Oct 09
United News During International Breaks
Things one can do during international breaks:
- Refresh Newsnow for updates on the latest 12 year old sensation
- Watch reruns of Law and Order
- Try to maintain interest in Heroes despite the show losing its first season magic.
- Listen to some football podcasts if it helps
- Go to work.
- Try other sports.
- Listen to (and watch) John McCain’s laugh — on loop.
- Try to listen to Sarah Palin speak but end up looking at her.
Not much really and, whilst Scott has managed to keep churning out remarkable number of posts even during the drought that is the international break, I’ve slacked off completely. While I am currently groaning under the increased volume of work in my offline life, I still think the international break hasn’t helped much either.
A spokesman for the Glazers said that the credit crunch won’t affect United. I am not sure to take this as spin, or actual truth but no one can really be safe, especially not if you have debts as much as £600m+. At the same time, we are also, on the surface, a pretty well run club.
Gideon Haigh, a cricket writer and historian primarily — someone who I have great regard for — has an article on the Guardian on the business of modern sport in times of the credit crunch, with primary emphasis on football (as well as bringing about the example of United).
Speaking of debt, Michel Platini seems intent on getting debt ridden clubs banned from the Champions’ League. While the idea, of forcing clubs to balance their books, is well intentioned, it doesn’t take into account the fact that debt is not always bad especially if the interest is serviceable — which was David Gill’s contention.
In international football news, Rio Ferdinand had some words to say on Sepp Blatter’s handling of racism:
“The football authorities need to look at themselves. Sepp Blatter likes to speak up about things that are good for Fifa’s image. I would love to see them stand up and dish out the right punishments for these incidents. They make a lot of comments about what they are going to do but they never back up the words with actions. Croatia were fined a few thousand quid. What good is that going to do? That is not going to stop people shouting racist or homophobic abuse. If things like this keep happening you have to take points off them. Then the punters will realise the team is going to be punished.”
True words indeed. Racism, needless to say, is a big, big issue and a serious one at that. It’s shocking, in the first place, that lot of people can be openly racist even in a sporting arena. It’s a sad thing, and current FIFA efforts to “kick racism out of football” isn’t adequate.
Oh well, I am off to attend to my morning chores.
Till tomorrow, I hope.
Related items from Red Rants:- Brief International Roundup + Berbatov’s Fitness Regime
- Ronaldo Scores, Players Come Through Unscathed… So Far
- Some Site News
- A Television Themed Round-Up
- Craig Gordon to Manchester United?
Tags: Daily Roundup
October 9th, 2008 at 10:12
FIFA are a complete disgrace, they compain about English clubs being run on debt and could be excluded from the Champions league for being in such a financial situation. Platini talks about wage caps, mmmm was he talking about wage caps when he was playing for Juve? I think not.
But Croatia who’s fans make monkey noises towards Emile Heskey escape with a £15,000 fine, surely this is completely wrong.
Racism is a cancer and should be eliminated from the game, rather than worring about the finances of English clubs, they should be stamping down on this problem, or is ot me!?!?!?
October 9th, 2008 at 10:24
RR. You forget to put playing video games ala FIFA 09 into the “can do” list. Its feckin boring time I tell you, but this will be over soon. One more week left and our thougths are on beating WBA. And until that, school and FIFA is what Im gonna do.
October 9th, 2008 at 11:05
Real consistantly make a huge loss, which their government write off in the interests of national pride. Racism of course is a vile thing, but maybe they were making donkey noises to Heskey?
October 9th, 2008 at 13:25
Thing to do during international break time. Watch Man Utd reserves play piss poor 1st half game against Bolton, with no attempts on goal really. Mmmmm, remind you of the first team then?. Second half 3 goals, all good and worthy of a mention, Macheda AGAIN, and he made the assists for the 2nd two goals. 1st half though zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz football
. So I look forward to watching England saturday, hope that isn’t a bore. Also Portugal game with Ronnie and Nani if CQ plays them both. Scotland and Ireland internationals too. So weekend should be good re seeing some football for us Brits 
.
October 9th, 2008 at 13:39
@Craig Mc: Sounds good to me mate, looking forward to it!
