PREDICTED BOLLOX
£97.9m loss leaves Manchester City struggling to meet FFP terms
Annual wage bill has risen from £173m over £201m
Owner Sheikh Mansour aware Manchester City are prized scalp
Manchester City are facing a severe challenge to comply with Uefa's financial fair play (FFP) regime after yesterday announcing annual losses of £97.9m.
The sum was reduced to less than half the £197.5m loss the club announced 12 months ago because of increased revenues. But City's annual wage bill has risen from £173m to a fraction over £201m – and if the club is to hit the limited losses allowed for in the initial two-year FFP monitoring period, they will require a spectacular performance in the current financial year. The figures reveal that failure to qualify for the Champions League knockout phase was a heavy blow to the club's efforts to meet FFP targets.
City – whose figures reveal a £500,000 "compensation for loss of office" pay-off to their former chief executive Garry Cook – insisted last night that they remain confident of complying with FFP. An estimated £15m of the losses are "allowable losses" under FFP because they have been spent on infrastructure and young players, which do not count in the final FFP reckoning.
Money spent on wages in contracts negotiated before 1 June 2010 is also deductible and there is a feeling at City that this may help them get close to the Uefa target. That allows them to take Carlos Tevez's wages out of the equation, for example. But while the contracts may enable City to shave another £50m off the £97.9m losses – taking the FFP loss figure to around £30m – the small print of the FFP guidelines reveals wages may only be counted in this way if they are the sole reason a club has failed to hit the compliance target.
The two-year monitoring period, of which the latest 2011-12 season figures represent the first year, allow for an overall accumulative loss of £38m. With the City wage bill for 2012-13 unlikely to drop and no substantial new commercial deals believed to be in the pipeline, converting the notional £30m "FFP loss" into an overall two-year £38m "FFP loss" looks a tall order. The £50m pre-2010 wages figure cannot be taken off again in the accounts delivered next year. A potential £20m evaporated when City failed to progress in this season's Champions League.
The results, which were slipped out late yesterday afternoon, demonstrate why City's manager, Roberto Mancini, will have a very difficult job persuading the club's chief executive, Ferran Soriano, to spend this winter. Transfers will only be sanctioned in a medical emergency, even though Mancini yesterday said of the January window: "I don't know. Now we will see what happens."
It appears to be a question of by how much City will miss Uefa's £38m target, rather than whether they will miss it. City will have to hope Uefa applies substantial weight to the "trending" factor and credits them for trying to drive down the losses.
City have always said – with total justification – that they would need to spend heavily on transfer fees and wages to take them where they want to go under Abu Dhabi ownership, rather than grow organically, and yesterday's figures do reveal a club building commercially on the on-field success. They report turnover in the 2011-12 season of £231.1m, the highest in the club's history and also confirm that owner Sheikh Mansourr Bin Zayed al-Nahyan has strengthened the "capital base of the club ....through the issuing of £169m in new equity during the year, avoiding debt-based funding and continuing to ensure the club is virtually debt-free".
While the results show marginal increases in gate receipts and TV revenue, it is in the commercial sector City are making huge gains, with the Etihad sponsorship deal bringing in £35m-£40m a year and worth £400m over 10 years. Revenue went up from £64.7m to £121.1m, underlining City's increasing global exposure.
Soriano said: "What I have found is a club on the verge of a historic transformation, reinforced by a genuine commitment to doing things well. It is a club with a rich history and potential for an even brighter future."
City in numbers
35 Amount, in £m, paid for Sergio Aguero in 2011, City’s record buy
£201m Man City’s wage bill last season - up from £173m in 2010-11
£97.9m Annual losses for City – a fall from previous total of £197.5m
Manchester City's Vincent Kompany rejects call for netting
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany plays down calls for the introduction of netting to protect players, saying fans should not be treated "like animals".
Kompany wants action to be taken after his Manchester United counterpart Rio Ferdinand was struck by an object as he celebrated Robin van Persie's winner in their 3-2 victory over City on Sunday.
But, the Belgian international is against netting going up at grounds as he says it would be treating fans as "animals that have to be behind cages".
