NPR

Ali Cadoo wrote: ↑Sat Jul 04, 2020 7:02 pm

Hal Jordan wrote: ↑Wed Jul 01, 2020 1:31 pm Wigan go into administration. Terrible due diligence by the new owners, who took over only four weeks ago.

Apols if this is already well-known, read about it yesterday and couldn’t believe it... although, at the same time, totally not surprised.

Interesting link.

The "terrible due diligence" may not have been by the new owners but by the EFL.

The links between legitimate betting and football are already highly controversial. However, a takeover linked to a "Far East" bet (on Wigan's relegation via a points deduction for going into admin) would surely be a first betting and admin combo in this murkiest of sports.

sturginho wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:27 am

shereblue wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:12 am

sturginho wrote: ↑Tue Jun 30, 2020 10:11 pm An excuse for me to bring this up:

McCormack's third Lg 2 promotion. One day sporting the play off "trophy", the next released by the Cobblers. That's football.

So has Turnbull who set up the second goal: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53270948

a bit of a head scratcher as they both played such important roles in getting us promoted, but I guess the situation is tough for clubs right now, having to pay the players but not collecting any gate receipts

Turnbull had a great first season on loan at STFC alongside Jack Stevens (Southampton) before being switched to left back the next season and looking like a fish out of water (on occasions).

Next season could be a lottery in more ways than one in Leagues One and Two and with points deductions (or worse) becoming a feature.

I am not so surprised to see the release of the ageing Andy Williams. He was quick at STFC but not exactly clinical as Eoin Doyle (rumoured to be going on a 3 year deal to Bolton of all clubs - hope he receives his wages for the duration).

shereblue wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:34 pm

sturginho wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:27 am

shereblue wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:12 am
McCormack's third Lg 2 promotion. One day sporting the play off "trophy", the next released by the Cobblers. That's football.

So has Turnbull who set up the second goal: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53270948

a bit of a head scratcher as they both played such important roles in getting us promoted, but I guess the situation is tough for clubs right now, having to pay the players but not collecting any gate receipts

Turnbull had a great first season on loan at STFC alongside Jack Stevens (Southampton) before being switched to left back the next season and looking like a fish out of water (on occasions).

Next season could be a lottery in more ways than one in Leagues One and Two and with points deductions (or worse) becoming a feature.

I am not so surprised to see the release of the ageing Andy Williams. He was quick at STFC but not exactly clinical as Eoin Doyle (rumoured to be going on a 3 year deal to Bolton of all clubs - hope he receives his wages for the duration).

I'm happy we've managed to shoe horn a discussion about the cobblers into this fred!

sturginho wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 7:23 pm

shereblue wrote: ↑Mon Jul 06, 2020 2:34 pm

sturginho wrote: ↑Fri Jul 03, 2020 8:27 am

So has Turnbull who set up the second goal: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/53270948

a bit of a head scratcher as they both played such important roles in getting us promoted, but I guess the situation is tough for clubs right now, having to pay the players but not collecting any gate receipts

Turnbull had a great first season on loan at STFC alongside Jack Stevens (Southampton) before being switched to left back the next season and looking like a fish out of water (on occasions).

Next season could be a lottery in more ways than one in Leagues One and Two and with points deductions (or worse) becoming a feature.

I am not so surprised to see the release of the ageing Andy Williams. He was quick at STFC but not exactly clinical as Eoin Doyle (rumoured to be going on a 3 year deal to Bolton of all clubs - hope he receives his wages for the duration).

I'm happy we've managed to shoe horn a discussion about the cobblers into this fred!

Alan McCormack's picture having taken a shock 4-1 lead. Off to the bookies to take our winnings

Chelsea keep squeaking by. Need them to hurry up and drop some points.

If Leicester win tonight, big pressure on United on Thursday.

Pretty "simple" for Manchester United now. They have their destiny in their own hands. Win all remaining games and they are in the Top 4. No need for external favors anymore. Hopefully they do not make hard work of this. Fixture list is straight forward, but they did drop points against most of the remaining teams in the first half of the season.

A real chance for United to test themselves here, and would be a massive confidence boost heading into next season if they can pull it off.

HouseofPane wrote: ↑Thu Jul 09, 2020 11:11 am A real chance for United to test themselves here, and would be a massive confidence boost heading into next season if they can pull it off.

Yeah might also be a job interview for Grealish tonight if it is true that United is interested in him.
Also if they can win by 3 goals or more tonight, they will apparently set a new record for most consecutive games with a that kind of scoreline in the Premier LEague

Mason Greenwood

Another brilliant goal

United have been shit mind

Villa had zero heart. Easy for united

Like Chelsea, United keep marching. VAR keeps making the headlines though.

