In the midst of all the giddiness and joy among Arsenal fans at the prospect of a brand new, literally shiny, high profile manager taking over the reins of management from that wizened, grizzled old grand-dad we had all gotten used to, something just doesn’t ring true.
Don’t get me wrong. Although am a well known partisan for Arsene Wenger, I have nothing against Unai Emery and wholeheartedly welcome him to the club and truly wish for him all the success possible. He is young and handsome, a very telegenic face, around which the PR people at the club can only drool. Apparently, when unveiled to the media, he said all the right things which had the hacks in rapture as they pounded their keyboards, oiled their tongues for radio or were dabbed with makeup before video recording the usual clichéd segment for TV. Most of all he has a brilliant CV, starting in the boondocks of Spanish football taking a couple of clubs to promotion, excelling at Sevilla with 3 Europa League titles and, prior to Arsenal, managing one of the biggest-moneyed clubs in Europe ending with a quadruple of titles. Surely he is the perfect man for the job.
And that is what triggers my contrarian instinct. The script is just too perfectly written.
By the way, we all have a contrarian streak genetically coded into the deep reptilian recesses of our cranium, the one that tell us: “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”. But too often, most of us get suckered by our emotions, based on narratives fomented by the mainstream media, and forget to listen to our brains, not our heart.
Something is “too good to be true” with the narrative we are now being sold. According to almost all the usual suspects Emery will save us from the washed-up, stupid, old fool who only managed an Invincible year as part of 3 league titles, 7 FA cups and kept us in the top-4 for 20 out of 22 years:
“Emery will get Arsenal more organised than they have been”. (BBC)
“What they will be getting is a coach who is fully committed and, in his approach to preparation, a startling break from what they have been used to. If Wenger’s twilight years at the club produced a team that often appeared under-coached, then the reign of Emery will be the exact opposite.” (Independent)
“Where Arsène Wenger’s teams may have descended into the painfully one-dimensional, Emery’s outlook is one of nuance and precision, which may well suit Arsenal’s developing team rather more than the entrenched, haughty collection of Parisian stars.” (Guardian)
Disorganized, Under-coached and One-dimensional
So less than two weeks after Wenger’s final game the football media takes off the gloves; no more of the hypocrisy, flattery and lofty odes to one of the greatest managers in English football. His teams, in their own words, were disorganized, under-coached and one-dimensional. Thus the need to hire Unai Emery who it is predicted will bring glory to north London, apparently the type experienced by Sevilla and PSG. Mark you Sevilla last won the Spanish league title in 1945-46 and PSG has not even made the Champions league final since gobbling up hundreds of millions of the best oil money the sheiks of Qatar could throw at the club over the past 7 years.
Apparently things were so bad under Wenger, Arsenal’s last trophy of worth was the FA cup as far back as May 2017. Moreover, things were so bad in the 17-18 season, they had a mere 14 home-wins, the second highest in the league.
This is the same media (as well as most bloggers and podcasters) who choose to ignore the fact that since 2005, Wenger has progressively been outspent by three clubs in the premier league. In fact one news media, in their effort to downplay the magnitude of the disparity, characterized Arsenal as the 3rd strongest club financially in England. In other words, this liar and misleader, was suggesting Arsene should be consistently averaging 3rd in the league because of the financial resources available.
Clearly the new manager, who is currently being feted and glad handled, is already being setup. He is expected to outperform Wenger’s average 4th place finish over the past 12 years at a time when United and Chelsea are desperate to make up the difference with City, there being a gap of 19 points between 1st and 2nd at the end of last season. Moreover as was reported in sputniknews.com, Abramovich recently had his Tier I visa held up by the UK government, a privilege to freely travel back and forth which is tied to volume of his investments in the country. It doesn’t take an expert to predict he will make another handy investment in Chelsea in the next transfer window to prove his bona-fides.
Why this elaborate set up?
