The changing face of the so-called beautiful game

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The changing face of the so-called beautiful game Whilst the English Premier League has gone on to become a top class global brand it has, despite its huge television revenue, managed to create an underclass in football. The current model for footballers in Britain seems to be that they are getting rich at the expense of their fans.

Clubs such as Rangers, who have fallen from grace, will now have an increased struggle to keep pace with those clubs that are funded by cash from overseas, and there are truly turbulent times ahead.

Mihir Bose, Britain’s foremost football correspondent has followed every fascinating and gripping step in the Premier League roller coaster rise to international stardom. This mesmerizing journey involves high stakes, multi-million pounds deals, bungs, backhanders and the very future of the beautiful game.

Mihir specialises in the business of sport and was previously sports editor at BBC. He is a lead writer for, amongst others, The Daily Telegraph, insideworldsoccer.com and Evening Standard. The book, at times highly controversial, looks at how the Premier League needs to evolve to prosper in the face of the demands of top players, Euro crisis, recession, conflict with other governing bodies, racism and revolt from the terraces.

 

Brian Kennedy insists that his offer for Rangers is still valid

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Brian Kennedy reinforced that his offer to purchase the new Rangers is still good after its present owners spent a day claiming that the rumour was true and then stating that it was not. Charles Green the chief executive of Sevco denied that the owner of Sale Sharks had placed a bit on the team, despite the fact that earlier in the day he had said that the bid was real. Kennedy stated that he has officially submitted proof that his bid was real on the table and now the offer will remain good until it can be considered.

He explained that while he respects the fact that controlling investors have the right to reject or accept any bids that come in for the shares, he wants to make it a matter of public record that he is willing, ready, and financially able to support the Rangers Football Club in the future if his bid is accepted.

He added that his lawyers submitted the details of his original bid to Zeus Capital who are handling the sale of the football club. His solo bid failed, but he is hoping now that he could take a controlling arm of the shares with his new bid for 51% of the shares of the club.

The bid was rumoured to be about £5.6m and therefore quite intoxicating no doubt for the owners of the Rangers. Kennedy also stated that he has had several meetings over the past month with a man that represents the Sevco shareholders to discuss why he is interested in buying the club and what he would do with the football club if his offer is accepted. He added that the details from each meeting have been disclosed to club members so that full disclosure protocols are followed.

Portsmouth’s future looking bleak after another points deduction is announced

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Portsmouth future in the npower League One for the new season isn’t looking too rosy after the Football League took ten points away from them. The club has been facing administration since last February, and they still do not have an owner to represent them. While the team will be allowed to continue to play with the League, they will have to accept a long list of conditions which include more points being deducted from them.

Last season the team was also docked ten points for entering administration a second time which is effectively what kept Portsmouth out of the Championship. The news of the points deduction is another tough blow for Michael Appleton, the Portsmouth manager, as he kicked off his pre-season training this Monday with eight senior players.

It is likely that the majority of these eight will not remain at the club by the time the season actually gets started next month. Hayden Mullins, for example, has already signed up with Birmingham while Luke Varney and David Norris are expected to be sold off to other teams in the next few days. Kanu and Aaron Mokoena are also said to be leaving.

According to rules set by the Football League, whoever purchases the Portsmouth club must agree that only a small portion of the secured debt from the previous club can be used as secured debt under the new company. All creditors must be paid off in full as well unless mutually agreed upon arrangements are put in place.

Pompey is also going to have to deal with a range of restrictions placed on budgets, loan repayments, and future borrowing that will last for at least the next five seasons before the Football League will allow the Pompey Supporters’ Trust to take over the club.

Maradona’s shirt set to be the star exhibit at the new Museum of Football

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The new National Football Museum certainly has some interesting exhibits, including a penalty shootout area, coins given out at petrol stations and one of Maradona’s shirts. Whilst Steve Hodge may not be English footballers most memorable figures, and is often referred to more as a journeyman than a star, he is the proud owner of this most renowned item of football memorabilia.

At the end of the notorious quarter final in the World Cup of 1986, when a certain Mr Maradona effectively punched England out of the competition with his hand of god goal, it was Hodge who swapped shirts with the diminutive Argentine cheat. From that day he has held this in his possession, well almost, as he had to keep it in his bank as his home insurance company deemed it to valuable to insure under his contents policy.

While it isn’t recorded anywhere officially, it’s rather safe to assume that Diego didn’t have the same problem with Hodge’s shirt. From next weekend though, Hodge will no longer have to make an appointment with his bank manager if he wants to have a look at this shirt of shame, as it will take its place amongst the 3000 items that make up the display of Manchester’s new National Museum of Football.

Adam Comstive is the marketing and communications manager for the museum, and he says that when they have had test groups around, it’s one of the first things they go to see. He added that he thinks its is an object that we all love to hate.

To be honest, the object of such revision isn’t much to look at. A short sleeved, Royal Blue shirt with visible scuff marks on the neck, presumably from where it had to be stretched to fit over the wearers vastly oversized head.

 

Wage capping could protect clubs from financial hardship

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Something of a doomsday scenario has come over the Football League as clubs are struggling with the rules that limit the amount of turnover that can be spent on the wages of players. Championship clubs have also recently just voted to say that they would prefer to have the same financial rules that are seen in Leagues one and two.

The sort of rules that would be implemented in the championship would mean that it is less difficult for the clubs to fall into significant amounts of debt, and risk collapsing.

The chairman of the football league is Greg Clarke and he has commented, “These new regulations are going to create more financially sustainable football clubs. They are going to lay a foundation for creating a more responsible sport where clubs are less able to rack up large debts very quickly.”

The chairman has also said that the rules are going to be brought into effect next season and any clubs that are not being in compliance with the rules are going to face transfer embargoes as well as significant fines. He has also said however that these fines will not start being handed out until the season after that in order to give clubs an opportunity to get used to the new rules and restrictions.

A lawyer who specialises in sports at the law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse, Daniel Geey has commented, “These sort of regulations are going to help ensure the football clubs are able to break even and that they do not take on a large amount of debt.

Fortunately, there is some leeway and it means that these rules will not be too restrictive on clubs, just enough to protect them from themselves. It is a good idea for them to have implemented the grace period before they started implanting finds in the 2014 season.”

Sanctions are also going to be put onto clubs that are not able to break even. Over the next five years these are going to be gradually increased so that clubs are able to improve their performance and not take unnecessary risks.