'Buy British' Policy Worth the Money

I'm sure if you took a poll of a 100 English Premier League football fans today regarding the Tevez and Fabregas saga, 101 responders will tell you they can't wait to see them leave the league.

Reading the latest commentaries and news surrounding their continued 'bondage' and 'sufferings' in the hands of tyrannic clubs not willing to let them join their families and buddies, your heart will bleed for both.

My heart bleeds for the clubs who have to put up with modern day football divas. You would think we were talking about a 'Kadashian' being denied a camera crew or paparazzi in their bedrooms. Man City, while I don't care for them much, deserve some sympathy in this saga. Think about it -

• they wrestled Tevez from the tender grips of city rivals United
• initially pay him 150,000 big ones a week
• revised that wage to more than 220,000 to make him not feel belittled by the African, Yaya Toure
• gave him the Captain arm band so he would stop being grouchy
• put up with his jungle ways and reluctance to learn the English language

Man U fans will tell you Man City deserved what they got, and that Sir Alex was right. True.

In Cesc case, it hasn't been quite as dramatic. However, if one more of his Spanish buddies or his 'childhood sweet heart' - Messi, say one more word about wanting an emotional reunion, I'll hang myself. Be done with him already!

What should Arsenal and Man City do? 

Cash in and buy British, that's what!

Yes, I know they are overpriced and never fully reach their potentials (we've been waiting a long time since Gerrard, Lampard and Rooney). But think about the Pros for a second -

• they are going nowhere else, their families are close by
• even if they do cross over to another local club, they will fetch a handsome sum for that inconvenience
• if you buy them young, it's a long term investment
• the fans love them
• they are committed to the game (a liitle too much in tackles) and club
• they don't have to travel far for international call ups

Look at young Jack Wilshere. Who wears the Gunners colors with more pride than the young lad? I watched young Flanagan, Martin Kelly and Jack Robinson (17 - 18 year olds) play their hearts out for an injury-hit Liverpool last season.

Man U has benefitted from having a core of British players over the last two decades. Even Chelsea with Lampard and Terry, have managed to keep the British lights on and energized their fan base. 

How long do you think it will be before the likes of Torres follow Fabregas back to Spain? Even Suarez, who just arrived at Anfield has '60+ goals and three years later' written all over his face. He has expressed a strong desire to play for Barcalona later in his career (like 1000 other top and mediocre players)

Let's go back to buying 'organic' and give Sir Alex and Man U a run for their money!

Buy British!!!

Transfer Winners and Losers (So Far)

1. SUNDERLAND - The club has greatly benefitted from the Man U Alumni club - Wes Brown and John O'Shea. You can say whatever you want about those two players, but the fact remains that they were part of multi-title winning club. Seb Larsson is not a bad piece of business either, along with his 'penalty-fighting' team mate Craig Gardner. I guess Gyan penalty taking days are over with those two on board. They also found a way to make a cool $20 million from Liverpool for little tested Jordan Henderson.
2. NEWCASTLE - Surprise surprise. Demba Ba is a solid catch. Big, strong, bold and tested. Sylvain Marveaux, Mehdi Abeid and Yohan Cabaye are little known, but highly regarded on paper. Time will surely tell. Plus, they still have change from the $35 million they got for Andy Carol (again, from Liverpool).
3. MANCHESTER UNITED - As much as I hard to admit, being a Liverpool fan and all, Ashley Young was a very smart acquisition. With Chicharito and Rooney in the middle, all you need to win is crossed balls all day long. Young was born to cross, and does so without frustrating fans as much as Nani does. Phil Jones is a good buy for the future. SAF has found a way to inject youth into his squad without losing the experience flavor that Giggs, Rio and Evra bring. If they pick up Wes Sneijder, they will vault to #1.
4. LIVERPOOL - Henderson may be questionable especially given his price tag, but one can't deny journey-man Charlie Adam's desire to excel beyond his abilities. It will be interesting to see if he brings the same guts and left-foot dead ball accuracy he was known for at the Tangerines. Stewart Downing (if deal closes today) is a nice piece of business

LOSERS -

1. ASTON VILLA - without Young and Downing, they should get ready to be relegated. They have just the right Manager to do that!
2. MAN CITY - Gael Clichy is not enough
3. CHELSEA - they've bought nobody for now. Getting Modric and Neymar could change that.
4. ARSENAL - Gervinho is not the answer to losing Clichy, possibly Nasri and Fabregas. Wenger needs to step it up.

