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Oh Lordy, We've Gone And Killed Football...
I would like to thank the press for putting things into perspective for me over the last couple of days. As a Manchester City fan, I unwittingly found myself getting rather giddy and excited. But now I realise that my football club has caused the death of football (see Radio 5).

Everything was fine before Monday. Manchester United hadn't whored themselves round the world to make money, bought player after player for huge amounts of money, kidnapped players without the selling club's permission then paid them hush money. Chelsea haven't tried to buy players for huge sums of money either, like Robinho, Kaka, Shevchenko. The G14 group is an honourable organisation that does loads of charity work and in no way is it a cartel set up to protect the interests of its members and make the rich even richer, at the expense of everyone else.

UEFA would never turn the European Cup, sorry, Champions League, into a money-making exercise, making it harder for less established clubs to ever compete on a level playing field. They would never add group stages, let teams who failed drop into the UEFA Cup, or let teams like Liverpool in even when they hadn't qualified, at the expense of a 'lesser' country's team. They would never keep the front rows of European games empty just so they could have bigger advertising hoardings and rake more money in.

Real Madrid haven't really been bailed out by their government, Italian clubs have never to my knowledge bribed referees and officials.

And I am sure that if Chelsea had actually signed Kaka for £70m over the summer, or Real Madrid has signed Ronaldo for £90m, then there would of course have been an outcry at them ruining our beautiful and pure sport.

So shame on you Manchester City. How dare you try and compete with the 'Big Four'. I hope you're proud of yourself. You have just killed football.
Howard Hockin


We Could Buy Everyone, Everywhere
Now that we're apparently thinking of buying Ronaldo for £135 million and bringing (the real, fat) Ronaldo out of injury, I have a plan for City's new money to become the super European power they want to be: buy everyone.

Simple. Latest reports state ADUG are worth 1000 billion dollars. Suppose they want to keep 900 billion dollars as spare cash. Taking into account crappy players, lower-league players and highly overpriced players, we can probably estimate the average value of a player to be two million pounds (it's a lot less, but let's just presume it's that or the numbers get stupid). Add 50% to that, á la C.Ronaldo situation and each player's worth £3 million. With 100 billion, they can buy approximately 33,300 players from Europe and the world and, as such, they'll become English, British, European and World Champions as desired! Simple!

I'm sure there's a flaw but my boss' evil eyes tell me I won't get to work it out...
Simon (Al-City Till I Die) Messenger


They Could Have Just Bought...
If these guys who bought Man City are gajillionares who can buy the world and want to own the world's largest football brand, why didn't they just buy ManYoo?

I'm sure the Glazers would have loved to get rid of those debt repayments...
Krishna Siriam


The Real Issue
Now that there could be a 'big 5' in the Premiership, how are Sky going to fit in the twice-yearly Grand Slam super duper brilliant Sunday? I was thinking they might adopt a WWE-style triple threat match between say Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool and then United v City.

Just a thought.
Foxy


Is Citeh's Wealth A Good Thing?
Being a Man U supporter, City always provide light relief. I was unsure yesterday how to feel about them signing Robinho. Firstly I was glad Chelsea lost out. Secondly I didnt really like to see City get a good player. Thirdly it was funny-looking at the City fans perform like monkeys for the Sky Sports cameras outside the ground.

Since then things havent got much clearer. Although being one of the Big Four benefits Utd, I dont think the closed shop that is the Big Four benefits the game. The same four teams qualify for the riches of the Champions League every year, with the one exception of Everton getting 4th. Even then Liverpool still, deservedly, got back in as holders, meaning the benefits of a new team gatecrashing 4th was negated. What the Premiership needed was one of the Big Four to miss out on the Champions League. Realistically that was gonna be Liverpool or Arsenal I think. The loss of revenue from one year out, combined with the increase for the team that took their place would have shaken things up.

With this in mind, I decided yesterday that City's new signing, and their new money was a good thing, as if the new owners are for real, and are true to their word, hell even if they only sign half the players they say they will, then in all likelihood they will gatecrash the Big 4, and more importantly the Champions League (I admit that if i thought it would be at Utd's expense I wouldnt have come to this conclusion, but currently Arsenal and Liverpool look the most vulnerable). Anyway that was fine but as more information emerged about the scale of the wealth of City's new owners I realised that City finishing top 4 and making the Champions League won't open things up for other clubs the way it would If say Everton got in. If Everton or Spurs got in, at the expense of Arsenal, the money would be a real boost, but it wouldnt propel Everton or Spurs out of sight of say Villa. It would just weaken Arsneal to the extent that the following season there would be more teams competing for 4th.

