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All Hail The Credit Crunch
Whilst most people are upset by the credit crunch, I think it's wonderful!
West Ham have to sell a large number of their players? Great stuff! Considering that they will sell fit players (surely no-one would buy an injured player?) that means they won't have enough players to fill the first team. I also imagine that most of their youth team are injured as well as they have the medical staff to rival Arsenal's, so it's times like these that they'll need some experienced players to come in to ensure they do not get dragged into a relegation dogfight.
As I live just down the road, and have got years of Pro Evo and Football Manager experience, I'll put myself forward to fill the 'Paul Scholes' role that I believe they need. And they'd save a fortune, I'd only demand £1,000 a week to play! I would ask for more but as the newly appointed club captain I should set an example.
Andy Wilson
Let's Play...Murderball
I've read the latest mailbox and a few people have brought up some really interesting points about wage caps, the academies and plastic fans who don't like England friendlies.
Just had a thought...with the first two issues, why don't Fifa/Uefa etc just make it a free for all, no wage caps, no vetting of purchasers, no limits on anything. Instead of transfer negotiations between clubs why don't they allow the boards of the selling and buying club to slug it out in a two-legged, 90-minute 'murderball' match like I used to play at school. So, for example we could have had Spurs V Liverpool for Keane, Man U v Spurs, and they could have charged us to come see it, pay per view blah de blah. I'm particularly upset the Barry transfer didn't come off because my money would have been on Randy Lerner to score a few. He looks a lovely bloke, but I bet he's a vicious c*nt.
To solve the problem of those plastic fans, F365 could nominate one complete and utter arsehole from the Mailbox every week, to be used as the match ball, naked. That way we could stockpile a nice list of twunts for the transfer window. Perhaps we could even have matchball sponsorship by The Lehman Brothers, HBOS etc just to keep it all nicely in line financially.
As I said, just a thought.
Lui Spasticus Maximus Iacobucci
Restraint Of Trade And Stuff
Right, Graham, Ireland, I don't entirely disagree with what's being said about the Arsenal youth system...but to suggest that a player should be obliged to stay with his hometown club until the age of 22-23 is, frankly, just stupid. Gvien the volume of players coming through some of these clubs (for instance, Arsenal), just how on earth are they supposed to all play for the first team? The best players may well make it through to the first team, but saying they all have to stay is, apart from anything else, completely illegal (restraint of trade, restriction of movement, anyone?). They have a right to go and work wherever they want. By all means impose a minimum fee for players leaving their clubs at that age, set it at a tribunal, whatever, but make them stay? C'mon, get real.
I am not disputing that Arsenal do take a lot of talented players away from their hometown clubs, but they also bring a lot of young players through. You only have to look at the Premier League to see players who've come all the way through the ranks and haven't made the grade at Arsenal or in one case (Hello Cashley!) made the grade so well they 'earned' themselves a big-money transfer elsewhere, blimey, some of them are even English (Sidwell, Bentley in addition to Cole, just the ones I can think of immediately)! To suggest they should all have stayed at Arsenal 'til the ages of 22-23 and maybe not play (not all players are Winston Bogardes, you know) when they could have a perfectly good career elsewhere is such errant nonsense I don't really know why I'm bothering.
Also, don't let the facts get in the way of a good rant - Diaby came to us from Auxerre, no idea where (if anywhere) they got him from. Also, he was 19 when we bought him, the same age as when Vieira came to the club, and older I note than CRonaldo when ManYoo bought him, so is the difference that the latter two went on to become great players or the fact that Diaby has spent more time competing with Rosicky and van Persie for space on the physio's table than playing?
And one last thing: Tim Collins, the one thing you haven't taken into consideration when saying London has the highest concentration of people in its catchment area is the fact that it takes flipping hours just to get from Arsenal's ground even out to the beautiful part of north London in which our dear neighbours reside...
