Get off His Back

This is my reponse to the criticism on Robinho's move to Manchester City.

It is ok to argue that he went to City for the money, but to criticize him on the fact that the Sky Blues are too weak a club for him is, in my opinion, disrespectful. What is wrong with a club with ambition? Was not Chelsea in the same boat as City is? Chelsea was only in weak reckoning for a Champions League league finish till they spent 300mil on players. I certainly do not see why Manchester City would not be able to match the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal after spending 300mil.

What is wrong with a little ambition? Shame on those people who argued along those lines! Sour grapes meets ill-logic.

More on the Sky Blues

There is a lot to be said about the potential new entrant into Champions League football, wresting the power base from the traditional big four we have been so used to for over a decade. There is serious cause for concern as far as Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, even though City's chances may seem vague as of now. Here's why...



1. No Significant Debts

Arsenal has to pay for their new stadium; while Liverpool is looking to build a new one; the Glazers still got countless millions to settle in bank loans they took to buy United over, and maybe the only one without clearcut debts would be Chelsea. As such we saw, and will be seeing, the spending power of City in the years to come. However, to compete with them it would seem inevitable that City upgrade or even build a new stadium and they could possibly face the same problems.


2. Single Owner

The issues we have seen surfaced between Tom Hicks, George Gillett and Benitez is high profile, divisive and highly disruptive. Yes this is just one club of the big four, but the ultimate goal is to just sneak into the top four isn't it? They just need one of them to collaspe. Managerial patience from the Abu Dhabi group has yet been tested but if they can keep things peaceful, it could help the team's cause on the pitch.


3. Ambition

The capture of Robinho is as much a tactical coup as it is a symbolic one. His presence in the Sky Blues could attract other big name players to the club, signifying the ambitions of the club. Big moves are expected from them at the end of this current season. Besides, there is no league with a bigger audience worldwide than the Barclays Premier League.

********

The dynamics have shifted as now there are potentially four new fixtures in a season which could determine Champions League football for five clubs instead of four. If Manchester City can put in a strong and consistent foundation, they will benefit from the technical stability and could move on to depose one of the big four. Liverpool and Arsenal are most precarious with the problems they have exhibited, cēterīs paribus. Let's not speak too soon and see whether the moves City makes and their performances on the pitch can bring them in two seasons.

Keegan Gets Angry

Up yours, Mike.

The Window Closes; Clamped Shut and Stifling

What a crazy night of events for BPL fans. Here’s a recap of the most notable in my opinion.



1. Oil Money for Man C

With money dripping from their nostrils, it was about time the BPL was graced with some oil money from Arabia. What an introduction it was too –a hijacked £32.5m deal for Robinho, with an audacious £135m bid for Cristiano Ronaldo lined up (what a story that would be). This could very well mean another club making an appearance in the Champions League other than the Big Four. Definitely one to keep our eyes and ears out for.


2. Weird Spurs

They now have a decent goalie, a great defensive line-up, a decent midfield and a dismal front-line. This is a complete reversal from the kind of team they were last season. If you look up the word erratic on the dictionary you will see Tottenham Hotspurs beside it. I can’t really see Bent and Pavlyuchenko making big splashes in the league this season, and Ramos is essentially a “cup manager”. A UEFA league placing this season will be an excellent result for them, but they could get more if they can get some rhythm going forward.


3. Messiah Crucified (edited)

After just eight months, barely enough time to prove anything to anyone, Keegan has been sacked. A tad bit unfair to Silver-Hair, who has had his differences with the board over the post-season; and it was ultimately a clash of personalities that led to his dismissal. Perhaps he could take the job of Paul Ince when Blackburn is threatened by relegation twenty matches into the season, or even Ole-Bristles Rafa’s potentially vacant job (who himself has had his fair share of boardroom bust-ups).

Edit: Looks like he was not sacked after all. There is still some justice left in this world. Or so i thought...

