1. WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

• by Soccer America , Dec 22, 2006

"I know our keeper is wanted by a number of top clubs, but I am willing to let him go to Jiul if the club's owner makes a [$200,000] investment in a gas pipeline that my town needs so much."
-- Cornel Rasmerita, mayor of Romanian city Lupeni and president of Second Division Minerul, offering star goalkeeper Cristian Belgradean to First Division team Jiul to alleviate his city's energy problems. Previous Romanian deals have seen players traded for  half a pig and a crate of wine.