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Sunday, July 30, 2006
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Where's the 25 million pounds transfer fee a season?
http://www.squarefootball.net/articl...e.asp?aid=3444
Manchester United: Glazers turn transition into decline
The Glazer family has owned Manchester United for around fourteen months now, and finally the reality of that purchase is starting to be felt by even the most optimistic of the 'wait-and-see' fans. The majority of match going fans were concerned about the purchase but somewhat reassured by the business-as-usual stance at the club. The management team largely remained and Sir Bobby Charlton urged people to be guided by results and not emotion.
2005/6 was a mixed season - with a good league finish of second (Chelsea were always going to win it last season), and a League Cup win balanced by an early Champions' League exit and an insipid FA Cup exit at Anfield. This was probably around the level that was expected for a team that had ceded its right to be considered the best in the land and was deep (if not lost) in transition.
But 2006/7 is barely three weeks away and transition is now being replaced by decline.
As we approach the end of the third transfer window of the Glazer reign, it is clear that the club is being squeezed so hard that decline is now inevitable.
Firstly the Glazers have dumped much of their personal debt arising from the takeover onto the club, the rearrangement of the finances last week rolled ?63m interest into the debt - but cunningly - the same amount was additionally secured against the football club. In simple terms all the interest that was piling up on the Glazers has simply been pushed onto the club. Anyone with the glib argument of 'why would they sink so much of their own money into the club only to run it into the ground' needn't bother repeating it, it won't be long before the Glazers will have no financial risk attached to this deal.
Secondly as a result of annual interest payments now reduced to, reportedly, 'just' ?42m per season the squad cost cutting is rampant. As many reserves as possible are being farmed out on loan, and fringe players are being sold or released. There are fewer professionals at Old Trafford than there have been for the length of Sir Alex Ferguson's stewardship. Increasingly Ferguson is being forced to draw the wagons around his first team squad and (very much like the dog-days of Ron Atkinson) to hell with the rest.
Revenues have been driven remorselessly up with a few million extra from sponsorship, plenty more from TV - and a big increase in ticket prices (up 25% in two seasons), so the cost cutting is a policy not a reaction to falling revenues.
The cost cutting and penny-pinching is indicative of a structure that is short of cash. I've always believed that The Glazers bought the club with the intention of selling it within three years for a big profit - and the abject transfer market dealings this summer simply support this theory.
With Liverpool spending ?20m and Chelsea another ?50m, Manchester United have actually become nett sellers. A team that so obviously needs two high quality central midfielders has spent the summer not buying anyone. To my knowledge only one bid has been made all summer - around ?10m for Michael Carrick - with United spending more energy in trying to flog Ruud van Nistelrooy than in trying to buy in anyone. It certainly seems that the orders from on high are 'sell-before-you-can-buy' - hardly what you expect from a billionaire and his boys, and not a policy designed to improve the club.
United stand on the cusp of the season likely to lose their serial top scorer - without replacing him - and without a midfield to dominate anyone but the relegation candidates. Looking dispassionately at the midfield only Ronaldo is international or world class - the rest are solid Premiership quality players, but hardly world beating. Chelsea can choose from Essien, Makelele, Robben, Lampard, Ballack, Wright-Phillips, Mikel and Cole - any three of which could stroll into the United midfield.
Last summer two small purchases (van der Sar, Park) were offset by similar sales (Neville, Kleberson); in January the gaping defensive holes were iffily plugged with Vidic and Evra costing around ?12m.
This summer the sales of Mikel, Spector and probably van Nistelrooy, balanced by the probable purchase of Carrick, will leave United with a nett transfer budget of nothing since the arrival of the Glazers. At a time when United need completely rebuild the midfield, Ferguson is expected to fund it from sales. Can anyone seriously expect Ferguson to compete with Chelsea or Liverpool on that basis?
Most Premiership clubs spend millions and even tens of millions oper season (Chelsea are an exception); while United stroll everyone else is sprinting - extrapolate this for a couple of seasons and Manchester United will be in mid-table.