However if City are the ones to break in, then with their money and decent stewardship from Hughes, they could be there to stay. But there wont be any trickle down effects for the likes of Everton, Spurs, Villa etc. It will most likely just mean that Liverpool and Arsenal fight it out each season for 4th, with the others then scraping for 6th and 7th for the UEFA Cup. So not much will change. The anticipated effects of a different team making the Champions League will not benefit the league as a whole in the way it should, which is a pity.
Birdy, Ireland


Actually, Wealth Is A Great Thing
Will you all stop moaning for once...

Over the last four or five years the English market has become more and more inflated and this has been allowed to happen due to the success of English clubs in the Champions League. The money is there in ther first place because of SKY but the likes of Robinho, Ballack and Torres wouldn't think twice about going to England if it wasn't for European success. You simply can't have it both ways, it's arguable that you have the best league in the world, but at the top end your league is by far the best. This isn't possible without paying top dollar (or Ruble or Riyal or barrel or oil). Football isn't dead, it's just changed... for the better. The standard is better than ever and the Champions League is far more exciting to watch when there is genuine home interest. If you want to have 'pure' football back go watch your equivelant to Cowdenbeath every week and stop putting a dampner on what is very exciting times.
Toddie (I wish the Rangers could still spend £12m on a player), Fife


No, It's Not, It's Terrible...
I hate the fact that I have to write in but I am actually so dumbfounded by the reaction of everyone to the new Man City. To be applauding such a move with ridiculous money being thrown around like a computer game is only going to destroy what was once a great league.

Since Chelsea found their fortune and started destroying the transfer market, we all complained together and insisted how leagues are won not bought. Now because Man City have hit the lottery and are prepared to spend silly silly money, and has become one big laugh and pat on the back because someone has finally outmoneyed Chelsea by creating another monster. We have clubs who have gone into serious debt to compete including the likes of ManU and Liverpool. How can we even remotely contemplate that this is good for the league? Pete Gill, how you - a supposed fan of Football - can write such comments about the winners and losers, you have just become as bad as any celeb gossip journo who will do anything for a buck. This has shown me that you no longer love the game.

This league has finally lost control of its passion and let greed control every aspect of it. Never mind City, what about Berbatov for 31mil also. He is by no means worth that value, he truly has not proved to be on the scale of Henry, Van Nistelroy, Ronaldo and Ronaldihno. Yet more silly money is being spent and this league is in serious trouble! September 1 is the September 11 of the EPL! What happens when these owners get bored and the EPL is no longer a viable investment and I can asure you that this is not an IF but WHEN!! Who will be left to pick up the tab, look what happended to Leeds and that is small in comparison to what will happen.

If Man City deliver on their promise in the January transfer period, I can easily say that the EPL will have lost at least one fan. This has gone too far!!
Brent, Sydney


If You Don't Like Modern Football...
In response to Rob Henry and Ib and any other Premiership fans who are complaining that they no longer love football because of all the money and boring football being played, wishing they could go back to the days when team's squads were carefully built up over the years, I have developed a magical soloution that will transport them 20 years into the past and they will be able to watch football just like it was in the good old days - terraces, fewer johnny foreigners ruining our game, small budgets. the soloution is simple, all you have to do is

A) Find the latest league tables, flick past the Premiership and Championship to League 1 or 2 and select your closest team.

B) Buy a season ticket for said team.

If you really want to do this properly there is an extreme step C which involves cancelling Sky Sports/Setanta and no longer buying any newspapers which will cut all this rubbish modern day football out of your lives for good.
Ricky Cartwright


Will World's Best Footballers Really Sign For City?
With Man City's new found wealth and Chairman who on this morning's evidence isn't afraid of the spot light or throwing that wealth around, will the stars of world football choose the money of Man City or the History of Real Madrid, Man Utd, Barca or Liverpool?

