Transfers that did not happen, Part Fourteen

1- In 1968, Belgium’s Wilfried van Moer almost joined Club Brugge from Antwerp.

He had even signed a pre-contract. Club Brugge dragged on the negotiations hoping to get a reduced fee. One day or so before the transfer deadline Standard Liege came in and offered 3 Million Belgian Francs plus Velko Naumovic.

Antwerp refused as they only wanted money. Standard therefore offered 1 Million more. Brugge counter-offered with 5.5 Million.

Standard Liege offered 6.3 Million Belgian Francs and acquired van Moer, even though the player himself had his mind set on joining Brugge.

Photo From: Mondial, New series, issue 22, January 1982

(Wilfried van Moer during the 1980 Euros)

2- In February 1989, Rangers Glasgow Player-Manager Graeme Souness tried to sign Dynamo Kiev and USSR midfielder Vasily Rats.

Nothing materialized and the player shortly afterwards joined Spain’s RCD Espanol Barcelona.

Photo From: Mondial, new series, Issue 91, October 1987

(Graeme Souness at Rangers Glasgow)

Photo From: World Soccer, April 1989

(USSR’s Vasily Rats)

3- On April 28, 1978, Brazil and Flamengo’s Zico disclosed that Barcelona had contacted him. The offer was refused.

Photo From: Onze, Issue 8, August 1976

(Zico at Flamengo)

4-In the Spring of 1985, it was reported that SV Hamburg’s General Manager Gunter Netzer had tried to sign Kaiserslautern’s Andreas Brehme.

He had offered a substantial fee, in addition Scottish striker Mark McGhee and Jurgen Groh.

SV Hamburg publically denied of making this exchange deal.

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, Issue 5, September October 1979

(Gunter Netzer)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 19, August 1990

(Andreas Brehme, July 4, 1990, World Cup, West Germany 1-England 1)

Photo From: Onze, Issue 89, May 1983

(SV Hamburg’s Jurgen Groh)

Photo From: Fussball Magazin, Issue 1, January February 1985

(Scotland’s Mark McGhee at SV Hamburg, 1984/85)

5-In December 1978, it was reported that Manchester United had approached Austria’s Wacker Innsbruck to sign their International goalkeeper Frierich Koncilia. The deal did not materialize and Koncilia joined Anderlecht the following season.

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 2, 1978

(Austria goalkeeper Friedrich Koncilia)

Error in Casting, Part Four

1- Friedrich Koncilia and Anderlecht 1979

Austrian goalkeeper Friedrich Koncilia of Wacker Innsbruck was signed by Anderlecht Manager Raymond Goethals who had been impressed with his performances with the Austrian national team vs. Belgium in the 1980 UEFA Euro qualifiers in March and May of 1979.

However, his and the team’s poor performances led to the sacking of Goethals early in the 1979/80 season.

Urbain Braems the new manager installed Nico De Bree as the starting goalkeeper and according to Koncilia behind his back was grooming the young Jacques Munaron by individually training him.

Koncilia expressed his displeasure in the media, which led to Braems asking him to depart.

He transferred in the mid-season to FK Austria Vienna, in all he played 8 matches for Anderlecht.

Photo From: Österreichs Fußball Länderspiele Chronik 1902 – 1993, Author: Anton Egger

(Friedrich Koncilia)

2- Bernard Lacombe and Saint Etienne, 1978/79

While not exactly a complete fiasco, nevertheless Lacombe’s season at Saint Etienne was below expectations. The fact that he had arrived from local rivals Olympique Lyonnais did not help matters. He did score a respectable tally of 14 goals, however it was less than his usual output at Lyon.

At the end of the end of the season, Saint Etienne manager Robert Herbin signed Dutch striker Johnny Rep from Bastia which signaled Lacombe’s departure.

He transferred to Bordeaux and won three League titles with them.

Photo From: Onze, issue 33, September 1978

(Bernard Lacombe with Saint Etienne, 1978)

3- Gheorge Hagi, Real Madrid 1990/92 and Barcelona 1994/96

Romanian superstar Gheorge Hagi has the distinction of having disappointing spells with both giants of Spanish Football. He joined Real Madrid in 1990 from Steaua Bucharest and much was expected him. After two poor seasons he left Real and joined Italy’s Brescia. After a couple of seasons, he again rose to prominence in leading Romania’s impressive performances during the 1994 World Cup. Barcelona Manager Johann Cruyff eagerly signed him as a replacement for Michael Laudrup. However, his Barcelona stay was just as unimpressive and after two seasons departed to Galatasaray in 1996.