The number of United fans who believed in some mythical ?25m annual transfer budget must now be falling daily. The reality is that United are being run at about break even in their transfer dealings regardless of the need. This would explain the reason that Ferguson is refusing to countenance Ronaldo leaving. Despite the winger's obvious difficulties with English football, Ferguson knows that he will probably not be allowed to use the proceeds of a sale to replace him.
Next summer when ticket prices go up ?100 for the third season running, with a team in decline and every penny from a support that is being soaked remorselessy going to pay off debt hoisted on to the club by their 'owners' everyone can draw their own conclusions. A club that was self-reliant, debt-free and funded by its fan-base two years ago is now a debt-driven monster.
As Ferguson's hands are tied in the transfer market it may be unfair, but expect the 'Fergie out' chants to start ringing round the stadium as soon as he has celebrated twenty years in charge - with the nasty songs about the Glazers expected to be resumed somewhat sooner.
Antony Melvin
26 July 2006
Manchester United: Glazers turn transition into decline
The Glazer family has owned Manchester United for around fourteen months now, and finally the reality of that purchase is starting to be felt by even the most optimistic of the 'wait-and-see' fans. The majority of match going fans were concerned about the purchase but somewhat reassured by the business-as-usual stance at the club. The management team largely remained and Sir Bobby Charlton urged people to be guided by results and not emotion.
2005/6 was a mixed season - with a good league finish of second (Chelsea were always going to win it last season), and a League Cup win balanced by an early Champions' League exit and an insipid FA Cup exit at Anfield. This was probably around the level that was expected for a team that had ceded its right to be considered the best in the land and was deep (if not lost) in transition.
But 2006/7 is barely three weeks away and transition is now being replaced by decline.
As we approach the end of the third transfer window of the Glazer reign, it is clear that the club is being squeezed so hard that decline is now inevitable.
Firstly the Glazers have dumped much of their personal debt arising from the takeover onto the club, the rearrangement of the finances last week rolled ?63m interest into the debt - but cunningly - the same amount was additionally secured against the football club. In simple terms all the interest that was piling up on the Glazers has simply been pushed onto the club. Anyone with the glib argument of 'why would they sink so much of their own money into the club only to run it into the ground' needn't bother repeating it, it won't be long before the Glazers will have no financial risk attached to this deal.
Secondly as a result of annual interest payments now reduced to, reportedly, 'just' ?42m per season the squad cost cutting is rampant. As many reserves as possible are being farmed out on loan, and fringe players are being sold or released. There are fewer professionals at Old Trafford than there have been for the length of Sir Alex Ferguson's stewardship. Increasingly Ferguson is being forced to draw the wagons around his first team squad and (very much like the dog-days of Ron Atkinson) to hell with the rest.
Revenues have been driven remorselessly up with a few million extra from sponsorship, plenty more from TV - and a big increase in ticket prices (up 25% in two seasons), so the cost cutting is a policy not a reaction to falling revenues.
The cost cutting and penny-pinching is indicative of a structure that is short of cash. I've always believed that The Glazers bought the club with the intention of selling it within three years for a big profit - and the abject transfer market dealings this summer simply support this theory.
With Liverpool spending ?20m and Chelsea another ?50m, Manchester United have actually become nett sellers. A team that so obviously needs two high quality central midfielders has spent the summer not buying anyone. To my knowledge only one bid has been made all summer - around ?10m for Michael Carrick - with United spending more energy in trying to flog Ruud van Nistelrooy than in trying to buy in anyone. It certainly seems that the orders from on high are 'sell-before-you-can-buy' - hardly what you expect from a billionaire and his boys, and not a policy designed to improve the club.
United stand on the cusp of the season likely to lose their serial top scorer - without replacing him - and without a midfield to dominate anyone but the relegation candidates. Looking dispassionately at the midfield only Ronaldo is international or world class - the rest are solid Premiership quality players, but hardly world beating. Chelsea can choose from Essien, Makelele, Robben, Lampard, Ballack, Wright-Phillips, Mikel and Cole - any three of which could stroll into the United midfield.