October 9th, 2008 at 14:29
I dont mind watching law and order reruns, i love the series. In football tho there aint much.
October 9th, 2008 at 15:05
@Craig Mc: i wathced the reserves game, and dang! what a beautifully struck thunderbolt from cleverley! and Rio is set to captain the 3lions ‘coz crybaby super rentboy is doubtful.
October 9th, 2008 at 15:06
@count berbatov: Funny that he was fit on Sunday.
October 9th, 2008 at 16:33
Wayne Rooney talking about his form
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=580443&sec=worldcup2010&cc=3888
October 9th, 2008 at 16:45
i think crybaby terry got his injury back,
October 9th, 2008 at 17:39
@count berbatov:
, it will be good if Rio captains England, because he should have got the captaincy in the first place. But then I am biased 
.
Stephen, will the misfit Gerrard and Lampard be playing together for England. Might be another nightmare debacle if they do
.
Matthew, don’t you watch any of the International games mate?. What Nationality are you?.
October 9th, 2008 at 17:47
@Wheezy: Mmmmm, he’s more honest than many fans in his admission of poor performances
. Good for him. I hope we do get to see the great Rooney of old and that consistently.
October 9th, 2008 at 17:56
@Stephen: FIFA and UEFA and the FA are all a disgrace but like the articles I posted yesterday show, that football is heading towards a cliff similar to the one the Persians fell off of in the movie 300. Fiscal responsibility and controlled measures like spending caps and other restrictions in terms of who is qualified to buy teams needs to be seriously looked at. Trust me, the Glazer’s are in a world of shite right now. They may not want to admit it but no American millionaire investment or entrepreneurial group is sailing along right now without incredible worries and a baggage of debt, loss of assets and sorrow.
The Glazer’s like all multimillionaires have invested their money heavily in the markets. That is how their initial wealth has increased over their families business history. Teams like Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Manchester United are nothing more than a tax shelter for them. Problem is those tax shelters can’t afford to show a profit or they get taxed in their respective countries. So they work through this by creating a debt system to hide their own personal capital. That system may have been safe and secure for the Glazer’s up until last month. Now with the crash, I’m not so sure.
My prediction for the beginning of next season is that United will have new ownership from the Middle East as well as a new advertising deal replacing the one with the woefully in trouble AIG. In this present age of economics, the only safe investors seem to be oil barons or cartels. So it’s time the world’s biggest club started to swim in it’s own pool of black gold as well. I don’t like it but then again I don’t like debt and the insecurity that has come with the Glazer’s. Yes to their credit they have run United well by leaving the actual running of the club to those who know what they are doing. No meddling is greatly appreciated. But then again, the world’s biggest club shouldn’t have to sell Saha and loan out Campbell in order to find the needed cash to buy Berbatov. There are times that we honestly seem a small step above Liverpool financially. That worries me. United need to go into transfer talks with very deep pockets. No team should have more leverage against us for bidding on players based on money. But then again, all teams need to be reigned in and controlled because the buying and and selling of players for astronomical fees has got to stop for the good of the game and smaller market teams.
If only FIFA, UEFA and the FA were run by visionary and highly intelligent men instead of the total assholes that hold the top seats right now. Football is heading for disaster like a runaway train going over 200 clicks. At some point it will have to make a sharp turn and it will derail. Sorry for the rough analogy but we are headed for disaster. Unfortunately too many fans care about nothing more than if their team wins on Saturday. People need to get involved like in politics and make a point of letting their teams and the governing bodies that they are mad as Hell and not willing to take it any more.
We need harsh and strict measures that will be even and fair for all. That’s if we all want to save the game we love. I’m tired of the haves and have nots in football. I’d rather have the game run with a little more socialism. Fair play is constantly being trumped about. How about off the field and in the board rooms too? Let the best teams win based on their quality player development, selecting of player and superior strategy, tactics, training and man management of their managers and coaches. Let them determine the outcome of games. That would ensure success for United because with Fergie, we always win.
October 9th, 2008 at 18:17
@Craig Mc: It looks like it mate, God give me strength!!
@Grognard: Superb post mate.
