... and it's
Manchester City climb into Deloitte top 10 earners after league title
Real Madrid stay No1 and topped €500m revenue last season • Survey puts seven Premier League clubs in top 20
Manchester City's first Premier League title and inaugural season in the Champions League have helped them climb five places in Deloitte's annual survey of the 20 biggest earners in football, meaning that half of the top 10 clubs come from England.
For the eighth year running Real Madrid were the top-earning club in Europe, with revenues of €513m (£431m). The Spanish club took over top spot from Manchester United in 2003-04 and have held it since.
Barcelona, who also benefit from a TV money distribution model that reserves the lion's share for the two biggest clubs in Spain, were ranked second with revenues of €483m to complete a Spanish top two for the fourth year running. Manchester City's rise was powered by a 51% increase in revenue to €285.6m, mainly due to a 28% increase in broadcast income and a near doubling of commercial revenue thanks to a new agreement with Etihad.
Newcastle United were the one new entry, into the list at 20 and replacing Valencia. The collective strength of the Premier League, where broadcast revenues are shared more equally than in Spain, is reflected in there being seven English clubs in the top 20 and four more (Everton, Aston Villa, Fulham and Sunderland) just outside.
Deloitte, which ranks clubs according to how much money they bring in from matchday, commercial and media income but does not measure their profitability or indebtedness, said Real Madrid had become the first club in any sport to surpass the €500m revenue barrier in a single year.
The top six clubs remained unchanged for the sixth successive year, emphasising the extent to which success has enabled the biggest clubs to further increase their commercial revenues abroad.
"They are the teams with the biggest fan bases, at home and internationally," said Adam Bull, a senior consultant at Deloitte's Sports Business Group. "They continue to attract the largest commercial deals and generate the highest matchday revenue."
But he said that Chelsea's failure to break into the top four, despite winning the Champions League, showed the extent to which the London club were constrained by their inability to increase matchday income in light of the relatively small capacity of Stamford Bridge.
The Deloitte report paints a picture of ongoing revenue growth for Europe's top clubs, despite the recession that has gripped the continent, thanks to improved commercial deals and increased TV income. Bull said the top four clubs were continuing to pull away from the rest in revenue terms. Real Madrid's annual income is double that of Milan's in eighth place.
In all, the combined revenues of the top 20 clubs rose 10% to €4.8bn during the 2011-12 season and that total was four times the amount in 1996-97, the first year that Deloitte compiled the figures.
But Uefa's forthcoming benchmarking report is expected to show the flipside of the story – that increased revenues have been accompanied by rising costs, driven by the wage inflation that has outstripped revenue growth for many clubs.
The Uefa president, Michel Platini, hopes the Financial Fair Play rules introduced last season, limiting clubs to €45m in losses over a three-year period, will help reduce debts.
But others fear it will decrease competitiveness and enable those already making the most money to pull further away from the pack.
The German Football Association on Wednesday claimed on Wednesday the Bundesliga was one of the most sustainable leagues in Europe. Its 18 clubs posted combined record turnover of €2.08bn in 2011-12, up more than 7% on the previous season, with 14 of the 18 clubs profitable.
"The Bundesliga is well equipped to deal with the challenges ahead," said the DFL chief executive, Christian Seifert. "The foundations for this successful path are financial good sense as well as targeted investment in sporting efficiency and infrastructure."
Position Club Revenue (€m)
(last season) 2011-12 (2010-11)
1 (1) Real Madrid 512.6 (479.5)
2 (2) Barcelona 483 (450.7)
3 (3) Manchester Utd 395.9 (367)
4 (4) Bayern Munich 368.4 (321.4)
5 (5) Chelsea 322.6 (253.1)
6 (6) Arsenal 290.3 (251.1)
7 (12) Manchester City 285.6 (169.6)
8 (7) Milan 256.9 (234.8)
9 (9) Liverpool 233.2 (203.3)
10 (13) Juventus 195.4 (153.9)
11 (16) Borussia Dortmund 189.1 (138.5)
12 (8) Internazionale 185.9 (211.4)
13 (11) Tottenham 178.2 (181)
14 (10) Schalke 174.5 (202.4)
15 (20) Napoli 148.4 (114.9)
16 (14) Marseille 135.7 (150.4)
17 (17) Lyon 131.9 (132.8)
18 (18) Hamburg 121.1 (128.8)
19 (15) Roma 115.9 (143.5)
20 (-) Newcastle United 115.3 (98)
On the Fringes: Scott Sinclair Hasn't Learned His Lesson
There is an overwhelming sense of déjà vu about Scott Sinclair’s current situation. After two years of settled first team football at Swansea, the winger is again at a big club on the outside looking in, better paid but just as uninvolved.
