It took just a week for Liverpool’s 3-2 win over Tottenham to become meaningless. Ok, those three points are going to count for something at the end of the season, but it was just another “false dawn” for the club – something no set of fans want to be associated with.

It represented a victory in body rather than in mind. Even with a win over a current top four club, Liverpool are nowhere near to convincing themselves that they’re good enough for the Champions League.

Liverpool have become their own worst enemy, and not because the ship is captained by a baseball fan. How do you balance the need to build patiently amid the storm of eye-watering transfers from Manchester, Paris and St Petersburg, and keep hold of Luis Suarez? Even after all that has been said by the Uruguayan of his desire to remain at Anfield, surely the forward isn’t an exception to the rule that hollow promises rule the day in modern football.

It would be a blow to the Premier League as much as Liverpool if Suarez were to move away – and for all his value to the game, I don’t see Liverpool surrendering their best player to a league rival once again.

It’s the matter of turning a corner and looking like a legitimate threat. For all the excitement it generates, using outside investment in the manner others have to build a squad good enough for the big time will long be seen as something of a dark art in the game. Liverpool are going about it the right way, picking up players like Coutinho for an apparent bargain price and adding depth to the scoring line with a youngster in Daniel Sturridge who is well-versed in the English game.

But it’s not that Liverpool need to look like a top four team now; it’s that they really need to look like they’re making progress. Losing 3-1 to Southampton is no way to build on the small success of victory over Tottenham.

It becomes frustrating for fans as much as players, and who’s to say Suarez will be around for a number of years to come, patiently waiting for all the pieces to fall into place? You would like to see it, but far too many clubs are being burned by the demands of modern players and the power of the chequebook. It would be incredibly naïve to say Suarez is sure to be at the club next season based on what he’s said in the past.

Yes, there has been a new manager and an owner who hasn’t totally backed Brendan Rodgers. But where is the sense that last season’s League Cup win has been a step forward? Such is the erratic nature of football that Liverpool is just four or five back-to-back wins away from laying all those problems to rest and genuinely making a late charge for the highest possible league place. The biggest issue is that up until this point of the season, we’ve seen little to suggest that this team are capable of banishing their own demons and getting the job done.

Three league wins leading up to the game against Southampton is exactly what you would have expected from a team who were given an injection of life in the January window. Performances against teams like Norwich showed the obvious gulf in class that hasn’t always been too clear for Liverpool this season. Draws against Manchester City and Arsenal when both games could have been won should have added plenty of belief that the end product isn’t too far away.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

How much longer will Suarez resist the draw from those around Europe? Even he is sure to think long and hard on the prospect of playing for Pep Guardiola’s Bayern should the Bavarians come calling. The idea of La Liga complementing Suarez’s own style is also sure to be greatly attractive, too.

Keeping Suarez will come down to obvious progress being made, and it’s not always just about signing players. The whole club needs to have a mentality that the next step is achievable and the stuttering form is out the window.

[opinion-widget op width=”full”]

The Glazer family are still yet to shake off their negative image spanning from their takeover of Manchester United back in 2005. Red Devils fans were appalled that the business acquisition was funded by £515million worth of debt, which would be indirectly transferred to the club itself and secured against United’s assets, and would be repaid in the long run by the supporters through ticket sales and merchandising.

Furthermore, the stigmatism attached to having american owners – viewed as having little knowledge of the English game, or the integral cultural and social ties British clubs have, which is incomparable to the business style franchising of United States sports teams – did little to help the powerful family’s image.

The takeover infuriated United fans so much that a breakaway club was formed, FC United, who are making their way through the English league system and followed by a cohort of traditionalist Red Devils supporters, who still sing songs about heroes of old, such as George Best, Bobby Charlton and Sir Matt Busby.

Whilst the initial 4000 strong fan base for the breakaway movement has now dwindled down to around 2000, the majority of United fans have remained with their club, but have made no secret of their distain for the owners. However, the impact of the Glazers has done little to halt success on the pitch, with Sir Alex Ferguson leading the team to seven domestic trophies, including four Premiership titles, as well as a Champions League trophy in 2008. Similarly, off the pitch, Manchester United have remained one of the World football’s biggest economic powerhouses, raking in unprecedented revenues that the billionaire owners of Chelsea and Manchester City could only dream of.

