Football (Soccer) Rumours

by **BobHelm** » February 2, 2012, 12:33 pm

Simon Grayson sacked as manager by Leeds United

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16839801

Bit harsh I think.
OK they are not now challenging for a play off spot for the Premiership, personally I think that is a good thing.
Promotion two years ago, rather overachieved with 7th. place last season, mid table this, looks like building a solid foundation to me. Those that race up the leagues invariably fall just as swiftly.
Most seasons the newly promoted sides start out as favourites for the drop & often a couple of them return after a year.
However I am not surprised that with a chairman like Ken Bates it has come to this...

Good luck Leeds fans however I personally think that a better way forward would have to replaced the Chairman & left the Manager in place for the long term good of the club....

by **BobHelm** » February 9, 2012, 7:34 am

Fabio Capello quits as England manager after meeting with FA

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16941457

by **BobHelm** » February 9, 2012, 8:53 am

Harry Redknapp cleared of tax evasion

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16925280

Far be it from me to suggest that there is any linkage between my last two posts....

It does seem fortunate for the FA, however, that the 'favourite' to take over as Manager of the England team was acquitted of tax evasion just hours before the current incumbent departed.
Given the FA's stance of the use of footballers for England when they are facing criminal charges, it would have hardly been seemly to then go chasing a Manager who also was...

Mr. Redknapp was found innocent of tax evasion however it is difficult to see how that decision was reached by the jury. While there seems some difference of opinion as to what the money was actually for in the Monaco account the basic facts were never argued against. That the money was once Mr. Mandaric's & then became Mr. Redknapp's. Like it or not, under English law that then requires declaring to the tax authorities & tax being paid on it except under very limited & specific conditions....

Hailed as a triumph for British justice by the defendants looks more like showing a general dislike for the tax authorities to me...

by **BobHelm** » February 13, 2012, 6:32 pm

Wolves sack manager Mick McCarthy

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17012933

Ah, the race for the next England manager is thrown wide open as a candidate now emerges without a need for FA to pay compensation...

1 win in the last 13 games made it mighty likely especially after the team performance against near neighbours West Brom on Sunday. I have a feeling that they have not given a new man much in the way of opportunity with the January transfer window over as well. It also seems that the owners hardly pushed the boat out with major signings on promotion either...

by **BobHelm** » February 14, 2012, 2:51 pm

Trouble North of the Border...

Rangers FC signals administration move

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-17015966

It would appear that HMG are taking them to a tribunal over a total of between 50 & 75 million pounds in unpaid taxes.
The current owner suggests that the HMRC are forcing them into this situation.
In my slight experiences with HMRC they certainly don't take any prisoners in their pursuit of none payment, but neither should they, it is actually all our money. That the tax office believe that Rangers owe taxation dating back to 2001 is more than likely true, I am not a fan of the tax office (who is) but in their defence they do tend to be completely dispassionate about the rules....

I gather that Ranger now have 10 days to make the final decision, depending on the tribunal result I guess. It seems a little like the current owner is trying to hold a sword over the heads of the tax authority. I doubt if that strategy will be successful unless it is also backed up with a binding agreement to repay on a time scale that the authorities are comfortable with...

It will mean a 10 point deduction for Rangers' league points if they do go ahead. As they are currently in second place to Celtic in the SPL by 4 points it would rather gift the title to the other Glasgow club. However they are also 19 points above 3rd. placed Motherwell so it probably would not make a whole deal of difference really.....

by **goodison** » February 15, 2012, 7:24 am

Breaking News! Luis Suarez has been arrested for the murder of Whitney Houston. Police say it was racially motivated. eye Witness Patrice Evra says he saw Suarez kill her 8 times. Sir Alex Ferguson has called for the Death Penalty. Kenny Dalgish doesn't know who Whitney Houston is! and questions whether she existed at all. Howard Webb says he saw it all.

by **mathusalah80** » February 15, 2012, 1:24 pm

Bob. So where do you think this leaves the future of the 'two team' SPL!
I suggest this situation could well signal the end of the SPL or, at best, of it's being taken seriously , (if it ever was), by the footballing world, outside of Scotland. I suspect the demise of Celtic could also be on the cards, unless an entrance into the EPL or Championship League could be negotiated. Probably inevitable that the international footballing powers will want to consider the relevance of the 'qualifying' requirements enabling the entrance of Scottish football clubs into the European Cup competitions next season?

Please report the facts properly Goodison! Obviously you are a Chelsea supporter, since you have carefully omitted to mention that the Police have also questioned Terry as to how one of his boots, (suspected of being the murder weapon), came to be in the possession of Suarez. Terry's defence is that Suarez is trying to frame him. His story is that he dropped the boot in the Suarez bedroom and forgot to pick it up when leaving hurriedly, upon Suarez returning home unexpectedly. Tery has also suggested that the Police should contact the English FA, AVB, Capello and Ashley Cole, all of whom are prepared to swear to their presence in the bedroom at the time, thus confirming his alibi. Rumour has it that the Police believe it very likely that Ashley Cole was present, and assisting Terry, but are doubtful regarding the other three.

by **BobHelm** » February 15, 2012, 2:00 pm

mathusalah80 wrote:Bob. So where do you think this leaves the future of the 'two team' SPL!

