Strange business
SIR Jim Ratcliffe, Man Utd’s soon-tobe new minority owner, took in his first game at Old Trafford last weekend when Spurs were the visitors and he got a firsthand view of what needs to be sorted at a club that has lost its way since Fergie retired.
He would have noted the following: the need for a true striker, at least two new midfielders, a couple of reliable backups for central defence and ditto at full back.
I’m sure he was also well aware of the need for urgent renovations at Old Trafford and even the possibility of decamping altogether and building a new stadium elsewhere.
The one thing that puzzles me though is this: why is he taking all this on when he only owns 25 per cent of the club?
Surely any improvements he funds to both the team and the facilities only makes the Glazers who control the other 75 per cent richer and even less likely to sell their stake to Ratcliffe further down the line?
Nearly forgot: their one star food hygiene rating also needs to be sorted, hopefully Ratcliffe has a plan for this also.
A MESSY BUSINESS
It was confirmed this week that Everton, for the second time this season, and Nottingham Forest, for the first time, are facing possible points deductions for failing to stay within the Premier League FFP guidelines.
The major problem with these charges is that in all probability, due to appeals their punishments will not be confirmed until after the season ends, which is of course a ridiculous state of affairs given that the final league placings will be in limbo until such time.
OOPS!
Responding to MPs at Westminster this week, who asked why the Premier League is so quick to clamp down on Everton and Forest yet reticent in dealing with Manchester City, who face 115 alleged breaches of FFP rules, Premier League CEO Richard Masters basically said “Manchester City are a big club while Everton and Forest are small clubs”.
I don’t think that statement went down too well in the blue half of Liverpool and the red half of Nottingham, particularly given that Forest have won more European Cups than Citeh.
SPEAKING OF THINGS MESSI
How can it be that scoring 10 goals for PSG then retiring to the MLS, where he scored another 10 goals for Inter Miami justifies the great Argentine yet another Fifa World Player of the Year gong, just beating out Erling Haaland with Kylian Mbappe a distant third? At this rate he’ll still be picking up the award when he’s in his dotage.
RED MIST
Five red cards this season, three the season before – every club would correctly think they may have a problem with a player who totted up that amount of suspension time and they’d probably be looking to show said player out of the door.
But what if the offender was a highly regarded and extremely well paid coach or manager? And what if that coach or manager was Jose Mourinho?
Well on Tuesday, Roma’s owners read the runes and said goodbye to the special one and immediately the speculation started about where next: Newcastle? A third spell at Chelsea? A second spell at Old Trafford? The MLS? Saudi? All unlikely but you just never know.
For my money it’ll possibly be a first step into national team management, in which case where? Brazil are looking, would he turn down his native Portugal? How about a cheeky punt on Belgium? Or an even cheekier punt on England after the Euros? Wherever he goes it’ll be newsworthy, watch this space.
TEAM OF THE WEEK
Martin Dubravka Newcastle, Kyle Walker Manchester City, Pedro Porro Spurs, Christian Romero Spurs, Rodri Manchester City, Bernardo Silva Manchester City, Rodrigo Betancur Spurs, Jake Livermore Watford, Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City, Alexander Isak Newcastle, Anthony Gordon Newcastle. Manager: Ange Postecoglou. Ok, it was two points dropped at Man Utd, but the Aussie coach, despite all his selection problems, refuses to compromise on his attacking principals.
Players of the week: Kevin De Bruyne – in a game where all five goals were superb, his 21minute cameo with a goal and an assist was the difference maker as Newcastle just couldn’t handle him.
Rodrigo Betancur – bossed the midfield at Old Trafford and showed once again how good he can be when Matty Cash and others aren’t out to knobble him.
THIS WEEK’S GAMES
Premier League today 2:30; Arsenal vs Palace. 7:30; Brentford vs Forest. Tomorrow 4pm; Sheffield United vs West Ham. 6:30; Bournemouth vs Liverpool. Monday 9:45; Brighton vs Wolves. League Cup semi-finals second legs Tuesday 10pm; Chelsea (0) vs (1) Middlesbrough. Wednesday 10pm; Fulham (1) vs (2) Liverpool. FA Cup fourth round Thursday 9:45; Bournemouth vs Swansea. Friday 9:45; Bristol City vs Forest, Chelsea vs Aston Villa, Sheffield Wednesday vs Coventry. 10pm; Spurs vs Manchester City.
Selected Championship today 2:30; Swansea vs Southampton. 5pm; Middlesbrough vs Rotherham, Norwich vs West Brom. Tomorrow 2pm; Leeds vs Preston.
Monday 10pm; Leicester vs Ipswich. Selected Scotland Tuesday 9:45; Hearts vs Dundee. Wednesday 9:45; Hibs vs Rangers, St Johnstone vs Aberdeen.
GAMES OF THE WEEK
Friday’s FA Cup tie between Spurs and Manchester City and Monday’s Championship game between firstplaced Leicester and second (might be third placed depending on Southampton’s result today) placed Ipswich.
Before the season started, Pep Guardiola was asked what he wanted to achieve in 2023-24.
The all-conquering manager didn’t claim that he wanted another treble after last season’s sweep of everything bar the League Cup.
No, he just asked for one thing, to finally score a goal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
All records must eventually fall but surely, having failed to score in all their visits to Spurs’ shiny new home, a goal for Citeh is due and it may well come on Friday.
Hopefully my beloved Lilywhites will manage to score one more than them, though with Citeh’s tormentor-in-chief Son Heung-min off in Asia it’s a tall order.
Meanwhile in the Championship both Leicester and Ipswich, after flying starts to the season, have been showing signs of fallibility of late and both will be looking for the three points to bolster their promotion credentials.
AND FINALLY
Last week’s question: which is the oldest knockout football competition in the world?
It’s not our very own FA Cup, which is merely the greatest knockout competition on the planet bar none, it is in fact Yorkshire’s very own Youdan Cup.
First played for in 1867, more than four years prior to the FA Cup, this was a competition played under Sheffield Rules featuring 13 clubs from the Sheffield area.
The first winners were Hallam, who defeated Norfolk in the final, winning the Cup which was named after Sheffield theatre owner Thomas Youdan, who not only sponsored the competition but provided the trophy.
This week: name the largest English city to have never had a professional football club.