story more associated with Vlad!!!

[Nucky Thompson]

Or another ?4.5m in STF's back pocket.

That's more like it:)

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Oh I don't doubt that they know about Fletcher and every other young striker of international pedigree in Europe - whether things are as advanced as that article suggests then I am sceptical. Relatively few Premiership quality players move to La Liga clubs nevermind SPL players.

 

 

It does happen, but as you say its VERY few and far between.

 

Archibald

Hughes

Linekar

Collymore

 

Erm.....

[Ben Dover]

I remember watching bits of that tournament

 

Scotland got beat by Spain in the final

 

Elliot seemed to be the better preospect at the time scored more goals etc

 

I recall watching some of it ( highlights perhaps ) and was instantly dismayed ( if not really surprised ) as I thought that man v man the Spaniards were on a different level as regards technical ability

Aye ok, we can bustle our way towards results but if that was the cream of our youth then we can forget the Euros and WC for the next 20 years

[jimjamjolly]

I remember watching bits of that tournament

 

Scotland got beat by Spain in the final

 

Elliot seemed to be the better preospect at the time scored more goals etc

It's amazing what a couple of years can do. Now we have clum playing to a worldwide audience on youtube and fletcher playing in front of a few thousand at fester road. By the way, I though fletcher was the top scorer in the tournament?

[oh ah grantona]

if owen cant make it at madrid then there is no way fletch will make but hey he will get good cash and great lifestyle miss the neds tho

 

maybe we can put elliot up in a bogof deal

[Deek]

if owen cant make it at madrid then there is no way fletch will make but hey he will get good cash and great lifestyle miss the neds tho

 

maybe we can put elliot up in a bogof deal

 

Michael Owen scored 16 goals from 41 games for Real Madrid, many of which were substitute appearances. Spanish politics bought and sold him.

[Tazio]

It does happen, but as you say its VERY few and far between.

 

Archibald

Hughes

Linekar

Collymore

 

Erm.....

 

Laurie Cunningham. A few years in Spain at Real and at least one other. He had a great career and played in several countries.

[Deek]

Laurie Cunningham. A few years in Spain at Real and at least one other. He had a great career and played in several countries.

 

Was a really good player, tragically died in a car crash aged 33 in Madrid. He was Real Madrids first ever English player and first ever black player.

[winston churchill]

let's wait and see,i think it's a lot of mince.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Real Madrid have had to go cap in hand to the Spanish banks to extend a line of credit. Hoboeconomics FC will therefore turn down the deal to stop Real Madrid over-extending themselves financially!

[vegas-voss]

It does happen, but as you say its VERY few and far between.

 

Archibald

Hughes

Linekar

Collymore

 

Erm.....

 

All miles better than Fletcher

[loveofthegame]

As ive said before the boy is good, and will get better. BUT he will NEVER EVER be that good!

 

.... imo of course. If im proved wrong it can only be good for Scotland. Shame Hibs profit from it tho

[Deek]

All miles better than Fletcher

 

Stevie Archibald. He was mince with the Hobo's, how many goals did he score against us?

[Gigolo-Aunt]

Stevie Archibald. He was mince with the Hobo's, how many goals did he score against us?

 

 

I was only young, but did Archibald not do well for the Hobos ?

[Tazio]

I was only young, but did Archibald not do well for the Hobos ?

 

By the standard Hibs measure of success he scored against us. Little else seems to count.

[Martin_T]

By the standard Hibs measure of success he scored against us. Little else seems to count.

 

 

Which is ironic of course, because using the same measure Fletcher would be classed as a failure, having never scored against Hearts in a competitive first team game.

[bighusref]

At that European championships, he was spoken about as one of the best strikers in the tournament. Other coaches were full of praise for him. I am not surprised that one of the biggest clubs in the world monitors these tournaments and follows the successful players.

 

I would not grudge him the success and the move, in fact, I would be pleased if Hibs were weakened by his sale. I would suggest their talk of the new stand has been fuelled by this prospective deal.

 

As for those looking down their noses at him, with the noted exception of Craig Gordon, our own youth programme is hardly bearing fruit is it? I would dearly love for our young players to be coming through at the rate they are over at the docksiders.

[walton1983]

I cannot belive Real Madrid are looking to buy Fletcher.

 

It would be the most bizarre transfer - ever !!

 

Why?

[Drylaw Hearts]

.... our own youth programme is hardly bearing fruit is it? I would dearly love for our young players to be coming through at the rate they are over at the docksiders.

 

 

I agree.

