[Archived] Other Pl Happenings 2009/10

[Gus Gus]

Good article on Villa below.

Onwards and upwards for Villa? - even if a station in the top six suggested consolidation, Villa are now in grave danger of going backwards.

This article, in my mind, raises the more general question of 'how much longer will the PL be the most attractive league in the world?'

I haven't followed football closely for many years, so others may be able to provide some insight.

What I mean is, given that there are a limited number of places available for European competition available, how much longer will investors believe that investing in an English team is a sensible option? I am assuming that a place in Europe is the way to measure a team's success while acknowledging there is little financial incentive for a team to participate in the non-CL European competitions.

Consider Villa: their owner isn't afraid to spend money on players. However, look at the rest of the league: Chelsea, Man City, Man Utd, Liverpool, Tottenham, and Arsenal have the ability to spend a lot of money on a player if they want. Then there are second tier teams like Villa, Sunderland, Everton that will also spend quite a bit of money each transfer window.

The question is, then, why should a sensible businessman (like the owner of Aston Villa) spend a bucketload of money so that Villa can remain in the UEFA Cup? The competition in the league is becoming so that continual investment is required to keep up with the rest of the league. In particular, it makes no sense to invest a lot of money because the return simply isn't there. The amount of money required for a team to keep itself in the same league position is large. If Aston Villa were in the Champions League, then the return on investment might be such that a rational investor would choose to continue to invest.

The author of the article correctly points out that Tottenham will be challenging for Europe next season. Man City will certainly be up there, IMO. Then, in addition to the Big 4 there is Everton. Does anybody really believe that the top 8 at the end of next season won't be a permutation of Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton, Aston Villa, and Man City?

I guess what I'm getting at is that the Premier League is the next financial bubble and I'll predict now that it will burst within the next two seasons. Think about it: if you wanted to invest in a football team, would you do it in England? No, you wouldn't. What's the point of trying to make money in such a competitive market? I myself would go to Spain or Italy and spend loads of dosh building a team that could earn a place in the premier European competition. There are other options to be successful investing in football and I think that soon this will be realized. As the money continues to pour into the league from foreign investors I think we are seeing an over-valuation of all things associated with the PL. This includes transfer fees, wages, tickets, tv rights. Everything. Sensible businessmen cannot compete with oil barons and whenever those businessmen wake up and realize that they've got a lot of investment projects with negative net present values they will be very interested in getting rid.

I'm sure that other astute football fans will have realized that the amount of money involved in the PL is ridiculous and has been for some years. I think that some teams are playing a game of brinkmanship without realizing it. Newcastle may have just lost. I guess we will see.

Sorry for the ramble, but this has been on my mind for a while and I live in America and don't have anybody to chat with about football!

[John]

AC Milan target Edin Dzeko has revealed he will be staying at Wolfsburg.

[DanLad]

Sorry for the ramble, but this has been on my mind for a while and I live in America and don't have anybody to chat with about football!

It was a good ramble!

[ffan]

City have signed Eto'o and Lescott, not forgetting Tevez.

They'll have a strong team next year.

[tcj_jones]

Really? Laporta has commented on the offer from City for Eto'o, but I've heard nothing on Lescott and certainly nothing on either actually signing...

[BRFC1995]

.............................................GIVEN................................................

ZABALETA...............KOMPANY..............LESCOTT....................DE JONG

...............................BARRY...........IRELAND.......................................

.....................TEVEZ...........ROBINHO...............E'TO..........................

......................................SANTA CRUZ..............................................

SUBS: TAYLOR(GK), BRIDGE, ONUOHA, WRIGHT-PHILIPS, PETROV, BELLAMY, CAICEDO

can't imagine anyone at the club right now not named above, jo, elano, benjani etc has a career left at city...and i don't think i'd want us to touch any of them with a barge pole. Could be a lot of square pegs in round holes trying to keep all the divas happy at city next year and hopefully it implodes but i can't see it. There are more goals in the city squad than arsenals or chelseas or even uniteds now rons gone.

[brfcshabba]

Bridge will probably be left back in place of De Jong

[1864roverite]

On paper BRFC that looks quality, however, I have a few issues with your squad.

de Jong is NOT a left back in any stretch of the imagination, he is a central midfielder.

Ireland is an attacking forece, not a midfielder who will settle for playing just in front of the back 4.

I cannot imagine E'to, Robinhood and Tevez settling for playing behind RSC, if the defence were ever looking for support from the front 5 where would it come from ?

fantastic going forward but open as hell at the back.

