Money talks - when the board speaks

Today is the day after Friday 13th. It appears that someone in the blue half of Merseyside walked under a ladder, tripped on a black cat that sat on the cracks of the pavement. This morning, he felt the need to unburden himself, to appease Toffees and media alike, and let them know the expense of running a football club.

In a blog on the Everton website, the chief executive Robert Elstone seeks to debunk the myth that Everton are broke, and has produced some graphs to show that they have spent nearly £500m in the last five years, with a huge amount (£244 million) going on player wages. The opposing graph shows that their main income is TV, matchday and commercial income. Will it make a difference? The fans appear to be revolting against the board, and despite the club doing well to stand still, they could benefit more than most from a sugar daddy.

Moyes's watch paid for a Gibson, a Neville and half a Donovan

Arsenal on the other hand appear to be a page from another book. Two billionaires own the majority of the shares, and by all accounts the club are sitting on a transfer kitty of as much as £50 million. Majority owner Stan Kroenke is generally known as Silent Stan, and has only given one major interview, to the Telegraph in September. Kroenke made his money in the US, largely for improving the value of his clubs, and doesn't appear to have put much of his own money in.

Kroenke is a disciple of Billy Beane, the man behind Moneyball. The quote he gives to the Telegraph talks about spending money and extracting value. While this board are at the club, and Arsene Wenger is at the helm, we can expect plenty of rough diamonds being brought in, polished, and sold on at a profit. Who needs big money moves? Wenger was clearly uncomfortable during his late August trolley dash, and although the signings have largely settled the club, a huge influx of money to his kitty would probably sit there gathering dust.

Stan's idea of picturing them naked didn't work with the youth team

It could be worse of course - Blackburn's owners don't talk much either. The owners Venky's took over, and swiftly replaced Big Sam Allardici with Steve Kean, and virtually threw him to the wolves. The runnings of the club are a mystery, with rumours that they are advised by a group of agents. The latest noises is that the club is seriously in debt, and look like having to sell their best players this January window to keep the banks happy.

The ultimate insult came during the summer, when the Rovers players were filmed in an advert for their paymasters, although it looked like David Dunn had been on the greasy chicken long before the takeover...

'Colonel' Dunn flies down the wing

The old adage that the fans own the club has long gone, and no-one wants an owner that is a loudmouth. Celebrity chairmen are dangerous, and for every Silent Stan, there's a Simon Jordan. But accountability and transparency are the way forward - if the board want the fans on-side, just let them know what's going on. Is the manager tight, or hamstrung by debt?

Maybe there should be an FA rule, ensuring all chairmen are on Twitter... Or just a fit and proper person test that works would be a start!

Who's the banker in the black? Referees in the spotlight

Seems like as good a time as any. This week saw yet more referee controversy, after the dismissal of Vincent Kompany against Man Utd. Man City appealed, failed, and their captain copped a 4 game ban (3 for the foul, 1 as he has already been sent off this season). Opinion was split. Apparently, 30 years ago it would have been fine... If Nani hadn't jumped, he'd have lost his leg. Fair enough, the ref made a decision.

On Wednesday night, Man City were again at home, this time against Liverpool. Just before the end of the game, this happened...

Not that kind of player?

The issue with this decision? Consistency it seems. This challenge on Joleon Lescott was just as bad as Kompany's, and nothing happened. Of course it was a different referee, and they couldn't be expected to make the same decision. But if the official had seen Johnson's face while doing it, would the interpretation of 'excessive force' be the same?

Glen may need to steal a new toilet seat after this

Referees often get a bad press, but then some don't help themselves. The old adage of a 'good referee not getting noticed' often applies, but the the egos kick in. Jeff Winter, Graham Poll, personalities themselves it seems. Poll has his own column in the Daily Mail, and Winter claimed he was applauded off at Anfield by the Kop after his last game. Gunnerblog nailed the phrase in December during Arsenal's visit to Man City saying "Great referees don't get noticed. Phil Dowd is trending on Twitter."

Poll of course didn't cover himself in glory at the 2006 World Cup, famously booking Josip Šimunić three times before sending him off. He can now be relied on for various opinion pieces whenever a ref becomes the talking point.

Left hand or right hand?

Games can't go ahead without referees, and the FA know this. Constant campaigns to encourage youngsters into the sport, and even positive headlines like 26-year-old Michael Oliver being promoted to the FIFA list must have an impact. Of course the chance to come up one-on-one with some of football's finest must also appeal, like when Paul Alcock came up against Paolo Di Canio. It's probably a good thing it didn't happen to Winter, I dread to think the reaction.

5.9, 5.8, 6.0, 6.0, 6.0, 5.9 for Alcock

What can be done to improve consistency and accountability amongst referees? Well, technology needs to be introduced to help, goal-line technology and replays and all. Perhaps officials should be encouraged to explain after games their decisions? The UEFA idea of extra refs in penalty boxes certainly doesn't appear to have made much difference.

They could give refs microphones, but I think we can all thank a young, squeaky Tony Adams for that not catching on...

Family ties - it's in the blood

The news clippings are there to be found online. Dad signs up child for club membership before umbilical cord is cut... Uncle puts a tenner on the boy to play for England. Is there too much pressure from family to support a certain team?

Made in Chelsea

The above photo was vilified when published in the press, and no wonder. While the arguments are that perhaps the above family belongs more at Anfield, it shows how impressionable kids are, especially when football is involved. While it is impossible to research, children's names must be heavily influenced by their parent's favourite players. It may be worth looking at children registered in Islington in the summer of 1989 being called Michael Thomas...

