An end of season footie review thread (warning contains wild assertions)

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

I know it’s not quite the end of the season yet (although my season ended in January). So how’s it been for you?

My team: Tottenham Hotspur;

This has been possibly the worst season ever (including the relegation season). Mainly because it promised so much more. We have a good first XI, a mad but competent manager and other teams are imploding (eg Leeds), so a top 6 finish would have been perfectly achievable. Instead we are 10th, have just lost 5-1 to Middlesbrough (for god’s sake) and went out of both cups at the first time of asking.

I can’t see a rosy future either. Two of our better players (Poyet and Sheringham) have come to the end of their shelf-lives and there’s not much in the reserves (Actually there’s only one decent player in thereserves.) Our manager will be given £8m to spend and we will probably lose Carr and Davies (thankfully neither to the Arse as they are potless).

Which brings me to the manager; the greatest footballer that these islands has ever produced, bar none (George best was a show-pony in comparison) is not the greatest manager. Maybe its time to move on and look elsewhere for a manager.

On a more general view; AFC choking is a source of much pleasure, as is the forthcoming financial meltdown at Bribery.

But pleasing as this is, it is also not good to see Man Yoo winning yet another title. English football is becoming as bad/dull as the SPL.

Other good things: the Man U v Real game, that was pretty much perfect football.

The England Turkey game which totally confounded Sven’s critics (including this one).

THe continuing sucess of AFC Wimbledon and the ongoing boycott of Franchise FC.

Celtic getting to the UEFA cup final - a victory for the smaller leagues (as is Ajax in the Euro-pot).

Bad things:

The money worries in the game as a whole, and the refusal of clubs to learn lessons (are you listening Man City?)

UEFA getting the whole England Turkey thing back to front (musn’t upset the Muslims now)

The G14’s continuing one-eyed pursuit of every last shekel.

Ken Bates.

2

Just one question: when you say “the manager will be given £8m to spend…” does that mean you’ve got that in reserve to buy new players, or that’s the total budget for the team?

The financials is one aspect I am still learning on football… thanks.

3

No that’s new money that he can go and spend. Ie he can make £8m worth of puchases, which isn’t an awful lot, even in this depressed market.

If he were to sell a player (eg Simon Davies to Man Yoo for £8m, you mark my words) he would then have £16m to spend and so on.

Now this is where it gets interesting/boring/baffling.

transfers between English clubs have to be paid for in one year, ie its all up front money.

Transers between European clubs can be paid for over 5 years, so the up front cost is less.

There are ways around this. It is common to put in a clause that says a second tanche of cash is payable once 50 games have been played (this means that it isn’t due until the following season).

Then there’s wages, signing on fees image rights and so on.

If you’ve got anyspecific questions; fire away

4

Well, the part that’s always baffled me was the connection between transfer fees and salary. I’ve never understood this, perhaps because we don’t have the concept of transfers in the US (outside of “soccer”, which only seems to do it because of transactions with other countries). We’re more about trades and free agency, which is as I understand it quite different.

5

Too soon to comment on Celtic’s season… and besides, I can barely uncross my fingers to type.

I will say though that whatever happens in Seville and with the league title, nobody can ever take Blackburn, Anfield, and last weekend at the Deathstar from us. I will treasure those memories until the day I die.

6

If a player is in contract his current employers are entitled to ask for a fee for his transfer. Once his contract is at an end he becomes a free agent - called a “Bosman” after the belgian footballer who set the precedent. THis means that he attracts no fee, although his salary may be higher as a result.

the ultimate example of this is that wanker Sol Campbell.

In the USA all contracts are owned by the central league, so they would get any transfer income.

7

Bit of a shit end to my season. No money, no promotion, no manager.

8

Ours ended on a bit of an anti-climax too, Crusoe. Nothing to show for it.

Still, if you’d told me at the start of the season that we could get to the UEFA Cup Final but not win a single trophy, I’d probably do it again.

9

As someone who was at the 1984 UEFA cup final (which we won)I would wholeheatedly agree.