* * * * * * * * * *

Money is the name of the game in this era of football and I see no slowing down of it. Titles are beginning to be bought as more and more Abramovic-es pop up. They may say it’s a hobby, but it’s actually big business, and a chance to write your name in popular history. Could this progress happen at the expense of the traditional values associated with sports like excellence, human development and the (mythical) level playing field? The pervasiveness of capitalism and its inherent consequence of stratification strangles sporting tradition. So just make sure you support the right team. If that team you support has billionaire funding (read Chelsea and now Man City), a Prime Minister’s backing (read AC Milan) or a whole city behind them (read Real Madrid) then you are on the right track as long as they got the moolah.

Some Beginning Thoughts

The first round of games is over and there were few surprises in my opinion. Some comments on my predicted top 6 and other selected teams -


Manchester United

I expect a mediocre season from them for two reasons – Ronaldo will play without putting in the heart and soul we saw him do last season, and the loss of Carlos Quieroz. The need for an out-and-out forward never seem more obvious in a toothless performance against a resurgent Newcastle side. Look out for Fletcher this season as I see him getting more games and making his mark finally as a vastly improved player.

Prediction: 3rd



Arsenal

Of the big four, I once again see Arsenal as the one which would most probably end up the worst. A fourth place finish this season would be a real achievement with the players they have. They really should open themselves for sale so as to free up some funds they desperately need to add some experience to a gutsy but lacking side. Those sorry Gunner fans…

Prediction: 4th or 5th



Liverpool

They may have seemed average against Sunderland, but I think credit has to be given to Keane and the Sunderland side he has put together. If Benitez learns his lesson on rotation, Liverpool would actually have a fantastic chance of challenging for the title this season. Always spending big on overvalued quality, this season was no different as they splashed 20mil on Keane (which I think is a good buy) and Benitez’s annoyance at the board’s lack of support in his chase for Barry (which I see as an absolute waste of money). If Keane and Torres can put together a working partnership, there will be little anyone in the League can do to stop them and finally put some value to the big money transfers.

Prediction: 1st or 2nd



Chelsea

What else to say about Scolari? Many have doubted his credentials when at club level but I tell you now he will bring attacking football that Abramovic has been looking for and Chelsea will produce the goods, IF he is able to keep the massive egos in the team in check. Deco is a brilliant buy and I see him as possibly being the key player this season for Chelsea, unless the other “indian-chiefs” have something to say about that (aka Frank Laanpah and the other mupps).

Prediction: 1st or 2nd



Tottenham

Well well money can’t buy success, or can it. The biggest spenders saw defeat at Teeside and look to let their fans down again, despite spending. I however think they can make a challenge for 4th place this season when Ramos gets it right within a month. The crucial factor here is who they will purchase to replace the impending departure of Berbatov.

Prediction: 4th or 5th



Aston Villa

Martin O’Neil did wonders last season with a paper thin squad and I see him performing miracles again this time round. The impressive duo of Agblonlahor and Young will continue to torment defences with their pace, and if they manage to stay fit, could carry the Villains all the way to Europe on their shoulders.

Prediction: 6th



Possible surprises this season include a resilient Sunderland and Newcastle. Whether the blue side of Manchester sees success this season is entirely dependent on the issues their owner faces in this part of the world. Stoke looks to do a Derby; while Wigan should join them with WBA, Hull and possibly Blackburn, Bolton and Fulham vying for the final relegation spot.

Ronald-HO..A Carlos Queiroz Ramble

Should he or should he not? I think it is a foregone conclusion in my opinion, just get going and give us a minimum of 70mil Euros in return. A player, however brilliant, is only as useful as his heart for the club. Wanna leave? Fine, just make sure I get back monetarily the amount of effort I put into making who you are today, the faith I placed in you when everyone thought your were an Olympic diver and sheltered you while the whole of England wanted your ass.

Can anyone honestly replace him? He is strong, fast, skilful, an accomplished finisher with both his feet and head, excellent physique and plays with the heart and desire that is desperately lacking in so many professional players. A complete player? Yes. Irreplaceble? Maybe. Can we go on and be successful without him? Definitely. We are Man United, not CRFC. We won the Champions League the season after Cantona retired and you're no where near his legendary status yet.

With a heavy heart I let you go, but with (muted) gleeful anticipation I look forward to your next replacement. With that money, I can get anyone I want.