 

I've been saying for a long time that I think the Academy is under achieving.

 

We've nearly as many lads there from NI than there are from Edinburgh.

 

Yet them Hobo's seem to have several 'local lads' making the grade every year.

[vegas-voss]

Stevie Archibald. He was mince with the Hobo's, how many goals did he score against us?

 

Yeah and when did he go to them.Yeah at the end of his carreer after Spurs and Barcelona.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Why?

 

You must be joking !

[vegas-voss]

I was only young, but did Archibald not do well for the Hobos ?

 

He scored 2 against us on new years day derby that i can remember when they beat us 3-1 with ten men.First derby defeat i had witnessed.

[cosanostra]

I just don't see this happening.

 

We had Henrik Larsson destroying this league for years before he got his big move. Fletcher is an ok SPL player and no more. He's barely even one of the best players in the league yet Real Madrid want him? I just don't buy it.

[benny]

At that European championships, he was spoken about as one of the best strikers in the tournament. Other coaches were full of praise for him. I am not surprised that one of the biggest clubs in the world monitors these tournaments and follows the successful players.

 

I would not grudge him the success and the move, in fact, I would be pleased if Hibs were weakened by his sale. I would suggest their talk of the new stand has been fuelled by this prospective deal.

 

As for those looking down their noses at him, with the noted exception of Craig Gordon, our own youth programme is hardly bearing fruit is it? I would dearly love for our young players to be coming through at the rate they are over at the docksiders.

 

Careful you will shot down in flames and will be told that Hearts signed a youngster in the top 50 of Europe.

Agree with you though.Fletcher has had a great season.Could be the last of the big money sales for Hibs though.:107years:

[walton1983]

Or another ?4.5m in STF's back pocket.

 

That's wishful thinking.More likely to fund their new stand.If only our owner allowed football people to run the club, we might be in a better state.Never mind we can sell Elliot and Mole to Cowdenbeath.

[walton1983]

You must be joking !

 

Nope

[cosanostra]

Nope

 

He's barely even making waves in the SPL let alone international level.

He's unlikely to even get a start at international level with Miller and McFadden way ahead of him.

Michael Owen wasn't exactly a revelation at Real Madrid so why would they want Fletcher?

Barca have 17yr old Bojan who is about 10 times better than 21yr old Fletcher. I'm sure Fletcher will improve but will he improve so much that he gets a game for Real Madrid? Not likely.

[Ibrahim Tall]

That's wishful thinking.More likely to fund their new stand.If only our owner allowed football people to run the club, we might be in a better state.Never mind we can sell Elliot and Mole to Cowdenbeath.

 

 

Hobo.

[Only a Game]

Or another ?4.5m in STF's back pocket.

 

Of course, every penny we've brought in on transfers recently has been re-invested in the team.

 

We'll sell Kingston for probably circa ?3m. They sell Fletcher for ?4.5m.(Neither team will see a penny of the money)

 

Whos the mugs here ?

[Charlie-Brown]

Regards the Youth systems of Hibs & Hearts - Hibs do NOT have a better group of young players nor is their youth system vastly superior to ours - what has helped them to develop more young players into their first team has been their relative frugality in comparison to our high spending - we have almost always sought to bring in players more often than push on our own kids in recent times - what the Hibs youngsters have benefited from is an increased amount of opportunities and game time compared to many of our younger players.

 

It is only since Berra & Driver replaced Skacel & Webster then Jonsson replacing Brellier in the team have we started down this direction however if our direction is now to run a tighter ship financially then I am sure our kids will start getting more opportunities and in not too long a time people will no longer consider our youth system to be of lesser quality than those down the road.

[Malcolm Tucker]

Does Fletcher even know where his right foot is?

 

I'm not buying this at all. If it happens, then I'll have what Real are smoking.

[Drylaw Hearts]

Nope

 

Okay.

 

It is a bizarre transfer because :-

 

1) He would be the first player to sign for Real Madrid straight from an SPL team.

 

And from a distinctively average team at that.

 

 

2) He really isn't good enough to ever play for a team at that level and never will be.

 

Real didn't want Reyes from Arsenal but now suddenly want Steven Fletcher of Hibernian.

 

 

I think a Spanish team may be sniffing about him but I very much doubt if it's Real Madrid.

 

It's possibly someone like Seville.

