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Not A Lot Of Sympathy For Ken
Ken Churchill's letter did bring a tear to my eye.
I thought communism was dead and buried, but it appears it's alive, well and living in Newcastle.
What an absolute load of utter tosh. I'm sorry that Ken can't afford the season ticket to his his beloved Toon, but I'd like a Lear jet and I can't afford one of them either. However, I don't start complaining about it and suggest that a governing body is set up to do something about it.
I'd like a lot of things that I can't afford...and me and my missus earn a lot more than an average of £12,000 a year each.
Maybe Ken could use this as an abject lesson for his son on the merits of working harder at school and getting a decent job to pay for the nice things he wants to do.
...and Ken, I'll tell you which player is worth £30m - it's the one who costs £30m. If people can't afford the tickets and merchandise and stop buying crap/going to matches then the club will not have that sort of money to spend on players and the prices will be reduced accordingly.
It's called market economics. Put down your copy of Das Kapital and live in the real world (it starts just south of Newcastle).
Marky Bufton, MUFC
...Apparently some fans are now complaining that wages and transfer fees are now unacceptable when we hear of £120k to £200k a week etc etc.
Can I just ask, at what point did the wages go over the top? 5k,10k, 20k, 50k, 80k or 120k per week?
Quite frankly wages went crazy over 10 years ago, as far as I'm concerned if you're on more than £1k per week for playing football then you should thank your lucky stars.
Of course wages and fees are stupid but this is not a new phenomenon Ladies and Gents.
Here's a suggestion, if it's too expensive don't buy it, simple.
Does anybody think players will get paid thousands a week when nobody is watching?
Of course not, so either stop moaning or stop going, if you're blindly wasting what little money you have on football when you should really be spending it on your kid's education or something similar then you deserve everything you get.
Leon V
...In response to Ken Churchill's letter about the cost of season tickets at Newcastle. I am writing to say I don't agree with his whinging. He claims that he is 'expected to pay out IN ADVANCE for a season ticket'. As a consumer he can always turn down the opportunity and instead like his wife stated, go to a selected few games. Also he could cut back on food and drink, I'm sure he and his son can survive without both for two hours during the match, or better still take some homemade sandwiches with him.
He asks 'what player is worth £30m'? Well Ken, the MARKET dictates this in the same way as the dictate that you should be paid £12,000 a year. Blaming the players won't help, would Ken turn down the wages?....no I don't think so. The only way clubs will react to this long term is if Ken and about 20,000 of his Geordie mates stopped turning up at games.
Ken then rants on about 'British academies'. Well Ken, if you haven't noticed many British players are big time Charlies, who like to blame everyone else for their failings rather than themselves. You've got one at our own club...a certain Mr Barton. The best academy is for the home talent to try harder to compete with the foreigners in the Premiership. I'm sure there used to be lots of British academies pre 1990, but alas England didn't set the world on fire in any international tournaments 1930-1990 did they? Maybe this secular thinking was the problem?
His comment about 'reducing the amount of foreign players allowed to be signed to one club' is slightly worrying. His own club would have to break Barton out of prison to make up a starting eleven. Does Ken not get it? These 'foreigners' are better than his beloved English talent...fact. If he wants to see an English team, he should take his son to watch a local Gateshead team of semi-pros.
All in all, Ken's attitude is what is wrong with this country. He complains about the cost of a commodity (football isn't even a necessity), but is unwilling to budget to get around it (i.e. only see home games, don't buy food in the ground). He then complains that everything else is wrong and he should have some divine right to watch the football live. Ken, do what the majority of the country does and watch a few live games a year and the rest on Sky. Or better still, write a letter of complaint to your club and see what your beloved NUFC will do...bin it I reckon.
Sanjay (Is it possible to get two letters published in a week?) Patel
...Regarding Ken Churchill, Newcastle United fan, I would like to say I understand your plight. However, there is only one group of people that are responsible for the price of tickets escalating: the fans.
Simply put, to lower the price on a specific product, either shop around for the best rates or do not buy the product at all. When we hear of Arsenal, Liverpool, and United supporters complaining about the skyrocketing ticket prices, we also hear that there is a waiting list of season ticket holders to replace them.