Last summer two small purchases (van der Sar, Park) were offset by similar sales (Neville, Kleberson); in January the gaping defensive holes were iffily plugged with Vidic and Evra costing around ?12m.
This summer the sales of Mikel, Spector and probably van Nistelrooy, balanced by the probable purchase of Carrick, will leave United with a nett transfer budget of nothing since the arrival of the Glazers. At a time when United need completely rebuild the midfield, Ferguson is expected to fund it from sales. Can anyone seriously expect Ferguson to compete with Chelsea or Liverpool on that basis?
Most Premiership clubs spend millions and even tens of millions oper season (Chelsea are an exception); while United stroll everyone else is sprinting - extrapolate this for a couple of seasons and Manchester United will be in mid-table.
The number of United fans who believed in some mythical ?25m annual transfer budget must now be falling daily. The reality is that United are being run at about break even in their transfer dealings regardless of the need. This would explain the reason that Ferguson is refusing to countenance Ronaldo leaving. Despite the winger's obvious difficulties with English football, Ferguson knows that he will probably not be allowed to use the proceeds of a sale to replace him.
Next summer when ticket prices go up ?100 for the third season running, with a team in decline and every penny from a support that is being soaked remorselessy going to pay off debt hoisted on to the club by their 'owners' everyone can draw their own conclusions. A club that was self-reliant, debt-free and funded by its fan-base two years ago is now a debt-driven monster.
As Ferguson's hands are tied in the transfer market it may be unfair, but expect the 'Fergie out' chants to start ringing round the stadium as soon as he has celebrated twenty years in charge - with the nasty songs about the Glazers expected to be resumed somewhat sooner.
Antony Melvin
26 July 2006
The Day a legend left...
Best of luck Ruud...
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374600&cc=5739
Ruud blames 'painful' Man Utd exit on Ferguson
Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the breakdown of his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson prompted his exit from Manchester United.
The Holland striker, 30, joined Real Madrid on Friday after five years at Old Trafford in which he became the club's greatest European goalscorer.
And he admitted his exit had been 'painful'.
'The relationship with the manager had ended and this was painful for me because I owe him a lot,' said Van Nistelrooy, whose move to United from PSV Eindhoven was delayed for 12 months in 2000 when he suffered a serious injury.
'He waited for me during my injury and allowed me to play at the highest level.
'I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the manager yesterday because when I left the training ground in Manchester yesterday afternoon the deal had not yet been completed but I'm sure I'll meet him again.'
The striker was quick to thank the United fans and club for their support during the previous five years.
'My affection for the fans and club is total. Manchester United will always be a part of me,' said the striker.
Van Nistelrooy was presented to the Real fans only moments after signing his three-year contract with the club after a whirlwind 24 hours which had seen him take part in both of United's two training sessions yesterday.
But the 30-year-old was clearly relishing the challenge and was looking forward to the chance of being reunited with his former United team-mate David Beckham.
'It will be great to play with David again,' said Van Nistelrooy.
'I4ve really missed him because he's both a wonderful person and a great player'
Van Nistelrooy is a key element in the plans of Ramon Calderon, the new Real Madrid president, to create a competitive team following the club's three-year period without silverware.
'Van Nistelrooy was a key target for us during the election campaign. He's an important player, with great presence in a team, and scores lots of goals,' said Real's new manager, Fabio Capello.
But - with a squad including the likes of Ronaldo, Raul, Antonio Cassano and Robinho - Van Nistelrooy does not necessarily have a guaranteed place in the starting line-up.
'Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy may be able to play together, but we'll have to see if that works. We'll have to decide but it depends on a lot of things,' stated the Italian coach.
And competition for a place in the new Real Madrid team may yet become tougher if the president's election promise to bring in AC Milan star Kaka becomes a reality.
As the Dutchman completed his brief sortie on to the Bernabeu pitch to meet the two thousand fans which had gathered to greet him, a chorus of chants of 'where is Kaka' erupted from the stands.
Asked about the incident at the press conference, the striker was unfazed, saying: 'Any team or player would welcome a player like Kaka.'