So is it time we gave the Glazers a break? The initial concern was that Malcolm Glazer was simply a businessman, with little concern for the ins and outs of the game itself; he was there to make a buck out of an investment and would not be interested with the needs of the fans. But fast forward to the present day, and it is hardly just the United owners who could be accused of being purely business-minded. Liverpool, Newcastle United and Queens Park Rangers are owned by men who are business men first and fans second, despite how much Mike Ashley tries to convince Newcastle supporters he’s a Magpie through and through.

Similarly, Cardiff City’s takeover by money-rich Malaysian business men Vincent Tan and Chan Tien Ghee saw the fans have to compromise being given a sizeable transfer kitty for rebranding the club geared towards the Asian market, including changing their strip from blue to red, despite being historically nicknamed “the Bluebirds”, and plans to rename the team the Cardiff Dragons.

But even so, the business-savvy type of owner, has just as many drawbacks as the foreign billionaire style owner. Although Manchester City are still reaping the benefits of their Sheik majority shareholder who can provide a blank cheque for Roberto Mancini during any given transfer window, Chelsea fans are very much feeling the backlast of having  a sole proprietor who can exercise full autonomy over a club via Roman Abramovich’s tight hold of all the purse strings, which has lead to the rather embarrassing and dividing Rafa Benitez saga, not to mention the Fernando Torres fiasco.

So perhaps Malcolm Glazer and his relatives don’t always have the fans best interests in mind, but in comparison to other clubs, their influence on all things football has been relatively minimal. At the same time, the business side of Old Trafford has been running smoothly to say the least, with new sponsorship deal upon new sponsorship deal.

Their latest arrangement with Chevrolet, in which General Motors will pay a record breaking £51million per year to have their automobile brand as shirt sponsors from 2014, but in fact will be making smaller payments prior to the 2014/2015 season, is a particularly lucrative deal that eclipses the £25million paid to Barcelona by the Qatar Foundation.

At the same time, renegotiations with Nike over their long-standing kit manufacturing sponsorship rights are rumoured to provide Manchester United with up to $1billion in revenue, which could start as early as next season. Similarly, during the Glazer era, Manchester United shirt sales have equalled or bettered Real Madrid and Barcelona, with the three European powerhouses being some way ahead of the rest of the pack in terms of revenues from replica kits.

Despite the Glazers reducing club debt to the lowest level since their controversial takeover, announced in November 2012 to be below the £400million mark, as a result of floating shares on the New York stock exchange, United fans still remain relatively hard-line about their American owners.

There is a growing fear that the Glazers aren’t in it for the long haul, and through their debt-based takeover have created a system at Old Trafford that is unsustainable. With Sir Alex Ferguson edging closer and closer to retirement – although I’m sure he’d rather die in office – there is a sense growing amongst the United faithful that they are coming to the end of an era, whilst the final members of class of 92, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, also face the decision at the end of each season whether or not to hang up their boots.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Whilst things have been going well on the pitch for United, the Glaziers have reaped the rewards on the business side of things, but there is a concern that could all change as one era comes to an end. Fans have pointed to limited investments in the transfer market, in comparison to Chelsea and Manchester City, which in years to come could severely damage the talent of the first team. Similarly, at the same time, much of business success can be attributed to Chief Executive David Gill, as much as it can the Glazers themselves, who have been lining their pockets in the mean time.

The true test of the American owners’ loyalty will come when the club hits hard times on the pitch. Should they fill their briefcases with every inch of United money they can get their hands on and run back to their native country, the anti-Glazerites will be proved right. However, should they stick around and try and protect their investment, their reputation will change for the better.

[post_link url=”https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-united/uefas-stance-on-rio-ferdinand-does-them-no-favours,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-united/why-for-wayne-rooneys-sake-it-is-time-to-stop-this-comparison,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/manchester-united/manchester-united-target-turns-down-big-money-move,https://www.footballfancast.com/football-news/man-united-target-wont-rule-out-premier-league-move,https://www.footballfancast.com/premiership/barca-set-to-rival-manchester-united-for-starlet” target=”_blank” type=”grid”]

Premier League duo Liverpool and Manchester United now face stiff competition to sign highly rated Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna this summer, according to talkSPORT.

The Italian international is set to leave Turin no matter when the transfer window opens and the English rivals were set to battle it out for his signature.

However, German giants Bayern Munich have now entered the race for the 24-year-old centre back and their current form suggests they could sign anyone they wanted to.