Clubs charge these excessive amounts because they can and their business model shows the public is willing to purchase what they offer.
So, either stop attending the games altogether or use other methods of protest, like not buying the 'new' kit that seems to be an anual event these days. Don't buy or use the products that these clubs are affiliated with and don't purchase food while at the matches. Ticket prices, player wages and transfer fees have risen way beyond the rate of inflation of the last ten years but our income earnings has not.
So when we complain about Gareth Barry going for 18 million pounds and wanting double his current wages, just remember one thing: This would not happen if the supporters brought the football world back down to earth. But whatever you do, stop moaning because we are all responsible for the high transfer fees, excessive player wages and costly match tickets.
Mark Bono, Canada
...Ken Churchill goes on about all that is wrong with football, saying that 'some sort of governing body' should take control of players' wages.
Perhaps he could also suggest 'some sort of' idea of who this governing body should be. He also states it's 'a crying shame' that, because of rising prices, he and his son will soon only get the chance to watch games on television. Doesn't he realise that there are families out there who haven't got a telly? There are families out there who are starving? There are families out there without a home? I regularly send out my nine-year -old son to sweep chimneys to fund my cr*ck habit. Now that, my friend, is a crying shame. I think he and his son should buck thier f*cking ideas up.
Steve Smith
Churchill Can Go To Games...
...he just has to choose the type of game he goes to.
I am in a slightly different position to Ken as I'm a Newcastle supporter living in Manchester. I certainly can't afford two season tickets (and the expense of a Manchester - Newcastle return trip every fortnight) and I also struggle to afford the odd Newcastle away game when they are in the North West. Both myself and my son like to watch a bit of live football so we have adopted Chadderton Football Club. Chadderton are based about a five-minute drive from my home in North-East Manchester and ply their trade in Division 1 of the North West Counties league which is around about the 10th or 11th tier of English football. It costs me about a tenner to take my son and that includes entry, pies, oxo/tea etc.
This sort of thing would suit Ken down to the ground. No players on inflated wages and no diving or feigning injury. The quality of the football is better than most people would expect and the banter amongst the supporters is excellent. If you are used to watching top-flight football then the facilities at this level may come as a bit of a shock but I've rarely had to wait more than a couple of minutes to get a pie and a cup of tea at half-time and I've never had to queue for the toilet. An added bonus is the fact that there is a bar from which you can watch the game (although that can't be guaranteed at every club, obviously). You can even wander around the ground and watch the game from any number of different vantage points. What more could you want?
I would urge more people in Ken's position to get down to their local club and give them their support. They will be very glad of it. Times are really hard for clubs at this level and every penny really does count. Even if you regularly go to watch a big club then you should still give your local club a try if your first choice team is away from home. You never know, you might actually enjoy it.
Darrin Cowen, Newcastle United and Chadderton FC supporter in Manchester
I Wouldn't Want To Take My Son
If it makes Ken Churchill feel any better I too worried about not being able to take my son to football as he grows up. Then I went to an England game at the new Wembley after quite a few years of having not attended a football match for a number of reasons, cost being one of them.
Having seen the levels of aggression, foul language and pure hatred pouring forth from the morons in the crowd and even more scarily from parents with their own kids sitting beside them I decided that it's probably for the best that I can't afford to bring my son to football.
Money may have made the sport more inaccessible but the morons have made it less enjoyable as a spectator anyway. I'd rather have my son watch it on TV and witness his incredulity when I tell him that these half-time muppets who seem to know sod all actually played the game themselves many moons ago.
Sean Kelly, London
Defending Rafa's Record In The Market
Droopy, we'd love to move on fella, but as it's ill-informed opinions like yours that wind us up and get us forming ranks in front of our increasingly-beleaguered manager, it's rich in the extreme for you to ask us to leave it alone. Having said that, I agree that a cursory glance (which yours undoubtedly is) at Rafa's transfer dealings shows them to be somewhat underwhelming. I don't think you can fault Rafa for this though, or at least that it would be very unfair to do so.