The Dutchman described coming to Real Madrid as a 'dream come true' but the striker and his team-mates will clearly need to perform at the highest level if they are to overcome the current Primera Liga and European champions, Barcelona, and avoid the dream turning into another nightmare for Real fans.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=374600&cc=5739
Ruud blames 'painful' Man Utd exit on Ferguson
Ruud van Nistelrooy believes the breakdown of his relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson prompted his exit from Manchester United.
The Holland striker, 30, joined Real Madrid on Friday after five years at Old Trafford in which he became the club's greatest European goalscorer.
And he admitted his exit had been 'painful'.
'The relationship with the manager had ended and this was painful for me because I owe him a lot,' said Van Nistelrooy, whose move to United from PSV Eindhoven was delayed for 12 months in 2000 when he suffered a serious injury.
'He waited for me during my injury and allowed me to play at the highest level.
'I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the manager yesterday because when I left the training ground in Manchester yesterday afternoon the deal had not yet been completed but I'm sure I'll meet him again.'
The striker was quick to thank the United fans and club for their support during the previous five years.
'My affection for the fans and club is total. Manchester United will always be a part of me,' said the striker.
Van Nistelrooy was presented to the Real fans only moments after signing his three-year contract with the club after a whirlwind 24 hours which had seen him take part in both of United's two training sessions yesterday.
But the 30-year-old was clearly relishing the challenge and was looking forward to the chance of being reunited with his former United team-mate David Beckham.
'It will be great to play with David again,' said Van Nistelrooy.
'I4ve really missed him because he's both a wonderful person and a great player'
Van Nistelrooy is a key element in the plans of Ramon Calderon, the new Real Madrid president, to create a competitive team following the club's three-year period without silverware.
'Van Nistelrooy was a key target for us during the election campaign. He's an important player, with great presence in a team, and scores lots of goals,' said Real's new manager, Fabio Capello.
But - with a squad including the likes of Ronaldo, Raul, Antonio Cassano and Robinho - Van Nistelrooy does not necessarily have a guaranteed place in the starting line-up.
'Ronaldo and Van Nistelrooy may be able to play together, but we'll have to see if that works. We'll have to decide but it depends on a lot of things,' stated the Italian coach.
And competition for a place in the new Real Madrid team may yet become tougher if the president's election promise to bring in AC Milan star Kaka becomes a reality.
As the Dutchman completed his brief sortie on to the Bernabeu pitch to meet the two thousand fans which had gathered to greet him, a chorus of chants of 'where is Kaka' erupted from the stands.
Asked about the incident at the press conference, the striker was unfazed, saying: 'Any team or player would welcome a player like Kaka.'
The Dutchman described coming to Real Madrid as a 'dream come true' but the striker and his team-mates will clearly need to perform at the highest level if they are to overcome the current Primera Liga and European champions, Barcelona, and avoid the dream turning into another nightmare for Real fans.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Sunday, July 09, 2006
World Cup is boring
Waiting for the World Cup final to start. Not too sure whether I should go sleep first then wake up or just stay awake all the way. Hence writing this entry to pass time. Not really very keen on this World Cup. Certainly not as keen as I was in 1998. Perhaps once again it's due to the fact that I find international games boring. The only way that I can enjoy such international tournaments is to be there in person to enjoy it. Not to sit in front of a flickering TV screen (all thanks to Starhub's pay per view policy...but more about that later...). I enjoy the carnival atmosphere which comes with such tournaments, and there is no way that I can feel the same thing in front of a TV screen, even with lots of people in front of a big screen.
But even with the carnival atmosphere, I am also consciously aware of the fact that a large part of it is fabricated. It's false, it's not the real deal. And that is why I cringe whenever I happen to watch the Chinese soccer programs on CCTV. Topics covered range from choosing the best looking 11 players (there was even a competition for people to guess which 3 players had been chosen as the bestl ooking forwards!) to having French and Portuguese "die-hard" fans debating with each other. FOR FUCKS SAKE YOU ARE CHINESE SUPPORT YOUR GOD DAMN CHINESE NATIONAL TEAM CAN?
