Neymar - v2

[DennyCrane]

Pretty much the same for Barca. All signings straight from SA, except Maradona, flopped here (this must be 10th time I'm repeating this here).
Truth be told, Sorin was alright but he was on loan I believe.

Since 1982.


Maradona
Aloisio
Giovanni
Pellegrino
Geovanni
Saviola
Bonano
Rochemback
Sorin - was solid
Riquelme
Maxi Lopez
Henrique
Keirrison

Indeed. The problem with acclimatizing in Europe is omnipresent.
Osvaldo Ardiles, Roque Junior, Jose Kleberson, Wesley, Arilson, Carlos Alberto, Marquinhos, Zeze, Ze Roberto II, Alex Alves, Gustavo Nery, Nene, Rever, Jean Carlos Donde, Chiquinho just to name a few others, although the list is basically endless.
Surely, only a few players had the talent Neymar has, but the point of failed integration for a variety of reasons still stands.

Also, when Ramalhos' name-dropping complete over-the-top talented players like Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Dinho he seems to deliberately forget that even those players started at relatively smaller clubs in Europe and not straight in Europes' spotlight.

 

[desoe]

A lot of these players arrived during the Van Gaal - Rexach - Serra Ferrer era. Some of them were really average (like Rochemback, Geovanni or Bonano), other failed because of bad management (Riquelme). At general, it was not easy to be a Barcelona player during these times, especially if you're working with Louis van Gaal.

I think now it's more easy for a player to show his potential at Barca, because the environment is very different. I remember what Emmanuel Petit said about his times in Barcelona. Firstly there was nobody to even greet him at the airport (I guess he took a cab or something), then Serra Ferrer have asked him on what position is he playing. Yes - Barca was THIS bad as a club few years ago.

Things are different now, so new arrivals have more comfort and reasons to be calm, I believe. Yes - there're flops, you will always have ones, but I believe a lot of those players came here in a lot worse environment to adapt.

 

[Irish_Cules]

Pretty much the same for Barca. All signings straight from SA, except Maradona, flopped here (this must be 10th time I'm repeating this here).
Truth be told, Sorin was alright but he was on loan I believe.

Since 1982.


Maradona
Aloisio
Giovanni
Pellegrino
Geovanni
Saviola
Bonano
Rochemback
Sorin - was solid
Riquelme
Maxi Lopez
Henrique
Keirrison

I think its harsh on Saviola to include him in that list. 60 goals over his first 3 seasons at the club is a pretty good return for a striker, especially considering the state the team was in at the time.

 

[psychotsek]

I think it's wiser to wait see how he performs in WC and then try to buy him.He won't come cheap either way but the only chance we could get him cheaper is should he flop in the WC.

 

[DonAndres]

If Bayern win the CL and Pep makes a big push then Bayern could be attractive enough for Neymar to explore and they could take the burden from us.

 

[spark]

My problem with him is he just seems so physically frail. He looks the same as when he was 19 except hes 21 now. Dont want to use cliches but he needs to bulk up. I remember in this thread someone saying he was better at 19 than messi. Even if that was true, which it wasn't , he has stagnated by staying in Brazil. Or better, he hasn't elevated his game much higher in the last year, which competition forces you to do. These by age comparisons are always silly anyway. Saying things like Thiago is better than Xavi was at a certain age doesnt mean anything in football. Its not linear and the players progress isn't guaranteed to continue at the same rate. From the other side of the coin, these struggles in the last month might be better for him long term than highlight reel moments every game ever was. Force him to improve or realize he has to make the move abroad before he ends like Ganso.

 

[Doobs]

We'd be insane if we spend our money on this guy this summer when we need a WC CB. He won't join this season. Assuming the management is not crazy.

 

[JamDav1982]

We'd be insane if we spend our money on this guy this summer when we need a WC CB. He won't join this season. Assuming the management is not crazy.

Need a new center back and some new options up front, sell players and can afford both.

 

[desoe]

We actually need a goalkeeper, too

 

[Garrus]

 

[desoe]

My problem with him is he just seems so physically frail. He looks the same as when he was 19 except hes 21 now. Dont want to use cliches but he needs to bulk up. I remember in this thread someone saying he was better at 19 than messi. Even if that was true, which it wasn't , he has stagnated by staying in Brazil. Or better, he hasn't elevated his game much higher in the last year, which competition forces you to do. These by age comparisons are always silly anyway. Saying things like Thiago is better than Xavi was at a certain age doesnt mean anything in football. Its not linear and the players progress isn't guaranteed to continue at the same rate. From the other side of the coin, these struggles in the last month might be better for him long term than highlight reel moments every game ever was. Force him to improve or realize he has to make the move abroad before he ends like Ganso.

The bulking thing is not a cliche at all, it's something which could really work out for him.

I don't know how much of you remember Ronaldo when he just started his career in United (he was at a similar age as Neymar's), but he was the same skinny kid as Neymar is right now. I've read a Wayne Rooney interview few months ago, where he remembers how Ronaldo came back in England after the World Cup in Germany in 2006 and he was enormously bulked. He was just bigger, really bigger. I mean, we're talking about a real transformation here, it's like a different guy is entering United's dressing room.

And we could all agree, that maybe Ronaldo wouldn't be the same player he's right now, if he didn't make that bulk, if he didn't improved his physics that much.

So, the bulking thing is not a cliche, neither is a fairy tale. It could work really well, because talent and athletism is never a bad mixture. Barcelona is a big club and we must have enough people who should see that and give their directions to Neymar.

 

[BarcaOG]

If Bayern win the CL and Pep makes a big push then Bayern could be attractive enough for Neymar to explore and they could take the burden from us.

That would be a bad idea. Bayern would hold onto Neymar for their dear life if he performed there. You just can't buy from the Bavarians.

 

[Messi10]

BREAKING - #SkyItalia claims that Barcelona has officially reach an agreement with Santos to land Neymar for €92M!

 

[Frejsgodes]

BREAKING - #SkyItalia claims that Barcelona has officially reach an agreement with Santos to land Neymar for €92M!

 

[darthvader7888]

I call BS.