ExiledAjax

PW? Am I stupid?

I think if Semenyo gets 90 minutes in total across the 3 group games then that's a very successful tournament for him. Any goal or assist is a bonus. Any advance by Ghana from an incredibly tough group is likewise a massive bonus.

I don't think anything I've just said runs contrary to that though? Certainly not for this summer window anyway.

It will be similar to the last couple of summers. Players leaving as contracts end. Some may re-sign on new (reduced wages) terms. We may sign some free agents. There is a chance we would pay a small fee for a lower league player. Unless we sell it is unlikely that we will spend any real money.

As the great big money festival in Qatar is about to get underway I wanted to promote a film about a very different aspect of football finance and corruption much closer to home. I'm not involved with the film at all, but I'll be watching it over the weekend for sure. In October 2020 the Government announced a National Lottery grant that was supposed to fund 66 National League football clubs for three months during the pandemic. But the league’s board ignored the government’s explicit guidelines that the money was to cover lost gate receipts - and independent assessments suggest board member’s clubs ended up with half a million pounds more than they should have. When it became clear that COVID wasn’t going away, the money ran out and accusations began to fly, but no one was called to account. Gate Money is the story of the £10 million National Lottery grant that was supposed to keep 66 National League football clubs alive during the pandemic. How did what should have a feelgood story turn so toxic, so quickly, that some cashed starved clubs were pushed to the brink? Why did the league end up burying the report into its own conduct? And why does football still not have an independent regulator? The film features interviews with David Bernstein, Tracey Crouch MBE (former Minister of Sport), Kieran Maguire, Ollie Bayliss and representatives from Chester FC, Dorking Wanderers, Dulwich Hamlet, Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels This film is premiering tonight at an events held at both Maidstone United and Tonbridge Angels FC, scheduled to start at 7.30pm and entrance for both events is free of charge. Please check club websites for full details. https://gatemoney.co.uk/

Little update following the anniversary of the opublication of the FLR. To mark the anniversary, Tracey Crouch published a report The Fan Led Review: One-year on. Her conclusions are that "A minority of loud, self-interested voices continue to block meaningful reform, to the detriment of the game," she said. “But the support for reform from fan groups, many football officials and club owners, has been incredibly encouraging and gives me hope that the Government will utilise cross-party support to deliver the change that football needs. The time for reform is now.” This anniversary report was officially launched at a meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for football. Crouch was there alongside the chair of the EFL Rick Parry, the EFL's head of policy John Nagle, the Executive Director of the Premier League Bill Bush, and senior staff from the FA and the DCMS. The big surprise was the attendance of the Sports Minister Stuart Andrew MP. The meeting was lively, and it wasn't particularly difficult to read the body language between Tracey (in the centre below) and Stuart (to her left). If looks could... In the end, the Minister admitted: "People are losing faith, but it is my No 1 priority. We need to deliver. I'm equally frustrated and I want to get on with it." The response was dealt with a degree of sceptism as he was unable to provide any timeline or indeed an indication as to when we might see the White Paper - the vital last step towards the introduction of the independent regulator. The conversation then moved on to the financial flow in football, a hot potato for the football authorities, who have repeatedly been tasked by the Government to come up with a solution. It is a topic that has clearly left Crouch and the EFL frustrated. Crouch asked: "The EFL and the Premier League are both in the room, should we just lock the door and wait until they reach a deal?" The riposte from Rick Parry showed exactly the depth of the problem: "Have you got until 2030?" If anyone wants to support this or wonders where I get this information from, it's because I am a member and volunteer with Fair Game UK. https://www.fairgameuk.org/ Fair Game is a growing band of football clubs striving to change the game for the better fairness, sustainability and success In the wider interests of football. We are trying to persuade City to join Fair Game, but if you'd like to then you can get the newsletter through the website, and there are also options to donate or volunteer if you've got some expertise or passion for this.

From a fan engagement and governance point of view I think we should praise the Gas on this occasion. Fair play to them for consulting with both their fans and listening to the few thoughts they had. It would have been nice if our club had carried out a similar consultation process a few years ago. Naturally they have still ended up with a camp pirate in high heels trying to squash a football, but at least they asked and listened. So praise the process, even if they've naturally messed up the result.

Hands up who else didn't know that Chris Hughton was part of Ghana's coaching team.