Certainly there are some who feel deeply about their national team, but there are even more who are there for the ride, just to be IN. Hey I am cool, I watch the World Cup. Is that passion? Hardly I think. Passion is when you still pay 30 quid, in the cold wintry conditions of January, and travel God knows how many hundred miles to Teeside to watch your crap team draw 0-0 with Middlesbrough. To me, the success that comes after an entire season, 10 months worth of joy and pain, is so much sweeter than that which merely comes after 7 matches. Give me the Premier League and Champions League any day.
And there is the Singaporean in me too. I just can't find a team that I can hands on heart say that I support. In the beginning I had predicted Portugal to go all the way, and so I sorta supported them. But hey, I liked Holland too, and so I was quite LPPL when the two teams met. Even worse was to come when I supproted Portugal before Rooney got sent off and England after that. All this is too LPPL for me. You should only support one team! That's the way it is. And that one team can only ever be Singapore...
And no thanks to Starhub too. In 98 it was free to air, in 02 you had to subscribe to Starhub. All that is fine, but now you have to pay additional even though you are an existing customer. I say screw you Starhub. Pay per view is an evil that should never be allowed to enter Singapore shores. Even though going to other places to watch, buying antenna to receive Indonesia channel ultimately cost more than your 15 bucks price, I much rather do it than to give that 15 bucks to you. FUCK YOU for introducing pay per view. To other football fans, I say: beware of this evil phenomenon.
On another note...
You TosH are charged that you on XX June 2006 at about 4.27pm along XXXXXX Ave S'pore did drive a motor vehicle no. SFS XXXXX at a speed of 95kmph, such speed bring in excess of the imposed speed limit of 70kmph of the road and you have thereby committed an offence under section 63(4) and punishable under section 131(2) of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 276.
Crap, and that means 6 points left and $150 gone.... Sigh. Gotta walk on a tight rope for the next 9 months. And it happened coz I was eager to go back TO CAMP to finish my work. So much for being enthu about work. So if you happen to sit in my car, please pardon me for being niao and asking you to buckle your seat belt (you need it when I am driving...serious..). If not don't blame me for scolding the shit out of you.
Next week marks the start of the xiong course that I have to go for. Somehow I am just not eager to learn. at least back in school I could understand all the shit even if i wasn't aprticularly interested...Physics for example. But this SAF shit is really not my cup of tea. I can't understand, nor am I arsed enough to make an effort to understand them. I just don't wanna have anything to do with operations... period. Sigh, it's gonna be a long 6 weeks. May post- ATEC period come soon.
If you had read until this point, you would have noticed that my Ingerlish have negatively improved to perhaps pre school level. Alas, what happened to me in NS? Sigh.
But all is not negative though. The course has actually introduced me to this really cool program CMAP. Go to
http://cmap.ihmc.us/
to download it. It's FREE! It's kind of like a mind mapping program but it gives you the additional tool of putting in linking phrases between the different concepts so that others can understand your mind map. And they thus call this a concept map instead of a mind map. Doesn't matter to me, all that I know is that this program is fucking cool lah. I never liked mind maps, not because I don't like the concept per se, but that making mind maps by hand is a pain in the ass. You need to have a basic idea of how it's going to look like in the beginning, even when you are organising your thoughts, if not it's gonna be damn messy. How many times have you started out on mind maps before realising you had run out of space in one corner of the paper while the rest of the paper is empty?
But now with CMAP, fret not! You can shift everything around and fit everything nicely after you have typed out everything. Seriously, if I had this program like erm since JC, I would have learnt so much better. And to all you MOE people out there, this thing is being introduced to trainees in NIE, so don't say I never tell you! haha. I am going to learn to be so expert at this program and go and xian the xiao mei mei in NIE next time. Sounds like a plan eh? =)
But even with the carnival atmosphere, I am also consciously aware of the fact that a large part of it is fabricated. It's false, it's not the real deal. And that is why I cringe whenever I happen to watch the Chinese soccer programs on CCTV. Topics covered range from choosing the best looking 11 players (there was even a competition for people to guess which 3 players had been chosen as the bestl ooking forwards!) to having French and Portuguese "die-hard" fans debating with each other. FOR FUCKS SAKE YOU ARE CHINESE SUPPORT YOUR GOD DAMN CHINESE NATIONAL TEAM CAN?