October 9th, 2008 at 18:32
@Grognard: great post mate.
i agree with all your points specially about the assholes reigning the helm of football’s governing bodies.
October 9th, 2008 at 20:51
Nice one Grog!
October 9th, 2008 at 21:24
@Grognard: I am not sure how investing in sports team would be a tax shelter for the investors. Would you mind explaining.
October 9th, 2008 at 21:24
@Grognard: Really good Grog! You have impressed me lots of times, but never before like this time. Hopefully Football can go back to whta it used to be, and everything would be great. Get a good leader for FIFA and UEFA and kick Blatter and Platini out of their big arsed chairs. I would have liked Bobby Charlton to take over for UEFA, but he is probably too old, while I would like Solskjaer, in the future, to take over for FIFA. Who is more respected in this footballing world more than Ole? He is a legend, a great humna being and his work with UNICEF should help him a lot. I say SOLSKJÆR for FIFA and CHARLTON for UEFA. Maybe its a little too United, but its certanly better than Platini and Balder. Sorry for misspellings, Im just really tired.
October 9th, 2008 at 21:38
Last comment before I go to sleep. Rooney is great and he has always been critical to himself. But Fergie has changed him. Rooneys debut, he played as a CF, got 3 goals and 1 assist. Next games were against Birmingham, Boro and Arsenal. Brum game: Played as one of 4(!) striker, who coan really do that. Saha, Ruud, Smith and Rooney all on the field. No-one found their feet. Boro games, hit the post, got to some chances. Arsenal game he won the penalty and scored the 2-0 goal. As the season progressed he played with Smith(who was great then), Ruud(who was injured in 3 months and had his worst season ever) and Saha(who scored 2 goals and was- as usual- injured for 9 months of the season)
Next season he played with Ruud and Saha. His best season cause he got a regular partner. The first half of the season he played with Ruud, the second with Saha. Scored 20 goals and played his best season for us. When he has a regular partner he does well. Next season he played with Saha, Smith, Giggs and Larsson. Saha was the player he played with the most and that says how many different strike partners he had. Last season he played regulary with Tevez and could have scored 25 goals or more if he hadnt been injured for so many parts of the season. This season he plays with Berba and Tevez. At least one of them so its really important he stays ft. If he does that, then Im confident he can score more than 20 goals this season. In may I will say: “I told you Rooney would be the player of the season!” Our top scorer, top assists and the most games this season is gonna be Rooney. Mark my words, he has shown glimpses of his real self. Im beggind him just to stay fit and play well. The longer he does that, the more games we will win. Like Scholes was our player in 2007, Ronaldo in 2008, Rooney is gonna be in 2009. Ballon dÒr anyone?
October 9th, 2008 at 21:38
@RedDevilEddy:
, how do you know Blatter and Platini sit in Big Arsed chairs?. You been in their offices then Eddy 
.
October 9th, 2008 at 21:41
Man, I feel like Im drugged, have swum over the atlantic, fought with a shark and got beaten up by Mohammed Ali!
Im going to bed, see you guys tomorrow. Its gonna be party time, Im gonna play my friends in a FIFA 09 tounament tomorrow. And guess who I think is gonna win… 
Good night everybody!
October 9th, 2008 at 21:44
@RedDevilEddy: The best ambassador for the game and who should be running FIFA because of his understanding and comprehension of business terminology and practice is none other than Franz Beckenbauer. Now he is friends with Blatter but he is not Blatter. Other than that, get a real liberal to run things because the fat cats have had too much clout over the years. and by fat cats I mean the Spaniards and the Italians. England may be the biggest abuser of the status quo right now but it has always been Italy and Spain who have been the forerunners and front runners in this inequality and irresponsible brand of business. Call it bias but we need somebody who has no ties to those leagues to create a better climate, rules and laws for turning things around. I love Ole and Charlton but one may be too old and the other too young. Also, both have never shown to have a skill in organizing and in business. The Kaiser is the man for the future.
October 9th, 2008 at 22:55
@Grognard: Umm Actually the Kaiser is also the friends with the Charlton. They have been friends since Chralton had hair!