Sheffield United derailing Chelsea's top 4 aspirations nicely.

This was a pretty good week for Manchester United. Even Leicester's big advantage in goal difference is almost wiped out.

And in what will come as a massive surprise to all concerned, Man City’s ban has been over turned.

Finally UEFA saw sense. And by sense, I mean big piles of cash in non descript brown paper envelopes.

Oh but they have been fined... wait for it.... £10 million.



Pathetic.

New guy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:51 am Finally UEFA saw sense. And by sense, I mean big piles of cash in non descript brown paper envelopes.

That’s pretty much the end of financial fair play unless you have a big pot of gold at the end of the investigative rainbow.

I realised after posting it's actually CAS who have overturned, not UEFA. Still stinks though.

This green lights virtually unlimited spending for these state sponsored clubs.

FFP rules as they stand are designed to ensure that the teams at the top stay at the top and to prevent teams from challenging them.

There is a need for a mechanism to ensure clubs don't spend beyond their means and end up with clubs going under when an investor pulls their funding, but FFP is not it.

It was always going to be overturned. UEFA rules have a history of not standing up to clubs who can afford leagues of lawyers.
I will not be surprised to see City going on a big spending spree now. UEFA has become toothless. So basically any of the clubs that have a bit of oil money behind them will be able to go on big spending sprees again, and all UEFA will be able to do is bark like a little lapdog with no real bite.
Will be interesting to see where this puts the EPL's FFP Rules, as they were loosely based on the UEFA model with a few differences.

Fuck sake Utd. Throw it away at the death

Fuck sake. That was an awful performance

Whenever United get a shot at breaking into the top 4 they always seem to blow it.

Still in their own hands though.

earl the beaver wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:37 am FFP rules as they stand are designed to ensure that the teams at the top stay at the top and to prevent teams from challenging them.

There is a need for a mechanism to ensure clubs don't spend beyond their means and end up with clubs going under when an investor pulls their funding, but FFP is not it.

Good post.

What's the point of tying to prevent City spending what they can afford to spend while a club like Wigan went into administration two weeks ago?

Gary Neville said it perfectly, there is nothing wrong with people purchasing football clubs and investing their own money in them just so long as they honour their contracts and commitments. The goal should not be to place a ceiling on investment but to weed the chancers and parasites out of ownership.
Why penalise clubs who can afford the wages and transfers that they pay? By any measure Chelsea and City's owners have been better for their respective clubs than Kroenke at Arsenal and the Glazers yet its the former who are always more heavily criticized as being "bad for the game".

New guy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 8:52 am Oh but they have been fined... wait for it.... £10 million.



Pathetic.

But they were going to use that money to buy a couple of promising lower division infants and put them on the eternal loan deal roundabout!

New guy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 9:14 pm Whenever United get a shot at breaking into the top 4 they always seem to blow it.

Still in their own hands though.

Almost seemed inevitable that Southampton would level in those last minutes. Frustrating though!

Hugo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:05 am

earl the beaver wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:37 am FFP rules as they stand are designed to ensure that the teams at the top stay at the top and to prevent teams from challenging them.

There is a need for a mechanism to ensure clubs don't spend beyond their means and end up with clubs going under when an investor pulls their funding, but FFP is not it.

Good post.

What's the point of tying to prevent City spending what they can afford to spend while a club like Wigan went into administration two weeks ago?

Gary Neville said it perfectly, there is nothing wrong with people purchasing football clubs and investing their own money in them just so long as they honour their contracts and commitments. The goal should not be to place a ceiling on investment but to weed the chancers and parasites out of ownership.
Why penalise clubs who can afford the wages and transfers that they pay? By any measure Chelsea and City's owners have been better for their respective clubs than Kroenke at Arsenal and the Glazers yet its the former who are always more heavily criticized as being "bad for the game".

I'm not sure that last sentence is true. The Glazers have been subject to a lot of criticism. The problem with Abramovitch et al is that they drive up costs for everyone else and directly contribute to the inequality of the league, and damage the competitive nature of the sport. It didn't start with Chelsea - let's face it, United had an unfair financial advantage for years - but it can't be ignored. It has plenty of relevance in rugby, too, and is a really good reason why the English salary cap has to stay reasonable for all clubs, not just the top 3.

It's all well and good saying that City's owners are good for City. Well, yeah, they've spent well. But they've spent vast sums to buy success, and they're also using it as reputational whitewashing for an oppressive regime. It's a double-whammy of shite.

JM2K6 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 15, 2020 10:02 am

Hugo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 14, 2020 7:05 am

earl the beaver wrote: ↑Mon Jul 13, 2020 10:37 am FFP rules as they stand are designed to ensure that the teams at the top stay at the top and to prevent teams from challenging them.