Why are we being sold such a grand story of failure by Arsene, so much so that the club needs a savior, a metaphoric David to rescue Arsenal from the Philistines? Isn’t it amazing that in 2 years, Arsene moved from being the most powerful man at Arsenal to being a has-been. Be reminded that the 16-17 season started with great optimism, the club having acquired Mustafi, Xhaka and Lucas Perez to supplement the group who came 2nd to Leicester the prior year. But at the start of the season and Mertersacker, one of the cornerstones of the central defensive partnership, suffers a season-ending injury. The new Koscielny-Mustafi or Koscielny-Gabriel partnership is unable to replicate the level of the old-firm. In October, Santi Sazorla, the mastermind of prior year victories over United, City and Chelsea also suffers a season-ender. To this day the combined ‘expertiste’ of the media makes no connection between the injuries to two of Arsenal’s best players and the club coming 5th that season. Instead there is a massive blame-game on Wenger. When he was offered only a two year contract, it was self-evident his future was in doubt.
What is most striking is how this was the opening for the chief executive, Mr Gazidis, to seize power away from Mr. Wenger. In the summer of 2017 we are informed the CEO has moved his offices from Arsenal House to London Colney, the training ground. In relatively short order Mislintat becomes chief scout and Sanllehi as head of football relations. As a famous denizen of this blog tweeted there are now 5 people doing the job Wenger performed by himself.
But while the corporate office has grown bigger and surely more expensive, Arsenal suffered on the field with points lost not only due to player inconsistency (at least 8 first team players from 2016-17 are gone) but also from a pattern of poor and biased refereeing by the PGMO. If the CEO and his team were campaigning for VAR in the executive suites of the Premier League it was a “silence of the lambs”.
The Coup
What convinced me that the Emery appointment may be just one big show is a piece in the Guardian by one David Hynter which suggests he was ordered to do a PR piece on behalf of Mr Gazidis. They are quick to highlight the following:
- Gazidis is responsible for signing Ozil
- Gazidis is, first and foremost, a football lover.
- Gazidis has long advocated a management structure that does not rest on a single point or employee because, when it fails, there is the potential for the whole thing to collapse. He has wanted a broader coalition of talented specialists greater than the sum of its parts and, for so long, his efforts were frustrated by Wenger, to whom the club’s majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, was in thrall. Wenger had a hotline to Kroenke and he could shape or veto Gazidis’s ideas.
- Gazidis wanted a director of football but Wenger pushed his friend Dick Law into a position of executive-level authority.
- Gazidis wanted greater expertise in data and contracts and hired Hendrik Almstadt only for Wenger to say he did not want him.
- Gazidis oversaw the purchase of the data analytics company, StatDNA, but Wenger was not a fan.
Hynter concludes with a flourish:
“It was a meticulously orchestrated coup and Gazidis carried it off while showing all the respect in the world to Wenger, who has watched virtually all of his people leave the club. It has felt like a plot-line from Gomorrah, the Neapolitan mafia drama. Gazidis was not always the favourite to outlast Wenger. Now, his position looks stronger than ever.”
I could not have said it better than Mr Hynter. The evidence clearly points to a coup. He says it in triumph but I am disgusted by the lowball tactics that have been employed.
As an aside, while I arrived at a similar conclusion, by taking the available facts to their logical conclusion, because yours truly does not write for a big mainstream newspaper, I would be accused by the charlatans in the media (as well as the bloggers and podcasters) of being a conspiracy theorist for calling out Mr Gazidis for being Wenger’s Brutus.
Unfortunately, most coups fail because they are based on lies and the golpistas (Spanish) rule without the consent of the people. That is why I fear for Emery. He may think he is a big-time Charlie but he is just a chump in a giant con being played on Arsenal fans. The new manager will find the Premier League is made up of several merciless sharks; mainly the three clubs with giant financial teeth whom he cannot compete in the transfer market, the other big one being the PGMO whose job is to protect the big boys from being upset as the PL needs the external money to keep flowing.
I wish Emery all the best but the signs aren’t good. He is on 2 year plus one contract suggesting he is a placeholder, a short-term appointment. Does this mean Arsenal has ended its tradition of managers being long-term appointees with time to build a team that can compete for titles without busting the bank?
Am not predicting the future, but as much as most fans are optimistic that under his management it could get better for Arsenal, I am duty bound to warn my readers that odds are even and it could get worse. Be afraid, be very afraid.
Positively Arsenal 
Shard
Saw an article suggesting political opponents of the main man tend to disappear and other things of that nature.
