Manchester City: Financial Unfair Play

I thought we were moving into an era of ‘financial fair play’?

How can any football club be allowed to go after more players when they have just reported annual losses of £51,000,000!?

On the morning that the Independent report that Manchester City are narrowly avoiding being banned from next year’s Champions League for their dodgy finances the BBC report that they are on the pull for two Porto players, one of whom is worth £35,000,000.  I’m sure most clubs are just as bad in their own proportionate way but it really is unfair for the few clubs who balance the books.

Pellegrini seems to be doing a great job where others have fallen short but surely any silverware won by Manchester City is bought with money and not achieved through ability and application.

While I’m at it can I just vent about everyone referring to Manchester City as just ‘City’?  If you didn’t notice Cardiff, Hull, Stoke, Swansea and Norwich also happen to be City clubs and also happen to play in the same league.

Planet Football

I find the result of the Eden Hazard kicking the ballboy incident quite worrying but unsurprising.

Ok, the FA did their best to try and get the ban for violent conduct extended past the obligatory 3 games.  However, what is disturbing is that Chelsea seem to be totally unbothered by his actions.  I have blogged about this sort of thing before but football clubs really do not care about the conduct of their players and staff so long as they keep the money coming in.

In any other industry where adults are rubbing shoulders with children on a daily basis, as footballers do, an employee would immediately be suspended if they were alleged to have kicked a child.  But rather than suspend him from work whilst they investigate the situation Chelsea just want to argue his case.  And I wonder what the Safeguarding Board of Swansea have got to say about this?  A child was assaulted on their turf but it seems because it happened on a football pitch different rules apply.  Surely football clubs have a duty to protect children who play, volunteer or work for them?

What would happen if you took a weapon into work and shot a work experience student?  Do you think you’d be going back the next day?  Football really is another planet.

Championship Predictions

It’s here!  The football season has begun proper with Sheffield United holding Middlesbrough 0-0 at the Riverside.  I’m really looking forward to this year’s football, there is something magic about this sport.  I’ll have a little Premier League prediction later in the week but for now I’ll devote a post to the Championship.

Who do you think will be going up and down?  Here’s my predictions:

1. Middlesbrough (Champions)
2. West Bromwich Albion (Promoted)
3. Sheffield United (Play Off)
4. Cardiff City (Play Off Champions cus Sheff Utd never win big matches)
5. Nottingham Forest (Play Off)
6. Leicester City (Play Off)
7. Queens Park Rangers
8. Swansea City
9. Watford
10. Preston North End
11. Peterborough United
12. Reading
13. Ipswich Town
14. Bristol City
15. Sheffield Wednesday
16. Plymouth Argyle
17. Newcastle United
18. Blackpool
19. Crystal Palace
20. Coventry City
21. Doncaster Rovers
22. Derby County (Relegated)
23. Barnsley (Relegated)
24. Scunthorpe United (Relegated)

What do you reckon?  One thing is for sure – as always the Championship is going to be the most competetive league, a great advert for sport.