Friday, November 21, 2008
COSTLY BENCH WARMERS
The Premiership's most costly bench-warmers have been revealed in a new list published by football website IMScouting.com. Heading the league is West Ham's injury-prone Kieron Dyer, who having played no more than two Premiership games since August 2007 has cost the Hammers an estimated £1.1m per game. He is closely followed by Manchester United's Gary Neville, who is only now returning to long-term action following a succession of long-term injuries. Since the start of last season, Neville has played just four Premiership matches, putting his estimated cost per game at £840,000. Manchester City fans won't be surprised to see the unfortunate Valeri Bojinov as their club's most costly non-performer. Since signing for the Eastlands club in the summer of 2006, Bojinov has played a mere four games due to injury, putting his cost to City at an estimated £480,000 per game. Other high profile names on the list including Tottenham's perenially-crocked Ledley King, costing an estimated £285,000 per game since last August. Louis Saha has cost Everton an estimated £87,000 per game while Dwight Yorke has been worth an estimated £58,000 a game since joining Sunderland. Football database site IMScouting.com created the list by calculating the ratio of estimated salary against Premiership games played amongst players at each top flight club since August 2007.
WHY DO THEY DO IT?
An Investigation into the Motives that drive Ghanaian Football Investors
Our league will commennece in about 24hrs and three teams will join the biggest teams to kick it off. two of the clubs are competing in the league fro the very first time, while the other one is a traditional club just back from the lower division wilderness after a decade absecne.
Every year people across the country get very passionate about the game so much. People fight in board rooms for control over clubs whose structure makes no business sense in a market that is thin in market size with very little source of auxiliary income. football is an expensive undertaking that offers little reward especially in a country like ours.
So why are so many people prepared to take the risk of investing in football?
Our league will commennece in about 24hrs and three teams will join the biggest teams to kick it off. two of the clubs are competing in the league fro the very first time, while the other one is a traditional club just back from the lower division wilderness after a decade absecne.
Every year people across the country get very passionate about the game so much. People fight in board rooms for control over clubs whose structure makes no business sense in a market that is thin in market size with very little source of auxiliary income. football is an expensive undertaking that offers little reward especially in a country like ours.
So why are so many people prepared to take the risk of investing in football?
WHY RACISM IS STILL RIFE IN THE SAPNISH GAME
On the weekend of the first week in Nov , Samuel Etoo fro the umpteenth time got racially abused by the fans Real Zaragoza.
Spain has a really bad example of failing to to clamp down on racism in the beautiful game. There numerous counts of abuses against Black players with the culprits ranging in outlook and orientation.Particularly for Etoo , it is distressing to see such a brilliant superstar ,well behaved and a great addition to the Spanish game receive such bigotry for no apparent reason most often.Racism is so rife even the top clubs are involved.And they are getting bolder, taking it into international games and Champions league games as well
the other day it was Athletico Madrid racially abusing not only black players of Marseilles but Black journalist traveling with them as well.
I pin this bad state of affairs down to one person ;Louis Aragones. This revered coach who recently took Spain to the Euro championships earlier in the summer made a couple of racial remarks and was left unpunished and this i believe has emboldened the extremists.The football community must clamp down hard on racism or else a few bad ones will mar this beautiful game
PLB PULLS THE RUG FROM UNDER THE FEET OF ONE TOUCH
Just this afternoon , the Professional League Board , that organizes the Ghana Premier league released a press statement in which they announced that One touch will no longer be the Title Sponsors of the 2008/09 league season which starts this weekend.
this development is not really a surprise since there has been talk in football circles that most of the people who call the shots in Ghanaian Football are not happy with the offer of OneTouch(whose new owners , Vodafone, are believed not to be too keen on sponsoring the Ghanaian league anyway)plus the keen interest from other potential sponsors that are willing to pay top cedis for the title sponsorship.
Ghana Football seems to be in for a nice walk to the bank due to the fierce competition among some of the highest growth sector corporations looking for opportunity to promote their brands.
