OT - Samuel Eto'o gets PAID
Move over, A-Rod. Great striker, but this HAS to be the most ludicrous sporting contract anywhere in the world, and in the Russian Premiere League of all places. 28 mil+ per term? Astounding...
http://espn.go.com/sports/soccer/news/_/id/6881825/anzhi-makhachkala-ma…
August 21st, 2011 at 9:11 PM ^
Russia oil money gets the job done, no doubt about that
August 21st, 2011 at 9:20 PM ^
Eto'o... I has it!
August 21st, 2011 at 9:19 PM ^
He'll play a year, score a million goals against weaker opponents, then go somewhere he actually wants to play. Russian winters are a bit different than winter in Milan or Barcelona or Camaroon. *shudders*
August 21st, 2011 at 9:55 PM ^
It's a three-year deal, so it looks like he will be spending the remainder of his prime in Russia.
If Rocky could handle the winters there, Eto'o probably can.
August 21st, 2011 at 10:16 PM ^
Has any high profile footballer actually played out the duration of his contract with a particular team? It seems like those dudes move around like crazy. They get tired of the team, turn in a transfer request, and boom, new team at the next transfer window.
August 21st, 2011 at 10:20 PM ^
The problem is that no one is going to pay a transfer fee to inherit that salary unless the deal is seriously restructured. I'm betting that Eto'o will not get too tired of being that rich.
August 21st, 2011 at 10:27 PM ^
August 21st, 2011 at 10:30 PM ^
Even so, it's hard to see someone wanting to get out of that type of salary. If he wasn't interested in gold toilets, he wouldn't be there right now to begin with.
August 21st, 2011 at 10:02 PM ^
I can't believe they play the conventional August-May schedule in Russia. That means, what, half the season is played in potentially snowy conditions?
August 21st, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
They don't. They play an MLS style (summer months) schedule if I remember correctly.
August 21st, 2011 at 9:31 PM ^
Just wait til all that Russian oil money finds its way to Chelsea. We saw Man City manipulate the FIFA finfancial fair play laws when the owner of Man City's cousin gave the most ludicrous sponsorship deal on earth to the Citizens.
When Russian oil gives Chelsea some insane sponsorship deal there will be the most insane spending spree...
And yet niether will be able to compete against Barcelona and La Masia.
August 21st, 2011 at 10:40 PM ^
August 21st, 2011 at 10:48 PM ^
Like you imagine Abramovich really needs a Russian oil deal to spend like an idiot? I'm sure he's got crazy spending covered...see center back Alex who sits on the bench at 11m per year.
As to Manchester City...it's not against the rules (yet).
I hope Eto enjoys his prime in Russia but it's clear he didn't want to play for less money in the Premiership (or Spain for that matter) and against better competition. Eto's a quality player but not worth that money. He's smart to go to Russia where he can dominate against nobodies.
August 22nd, 2011 at 1:44 AM ^
Russian oil money.
He's around the top 50 in individual wealth in the world and #9 in Russia.
August 21st, 2011 at 9:48 PM ^
That's awesome.
Anybody know how LaMarr Woodley did?
August 21st, 2011 at 10:03 PM ^
What? Damn it..
I'm an Inter Fan, not sure how I feel about this.
August 22nd, 2011 at 1:45 AM ^
I hope Sneijder stays.
That said, with Gasperini as coach I expect Milito to playa more central attacking role.
Inter are in financial trouble and need a few years to rebuild. I guess they have had their time in the sun for the moment.
That said, I am looking forward to the new stadium plans they have. Once that is completed, I believe they will return to profitability and invest in quality players.
FORZA INTER
August 21st, 2011 at 10:06 PM ^
For those saying Eto'o is getting oil money, that's not the case (at least not directly). Anzhi's owner is Suleyman Kerimov, who is like a younger, Russian version of Warren Buffett. He briefly controlled an oil company once, but immediately restructured it into something else.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suleyman_Kerimov
At any rate, as an Arsenal fan, this makes me fear that Wenger will hold up Eto'o as an excuse for the market being out of control and why he didn't spend before the window closes.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:08 AM ^
Wenger will always find an excuse for why he didn't buy in a certain transfer window, but being a United fan, I don't mind.
But on topic, I'm not sure Eto'o, or anyone else, for that matter, is worth $28 million per year. That's just an insane amount of money. Good for him, I guess, but I see him wanting out after a year.
August 21st, 2011 at 11:23 PM ^
Had never heard of this club ever until a few days ago when they picked up Zhirkov from Chelsea. Remember thinking, "How is some random no-name Russian club buying decent EPL talent?" I guess having a zillionaire owner is good for business.
August 22nd, 2011 at 9:50 AM ^
Anyone else read Zhirkov as Jerkoff in a bit of a russian accent? Try it, I know you want to.
August 22nd, 2011 at 10:37 AM ^
I didn't want to until you said that but now I can't stop laughing...
/too old to be this juvenile