Rafa had a massive rebuilding job on his hands when he started, the squad he inherited was nowhere near good enough (over-achieving in reaching the Champions League) and funds were (and still are) limited. Rafa still can't afford to buy proven world-class quality (which always costs quite a bit more), which is why he's had to take a punt on so many middle of the road, or at least unproven, players. Of course some of these don't quite cut it, and the fact that Rafa can move them on for a profit is surely a feather in his cap (which you acknowledge). Also a lot of the players you listed are indeed in the youth or reserve teams, and as such fees don't really have an impact (we're not like the Scum spending £35m on youth talent).
I think a fairer assessment would be to look at the players that Rafa has spent the most on, or intends to spend the most on, as these are his first choices (the middle of the road players are bought because he has to buy them, not because he wants to). The highest value players already transferred into the squad are Torres, Babel, Alonso, Reina and Kuyt. High value players he's looking to bring in are Keane and Barry (both good additions in terms of proven Premiership quality). The players I've just listed from the existing team are the same as the players you grudgingly give Rafa some props for acquiring, so I think it's fairer to say that Rafa gets it right when he is able to get his first choice, but that he sometimes gets it wrong when he has to lower his sights. Who wouldn't? There are very few club managers in the world that can always get their first choices and Rafa shouldn't be criticised for not being one of them through no fault of his own.
It's like women - if you can always pick from supermodels you will always have a woman on your arm that other men would kill for. If you sometimes have to pick up lepers from your local Wetherspoons, men aren't always going to envy you.
Morgan (off to Wetherspoons) Goford
But Then He Threatens To Get Worse...
Rafa my badly-bearded friend, please stop ruining what has already been a crap summer by attempting to sign Robbie Keane for £20million. I know this is only F365 talking but I cant help but feel that there is a large element of truth in it, because you are involved. Robbie Keane is a £8million player at the most. Please stop providing other club's supporters with more ammunition to throw at us. Please. Just stop. Just...Stop.
Gavin (feeling hopeless on a Friday) McCarthy
Arsene Wenger: Transfer Bottler
I think I have sussed Wenger's transfer policy. Every window he comes out and says that although he has the money he doesn't want a big-name player as he wants go give the kids a chance?
On the surface this looks fair enough but fast forwards to March time when the kids are knackered/lacking experience and they start getting knocked out of things and slipping up in the league he trots out the same tired excuses:
They are only young and we are building a team (it seems that he has been building this team for five years now and he keeps selling the established stars for a good profit).
We are lacking a bit of experience (that's YOUR fault, stop selling the experienced players!!!).
Players out this season Hleb, Flamini, Gilberto, the experienced core of the team, with Ramsey and Nasri (no Prem experience).
We are lacking money and cannot compete with the big two (that's crap, the board have said he has funds).
It's the same pattern every year!!!
It seems to me he is scared of putting his hand in his pocket and paying big money for a big player because it if all goes wrong it will tarnish his rep and also he won't have his favourite excuses to fall back on.
Wenger is a transfer bottler which is why the Arse will not win anything.
Adam (it's Liverpool's year honest) (and it's not a top four it's a 2-2) Leeds
Why The Long Faces At Spurs?
Quite frankly, a clear-out at Spurs is way past due - I mean who is really going to be sad if Tainio, Chimbonda, Kaboul and Steed are sold. I've liked them as players but new beginnings eh?
We've been trying to get rid of Gardner, Salteri, YP Lee and Ghaly for the longest time - six windows and counting... (I'm ready to go nuclear and write to the club to put them on Ebay).
Turning to our 'so-called' prized assets, I'm ready to put my house on it and say that none of them (regardless that they're probably off to Man Utd and Liverpool) will get as many goals as they did for Spurs - this is not the usual 'you were pants anyway' delusional fan talk - but rather the observation that as a pair they were great, individually or with Torres/Rooney/Tevez et al we might discover that the whole might be greater than the sum of its parts in this particular case (I have a long memory and I can think of many partnerships that did worse when they were separated - for the Premiership generation - take Fowler/Collymore, Cole/Yorke, Henry/Bergkamp and Sutton/Shearer as exhibits 'A').