[Geoff Kilpatrick]

Regards the Youth systems of Hibs & Hearts - Hibs do NOT have a better group of young players nor is their youth system vastly superior to ours - what has helped them to develop more young players into their first team has been their relative frugality in comparison to our high spending - we have almost always sought to bring in players more often than push on our own kids in recent times - what the Hibs youngsters have benefited from is an increased amount of opportunities and game time compared to many of our younger players.

 

It is only since Berra & Driver replaced Skacel & Webster then Jonsson replacing Brellier in the team have we started down this direction however if our direction is now to run a tighter ship financially then I am sure our kids will start getting more opportunities and in not too long a time people will no longer consider our youth system to be of lesser quality than those down the road.

 

Disagree.

 

Youngsters at HMFC have always had a chance - the difference between our youngsters and those across the city have not been first team opportunity. The difference is that their youngsters have been told to play without fear and play with the natural confidence that all young players have. The character of their players have been stronger.

 

We have had a lot of skilful players over the past few years but when it came to the big time, they couldn't cut it in terms of self-belief. Sloan, Janczyk and Weir all had skill. They just didn't believe enough in themselves to take the next step forward. They lost the momentum they had built up and their career went backwards as a result.

[Only a Game]

Regards the Youth systems of Hibs & Hearts - Hibs do NOT have a better group of young players nor is their youth system vastly superior to ours - what has helped them to develop more young players into their first team has been their relative frugality in comparison to our high spending - we have almost always sought to bring in players more often than push on our own kids in recent times - what the Hibs youngsters have benefited from is an increased amount of opportunities and game time compared to many of our younger players.

 

It is only since Berra & Driver replaced Skacel & Webster then Jonsson replacing Brellier in the team have we started down this direction however if our direction is now to run a tighter ship financially then I am sure our kids will start getting more opportunities and in not too long a time people will no longer consider our youth system to be of lesser quality than those down the road.

 

So what you're really saying is that Hibs youth system (including their attitude to the promotion of youth) IS actually better than ours at the moment. And you'd be right, they're producing youths for their first team AND giving them a chance and we have a log jam of dissaffected 19-20 year olds not getting a chance and wanting to leave because of it. In fact no one really knows how good the youths are that we have because not one of them has come through this season, despite how bad the season has been, not one of them.

[benny]

Disagree.

 

Youngsters at HMFC have always had a chance - the difference between our youngsters and those across the city have not been first team opportunity. The difference is that their youngsters have been told to play without fear and play with the natural confidence that all young players have. The character of their players have been stronger.

 

We have had a lot of skilful players over the past few years but when it came to the big time, they couldn't cut it in terms of self-belief. Sloan, Janczyk and Weir all had skill. They just didn't believe enough in themselves to take the next step forward. They lost the momentum they had built up and their career went backwards as a result.

 

Something thats happening to Jonsson and Driver as well now.It will be interesting to see how they do next season.

[rudi must stay]

Why?

 

Real can go out and buy whoever they want, whatever league in the world mate. Yet they choose to sign a 20 year old from a absolutely pitifal league. It's bizarre

[Charlie-Brown]

So what you're really saying is that Hibs youth system (including their attitude to the promotion of youth) IS actually better than ours at the moment. And you'd be right, they're producing youths for their first team AND giving them a chance and we have a log jam of dissaffected 19-20 year olds not getting a chance and wanting to leave because of it. In fact no one really knows how good the youths are that we have because not one of them has come through this season, despite how bad the season has been, not one of them.

 

I said precisely that they gave their players more opportunities - I also said they do NOT have a better group of players nor a vastly superior youth system.

[Patrick Bateman]

Contrary to most people, I think Real Madrid see Fletcher's potential - he *does* have that extra level of technique that is missing in most Scottish footballers, and I'd be delighted to see him play abroad. The more Scottish players who show that level of ambition, the better.

 

As for our youth system - if it wasn't for poor coaching and absolute clowns handing out long term contracts at an early age, I'm sure we'd produce a whole lot more. Mind you, the whole coaching system at the club is rotten to the core at the moment anyway.

[Ibrahim Tall]

Contrary to most people, I think Real Madrid see Fletcher's potential - he *does* have that extra level of technique that is missing in most Scottish footballers, and I'd be delighted to see him play abroad. The more Scottish players who show that level of ambition, the better.

 

As for our youth system - if it wasn't for poor coaching and absolute clowns handing out long term contracts at an early age, I'm sure we'd produce a whole lot more. Mind you, the whole coaching system at the club is rotten to the core at the moment anyway.

 

Agreed, much rather see young Scottish players actually having the bottle to try somewhere abroad rather than rot on an Old Firm bench.