Watch the full interview on Football Focus: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20725888
Yaya Toure set to play in Africa Cup of Nations
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini admits midfielder Yaya Toure is likely to be unavailable for five weeks due to his Africa Cup of Nations involvement.
Mancini had hoped the Ivorian would opt out of the tournament but now expects him to leave after City's FA Cup third round tie against Watford on 5 January.
"It is difficult," said the Italian. "I think he will go to the Africa Nations Cup after the Watford game."
The tournament in South Africa runs from 19 January to 10 February.
Toure has been a key figure in the centre of City's midfield since joining from Barcelona for £24m in 2010.
He played in this year's Africa Cup of Nations as Ivory Coast lost the final to Zambia on penalties but managed 32 league appearances as City won the Premier League for the first time, ending a 44-year wait for the top prize in English football.
The champions suffered their first defeat of the season last weekend against Manchester United and are six points behind their local rivals in this year's title race.
It was claimed Mancini had words with Joe Hart and Mario Balotelli in the immediate aftermath of the game, hinting at serious rifts within the camp.
Mancini denied this though, stating he preferred to keep the content of such discussions in-house.
Meanwhile, the City boss also played down talk of nets being required to preserve player safety after Rio Ferdinand was hit by a coin as United celebrated Robin van Persie's injury-time winner at Etihad Stadium.
"Football here is beautiful," said the Italian. "People here are very close to the players.
"I am very sorry for what happened in the derby. I hope it won't happen again. But football is better without nets."
Manchester City reportedly bids $100M for MLS expansion club in NYC; Beckham to hold stake?
Wealthy English Premier League power Manchester City, which is owned by a member of Abu Dhabi’s ruling family, reportedly has emerged as the favorite to be awarded a Major League Soccer expansion club in New York City.
Citing three unnamed sources, Bloomberg News reported Friday that City will pay a record $100 million for the rights to operate a team based in the borough of Queens. MLS intends to start construction next year on a new 25,000-seat stadium in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park that it hopes to open in 2016. League officials have said repeatedly that there are multiple parties interested in bidding for the expansion club, although only the group that owns the New York Cosmos, which will begin play next year in the second-tier NASL, has expressed its intentions publicly.
Manchester City intends to name its new team New York City Football Club, plans to involve local minority investors and has reached out to David Beckham, who recently played his final game for the L.A. Galaxy, to gauge his interest in playing a role, according to Bloomberg. Beckham holds an option to purchase an MLS club at a below-market rate, thought to be $25 million, that does not extend to New York City. He became a star playing for City’s archrival, Manchester United.
The league’s most recent expansion team, the Montreal Impact, paid $40 million to join. It was granted entry in the spring of 2010 and played its inaugural season this year.
Reached by Bloomberg, MLS executive vice president Dan Courtemanche said, “Our discussions remain private.” A Manchester City spokesman declined to comment.
City was a middle-of-the-pack club in the EPL until Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan took control in the summer of ’08. With money no object and with no salary restrictions in place, Mansour invested heavily in the team and soon saw a return on the field. The Citizens won the FA Cup and qualified for the UEFA Champions League in ‘11 and last spring won their first English league title since 1968. There hasn’t been much progress on the club’s balance sheet, however. On Friday, City announced a 2011-12 fiscal year loss of $157.9 million. According to Bloomberg, the club has spent more than $806 million on salaries and transfer fees since Mansour took over four years ago.
It’s also made an effort to increase its global cache to match EPL rivals like United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. City has embarked on summer tours of the U.S. in two of the past three years.
Manchester City would become the second foreign club to share ownership with an MLS team. Chivas USA, based in Los Angeles, and famed Mexican outfit Chivas de Guadalajara both are owned by Mexican businessman Jorge Vergara. Chivas USA has been a failure on and off the field, missing the playoffs for the third straight season in 2012 and posting the 19-team league’s lowest average attendance.
Iconic Spanish club FC Barcelona was interested in investing in an expansion club, possibly in Miami, back in 2008 but pulled back when the global financial crisis hit.