October 9th, 2008 at 23:11
@Grognard: We didnt have to sell Saha to fund the Count. Fergie had lost all patience for Balsa Boy, I mean I have never heard of a player getting hurt going from the dressing room to the pitch. Saha is a great talent when fit but… well we all know the rest.
God I hate these FIFA breaks.jkgikfjdsakvnknsigjhsigrsgisgirsgaigsigsa
October 9th, 2008 at 23:18
@Grognard: since the financial situation is on your mind mate I just thought that I would get your take on the discreetly ongoing process of merging America, Canada and Mexico into one functioning entity with its own currency the Amero.
The same thing is going on here in Europe and I cant stop getting the feeling that dark forces with sinister motives have created this financial situation to further strengthen their globalist agenda.
October 9th, 2008 at 23:30
Grognard got to say that your comment number 13 was one of the best comments i have read on here. I agreed with every word. Maybe you should try to get on these fifa boards and actually tell them what football is all about, as blatter, platini dont seem to have a f ing clue.
October 9th, 2008 at 23:33
Craig Mc, in answer to your question of what nationality i am, i am half english and half italian. I just dont enjoy watching international football as it is always dull, so prefer to watch other things.
October 10th, 2008 at 0:39
@Fred The Red: whoooooo dude
paranoid much?
hahaha jk man i wouldnt be surprised you ever seen or heard any of Alex Jones stuff? look him up on youtube crazy stuff. look into bohemian grove he has a documentary abt it scarry though some of his shit looks flaky. For stuff you can back up and feel more scholarly than conspiracy theorist look at Noam Chompsky brilliant dude.
u right we havent gotten anything for him yet. he went on a free with cash based on him playing and shit. hope he scores 30 for them
October 10th, 2008 at 0:48
@Fred The Red: DO you really see the US and Canada linking their economy’s with Mexico? You are having a laugh.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:13
@Red Diablo: I know he is friends with Charlton. What’s the point?
October 10th, 2008 at 2:15
@johnsom33: I find it funny that we waited until a day before we bought Berbatov to sell Saha. AH yes I think the Saha money was vital in buying Berba. Don’t kid yourself. United’s transfer kitty was probably down to 20 mil and they need 10 or 12 more through that sale and through adding Campbell into the deal.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:18
@Fred The Red: I won’t say it will never happen because all it takes it a treasonous leader like our former PM Brian Mulroney to pull off some kind of deal that would screw over Canadians. As for Mexico, it will never happen. Americans hate Mexicans except of course for those who are of Mexican heritage. They already know how difficult it is to live in America. No that won’t happen in my lifetime although I would be for it in order to get the Military Channel and HBO.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:20
@Grognard: But we didn’t receive anything for Saha(yet) and we should have paid for Berbatov, haven’t we? We don’t start gaining anything from Saha until he starts getting more time for Everton, his fees are on a performance related basis, so i really doubt his sale was to fund Berba.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:36
@johnsom33: just google {North American Union} my freind and see what comes up, you will be surprised to see what your leaders are hatching behind your back
October 10th, 2008 at 2:45
@gator: Yes, I have heard of Alex Jones and have watched all his documentaries, Im not sure if he is right all the time, but he is right some of the time and the things he is right about are disturbing to say the least, as for the Bohemian Grove theres no doubt about its existence coz many political leaders have admitted to attending it.
October 10th, 2008 at 2:49
@Fred The Red: Hahahaha, I have a friend just like you. He also believes 911 was a conspiracy but I digress. Tell me, what would The united states have to gain by abandoning the Dollar, or linking economy’s with Mexico? Tell me “who” is hatching this plan behind the publics back, yet cant sneak it by you? Im all for a good conspiracy but atleast make it thought provoking.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:01
@Grognard: Didnt we buy Beatov on the deadline? There really wasnt much time after the Saha deal. The only reason it took so long is because Levy and Camoli are feckin idiots and they thought stalling the deal would end up hurting United cause it would give the count no time to settle in. While that part worked it also blew up in their face because losing both the Count and Keane has proven to be a disaster.