Andy, Gooner in Colchester
...I have to disagree with Graham in his Keane loving/Arsenal bashing when he says the hard work is done between ages 12-16 in terms of player development. Even if Arsenal signed the best 16 year olds it's no guarantee they will be come stars. Simply take a look at any under 16/17/18 squad in the past ten years. How about the Ireland u18 side that won the European Championship in 98? Of that team only Robbie Keane and Richard Dunne play Premiership football while languish in the lower leagues or even play semi pro?
As for your idea that 'FIFA should put in place a rule where young talents must stay at their hometown club until about the age of 22 or 23, and then be able to sell them on.' Do you really think Roy Keane became the player he was from his Cobh Ramblers days in Cork or was it playing under Cloughie and SAF in the premier league?
Brian McCart
Northerners And Their Chips
To answer Tim Collins' point about teams from London having an advantage due to the higher population density...There are more clubs there too you fool! About one in eight of the people in the UK are in London and there are at least a dozen league clubs in London alone, not to mention others like Reading and Milton Keynes Dons that are right on the doorstep. The big problem is people from the north have a chip on their shoulders about the whole country being London focused, London based media jibes etc. Well there is a reason for that, more people live here than anywhere else.
Also a big shout out to Ed Couzens for complaining that Norwich's catchment area is limited by the sea but then rather brilliantly pointing out that Manchester is within 90 minutes travel time. So that would mean your catchment area is limited by the sea on one side but encompasses the whole of England on the other side. And just to point out to Roy Keane that Liverpool is a port city and as such pretty close to the sea, not causing them problems. More to the point Tamworth's academy is hardly the envy of Europe is it?
As an Arsenal fan (I live within 15 mins walk of the ground and grew up half an hour away) I do agree with Keane's point that Arsenal do steal the cream of other people's academies, right back to Vieira. Wenger does develop them and bring them on though and deserves credit for that but a lot of the work is done before he signs them as often as not. There can be no doubt that players like Fabregas and Clichey are better players than when they signed but we did sign Wreh, Stephanos and Diawara too, so it is not a perfect system.
Cue reams of hate from "our friends in the north"...
Mark Costello
Forget Makelele, It's The Age Of The Delap Role
I was watching Rotherham v Leeds last night, which was quite entertaining, and after seeing the first Rotherham goal (long throw into box etc) it got me thinking. How long until every team has a player carrying out the 'Delap role'? Given fashions in football (4-3-3/Makelele role...) it is only a matter of time after the relative success Stoke have been getting with their attacking 'style'.
Also, I would like to suggest that the reason Leeds lost was solely due to the haircut of David Prutton. If he was South American it would be acceptable.
Huw, S.Wales (Maybe I should call myself Tim Collins to get printed)
Chants Chatter Goes On...
I don't think anyone wants a McCarthy-ite witchhunt that finds racism and xenophobia under every bed. And I totally agree that the lazy association of HIV with homosexuality is inaccurate and irresponsible. But I did think that 'Anonymou'" was surprisingly naive and charitable in his defence of the Sol chant.
Just think about what must have been in the head of the wit at White Hart Lane who saw fit to compose this nasty little number. Why did he include the reference to HIV? Of course it was because of the widely known but unsubstantiated rumours about Sol's sexuality. To suggest otherwise would be ridiculous. So it's completely clear that the chant (a) implies that Sol is gay and lying about his sexuality; and (b) is based upon the prejudice that homosexuals are likely to have HIV. It is blatantly homophobic.
The only question is whether it is racist too. Once again, put yourself in the shoes of the composer. Why make reference to hanging 'from a tree'?
If you're telling me that whoever made this up didn't have in their mind that Sol is black, I just don't believe you. The image of the black man being lynched is hugely powerful and well known, and is the first thing which will come into most people's minds when they hear a reference to hanging from a tree (as opposed to hanging from the gallows, or from a beam), so the link is far from tenuous. And even if you're gullible enough to believe that this was an innocent accident ('erm, we had to think of something that rhymed with HIV...'), you surely have to accept that the chant is offensive, so to sing it shows an insensitivity which borders on racism.