Commitment in fans is admirable, and it's difficult to imagine your average season ticket holder not singing the more child-friendly songs to newborns as lullabies. A Rangers-supporting cousin of this author is fondly remembered for singing anti-Celtic songs to his unborn child. I don't think he has any Dutch in him, but the below photo may prove otherwise, the resemblence is uncanny...

Schtoppppppp!

Clubs shops up and down the land make a living out of the younger fan. Home draws for the bigger clubs in the cups are welcomed as much for the increased revenue from the future fans, where babygros, bibs and cuddly mascot toys can pay several weeks wages for a wantaway Argentine striker. Loyalty is a commodity that cannot be easily bought, and the clubs know this. Yes it's exploitation, yes it's somewhat murky. But give a 5-year-old a day out at a successful team, the smell of Bovril, meat pie and defeat can be intoxicating.

Plus you know who to blame for Mexican waves and countdowns at Carling Cup matches...

Yes son, that is the new Spurs ground over there...

Time to dust down Ronnie Radford... The FA Cup 3rd round

The first full weekend of January. Resolutions already starting to fade... Christmas decorations coming down. Wrexham fans reminisce over 1992. The FA Cup reaches the third round, and the big boys join the party.

Will this season be any different? Every year after the second round draw, the cameras park themselves in the player lounge of a small team waiting for the big draw. This year, the David v Goliath draws appear to be Everton v Tamworth, Liverpool v Everton and Tottenham v Cheltenham. Will we be showing clips of those in 40 years?

Friedel misses the ball, and his wig

There is always the accusation that the big clubs don't take the cup competitions seriously any more. Try telling Manchester City last season. Will Redknapp be sending out his Europa League team on Saturday? Those looking for shocks will be perhaps nervous that even the stiffs will probably have plenty of international caps between them, and playing for places. Those clubs in mid-table mediocrity will be more concerned with avoiding relegation than a trip to Wembley.

In 1989, Sutton United (Conference) beat Coventry City (Division One, 1987 winners) 2-1. Everyone remembers the result. Who cares that Sutton got dicked 8-0 by Norwich in round 4?! Newcastle's conquerers in 1972, Hereford made it through to round four, and were beaten by a Geoff Hurst hat-trick in a replay (I have it on good understanding the ball crossed the line all three times).

Dave adds another scalp

The greatest cup shock of all, the 1988 final. Wimbledon (as they were) beat that season's champions Liverpool courtesy of a Lawrie Sanchez goal and a Dave Beasant penalty save. What happened after that? Wimbledon gradually sank down the divisions, moving to Milton Keynes, and the fans evolving into AFC Wimbledon, even taking ownership of the honour of winning the 1988 final. Will we ever see the likes again?

Probably the best final in the world. Probably...

I meant the likes of rising from non-league to win the cup. Not Dave Beasant's hair.

NC's hopes for 2012...

2012 is here. Not the God-awful John Cusack disaster film, but the year. Over-hyped already (this blog won't help), we have Euro 2012, the Olympics and all sorts to look forward to.

Rather than come up with a list such as rising stars or predictions for the rest of the current season, I've decided to come up with five things that may make football a better place this year.

1. Kick Blatter out of football

Don't do that in Qatar Sepp

Sepp Blatter appears to have survived 2011's dictator cull (Gaddafi, Bin Laden, Kim Jong-Il didn't make it), but it seems only the English media seem to be keen to get him out, with rows over poppies and handshakes. The Teflon kid of Geneva seems genuinely bulletproof despite the various corruption allegations, but it may well take something serious to finally give him the heave. Without hoping for a racist comment, or being caught in a fake Sheikh style sting, he's going to pretty much have to kill someone to get the boot.

2. Team GB win Olympic gold

We're going to need a bigger podium

There seems to be more fuss about the football team at the Olympics than anything else. The fact that three of the four associations involved don't want anything to do with it doesn't help. But wouldn't it be good if Britain actually won? Like a British Lions tour, it could be aspirational, and at least give the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish a chance to play at a tournament. Plus with the next Olympics in Rio, Celtic skin roasting in July would be interesting...

3. Minnows win Euro 2012

Judge me not by my size... Argh!!

This is to be the last European Championship contested by 16 teams, before the search for more money leads to diluting it to 24 teams for France 2016. In the past, the tournament has led to a few shock wins, with Greece, Denmark and Czechoslovakia all victorious. The big money this year is destined for Spain, with Germany and Holland dark horses... But the idea of a smaller team winning it, with attractive football, no backs to the wall, would be awesome. Do England count as a minnow? Or just a big fat waste of money...

4. A gay footballer

Would John Terry say anything to him?

In November 2011, the head of the Italian PFA Damiano Tommasi said that he wouldn't recommend coming out to gay footballers. In the English professional leagues, there is not one openly gay player. Would one person be brave enough to do it? Gareth Thomas (above) came out towards the end of his rugby career - but yet the idea of a footballer doing it is so strange. There are still a lot of taboos in the game, the ongoing John Terry racism case shows that perhaps there is work to be done. But maybe it just takes one, for the floodgates to open. And pray that players, fans and press are adult enough to behave...

5. We have the technology

Groundsman had overdone the sherry the night before

The rows have been going on for years. No doubt if England play Germany in the summer, something else will happen. It doesn't need to! In tennis and cricket we have hawkeye, rugby there are video umpires, and most other sports use replays or gadgets. With the fans in the ground all Twitter-ed up, they know within seconds whether a ball has crossed the line. Without treading old ground, it would just be nice to see someone grow a pair and make a decision. Just to stop the ridiculous arguments. And for the record, yes Lampard would have equalised. But England deserved to lose. Accept that.

Well, that's the 2012 preview done. Personally, NC will be hoping to grow during the year, cover more varied topics, and provide new views on football. To be honest, just existing in 2013 will be nice! Enjoy the resolutions.