Bayern have already snapped up Mario Gotze from Borussia Dortmund and are reportedly close on signing his current team mate Robert Lewandowski from under the nose of United.

Sir Alex Ferguson will not want to lose out again this summer and could make the first move to bring Ogbonna to the Premier League in the coming weeks.

Liverpool want the highly rated blocker to replace the retiring Jamie Carragher in the heart of the Reds’ back four.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

[cat_link cat=”liverpool” type=”grid”]

Liverpool are wasting no time this summer as they prepare for next season, strengthening right across the board and continuing to eye deals that will make them a realistic candidate for the top four in the Premier League.

Is there ever a negative to getting transfers done early? Manchester City have already made a splash with the signings of Fernandinho and Jesus Navas from Shakhtar Donetsk and Sevilla, while a number of other top Premier League clubs are said to be finalising deals of their own.

Liverpool’s low-key transfer strategy is as much of a risk as splashing £20 million on a midfield hopeful – and they’ve certainly been down that road in the past. The acquisition of Iago Aspas has been one of praise from everyone who followed the Galician forward last season in La Liga, highlighting the Spaniard’s playing resemblance to Luis Suarez and how much quality he will add to the team.

In addition, Luis Alberto is a name who will only go on to have bright future in the game. He was and is far too good for Barcelona B, yet shy of making an impact in the first team at the Camp Nou. That’s no slight on the former Sevilla player; there aren’t too many youngsters who have a clear and mapped out path to first team football at Barcelona.

Were Liverpool jumping the gun on the signing of Kolo Toure, one of the other notable additions of the summer thus far? I can’t see that. With Jamie Carragher out of the picture through retirement, there was a need to bring in a veteran player who will be as much of an asset in the dressing room as he will be on the pitch. For Arsenal fans especially, there is nothing but fond memories for Toure and his time in north London. Manchester City too had a positive relationship with the player, and it’s very difficult to see any drawbacks to Liverpool bringing in a player of his experience. The fact that Toure still has a few miles left on the clock is only a bonus.

While players like Aspas and new goalkeeper Simon Mignolet will play key roles next season, the importance of this summer clearly rests on Luis Suarez and the decision to either sell or retain the star forward. Liverpool have expressed their desire to keep hold of the player, while Real Madrid have been quoted fees that will force them to rethink their approach for the Uruguayan.

It further adds to the club’s need to have all their figures in place ahead of the start of the season. Retaining Suarez is obviously the priority, but considering Liverpool have been in the hunt for £25 million Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the club are clearly not averse to spending heavily if need be. The quick and timely sale of Suarez will allow Liverpool to seek a replacement and have him well adjusted to life at Anfield before the season begins. Were the club to leave it late and still appear unclear about what their transfer strategy was, there would be justified criticism for the club’s lack of forward thinking.

Liverpool are clearly taking no chances with their transfer business, and that should be applauded. Even if Suarez is replaced this summer, the surrounding signings away from the Uruguayan’s saga will stand the club in good stead ahead of next season. Importantly, all the names who have been brought in thus far have a clear purpose in the squad, with Brendan Rodgers doing all he can to acquire players who are able to execute his preferred playing style next season.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Have Liverpool done well to wrap up their transfer deals this early in the summer?

Join the debate below

Until Saturday, Liverpool’s season was going swimmingly. A strong start had garnered 10 points from a possible 12 with a victory over rivals Manchester United the pick of the bunch. This included three clean sheets and a great start to the season for Daniel Sturridge in front of goal. All of this is made even more impressive by the fact that star player Luis Suarez was still serving his suspension for biting Branislav Ivanovic last season.

With Suarez about to return, Liverpool are looking in a good place despite their surprisingly poor performance at home to Southampton in a match where Brendan Rodger’s footballing style of playing the ball out of from the back looked weak to say the least. Great pressure from Southampton forced Liverpool’s back line and goalkeeper into mistakes as they persisted with a risky approach rather than adding a bit of wisdom to their game and knowing when to hoof the ball into row Z. Nevertheless, the tenure of Rodgers needed time and if the first 4 games are anything to go by then Liverpool can have a successful season.