In a very deep hole I think Mat.
They are, to be honest, pretty well aware of it themselves.
The look at the changes needed in the Scottish game made some suggestion concerning reducing the number of teams in the Premiership & only having 1 league under that as fully professional but I think that is just papering the cracks again I think.
Part of the problem is that there are not too many great Scottish footballers around any more. Those that do shine quickly exit stage right to an English side.
For most of the season the supporters are 'entertained' by second rate foreign & national players. The two Glasgow clubs have little competition except a religious confrontation between each other. It is a real recipe for disaster but getting out of it is not a simple matter. European labour laws almost make it a certainty that clubs will look for a 'quick fix' abroad. A few of the imports have been exceptional, Henrik Larson & Stiliyan Petrov spring to mind, but the majority have done nothing to raise the standard.
I personally think that both Rangers & Celtic would struggle in the EPL, if they were, by some strange circumstance, allowed in then what would happen if they filled 2 of the relegation spots at the end of a season??

I don't think that there is any particular wish on the side of the English FA to interfere, or help. come to that.

A very bleak outlook for it, but, for once

, I have absolutely no idea or opinion on how to change that.

by **BobHelm** » February 16, 2012, 4:59 pm

Details appearing about the very recent finances of Rangers seem to suggest that all is not very clear on exactly what is happening there.

Going on previous seasons, Rangers income for the nine months Mr Whyte has been in charge should be about £26m.

It has also been reported that he borrowed about £24m from Ticketus against a share of season ticket sales for the next four years.

The club is also said to have received about £5m for the sale of top goalscorer Nikica Jelavić to Everton in the January transfer window.

The combined total of these figures is £55m.

Mr Whyte has publicly stated that the monthly cost of running Rangers is about £3.75m.

Based on this figure, the cost of running the club during Mr Whyte's tenure would have been about £34m.

In theory, that should leave a surplus of £21m.

If the £9m figure claimed by HMRC over alleged unpaid VAT and PAYE is added, then the surplus cash figure would stand at £30m.

Working with these figures, some fans have been asking why Rangers was placed in administration.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-g ... t-17049723

The difference between not able to pay HMRC £9m & the figures suggesting they should have £30m cash in the bank is not 'chump change'...Exactly where has it gone???

by **stattointhailand** » February 17, 2012, 11:19 am

If Rangers are relying on getting 5m quid out of Bill Kenwright's sewn up pockets, they are in very very serious trouble.

by **BobHelm** » February 17, 2012, 7:15 pm

Milan Mandaric interested in buying crisis-hit club Rangers

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17072133

Frying Pan & Fire jump into my mind for some reason...

by **BobHelm** » February 18, 2012, 8:36 am

Guus Hiddink named Anzhi Makhachkala manager

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17073674

Well that is one man out of the running for the England manager's job then..

The club, based in Russia's Dagestan republic which borders Georgia and Azerbaijan, was founded in 1991 and enjoyed little success until the arrival of billionaire Kerimov in January 2011.

Since then, Anzhi have signed players such as Brazil World Cup 2002 winner Roberto Carlos, Chelsea full-back Yuri Zhirkov and Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o.

But all is not a red of roses there..

The team's players live and train in Moscow due to security problems in Makhachkala and travel nearly 1,250 miles for home matches.

7th. in the league that kicks off again in early March after the winter break. Rather a no lose job from the sound of it.

Portsmouth enter administration & are docked 10 points

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/16943651

Sad day for their fans & such a depressing drop in such a short period of time.
Three times in receivership since 1998 when Milan Mandaric took over & the rather heady days with 'Arry in charge.
Now twice in just a couple of years ...

by **BobHelm** » February 18, 2012, 12:22 pm

Former Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has been interviewed for the job along with Alan Curbishley and Neil Warnock.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17074261

Harry Redknapp said he has not been approached by the Football Association about the England manager's job.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17067376

I would think that they are probably concentrating their efforts on just how they can get what they think is a 'suitable' candidate for the job into it.

I see that Harry is trying to 'float the boat' of an idea that just maybe he could do an 'emergency' job just for the Euro championship & then return to Spurs & let someone else take over on a full time basis.
Can't see that the FA would have that. It would put Harry in just such a powerful position if England actually did well in the Euros.

by **mathusalah80** » February 18, 2012, 7:02 pm

I am disappointed that Harry is giving interviews of this recent nature. I think it would prove far more entertaining if he just quote "I haven't been approached" thus not mking life easy for the FA. As indicated in a previous post, I was really looking forward to the uncovering of the inevitably convoluted path the FA would take in jusifying its NON appointment ( or invitation) to Harry.
Bob. I suggest the FA would consider at least two out of Bruce, Warnock & Curbishley as 'suitable' to become its lackey. Possible the two concerned may just be a little hesitant therefore, about jumping too quickly into the Wolves hotpot?

by **BobHelm** » February 18, 2012, 7:40 pm

Neil Warnock appointed Leeds United manager

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/17084388

With Ken Bates being involved I guess this might just about make Neil favourite for the England job so that Leeds can gain compensation...

I imagine that the appointment was not greeted by cheering by the Leeds faithful.
Given a choice between Mr. Warnock & Mr. Grayson managing a team I supported then I think Simon would more than slightly edge it.
Mr. Warnock has had a pretty decent record of semi successfully managing teams on a shoe string though. I imagine that this though played greatly in the Chairman's mind!!

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