I am not taking a dig at you when I say this… You seem to comprehend the money aspect far mor than most on this site, yet you always go on and on about how United are 1 day away from being leeds(ok that is a exagerration) but you are leading the charge when it comes to gloom and doom about the Glazers and finances. You take every transfer as a sign that we have no money. Ill admit that I wanted some more signing this summer, but we had no idea Possebon and Raphael were so close to challenging for a place in the first team. Obviously Fergie had some idea, and he would rather give the “kids” a chance then get in a bidding war with chelsea or Barca for Bosingwa or Alves.
Ill admit that I am worried about how the global crash has affected the Glazers, but Im gonna need a little more than the Saha deal as proof of their economic demise.
October 10th, 2008 at 3:25
@johnsom33: without getting into a full scale debate with you my freind which I dont want to do, I will briefly try to answer your question, but please, dont think that Im claiming to be smarter or wiser than the public coz Im not, and until I was presented with the opinions of some very credible and well educated people, I too was sceptical of the so called conspiracy theorists.
But getting back to your question, the American people would gain nothing by this merger, but the people who are hatching this plot see the formation of a global government as superior to the soveriegnty of individual nations, they are a political and ruling elite who use the political systems through out the world to advance their cause and patriotism and individual national interests mean nothing to them.
My freind, their goals are well documented and are no longer in the realm of theory, you just need to look at the evidence with an open mind and then make your mind up.
As for your freind thinking that 911 has a lot of questions that need answered, better men than me think that he is right.
October 10th, 2008 at 4:57
@johnsom33: I think the Glazer’s are hurting and they were severely overextended before the crash. The crash is truly a death knell and I can just see the walls beginning to crumble. Do not be surprised of a sale of the the team that comes completely out of the blue like the Man City sale. It’s going to happen. In this uncertain and economically shaky period in history, The Glazer’s are in over their heads. They are brought up on the age old American way of doing business which is borrow against your wealth and then insure. They never use their own money because frankly, they don’t have the billions that Oil Barons have. They are pretenders when it comes to millionaires. The game is headed in a direction where it can only continue to do what it does by having billionaires as owners. There’s not that many of those out there and so football needs to wake up and smell the coffee. United is used to playing with the big boys but their owners are a sham and total pretenders. “I have a bad feeling about this” (Han Solo 1976).
October 10th, 2008 at 5:33
@Grognard: I wish I could be a pretend Millionaire like the Glazer’s…
October 10th, 2008 at 7:28
i think post 13 by grognard is probably the best post ever written on this blog by someone other than RR and penguin, magnificent mate every word i agreed with is there a way we could make you fifa president and get rid of that joke Blatter?
October 10th, 2008 at 7:35
@johnsom33: Ok. Let’s get one thing clear. About the doom and Gloom! Yup that is Grognard! THE Prince of Fucking Darkness!
October 10th, 2008 at 8:07
@Wheezy: You can. Just buy FIFA 09 and millionaire yourself silly.
October 10th, 2008 at 9:26
@Mr.Muhozi: Thanks for the kind words. I’ll officially make you my campaign manager when I decide to run for FIFA President. And thanks to the others who appreciate the post.
I strongly believe in what wrote and I am glad to see other like minded individuals who share my concerns and feelings. I love this game too much to see greed, stupidity and financial carelessness destroy it. While most people laugh and scoff at those suggestions, all I have to say is remember in 2000 when many scoffed at people who claimed that the Bush Presidency would lead America into the dark abyss of Hell. Well it looks like they are entering that abyss or have already done so. Football is headed for disaster and what really bothers me is that sane intelligent men with vision and fiscal responsibility could easily change the direction and make things very positive. Instead, FIFA and UEFA continues to be run by clowns who seem to get away with anything or do nothing all at once. They seem to answer to nobody. What gives?
When will the game wake up to these problem and when will governments like the EU realize that they have contributed to this lunacy by not allowing football to govern itself accordingly. Instead stringent and reformist changes are not allowed to happen because they break EU labor laws. What a load of total rubbish. We are dealing with a game and leagues where the main employees are all millionaires. My heart really bleeds for poor Johnny Bosman. Please, bring back some sanity to this game somebody. The problem is a European problem because that is where the money is. To cure the problem you have to inject sanity in Europe before it spreads to the rest of the world.