Offering £135 million for Ronaldo is one thing but getting him to join ahead of staying at Man U or his playing for his boyhood dream club Real is another. Admittedly Cristiano's morals are loose at best but even he surely wouldn't cross the Manchester divide for more money rather than go to his beloved Real.

And as for Mr Cesc and old Fernando would either of these swap the history of the Kop or the total football culture that's being bread at Arsenal for a stroll around Eastlands and a gold plated Ferrari??

Maybe I'm being incredibly naive in trusting the morals of the modern footballer but the fact is that the top, top players in world football (Messi, Kaka, Ronaldo, Torres, Fabregas) want to win honours and be known as one of the greatest players of all time. And the only way to do that in my eyes is to play for the most decorated and famous clubs in Europe and not sell out to an oil billionaire with a new toy.
David Bryant


...I quote Robinho:

"I knew that Manchester City is a very big club, there's a great team there already and this is an exciting project"

Very big? Great team? The team is only great because Robinho has joined the team. Man City 'a big club' with little history to boast about? I can't stop cringing. The fact that they have been bought over by a far more richer power than Roman's blue team is exciting though.

But think about it.

If Robinho could pull a press conference out of his hat to get his butt out of Real Madrid, what makes you think he won't do the same thing to Man City in the future?

And Man City to bid big for Ronaldo? Please, it's only to boast their financial muscle. Robinho joining Man City was a fluke because the player was desperate to leave Real Madrid. You won't see any other big names joining a 'very big club' with a 'great team' any time soon.
Julian


A Toon Dream
I had a dream last night where in a few years time after we win the treble, Keegan will reveal to the media that yesterday he nearly walked out on Newcastle United but was thrilled to have rode out the storm and bring so much glory to starved Newcastle supporters.

Which was good, because my marriage to Scarlett Johansson was falling pieces.
Sam (A Man Can Dream - Can Joey Barton take a pay cut and lets put this all behind us?)


What's Wrong With A Bit Of Fun?
Sorry pal, but we Geordies reserve the right to get excited, buy flags and silly hats, Spiderman costumes, tattoos, the latest shirts, t-shirts, pens, mugs, mouse mats and probably any other - admittedly daft - paraphernalia the club might peddle out. You know I'd even have one of those old fashion rattles if it had our badge on, I'll buy two if they're offering free p&p. I'll stop short of that big drum the Pompey fan has, the line has to be drawn somewhere. We know this stuff is silly and daft but what's wrong with being silly now and again, to us it's a little bit of fun and it gets the banter going which is all part and parcel. You'll find SJP doesn't have the atmosphere of some of the other graveyard grounds around the country lately despite what we've been through, so maybe a few others should try it.

And is Newcastle the only city in England that sells those England car and window flags every two years (that we qualify)? I think not you tripe-filled moron. Face it, if your club was half as interesting or funny as ours you wouldn't feel the need to comment, so wind your neck in and go stick your nose where your opinion might count. You are a plastic fan, the kind that is filling grounds up and down the country, who go to sit and watch in silence and enjoy a nice prawn brioche from Pret-a-Manger at half time.

As for my club, who knows what the hell is going on? I don't know one Geordie who'd blame KK for walking now, he'll go with our blessing (though of course we want him to stay) and I'm not afraid to say he'll always be our messiah. I still need to come to terms with what has happened this time, once again just when we seem to be getting on 2 feet we pull the rug from under ourselves. You have to laugh, no matter how much it hurts.

Now Man City seem to be getting serious we are the undisputed No1 travelling football circus. Any chance we could get a trophy for that?
DB, Geordie in Harrogate. Off to play with my 1988 NUFC-branded spinning-top to cheer myself up.


The Toon's Attention-Seeking Behaviour
What is it about Newcastle that they have to be the centre of attention all the time??? It seems that every season the most sensational stuff happens up there!!! They are like some spoilt kid who can't stand it when someone else is getting all the attention and so the toys get tossed, the feet start to stamp and the screaming starts.

Deadline day was mental with the Berbatov shenanigans and the Robinho move. Newcastle couldn't have that and so decided to have a big row with their manager and leave the meeting without it being clear if he was sacked or he had resigned! The lead stories should be about Robinho and all the money this Abu Dhabi geezer is bringing over, but oh no Newcastle and Keegan are the main headline everywhere!