Crucial to Liverpool, like many clubs is stability. Rodgers has been given time to build a squad capable of making a successful run in the Premier League. The last four seasons, in relative terms have not been great for Liverpool by their standards. The last four seasons have mustered 7th, 6th, 8th and 7th position finishes respectively. Yet, the Liverpool hierarchy are displaying great wisdom in keeping with the philosophy of Rodgers despite setbacks like Saturday being a surprise rather than a shock with regards to Liverpool these days. In a way, this shows just how far Liverpool have fallen from the glory days of the 1980s. With Liverpool’s last title win coming in 1990, despite the figures from their finishes in the Premier League indicating that Liverpool are further away from them glory days than at any time in the last 20 years, there is a realisation that Rodgers needs to be kept with to have a chance of that success again.

This season, the Northern Irishman has added to the ranks of Liverpool in a style indicative of wisdom. The addition of Ivory Coast man Kolo Toure brings a wealth of experience to the club and his performances so far have displayed a player that is in the peak of his career rather than on the decline like many pundits assumed. He could have easily headed off to pastures new and relax for the last few years of his career but clearly Rodgers has convinced him to contribute to Liverpool’s cause. For Liverpool to have a successful season, experience at the back is vital.

Perhaps the most successful aspect of Liverpool’s season thus far has been the creativity of players like Phillipe Coutinho and Daniel Sturridge in fashioning chance after chance. The quick, incisive play and threaded balls through in behind the defence mean that Liverpool getting on the score sheet looks inevitable in the matches when the duo clicks. However, their freedom of expression would not be as clear without the work of the still effective Steven Gerrard in a role reminiscent of a quarterback in American Football. Gerrard truly is one of the Premier League and Liverpool all time greats, and as with many of the greats as they reach the twilight of their career has successfully adapted his game to suit his attributes most. His role in the team is strikingly similar to that of Xabi Alonso in his last spell at the club- a partnership which involved Gerrard fulfilling the attacking role than the current era of tricky little players like Coutinho now play in the team.

Any move for Liverpool to bring Alonso back to the club would be a step backwards. Not only is he past his best, he is a man that will always be remembered as a player of the Benitez era of grinding out games rather than Rodgers’ passing style. Furthermore, players like Joe Allen who were brought in specifically to spread this philosophy to Liverpool’s players from that era would see their role in the team negated. Psychologically, it would not be a good signal to send to Liverpool’s youngsters. Bringing back Alonso would purely be for the sake of it, and Rodgers is surely too wise a manager to do this.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Former Everton midfielder Tim Cahill has revealed that he is keen to make a loan move back to the Premier League during the MLS off-season.

The Australian international currently plies his trade for the New York Red Bulls after leaving Goodison Park, and has been a hit since his arrival in America.

The 33-year-old helped his side to win the Eastern Conference this year, but they were eventually knocked out of the play-offs at the first time of asking by the Houston Dynamo.

With the Socceroos already guaranteed a spot at next summer’s World Cup in Brazil, Cahill is desperate to maintain his fitness throughout the festive down period in the MLS.

As a result, he is ready to move back to England on a short-term loan.

“The move depends on getting my body right. But the plan is for the World Cup,” he told the Daily Star.

Cahill is not short of admirers, with former club Everton, as well as the likes of Sunderland, Fulham and QPR all keen to offer him a route back to England.

The Australian would not be the first player to secure a temporary move to Europe during the American pre-season, with David Beckham, Landon Donovan and Robbie Keane just three names to have taken the opportunity in recent years.

Could Tim Cahill be a wise signing for a Premier League side?

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Get involved below!

[cat_link cat=”premiership” type=”grid”]

Newcastle United isn’t the kind of club that oozes the idea of stability.

At the managerial helm, they have a boss in Alan Pardew whom through his  clichéd soundbites, obnoxious demeanour and subtle undertones of desperation, is perhaps the Premier League’s closest current equivalent of Alan Partridge.

Above him, you have Mike Ashley. A man who is at such constant odds with the St. James’s Park faithful he recently banned journalists from the infamously renamed Sports Direct Arena for reporting on protest campaigns against his ownership.

And somewhere in between lies Joe Kinnear, who as a player, manager, and now transfer honcho, could never be described, in any manner of the word, as ‘stable’.

Last season, as the Magpies finished in 17th place and recorded a disturbing 17 Premier League defeats, in stark contrast to their continental qualification the year previous, perhaps the biggest example of the club’s persistent turbulence, these three stooges became the poster boys for the discontent of the fan base.

Even Graham Carr, the Chief Scout once applauded for his ability to snap up cheap and promising talents from Ligue 1, came under attack for his role in creating a squad filled with Frenchmen, most of which were hopelessly underperforming last term, with pundits such as Gary Neville quipping that Newcastle had lost their vital English identity through the influx of foreigners.