Domestic finals are great (we never win the league so can’t comment on that), but the Euro ones are the best ever.

There is a fairly well known, and often reproduced, picture of Graham Roberts being carried by Spurs fans. One of those fans is a 20 year old owl.

If only it would happen again sigh

10

ah…there’s nothing like the sound of a bitter Spurs fan to warm me cockels… :wink:

season highs:

A well fought FA Cup campaign leading ultimately to us winning the trophy itself.

The moments of pure-earthshattering beautiful football that we occasionally played.

Thierry Henry.

season lows:

The fact that we gifted the League to the Scum :smack: :smack: :smack: :smack:

The moments of god-awful, spiritless, un-motivated, second-rate, football we played when we really need to be doing the beautiful stuff. :frowning:

The fact that despite the wealth of talent at our disposal we still occasionally reverted to Spurs-esque “Long Ball/Long Throw” tactics. :eek:

The ongoing Ashburton Grove saga :rolleyes:

Pascal Cygan :dubious:

11

oh and i forgot to add:

season low:

the growing number of “fairweather fans” we are attracting.

SOD OFF! GO SUPPORT MAN UTD LIKE THE REST OF YOUR KIND!

12

Bitter? Fair cop.

But here’s something to really get your goat well and truly.

Mystic owl predicts…cue spooky music…Ashburton Grove will either never happen (unlikley as some parts have already begun) or, it will be in a different form and co-owned with THFC.

The two boards have informally discussed it and as right now the only thing the filth can raise in the city is a smile, it’s the only possibility.

Frankly I share Peter Cooks opinion on this. Every spurs fan would have to be issued with a bottle of bleach to get the stench out.

More of the great man on the Arse here:

13

I can understand why you’d hate it. I mean come on… silverware and Spurs in the same stadium??

now thats just un-natural :wink: :smiley:

14

I haven’t had a library card in years, and I’m buggered if I’m going to a library on a saturday!

Anyway you’re going to be playing in the conference once professor yaffle buggers of to Real Madyid (as it’s now known)

15

maybe, but at this rate you’ll be there to greet us. :stuck_out_tongue:

Besides we’re pretty good at picking managers - we tend to look for things like qualifications and ability.

The spurs managerial job application process has always struck me as a bit dodgy mind:

1997

*Q1: Have you seen our league Position? Y/N

Q2: Are you a foreigner like that talented chap at Arsenal? Y/N*

1998
*Q1: Have you seen our league position? Y/N

Q2: Can you do for us what you did at Arsenal? Y/N*

2001

*Q1: Have you seen our league position? Y/N

Q2: We’re desperate and need a miracle worker and savior - are you?

     a) Jesus Y/N

     b) Arsene Wenger Y/N

Q3: If neither, are you a symbol of a bygone age when we were actually quite good? Y/N *

I’m guessing they’ll use an adapted version of the 2001 strategy soon to recruit Teddy.
Serious bit: my WAG is for David O’Leary as the next Arsenal Manager

16

:smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

had an argument with one on the tube one night just after his “team” had lost - beats me as to WHY he was so upset… should be used to it by now :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

As for Sol - :smiley: :smiley: :smiley: we luv him

17

I lurve him too.

um…

In a non-sexual manly way of course :wink:

I can’t thank spurs enough for training him up for us.

18

Footie season review? Well, Ajax lost out on the title by one point. The cup’s in Eindhoven again, at PSV. Luckily, Ajax do get a chance to play the Champions League qualifiers, and seeing as how PSV hasn’t won any European material since the late 80’s… 2003/2004 could still be good. :slight_smile:

19

Well, garius, we were contending in three major competitions but only brought home silverware in one…so I’d dearly love to see AFC add a strong central defender to the mix…in my heart of hearts, I would have wished to see Upson partnering w/ Sol…and I think it’s time for H to ease his way onto the bench and give Taylor some time 'tween the sticks.

20

Ah… Ajax - i remember them.

They were good once weren’t they?

runs and hides

:smiley:

I thought you were unlucky - i thought Groningen might sneak a shock victory as part of their effort to avoid the drop.