There is a need for a mechanism to ensure clubs don't spend beyond their means and end up with clubs going under when an investor pulls their funding, but FFP is not it.

Good post.

What's the point of tying to prevent City spending what they can afford to spend while a club like Wigan went into administration two weeks ago?

Gary Neville said it perfectly, there is nothing wrong with people purchasing football clubs and investing their own money in them just so long as they honour their contracts and commitments. The goal should not be to place a ceiling on investment but to weed the chancers and parasites out of ownership.
Why penalise clubs who can afford the wages and transfers that they pay? By any measure Chelsea and City's owners have been better for their respective clubs than Kroenke at Arsenal and the Glazers yet its the former who are always more heavily criticized as being "bad for the game".

I'm not sure that last sentence is true. The Glazers have been subject to a lot of criticism. The problem with Abramovitch et al is that they drive up costs for everyone else and directly contribute to the inequality of the league, and damage the competitive nature of the sport. It didn't start with Chelsea - let's face it, United had an unfair financial advantage for years - but it can't be ignored. It has plenty of relevance in rugby, too, and is a really good reason why the English salary cap has to stay reasonable for all clubs, not just the top 3.

It's all well and good saying that City's owners are good for City. Well, yeah, they've spent well. But they've spent vast sums to buy success, and they're also using it as reputational whitewashing for an oppressive regime. It's a double-whammy of shite.

The reputational whitewashing line has been espoused by Miguel Delaney and a handful of Irish journalists but I'm not entirely convinced.

Most of the publicity that Man City's owners get as it pertains to their ownership of the club and their involvement in football is negative. Also, their ownership has opened them up to scrutiny that they would otherwise have never had to deal with. If its a PR exercise its very ineffective, if not entirely counterproductive.

The complaints about one team being able to buy success with a cheque book can be traced all the way back to the dawn of the professional era in England where the southern amateur clubs decried the professionalized northern clubs and their propensity to hire Scottish mercenaries. In that regard this is nothing new.

That said I'm instinctively in favour of mechanisms like salary caps that promote competitive balance and ensure clubs spend within their means thus making the sport and league more sustainable. I would actually welcome one in the Premier league but until that day I'm not going to get overly excited over one teams financial advantage when it was ever thus.

Their ownership has opened them up to zero scrutiny, come on. And don't mistake a few people caring about where the money comes from for the milllions of casual fans who just follow success.

There's a reason why the same playbook is being used with Barca and PSG.

Nice one Spurs and Jose

Strongish team. I wonder why Ighalo has fallen out of favour.

DDG is shit

He's been error prone for a long time now. Some absolute howlers over the past two seasons.

DDG makes so many howlers, I will not be surprised in 10 years to find out that he threw games of gaming syndicates. I was thinking a couple of days ago, 'at least DDG isn't playing' don't have to think dodgy keeper, today he makes 2 howlers in the semi-final.

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer defiantly announced David de Gea was "the best goalkeeper in the world" when his credentials were questioned following one of numerous high-profile errors this season.

I know you have to back your keeper, but 'in the world'. His wife won't even let him hold the kids.

That's all he can really say under the circumstances.

I'm pretty sure they will be in the market for a replacement this summer, especially if he costs them a champions league spot with another mistake in one of the remaining fixtures.

United are stuck with De Gea until 2023. He's the highest paid goal keeper in the world (I think) and no club in their right mind would take him right now.

I have no idea why his form took such nose dive at the 2018 world cup but he's never recovered.

The Bundesliga child snatchers strike again as 17 year old Jude Bellingham is enticed from the glamour of Birmingham City to the bright lights of Borussia Dortmund.

Fee could reach £30m depending on what he gets up to during his time there.

I look forward to seeing what he can do for United in 2023.

New guy wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:41 pm United are stuck with De Gea until 2023. He's the highest paid goal keeper in the world (I think) and no club in their right mind would take him right now.

I have no idea why his form took such nose dive at the 2018 world cup but he's never recovered.

He must have some mental block or something going on. Maybe he needs to work with a sport shrink. Maybe United need to bring Henderson back next season, it could be that over the years De Gea has become so complacent at being automatic first choice that his levels dropped. If there is real competition at the club for his place, he might get himself in order. Also they changed goalkeeper coach last year I believe, it seems to coincide with his slump. He is still very good in many of the games, but he lost his consistency, losing concentration at crucial times. Whatever it is, they need to change it and find the cause. I definitely think United need to recall Henderson for the next season.

Hal Jordan wrote: ↑Mon Jul 20, 2020 3:11 pm The Bundesliga child snatchers strike again as 17 year old Jude Bellingham is enticed from the glamour of Birmingham City to the bright lights of Borussia Dortmund.

Fee could reach £30m depending on what he gets up to during his time there.

??