At such a point, especially in the summer, it would have been incredibly easy for Mike Ashley to give Alan Pardew his marching orders, and scapegoat the former West Ham and Charlton manager for the sorry campaign. It’s not as if we haven’t seem a similar pattern of overachievement followed by underperformance from Pardew before.

Fans further baulked as the  summer transfer window slammed shut. For three months worth of work during the off-season, Kinnear, Pardew and Ashley had brought in just a single new player to a squad filled with unknown quantities, in the form of loan signing Loic Remy. Questioning whether the club’s management and board shared the same ambitions as the supporters, divisions on the terraces intensified.

But how quickly things can change in the world of modern football; Newcastle suddenly find themselves in sixth place in the Premier League table after 13 games, claiming surprise wins against Chelsea and Tottenham, and reminding the St. James’s faithful of the Magpies side we saw clinch fifth spot two years ago. Not to suggest tensions between fan and boardroom have anywhere near diminished due to results.

So what’s been the turning point? What’s the deciding factor in Newcastle’s fortunes taking a sharp upturn from the troubling season previous?

Well, Alan Pardew is currently the second-longest serving manager in the English top flight, not that that’s too much of an achievement nowadays considering he’s been Magpies gaffer for just two and a half years.

But the correlation is obvious, bearing in mind the Premier League’s first longest-serving head coach, Arsene Wenger, has enjoyed a similar flurry in form this season that’s seen his Gunners side leave pundits eating their words as they claim pole position in the English table, while the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United are still struggling to overcome changes in management and first team personnel from the summer.

It’s consistency and stability, despite Newcastle’s customary negative stigmatism otherwise, that they’re reaping the benefits from this season, just as Wenger is at the Emirates.

The same goes for the Newcastle roster. The likes of Mathieu Debuchy, Moussa Sissoko, Yoann Gouffran, Davide Santon, Fabricio Coloccini, Hatem Ben Arfa and Cheik Tiote weren’t at anything near their best last season, and after such a terrible campaign many expected a mild overhaul of the first team squad in the summer, or at least the arrival of some home-grown talent to balance out the roster. In a sense, the summer transfer window could have represented the end of Graham Carr’s transfer policies.

But just as Ashley stuck to his guns in not relinquishing Pardew of his duties, who was at times last season looking like a sitting duck waiting to be put out of his misery, the club’s management did the same regarding the squad over the summer, and now last year’s flops are emerging as the stars of the Newcastle show.

Apart from Pablo Zabaletta, Debuchy has been the best right-back in the English top flight this year. Davide Santon is finally delivering on his obvious potential, Yoann Gouffran – once described as a Gabriel Obertan who can be bothered to run – has claimed three goals and one assist in his last four appearances, Hatem Ben Arfa has charged himself with the monumental task of winning the Ballon D’or, and Tiote and Coloccini are putting in the levels of performance we’ve come to expect from the defensive duo.

Meanwhile, the Magpies’ only summer addition, loan star Loic Remy, is proving to be the missing ingredient, with eight goals in 10 appearances putting him in sixth in the Premier League’s goalscoring charts.

Once again, we have obvious comparisons with the Premier League’s leaders. Wenger was implored by fans and pundits alike at the end of last season to finally spend big, and he resisted the urge until late in the summer window, eventually forking out £42million on Mesut Ozil.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

It wasn’t quite the spending spree supporters had envisaged, with still obvious weaknesses in depth in several departments, but adding selectively to his squad rather than administering a sudden turnaround has allowed the Frenchman to build astutely, and has undoubtedly contributed to the Gunners’ meteoric rise this season whilst their divisional rivals have squandered.

For a club that’s most closely resembled a plank of wood delicately hanging over either side of a wire-thin tight rope throughout the last 18 months, it’s surprisingly Newcastle’s stability and consistency that’s got them to turn their fortunes around.

Refraining from panic and sensationalism, the Magpies have emerged as a rare beacon of interior loyalty and constancy in a division continually caught up with the notion of instantaneous progression, keeping the faith in their transfer philosophy, management and playing staff, and they are now reaping the just rewards for doing so.

It is perhaps all too all easy to accuse Tottenham of being a little slack this January. The Premier League club were always going to struggle to match the summer activities that saw them spend in excess of £100m for the first time, but have they actually let other clubs grab the initiative this month?

