The Football Thread

[victor meldrew]

I am not sure reducing the gate price would bring many more in, especially mid week as people work longer hours, for early Friday finishes and kids have school. A lot of fans travel far greater distances these days and you know for the Cup competitions, you are likely to get kids and benchwarmers. In the League Cup WHU charged £25 or £20 depending on the oppostion as well as kids foer a quid, we rarely get more than 25000, only 18500 for Crewe this year and 24000 for Wigan.

Man Utd in Europe is normally a full stadium, for when I was working on the road, I had to be in Manchester on the Thursday and Friday and you could not get a room for love nor money on the Wednesday night.

FIFA have cancelled the 2014 World Cup and will hand the trophy to England after we run Brazil ragged this evening the Sun will no doubt be heralding the performance from the rooftops, as well as the front and back page.

[mitchspur]

Originally Posted by footstep

Here most of tickets are near 30 euros.Except Paris;Marseille and Lyon about 45.But it becomes harder for real fans, and i suppose soon stadium will have lost their soul with only VIP on seats...

My ticket for the game in Lyon is £13! But the home leg at WHL is £37!!!!????

Discuss!!!

My seat at home works out at about £42 a game for Premier League.
Don't forget you still don't need to turn up until the 2nd half and you won't miss a Spurs goal

[Meini Hirion]

7th February 2013 - BBC

Premier League agrees new financial regulations


The Premier League says its clubs will be punished with a points deduction if they breach new spending controls.
Each team will not be allowed to make a total loss of more than £105m over the next three seasons and must limit their player wage bills from next season.

Full article:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21374699

A small step for mankind, to mangle a saying.

Now, that, coupled with the increase to £X zilliions from TV in the post 2013 seasons means that a lot of money is going to be awash.

That in turn could mean subsidising seat prices, rather than agent fees and player's 'signing-on-fees' (a way of by-passing wage-caps).

I read somewhere that for some Italian League matches the cameras had restricted angles, so they didn't show the empty stands at pitchside - as most if not all Serie A matches can be viewed on legal TV channels, often for free - At home, in cafes or bistros etc.

It emerged that the vote for the financial regulations could hardly have been closer with only 13 of the 20 clubs voted in favour, with six against and Reading abstaining.
The 'yes' vote only narrowly achieved the necessary two-thirds majority of the 19 votes cast.
It is understood that Fulham, West Bromwich Albion, Manchester City, Aston Villa, Swansea City and Southampton all voted against. Chelsea, who had initially been viewed as opponents of financial fair play regulations, voted in favour.

Now, if we are having a wage-cap, a punishable point deduction for rule breaching...where's all the extra money that SKY etc are pumping in, going to go ?

Time for a return to the £10 game ?

[footstep]

Real score from friendly France Germany Peace 50 War 0

[buttsie]

England beat Brazil 2-1 even with some comic relief defending

England began a year they hope will end with a place booked for Brazil by beating the Samba stars for only the fourth time in their history.

http://www.sportinglife.com/football...gland-v-brazil

Now if only England can have penalty shoot outs replaced with sculling lager they might make the World Cup Final in 2014

Given Scotland,Wales & Ireland all won

A Match fixing inquiry is well over due

[victor meldrew]

Originally Posted by Meini Hirion

Time for a return to the £10 game ?

It would be nice to think so, but with UEFA have just reduced the price of the Cheapest Champions League Final tickets to £68, its not going to happen any time soon.

Full Article

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21377776

[buttsie]

Talk about the stupidity of football boards and owners

Their now back with the Manager who rescued them and had them in the
Playoffs 2 years running

They've never been even close since

All that pain for nothing and now they expect results no doubt
using someone elses squad

http://www.sportinglife.com/football...urns-to-forest


Nottingham Forest have re-appointed Billy Davies as manager.

The 48-year-old Scot, who was fired from his previous spell in June 2011, returns to the dugout at the City Ground following Alex McLeish's departure on Monday.