Queiroz

Wake up and Smell the Ashes, Arsene.

Top of the league by one point, through to the knockout stages of the Champions League and with the FA and Carling Cup yet to come, Arsenal are sure looking good for success this season. Spearheaded by the dynamism and creativity of Cesc Fabregas, who is only 20 years of age and already in his 5^th season for the Gunners, it would seem foolish to not back Wenger’s Gunlets for at least one trophy this season. Yet, that is exactly what I am going to do – Arsenal will end up without the League, Champions League and FA Cup this season. Call me daft, but here’s why.

Probably the most obvious weakness in the squad is the lack of depth and general quality beyond the first-eleven. They have a decent keeper that is yet to see action at high levels in Alumnia. Their defense is prone to error and has backup in the form of Sanderos and Hoyte, this department is particularly weak. Other than Hleb and Fabregas, the midfield either has vastly inexperienced players, or those who are not good enough to be challenging for top honours. They do have a talented forward line, many of which can double up as wingers. But they only have two out-and-out forwards in Adebayor and Bendtner and neither is good enough to lead the line. Van Persie and Walcott are too light-weight to be employed as target-men and are better off coming in from wide.

The youthfulness of this Arsenal side smacks of effervescence, but the inexperience and the condition of young bodies could undo their prospects, and this is especially compounded by the lack of depth in the squad. The stress of fixtures in a top club like Arsenal mean that the core players in the team have to turn out for 60 odd games in one full season. This is highly stressful especially for players who are still in the early years of physical development. This will ultimately contribute to the theory that Arsenal will fade out after the second half of the season as fatigue and injuries set in.

Arsenal has performed pretty well so far this season, but I would like to remind readers that the only real opponents they faced so far are at home to Manchester United (2-2, lucky to have got away with a point), away to Liverpool (1-1) and Sevilla home and away (3-0 and 1-3 respectively). The real test comes when they face a resurgent Chelsea this weekend, while not forgetting the tougher challenges in the Champions League knockout stage. If a Fabregas-less Arsenal does that badly against a less-than mediocre Middlesbrough side (who happened to perform brilliantly that particular day) is any sort of indicator, your guess is as good as mine on how they will fair against the bubbling Blues.

I meant to write this article before the game against Middlesbrough and talk about how Arsenal will fade after the Christmas fixture congestion, but I guess it has begun earlier than I expected. Arsene has to wake up and smell the ashes real soon. Make 1 or 2 purchases in the January transfer window to fill that lack of depth especially in defense, or risk ruining a bright start to the season.

Lame Looney

Everyone has been talking about the £30mil useless piece of meat that is Andrei Shevchenko. I will do one better. Named by Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the 5 world-class players he has ever coached, alongside Eric Cantona, Peter Schmeichel, Roy Keane and Ryan Giggs and costing the club in excess of £20mil, Wayne Rooney has definitely been placed on a pedestal by both his manager and his fans. I will stick my neck out to say that Rooney is overrated, and Manchester United is better off with him not in the starting lineup. Here’s why…

Statistics that matter, Rooney has scored 7 goals in 28 appearances against credible teams like Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Milan and Roma. This brings me to my first beef - Rooney does not perform on the big stage. Very often fading into obscurity when performing on the biggest stage, he certainly has failed to live up to the ‘world-class’ tag labeled on him. Granted, his role in the team is not one of being a natural goal-scorer, but then again besides Saha, Ruud van Nistlerooy and the now retired Solskjaer, there were not many of such players. This plus the point that he plays almost every game that he is fit to and the positions he finds himself in front of goal in matches, makes the lack of goals against big teams glaring. Cristiano Ronaldo can score more goals than Rooney, playing in a less forward and central position, on the big stage as well.

Known for his fiery and dogged playing style, he loses the plot too often and does unnecessary tackles or comes into confrontations with the opposition and the referee. He is certainly someone that does not lack confidence and he is very overt in showing it. He has improved somewhat in his relations with opposition players but he really has to check his tackles and less-than-subtle conversations with the referee or he will continue to be a disciplinary liability.