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It is alright lads – although Roman is allowed in HM Government say he won’t be allowed to get a job.
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Fair enough, Rich. I tend to take such reports with a pinch of salt without knowing more. But sure, every country has its issues and if the same guy is in charge for all this time, no doubt he’s also responsible for some unsavoury things.
Doesn’t bother me with the sponsorship though. (Our shirt sponsors are Emirates)
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Are all the World Cup squads decided by now?
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I’m so excited right now!!
http://www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11670/11389473/aaron-ramsey-excited-for-arsenal-future-under-unai-emery
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Mane £30m
Salah £39m
Wijnaldum £25m
Ox £40m
Keita £48m
Fabinho £45m
Van Dijk £75m
Not sure if they’ll have that much left after all of that!
Arsenal have signed about five or six players in that fee range in their entire history (No large misplaced Carroll skeletons bunging up the closet since yesteryear).
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Well fins, according to transfermarkt they’ve made small profits over the past 2 years (6.5m euros total) This season they’ve added Fabinho and Keita for a combined 105m euros. With no sales.
I could be wrong but I think they still have the likes of Sturride, Origi, Wisdom etc on the books. And likely they’ll look to sell some in their team now, maybe like Lallana or Clyne.
Considering their overall spend was nothing last season, with CL football both years, and some sales, I think if they want they can make one more big signing. Lemar/Fekir maybe.
Arsenal have always bought well. We’ve not sold as well. Even keeping in mind that when we did sell our best players it was a very different environment, but still, we put team matters, and immediacy, over pulling as much money as possible. Even as far back as Vieira and Henry’s sales. (Of course this too has something to do with agents, but we won’t talk about that)
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Thanks Shard.
Yep we’re not allowed to discuss agents under the terms of our contracts (insert wonky winking banned symbology of your choice and preference).
But what I can say is that I can confirm that the new Tottenham stadium which has not been delivered as a Shell & Core contract handover but with the client having paid for design and fit out with what they might’ve thought of as fancy cladding etc. it is all:
Properly Ugly!
I kid ye not.
Haha!
Those curtains and fancy bits of graffiti that went up at the Arsenal sequentially under a different set of contracts when the club could afford them years after the build and after they moved in: it all looks a damn sight better, no opinions are required only eyes!
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No doubt Daniel and Roman are spitting gr*t after the cheeky chappy with the curling moustache beat them to taking Wembley off the bankrupt (in the fiscal as well as moral sense) and always Sweet FA.
L
O
L
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I thought it must be my natural bias but the more I look at this Stadium the uglier it gets…
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I haven’t really seen the Spurs stadium fins. It could be the most beautifully designed stadium in the world and I’d still find it ugly. But I’m happy if it actually is ugly.
Spurs managed to tie down Pochettino to a 5 year contract. Probably because theyll get some money if he leaves. But could it mean that he’s got assurances about spending? I look forward to the day when Spurs fans need to become accountants to explain their position. I have a feeling reality is going to come to bite them.
I worry though because we know the league favours them. Coincidentally, their stadium’s expected cost has doubled.
Wembley going to Fulham’s owner would be funny (is this confirmed?). So Spurs have a 10 year contract to host 20 NFL matches. They even built their stadium accordingly for dual use. But Wembley will carry the premier fixtures and main focus. When they come up with a London Franchise they’ll put it in Wembley. Not sure how it’ll work out but it’s interesting nonetheless.
I don’t think Roman wanted to buy Wembley. Too much national pride mixed up with it and consequently, too much attention. Does anyone even know what he sounds like? Whether he speaks English well? He’s the real silent owner. Unlike our Silent Stan. Of course, Roman isn’t Russian now, but Israeli, and that might change things for him. Again, not sure in what way, but interesting. I’m certain, like shotta said, that Chelsea will go on a big spending spree this year.
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For those of you curious about the association between land ownership, offshore led property development, and modern Football ownership in the U.K. (Please see the Fulham Wembley story and all the many others not forgetting Millwall etc.) I recommend:
Tottenham’s Trojan Horse
By Dr.Mark Panton
&
Amanda Lillywhite (hehe!)