Being a part of the nouveau riche’s pet projects seems to hold an irresistible appeal for Sinclair. First with Chelsea and now Manchester City, he has spurned regular appearances at a lesser side in favour of the prestige of acting as a perennial backup to the elite.
Back in 2005 he was persuaded to leave the Bristol Rovers academy by Frank Arnesen. Despite Chelsea’s ardent interest in Sinclair, the teenager spent the intervening seasons anywhere but Stamford Bridge.
As a man permanently for hire, he had loan spells at Plymouth, QPR, Birmingham and Wigan amongst others. Being shunted around the country like this in search of game time did nothing for Sinclair’s development, and he stagnated when he should have been making his breakthrough.
However, the rootless wastrel is an unfortunate phenomenon in modern football, of which Sinclair, alongside ostensible teammates Michael Mancienne and Ryan Bertrand, is a prime example. With the big clubs intent on stockpiling young playing talent in the hope that one or two make the grade, a great surplus is inevitably cast aside.
Sinclair was rescued from the scrapheap by Swansea. Brendan Rodgers, a coach of his at youth level, brought some much-needed stability to the life of the suitcase kid, taking him to the Liberty Stadium for £500,000.
He finally felt valued, and the payback was evident, Sinclair spearheaded Swansea's promotion push as the club’s star man and leading scorer. The goals came steadily in the top flight too, as Swansea eased towards survival, and Sinclair’s impressive performances earned him a call-up to the Olympic squad.
Over the summer, speculation mounted that the 23 year-old was set to leave. No longer content with being one of the best at a mid-ranking club on the rise, a move to reigning Premier League champions Man City was forced through on deadline day.
The decision was a baffling one on behalf of both club and player. Sinclair wasn’t even an improvement over the departing Adam Johnson, never mind Samir Nasri or David Silva. It was a needless indulgence on the part of City and a death sentence for Sinclair’s attempt to rebuild his career.
Yet one clear advantage came from the Sinclair and Jack Rodwell signings, and this one was their status as home-grown players. Despite being expensive acquisitions, having come through English academies, they significantly counted towards City’s 8 man domestic quota for Premier League and European participation.
Although the rule is an earnest attempt to curb big spending and increase the emphasis on local players, it has, in many ways, achieved the opposite. Besides enabling the laziness of Ross Turnbull et al, its introduction has seen the cost of English players reach a record high and encouraged clubs to bring ever-younger overseas talent into their youth systems for the purposes of repatriation.
Perhaps we should have sympathy for someone like Scott Sinclair, inadvertently caught up in the regulations as he is. But having been burnt once by Chelsea, he should know better.
Unsurprisingly, he has made just nine appearances since his move and, if anything, deserves to be sidelined for such willful stupidity.
MANCHESTER TITLE RACE
PTS +5 GD +1
GOLDEN BOLLOX - 24-1-2010
Man City line up £100m bid for Fernando Torres
Manchester City are preparing to stun the football world this summer with a staggering £100million bid for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.
In a move that will eclipse Manchester United's £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid last summer, City will flex their financial muscles and smash the transfer record for a player regarded as the best forward in the game.
And if 25-year-old Torres moves to Eastlands he'll become the first star to earn a £200,000-a-week salary in a deal that could net him £50m over five years.
Those are the astonishing figures being assembled by City chiefs who are determined to land the stellar signing who will form the figurehead of their drive to join the world's elite clubs.
Chief executive Garry Cook failed to entice former AC Milan star Kaka to Manchester exactly a year ago in a deal that would have been worth £100m.
Now though, City believe their increased profile and their intended aim of becoming a major power in the game is being taken seriously - and the time is right to turn that ambition into reality.
Blockbuster New boss Roberto Mancini has impressed City owner Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak so much, he has already been told that if City clinch a Champions League place the club will back him with a blockbuster signing.
The word around Eastlands is that player will be Torres - with Mancini knowing a world class striker is the key to City becoming a major force in Europe once they have qualified for the Champions League.
City's interest in Torres will be a damning blow for Liverpool who have encountered major problems on and off the pitch this season.
Kop boss Rafa Benitez will fight hard to keep Torres at Anfield and may even make a stand by saying he'll walk if the Spain international is sold.
But even Benitez will recognise it would be hard for Liverpool's warring owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett to refuse a bid approaching £100m - especially with the club desperate for a fresh injection of cash.
Benitez still insists Liverpool's experience and pedigree means they can fight off competition from City, Aston Villa and Spurs and clinch fourth place this season.
But if they don't finish fourth Liverpool will be more vulnerable than ever to a huge City bid for Torres.