They are a strange club and it must be a nightmare to support them as everything always seems to end in tears (spoilt kid reference again).
Tim (gives the rest of us a good laugh though) Collins
P.S. When you hand out the awards at the end of the season don't forget to include the comedy club of the season award. Something Newcastle must be odds on favourite to retain for the oooohhh...10th time!!!


If Ifs And Buts Were Pots And Pans...
What would happen if Mike Ashley actually appoints Dennis Wise as Newcastle manager to replace Keegan, and Mr Wise actually pulls it off? Meaning, he actually gets the team playing decent football and perhaps even qualifies for the Wafer Champions League. Would that make Wise and Ashley any less of the villains they are painted out to be, and perhaps get Newcastle fans on their side?

More importantly, would Newcastle fans suddenly stop loving King Kev and his would-be achievements?
Andrew Woo, Sydney


Now That's What We Call A Close Contest...
Does this mean Mike has taken over from Cole as the most hated Ashley in Football?
Colm Byrne


Actually, Apparently It's All Made Up...
Is it my turn now to laugh at Football365 and the assorted media? You deserve what you get when you base the day's reporting around something David Craig said. He's a card, David is, though. Pity Olympic P***-Taking doesn't accept pros such as David - he'd be nailed on for gold. Just a few weeks ago he had unearthed the scoop about the Indian zillionaire wanting to buy out the Toon. Yesterday it was KK's sacking. Now he might be close, tight even, with one or two of KK's amigos, but will that stand up in a libel case? (Apologies for mentioning the l-word)

And apologies too for a scoop of reality on the flames of hysteria, but the Toon have made a few decent signings this summer, we have had a decent start to the season - hurdling Round 2 of the Carling Cup and being mid-table after three, having already visited Old Trafford and Arsenal. Not earth-shattering, but fine enough by most standards.

Finally may I just ask why you had to let that scouser into the mailbox yesterday? It's akin to the footballing equivalent of Katrina and the Tsunami on the same day and some Liverpool fan still writes in moaning that the milkman is ten minutes late.
Simon (He's a dwarf, a dwarf ...) Mulholland, Mag


Carra Lifts Stone On England Problems
Carragher is quoted on your excellent site this morning as saying: "I confess: defeats wearing an England shirt never hurt me in the same way as losing with my club.

"I wasn't caring or indifferent, I simply didn't put England's fortunes at the top of my priority list. Losing felt like a disappointment rather than a calamity. I was never in love with playing for England in the first place."

It's interesting that this should come out so soon after the Olympics and all the scenes of evident patriotic fever that we saw from our nations Olympians.

But are any of us really surprised? We talk in this country of our players having more passion and will. We think of people like Butcher and Pearce who seemed willing to die for the cause. But when was the last time you saw an England player show that? These are Carragher's words but would we be surprised if they were uttered by any of the others? Perhaps Terry, but I can't think of anyone else. This country has lost its way, and for our bling bling generation of footballers, the three lions no longer means much except as a way to negotiate higher rewards. Let's bin the lot and clone ten Jimmy Bullards.

Anyway, at least he's taken my mind for a split second of the bunch of clowns at my beloved Toon.
James Salmon


He Dreams Of Jimmy...
Dear Deidre, I've got this little problem, and you're the only one I can tell.

It seems Jimmy Bullard has got me 'on the turn', so to speak.

I swear (and I don't fess up to this lightly) that while watching him doing his press conference after his first England training session, for some inexplicable reason I became aware of feeling a bit weepy, you know, emotional like.

I've seen and recognised some early symptoms of Bullard-Love frequently here on 365. ut boy I've fallen...ahem...hard.

And now, in the midst of the latest machinations down the money trench that masquerades as our national sport, Jimmy's travails against adversity, his beatific 'cheeky' smile, and that wonderfully pre-historic barnet are thrown into still greater wonderful relief. I felt all warm inside as I listened to him talking about getting the England tracksuit, and his appreciation of what he had achieved. Football doesn't give me that feeling too often these days.

He is a throwback to the days before bling, before Baby Bentleys, to when most players were 'one of us'. He comes via the non-leagues, he works hard, keeps a generally sunny demeanour and has triumphed over considerable adversity.

Now I keep having this dream that Capello really takes to him and he scores the winner from an expertly taken last-minute free kick in Zagreb. Then I wake up. All sticky.

Please help.
Andy 'The Rambler'