ISBN: 780955281310
Arsenal became a property developer as the club became a corporation and all the hungry wolves like Levy are desperate to copy yet these other club’s have become vehicles for the developers that eat the club’s up. Yes it’s possible to be critical of the Arsenal but the simple fact of the matter is The Arsenal didn’t handover their independence and future to the likes of giant developers like Land Lease.
The difference between the negotiations that went on between AFC and Islington and THFC and their the local council is that Harringey suffered a bit of a turnover after some sackings earlier this year. Something about breaking statutory laws in order to benefit for some entities registered in Bermuda.
Politics and Football?
Real Madrid and Barca?
If anyone uses the word “conspiracy” when people muse upon and discuss these relationships, as they always do, and should, then they need the aid of dictionary! For starters. A slap in the face with a mouldy old kipper would probably help too.
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Fp, everything about this stadium, from the capacity to crowd’s proximity to the turf, is a pathetic exercise in one-upmanship.
It’s the same mentality that leads to Corinthian columns on suburban homes. There’s no way an endeavour so parochial, for all its scale, could not come out tacky.
Christ they’re even trying to out-latte us with a microbrewery now.
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BK
Yes, you are correct. One every count e.g.: the giant mega Sainsbury’s warehouse that dwarfs the Tesco Metro tucked in underneath some flats opposite the Drayton Arms!
To be fair the Sainsbury’s is prettier then their new stadium. And almost as big too!
So funny….
I was going to mention gold sprayed plaster lions on pedestals either side of the walkways, on reflection Corinthian columns would be just as stylish!
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Corinthian columns on suburban houses.
There is no need for this site anymore.
It has reached peak excellence.
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Fp, bigger debts too, so I hope they end up buying basics for the next decade. I had no idea about the Sainsbury’s superstore.
They’re stumbled into a period of modest success, and it is a little frustrating that this might not hurt them as much as it could have done. But it’s a long road ahead I suppose.
For the time being I’m sure they’d welcome a Carbuncle Cup for the cabinet.
I’ve been dreading this new stadium a little, because I know the comparisons are going to flood in, even though they’ve had so long to work it out. But it’s Tottenham. It’s going to suck.
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Fins
I can’t fully understand what you’ve written about Spurs stadium, but please just tell me you’ve been keeping an eye, understand it better than i can, and that they’re in some sort of trouble!!!!
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Rich
If i was a paying punter I’d have put some wonga on the tiny neigbours getting a much needed top four finish this season, the last and probably a few more going forward.
*insert banned symbols*
however I’ve read that the Arsenal earned more revenue from their Europa league campaign then the neighbours did in ther CL campaign, strange as that sounds. I could very probably have read a load of rubbish there.
However on reflection there must be some advantage in getting past well known teams like Flemish Kent FC, to the latter rounds*, and providing UEFA with the most gripping European SF of the season against one of the most successful teams of late in Europe.
*Liverpool earnt plenty of Wonga from the run to the CL final run season so that’s one stream which has generated some hard cash.
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BK
Look out for BBC six o’clock specials praising the community benefit from the new stadium project, as per their special special on Harry Winks.
When I saw that report on Winks I almost had to call the ambulance for some stomach surgery. Too funny. Has the BBC become a deliberate parody/satire channel, has it been taken over by Chris Morris & Steve Coogan (please!)?
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So apparently Spurs are allowed 16 major events per year apart from their matches. (NFL have booked 2 of these) Arsenal only get 6 I think. Or is it 3??
Spurs have larger debts, but now more income from TV, and also potentially player sales. Less likely to be as favourable a rate of interest as ours though. Different banking environment.
They earned 60m euros from this season’s CL (Liverpool 78m) if it’s the same distribution as last season (Figures via swiss ramble)
Naming rights should earn them some money, not sure how much. We don’t know how much we get from naming rights separate from the shirt sponsorship.
I don’t think Spurs will get by without selling players. We’re already seeing the start of it. Ironically, with a full back like Ashley Cole for us. We didn’t realise it then, but Spurs do realise it now. Alderweireld will go. They’ll try to avoid selling Harry Kane for as long as possible, but he’s also going to bring in the most money.
I bet Spurs’ main aim is top 4, and the 40-50m it brings them every year. Of course their manager can even say it and get away with it.
No idea what the deal is with the hotel build etc.