His playing style is another cause for concern. He has this habit of playing on his strength and determination, often running the ball into the wide and corner positions, very often crowded out by 2 or more defenders, and he will end up losing the ball. He loses the ball very often too, due to poor touch and awareness. He is unable to bring his teammates into the game (unlike Tevez), lacking the presence of mind and awareness that is vital for someone employed in that position. His finishing is inconsistent; he used to score spectacular goals and is able to put away easy chances, but he has yet to score in 10 competitive games 4 of which included slightly inferior teams. The only advantage having him on the pitch is his determination and physical presence, which could cause defenders problems and open up space for his teammates to capitalize on.

I find it quite an issue to name someone, who has just played 4 seasons for you and is only 22 years of age, alongside true greats like Cantona, Giggs, Schmeichel and Keane as being ‘world-class’. He has yet to achieve anything on the big stage and this brings immense injustice to a player like Paul Scholes. Perhaps this is another mind-game from the wily old Scot in an attempt to bring Rooney’s standard of play up another level to justify his price tag or to benefit the team, I don’t know. I do know he has to bring his game with him soon, if not Tevez and Saha should deservedly be in the first team and not Lame Looney.

Jose has Left the Building

Jose Mourinho has left Chelsea. As much as everyone has their negative comments about him, I am absolutely certain his presence will be missed. Let's take a pictorial journey on the impression he left on the Premier League.

Amidst the Blue revival under Roman Abramovich, a certain someone who won the Champions League with an unfancied Porto side was hired to replace Claudio Rainieri. He called himself The Special One, and from this picture, it isn't hard to see why. Armed with Roman's billions, to spend on transfers, he began his reign.


In the flurry of criticisms and hatred, he silenced every one by winning the Premier League and the League Cup, reaching the semi-final stages of the Champions League in the process. He has gone on to win one more League title and League Cup, one FA Cup, and one Community Shield in his 3 full seasons with Chelsea. Chelsea are currently unbeaten at home for a record 67 games in a row. Such are his achievements.




In his time at Chelsea, he has shown himself to have interesting character traits. The most attention-grabbing is his inability to lose with grace. Blaming everyone from the referee, his assistants, the FA, buses parked in front of goals, lunch...whatever. Sometimes he has a point, sometimes he doesn't. One thing's for sure, he usually gives the opponent the credit they deserve. One legacy he did leave behind is his stylish goal celebrations at the dugout, sometimes he even displays nonchalance. Nothing less from the Special One.




His antics were fodder for the press, who lapped up his every word and action. Every facial expression, every comment made, every mis-step was scrutinized. It was a field day for the media personnel covering any Chelsea event. Every reporter's dream.



All said and done, Jose is one polished Portuguese. His boyish looks, manly charms, sharp suits, sexy accent and the air of confidence around him left many women hot on their couches. He does have his off days though, but generally, he was hot enough.



And things began turning sour. His relationship with Roman turned frigid. I would say, it all started with the arrival of Andriy Shevchenko, Roman's good friend. Things snowballed and didn't look good at the end of last season. Roman's ominous departure in the recent 2-0 defeat against Villa spelled trouble. The support of his players, and the success he had was not enough to make him immune from the chop. More of an issue of personal differences than anything else, Mourinho was made to leave.



He carried the team on his shoulders, and wore his heart on his sleeve. He was extremely popular with the players, media and his own fans. I am certain he has converted many a hater in his time at Chelsea. And I am proud to say that I am one of them. The Premier League will never be the same without him. He will be missed. Will we see him in action on the sidelines in England for another team? Spurs are actively looking for a manager and they could hire him. But I feel it is unlikely that he will stay in the UK. If Spurs does hire Ramos from Sevilla, Mourinho could be moving to sunny Spain. Anyway, Jose has certainly left the building.

The Foe?