Sunderland is Manchester United Retirement Club

Gary Neville's and Paul Scholes retirement from football should come as a shock to all, especially when you factor in that they both had two years to play retirement football at Sunderland.


Heck, even young players who did not make it at the 'Grand Old Club' have been retired early to Sunderland. Let's take a roll call:

1. Steve Bruce (yes, he qualifies)
2. Frazier Campbell
3. Phil Bardsley
4. Kieran Richardson
5. Danny Welbeck (loan)
6. Wes Brown
7. John O'Shea
8. Darren Gibson (a matter of time)
9. Anton Ferdinand (family ties)

I guess Nicky Butt did not get the memo, or he would have still been at Sunderland. Rio Ferdinand is so lucky that kid brother Anton is one of the worst defenders in the league, otherwise it would have been a 'prisoner swap' between both clubs.

Nothing like keeping it in the family and collecting retirement benefits with your fraternal connections! Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs will be next in 2012!

Liverpool's dead weights

Many Liverpool fans will welcome the addition of Charlie Adam, though a few will still question his worth and are skeptical about expecting too much from the Scottish International. Rightfully so. He has only spent a year in the top flight and needs more time before we can fully assess his potentials. Regardless, he was a monster for Blackpool this past campaign, a proven set-piece expert with a deadly left foot.

However, bringing in players such as Adam and hopefully, Downing is really not Liverpool's problem. The main problem for the 18 time winners is actually getting rid of the dead weights that are clogging up the club. Liverpool have an abundance of 'average' players on the book -

1. Sotiris Kyrgiakos
2. Christian Poulsen
3. Milan Jovanovic
4. Joe Cole
5. David Ngog
6. Jonjo Shelvey
7. Alberto Aquilani
8. Fabio Aurielo.

 On paper, it seems like an exciting opportunity to leverage the listed players as trading assets, to acquire better players in the transfer market.. There's one one problem - nobody wants them!

Unless Liverpool figures out a way to ease the burden that these players are putting on payroll, they will find themselves in a very familiar position as in the last two seasons - outside the top 4!  

Bosman Transfer Prospects this Summer

1. John Carew - not a bad backup at 31
2. Manuel Almunia (good luck with that!)
3. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland has landed him)
4. Rob Green - I will take him ahead of Manuel if they were the last two keepers on earth.
5. Matthew Upson - not bad
6. Benjani Mwarurawi - time may be up
7. Nigel Reo-Coker - word on the street is he's back with Villa
8. Diomansy Kamara - Championship calibre #9
9. John Pantsil - not a bad defender to have. Too many mistakes this season drove his stock down
10. Owen Hargreaves - good luck with his injuries
11. Paschal Chimbonda - should be on the next plane back to France, to a Ligue two team.
12. Bolo Zenden - may still have one season left in him
13. Johnathan Woodgate - done.
14. Marcus Hahnemann - very decent keeper

Man City cannibalizing rivals

Off they go again taking advantage of the spoils of their rivals in the English Premier League. One could fault the transfer techniques of Manchester City as a catalyst for bloated transfer fees and salaries, but one fact stands out - It is paying off!

You don't think so?

Of course you can argue that the transfer of Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Shaun Wright Philips, James Milner and Lescott had little or no impact on Man City's 3rd place league finish and the FA Cup victory. However, not having those players at their disposal certainly weakened their EPL rivals.

Fast forward to July 4, 2011. Gael Clichy, the last of the Gunner 'Invisibles', signs for Man City. Unlike the Ashley Cole and Gallas swap, the Gunners just gave Clichy up for $11.2 without any demands on Man City. Surely, Man City would have paid more for Arsenal to take Wayne Bridge off their books.

While this does not necessarily make Man City any stronger, it certainly presents a challenge for Mr. Wenger and the Gunners. It does raise an eyebrow that todays players are willing to sacrifice regular on-field play for a spot on the bench in the hopes of winning a trophy.

I thought that was ridiculous until I saw Javier Masherano lift the Champions League trophy.

Perhaps the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal are the ridiculous ones for watching teams like Man City and Tottenham challenge the status quo by attracting greater interest and influence in the transfer market. Liverpool has already suffered the consequences of this by being shut out of the top four, two seasons in a row.

Is Arsenal next?