It will be interesting. Their advantage is that Arsenal showed them how it’s done (and they won’t get any of the negative press for it) But their disadvantage is that they don’t have the global fanbase that Arsenal did because they never had the Invincibles or the league win at WHL.
PS. Regarding player sales, I saw some Spurs fans estimating that they’ll draw 45m for Alderweireld and 35m for Danny Rose this summer. Unless ManCity are buying all of them I think they’re being optimistic.
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2.8m in 15/16 to 6m in 16/17. Wage increase for Daniel Levy, who also has a 29% stake in the club – is this true? I didn’t know this. (Ed Woodward at ManU next highest paid at 2.9m)
Remember when Arsenal fans complained that Gazidis was getting 1.2m?
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Fuck Spurs and their new stadium, we have transfers to fret about.
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As you wish Mr. Meerkat. Ornstein says we’re close to buying Sokratis. Scholars may come up with their own puns. We’re also supposed to be interested in Soyuncu and Medhi Benatia. Evans seems to have fallen off the transfer radar. Probably a done deal then considering how good the ITKs are.
In midifield it’s either Praet or Torreira after the failed bid for Fabinho who has avenged Liverpool for Alexis not liking their city.
Some overambitious sorts also link us with Dembele and Forsberg, or a free transfer for Balotelli. That ought to set off some fireworks in the kitchen.
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This Balotelli link make no sense.
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Well it kind of could Wwwb. If Welbeck is not renewing his contract (He’s in his last year) and/or we need funds to reinvest in other positions.
Balotelli is a bit of an odd duck, but he’s talented. A better finisher than Welbeck and brings the same physicality. Not as hard a worker and not homegrown. Might also need Auba to play wide more often. He’s not ideal obviously, but on a free it could make sense. (He’s a Raiola client but so is Miki, so that doesn’t rule him out)
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My take is I wouldn’t dare go near Balotelli. Lot of talent there but from when I last saw him in Italy his temperament hadn’t changed from when he was 18.
His most consistent ever spell with Nice might suggest a chance but more likely he’ll walk right into a Ben Arfa situation.
Pains me that the latter finally, finally had the right home for his talent, where he could be king, play consistently, foibles forgiven or permissible considering how much he offered them…then , presumably with his agent whispering sweet nothings in his ear, off he goes to PSG, and, entirely predictably, kills his career stone dead while at his peak.
Still, at least Balotelli got two years of playing about as much as his talent deserves, reaching his top level. Ben Arfa only got the one
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Shard
Balotelli makes even less sense if he is to be a replacement for Danny Welbz
Balo can only play in one position, does not fair well in combination teams.
I like Balo for lots of things but he just does not fit and he is not someone who will readily sit and be content.
I just don’t see it
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I wasn’t advocating for it to happen, and I think it’s not going to happen. Just saying how it could make sense.
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On the 0-10 scale of transfer window bollox – with 10 being my certainty of the player being imminently unveiled in a red shirt with white sleeves I score the week’s rumours as follows;
Mario Balotelli 0/10
Lichtensteiner 1/10
It is early though.
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Sokratis may, may just, rate a 3 on the basis of a personnel deficit in central defence – and our alleged telepathy with Dortmund
I might go as high as 3/10
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My feeling though, in my water, is that we are v unlikely to see any new signings until after the World Cup and the market has settled. There are important issues concerning existing players’ contracts that I would expect to be resolved by that mid July cut-off too.
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Are Chris Samba , Sebastian Frey and Loric Cana still available for us to sign?
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Bergovich?
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Just read article about intense England training. Let’s hope they are looking after Danny properly.
Was a plus for me this year seeing him return to very high fitness level- as demonstrated away at Milan. Wasn’t sure he could return to that after two big injuries and with his full on running style. That fantastic goal at CSKA was right up there with best moments in season.
Suppose makes me that little bit nervous for him having seen international managers ignore players injury histories and, I suspect, training programmes in past. Fingers crossed Southgate is cleverer than that.
France played Diaby after he had played, fantastically, 3 games in bout 10 days for us at start of one season (Cazorla’s first), and I’m pretty sure he was injured next game and was never fit again thereafter.
