Muntari close to Pompey move

Ghana midfielder Sulley Ali Muntari is close to securing a move to English Premiership side Portsmouth.


Muntari met Portsmouth coach Harry Redknapp on Tuesday ahead of Ghana's 2-0 win over Togo in London.

"I'm close to moving to England and 99 percent of the deal with Portsmouth is completed," Muntari told BBC Sport.

Muntari also paid tribute to Redknapp for expressing interest in signing him.

"Coach Redknapp is a man I have so much respect for," he added.

"He has nurtured many African footballers and I think under him I will make a lot of progress in my career."

Udinese and Portsmouth are negotiating for a transfer fee believed to be around £8.5m (US$16m).

Its a lot of money but i think he would be a very good signing for them.

Was he good for udinese last season?

I'd never seen him befor the WC..

Crap, BSA was supposed to get him.

Tweedledum wrote:Was he good for udinese last season?

I'd never seen him befor the WC..

Not particularly. There are plenty of midfielders who'd cost alot less who performed better last season, let's put it like that.

Obodo > Muntari.

Edit: does this mean the Manuel Fernandes deal is off?

You don't sign African players if you've only seen them play well for their country...

Salif Diao
El-Hadji Diouf
Celestine Babayaro (though he was decent at Chelsea)
Rigobert Song


All prime examples.

El Hadji Diouf is class.

And what about all the other counter examples, JJ Okocha etc...

theflyingfrenchman wrote:El Hadji Diouf is class.

And what about all the other counter examples, JJ Okocha etc...

JJ Okocha had a reputation with Clubs and country .

My point was coaches make the mistake of just judging a player on a month-long tournament.

How many of the Senegal 2002 side were instant hits once they got there big moves?[/i]

Tweedledum wrote:Was he good for udinese last season?

I'd never seen him befor the WC..

He was pretty decent last season but not worth £8m. But i think they are desperate to get players in, plus he is only 22 and i think you have to look at the potential.

Ferdinand Coly...

...Oh fine

the defender Birmingham signed (name escapes me) - the Senegalese captain - did very well for his first season.

Papa Bouba Diop has done well.

theflyingfrenchman wrote:El Hadji Diouf is class.

And what about all the other counter examples, JJ Okocha etc...

Diouf can be class but he does not have the right attitude and as a sqaud member can be a liablity. Plus the spitting thing is a disgrace.

Obispo wrote:Ferdinand Coly...

...Oh fine

the defender Birmingham signed (name escapes me) - the Senegalese captain - did very well for his first season.

Papa Bouba Diop has done well.

This is what I mean. Coly looked a quality Left-Back in the ACN and the WC, but looked like a fish out of water in the EPL. Knowing Bruce, he never went to watch him in Ligue 1.

Aliou Cisse - was a DMF actually. But after that he went to Portsmouth and faded away.

Who was that striker that played for Sunderland for a bit?

top scorer in ACON...

I seem to remember him playing at the back, alongside Cunningham, at the start of his Birmingham career.

Tweedledum wrote:Who was that striker that played for Sunderland for a bit?

top scorer in ACON...

Mboma? The one that played for Parma?

M'boma was actually decent for Parma though.

Still remember his Goal vs. France at Saint-Denis.

TeamSpirit™ wrote:M'boma was actually decent for Parma though.

Probably because he wasn't asked to play like Niall Quinn.

Faye at Bolton looks a good buy. Im not sure how much he cost but he looks good both in defence and midfield.

Where's that phone smiley?

I need to ring Fergie.

Sgoater1 wrote:Faye at Bolton looks a good buy. Im not sure how much he cost but he looks good both in defence and midfield.

1 million€, what a bargain, one of the players of the season.

Talking of decent African footballers Pompey have announced the signing of Kanu on a 1 yr deal. Im not sure how good he is anymore but im sure he can still do a job.

Kanu, Campbell and James....they are getting experiance thats for sure.

if experience is a euphemism for geriatrics.

Obispo wrote:if experience is a euphemism for geriatrics.

yeah those 3 have a combined age of 100.