Good announcement article as well. Easy to understand and highlights the main points. I understand that a finance specific interview with Richard Gould will be published this week in order to further explain to those fans who are not currently wallpapering their house with copies of our accounts.

I'm so happy for you. Enjoy your evening.

Deepdale and Ewood Park are 9 miles apart. It basically is a home game for Preston.

Wait until you see the first goal.

I do not believe that crowd noise.

FT 2-0 win for Ghana. Semenyo subbed on at 62 minutes as part of a quadruple Ghana subs package. Scored on 74 minutes as per @Northern Red's post.

Presumably he's now worth £70 million?

But is he not an exceptional talent? Isn't he judging the bulk of the "young players" by his exceptional standards? Is that truly fair? If he is the exceptional talent then it should not surprise him that most of the current young players do not work as hard as he did (assuming this is true). Presumably the bulk of his own generation did not work as hard as Ronaldo did. It's an example of the classic "kids these days" rubbish that has been spouted endlessly by every generation ever. Here's Roy Keane in 2004, following Utd's 2-3 home loss to Boro, in which Ronaldo played half an hour as a 19 year old. ""We have worked extremely hard to get to the top but it is a lot harder to stay there," said the 32-year-old. "We have one or two young players who have done very little in the game. They need to remember that and not slacken off. They need to remember just how lucky we all are to play for Manchester United and show that out on the pitch.""

Starts on the bench for the friendly.

Fading star on the decline bemoans the youth of today. The don't work as hard as him, and so won't achieve what he has achieved. Why do generations constantly do down their successors? It's a bizarre human trait. "Ronaldo also hit out at younger players making their way through the professional game, claiming “they don’t suffer – and they don’t care. Their hunger [is different] … I think they have things more easily, everything’s easy.” “They don’t care – some ones, yes, but most of them no,” he added. “But for me that is not surprising because they are not going to have longevity in their careers. It is impossible. In my generation you see many players reach 36, 37, 38 at a high level and I think this generation you will count on one hand how many will reach that level.”"

10am UK time btw. So early doors for those interested.

If I've read the Sky article properly then I make it two teams with three players out there, six with two, and six with one player. So in total 14 of the 24 teams have at least one player at the WC. Realistically very few of the nations taking players from the Championship are going to get past the Last 16 I would say, and it's quite possible that none will get out of the group stage. 3 Reading - Hoilett (Can), Rahman (Gha), Loum (Sen) Swansea - Ntcham (Cam), Cabango (Wal), Allen (Wal) 2 Birmingham - Bielik (Pol), Mejbri (Tun) Cardiff - Colwill (Wal), Harris (Wal) Sunderland - Wright (Aus), Bennette (C. Rica) QPR - Chair (Mor), Dieng (Sen) Sheff Utd - Ndiaye (Sen), Davies (Wal) Luton - Horvath (USA), Lockyer (Wal) 1 Middlesbrough - McGree (Aus) Norwich - Sargent (USA) Stoke - Soutar (Aus) Huddersfield - Thomas (Wal) Bristol City - Semenyo (Gha) Burnley - Roberts (Wal) Watford - (Sarr) (Sen)

Wales accounts for 9 of them, plus 3 from L1 + L2. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11095/12741242/sky-bet-efl-players-at-the-world-cup-who-is-heading-to-qatar It really is silly that the Champ is stopping.

Friendly v Switzerland on Thursday. No idea if it's being streamed anywhere. Will be interesting to see if he gets minutes.

At least they seem to have retracted from it. No doubt it's a lower league version of Sorare. Yep it takes 2-3 hours of low level googling and reading to figure out what these companies are trying to do. I've done similar myself for organisations I am involved with who have been approached. They offer a lot of money to get organisations to sign up, it's very tempting.

Yeh. The PL is it's 20 shareholder clubs. Just as Bristol City is controlled by it's shareholder, so the PL is controlled by it's 20, or more accurately by any group of either 14 or 7 who at any time can pass or block resolutions. All the engagement and discussion in the world can happen, but unless you can get a resolution passed nothing will actually change in the PL. Hence we need legislative intervention, which the Sunak government now seems to be trying to quietly row back on and quash.

Rinse, repeat, apply to any and all issues. This is not the month to feel good about the organisation or governance of this brilliant game.