As a Spurs fan, I feel pretty much like Man City fans must of felt last year (i.e. zero expectations, not knowing what my team is capable of etc) and I think that's a good thing, my hope now - especially now the focus (pressure) is on other second tier teams (Villa/Portsmouth/Everton) is that we can get to playing really good attacking football with new young players I can learn to love and enjoy. If Keane and Berba leave then I will see it as a next step in the evolution of the Spurs team - and with £40-50M in hand we will be fairly compensated and in a strong position to build for the future. There is nothing to be sad about or scared of.
Ike 'I don't know why I'm feeling optimistic about next season' Ndukwe
Despairing Of Incey Already...
Please, please, please, can somebody explain to Incey that the likelihood of Keith Andrews being able to play at the highest level, having played League Two football last year is going to be a mammoth task.
I could understand if he was a well-performing Championship player moving to the Premier League, but moving from the 4th tier of English football to the first is asking a bit much.
As a fan, in my opinion it's not a step in the right direction and smacks of him bringing in players for non-footballing reasons. I'm all for buying 'British' players, but as long as they are of Premier League standard.
Ajaz, Cardiff
P.S. Before anyone starts getting their knickers in a twist, I know that MK Dons are now in the third tier of English football. Considering he hasn't played a competitive League One match, IF he were to move, he would be as though he were a League Two player.
Player Loyalty Works Two Ways...
You want to talk about loyalty between footballers and clubs being both ways. Look at AC Milan and the legendary Paulo Maldini, they have stuck by each other for 25 years, through highs and lows. Maldini has said he had very lucrative offers from Spain and England over the years but turned them down. Now after Maidini decided to play on for another year, Milan postponed signing a replacement despite Maldini being over the hill, why? Because along with Baresi he has been the greatest player in the club's history, they owe him.
In fact, AC Milan along with having very well-behaved fans for an Italian club, have a history of loyalty to players. Let me enlighten you, Leonardo, Maldini Snr, Baresi all work for Milan. Milan wanted to sign Shevchenko back despite him being rubbish now, hell they even gave Ibrahim Ba a contract last year. AC Milan, build a family and that's why they always seem to have an aging squad because they stay loyal to players, if they hadn't been loyal to Pippo Inzaghi we never would have had that great night in Athens.
AC Milan, unique in the footballing world and a truly great sporting club.
Conor Byrne, Dublin
Showing Love For Abby Wambach
Not sure how much exposure this got across the pond, but a couple days ago stateside leading U.S. Women's national team forward Abby Wambach suffered a pretty gruesome broken leg after a rash challenge (Youtube it). Not quite Eduardo-esque but not that far from it. What really impressed me though, is that SHE TOOK IT LIKE A MAN (this is in no way a dig at Eduardo), no tears, no rolling, no screaming...a simple signal to the bench that it was a serious injury and that was that. There was no violent reaction from the U.S. players and genuine but measured concern from the Brazilians. I haven't watched that much women's 'soccer' bar the occasional world cup, but every time I do I am so impressed that these ladies give and receive some strongly committed challenges and yet always seem to brush them off and get on with the game without the histrionics. And considering that these ladies are no way compensated like their male multi-millionaire colleagues, it's even more impressive that they actually act like men, and more shameful that the Drogbas, Ronaldos, Eboues and yes Gerrards and Joe Coles act like little girls or as if they were shot at the slightest hint or anticipation of contact.
So I'm raising this coffee mug to Abby!
Stewart, Miami
Man Takes Refuge In Fantasy
This F365 dating thing is funnny! Why are people getting all het up? Het up enough to actually write in to the website!? There is bugger all actually happening in football aside from the lying tabloid press making things up so what else should we do with our working hours? I for one though, will not be trying my luck with this fine service as I am far to busy realising the benefits of a summer without England to worry about, in fact, I am enjoying this summer of football enormously!!!! I have just spent the last eight weeks in Argentina enjoying lots of steak, beer, sun and carnal relations with a stunning Swedish girl!
Football really is over-rated, I wouldn't mind if we started in October.
James, Sweden
And Finally...
Rumour of the day on Mediawatch was about the police raiding the home of a fella who had allegedly been shagging a sheep. Does that make it a ram raid?
Chris Nixon, exiled CFC in HK
