Bubble

With so many of today's football clubs either in debt, running at a loss, or in really, really big debt it is a wonder how long the 'football' bubble will continue for. West Ham's new supremo David Sullivan has expressed dismay at the overspending seen at so many clubs even hinting that one may go out of business altogether. I don't see that happening, partly because fan's love the game too much and there are plenty of wealthy fan's out there to bail clubs out. I'm not even sure that there will be a wage cap as the best will always demand more money but two things have happened recently that we have never seen before in football.
Firstly Gordon Brown has voiced his concern that our top clubs find themselves in huge debt, he has described it as irresponsible management. Secondly the 'Pompey' and England goalkeeper David James has said he will fore go his entitlement to a new £2million a year contract - after almost playing the required 20 games this season to get one - so that the club can continue to play him, and so that he can play in the World Cup of course!.
I think that many clubs, and their managers and chairman, are just speculating to accumulate, buying player's they 'hope' will do well, only to often to be left with a 'pink pony' on upwards of 30k a week. So what is the answer? A wage cap may be the way forward and I for one will be happy to accept 10k a week across the board for all footballers across the divisions!!!!!!. I would love to see what Sir John Harvey Jones (business problem solver and more often saver) would say if he were allowed to see a clubs financial state of affairs. The main problem is that the people at the top at a football club sometimes have too much of an emotional pull for the club that they often support and so are blinded by the teams fortunes. That and the demands of the players and their agents.
The other problem is that the players don't often have an emotional attachment to their clubs so it is totally irrelevant to them how much trouble their own club is in. Whilst at Northampton Town I agreed to have my wages cut by 25 percent because I really wanted to stay at the club and knew that financially they were in a tight spot. Was it the right thing to do ? I felt it was at the time but the following season I tried my hand at a bit of house renovation to make up for the shortfall in wages. The result was though that I ended up playing like Tommy Walsh never mind building like him, plastering walls after training and stripping floorboards before games is not the best accompaniment to full time playing!
I just hope that when my son is old enough to play professionally - if that is what he chooses to do - that the wages will still be sufficiently good for him to be able buy his Dad an Aston Martin!.



P.S Due to unforeseen circumstances, including a transfer, two illnesses, a few hospital visits, and a few hundred miles, a big apology goes out to Dan and Jen (next door). Fiona rang me tonight to say that she had, as prompted by myself, sent Hattie to Morgan's (son of Dan and Jen) first Birthday party complete with a Fi-Fi DVD, two In The Nightgarden books and a pink card!
I had mistakenly told my wife before I had left that it was Ellie's birthday party, (daughter of Jen and Dan and two years older) and so to save any further embarrassment I thought I would accept full blame on the blog. Anyway I hope that Ellie enjoyed her pressie you guys and don't worry, Morgan will of course get his present, on Ellie's birthday!!!!!!!
I think it was 'that' set at tennis you fluked Dan, it totally upset my thought process. See you on court next week for more clarity!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MORGAN

CH