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Intense training? Hope they all took their Asthma Meds just in case. Especially those Spurs Lads
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Markyb
Ha, funnily enough at bottom of article,it says :
‘Players already have use of an altitude chamber and hydrotherapy suite at St George’s Park, and squad members have also undergone vigorous tests for asthma as part of their preparations.’
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ah asthma, the friend of the sportsman who wants to dope, its rife in Rugby and athletics, and now football has caught on, its a bloody disgrace.
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rumors that Steve Bould and Jens Lehmann are leaving Arsenal, some reports say Emery does not want them, others say both coaches turned down the roles offered to them.
Might be more made up bullshit, but it would be a pity if all the coaches leave this summer.
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Arsenal.com will be live streaming the Real Madrid legends v Arsenal legends game on sunday, kick off is 6pm
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Matt Spiro
Verified account @mattspiro
May 30
The day Ligue 1 joined the big leagues.
New €1.15bn TV deal will make Ligue 1 Europe’s 3rd most lucrative league, behind only Premier League (€1.66bn) & Bundesliga € (1.16bn), for domestic rights
New deal starts in 2020. So next summer could be last in which French clubs have to sell their top talent. Get your Fekirs, Lemars, Malcoms and Fabinhos while you can.
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When do the PL rights go up for sale again?
But I think this is good news. Ligue 1 earning the same as the Bundesliga is a good thing. I hope Spain keeps lagging further and further behind until they bring in some parity so the likes of Real and Barca don’t take the majority of the share. But poor Serie A.. I quite like it. It’s a fun league. Somewhat like the PL of the early 2000s except they don’t have an Arsenal to match Juve’s ManU.
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If you have not seen this nailing of the mainstream media over Sterling it is rather good;
https://twitter.com/TrueGeordieTG/status/1001918496312315904
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Shard
Just checked, after seeing something yesterday, and company who have won rights in France were all set to show Serie A, for billion+, until deal was cancelled couple of days ago.
Sounds like Sky managed to stop it on some sort of technicality about nature of company- they didn’t yet own a media channel to show it. Italian League has made ‘unprecedented demands’ (about money, presumably) of Mediapro, and deal fell through. Leaving Sky as likely winners of rights.
Funny old game.
Mediapro apparently a Catalan company owned by a Chinese hedge fund. Qatar based Be-In sports also bought some of the rights which itself seems a little dodgy seeing as Qatar owns PSG who will be helped at least a little with FFP by the 60% jump.
Funny old game, but it may well deliver something like justice to French sides who are struggling thanks to money elsewhere.
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I thought we had brought 4 players already, the young Estonian keeper two defenders and the young french midfielder from PSG.
That’s not bad considering the amount of internal promotions from the academy last year.
Depending on what happens with contract renewals we could have already down the majority of our business
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That True Geordie is great…love that…
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Spurs fans, be afraid, be very afraid – at the news coming out of Madrid
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Interesting morning- Zidane packs it in, and Abramovich withdraws from the new Chelsea stadium project.
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Pochettino? Really? would be funny as hell but surely they would want a proven winner and he has won precisely diddly squat.
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Oh yes Mark, incredible as it sounds, the Poch is in pole position on Marca’s front page;
http://www.marca.com/en/football/real-madrid/2018/05/31/5b0fea5722601d08598b45cd.html
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Wenger to Real Madrid and to win the CL in his first season. I don’t like Madrid but I want Wenger to win it in the year that we’re not there.
But seriously, Wenger should be a candidate. It’s a high pressure job and I think Madrid will be going through some upheaval. They’ll need a revamp soon enough. Might as well start when they can gain some transfer fees. Ronaldo has been making noises, so he could be sold along with Benzema, what with Lewandowski now wanting a move. Bale should get more playing time. And there were some rumours of them wanting Neymar. Lewa, Neymar and Bale. Give Wenger that front 3, with the midfield they already have and that could be a fun team to watch. Or buy Hazard instead of Neymar. Just don’t come in for Ramsey.
But I suppose Pochettino could be a candidate too. Seems strange he’d sign a new contract, but maybe this was discussed and Spurs wanted some more money for letting him go and Real agreed. Or they sounded him out and didn’t go for him and he then signed a new contract. Interesting. I’m hoping it’s Wenger, because he deserves a big club to go CL hunting with after all the times he stayed loyal to us.
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