Name: Jermain Colin Defoe

Height: 1.70m

Date of birth: 07-10-1982

Position: Forward

Nationality: England

Tottenham Hotspur

Appearance (Substitute) - Goals

League: 85 (40) - 39

FA Cup: 7 (4) - 5

League Cup: 8 (2) – 9

Other: 2 (3) – 3

Jermain Defoe was a youth product of Charlton where he impressed enough to be purchased by then West Ham boss Harry Redknapp for a fee of £1.15million in 1999; he was only 19 years old then. In his 5 years at Upton Park he netted 51 goals and when The Hammers went down in 2003, it was almost inevitable that someone one of his quality would have no lack of suitors. Thus he followed the West Ham exodus of that season and joined Tottenham Hotspur for a hefty fee of £7million in 2004. This move saw him make his England senior debut as a substitute in March of the same year in a 1-0 defeat to Sweden. He subsequently handed his first start in a World Cup qualifying match against Poland in September 2004, scoring in a 2-1 win. He has clocked up 22 more caps after this and scoring 2 more goals. Blessed with quick feet, lightning reaction and explosive finishing, many people would have tipped him to achieve great things. This is precisely why I decided to devote an entire article to him.

He has made 5 league appearances for Spurs this season, all as a substitute. In his 24 international caps for England, he only started four of those games, with the rest as a cameo substitute. Sven brought an unfit Rooney and an untested 17 year old Walcott rather than a raring-to-go Defoe for the World Cup last year. In short, Defoe’s recent fortune with selection could be described as pitiful. Why is that so? Let’s look at the situation in both Spurs and England to have a better idea.

There are currently 4 forwards in the Tottenham setup – Berbatov, Keane, Bent and Defoe. You could say each has their own strengths and weaknesses but neither are goal scoring machines unless you count Berbatov’s 23 goal haul in all competitions last season as being prolific. He is the only one, I would have to say, that would be the only confirmed name on the team sheet in the forwards department. Keane’s strengths are his intelligence and creativity, leadership qualities, as well as his ability to score amazing goals to rouse his team mates. He would be second on the team sheet. This leaves Jermain Defoe and a £16.5million Bent on the bench.

One note on Bent; he has pace, strength, and aerial ability. But he is only slightly above average in those departments, and that arguably makes him a mediocre player. You could say he scored lots of goals during his time at Charlton but being the lone man up-front for the Addicks would mean he would have the most and best opportunities to become their top goal-scorer. After all that rambling, I will just sum up the player, which cost Spurs £0.5million more than what Barcelona paid for Theirry Henry, in one word – overrated.

With Tottenham involved in the domestic league, FA and League Cup competitions, and the Uefa Cup, there is supposed to be a host of games to keep each forward happy. The problem here lies in the international status of both Darren Bent and Jermain Defoe. Both are on the fringes of the team and need match time in order to impress and keep sharp. Playing bit-parts in competitions inferior to the League or Uefa competitions would definitely frustrate, or could even be detrimental to these players, who are of certain quality and expectation.

The fact that Spurs have got off to a poor start has pressured Martin Jol to keep the existing strikeforce of Berbatov and Keane. The only time this partnership was changed was against Derby when Bent was handed a starting place, ahead of Defoe. It was perhaps the fact that Defoe and Keane were never able to successfully play together that prompted Jol to make such a decision.

What this could mean for Defoe on the club level is increasing disappointment on the bench. This would affect his already dim international future. England usually employs a dual forward system and this would normally mean calling up 4-5 of them. In the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel, McClaren called up Alan Smith, Michael Owen, Emile Heskey, Andrew Johnson and Jermain Defoe. Well-known for his liking of pairing a target-man with a speedy player, it would be a good guess to say that Heskey and Owen are the most likely to start.

A few words on McClaren (as you can see, I love to digress). I have always felt he has achieved nothing in club level for him to deserve a job like managing England. Owen is a paler shade of his old self, after losing his speed and agility after coming back from his long term injury. But yet, he is one of McClaren’s favourites. In my opinion, it would be logical to start Emile Heskey and Andy Johnson up front as the latter is in good form compared to Alan Smith (who is deployed as a centre-midfielder in Newcastle) and Jermain Defoe (who has a serious lack of match practice). Owen’s place in the squad should be given up to someone like Ashley Young or Gabriel Agbonlahor (both of whom have been putting in decent displays for Villa), since I feel his abilities and form does not warrant him a place. In essence, he is as daft a manager (tactically) as you can get.