[BRFC1995]

Bridge will probably be left back in place of De Jong

where does de jong go.........apart from another club? bridge is used to being on the bench any how. Heard de jong is already mega rich from all his outside interests and businesses and being a current first choice international which bridge ain't i'd imagine could be the first wanting out diva style.

[brfcshabba]

.............................................Taylor................................................

Richards...............Ben Haim..............Dunne....................Bridge

...............................Elano...........Hamann.......................................

.....................Bellamy..........................Petrov..........................

..............................Caicedo......Bojinov..............................

Not a bad 2nd team

[Exiled_Rover]

.............................................GIVEN................................................

ZABALETA...............KOMPANY..............LESCOTT....................DE JONG

...............................BARRY...........IRELAND.......................................

.....................TEVEZ...........ROBINHO...............E'TO..........................

......................................SANTA CRUZ..............................................

SUBS: TAYLOR(GK), BRIDGE, ONUOHA, WRIGHT-PHILIPS, PETROV, BELLAMY, CAICEDO

can't imagine anyone at the club right now not named above, jo, elano, benjani etc has a career left at city...and i don't think i'd want us to touch any of them with a barge pole. Could be a lot of square pegs in round holes trying to keep all the divas happy at city next year and hopefully it implodes but i can't see it. There are more goals in the city squad than arsenals or chelseas or even uniteds now rons gone.

I take it they plan on winning games 6-5 then.

[Presty On Tour]

Bellamy will not get changed and hand in a transfer request if he gets put out on the wing.

This Citeh team is a bit like Newcastle in the 90's when they had Ginola playing left wing back!

[tcj_jones]

I'm sort of repeating myself from the Transfer Rumours thread here, but it looks to me as though Hughes plans on employing a Barcelona style 4-3-3. It is difficult enough accomodating Robinho and Tevez / Eto'o in the side, but it would be madness to play all three. Furthermore, I envisage RSC starting the majority of games in which he is fit for as he is the only one of the four who can effectively lead the line.

this is how I imagine they will play if they sign Eto'o.

........Ireland / De Jong / Barry

Eto'o......................................Robinho

......................RSC

Then they would have the likes of SWP, Petrov and Tevez to change the game and add width in midfield.

Personally, I think it would be a stupid to bring in both Tevez AND Eto'o, because it's just asking for trouble. Too many strikers who play a similar style of game, too few games to play them in and too many egos. They should be looking at bringing in another striker who can lead the line - a Berbatov type.

[roversmum]

Tevez was moaning about his playing time at Man U so he's not going to be very impressed if they muck him about at City! Still the coin might help a bit!!!

[John]

Some self promotion from David O'Leary

[AussieinUk]

Some self promotion from David O'Leary

Oh poor little O'Leary.. What a complete pr1ck!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

.............................................GIVEN................................................

ZABALETA...............KOMPANY..............LESCOTT....................DE JONG

...............................BARRY...........IRELAND.......................................

.....................TEVEZ...........ROBINHO...............E'TO..........................

......................................SANTA CRUZ..............................................

SUBS: TAYLOR(GK), BRIDGE, ONUOHA, WRIGHT-PHILIPS, PETROV, BELLAMY, CAICEDO

can't imagine anyone at the club right now not named above, jo, elano, benjani etc has a career left at city...and i don't think i'd want us to touch any of them with a barge pole. Could be a lot of square pegs in round holes trying to keep all the divas happy at city next year and hopefully it implodes but i can't see it. There are more goals in the city squad than arsenals or chelseas or even uniteds now rons gone.

De Jong at left Back ??????? Yeh right !

[dave birch]

De Jong at left Back ??????? Yeh right !

No. Left

[emerton]

will eto'o sign?

seems as though every day there is a reported bid lodged or announcement but nothing comes of it.

i hope he does come - as much as i dislike man city its obvious that they are going to finish above us now so the better players they have the more points the teams around us (8-14) will drop

[Bobby G]

His agent doesnt seem to think so.

[T4E]

His agent doesnt seem to think so.

Where's that come from mate?

Anyone know the latest on the Tevez to City deal?

[WillY]

Where's that come from mate?

"If there is not a 180-degree turnaround then he will stay with Barcelona," he told ONA FM.

Anyone know the latest on the Tevez to City deal?

Tevez said on Saturday on South American TV the best deal on the table currently is Chelskis, I doubt it somehow.

[gumboots]

Where's that come from mate?

teamtalk are reporting it.

[modes98]

Just read the article and it basically states that he isn't happy at the way Barca are forcing him out of the club and will just see out his contract and leave for free next summer, just to annoy them!

Fair play to the guy. I would have taken the ridiculasly high wage and laughed all the way to the bank.

[LessThanJake]

SSN linking Tuncay with Villa