Football Focus

[oggy1953]

Firstly would Real Madrid realy want Rafa [Mr] Bean itez, and secondly it looks like arry will have to sell some more second hand cars to pay off his tax bill..

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Firstly would Real Madrid realy want Rafa [Mr] Bean itez...

 

Why not, they went for Juande Ramos after he had left Spurs...

[BoD]

I see that Torres is out for six weeks and Gerrard and Benayoun are out for two or three weeks. This might tell us something about the squad - although probably nothing that we don't already know.

[oggy1953]

Why not, they went for Juande Ramos after he had left Spurs...

 

 

True, But he was only there as a stop gap till the end of that season. Mind you that was a bit risky hiring Mr Clueless for more than a week !!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

It was a bit of a disaster, the Ramos reign. I'm sure he presided over the 6-2 thrashing handed out by Barcelona. They are always scouring the land for the next ex-Real Madrid boss. This may seem a very long shot, but if Mark Hughes is still out of work... He knows a bit about Spanish football, and the fact he played for Barcelona doesn't mean too much, after all he went to man City.

 

Then again, it may not be too long before Blackburn wave bye-bye to Allardyce. Hughes back to Blackburn, or perhaps Spurs when Redknapp gets led away to the Tower?

[oggy1953]

It was a bit of a disaster, the Ramos reign. I'm sure he presided over the 6-2 thrashing handed out by Barcelona. They are always scouring the land for the next ex-Real Madrid boss. This may seem a very long shot, but if Mark Hughes is still out of work... He knows a bit about Spanish football, and the fact he played for Barcelona doesn't mean too much, after all he went to man City.

 

Then again, it may not be too long before Blackburn wave bye-bye to Allardyce. Hughes back to Blackburn, or perhaps Spurs when Redknapp gets led away to the Tower?

 

 

Hughes in for Redknap ? You know you could be right, i wouldnt mind but would prefer old arry, i need a car soon..

[Steve K]

What I want to know is, how does it work that being sacked from a job you are underperforming on you end up with 20 million? If I'm underperforming in my job, and get sacked I don't get anything bar the salary owed to the point of dismissal.

Yes, it's a funny business, football. I'd love a contract like that - even a 20 thousand pound "useless" clause would be nice... (err, not that I'm useless or headed for the sack or anything, if you're reading this, boss...)

 

You might even go so far as to ask why players seemingly can't be sacked at all for being rubbish at their jobs!

[S.A.C Martin]

You might even go so far as to ask why players seemingly can't be sacked at all for being rubbish at their jobs!

 

With you there steve!

 

When you consider that the manager can't go out and play the football himself, how far can a manager really go to motivate a crap team?

 

David James is lucky to not be a manager - if he was as good a manager as he has been a goalkeeper, hed be onto his twenty-fifth club by now!

[dseagull]

Thing is though - how do you define a bad player?

 

A lot of it is the tactics they are used in, their preferred position (or not!) - and yes, sometimes their relationship with the manager/fellow players. Look at some of those players who have been/do come in for stick from fans in general/the media - they have had good careers.

 

Ade Akinbiyi; Has scored well over 100 goals across various clubs

Ashley Ward; Relegated something like 4 years in succession with different Premier League clubs - but they must have seen something to keep buying him.

Junior Lewis; Combative midfielder, played for Leicester amongst others. Peter Taylor signed him about 5 times. Was criticised continually by fans at Leicester - came on loan to Brighton, and added an extra dimension to our midfield, so much so that from being playoff contenders, he galvanised the 'spine' of the side, and we went up as (Division Two, in those days - League One now) - Champions.

 

The only truly 'awful' players are those who, whether the result of misplaced faith or just sheer stupidity on behalf of those who should have taken a proper look before signing them (anyone remember Southampton's Ali Dia? - or Milton Nunez at Sunderland, where Peter Reid signed the wrong player) - are just not up to the standard.

 

We've got players at Hailsham who are good, and we've got players who are awful. However - one player who springs to mind as awful, and elicits a groan whenever his name is on the teamsheet from some (I've seen him have a couple of good games, so I'm not so bad ) - was considered a regular at a club below us, and a very reliable player. We've not seen that - but it doesen't mean that if he goes to another club, he won't be a success.

 

On the Hailsham front - we are off this weekend (Waterlogged pitch). In fact, only four games in the County League are 'possibles' at present;

 

Ringmer v Wick - John O'Hara Cup

Eastbourne UA v Chichester - Div 1

Bexhill v Haywards Heath - Div 3

Uckfield v Bosham - Div 3

 

Handy really. All are within 30 minutes drive, so with a bit of luck, I will get to a game this weekend!

[Temeraire]

I see the roundabout at the QPR circus has spat out another manager, 6 in 2 and a half years, not a recipe for sucess surely!

 

 

[Claude_Dreyfus]

I see the roundabout at the QPR circus has spat out another manager, 6 in 2 and a half years, not a recipe for sucess surely!

 

 

 

Yes, poor old Paul Hart...he is not having that much luck at present. Some would probably say he was a fool to himself going from one disaster area to another, but there you go...

[S.A.C Martin]

Poor sunderland! Ouch doesn't quite cover it.

 

Nice 1-2 win for us today - still 3rd, but we'll get you yet leeds!

[BoD]

Poor sunderland! Ouch doesn't quite cover it.

I don't know, not many go away from home, score two and still lose. We must be considered unlucky.

