[Football] Finland v England 5pm (ITV)

[Guinness Boy]

Because the FA can't afford to buy out a contract. Which leaves me with the question (no doubt obvious to the rest of you) why aren't the FA rich?

I personally don’t think it’s that.

30 years ago the England job was far bigger than the Newcastle job. It’s the other way round now.

 

[timbha]

Because the FA can't afford to buy out a contract. Which leaves me with the question (no doubt obvious to the rest of you) why aren't the FA rich?

Simple answer when compared to English clubs - it doesn’t get the Sky money and it doesn’t sell players. It’s also not owned by corrupt foreign countries.

How rich is rich?

 

[Triggaaar]

30 years ago the England job was far bigger than the Newcastle job. It’s the other way round now.

So you think that if the FA offered Smug Eddie the job (in turn paying off his contract) he'd say no? I'd take it in a heartbeat if I was him. I actually think winning a trophy with England would be easier than winning anything meaningful with Newcastle, and anyone doing that would get the freedom of the country

 

[Triggaaar]

Simple answer when compared to English clubs - it doesn’t get the Sky money and it doesn’t sell players. It’s also not owned by corrupt foreign countries.

How rich is rich?

Well I'm not comparing it to the clubs, simply whether they can afford to pay off someone's contract (£12m). That's not much compared to the clubs.

 

[Guinness Boy]

So you think that if the FA offered Smug Eddie the job (in turn paying off his contract) he'd say no? I'd take it in a heartbeat if I was him. I actually think winning a trophy with England would be easier than winning anything meaningful with Newcastle, and anyone doing that would get the freedom of the country

Yep. I categorically don’t think he’d leave Newcastle for England.

 

[Durlston]

Greece are playing brilliantly but can't break the Irish down. Didn't realise Kelleher could save like Gordon Banks - he's had one of the best 45 minutes of his career!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Why has Grealish lost the ability to run round defenders, that was his strength at Villa.
Cut inside and pass, makes him easy to defend, never goes outside his marker.
Have City ruined him?

I think he’s become easy to defend against. He’s quite slow in speed of thought, and as you say he would always go outside. Shut off the outside, push him inside, and hey presto defending job done.

 

[Durlston]

1-0 Greece.

Still three points ahead with just two games to go.

 

[Durlston]

Evan Ferguson substituted. Missed a half chance early on.

 

[Durlston]

Greece win 2-0.

So England need to win in Athens by two goals or more next month otherwise it's the dreaded play-offs. Fat chance with fraudster Carsley.

 

[timbha]

I think he’s become easy to defend against. He’s quite slow in speed of thought, and as you say he would always go outside. Shut off the outside, push him inside, and hey presto defending job done.

Which is what Veltman did to Grealish a few years ago, and roughed him up a bit

 

[Eeyore]

Greece win 2-0.

So England need to win in Athens by two goals or more next month otherwise it's the dreaded play-offs. Fat chance with fraudster Carsley.

To be honest, I don't give a flying flamingo. International football is enjoyable to watch, but I don't get passionate about England.

The Euros and the World Cup are football's T20. Spain's victory this year was a tournament where the best team won. But had Spain missed their 2-1 chance and England not had an attempt cleared off the line the trophy would have come here. A hollow crown. Argentina won the World Cup with a reasonable side. Best team in the tournament, no.

In my world, both tournaments would be scrapped and there would be an international league system. Promotion & relegation bi-yearly. Sides would play twentyish matches a league over two years and ten windows. The lower leagues would be regional.

International Premier League (20 sides)

International 'Championship' (20 sides- 5 up 5 down)

Regional leagues.

Not such an issue with travel as most of the players in the two Championships would be in the countries based in Europe/South America anyway where most of the sides were.

 

[timbha]

To be honest, I don't give a flying flamingo. International football is enjoyable to watch, but I don't get passionate about England.