Kate Upton Washes the All-New Mercedes-Benz CLA in Slow Motion
[spoiler][youtube]uPq7jVGPs3g[/youtube][/spoiler]
Owen Hargreaves claims it would be ‘crazy’ to dismiss Manchester City’s title
Owen Hargreaves has warned Manchester United the title race is not a foregone conclusion.
United lead Manchester City at the top of the Premier League table by seven points, with 16 games to play.
And, though Hargreaves admits Alex Ferguson’s side are in excellent shape, he claims it would be foolish to write off last season’s champions City.
“United look the favourites,” said Hargreaves, who played for both clubs.
“They have so many options up front and on the wings and, if they find a bit of stability defensively, which they seem to have been missing a little bit, then it looks a one-horse race.
“But City, with the firepower they have, you would be crazy to dismiss them.”
NIALL QUINN: 'MANCHESTER CITY WERE CRAZY TO SIGN UP MAD MARIO IN FIRST PLACE'
NIALL QUINN thinks former club Manchester City would be better off without Mario Balotelli.
The former City forward insists signing the fiery Italian was a bad move and that he would never have bought Balotelli during his time as Sunderland chairman.
Quinn said: “We had a few signings there that were questionable but, in the end, any fears were proved wrong.
“If you ask me if I would have bought Balotelli, then the answer would be no.”
The ex-Republic of Ireland forward played more than 200 games for City and the club are still close to his heart.
He was in the crowd at the Etihad when they won the title last season – but he has serious doubts about whether they can defend their crown or not.
He said: “A lot of things will determine their future.
“One is the fact they are losing players like Yaya and Kolo Toure to the African Nations Cup. Then there is the fitness of Sergio Aguero and if they pick Balotelli in front of Edin Dzeko.
“Also, as defending champions, they have not been playing with any swagger.
“But Mario is the key. Of the 50 or so games he has played in the Premier League, he only has one assist.”
Balotelli’s bust-up with boss Roberto Mancini was the latest in a list of negative headlines about the striker.
And Quinn cannot see him turning things around.He added: “Sometimes you can buy a player when needs must, even though you have been warned off them.
“You just hope that it turns out okay, you try to get the best out of each player and get some value from the transfer.
“At Euro 2012, Mario played well and some thought he was going to have a good season – but that hasn’t happened yet.
“During my time with Sunderland we were warned off players like El-Hadji Diouf and Pascal Chimbonda but we put in an effort to ensure they gave their all and our fears were unfounded in the end because we worked together.
“Mario looked like a good punt at the time I suppose – but he has been exasperating.
“A lot of people would like him better if he would put a shift in, give his last drop of sweat instead of standing there with his hands on his hips.
“He does not link up well and when he has started the team haven’t done well.
“Team selection will be vital against Arsenal. Dzeko should be playing from the start.
“City were summed up when they played QPR in their final game of last season. They were all over the place, took fans on highs and lows and won it in dramatic style. Being a City fan can’t be easy.”
SNUB COUNT - 263
Vieira: Manchester City looking to dominate English football for 20 years
The former Arsenal midfielder has spoken of the determination of Roberto Mancini's side to take over from their neighbours as the major force in the Premier League
Manchester City football development executive Patrick Vieira has stated that his club are building a regime to dominate the sport in England over the next two decades.
City have already taken steps in the right direction after their FA Cup win in 2010-11, breaking their run of 35 years without a trophy, soon followed by their dramatic 2011-12 Premier League success.
Vieira, who signed for City manager Roberto Mancini in 2010 before hanging up his boots at the club, believes that they can continue to haul in the trophies like their local rivals United have done in the past 20 years.
"We want to build a club that can win for the next 20 years and on and on. Not a club that wins for two to three years and then drops down again.
"At City we accept that we don't have the history of Manchester United - United will always be United, we know that. We give them every respect for that - they are the biggest club in this league. We can't change that overnight so the only thing we can do is challenge United for the future.
"It will take time - it's not going to happen in one or two years with one or two trophies. But things are changing, we are already getting closer to them. Remember, this season we are the champions. And we want to keep on challenging them.
"We want to fight with them every season to try to win the league, to try to win the Champions League.
"That's why we are carefully putting into place the right project, the right foundations to ensure that we are successful long-term.
"We have made a start. But now we are champions there comes even more pressure. We put more pressure on our own shoulders to stay at the top. There's more pressure from supporters and there's more pressure from outside of the club.
"Every team wants to beat you, there is more coverage, more attention, more interest. You have to be able to handle that, take care of that - even down to the smallest details. So right now we have to concentrate, focus, work hard and then see what happens."