Back to Defoe. It is unlikely he will play any part in this game as I see Andy Johnson coming before him in the pecking order, and putting 4 forwards on the field at the same time would only happen if England were down 1-0 with 15 minutes to go. And with Rooney and Crouch unavailable, Defoe’s England chances look bleak.

What now for this young man? To me at least, his abilities as a forward are undeniable and my heart aches to see such footballing injustice being done. My honest opinion is that he should move on to a club that will guarantee him regular first team action, and that England needs a new (read: more competent) manager for his talents to be recognized and put in better use. He should be least playing a more integral role rather than the plug-filling function that he is right now.

With such talent and promise, one can only lament the state that Defoe is in right now. I wish him all the best.

Fun-Pix (1)

Big Sam and Lil' Sammy

An excellent picture I picked off Guardian. Many meanings and lotsa laughs. Been a tad busy with commitments, will be back with the usual dose real soon. Till then...

Like it's Christmas

The pre-season is a time of merry shopping and this one is no different. What I find interesting is, the clubs who are tradtitionally not big spenders are spending like Christmas came early. Exact figures are hard to obtain as many transfers have their value undisclosed. Below is a few of the busier clubs in the market.

1. Tottenham
They have spent at least £29.5m with further spending expected.

2. West Ham
Total estimated spending so far is at least £20.5m with further expenditure expected.

3. Bolton
They have made 6 purchases so far, of which 3 have their value undisclosed.

4. Portsmouth
Made one signing worth £7m, with 2 more undisclosed

This puts the minimum expenditure for these 4 clubs at £15m. This is a spillover effect from 2 circumstances. Firstly, for clubs like Spurs and Bolton, they have the economic benefits of being in Europe while Portsmouth and West Ham have rich owners. Secondly, the recent change of television and sponsorship rights meant that each Barclays Premiership League (BPL) club is gifted a hefty sum of £50m at the start of this season (little wonder why Sheffield United is going to court over this).

The BPL is certainly showing itself to be the most cash-rich league in the world and the club's spending power has certainly moved on from the days where the Big Four (Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool & Arsenal) were the only big spenders. The only problem now is that with the money, can they attract the talents? Only time will tell but I can tell you that this up-coming season is going to be its most exciting judging from the players that have been signed so far.

In the weeks leading up to to the Community Shield and the League's first game, I will do articles on selected teams as some sort of preview. Till then, happy shopping.

Man, You Loaning Tevez?

The news is out and about. Manchester United is seeking to land Carlos Tevez on a 2 year loan deal with first option to buy. Few things come to my mind.

1. By loaning instead of buying, United give themselves a 2 year window to sort out the irregularities then would obviously come with any transfer deal to do with Tevez. This would also give time for the massive sandstorm that is already surrounding the Tevez saga to settle.

2. My initial thoughts was that United would actually be in the market for an out-and-out striker in the mould of recent Anfield acquisition Fernando Torres. If Tevez's services are acquired, United would be primed to further strengthen their already formidable and swift counter-attack style of play. They will not need a goal-getter if that is the plan, when they have various options moving forward on the break.

3. Will he be able to adapt? Well he already has fellow Argentine international Gabriel Heinze plowing up and down left-field, someone who (I wouldn't be surprised as this is not the first time Sir Alex has used such methods to acquire players) would act as chaperon and even be egging him to join United. He has proven to be strong and tough enough to endure the physicality of the English game with his time at West Ham. I would think he should be able to fit in nicely, provided no surprises are sprung, and no tantrums are thrown.

Anyway this is all speculation till he actually arrives. Exciting times for United fans as he will join Portuguese sensation Nani, Brazillian sorcerer Anderson, and English workhorse Owen Hargreaves in a youthful United side looking to claim the title of Fergie's Fledglings II.

Iron Clad Hammers

In an announcement made by the English FA earlier this evening, Sheffield United’s appeal against West Ham’s punishment for fielding ineligible players during Premier League games which aided in their relegation dog-fight, was duly thrown out. It did not come as a surprise, to me at least. Other than the obvious reasons of the complications in re-ordering next season’s fixtures, I have a theory of my own.

