Monday's 'play-off' B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Premier League plans play-off for last Champions League place
Team as low as seventh could be given chance to qualify
Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool object
The Premier League is considering introducing a play-off system to determine the fourth club to qualify for the following season's European Champions League.
Currently the club which finishes fourth goes through but the new proposal would mean a play-off between the clubs finishing fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. The intention is to inject more competition into a league in which qualification has for years remained in the hands of the same four clubs.
Premier League sources have confirmed that the play-off proposal was presented at the most recent meeting of all clubs, on 4 February, and the league's chief executive, Richard Scudamore, was authorised to return with further details in April.
It is understood that the idea was enthusiastically supported by all clubs – except the so-called big four of Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. Scudamore, and the league's secretary, Mike Foster, will examine the practicalities of how a play-off system could work: whether it should take the form of a home-and-away knockout system, similar to that in the Football League, or incorporate seeding. They will also look into when matches could be fitted into a crowded fixture calendar before making recommendations.
The idea was presented as part of the Premier League's strategic review of its format and operations and springs from two particular motivations. The first is to crack the problem of England's top league becoming less open and competitive, with the richest clubs, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool, having strengthened their hold on the top four places over several years. One league source said it was an odd twist that the idea has been raised now, in a season when Liverpool's claim to the fourth place is being seriously challenged.
The response among clubs outside the top four is understood to have been positive, with some believing that a play-off system would create more competitive matches and give more clubs a prize to challenge for. Most clubs now feel they have no chance of attaining fourth place but almost the whole Premier League could be brought into a competition to finish seventh and make it to the play-offs. The medium-sized clubs, which increasingly aspire to break the cartel, are said to have been enthusiastic, seeing play-offs as a great opportunity.
The big four, who have been qualifying on merit at the end of each season and reaping the footballing and financial rewards of Champions League participation are understood to have been less keen. Self-interest is clearly a factor, with those clubs concerned about protecting their own advantages. However, there is also a feeling that the league should be more sophisticated about addressing its major challenges, particularly the financial ones, rather than incorpor-ating an awkward play-off system for a prize as ostensibly moderate as fourth place.
The other motivation for the play-offs is a waning of the proposal for an international round of matches, dubbed "Game 39", which was widely criticised for lacking coherence and being territorially expansionist. The play-offs would mean extra matches, which would be sold to pay-television and so generate more money for all clubs.
The consistent qualification of the same four clubs, widely seen as stifling competition, is not replicated across Europe. The Premier League largely blames the Uefa Champions League money, distributed to participating clubs, for entrenching the big four's financial power. Uefa, however, points out that Champions League income represents a small part, 8–13%, of Manchester United's, Chelsea's, Arsenal's and Liverpool's total turnover. Most of the big clubs' money is made in this country; Premier League television income is relatively evenly distributed but United, Chelsea and Arsenal in particular make much more than their nearest rivals from commercial activities and match-day revenues in the Premier League.
The Dutch league tried a play-off system for the second Champions League qualification place but abandoned it after the 2007-08 season, when FC Twente Enschede beat Ajax 2-1. The issues in Holland were the risk of crowd trouble at such high-stakes matches and a perception that the play-offs were one-sided.
In the Premier League there is some confidence that neither of those would present major problems. As a means of encouraging competition, opportunities and increasing income, the play-off proposal already seems to have enough support to suggest it could gain the necessary 14-6 majority to be implemented.
MCF.NET THREAD: http://www.mancityfans.net/mcfnet/viewt ... 19&t=30476

Striker Carlos Tevez is set to miss Manchester City's match against Liverpool on Sunday because he has flown home to Argentina to be by the side of his pregnant partner.

Man City want Vidic from United at all costs
We're in for a summer of discontent in Manchester, according to the Times, which reports that City are zeroing in on United's unsettled centre-back Nemanja Vidic. Not content with having poached Carlos Tevez from Old Trafford last summer, the sky blues are now planning another imminent raid as they seek to usurp the Red Devils as Manchester's premier club.
The paper says that the 28-year-old Vidic feels "undervalued" at United and his ego is eager to find pastures new. Real Madrid and AC Milan have expressed an interest in the sulky Serb, perhaps unaware that Vidic's contract at Old Trafford runs until 2012.
But the paper says it's City who are determined to snap up Vidic, despite having signed Joleon Lescott and Kolo Toure in recent times. Any approach to Vidic, reports the Times, would "be modeled on the attempt to lure John Terry from Chelsea" at the end of last season, when they offered to double the England skipper-turned-love-rat's wages to £250,000 a week.
Although Terry turned down the incredible offer, Vidic might be more amenable, says the Times. Named Premier League Player of the Season last year, Vidic is reportedly unhappy that he's yet to be bumped up into United's £100,000-a-week bracket and would jump at the chance to earn some proper money in these challenging economic times.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Stipe Pletikosa's move from Spartak Moscow to Tottenham is back on as the Croatian keeper's knee injury has improved.
Daily Mail