Even if you take a more charitable view, I find it odd that people see fit to write in arguing that the chant isn't racist and homophobic. At the very best, the chant is brutally nasty and should be a source of shame to Tottenham fans. Why quibble about the precise way in which it's completely revolting?
GP, London
...Whilst Anonymous is very eloquent and reasoned in his letter, I think he is also being very naive in his attempts to take the 'hidden' meaning away from the Spurs chants, The fact is that the sick people who dreamed this up were fully aware that Sol had had his sexuality questioned publicly in the past. In their minds this will mean they should aim an HIV chant at him. I know it's not exclusively a homosexual disease, but these cretins make that link and know that your average Sun reader will do the same. As for the hanging from a tree, I don't remember too many lynchings in everyday society these days, so it's hardly common language. Sol Campbell is black, and again, for the right-wing lunatic writing this chant it is a reference to lynching of the type carried out in Alabama in the 30's and beyond. And how convenient that tree and HIV rhyme.
Yes, the vast majority of people singing those chants at Portsmouth were just sheep who are neither racist or homophobic, just idiots who after a lager or two thought it was funny. But the people coming up with the songs, are right-wing bigots who know exactly what they are doing, and who quite frankly have been doing it at football grounds since the 70's...Lets not let them get away with it. And if that makes me a paranoiac (sic) or a do-gooder then shoot me. I would rather speak out than let these people peddle their filth on the terraces of a game I love.
Martin Tibbetts
...I think some people are really missing the point regarding the chanting at Sol Campbell. It's true that the phrase, 'hanging from a tree' is not necessarily racist. Nor is a reference to HIV always homophobic. However, when you aim these comments at a black player who has been surrounded by rumours regarding his sexuality they need to be put into context.
Your argument is the same as Croatia fans saying that there is nothing racist about making monkey noises. After all, I could go home tonight and make nothing but monkey noises at my family. They would think I was a bit odd but wouldn't accuse me of racism. However, if I aimed the noises at a black football player then they would rightfully be seen as racist.
Everything should be taken in a context, not as singular phrases.
Anthony Stroyd
...After reading the message from 'Anonymous' in the mailbox this morning, I felt it was time that I should reply. He has not been the first in recent weeks to defend the now notorious Spurs fans' chant for being neither overtly racist nor homophobic yet I just cannot agree. The line that references 'hanging from a tree' is, to my mind, clearly relating to racist lynchings. Why else use the phrase, it is not a common one? Indeed it seems unlikely that two lines in what is without doubt the most offensive chant I have heard would be devoted 'merely' to a deathwish - without any other connotations.
Likewise, as a football fan for many years, it is naïve to pretend that no-one has heard the rumours about Campbell's sexuality and the alleged players/diseases involved. Granted the reference may not be the most explicit, but why should it have to be to receive censure? As all those protesting the nature of these chants seem to have no problem identifying which parts are allegedly racist/homophobic, that surely suggests it is obvious enough - and no doubt was obvious enough to Sol Campbell. The Spurs fans knew exactly what they were doing, and to pretend otherwise gives the fans support and an excuse they do not deserve.
Declan (I am usually more light hearted than this) O'Brien, London
...I appreciate that 'Anonymous' is in relatively unique position; one which understandably seems to have resulted in him having less patience with the current trend of runaway political correctness than most, but I have to take issue with several of his contradictory points.
While I agree that we can be perhaps be a little oversensitive towards a pampered Premiership footballer and quick to point the 'It's PC gone maaad' finger, we shouldn't discount the abuse simply on the basis that it is ambiguous.
For starters it's not.
Anon states that just because someone is receiving abuse for being HIV+ we shouldn't assume that the abuse is homophobic. He then goes on to state that he's spent the last three years with people assuming he is homosexual because he's HIV+. Given that the misguided people he's had the misfortune to meet over the last three years are probably (definitely) of no greater intelligence that the idiots chanting at Sol Campbell, it's pretty safe to say that they, at the very least, intended the abuse to be homophobic.