Two things have to stop for things to improve in the game. Letting anybody with a briefcase and a bank account buy a team especially with loans or credit of other types, and allowing unlimited players from foreign lands to come and play in a given country and then paying them 80 times what their market value is. The game has to become more domesticated and it must cater and service it’s domestic market first and foremost. Honestly, where are the Italians on Inter Milan? That’s Argentina’s practice roster over there. Arsenal has done wonders for French and African players but other than Theo Walcott, what has Wneger done for the British in developing the game? Chelsea are a joke and Roman Abramovich is the Antichrist in this debate. He may not have started the insanity but he has certainly fueled it with his wasteful and irresponsible spending and total disregard for the league and the game he is slowly but surely destroying.
Then you have greedy oil consortium’s like the Man City group and the infamous Dubai group who want to flash around their billions yet I seriously doubt they give a damn about the game, it’s history in England and what this temporary hobby will do to the city of Manchester and to the league that allows them to get away with bloody murder. And what about United? Can we just sit back and wait for the clubs possible or is it imminent collapse due to the fact we allowed an American investor to come and buy the team with bloody loans that are so astronomical that they could have bailed out Wall Street with just the interest payments alone. OK the last comment was major exaggeration but I think most of you are smart enough to get my jest there. Bottom line is the game is setting itself up and structuring itself in the same manner the banks in America did when they started loaning too much money and giving out high mortgages to people who could not afford them.
Right off the top of my head I can think of teams like Liverpool, Man Utd, West Ham, Newcastle, Man City (before the recent buyer), Valencia in Spain and others who have leveraged their future in massive debt just so that they can play with the big teams who have the capital to play the game with ugly greed disregard and carelessness.
One shouldn’t worry too much about Man Utd. They are the biggest club in the world not because of their wealth (remember the massive debt), but because of their popularity and great potential to always make money. Their world popularity will ensure that even if the Glazer’s lose it all and default on their loans, someone like the Dubai Group will come out of the fog to buy the team, save it and probably make it even wealthier than before. But what about the teams less fortunate like Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham, Everton etc? What happens to them? They don’t have such great world appeal and their licensing isn’t big enough to draw a lot of interest from billionaires. And lets remember, there are only so many of those supposed footy loving billionaires out there. How many teams will be so lucky that when they crash, somebody will be there to build them back up again? Where have all the rich English investors and owners gone? Why does Corporate England not give a damn about there beloved sport enough to invest in it and keep the bloody foreigners out of it? Easy answer to that really. The game has with it’s greed and delusions of grandeur priced these prospective owners out of the picture. Business people are in a business to make money. I’m sure if one looks at the Chelsea books over the past five years they will see a substantial loss in revenue. The have lost a ton of money but Mafia Moneybags has so much money that he considers Chelsea nothing more than a hobby. When will he finally get bored with the hobby? Who knows, but when he does, the Grim Reaper will be knocking on the gates at Stamford Bridge because Roman will find it very difficult to sell a team unless he eats the massive debt. And then I seriously doubt the new owners will be as interested in throwing away money on players who don’t perform or who sit on the bench while Chelsea fans will still be crying for the days of the Special One.
Honestly, what does the FA, The Premier League and FIFA think is going to happen in the future? All teams will be owned by billionaires and the price of tickets for fans will only cost 5 quid? These foreign owners don’t give a damn about a team’s heritage, history or responsibility to it’s fan base. They only care about the team label and licensing the team around the world. Thats where they make money. The game is selling out to tv, marketing and kit sales abroad. They are more concerned about making sure United jersey’s sell for three times the going price in a special boutique in a Dubai hotel. That’s what it’s all about. It’s an ego trip for these foreign owners and it eventually wears off as do all trivial things with very rich people. They have no religious connection with the team they have bought, the city or the footballing community they are raping. And nobody cares enough to see what is happening and try to nip it in the bud before it becomes an incurable cancer.