After steering Forest away from relegation following his appointment in January 2009 and then masterminding successive Championship play-off campaigns during his first spell, Davies is on record as stating that he has "unfinished business" at the club.

Chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi agrees and is confident that, at the third time of asking following his family's takeover in the summer, he has appointed the right man to deliver top-flight football to the banks of the River Trent.

"I'm delighted to welcome Billy back to our club and really look forward to working closely with him," said Al-Hasawi.

"Billy has unfinished business with the Reds and we know how hungry he is for success. In returning to the City Ground we believe his leadership will help us fulfil our ambition of making it to the Premier League.

"Billy is a Forest legend who needs no introduction to our loyal fans. We know how excited he is to pick up where he left off last time and we will back him 110%. This is a very exciting appointment for us."

Davies remains popular among Forest fans and the Al-Hasawi family, the club's Kuwaiti owners, are keen to win over supporters following the turbulent start to their tenure.

The Al-Hasawis have made their third managerial appointment since completing their takeover after sacking Steve Cotterill and Sean O'Driscoll and seeing McLeish quit after just 40 days amid rumours of interference in team affairs from the owners.

The chairman added: "We know the fans, players and staff will join us in welcoming Billy back to the Forest family. As I have said, we will return Nottingham Forest to its former glory."

Davies described being back at the club as a "dream come true" and is looking forward to officially beginning his role on Monday.

"It is a privilege and an honour to be back in charge of the Reds," said the 48-year-old, who has been out of work since he left Forest in June 2011 and on Monday turned down the opportunity to end that exile at Blackpool.

"As my new friend Fawaz says, I have unfinished business here at Forest and I am relishing this great opportunity to return Forest to its former glory.

"My tenure at the City Ground was cut short last time and I can't wait to get my boots back on and training the lads.

"We have a great squad and I know I can get the best from them. Coming home to the Reds is a dream come true."

The club have confirmed that David Kelly, despite only last week taking up the assistant manager's position at League One side Walsall, first-team coach Julian Darby and goalkeeping coach Peter Williams have been reunited with Davies as part of his backroom team.

Assistant manager Rob Kelly will be in charge when Forest face Bristol City, who recently appointed O'Driscoll as manager, at Ashton Gate on Saturday and he is also expected to work under Davies.

[richardoe]

Well Billy Davies got PNE in to the play offs 2 years on the trot and got Derby promoted so he should do a good job at Forest again. But be warned, if he doesnt think the board value him hell walk away, thats why he left PNE for Derby.

[Meini Hirion]

Originally Posted by victor meldrew

It would be nice to think so, but with UEFA have just reduced the price of the Cheapest Champions League Final tickets to £68, its not going to happen any time soon.

Full Article

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21377776

Separate issues Vic.

The Premier League are creating their own Fair Play system, for DOMESTIC games.

UEFA is just making a gesture for THEIR controlled games, with the "cheap" ticket cr@p.

I agree, it may be a long way off, but it is a first step.

Under UEFA's Fair Play system their punishment for abuse can only relate to Leagues and matches that they control, Champions League and Europa. They can restrict or banish clubs getting to those money-troughs.
Nothing more.

The Premier League, however have a point deduction punishment, which is brilliant, if it is a genuine tactic and not lip-gloss.

Compliance is the key-word, and they have the 'teeth' now, so let's hope it's not bloody dentures.

[Amongst the clubs that voted against the Prem proposal - and lost - again - was Villa. Which might indicate just how far up the creek they are now. They only pay Benteke about £15k a week, he's scored about 9 or 10 goals all season and they are leaking that he could be sold for £20+ million in the summer - - he cost them £7million from Genk in Belgium.

They have a £60-70k a week player who finds it hard to get on the bench !!

Mis-management on a Grand Scale. It will take them more than 3 years to comply, so I think, along with Fulham, they will opt out of the Prem by choice....by embracing relegation - but don't tell their fans ! ]

[footstep]

Page 1000!!!