1. M.O.N.E.Y

Well it is the same reason all over again isn’t it? The £5.5million fine they suffered is peanuts compared to the USD$2.2 billion estimated net worth of Eggert Magnússon. That monetary potential that the Hammers currently possess, can be equated as their capability to compete in an increasingly money driven game. Not much can be said about The Blades on that.

2. Marketing Potential

The Hammers are more recognizable in recent times with the likes of Paolo Di Canio, Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Jermain Defoe all donning their jerseys in the late 90s onwards, and more recently Tevez, Reo-Coker, Lucas Neill, Anton Ferdinand. This could translate into a more marketable team playing in a branded league. Sheffield United on the other hand has Keith Gillespie as their most recent and famous player. Not forgetting the fans who witnessed their glory days, may they rest in peace.

3. Tourism

This may seem a weird reason. West Ham in the bustling city of London, Sheffield has her woods and parklands (how sad, she is not even listed on few UK tourism websites). A vibrant London with Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham AND West Ham form part of city life, where football plays an integral part. Sheffield, well she has her beauty, but not the commercialized beauty that mass tourism thrives on.

For the sake of the bigger picture, West Ham has secured their Premiership status...for now.

Here’s some statistics below to help put numbers to the words.

West Ham

Location: London

Stadium Capacity: 35,500

Best League Finish: 3^rd

FA Cup Wins: 1964, 1975, 1980

Cup Winners Cup: 1965, 1976(losing finalist)

Intertoto Cup: 1999

Chairman: Eggert Magnússon

Sheffield United

Location: Sheffield (North of London)

Stadium Capacity: 32,609

Best League Finish: 1898(1st)

FA Cup Wins: 1899, 1902, 1915, 1925

Chairman: Terry Robinson

The Blades were simply hammered into the ground in this fiasco. West Ham’s place in next season’s Premiership you could say is more or less iron-clad.

A Consolidated Power

When asked to name the big leagues in the world, invariably leagues like the English Premiership, Primera Liga, Italian Serie A and perhaps the German Bundesliga will be there or thereabouts. However, there seems to be a marked power shift in the world of football. The Premiership is now the premier league to play in. You may disagree, but here is some food for thought.

About ½ the globe (2.59 billion) tunes in from 204 countries to the matches played in the Premiership.. The rights to air the matches on TV, radio and internet mediums auctioned in at £2.7billion over 3 years (of which part would be shared among the 20 clubs in the top flight). It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that this league is the most marketed, and marketable, and enjoys the greatest exposure.

One example on its effects can be seen in the recent Carlos Tevez transfer uncertainty. His advisor Kia Joorabchian has come out in public to admit that Tevez would rather stay in the Premiership, turning down a move to Italian giants Inter in the process. Let’s dissect this incident

M.O.N.E.Y

He may not be the highest paid, but the media coverage Tevez will receive in the Premiership could raise his marketability. This could be in terms of (future) sponsorship deals, better (future) contracts, higher value on the transfer market. This kind of exposure should lead to such snowballing effects, provided he plays reasonably well and makes a name for himself. Tevez already did, by securing West Ham’s top flight status in the last season. I would guess this is one of the reasons he left Corinthians for the Premiership in the first place, and could account for his desire to stay.

Safe Haven

UK is well known for its education and welfare systems. This is an excellent place for someone (with a family or looking to have one) to settle in, especially if the foreigner comes from a turbulent background; even if he wasn’t, just having the UK as an option to move to is advantageous. This is one attraction that playing in the Premiership provides.

The British Pound

One of the strongest and most stable currencies in the world, the British Pound is a relatively safer bet. Earning wages in this currency brings stability, along with the other values that the Pound possesses.

There could be other reasons, but these seem to me as being the most obvious. What this would entail is the consolidation of the Premiership as the premier league to be playing in, attracting the best players from around the world. Perhaps not everyone would like to live in wet and grey UK, or be able to perform or withstand the physicality of the English game, but the attraction will only snowball. More a platform for marketing than for football, the economically conscious agents of the best players in the world cannot help but take notice of this gold pot.