Sorry for this doom and gloom mega post but I am so pissed off with all this. Ethics, reason and common sense have been flushed down the toilet and replaced by greed, payola and corruption. Just look at where the next World Cup and next EUROS are supposed to be held. None of these countries have the money or proper infrastructure to deal with holding these tournaments but FIFA in it’s cold stupid and ridiculous manner, continues to do nothing and I feel certain that those tournaments are heading for disaster. Can you imagine what the market crashes have done to an already troubled problem with these countries? And then we expect Blatter and his muppets to give a damn about unethical ownership, player movement and escalating transfer fees and wages?
Jeez, I just feel like giving it all up. Who needs to be on board the Titanic if you know ahead of time it is headed for disaster? What do you expect from a rudderless ship without a competent captain? I hate to say it but football is headed for very dark days ahead. And nobody, not owners, governing bodies, leagues, associations, fans, the media, NOBODY seems to want to do anything about it. Everyone has their own vested agenda and they seem spineless or unwilling to rock the boat. That’s why it’s time to vote Grognard for FIFA President. It’s time the game got grognified.
October 10th, 2008 at 9:29
@Red Diablo: Read post #44. The Prince is no more. Now he is the King of Fucking Darkness. I felt the heat from behind me when it comes to my young apprentices so I kicked it up a notch. They still have a lot to do to defeat the Dark Master of Doom and Gloom. The throne is mine to play with until I deem it go to another.
October 10th, 2008 at 9:41
@Grognard: Football has no ethics mate, money, money, money thats all football is about.
The Glaziers have put up my season ticket this year again!! For what? to pay their interest payments on the debt. The average football fan are taken for granted, not only by United but by every team. The belief is that “we will change the shirt again this year, and charge anther £45, for the privilege” Don’t worry they will buy it, they always do.
Maybe fans should bite back, but we never will.
October 10th, 2008 at 10:27
@Matthew: How can not not be intersted in International football? Football is football to me, I could watch a Serie B and enjoy it, odd one to me.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:24
Jaap Staam has just been added to fergie’s scouting staff, hmm, he may unearth some of holland’s hidden prodigies.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:30
@Grognard: another great post from the professor of doom and gloom.
October 10th, 2008 at 11:49
Stephen i love football, and could watch most football matches too. But i just find international games so dull, the players don’t seem to care for their country unless they play for the smaller nations like scotland. Dont get me wrong tomorrow when england are on i will probably watch them, but i just find them so boring. Italy were the same under their last manager but at least lippi has returned so i will probably watch them over england if the two games clash.
October 10th, 2008 at 12:51
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11667_4288229,00.html
Yay? or Nay?
October 10th, 2008 at 13:40
hey guys can anyone give the full detail of united’s debts and the source of them, and their plan to eliminate them..
please guys this is so important i’ve known they are because of the glazers takeover but i need a much more detailed story..
October 10th, 2008 at 17:58
@Devilinho: hey i did my coursework on the glazer take over of manchester united last year, (i got an A, my examiner must have been a red
) if you would like i could upload it somewhere and send you the link to read it, it assess the impact of the takeover, what it has done, and how it might affect united in the future along with it’s stakeholders.
Grognard: the link in post 51 sums it all up i suppose. Bolton has one of the brightest prospects to come in england in a while, yet it is the 2 “richest” clubs are the ones who are battling to sign him, its a joke. what is even more of a disgrace is what football has become to the extent players no longer feel patriotic to play games money has taken over pride and there seems no end to it, long gone are the days of what a club has won, or it’s heritage to manifest into a global monster of what it is worth. I remember reading and article once that said fans now care more about how much it is worth than what it has done, salaries are a barometer of how good a player was, now zico during his prime would have earned less than lets say some back up midfielder, with todays logic, that back up is better than zico in his prime, or any other legend who made their name pre bosman. Contracts are inflated, as i elated as i was when united signed anderson i was disgusted at the price he was bought for, £21 million for an unproven 18 year old no matter how much of a talent they possess unless they are called Edison Arantes do Nascimento (pele to those who don’t know). Money is the new equalizer not tactics or farm system its how much money you have, if you don’t believe me look at the 3 promoted teams, west brom, Stoke and Hull, they were promoted in that order, however the 3rd place team got the most money because of a play-offs due to media exposure, no hull is doing well which more than i can say for stoke or west brom because they have more money, now does this seem fair, that hull city who were promoted got more capital because of a play-off than the actual champion, if i was a manager of a championship i would aim for the play-offs rather than win the league because of the extra money what’s even worse, hull got more money than united did for winning the Champions League, so you’re saying the play off is better than Europe’s biggest club competiton. you’re having a laugh it’s things like these such as over inflated player prices and un even win bonuses are what is ruining football as well as the points grognard stated.