Waiting in the wings are Glo and Zain ,both newcomers to the country's highly competitive telecom industry and willing to pay well for the opportunity to have their name associated with an event like the League which is covered nationwide plus the benefit of television coverage in the form of GBS.
A lot of money will be poured into football this season like never before and we all pray that it will be used to lay a firm foundation for the take-off of truly professional football in the Country.
this development is not really a surprise since there has been talk in football circles that most of the people who call the shots in Ghanaian Football are not happy with the offer of OneTouch(whose new owners , Vodafone, are believed not to be too keen on sponsoring the Ghanaian league anyway)plus the keen interest from other potential sponsors that are willing to pay top cedis for the title sponsorship.
Ghana Football seems to be in for a nice walk to the bank due to the fierce competition among some of the highest growth sector corporations looking for opportunity to promote their brands.
Waiting in the wings are Glo and Zain ,both newcomers to the country's highly competitive telecom industry and willing to pay well for the opportunity to have their name associated with an event like the League which is covered nationwide plus the benefit of television coverage in the form of GBS.
A lot of money will be poured into football this season like never before and we all pray that it will be used to lay a firm foundation for the take-off of truly professional football in the Country.
Friday, October 31, 2008
NIGERIA'S SAVING GRACE
>>> AGREES TO HOST 2009 FIFA U 17 WORLD CUP
Much to the relief everyone at FIFA HQ the Nigerian government agreed on Tuesday 28 Oct to host next years FIFA youth tournament. The government had decided that the $300m bill submitted by the NFA was too much to bear.
Much to the relief everyone at FIFA HQ the Nigerian government agreed on Tuesday 28 Oct to host next years FIFA youth tournament. The government had decided that the $300m bill submitted by the NFA was too much to bear.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
IS FOOTBALL IMMUNE FROM RECCESION?
There is talk of a fearful and dangerous economic headwind heading our way as a result of the Financial Crisis. The financial crisis is slowly trickling into the "real economy" and it feared some of the biggest economies in the world will suffer recces ion in the coming months and years.
Football has largely been untouched by the crisis around us. Judging by the amount of money flowing around football these days one would be fooled to think the money is a bottomless ocean. The major European Clubs spent a whopping $900bn during the transfer season this summer.Premiership Clubs led the way with over $500 expenditure funded by their football "Sugardadies" and the take over of MAN CITY by the Abu Dhabi Group increased the tempo and possibility of even of expanding their expenditure in the Winter Window.
The TV money too is secured for at lest two years while gate prices are at all time high and the supporters have until now put up with it the demand fro ticket is inelastic; that is ,it is not relatively responsive to price changes. Marketing and sponsorship deals have never been this lucrative.All these point to a secure and prosperous future for the world's most loved sport.
However since football forms part of the real economy it will not be spare by any recession. Infact football could suffer disproportionately from any recession ensuing from the credit crunch.Football fans are normal everyday people who survive on jobs so in hard times their incomes fall leaving them with little for entertainment. ticket sales and merchandise revenue will undoubtedly suffer in the event of a recession
The clubs will suffer marketing and sponsorship revenue losses as firms cut down on ad/branding spending . Even some of the firms might even go bankrupt which nearly happened to AIG ,the shirt sponsor of MAN UTD.
The next TV deal to be negotiated in a couple of years time will be crucial in determining the future financial stability of most European leagues esp the Premiership.
Again some clubs may find it difficult to raise funds fro their day to day activities because of the freeze of the credit system. some of the biggest clubs in Europe are heavily indebted and there could be frightening specter of Giant clubs that will fail financially in an environment of recession English clubs owe in total about $5bn .
football is an integral part of the economy despite its "special status" designation and any economy-wide imbalance will not leave football unscathed
After all football ,we're told is BIG BUSINESS
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
BIG ROW BETWEEN BLATTER AND HAYATOU
Club versus Country Feud Rages on As Blatter Switches Sides
Just before the 26th edition of the Cup of African Nations took off; the age old biennial Club v Country row which has become as much a feature of the tournament as the excitement it generates on the African Continent, flared up again. This year, the cacophony was deafening and it provided ample fodder for the chattering class in Europe especially England.