While MLS has kept quiet about potential ownership groups, it has waged a vigorous PR campaign to generate support for the new stadium in Queens. Commissioner Don Garber recently hosted a town hall where he said that the privately financed facility would generate 2,100 jobs and $60 million in annual economic activity. MLS also has pledged to replace the parkland occupied by the stadium and to renovate nearby soccer fields. MCF.net THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=44739
Graham Poll: How much are referees influenced by Ferguson?
So, does Sir Alex Ferguson influence the Barclays Premier League through his relationships with and behaviour towards match officials? Undoubtedly, Yes.
Fans, players and managers have alleged, alluded and openly accused referees of being influenced by his mindgames and in doing so only serve to prove that Ferguson, as usual, has won as they have fallen under his spell.
Ferguson often uses his Friday morning press conference to understandably talk about Manchester United’s forthcoming match, and all too often the referee is mentioned.
Poll says Ferguson undoubtedly influences the Premier League through his behaviour towards match officials
I refereed United 57 times in my career. Thirty of those were at Old Trafford and I can say with a great deal of certainty and 100 per cent honesty that I was never in any way affected by those comments.
Ferguson is quoted in my autobiography stating that whenever United had a big game against difficult opponents that he expected to see my name as the referee. He was pleased to see that name but not because he felt he could influence me. Why should he want to?
He believes and ensures that the players who work under him believe that United are the best team, playing in the best stadium.
Poll doesn't think he was influenced by Ferguson when he refereed at Old Trafford
However, the belief still exists that referees favour United. Fans have photo-shopped images of Howard Webb to show him wearing a Manchester United shirt.
This to Webb, the World Cup final referee, is highly offensive, as the one thing a referee guards above everything else is his impartiality.
Jose Mourinho, when Chelsea manager, suggested to me in a very lewd manner that I would do anything to be in Ferguson’s good books.
And now it is alleged that Gareth Barry may have felt the same way following last Sunday’s Manchester derby. Social media was this morning awash with allegations that Barry made a remark towards fourth official Mark Clattenburg at least hinting at Sir Alex’s potential influence.
I find that fascinating given that I highlighted in my MailOnline column that every single controversial decision in last weekend’s derby favoured Manchester City.
And yet the perception remains and people will still ask the question: ‘How much are referees affected by Sir Alex Ferguson?’
The question that people should be asking is why a player who accepted the charge of abusing a match official is only made to serve a one-match ban?
David Silva expects Manchester City improvement
Manchester City playmaker David Silva has insisted that his team are capable of making the neccesary improvements to retain their Premier League title.
Roberto Mancini's side fell six points behind Manchester United with last weekend's derby defeat at the Etihad.
Silva admitted that City's start to the season has been below the required standard but thinks that there is still time to rectify the situation.
He told The Guardian: "You can always improve, but each game has its own circumstances and I'm sure we will improve and get back to our normal self.
"Six points is a gap, it is a big gap. But last year we saw how they were in front by quite a lot of points and we won the league anyway. It can be done.
"We're responsible for what has happened. The way we played in the Champions League, we all have to take the blame for that. It didn't start well in the Champions League and it became an uphill task. But you can't just blame the manager."
The Spanish international has scored just once in 17 appearances for City so far this season.
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]United look to cash in on derby delight
Manchester United star Ryan Giggs has warned Manchester City that his side's derby triumph will provide the perfect springboard to wrestle the title away from Eastlands. United moved six points clear of second placed City after an explosive 3-2 win over their bitter rivals in the Manchester derby last Sunday and Alex Ferguson's team have a golden opportunity to extend their lead this weekend.
While spluttering champions City have a tricky assignment at Newcastle, United host lowly Sunderland on the back of four successive league victories and with confidence sky-high following Robin van Persie's stoppage-time winner at Eastlands. Giggs has seen 12 previous title-winning teams take shape during his career at United and the veteran Welsh midfielder is beginning to sense another dominant team forming at Old Trafford.
Asked if the win over City would provide a major boost, Giggs said: "It should do, purely because of the way we performed. We have got everything in place for the busy Christmas period and the confidence of such a great result. We accept that we are letting too many goals in and we've had to come from behind too often, but the signs are there that this could be a very good season for us. The wins against Chelsea, Newcastle and City away have been our three best performances and you probably can't get three bigger challenges."
