OhForAGreavsie

Let's hope that you are right.

Not the worst investment in the world from a practical point of view. The calculation has to be that we won't compete with Arsenal for league places. It's sensible to expect both that we will finish behind them, and that they will get the better of the two fixtures between us. Neither of these things are guaranteed of course, but they are more likely than not. This means that the more points Arsenal take off other teams the better it will be for us among the teams we will be competing with in 24/25. That covers our practical interests but the emotional ones could be a different story. I'd rather watch Man City win the league until the end of time, than to ever see Arsenal or Liverpool lift the trophy again. If Sterling actually helps them become champions it will be a blow.

To clarify, though I'm guessing you're ahead of this already anyway, when I say that women's football is not as good I mean from a technical point of view. The physical differences are what they are and always will be. My, I think well founded, opinion is that if you could somehow handicap a a men's professional team so that their physical advantages were completely nullified, they would still slaughter the best women's team in the world because they're just better footballers. This is the bit I believe can change. It is reckoned that about 29 million women play football worldwide. That's a fraction of the number of men who do. This means the talent pool from which professional women's teams draw their athletes is far, far, smaller than is the case with men's teams. If the women's talent pool were to grow that would drive standards up. It's by no means a given however that this will happen.

Oh dear. Didn't want him, I've never rated him, but I'll get over it if he delivers.

It's been announced? I've missed a few pages then.

What time does the window close please folks?+

In seriousness this comment tends to one of the things I would talk about in that essay. Still not gonna risk it though. 🙂

😂 And yet here we all are at a quarter to 11 on a Friday night, when there's not even a game on.

I'm just as committed to the women's team as I am to the men. Although some fans of women's football lie to themselves about this fact, it is clearly true that professional women's football is not as good as professional men's football. I have no doubt however that, if more girls take up the game and persist with it into adulthood, the standard will improve. Ultimately however what makes football enjoyable is the competitiveness not just the finite standard. The Premier League witnesses a much higher standard of play than can be found in League Two, yet fans at that level are every bit as committed, and passionate, as we are. Same goes for women's football. If it were women against men, or even older boys, it would not be competitive and therefore not interesting. Women against women however is competitive and you get just as drawn in to how your club's team is progressing. I say 'you', but really I suppose I should say I. Fair enough, but the number of fans is growing. I feel like continuing with an essay here about how I think the women's game will progress and how I would like it to. You've made it this far however so I'm not going to push my luck. 🙂

Bounce out the proud owners of two hotels and a Premier League training complex. In the scenario you pose CFC would experience dramatically reduced revenues, but increased fixed costs. (Having to pay rent on their training ground.) CFCW would be among the first casualties.

Exactly.

Different contractual situation? We know that the mere 12 months remaining on Connor's deal affected his transfer fee. Perhaps more than one season remained bon Billy's

I watched the first leg of the 2017 FA Youth Cup final on TV. Guardiola was watching from a box. Numerous times he turned away in disgust, hands gesticulating all over the place, at what Sancho had just done. He was behind thick glass so there was no audio, but somebody up there with him was getting an earful. I'm convinced that Sancho's City career ended that day. I was at Stamford Bridge for the second leg. We blew City away 5-1; a scoreline which flattered them. Sancho was a complete non-entity that night, and Phil Foden had little impact. City's star player was Brahim Diaz who I frequently described back then as the best young footballer in Europe. (That I knew of.) BTW, James, Chalobah, Guehi, Mount, & Hudson-Odoi started for us. Marcin Bulka and Connor Gallagher were unused subs.

Suits me.

It is not new. There was a lot of speculation that Chelsea might have to decline a place in Europe in order to avoid financial scrutiny from the European governing body. Clearly the club has not done that and so the only conclusion must be that they believe they will pass FSR checks. The new owners have a lot to prove in terms of squad building, but they are savvy people fiscally. I'd bet a lot of money that they fully understand the differences between Premier League compliance and uefa compliance. I would therefore be stunned beyond amazement if they are inviting a problem with uefa rules.

Still not 3 million 'a month'. 🙂 Anyway, I obviously wasn't making a serious point. It is interesting though that the Saudi League operates a different pay structure from that which is common in Europe. The leagues which pay big salaries usually pay their players twice a year; typically January and July. I don't see why the Saudis are doing it differently. They must have a reason I suppose, but these players are not living payday to payday so it's not being done for their benefit. Is this perhaps the traditional pay structure in Islamic countries? If that is the case it sounds like something I should have known long before now. Better late than never is the best I could say for myself.

Back to school in September? 🙂

He's sounding like a Jehovah's Witness; "We are in the last days of the last days." There's nothing quite as profitable as stirring up fear of doom and damnation among the faithful, or, in Fabrizio's case, hope and desperation. 🙂

We've done it before and it's just a negotiating position in any case. Raheem's advisors would need arresting if they didn't demand a pay off, and CFC directors would want shooting if they simply paid in full. Instead, the club's starting negotiating point will be that we want the remaining amortisation of Raheem's transfer fee from City as our price for selling him, and that his salary going forward is between him and his new club. A meeting point somewhere between those two unrealistic positions will have to be found.

Only if it is a publicly quoted company. If it's privately owned then, as long as you comply with the laws and regulations governing consumer rights and employee protections, you can pretty much do what you like.

Far, far, far. far too small a sample.

Are you getting this from the coverage or are you sifting the information out yourself?

Thought it was going to be for Palmer.

Both. MC & EF