CAF has always insisted it will not move the tournament to June as has been demanded by European Clubs and has always had the backing of Sepp Blatter who considers himself as a friend of African football. This year’s noise was usual in all its forms until CAF and FIFA organized a press briefing prior to the opening ceremony on Saturday 14th January 2008. At that pres conference there was a significant change in the stance of the influential and all powerful FIFA presidents. He stated categorically that it will be better if the Nations Cup was shifted from January to July. This was the first time that Mr. Blatter, who is considered as a friend of Africa in Football circles, has openly called for the change in the timing of the African Football Fiesta.
This proposition was promptly and angrily rejected by the CAF president Issah Hayatou at the same platform. Mr. Hayatou made it plain and simple without any diplomatic nicecities that are mostly associated with such issues and personalities.
Just before the 26th edition of the Cup of African Nations took off; the age old biennial Club v Country row which has become as much a feature of the tournament as the excitement it generates on the African Continent, flared up again. This year, the cacophony was deafening and it provided ample fodder for the chattering class in Europe especially England.
CAF has always insisted it will not move the tournament to June as has been demanded by European Clubs and has always had the backing of Sepp Blatter who considers himself as a friend of African football. This year’s noise was usual in all its forms until CAF and FIFA organized a press briefing prior to the opening ceremony on Saturday 14th January 2008. At that pres conference there was a significant change in the stance of the influential and all powerful FIFA presidents. He stated categorically that it will be better if the Nations Cup was shifted from January to July. This was the first time that Mr. Blatter, who is considered as a friend of Africa in Football circles, has openly called for the change in the timing of the African Football Fiesta.
This proposition was promptly and angrily rejected by the CAF president Issah Hayatou at the same platform. Mr. Hayatou made it plain and simple without any diplomatic nicecities that are mostly associated with such issues and personalities.
G- 14 DISSOLVED!!
...... A New Dawn in Football Powerplay
This is a huge storm that did not announce or advertise its arrival. Early this year, in an extraordinary show of understanding and corporation, the group of 14 which consist of the biggest clubs in world football agreed with FIFA and UEFA to cease to exist. The event passed in a quietly without screaming headlines and long lines of commentary, but it one of the biggest acts in football since the Bossman Ruling. The G-14 was seen in football circles as the Enemy Number One of International football and its agreement wilth FIFA especially does more than raise eyebrows.
The G- 14 (consisting of powerful global football brands such as Manchester United, Real Madrid,AC Milan , Barcelona, Liverpool among others)was the most powerful grouping in terms of financial muscle and sheer influence and its lobbying posed a threat to the survival of International football. Their interests were diametrically opposed to the interests of International Football and actions such as their support to Charleroi in their battle against the Moroccan FA. The Sepp Blatter led FIFA was vocal in their opposition to their increasing influence in the global Game. Many battle lines were drawn and there was no love lost between the influential leaders. For them to agree to disband is a big boost to both FIFA and the ego of Mr. Blatter. Even though they do not exist anymore, the trend of football indicates that the ever-increasing commercialization of the game will mean G-14 in another guise will continue to jealously guard its commercial interests
This is a huge storm that did not announce or advertise its arrival. Early this year, in an extraordinary show of understanding and corporation, the group of 14 which consist of the biggest clubs in world football agreed with FIFA and UEFA to cease to exist. The event passed in a quietly without screaming headlines and long lines of commentary, but it one of the biggest acts in football since the Bossman Ruling. The G-14 was seen in football circles as the Enemy Number One of International football and its agreement wilth FIFA especially does more than raise eyebrows.