Everton manager David Moyes has been on a personal scouting mission to check out Benfica striker Oscar Cardozo, who is also attracting the attention of Tottenham, Aston Villa and Blackburn. The Sun

Moyes is also tracking Nuremberg left-back Javire Pinola but faces competition from Stoke for the Argentine. (The Sun)

Strikers Kris Boyd of Rangers and Aiden McGeady of Celtic are on Birmingham's shopping list as boss Alex McLeish looks to strengthen.Daily Mail

Striker Jon Stead's move to Coventry from Ipswich has put on hold because of his pregnant wife. The Mirror

WAG OF THE DAY

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... na-paesani

OTHER BOLLOX
Burnley boss Brian Laws is letting exciting Ecuador winger Fernando Guerrero leave because he does not fit into the club's survival fight. Daily Mirror

Fulham are ready to open talks on a new contract for Swedish striker David Elm. Daily Mirror

Derby midfielder Robbie Savage has blasted Birmingham's Roger Johnson after the defender told him "I'll be drinking the champagne tonight" after the Blues beat Derby in the FA Cup. Daily Mirror

[john@staustell]

Cant see why Scouse 1 are against these play-offs. Talk about living in a dream world.

It'll need a lot of cash to persuaded Vidic's missus she doesn't want to live in Spain methinks.

[btajim]

Vidic won't come here. Tevez is the first serious player in years to cross the divide and he was a free agent.

[Chinners]

Manchester City clash will not determine who qualifies for the Champions League, insists Liverpool boss Rafa BenitezRafa Benitez has played down the significance of Liverpool's clash at Manchester City and claims the outcome will not decide who finishes in the top four of the Barclays Premier League.
Liverpool and City are locked together on 44 points with Benitez's men just nudging ahead in fourth place on goal difference but with their rivals having two games in hand.
The Reds visit Roberto Mancini's side at Eastlands on Sunday but Benitez says there is still a long way to go in the season before it is decided who takes that final Champions League spot.
Benitez said: 'City have two games in hand, and that's important - but they have to win them. We just need to concentrate on the next game, which is against them and will be a massive game. Still I have the same idea - it will be a long race and we have to keep going. It's a very important game but even if we win we'll have to keep winning games.'
On paper, Liverpool have a slighty easier run-in to towards the end of the campaign as City still have to face Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
However Benitez insists he is not looking too far ahead at this stage of the season and is just keen to have all his players fit.
He said: 'I was analysing (the fixture list) a little bit but not too much. With the experience we have we know to take one game at a time. You cannot waste too much time because you can't control other games.
'We have two or three very difficult games on paper but every game is tough in the Premier League.
'It's important to have all the squad available, not just because players like Torres and Yossi and Johnson are important - but also for the competition in each position.'

Joe Hart could miss out on an FA Cup final appearance but is in no doubt where his allegiance lies if Birmingham meet Manchester City in the Wembley showpiece.
The goalkeeper, who is on a season-long loan at Birmingham from Eastlands, could miss the final after the sides were kept apart in Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final draw, and he accepts it will be Maik Taylor and not himself who will be between the posts should the Blues reach the final and meet his parent club.
The 22-year-old said: "Which team would I go down to the final with? Birmingham City, of course. That's the team I am with this year so I'd be 100% behind them."
He added: "How would you feel if you missed out on the final? All the lads have given banter about it but my personal feeling is 'I knew the script at the start of the season'.
"That's football. It was all agreed at the start of the season."
Birmingham travel to Portsmouth in the last eight while Manchester City will visit Chelsea if they win their replay against Stoke.
"People ask me if it is a nightmare scenario for Man City to still be in the cup but that's not the case at all," added Hart. "I wish them all the best but I want Birmingham to get there and, whatever happens, will happen.
"It is not like it will be a debatable topic.
"I knew that was the scenario at the start of the season.
"It would be great for Maik Taylor to come in if we do play Man City. I am sure it would be a great game and I'd be supporting from the side."