[wollastonblue]

I don't like what's happening at Portsmouth: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/8464015.stm

 

Why don't the EPL do the same with Man U, and Liverpool, whose debt's are so massive it's unbelievable.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Why don't the EPL do the same with Man U, and Liverpool, whose debt's are so massive it's unbelievable.

There are a lot of issues surrounding Pompey's financial situation and a certain amount of mystery regarding ownership, past and present.

They're in a very bad way and the club isn't really worth much.

 

The Liverpool and United situations are different, even if their depts are huge in comparison.

 

Liverpool not only have a very large debt, they're trading at a very big loss each year. However they're not insolvent yet and the club is still worth something.

 

Man Utd. on the other hand are still a very profitable club and are still valued at up to an estimated billion pounds. Their problem is the debt lumped on to their books by the Glazers leveraged acquisition of the club.

An analogy is someone who has an unreasonably large mortgage, can still afford the payments, but interest charges keep going up and up. Unless the debt is reduced, sooner or later some cuts in lifestyle and outgoings will have to be made. If it ever reaches the stage where the Glazers, or the club cannot afford the interest payments, the club will have to be sold, or will simply be taken over by the banks who lent the money and sold off. A process that won't be without pain, but the club won't go out of existence.

 

.

[The Fatadder]

Man Utd. on the other hand are still a very profitable club and are still valued at up to an estimated billion pounds. Their problem is the debt lumped on to their books by the Glazers leveraged acquisition of the club. .

 

Highly valued yes, profitable, no.

 

Last years figures were something in the region of a ??30m loss, this years would have been a loss of a similar size if it wasnt for the sale of Ronaldo.........

Hardly sounds profitable to me....

[Steve K]

Poor sunderland! Ouch doesn't quite cover it.

You'll notice that I've resisted any form of gloating. Form (and Nicolas Anelka's fitness) can be all too fleeting. That said, I've rarely seen a man look as glum as Darren Bent after scoring a goal.

 

Still, without being over-confident, I have to say that Chelsea's fixtures over the next few weeks look no tougher than Man United's, and quite a bit easier than Arsenal's. OK, Arsenal are looking pretty good at the moment, and they face Bolton again on Wednesday, but have you seen their next fixtures after that? Stoke away in the cup, followed by Villa (A), Utd (H), Chelsea (A) and Liverpool (H) in the league. I reckon we'll know a lot more about the season after Feb 10th!

[Claude_Dreyfus]

There are a lot of issues surrounding Pompey's financial situation and a certain amount of mystery regarding ownership, past and present.

They're in a very bad way and the club isn't really worth much.

 

 

And that pretty much sums it up.

 

Clubs like Liverpool and Man U are huge brands in their own right, who generate vast sums off the pitch as well as on. They also have plenty of sizable assets; such as decent grounds (Anfield is more than twice the capacity of Fratton Park), training grounds and big-name players...the sale of Ronaldo for example would have completely wiped out Pompey's ??60 million debt.

 

Sadly 'Brand Pompey' cannot underwrite such sums...it just isn't worth that much.

[Horsetan]

I see the roundabout at the QPR circus has spat out another manager, 6 in 2 and a half years, not a recipe for sucess surely!.....

 

No, but a reminder of how regularly Italian governments used to change!

[SpiritOfChester]

I see the roundabout at the QPR circus has spat out another manager, 6 in 2 and a half years, not a recipe for sucess surely!

 

I must say... They where very lucky to get a draw on Saturday! A penalty that really wasn't and a wonder strike that I doubt Connelly could ever do again

 

Still, as is football I guess...

[BoD]

I don't like what's happening at Portsmouth: http://news.bbc.co.u...uth/8464015.stm

 

I don't think anybody likes it - they have a great set of fans. but ...

 

Why don't the EPL do the same with Man U, and Liverpool, whose debt's are so massive it's unbelievable.

 

Isn't it the case, sadly, that some of Portsmouth's debts were to other clubs and it didn't appear that they could service them whilst, as already mentioned, Man U et. al.'s debts are mainly negotiated interest payments which they are, at the moment, managing to service.

[DonB]

Here in the Midlands we are to be *blessed* with a new football based programme on the Beeb at 11.45pm avery Monday.

Tonight we get a look at Derby County (Quote... with Robbie Savage, who is never short of words!... Unquote) and at those newcomers at Burton Albion, who made a modest start to the season but seem to have stalled lately, survival starting to be in doubt???

 

I do not intend to stay up, however, since I am one of soccers lost millions.

[Steve K]

Here in the Midlands we are to be *blessed* with a new football based programme on the Beeb at 11.45pm avery Monday.

I think that "Late Kickoff" is a national programme, but with each region showing its own version. A bit like Nationwide (who else remembers that?). The trouble is, though, as with the Football League Show, that whilst I'd quite like to watch it, I'm not in any fit state* to watch football highlights into the early hours, so I won't be watching it. What was that other sport show that used to be on monday nights on BBC1? That was the same - potentially interestin, but on way too late!

 

 

*By which I mean I'm tired, not drunk...

[Ohmisterporter]

The way to watch the Football League show is on I-player. If your team has a bad game it doesn't matter how late you watch it! The QPR penalty on Saturday was iffy,ball strikes arm, probably 50% of refs would not have given it. Unfortunately we had one of the others.

 

Geoff.

[dseagull]

What about the penalty at Brentford?

 

Leon Legge wasn't happy about it when I spoke to him on Facebook the other night! (he used to play for Hailsham - our most famous 'old boy' by quite a long way!)