In January there always seems to be a compulsion to spend for the sake of it. Transfers naturally bring a feel good factor to the club and to its fans, but really when you sit down and take stock in the months that follow you often ask yourself, was it really worth it?

There is always this risk with a club like Spurs who do know how to flex their financial muscle and who always have an eye for a deal whatever the situation. Transfers need though to improve on what the club already has, and given the squad that Spurs have assembled this is no easy task.

It isn’t the finished article by any stretch of the imagination, but there is no need to panic with wholesale changes. If anything Spurs need to start dispensing with those that simply aren’t needed, something that will likely start this window as well. Selling the likes of Chadli and Capoue could be just as beneficial to a Champions League charge as bringing in someone new. Excessive competition for places doesn’t help anyone, and if anything could just stifle the momentum that players build up on the pitch. It is all about balance, and this is something Spurs are yet to achieve.

Fans yearn for big deals; many see it as a necessary for immediate success; but who is really to say that Marco Reus at £30m would be any better than a fit and firing Erik Lamela? We’ve all watched Bundesliga and Serie A, and it is easy to make judgements on players, but that doesn’t mean that anything is guaranteed. Adding players out of compulsion not only doesn’t make financial sense; it doesn’t make good footballing sense either.

It may upset a few people, but good business for Spurs this January would represent tying up a deal for a returning Dimitar Berbatov before the month is out. With Jermain Defoe on the way out, the need for a third striker is the most pressing, and one that few would disagree in saying that Berbatov would satisfy.

Looking at the squad as a whole there aren’t all that many weaknesses. If Sherwood can get everyone fit then it is a team to rival any and that without changes should be close to finishing in the top four. The deluded may say that the club should bust a gut for Luke Shaw to replace a less than convincing Rose, but £30m on an inexperienced youngster just isn’t rational footballing business in the eyes of Levy.

Aside from that though there is little of concern, in fact the more pressing thing for Sherwood is to get the most out of what he has already because with the likes of Lamela and Solado at full tilt, Spurs could be a serious handful for sides in the coming months.

Spending little this January isn’t an oversight by Spurs and neither is it showing a lack of ambition. Big January deals don’t guarantee success, and sometimes they can totally backfire if you look at Torres. It can go both ways, and for Spurs it is a totally unnecessary risk given the situation they find themselves in currently, on the cusp of the top four.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

The May post mortem may look back to January as being pivotal, but for me it would be a pretty ignorant way at looking at things. Spurs have the squad to meet their targets, and given that I think the current window just shows prudence above anything else.

Click below to see Liverpool v Everton exclusively LIVE!

Grass Roots is new mocumentary following fictitious League Two football club Greystone Athletic as they partake in the FA’s investigation into the current state of the English game. Centred on downtrodden club manager Harry Pickles (Ed Aczel), we follow Greystone through the often comic trials and tribulations of life in football’s lower tiers.

Ahead of the Grass Roots launch on London Live this Sunday at 9pm, we caught up with fictional manager Harry Pickles to talk philosophy, wine and WAGs:

Outside of football, who is your greatest inspiration? 

Here’s one that might surprise you – Gary Barlow. Both of us have come in from the harsh winters of our lives and ended up reaping the benefits of life experience. He tops charts and I top tables. I think we would get on quite well actually.

How would you describe your management style? 

Liberating. I encourage my players to get the ball down and play. I’ve been accused of many things from other managers in the past but we knock the ball around like a pin ball machine at times. To put it into one word, I’d have to say ‘glossy’.

What’s your proudest moment in football?

I once nutmegged Kevin Keegan in a charity match. I won’t forget that in a hurry. It was really funny because afterwards I went up to him and said, “Did you see me pop that through your legs, Kevin?” and he said “Yes”. It was great fun.

Do you have ambitions to manage at a higher level?

Of course. It will be a hard decision to make when that happens.

What is your proudest achievement in the game?

Winning the league last year would be up there. We had some real rotters in the side early doors but I got us playing. The 3-6-1 formation I got us playing in the winter away days worked a treat.

How would you like people to see Greystone Athletic?

From a seat in the stadium please.

What’s the most important aspect of a manager’s job?

Decision making. You make the wrong decision and there can be hell to pay. I once played a prank on my one of the lads and told him to bulk up or leave the club. He got a hernia lifting a medicine ball. You live and learn.

What do you do to motivate the players?

