Friday, July 27, 2007
2 weeks
There are still a couple of weeks till the English season kicks off but already the hype is building nicely. Media interest has been intense as Chelsea visited the US and took part in David Beckham’s opening night performance in the shadow of Hollywood. Barcelona have been in Scotland and Ronaldinho says he would like to have Frank Lampard in his team which is nice. I’d like to be a full time writer on football and get paid for doing this but I can’t see that quote making headlines!
Meanwhile the Manchester United roadshow has become the 21st Century Radio 1 roadshow. Instead of screaming fans and Dave Lee Travis at wet English beaches singing Agadoo we have screaming fans and Christiano Ronaldo in tropical Asian cities singing Glory glory blah balh. Sir Alex hit back at critics of these tours by saying that Manchester United are giving something back to Asia. By setting up Manchester United Soccer Schools which no doubt are charitable organizations aimed at helping promising kids from less well off backgrounds showcase their skills. The veteran manager also mentioned how after a 14 hour flight United players were off visiting kids in hospitals which is indeed nice. It reminds me of the time I flew 12 hours from Bangkok to London, waited 12 hours to see Arsenal play Oldham in the League Cup then had a 6 hour overnight coach trip, eventually arriving home 24 hours after I’d landed. Which is also nice. And for me expensive. And for the person sitting near me on the coach smelly.
Meanwhile up in Hong Kong yet more English clubs are chasing the Asian dream with Liverpool, Portsmouth and Fulham competing alongside South China. Spoil sport Rafa says it’s serious and has banned his players from enjoying the legendary Hong Kong nightlife which rather detracts from the purpose of going there. Telling footballers not to go on the sauce is like taking a kid on a long journey and not letting him take his toys. Perhaps the players can all play golf instead? Maybe not, Peter Crouch in a baseball cap would like the pin on the second.
While half the premiership lap up the airmiles Arsenal have hit Austria, possibly on a Saga bus trip. Arsenal sells so in the absence of any stories the media have been engaging in creative accounting. Adding two and two together we have been written off for this coming season and indeed Spurs will usurp us in the Big 4. Cesc is a year older, Diaby is back from injury, van Persie, Walcott are fit again, Adebayor shows good touch for a big man (!) plus we have Eduardo and sorry for sounding negative but I see no cause for gloom. The one addition I would like Arsene Wenger to add is the killer touch. Maybe that is what he seeks as he strolls the alpine meadows.
This weekend sees a slew of games being shown locally. Aside from the Asian Cup Final, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Arsenal friendlies are being shown live. From being a chance for players to stretch their legs friendlies have become serious revenue earners for clubs. Big crowds, worldwide TV revenues, it’s all a far cry from when I planned my summer hols round our pre season jaunts round Holland, Germany and Ireland. And Windsor. And Yeovil. Aldershot. Southend.
Which raises an interesting point. So the big clubs have graciously handed 100 million sterling to clubs in the lower leagues, which works out at just over a million each if it is shared equally, wouldn’t it be good to see our leading teams play pre season matches in places like Hartlepool, Crewe and Rotherham? Sir Alex talked about giving back. What about giving back on your own doorstep? They might even sell a few shirts!
Meanwhile the Manchester United roadshow has become the 21st Century Radio 1 roadshow. Instead of screaming fans and Dave Lee Travis at wet English beaches singing Agadoo we have screaming fans and Christiano Ronaldo in tropical Asian cities singing Glory glory blah balh. Sir Alex hit back at critics of these tours by saying that Manchester United are giving something back to Asia. By setting up Manchester United Soccer Schools which no doubt are charitable organizations aimed at helping promising kids from less well off backgrounds showcase their skills. The veteran manager also mentioned how after a 14 hour flight United players were off visiting kids in hospitals which is indeed nice. It reminds me of the time I flew 12 hours from Bangkok to London, waited 12 hours to see Arsenal play Oldham in the League Cup then had a 6 hour overnight coach trip, eventually arriving home 24 hours after I’d landed. Which is also nice. And for me expensive. And for the person sitting near me on the coach smelly.
Meanwhile up in Hong Kong yet more English clubs are chasing the Asian dream with Liverpool, Portsmouth and Fulham competing alongside South China. Spoil sport Rafa says it’s serious and has banned his players from enjoying the legendary Hong Kong nightlife which rather detracts from the purpose of going there. Telling footballers not to go on the sauce is like taking a kid on a long journey and not letting him take his toys. Perhaps the players can all play golf instead? Maybe not, Peter Crouch in a baseball cap would like the pin on the second.
While half the premiership lap up the airmiles Arsenal have hit Austria, possibly on a Saga bus trip. Arsenal sells so in the absence of any stories the media have been engaging in creative accounting. Adding two and two together we have been written off for this coming season and indeed Spurs will usurp us in the Big 4. Cesc is a year older, Diaby is back from injury, van Persie, Walcott are fit again, Adebayor shows good touch for a big man (!) plus we have Eduardo and sorry for sounding negative but I see no cause for gloom. The one addition I would like Arsene Wenger to add is the killer touch. Maybe that is what he seeks as he strolls the alpine meadows.
This weekend sees a slew of games being shown locally. Aside from the Asian Cup Final, Manchester United, Chelsea, Newcastle and Arsenal friendlies are being shown live. From being a chance for players to stretch their legs friendlies have become serious revenue earners for clubs. Big crowds, worldwide TV revenues, it’s all a far cry from when I planned my summer hols round our pre season jaunts round Holland, Germany and Ireland. And Windsor. And Yeovil. Aldershot. Southend.
Which raises an interesting point. So the big clubs have graciously handed 100 million sterling to clubs in the lower leagues, which works out at just over a million each if it is shared equally, wouldn’t it be good to see our leading teams play pre season matches in places like Hartlepool, Crewe and Rotherham? Sir Alex talked about giving back. What about giving back on your own doorstep? They might even sell a few shirts!
# posted by Me @ 4:13 PM 
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Why does Arsene always go to Austria??
"Cesc is a year older, Diaby is back from injury, van Persie, Walcott are fit again, Adebayor shows good touch for a big man (!) plus we have Eduardo and sorry for sounding negative but I see no cause for gloom."
Hahaha, even Arsenal supporters are allowed to be optimistic before the season starts I suppose :):)
"wouldn’t it be good to see our leading teams play pre season matches in places like Hartlepool, Crewe and Rotherham?"
Well the way I see it supporting Man Utd from Hartlepool is about the same as supporting them from Pondok Indah - it's just the way modern football is nowadays...
"Cesc is a year older, Diaby is back from injury, van Persie, Walcott are fit again, Adebayor shows good touch for a big man (!) plus we have Eduardo and sorry for sounding negative but I see no cause for gloom."
Hahaha, even Arsenal supporters are allowed to be optimistic before the season starts I suppose :):)
"wouldn’t it be good to see our leading teams play pre season matches in places like Hartlepool, Crewe and Rotherham?"
Well the way I see it supporting Man Utd from Hartlepool is about the same as supporting them from Pondok Indah - it's just the way modern football is nowadays...
i meant as a way of spreading some cash round the lower divisions rather than just travelling the globe in their own selfish interests
we have a league of 92 clubs. it coouldn t hurt to play a game a year at the smaller clubs would it
we have a league of 92 clubs. it coouldn t hurt to play a game a year at the smaller clubs would it
that's true, but it seems they're doing something similar for clubs in asia, so i have no problem with that...
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