The G- 14 (consisting of powerful global football brands such as Manchester United, Real Madrid,AC Milan , Barcelona, Liverpool among others)was the most powerful grouping in terms of financial muscle and sheer influence and its lobbying posed a threat to the survival of International football. Their interests were diametrically opposed to the interests of International Football and actions such as their support to Charleroi in their battle against the Moroccan FA. The Sepp Blatter led FIFA was vocal in their opposition to their increasing influence in the global Game. Many battle lines were drawn and there was no love lost between the influential leaders. For them to agree to disband is a big boost to both FIFA and the ego of Mr. Blatter. Even though they do not exist anymore, the trend of football indicates that the ever-increasing commercialization of the game will mean G-14 in another guise will continue to jealously guard its commercial interests
Monday, January 28, 2008
MATCH FIXING ALLEGATIONS AT CAN 2008
This year's Nations cup has been one of the most competitive in recent memory especially looking at the pedigrees of the teams and stars involved in this prestigious completion.
The African game has become increasingly globalised given the television numbers that have been reported since it began. The competition has been very fierce and the quality of football has been very exciting. All these bode well for the future of the game on this old and resilient continent. Even teams that were considered minnows have surprised everyone including the bookmakers and the pundits to put up very impressive performances. Teams who were thought to sail through the preliminary without sweat have stumbled in face of the supposedly minnows. The quality of football and goal scoring rate has been staggering and this competitions threatens to go down in history as the best in footballing terms. The stars on parade are recognized global brands in themselves and contrary to the views of the skeptics and naysayers, the hunger for success
The African game has become increasingly globalised given the television numbers that have been reported since it began. The competition has been very fierce and the quality of football has been very exciting. All these bode well for the future of the game on this old and resilient continent. Even teams that were considered minnows have surprised everyone including the bookmakers and the pundits to put up very impressive performances. Teams who were thought to sail through the preliminary without sweat have stumbled in face of the supposedly minnows. The quality of football and goal scoring rate has been staggering and this competitions threatens to go down in history as the best in footballing terms. The stars on parade are recognized global brands in themselves and contrary to the views of the skeptics and naysayers, the hunger for success
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
THE GROWING COMMERCIALISATION OF AFRICAN FOOTBALL
Opportunities and Challenges
The big tournament is almost here and there are massive expectations all over the continent and beyond. This tournament will be the biggest in terms of international interest and coverage. Over 2bn global audience is expected to tune in to watch the CAN 2008. This brings with it an opportunity for commercial exploitation of this great tournament. First the tournament has a title sponsor in MTN, the pan African telecom giant which is pumping a lot of money into the game. CAF has also secured a TV deal with TV5 worth hundreds of millions Euros. In addition there are other major sponsors putting significant funds into the tournament. The local organizing committee has also taken steps to cash in on the commercial side of the tournament. They have licensed merchandise and paraphernalia rights to corporate entities while strictly enforcing any breaches of such licenses.
These major commercial developments in as much as it helps the game to grow is also posing some major challenges to FA’s who desire to see mass participation from ordinary fan in the game. For starters the TV rights issues have threatened to exclude many poor Africans from enjoy African football at its very best. TV5 insist on selling the rights at very high cost and this has excluded many national broadcasters from subscribing. The TV networks in Nigeria Africa biggest TV audience have complained about the price tag of 4 million Euros being demanded by TV5 and have expressed their inability to afford. This problem is also being experienced by other countries on the continent.
These major commercial developments in as much as it helps the game to grow is also posing some major challenges to FA’s who desire to see mass participation from ordinary fan in the game. For starters the TV rights issues have threatened to exclude many poor Africans from enjoy African football at its very best. TV5 insist on selling the rights at very high cost and this has excluded many national broadcasters from subscribing. The TV networks in Nigeria Africa biggest TV audience have complained about the price tag of 4 million Euros being demanded by TV5 and have expressed their inability to afford. This problem is also being experienced by other countries on the continent.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
WHY THE CHRISMAS FIXTURES WILL NOT ABOLISHED BY THE ENGLISH LEAGUE
The footballing world has come to accept that the christnmas fixturewhich is part of the English football teradition is here to stay and will never be changed in the near future.
This is a tradition steeped in the englissh football culture since the beggining of the game.
Its a tradition that most people would like to see its back including the most active footballers and people working in high position in english football.
Compelling reasons acc
This is a tradition steeped in the englissh football culture since the beggining of the game.
Its a tradition that most people would like to see its back including the most active footballers and people working in high position in english football.
Compelling reasons acc
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