It depends on the player. Some of them need a firm hand. I’m never physical with a player but they need to know I am a threat. The dressing room is the jungle and I am king. Some just need a cuddle. I get my assistant to handle them. Not enough time for me to be acting like Mother Theresa.

How would you feel if a foreign owner wanted to change the club name to the Greystone Giants?

Not for me all this re-branding. Sure re-brand a coffee chain or go from Jif to Cif but Greystone is a heart and soul club that shouldn’t be having its name changed for any reason. Foreign mega bucks or no foreign mega bucks.

What role do WAGs play at your football club?

I encourage them to be honest, but obviously the type of woman is important. I would rather my lads be settled down with a pushy, ‘career minded’ female, or male, than spending all their time in clubs looking for loose women. We don’t have any gay players by the way, but I’d bloody love one.

What’s your attitude to drinking in football?

They have to stay hydrated. Next.

Do you take a hands-on approach with your players?

As I said earlier, for some of the lads I do and for some I don’t. There was one lad who I won’t name who I got very hands on with. Once the court case eventually cleared I think he knew I did it for the right reasons.

Is it possible for a manager to be too close to his players?

Neil Warnock is a chiropodist. That’s the line right there. Nobody should be fiddling with the players feet so intimately. Nothing wrong with a thorough rub down from the physio if the lad has done well, but I keep my hands in my pockets.

Would you describe yourself as a ‘wheeler dealer’?

(Laughs) I guess so. I’ve torn the transfer market a new one on many occasions I can tell you.

What drives you in football?

The thought of becoming a better person. I wake up, 7:30/7:40 latest and teach these lads all the little treasures this beautiful game has. You don’t get that in other sports. Cricket has tea breaks, Rugby can’t be dealing with 90 minutes and golfers wear silly trousers don’t they? No. Spreading the love of the game is where my vocation lies.

Do you think Notorious B.I.G. was talking about the state of modern football when he said “Mo Money Mo Problems”?

Who is he anyway? I don’t understand him. Did he have a speech impediment?

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

How would you describe your tactical approach to the game?

It’s traditional with a dash of foreign flair on top. I always set up to win the game. We don’t sit on leads – in fact, I won’t let them sit down on the coach if we lose the lead. They have to stand. They soon learn.

What’s the biggest problem facing English football?

What you should be asking is what our greatest strengths are. We have some really lovely pitches up and down the country and some of the kits these days are a lot more fashionable than the tight 70’s rubbish. I’d go as far to say the Bovril is better than ever too.

Do you believe that a man be bigger than the club? If so, which man?

(Pickles ponders) Can a man be bigger than a club? Yes. Is it healthy is what you should be asking. To that, I say no. The manager might be the driver of the club but you have to have a chairman putting in petrol, and some players giving it a jump start when the battery is flat.

Where do you see Greystone Athletic in 10 years?

Still plugging away. Who knows? If I get afforded the chance to stay here I could see us becoming as synonymous with League 2 as the likes of Rochdale.

Finally, the question on everyone’s lips this summer, do you think England can win the World Cup?

No. I realise that I’m opening myself for criticism and some questionable items to be put through my letter box but if I’m honest, I think it’s Belgium’s time. They had me with their chocolate and waffles but now they even have a football team to go with it. Barring them, I’d like a surprise. The Costa Ricans are a hospitable type of people in my experience so maybe them.

Grass Roots launches on London Live Sunday 20th April at 9pm

Neymar going off on a stretcher must have been every Brazil fan’s nightmare. He appeared to be in a significant amount of pain, but Brazil have proved that their World Cup bid is about far more than a reliance upon their poster boy.

David Luiz and Thiago Silva scored the crucial goals as the hosts beat Colombia 2-1. Luiz Felipe Scolari has guided his charges to his third ever World Cup semi-final (the last two times he got there he knocked out England on the way).

The momentum is with the hosts and there appears to be a real sense of belief and desire that nothing will stop them from winning on home turf.

They may not have reached the dizzy heights that have been expected of them but they have overcome two stern tests in Colombia and Chile. Germany will face an extremely motivated Brazil on Tuesday and Neymar looks unlikely to feature.

When there is will, there is a way and here’s why Brazil are now the favourites for the World Cup come up against.

 1. Brazil’s two goals this evening were scored by defenders they have goals all over their team

2. They stopped the star of the World Cup so far James Rodriguez. It can’t get harder than that.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

3. It doesn’t always have to be pretty, they simply know how to win