Certainly there are some who feel deeply about their national team, but there are even more who are there for the ride, just to be IN. Hey I am cool, I watch the World Cup. Is that passion? Hardly I think. Passion is when you still pay 30 quid, in the cold wintry conditions of January, and travel God knows how many hundred miles to Teeside to watch your crap team draw 0-0 with Middlesbrough. To me, the success that comes after an entire season, 10 months worth of joy and pain, is so much sweeter than that which merely comes after 7 matches. Give me the Premier League and Champions League any day.
And there is the Singaporean in me too. I just can't find a team that I can hands on heart say that I support. In the beginning I had predicted Portugal to go all the way, and so I sorta supported them. But hey, I liked Holland too, and so I was quite LPPL when the two teams met. Even worse was to come when I supproted Portugal before Rooney got sent off and England after that. All this is too LPPL for me. You should only support one team! That's the way it is. And that one team can only ever be Singapore...
And no thanks to Starhub too. In 98 it was free to air, in 02 you had to subscribe to Starhub. All that is fine, but now you have to pay additional even though you are an existing customer. I say screw you Starhub. Pay per view is an evil that should never be allowed to enter Singapore shores. Even though going to other places to watch, buying antenna to receive Indonesia channel ultimately cost more than your 15 bucks price, I much rather do it than to give that 15 bucks to you. FUCK YOU for introducing pay per view. To other football fans, I say: beware of this evil phenomenon.
On another note...
You TosH are charged that you on XX June 2006 at about 4.27pm along XXXXXX Ave S'pore did drive a motor vehicle no. SFS XXXXX at a speed of 95kmph, such speed bring in excess of the imposed speed limit of 70kmph of the road and you have thereby committed an offence under section 63(4) and punishable under section 131(2) of the Road Traffic Act, Chapter 276.
Crap, and that means 6 points left and $150 gone.... Sigh. Gotta walk on a tight rope for the next 9 months. And it happened coz I was eager to go back TO CAMP to finish my work. So much for being enthu about work. So if you happen to sit in my car, please pardon me for being niao and asking you to buckle your seat belt (you need it when I am driving...serious..). If not don't blame me for scolding the shit out of you.
Next week marks the start of the xiong course that I have to go for. Somehow I am just not eager to learn. at least back in school I could understand all the shit even if i wasn't aprticularly interested...Physics for example. But this SAF shit is really not my cup of tea. I can't understand, nor am I arsed enough to make an effort to understand them. I just don't wanna have anything to do with operations... period. Sigh, it's gonna be a long 6 weeks. May post- ATEC period come soon.
If you had read until this point, you would have noticed that my Ingerlish have negatively improved to perhaps pre school level. Alas, what happened to me in NS? Sigh.
But all is not negative though. The course has actually introduced me to this really cool program CMAP. Go to
http://cmap.ihmc.us/
to download it. It's FREE! It's kind of like a mind mapping program but it gives you the additional tool of putting in linking phrases between the different concepts so that others can understand your mind map. And they thus call this a concept map instead of a mind map. Doesn't matter to me, all that I know is that this program is fucking cool lah. I never liked mind maps, not because I don't like the concept per se, but that making mind maps by hand is a pain in the ass. You need to have a basic idea of how it's going to look like in the beginning, even when you are organising your thoughts, if not it's gonna be damn messy. How many times have you started out on mind maps before realising you had run out of space in one corner of the paper while the rest of the paper is empty?
But now with CMAP, fret not! You can shift everything around and fit everything nicely after you have typed out everything. Seriously, if I had this program like erm since JC, I would have learnt so much better. And to all you MOE people out there, this thing is being introduced to trainees in NIE, so don't say I never tell you! haha. I am going to learn to be so expert at this program and go and xian the xiao mei mei in NIE next time. Sounds like a plan eh? =)
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