Beastmix

Exactly. Summer = silly season for info-starved 'journalists'

This is true. I mean, the players going there are hardly going to be busting a gut every match. It's basically a glorified exhibition league with no history or heritage. It's a league devoid of dreams and non-monetary desires. It's not even a tinpot league; it's a despot league.

I'd much rather a tough 1st game than a newly promoted side. It's good all-round: we need to go in fully focused and if we don't win, it's against another strong team and not the end of the world. Rather than going in blasé against a side we're expected to beat, getting beat, and then having the high potential of 3pts down the drain (like last season). Should be a good match, nonetheless.

1: I'm quite happy to change this without a vote. I believe we all agreed it was stupid last season (for the reason given) and I'd like to think we've built up a good trust around here. Gentlemen's agreement and all that. 2: I think this is generally unpopular too. I love playing in leagues where there are no waivers and anybody released is immediately available (as suggested by @maqroll) However, given the geographical location of this sport, and the fact we're from all over the world in this league (more or less), it could potentially give those unable to stay up into the early hours (Euro time) a disadvantage. Equally, those not able to be around during a gameday. I think 1 day is reasonable enough to give everybody a chance while, also, not holding up the process. Should make things far more fluid. Everyone cool with this? Just trying not to overcomplicate things here as I have quite a bit on at the moment, haha.

Let's not act like he wasn't absolutely loving McDonald's on the ramp.

The man's won everything worth winning with Real Madrid, including multiple Champions Leagues (which is the only thing worth winning at PSG). Why not time for a fun, and financially rewarding, project in the most exciting league on Earth, with fans who'll be excited to see you, and in a city which isn't literally on fire?

I think that's fair, considering how much of a premium (and how injury prone) RBs are. For any further votes, drop in: 4: Flex to be W/T - yes

What an incredible turnaround. 100% would have lost from that position 12 months ago... oh, wait...

Okay, so the league has now been renewed and invites sent. I'll deal with all the settings and draft order and whatnot soon enough. Draft will probably take place a week or so before the season starts (to give us the best chance of avoiding pre-season injuries). In the meantime, these were the suggestions brought up throughout the last season for us to vote on as a group: 1: 0.25 points per carry should be awarded to RBs 2: PPFD (point per first down) instead of PPR (point per reception) 3: Addition of a line backer spot? Please copy/past the suggestions, with a simple yes/no in bold at the end. ex: 1: 0.25 points per carry should be awarded to RBs - yes 2: PPFD (point per first down) instead of PPR (point per reception) - no 3: Addition of a line backer spot? - yes I'll tally these at the end of June.

No, I get all that, but I promise you the excitement would be the same even if the prices were equal. Barnes is a quality player, playing is a dreadful team. Stick him in some random southern european team's squad and change his name to Javier Barnez and some fans would be on their knees for the board to sign them up. Again, not saying all fans and I'm not saying prices aren't higher for English players, but there are some people who fetishise exotic names. Hell, I'm even guilt of it when playing Football Manager (in real life, though, I don't care less whether they're from Madrid or Bognor Regis).

The 'exotic names' tax is real. Not in terms of transfer fee, but certainly with the excitement levels for some British fans.

Yes, yes. I was planning to get this all set up next week, but I'll do it later today. June is my usual earliest to be thinking about it, but I'm pleased to see the eagerness We have a few rule-based things to vote on, too. I'll get these up once I'm home from work.

All the potential new signings need to see is this and they'll sign whatever we tell them to.

If only we had Alemany... he'd know what to do to get this over the line...

Considering the type of negotiator this guy is, it wouldn't surprise me if this (as of this time) unsubstantiated report has come from his camp to try and extract an even better deal from NSWE. Seems weird as Barcelona are adamantly 'Project Messi' right now and, if reports are true, he doesn't want anything to do with it. Nonetheless, I'm sure we'll be fine, with or without. We're in the best possible hands.

Exact same reason he got my vote and I've been pretty critical of him in the past He's been the biggest improver under Unai, without doubt (Watkins a close 2nd - I'm quite shocked by how few votes he has too - and Dougie 3rd)

And not just the one either. Back up is essential in that particular position so we'll need to replace both. It's a shame Bailey hasn't worked out and I love Bert, but I agree neither are the standard we need if we're to push on... not even as bench options.

Outliers do happen, yes.

But that's skewed by possession. If we have the ball for the most of the game, of course they're going to commit a higher total number.

Even if you take the handball moment out of it, the refereeing was still shocking. Almost every 1 on 1 in which a Wolves player went to ground was given, but barely ever the other way around.

Some of the worst officiating I've seen since... well, since our last game. Atrocious. That said, we both dominated the game AND weren't good enough, which says more about Wolves' anti-football than anything else.

To be fair, tidying up the mess at Barcelona was like tidying up the radioactive rubble at Chernobyl, requiring extremely calculated movements and they trusted him with that... and he did what they asked him to do. He was brilliant at Valencia, a club tied up in a massive financial and bureaucratic nightmare (despite having a rich owner).They'd have been in the situation they're currently in - fighting relegation - a few years ago if it wasn't for him steadying the ship for a while. He had nothing to do with either of these club's issues. Real Madrid wanted him. He was exceptional at Mallorca, delivering many players who would go on to become huge stars elsewhere, making the club a lot of money in the process. The club's president stepped aside because he believed Alemany would do a better job and to prevent him from leaving for Madrid. He believed in him that much. The man's record speaks for itself. Nothing but success and remedying complicated scenarios. I'm not calling him the 2nd coming, but I'm not completely sure why anybody would be questioning this appointment.

As a Valencia fan since I visited as a kid, I've lived through the Alemany (and, earlier still, the Unai) era. Alemany closed some solid deals, considering the financial issues we've had (on account of the new stadium construction troubles. A stadium which has just sat there, half built, for just shy of 15 years now.) The club is a joke at the moment. He did great with the resources he was given though.

Life at Barca = do as we say and make it happen within a budget we may, or may not, have... Life at Villa = Do whatever you and the managerial team think is best to do this summer/January, within this solid and well-reasoned budget. Different worlds.

I've read it as 'unlimited, within the boundaries of FFP'