Mr Popodopolous

One more thought. Officially Mike Ashley isn't now CEO of Frasers. His son in law Michael Murray is. Or is he just a front with Ashley the back street driver. Murray was a promoter- promoter, events- transferrable skills?? Could it perhaps have been purchased for Murray and a foray into the Events Business.. I will say that the above is pure speculation on my part, except for the bit about a) Murray now being the official CEO of Frasers and b) Murray having a background in promoting. https://www.drapersonline.com/people/power100-2022/michael-murray-and-mike-ashley

Here we go. Derby- and for the sake of balance I should point out that Birmingham were also subject to one not long before Covid that was withdrawn. Will try to get better snapshots. The formatting was terrible. Still can't get it right but anyway if you go on Twitter, type in @DERBY5HIRE and "winding up order" you will see them. Under photos too, helps.

Fair but the two very odd items that seemed to be applicable to Derby were... 1) The fact that a winding-up order for Derby and this was pre Covid appeared to be knocked back at Court has never been correctly explained, maybe their HMRC debt was far lower in January 2020. Obviously it racked up during Covid and then there was the long period where HMRC did very little in terms of enforcement owing to Covid-19. 2) The MSD life support. Never have I seen or heard of this sort of thing pertaining to a club in administration. Yet MSD just bunged them loans now and then to keep trading. Coventry appear not to have the second without doubt and the first most definitely. We exclude the debt to SISU in this case- potentially a paper debt as you say, much like Derby and their debt pile to Mel Morris in Autumn 2021- and their situation is comfortably worse in certain ways. Why did Derby have a significantly greater guarantee btw? Looked at objectively is there so big a difference?

Derby were in a worse position no? Although there were some unique aspects to that that didn't make sense at the time and still don't.

Ah okay, lease v license..sounds a fairly unusual situation in a football context but then I suppose Coventry's situation is highly unusual?

https://www.ccfc.co.uk/news/2022/december/news-statement-following-receipt-of-an-eviction-notice-from-frasers-group-new-owners-of-the-cbs-arena/ Statement from Coventry. He's tried to bump the rent up and or change the terms of the lease it would seem.

Another Ashley strategy might be bump the rent up a bit but not too far that SISU look elsewhere and take all of the Commercial non matchday revenue for himself.. it was quite high pre Covid. Surprisingly having just checked it ran at a loss!! Mike Ashley otoh I'd back to bump up the revenue and knock down the cost base over time.

That aside, I certainly have sympathy with Coventry on the Football side snd their fans. Gone through more in the last decade or so turmoil wise, than a lot of clubs have endured in several.

Although into administration means a 1 or 2 year business plan plus a 12 point deduction and if certain minimum thresholds not met the potential of another 15...are such criteria and conditions to Mike Ashley's liking? EFL Insolvency Policy is in some respects quite clear.

Would like to see us stick to a 4-3-3 really. Suits us. In the medium to long term, I think a 4-3-3 with Rice-Foden-Bellingham has potential and it can be a midfield for the next decade but Henderson has some nous and gives us stability... Think we can compete well in those central zones. Rashford, Grealish off the bench to name 2...Mbappe is a major threat and as @Sheltons Army said Dembele too...think he got the most assists in Europe not long ago. Still think they may edge us tbh but then I assumed that Senegal may give us a tougher game than the way it played out.

Watched it in a pub, so didn't hear the Post match stuff. Thought again we looked strong, clinical. Bellingham shone- and that genuine 3 in CM makes us more stable. Foden must start each and every time he is available, lovely and creative. Rashford his 2 goals v Wales, not even starting?? Nice problem to have for sure.

Ha okay, thanks- whooshed myself a bit didn't I!

Really?? Granted he should go to a stronger League but his CL record is also fantastic. Under 25 too, loads of room for growth too. Carried France a bit in 2018 too.

Lloris was well off this line, something wrong with the ball was mentioned too. No problem with retake, didn't affect the final outcome either.

Two excellent strikes by Mbappe. He's something else tbh. 3-0 perhaps flatters France a bit and at the same time, bit harsh on Poland. Quite clinical at times France.

Would an NP managed City and we can say this about a host of players we signed in the LJ era- both from a tactical perspective, then from an excessive unavailability through injury perspective, have got more out of him perhaps? I don't mean in the final few months in which NP did manage us, more had he been in charge from earlier and for longer. Goes potentially for Diedhiou as well as a range of players IMO.

Goal for Giroud, Kaminski side netting. Could be a decent 2nd half? Presuming that France don't make it 2-0 quickly of course.

Poland have played wirh more positivity today than the last couple of games IMO. Little flurry there. Decent supporting cast to Lewandowski and Zielinski on paper. They'll lose of course but I wondered if they needed to be quite so negative in the Group Stage. I guess that getting through the Group at a WC for the first time since 1986 can help- hoodoo resolved, pressure off a bit.

Unbeaten with 7 points, think Croatia got 5- 1 win and 2 draws. Edit: USA too- as per Harry.

Agreed. Goals scored actually, in the end.

He will have thought they were through- as in they would win here and presumably that South Korea v Portugal wouldn't have South Korea winning...went too soon.

Or Uruguay have finally turned up at last. Took them going a goal down v Portugal to stir them into life properly- were probably playing for a draw that game. Anyway players such as Partey, Kuddus, the Ayews (okay and Semenyo) to name a few days otherwise. When they showed some belief v Portugal they were decent.

Semenyon. Let us hope he can make an impact.

Interesting. I'd be surprised if it had reached EFL approval stage or near it given the lack of transparency- for example whoever wins the stadium still hasn't released the Birmingham City Stadium Ltd accounts for 2020-21 season (should be rent payable on the 2019 transaction). That is a piece of the jigsaw. These accounts eere at best due at the end of June 2022- subject to Covid-19 extensions otherwise the end if March 2021. Birmingham Sports Holdings- as per CH anyway- no longer own that company. Achiever Global Group Limited- whoever they are- are now listed as being in control. Oh and the auditors quit in late August 2021. Although they'll have new ones.

Plus Arsenal's results out, for the club at least. Have attributed £2m to Covid-19 for 21-22. Puts Everton and their £170-220m into perspective!! (£122m across the 3 years for Arsenal iirc). Really am growing to dislike Everton, spineless Governing body and a club chancing their arm. Entitled fans too.