The Player We Should Sign First

[Red Nick]

Slovakia kept up the pressure on Portugal at the summit of Group Three by defeating mid-table Estonia 2-1 away. All the goals came in the second half, with Marek Mintal and Lubomir Reiter overturning Andres Oper's opener.

 

There was talk about us being interested earlier in the season, he's scored nearly 20 goals from Midfield for a struggling Nurnberg team, apparently they call him the ghost as no one seems to pick him up, a bit like Terry Mac.

 

Anyway one to keep an eye out for.

[Bare]

Slovakia kept up the pressure on Portugal at the summit of Group Three by defeating mid-table Estonia 2-1 away. All the goals came in the second half, with Marek Mintal and Lubomir Reiter overturning Andres Oper's opener.

 

There was talk about us being interested earlier in the season, he's scored nearly 20 goals from Midfield for a struggling Nurnberg team, apparently they call him the ghost as no one seems to pick him up, a bit like Terry Mac.

 

Anyway one to keep an eye out for.

 

I've never heard of him.

 

How old is he and what sort of price is he likely to leave for? Are there any clubs rumoured to be after him?

[Rashid]

Worth a mintal Mar 27 2005

 

With Dylan Younger, Sunday Sun (NOT The S*n)

 

Liverpool are weighing up a summer move for one of Germany's newest stars.

 

The Merseysiders have been alerted to the attacking form of goalscoring midfielder Marek Mintal, of newly- promoted Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg.

 

The 27-year-old Slovakian international has plundered 21 league goals so far this season, leaving him just one goal behind Arsenal's Thierry Henry in the race for Europe's Golden Boot.

 

Nicknamed "The Phantom" for his ability to arrive in the box late and undetected, the £100,000 signing recently admitted: "My dream is to play for a big club like Bayern Munich in the future".

[Red Nick]

The price being touted around before was 4M ish

 

As for the other questions i am sure someone else would have the answers,

 

I remember reading something on LFC.tv media watch and asked my friend in Augsburg about him and he told me his nick name and that Nurnberg fans would be devastated if he left.

 

I would presume other bigger German teams would be in for him if he's any good. The fact he's a full international and is scoring at that level as well means we should have a very good look at him.

 

Anyone seen him play etc.

[Bare]

Worth a mintal Mar 27 2005

 

With Dylan Younger, Sunday Sun (NOT The S*n)

 

Liverpool are weighing up a summer move for one of Germany's newest stars.

 

The Merseysiders have been alerted to the attacking form of goalscoring midfielder Marek Mintal, of newly- promoted Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg.

 

The 27-year-old Slovakian international has plundered 21 league goals so far this season, leaving him just one goal behind Arsenal's Thierry Henry in the race for Europe's Golden Boot.

 

Nicknamed "The Phantom" for his ability to arrive in the box late and undetected, the £100,000 signing recently admitted: "My dream is to play for a big club like Bayern Munich in the future".

 

I'm always dubious about players who arrive on the scene fairly late. "Germany's newest stars" he's 27. Where has he been for the last 8 years?

 

I know some players do develop late but is this guy a one season wonder or has he been playing to this standard for some time?

[Red Nick]

Worth a mintal Mar 27 2005

 

With Dylan Younger, Sunday Sun (NOT The S*n)

 

Liverpool are weighing up a summer move for one of Germany's newest stars.

 

The Merseysiders have been alerted to the attacking form of goalscoring midfielder Marek Mintal, of newly- promoted Bundesliga side FC Nurnberg.

 

The 27-year-old Slovakian international has plundered 21 league goals so far this season, leaving him just one goal behind Arsenal's Thierry Henry in the race for Europe's Golden Boot.

 

Nicknamed "The Phantom" for his ability to arrive in the box late and undetected, the £100,000 signing recently admitted: "My dream is to play for a big club like Bayern Munich in the future".

 

thats interesting that someone else is running the story because the LFC media watch was a couple of months back unless its just a rehash of that story.

[Red Nick]

I'm always dubious about players who arrive on the scene fairly late. "Germany's newest stars" he's 27. Where has he been for the last 8 years?

 

I know some players do develop late but is this guy a one season wonder or has he been playing to this standard for some time?

 

I fully accept your points but for me the fact he's scoring at international level means we should have a good look at him.

 

The fact he was only signed for 100k means Rafa's totally right about the scouting network, they are out there if you know where to look.

[Red Nick]

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/archivedirs/mediawatch/2005/jan/MW7469050114-1511.htm

 

found the original article

[Guest charlie potatoe]

I'm always dubious about players who arrive on the scene fairly late. "Germany's newest stars" he's 27. Where has he been for the last 8 years?

maybe perfecting (should that be perfekting) his craft in the german lower leagues... to be honest with you I'm more wary of young signings (plenty of which we've made) who are meant to be the best thing since tits who then go on to utter mediocrity.

