The Week That Was

Regular TWTW readers will know we try not to focus too much on transfer title-tattle, unless we find it amusing, as we think most fans get bored of the will they/won’t they shenanigans anyway. But Rafa’s latest mini-rant is a corker that couldn’t be ignored. In a week when he’s splashed out £17m on a full back and slapped a £30m price tag on a midfielder he wanted rid of this time last year we’d question his timing in criticising football for being all “money, money, money.” Even if we do agree with the sentiment!

The latest transfer merry go round did get us thinking though – what is value for money nowadays? You are the gaffer – is it Cristiano ‘Luxury’ Ronaldo, Glen ‘Mid-Range’ Johnson or Michael ‘Tesco Value’ Owen. The choice is yours. Let us know your thoughts on this crucial issue via the FSF’s poll (see left).

While Rafa argued that the title race was all down to money, money, money Fergie hit back saying that might be true but the winner takes it all. Carlo Ancelotti was heard to cry Mama Mia! what have I stepped in to? In North London, Arsene…(that’s enough of that – Ed.)

On to a player who has definitely, defintely proved VFM – Mido! Along with Afonso Alves he decided not to turn up to pre-season with Boro and as a result has been docked a fortnight’s wages. Alves claimed that he couldn’t get a seat back on any flight from Holland for two days. This from a man on a weekly wage of £50,000 – by our maths that’s £2.5m per annum. He could have chartered a plane, never mind booked a seat.

Mido on the other hand went missing for twice as long and doesn’t seem to have even bothered with any excuse at all, not his style you see. We’re sure Gareth Southgate will be sorry to see the back of him when the inevitable move happens.

Onto a player who is rather more wanted, Bristol City’s new signing 32-year-old Paul Hartley. “We don’t tend to sign players over the age of 30 too often,” said manager Gary Johnson, “but Paul’s got a 27-year-old brain.” Old legs and inexperienced brain – just the ticket.

England’s World Cup bid received a welcome boost from a surprise source this week too when Franz Beckenbauer, who is on the Fifa board to decide the hosts for 2018 and 2022, announced that England could host it tomorrow as “they have the stadiums, the infrastructure, the fans, everything”. World Cup here we come! Well, not quite, he did temper it by pointing out that it is an open race and there’s plenty of others bidding.

As Sky Sports announced which fixtures were to be broadcast in the season’s opening months here at the FSF we were wondering how many fans who hadn’t been paying attention will try and tune in to Setanta to check out their upcoming fixtures. Setanta’s remaining block of games this season have actually been taken over by the Walt Disney-owned ESPN (Micky Mouse puns, anyone?). That’ll be another £15 per month to you sir. Thank you, and have a good day.