The Euros and the World Cup are football's T20. Spain's victory this year was a tournament where the best team won. But had Spain missed their 2-1 chance and England not had an attempt cleared off the line the trophy would have come here. A hollow crown. Argentina won the World Cup with a reasonable side. Best team in the tournament, no.

In my world, both tournaments would be scrapped and there would be an international league system. Promotion & relegation bi-yearly. Sides would play twentyish matches a league over two years and ten windows. The lower leagues would be regional.

International Premier League (20 sides)

International 'Championship' (20 sides- 5 up 5 down)

Regional leagues.

Not such an issue with travel as most of the players in the two Championships would be in the countries based in Europe/South America anyway where most of the sides were.

I think you are forgetting that corrupt FIFA officials need to be bribed every few years by countries wishing to stage the tournaments

 

[dazzer6666]

Because the FA can't afford to buy out a contract. Which leaves me with the question (no doubt obvious to the rest of you) why aren't the FA rich?

£200m cash in the bank and turning over 400m a year……..they could if they wanted to

 

[Triggaaar]

£200m cash in the bank and turning over 400m a year……..they could if they wanted to

Thanks. That makes sense, but on the radio they talk about not being able to pay £12m when not spending it on grass roots football.

 

[dazzer6666]

Thanks. That makes sense, but on the radio they talk about not being able to pay £12m when not spending it on grass roots football.

I guess it’s more about not fitting their objectives/strategy/agenda and/or the wrong look it would give out rather than their actual ability to do it if required…….probably in their ‘strategic report’ somewhere but I can’t be arsed to read it all

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/about-the-fa/2024/the-fa-annual-report-30042024.ashx

 

[Weststander]

£200m cash in the bank and turning over 400m a year……..they could if they wanted to

Until your post, I hadn’t realised how well run the FA including its subsidiary Wembley Stadium Limited are in terms of finances.

It seems like only yesterday that the media and folk who thought a cheaper national stadium should’ve been built at Coventry had revelled in the debt stories. Just looked, the Guardian still posting stuff 7 years ago.

Now; no debt, no interest payments and £480m annual income. £200m of that is TV income …. a slice of the PL deals?

I suppose the UK media don’t do non bad news stories.

 

[dazzer6666]

Until your post, I hadn’t realised how well run the FA including its subsidiary Wembley Stadium Limited are in terms of finances.

It seems like only yesterday that the media and folk who thought a cheaper national stadium should’ve been built at Coventry had revelled in the debt stories. Just looked, the Guardian still posting stuff 7 years ago.

Now; no debt, no interest payments and £480m annual income. £200m of that is TV income …. a slice of the PL deals?

I suppose the UK media don’t do non bad news stories.

Imagine the TV revenue is mostly England games and the FA Cup….which will presumably increase further in 25/26 when live coverage goes completely away from the BBC

 

[Weststander]

Imagine the TV revenue is mostly England games and the FA Cup….which will presumably increase further in 25/26 when live coverage goes completely away from the BBC

As an aside I didn’t visit Wembley between our 1991 and 2023 visits, whilst I did pass through on route to an op in NW London in 2019. The whole area was a dump in 1991, it’s been almost completely transformed for the better. It’s moved forward a century. Thousands of new homes, modern businesses, I like the new Wembley Way. Replacing vast grit coach parks and run down venues. All a spin off from the stadium.

The one subjective moan, the stadium falls between two stools imho. Not a closer to the pitch, steep sided football cauldron, meaning it lacks atmosphere. Clubs are showing what can be done, whilst still meeting all UEFA finals criteria.

 

[Triggaaar]

I guess it’s more about not fitting their objectives/strategy/agenda and/or the wrong look it would give out rather than their actual ability to do it if required…….probably in their ‘strategic report’ somewhere but I can’t be arsed to read it all

https://www.thefa.com/-/media/thefacom-new/files/about-the-fa/2024/the-fa-annual-report-30042024.ashx

I'm not reading it, but I bet it says nothing about winning anything