As for suggesting that the line 'hanging from a tree' isn't automatically racist...well, it is in certain contexts. i.e. If you're singing it at a black guy making reference to his African origin, I think it's pretty fair to say that would be racist. It's safer to automatically assume in this case that it is racist, rather than to automatically assume that it isn't.
I see where Anon's point is coming from though and it reminded me of an argument on the site recently where someone was accused of racism for calling Pele a monkey. It was painstakingly pointed out that monkey was not being used as a term of racism, but just as a general term of mild abuse (I call people 'monkey' all the time. In my mind it's synonymous with 'Muppet'...or as in, 'you cheeky monkey'). I think this is a case of PC going too far, but I don't think it would be in the context of the abusive chants in question. I'm an educated adult and I have a responsibility to use language carefully and accordingly.
His reference to Bowfinger misses the point entirely, but is a useful tool by way of an example: No one is twisting the words of the chant, looking for meaning where there isn't any. The chants are the equivalent of, to continue his comparison, someone suggesting that Eddie Murphy's character should play in Shakespeare because it sounds a bit like shake-a-spear.
Anon finishes by saying, 'Ban the chant and punish the participants by all means but please don't attach meaning where there probably is none.'
...I would have to say to Anon: Don't look for a lack of meaning where meaning probably (and in some cases almost definitely) does in fact exist!
Marky B. MUFC
...I despair of F365 readers sometimes. Firstly, 'Anonymous' - come on. Do you think Spurs fans came up with their chant solely because they think Sol Campbell has contracted HIV? Or is it because they thought this was the most fitting way of implying homosexuality in a way which rhymes with '...wherever you may be' and 'lunacy' into their song? Your suggestion that, as there was no overt mention of homosexuality in the chant therefore it cannot be homophobic is ridiculous. To use your Bowfinger example, does calling someone a 'spear-chucker' carry a racist connotation? Of course it does, yet there is no mention of race in the term.
Secondly, can everyone get off Rio Ferdinand's case for ten minutes? Seems to me he's come up with a very good suggestion for trying to rid international matches of racism - certainly better than the recent Croatian fine (equivalent to less than 50p for every person who was at the game). Unfortunately, it seems nobody wants to discuss the pros and cons of this suggestion, preferring to label him a hypocrite because of past misdemeanours, closed-minded because he hasn't reeled off a long list of the other abusive chants which take place in world football which need dealing with, and an idiot because of the way he looks.
To Matt Nuttall, the rationale for punishing the collective for the actions of individuals is a last resort - ideally, associations would take action to remove supporters from the stadium once any racism is detected and punish the individuals as you suggest, this is the idea. Given that smoking or drinking in the stand in England will see you out on your ear pretty swiftly, it can be done easily. It's where national associations, police etc. fail to act that FIFA have to intervene, ideally in a manner which will cause the association to improve its efforts. Fining offending nations £4 and a packet of crisps is not going to do this, if points and qualification are at stake, they might be a little less blasé about seeing their supporters form a human swastika or suchlike.
Neil (off to buy some tofu and a Guardian) Raines
A Very Good Question
Why did Alonso only become a "slow" player after Juve started talks with Liverpool? Was the fee to be agreed on a mph basis?
Rosco
Some Terribly Fishy Jokes
After hearing how Sunderland's coastal location means they are disadvantaged by the 90 minutes travel time rule for youth players, I was initially sympathetic to their plight. But after giving it some thought, I think they've got nowt to moan about. We often hear about scouting networks that trawl the world's football clubs for the hottest talent, but how about actually trawling the North Sea for players? In only three minutes I managed to come up with the following list of eligible players, so I'm sure there are many more.
Mark 'Fish'
David 'Seaman'
'Ray' Parlour
'Herring' Berg
Kenny 'Salmon'
Shola 'Amoeba' (in a controversial move, considering his Magpies past)
There's also an abundance of lower-league players/aquatic lifeforms they could scout for. Last time I heard there were at least 20,000 leagues under the sea, which is significantly more than the onshore league system.
Moz, Manchester
