STICKY TIMES REDUX
Judging by a video released from Abu Dhabi, it turns out that what follows completing football is to walk Big Cup trophy into a large room, where a politely clapping sheikh will greet you. Handshakes all round to club suits and your Catalan genius coach before the younger members of the royal family help cut up, using a glittering ornamental sword, an outsized version of those club-crest cakes you might buy in the Arndale Centre. Flying in a blue dream, to conjure veteran plank-spanking king Joe Satriani. But while Manchester City fans look forward to doing it all again, starting with a Friday night reunion with Vincent Kompany at Burnley, consider those of a less fortunate hue of blue.
While all-conquering City have financial fair play worries, 115 charges being handled by KC Lord Pannick – in the news on Thursday as the silk handling the doomed task (paid for by the state, natch) of defending Boris Johnson – Everton are staring down the barrel of heavy legal action. Leicester, Leeds, Southampton and Burnley’s combined writ could cost tens of millions of pounds if the Toffees are found guilty of an alleged breach of the Premier League’s FFP rules at a hearing on 25 October. Everton were referred to an independent commission in March, relating to their 2021-22 spending, after complaints from those four clubs, plus Nottingham Forest, who on staying up chose to step off. Burnley, of course, were the team relegated last May as a result of Frank Lampard and co clawing to safety.
Recorded losses of £371.8m over a three-year period are way above a maximum of £105m that is the Premier League limit before sanctions – including points deductions – can be imposed. Everton stayed up on the final day of the season, Abdoulaye Doucouré’s screamer against Bournemouth getting that job done, though the scenes of celebration from fans were rather less than ecstatic. That’s because Everton supporters aren’t daft enough to accept circling the drain amid continuing signs of danger. What’s followed since has borne out such guardedness. Big Website recently revealed the UK Treasury’s sanctions police have been reviewing the finances of owner Farhad Moshiri because of links to Alisher Usmanov, the Russian-Uzbek billionaire sanctioned by the UK, EU and USA! USA!! USA!!! And Monday saw the eyebrow-raising news that Carlo Ancelotti is suing the club in London’s high court, while suits Denise Barrett-Baxendale, Grant Ingles and Graeme Sharp also departed. All three, including absolute Ev legend “Sharpy”, had stayed away from matches to avoid protests.
Bill Kenwright, former Coronation Street actor and longtime chairman, is expected to step down soon, but at the time of writing is yet to do one amid continuing discussions. Everton’s position is that their FFP problem can be explained away by a tax snag on loans for the new stadium currently being built at Bramley-Moore Dock. As it happens, Everton were handed Fulham by the Premier League fixture computer on 12 August. At a club that’s become a byword for angst, much more is expected by the time that comes around.
GORDON McQUEEN (1952-2023)
The former Leeds, Manchester United and Scotland defender has died at the age of 70. McQueen was diagnosed with dementia in 2021, with his family saying he feared that heading the ball repeatedly in his career was a factor. “I now want to remember my dad for the man he was – the ultimate entertainer, the life and soul of every occasion,” said his daughter Hayley. A tall, tough and skilful centre-half, McQueen joined Leeds from St Mirren in 1972, winning the title in 1974 before moving to Old Trafford in 1978. His most memorable goal came at Wembley in 1977, as a towering header set Scotland on their way to a 2-1 Home Nations win over England. Bryan Robson, who played alongside McQueen at Old Trafford and employed him as a coach at Middlesbrough, said his teammate “was a perfect fit for United with his flair, courage and big personality. Most importantly, though, he was a brilliant person with a huge heart. That’s how he should be remembered.”
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Football Weekly returns from its 24-hour summer break for an extra edition.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The goalkeeper requested and was granted a release from his contract so he can take a break from his professional football career to participate in the ITV television show Love Island” – Shelbourne FC confirm the departure of Scott van der Sluis. “I was shocked and saddened that Scott chose a villa in Mallorca full of beautiful, single women over myself, the staff and the players,” honked manager Damien Duff.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Really sad to hear that John Hollins has died. He had a brief period as caretaker manager and director of football at Stockport County. For convoluted reasons, I ended up giving him a lift after a game at Northampton to his home in Chelsea. Lovely man. We stopped at a pub in Northamptonshire on the way home and it was remarkable how, a good two decades after his playing days, people in the pub recognised him” – Dan Levy.
The last I checked, meteorological summer is between 92 and 94 days, having just started two weeks ago. So how can we be at the height (yesterday’s Football Daily)? Perhaps it’s your experience of peaking too early getting in the way of reasoning. Anyway the seasons are just over 90 days long, so the height of summer will not happen for at least 6.5 weeks from then, assuming the height of any season to be midway through, although I am sure some pedant will say it occurs in September and build a reasonable 300-500 word justification” – Steve Mintz.
Picking up on the Bobby Charlton Soccer School theme (Football Daily letters passim). I attended one when I was about 14. On one challenge, the man himself bet me I couldn’t hit the middle cone in a grid using my weaker foot. I stepped up and, using my left foot, duly guided the ball straight on to the cone in question. Bobby kept his word and paid the forfeit, which was to do 50 press-ups in front of us all” – Mark Picken.
I’m all for this new optimism with a Tottenham revolution led by this season’s latest new messiah and a host of potential new players, albeit with the wondrous backhanded Big Website slap in the face of ‘it remains to be seen whether Laporte would be prepared to drop down a level’, although I can’t help but think they’re still going to end up getting hammered by Manchester United, with Ryan Mason back in charge next April. To paraphrase Karl Marx: ‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as Spurs’” – Noble Francis.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Noble Francis.
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