In terms of financial backing football is a business and players are assets so limit how much teams pay for those assets and how much overheads those assets will cost , a way to even stakes is not by imposing a wage cap but a structure; To elaborate, a system that allows all and i mean ALL clubs to pay certain players, for example:
15-19 year olds- let say these are young and unproven talents, the most a club can ask to pay them is £5m
20-24 years olds-£10m max since they are a bit older and more mature
25-30- these are when players are in their prime so £30m max for the best of players
30+- may be past it, but useful £15m max
now what this does get rid of over price players and allow smaller clubs to buy some players. on the other hand it negates the ability of small clubs to maximise their profits on their young stars, so porto will not be able to get £21m for one of their youngsters, which may limit their growth. Now i admit this is flawed, however it took me 5 minutes to come up with this structure and i’m sure the delegates over there at fifa and uefa can come up with one better than this. Also i want to see one for wage, i have a gut feeling in 5-10 years in the paper i will be reading
10 year old signs for Manchester united for £20m for £50k per week
it scares me football will develop into that and it probably will unless something is done, if their is a wage structure no longer will players want to leave smaller teams because they can get more money at another. What happened to the days of when players would stick at a poor club to build itself a reputation, i mean pele rejected madrid to stay at santos because it was the club he loved, and he only got lured by money when he got too old. YOu mean to tell me robinho is at man city because he loves the club not because he gets £1m a month? If so then you are as blind as those buffoons at running the show
October 10th, 2008 at 18:17
@count berbatov: Funny thing is he has been sent to Brazil to scout, not Holland.
October 10th, 2008 at 18:34
@Mr.Muhozi: Great read mate. I agree but I would also add a stipulation that Major League Basbeall has with it’s prospects. Once a player is called up to the big club he must stay with that club for six seasons before he is eligible for free agency. Now I would modify this for football because football careers do not usually go as long as baseball ones which quite often go into the 40’s. Make it 3 or 4 years. The club that first signed a young player (ex Sampson - Bolton) should be able to keep him him until he plays 3 or 4 years with Bolton’s first team or reserves. If by 4 years he hasn’t made the grade he should be allowed to leave. If he is a first teamer and a star, Bolton gets no compensation once he becomes a free agent so it makes sense to sell him the year before or extend his contract.
Bottom line, all teams would get to benefit from their farm system for at least 3 or 4 years before the big clubs play predator on them. And also, no team should have the right to sign a player when he is 10 bloody years old. The minimum should be 15. That’s just wrong and it’s certainly against all rules in North American sports. Properly growing up, getting an education and then signing is the way it’s done here. We also have a draft system in this part of the world for all our sports because we believe the worst should be rewarded with the best prospects based on their poor winning percentage. This allows poor teams to improve. It’s socialist in nature and that is the only way to keep fat cats from raping and pillaging youth from all over the world.
Scouting is key and beating the other guy to the punch is a talent. United and Chelsea should not be able to have whomever they want just because they have the money to sign him. It’s wrong and unethical in a game designed around a fair play initiative within a socialist setup like a league.
I agree with your transfer and signing caps. They have to exist to keep both the seller and the buyer in check. Let the final decision go to the player based on his desire and feelings, not the club with all the cash. If there was more equality, smaller clubs may have a fighting chance to keep a player and reward him for his loyalty.
October 11th, 2008 at 2:23
@Wazza: Anytime you invest in a business, you escape having to pay taxes. Certain types of businesses fall under the category of tax shelters. I know that sports franchises have been used as tax shelters for years because most of the time the operate at a very small profit or even at an acceptable loss. To many owners, this kind of loss is better than giving it to the government. In world football I am sure the rules are different than in North America but suffice it to say, it’s always easier to keep the money away from any tax man when you can prove you are using it in business or in investment.