 

Yeah, I'm elooknig at you, Bruno, Anthony, Salif, El Hadji...

[Bare]

maybe perfecting (should that be perfekting) his craft in the german lower leagues... to be honest with you I'm more wary of young signings (plenty of which we've made) who are meant to be the best thing since tits who then go on to utter mediocrity.

 

Yeah, I'm elooknig at you, Bruno, Anthony, Salif, El Hadji...

 

Yes but they were different. These are the little Gem, the new Zidane and Viera and the sensation of the 2002 World Cup we are talking about. How could anybody not pay over 20 million for these future superstars.

[Guest charlie potatoe]

Personally, I'd think £4m is worth a punt on a mature player from a physical league with a proven goalscoring record at both national and international level.

[lifetime fan]

Personally, I'd think £4m is worth a punt on a mature player from a physical league with a proven goalscoring record at both national and international level.

 

agreed, we would all like Rafa to go out and buy Nedved but the reality is we couldn't afford him so we may see a few suprising names this summer along with two or three better known players.

[Red Nick]

Personally, I'd think £4m is worth a punt on a mature player from a physical league with a proven goalscoring record at both national and international level.

 

 

yep agreed and in answer to Bare's point Mintal joined the Black-and-Red's in 2003 from Slovakian outfit MSK Zilina and played a vital role in helping Nurnberg to win promotion back to the German top-flight. so the reason we havent heard of him before is he was playing in slovackian football and then the German 2nd division, this is his first full season in the German first division and suddenly everybody's heard of him, i wish we had a player who had scored 21 goals for us this season and remember Nurnberg arent challenging for honours as well

 

Defo got to be better than Diao, Diouf, Smicer, Cheyrou & Co.

[Red Nick]

One more point on this we defo need a very good scout for Eastern Europe, places such as Slovakia, Poland, Serbia, Hungary & Croatia obviously have a lot of talent waiting to be found, it always seems to be the German & Italian teams who find these players.

[Street Preacher]

I read an article in world soccer magazine,which focussed on six of the top scorers in europe.Marek Mintal was one of these.It said that he's won the Slovak golden boot twice,and last season was the top scorer in the German second division.It also said that usually top scorers in the second division usually struggle when making the jump to the Bundesliga.

[dave u]

How many of his goals are pens? If it's a low number, then his scoring record from midfield is ace. Only thing is, David Platt had a great goalscoing record could couldn't do anything else. What type of player is this guy?

[Street Preacher]

Not sure about the pens but in the article it says "The 27 year old who lines up in an advanced central midfield position,is not at all the classic playmaker;Slovakia's player of the year for 2004 prefers tireless running and simple, short passes to creative flair."

[Red Nick]

How many of his goals are pens? If it's a low number, then his scoring record from midfield is ace. Only thing is, David Platt had a great goalscoing record could couldn't do anything else. What type of player is this guy?

 

i havent got a clue what he's like hence why i posted this as maybe someone has seen him play.

 

For me the fact he is doing it at International level as well means he's worth a look.

 

he was brought for 100k a snip and we defo need a top scout in that area of the world. The Czec Republic is obviousy known very well but slovakia might produce some gems at great prices, lets not forget that Slovakia and the Czec Republic used to be the same country once.

[Street Preacher]

He's got 26goals in 26 games.NO pens

[Red Nick]

Not sure about the pens but in the article it says "The 27 year old who lines up in an advanced central midfield position,is not at all the classic playmaker;Slovakia's player of the year for 2004 prefers tireless running and simple, short passes to creative flair."

 

Sounds a bit like Leonardsen then :eek:

[Street Preacher]

I reckon Bayern will deffo be in for him.They sign every decent player from their league.If Mintal did join Bayern,Ballack might become available.He hasn't been a success their,but maybe he'd do a good job for us.I can't believe that Mintal doesn't take the pens though.Unless they haven't had any.

[Red Nick]

He's got 26goals in 26 games.NO pens

 

now thats fucking good in any league, even in Scotland let alone the 4th best league in Europe

[vib]

He's got 26goals in 26 games.NO pens

 

From midfield?!?!!?!

 

That's fucking unbelievable!

[Red Nick]

just looked up Nurnberg's position they are 14th of 18, probably wont get relegated and have scored 44 goals all season and Mintal has scored over half of them if the 26 is right but its at least 50% of the goals.

 

Anyone who's seen him play it would be good to get a view of what you think.

[Red Nick]

I reckon Bayern will deffo be in for him.They sign every decent player from their league.If Mintal did join Bayern,Ballack might become available.He hasn't been a success their,but maybe he'd do a good job for us.I can't believe that Mintal doesn't take the pens though.Unless they haven't had any.

 

the only thing in our favour would be that Nurnberg would prefer to sell to us rather than Bayern as they are Bavarian neighbours and wouldnt want to strenghen the other teams especially as they now look like staying up.