While Giggs and his United team-mates can contemplate a successful second half of the season, City are facing a fight to salvage their campaign. Roberto Mancini's side have already crashed out of the Champions League and another setback at Newcastle this weekend would deal a hammer blow to their hopes of retaining the title.
Last weekend's loss to United exposed City's flaws in defence and attack as they were beaten at home for the first time in the league since December 2010. United defender Patrice Evra rubbed salt into the wounds by claiming they now have the mental edge, but defiant City captain Vincent Kompany remains convinced the title race isn't over yet.
"I don't know anything about psychological blows," he said. "Losing on Sunday changes nothing. We lost and we move on to the next game. The beauty of football is that you are always challenged, whether you have lost or won, and the next game is always the most important. We all know the importance of the (Newcastle) game but I don't do very well thinking about bad scenarios. For me there are so many positives that can happen if we win that game. I can't think of the other side of that coin."
Elsewhere, the spotlight will be firmly on Arsene Wenger on Monday when Arsenal travel to Reading hoping to erase the painful memory of Tuesday's humiliating League Cup quarter-final defeat at Bradford. Wenger suffered the most embarrassing loss of his 16-year reign as League Two minnows Bradford won 3-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw and he has come under heavy fire from critics in the media and among his club's fanbase this week.
Former Arsenal midfielder Stewart Robson described Wenger as a "dictator", while many reports claimed the Gunners boss has fallen out with his assistant Steve Bould. Wenger, whose side are currently seventh, can ill-afford to see Arsenal beaten by second bottom Reading, who have won just one of their first 16 matches, and the Frenchman admits he is feeling under pressure to turn the tide.
"I always feel under pressure to deliver, always," Wenger said. "You can only be successful if you question yourself, because the game has become bigger and better. With teams like Chelsea and Man City coming in, I think we have to do what we do even better. You can only be good in life if you do what you believe is right. We may have a lack of experience in winning trophies recently, but we are always at the top and very close to winning the championship or winning the Champions League."
Arsenal want Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina, 30, in the January transfer window and are confident the Reds will sell if the Anfield club sign Birmingham's 19-year-old England international Jack Butland. Daily Mirror
Christian Eriksen does not turn 21 until February but has already made 30 senior appearances for Denmark
West Ham are interested in taking Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh, 28, on loan, while the Gunners are keen on making a move for Hammers midfielder Mohamed Diame, 25. DSSC
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has admitted he is worried about on-loan Yossi Benayoun's latest injury and could decide against signing the 32-year-old permanently from Chelsea. talkSHIT
Tottenham are weighing up a move for Ajax's £20m-rated Denmark international Christian Eriksen, 20, during the January transfer window. London Evening Standard
Liverpool are trying to get Raheem Sterling, 18, signed to a new contract, possibly before January, after Arsenal joined Chelsea and Manchester City in tracking the England winger. Daily Mirror
Tottenham winger Gareth Bale, 23, and manager Andre Villas-Boas have met with referee Andre Marriner after the player's recent bookings for diving. Daily Mirror
Stoke manager Tony Pulis says he is "surprised" Everton manager David Moyes, who will be in the opposition dug-out at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday, has not been poached by one of the Premier League's top-four clubs. Stoke Sentinel
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright has accused manager Arsene Wenger of failing to address the club's current plight and believes any other manager would have been sacked for going so long without a trophy. Independent
Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback, 23, says he is not a player who is likely to "light up the crowd", but would like to score more goals to lift the Black Cats up the table. Sunderland Echo
Striker Emile Heskey, 34, faces an uncertain future after his Australian side Newcastle Jets were issued with a winding-up order.DSSC
Harry Redknapp, manager of Queens Park Rangers, has revealed that golfing partner and former Blackburn Rovers boss Graeme Souness called him "mad" for taking charge of the Premier League's bottom club, who have yet to win this season. London Evening Standard
A 73-year-old official at Bastia has started a hunger strike after the French club were barred from playing at home until further notice because of a series of violent incidents. Jo Bonavita is responsible for logistics at the club. Guardian
MORE BOLLOX SOON