Photo From: World Soccer, October 1990

(Gheorge Hagi with Real Madrid, 1990)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 74, March 1995

(Gheorge Hagi , August 11, Bayern Munich 3-Barcelona 0, Summer Friendly)

4- Peter Davenport and Manchester United, 1986/88

English striker Peter Davenport made his name with Nottingham Forest with Brian Clough as Manager (1982/86). He was signed by Ron Atkinson as a prospective replacement for Mark Hughes who was to join Barcelona.

Atkinson would be sacked and replaced by Alex Ferguson. Despite scoring from time to time, he was never near as prolific as his Forest days and never won over the fans. When in 1988, Mark Hughes returned, he was transferred out to Middlesbrough.

Photo From: England, Player by Player, Author: Graham Betts

(Peter Davenport with Manchester United)

5- Johnny Ekstroem, Bayern Munich, 1988/89

Young Swedish striker Johnny Ekstroem joined Bayern Munich from relegated Italian club Empoli in the summer of 1988. However, he never really impressed and failed to settle. In an interview he stated that he was still to young to join a squad of Bayern’s stature and should have waited until he was at least 27.

Following his solitary season, he joined French club Cannes.

Photo From: World Soccer, December 1991

(Johnny Ekstroem with Bayern Munich, 1988/89)

Old Match Photographs-Part 20b

Photo From: Azzurri, Storia della Nazionale di calcio tre volte campioni del Mondo, 1910-1983

(Italy’s Roberto Boninsegna)

Photo From:  år med Svensk Fotboll 1904-84, Author Glanell Thomas red

(Glenn Stromberg wearing an exchanged Italy jersey, May 29, 1983, European Championship Qualifier, Italy 2-Sweden 0)

Photo From: år med Svensk Fotboll 1904-84, Author Glanell Thomas red

(Olle Nordin during IFK Norkopping’s UEFA Cup matchups vs. Internazionale Milano in October/November 1972)

Photo From: A-Laget, Norges 25 storste fotballspillere gjennom tidene, Authors Svein Saeter, Johan L. Oiestad

(Norway players during 1936 Berlin Olympics, Arne Brustad, Alf Martinsen, Henry ‘Tippen’ Johansen, Magnar Isaksen, Reidar Kvammen)

Photo From: 100 Melhores do Futebol Portugues, Volume II

(Luis Figo with Barcelona)

Photo From:  100 Anni del Campionato del Calcio

(Bologna’s West German player Helmut Haller, 1964/65)

Photo From:  100 Anni del Campionato del Calcio

(Uruguay’s Pedro Petrone and Carlos Gringa with Fiorentina in the 1930s)

Photo From: 100 Anni del Campionato del Calcio

(Genoa’s Renzo de Vecchi and Claudio Casanova)

Photo From: 90 minutes, March 26, 1994

(Uruguay and Internazionale Milano’s Ruben Sosa, 1993/94)

Photo From: 90 minutes, March 19, 1994

(Leeds United’s Chris Fairclough and Southampton’s Matthew Le Tissier, March 5, 1994, Leeds United 0-Southampton 0)

Photo From: 90 minutes, March 12, 1994

(Arsenal’s Alan Smith, March 15, 1994, Cup Winners Cup, Arsenal 1-Torino 0)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3559, 1987

(Jurgen Klinnsman, in his second cap, and Jose Luis Brown, December 16, 1987, Argentina 1-West Germany 0)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3743, 1991

(Claudio Taffarel and Claudio Caniggia, during the 1990 World Cup Caniggia scored against Taffarel, June 27, 1991, Brazil 1-Argentina 1)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3430, 1985

(Daniel Passarella’s tying goal that qualified Argentina, June 30, 1985, World Cup Qualifier, Argentina 2-Peru 2)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3376, 1984

(Claudio Marangoni and Tita, June 17, 1984, Brazil 0-Argentina 0)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3274, 1982

(Austria goalkeeper Friedrich Koncilia)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3272, 1982

(Diego Maradona scoring from a narrow angle, June 18, 1982, World Cup, Argentina 4-Hungary 1)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3239, 1981

(October 28, 1981, Argentina 1-Poland 2)

Photo From: El Grafico, No. 3163, 1980

(Juan Barbas, May 16, 1980, Republic of Ireland 0-Argentina 1)

Photo From: A Gazeta Esportiva - 1/09/1978

(Serginho training with sunglasses, special thanks to Blog viewer Avz for providing this photo)