GOLDEN BOLLOX - 24-1-2011
Wright-Phillips can go for free
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who cost a staggering £30 million in his last two transfers, has been told he can leave for nothing as the big spending Eastlands club want him off their wage bill and cannot find a club willing to pay a fee and take on the player's salary, according to ESPNsoccernet sources.
One of the many clubs chasing the former Chelsea player, who has been valued at around £4 million, told ESPNsoccernet: "Manchester City are no longer looking for a fee. They want to get the player off the wage bill.
"If he was on £30,000-a-week he would be worth £6-8 million - but on £65,000-a-week he has no value unless a really top club wants him."
Fulham boss Mark Hughes, who signed the England international from Chelsea for £9 million in 2008, is reportedly keen to work with the winger again and has jumped to the front of the queue.
City are believed to be holding out for a permanent transfer and will not sanction any loan deal, but Hughes faces competition to sign him as Wright-Phillips' agent claims that the midfielder is already considering 'five offers'
Whilst researching down in the Bollox Towers Golden archives, I found this little titteration from 24-1-2010 ...
DoomMerchant wrote:Niall Quinns Discopants wrote:Good to have your bollocks in front of my eyes again.
change of pace from the other guys bollocks you've had in your mouth all weekend then?
Variety is the spice of life.
GOLDEN WAG 24-1-2010
[spoiler].
.[/spoiler]Harry Redknapp wants to sign Blackburn defenders Martin Olsson, 24, and Scott Dann, 25, to help QPR beat the drop. Daily Mirror
Liverpool have stepped up their efforts to sign Inter Milan midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 20, after making an £8 million bid and hope to beat Southampton to the signature. Daily Telegraph
Captain Fabricio Coloccini, 31, has told Newcastle he does not want to play for them again. Independent
New Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino insists he is not looking to sign players from former club Espanyol. TalkSHIT
Liverpool are set to hold showdown talks with Pepe Reina, 30, who has been linked with Barcelona. Metro
Arsenal are lining up a £20 million move for Fiorentina striker Stevan Jovetic, 23. Caught Offside
Liverpool and Arsenal are set for a summer transfer tussle over Swansea defender Ashley Williams, 28. Daily Mirror
Crystal Palace have bid for Swindon winger Matt Ritchie. Skysports.com
Nottingham Forest are close to signing Millwall striker Darius Henderson, 31. Nottingham Post
West Brom defender Craig Dawson, 22, looks set to join Bolton while Fiorentina are closing in on Marcos Alonso, 22. The Bolton News
Manchester United are close to signing Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay, 26. The Argentine is a likely successor to Rio Ferdinand who may leave the club in the summer. marca.com
Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 20, has said he is happy at Inter Milan, following reports linking him with a move to Liverpool. tuttosport.com
French international Yann M'Vila, 22, has decided against a move to the Premier League in favour of Russian club Rubin Kazan. The Rennes midfielder had been courted by QPR and Tottenham. sport24.com
Bradford manager Phil Parkinson is understood to be on just £1,000 a week.
Bradford's goal-hero James Hanson, 25, took a £250-a-week pay cut to play for the Bantams. He used to stack shelves at his local Co-op store. Sun
Jose Mourinho has fuelled talk of a Chelsea return by admitting he regrets spending just three years at Stamford Bridge. Metro
And Mourinho has ruled out a move to Paris Saint Germain saying the Ligue 1 side do not "need him". Independent
Chelsea defender Gary Cahill, 27, believes Arsenal are no longer a threat to the Blues in the race for Champions League places and is more concerned with catching Manchester United in the title race. London's Evening Standard
Manchester United are ready to make a £10m summer bid for Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama, 21, after manager Alex Ferguson watched him play this week. The Sun
New Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino insists he is not looking to sign players from former club Espanyol.Talk Shit
Liverpool are set to hold showdown talks with goalkeeper Pepe Reina, 30, who has been linked with Barcelona. Metro
Birmingham City have cut the initial asking price for goalkeeper Jack Butland, 19, to £3.5million in a bid to generate interest from Premier League clubs. He will be allowed to leave the club this month. Daily Telegraph
BBC 5 live's 606 newsletter reports that in a friendly between Zenit and Shaktar Donetsk, the referee appears to forget his role on the pitch as he goes flying into a tackle getting nowhere near the ball.
Tottenham appear to have cloned Gareth Bale, in the form of spitting image youth teamer, Kenny McEvoy, 19. Sun
Match day preparations at Manchester City
Lee Jackson, Head Groundsman at the Etihad Stadium asks pitchcare.com magazine to help out, as he had a man down for their home match against Tottenham!!
MORE: http://www.pitchcare.com/magazine/match ... -city.html
more bollox later ...
