Blue Square Clubs Could Get Torpedoed By Sinking Setanta

Setanta Sports are drowning in debt, up the proverbial creek without a paddle and are about to walk the plank, among other, similar, marine themed euphemisms about being in trouble and having no money.

Having failed to meet its target of 1.9 million subscribers needed to break even - managing only 1.2 million - the company have found themselves hemorrhaging money at a reported rate of £100 million a year.

As a consequence they have failed to make payments to the Scottish and English Premier Leagues (£3 million and £30+ million respectively), loosing their rights to their EPL games in the process.

The channel has also been forced to stop taking new subscribers. People trying to subscribe online were faced with a screen reading: "Oops... somethings gone wrong.", a contender for understatement of the decade.

It has been widely reported that a number of SPL clubs could be severely hit by the Irish Network's collapse but it is not just clubs north of the border which could take significant damage.

Clubs in the top flight of non-league football may also be forced to re-plan the upcoming season.

Setanta are two years into a £2.5m, five-year, contract with the Football Conference. A failure to honour this contract could see Blue Square Premier clubs losing £120,000 over the next three years, not including extra money clubs gain from televised matches.

Ebbsfleet United chairman John Moules, who was Conference chief-executive when the deal was made, told BBC Radio Kent:

"We can't afford to lose six pounds let alone £60,000.

"I'm sure we'll pull together but it will not be easy, it'll be a challenge," he added.

"We also receive money every time we appear on TV so it's probably nearer £200,000 over the next three years we each stand to lose.

"It isn't just the revenue. What concerns me is the profile it has given the competition which has attracted other sponsors to the game."

Andy Perry, chairman of Mansfield Town, also has concerns over the penalty clubs may have to pay over Setanta's demise.

"We are keeping an eye on the situation but it doesn't look good at the moment," he told the Mansfield Chad.

"For Mansfield Town, being on the television meant £20,000 in cash as well as valuable publicity. "

It's not just the top tier of non-league football that has been affected by Setanta's collapse. Hinckley United, of the Blue Square North, are currently owed £5,000 by the T.V. network.

Hinckley chairman Kevin Downes told thisisleicestershire.co.uk: "We are owed £5,000 by Setanta.

"It was the last scheduled payment from the 2008-9 season."But I think other clubs in the Premier Division might be owed a lot more.

"It is obviously a worry when any major sponsor hits financial trouble, and while £5,000 might not seem a huge amount of money it is to the likes of ourselves."

While the Setanta failed to meet a deadline for payments to the SPL and EPL, the Blue Square leagues have imposed no such thing.

"The Conference aren't in as strong a position as the Premier League," explained Moules.

"I don't think we would set a deadline and we hope along the line there will be a saviour at Setanta who could keep this level of coverage at this level at the game."

The 'saviour', however, is unlikely to be Len Blavatnik, whose Access Industries pulled out of a rescue deal. However, it is rumoured that they could launch another bid for the broadcaster should it go into administration, when the price for a deal would certainly become lower.

If there is no last ditch rescue Moules is confident that there will be help from the FA to help minimise and damage done.

"Five years ago when ITV digital went a similar way it looks like Setanta are going, the Football League went to the FA who went to the Premier League and Football Foundation and found millions of pounds to ease the blow.

"I still think at this level we could go to the FA and ask to support us."

Blue Square club chairmen across the country will be anxious to know the final fete of the deal and whichever way it goes they will want to know sooner rather than later.

Is Wenger Real-ly Madrid Bound?

Suggestions have been circulating in the British press that Arsene Wenger could be about to swap Arsenal for Real Madrid.

Certainly, respected football journalist, Guillem Balague thinks this could be the case.

According to Balague, talks are well underway between Wenger's agent and Jorge Valdano, the man Florentino Perez, the outright favourite to win the Real presidential elections, has give the task to find them a new manager.

This comes after stories that Wenger has become frustrated with the Arsenal hierarchy.

This is a move that could very possibly happen and should it happen, it would be a very interesting one.

Real are a club renowned for splashing the cash on big-name players and the potential marriage of them to a manager who is renowned for doing the complete opposite is bound to raise a few eyebrows.

In the past, Wenger has had free reign over transfer decisions. Would this be the case at Madrid? It certainly hasn't been their way in the past.

If Wenger does join Real it would be extremely interesting to see if, or how, Real's transfer policy changes or if it will be a mix between Real's 'big bucks for big players' approach and Wenger's 'buy young unknowns and make them greats' strategy.

Each strategy has had its sky-high ups but, more recently, its lows. If these two approaches can be successfully amalgamated then we could soon see the reemergence of Real as the world's premier superpower.

Then again, Wenger could stay at Arsenal.

Returns, Refs and Pouting

Over the past month or so ‘The Mixer’ had gone AWOL, Marco Boogers style (bar the caravan in Holland and slightly less craziness).

During its absence a lot has happened. Quite a lot. Lots and lots. A stupid amount of lots. Unbelievably lots.

OK, maybe not that much, but enough to force a round-up of events that ‘The Mixer’ appears to have missed in an, Arsene Wenger inspired, ‘it obviously happened, I saw it but I can’t be bothered talking about it’ way.

So, here goes.

Shearer was hired by Newcastle as an interim manager, in a gloriously timed move by the board, on April fools day.

Newcastle fans went mental and hailed his return as the greatest thing ever, despite the total lack of managerial experience, just slightly easing off to fall short of the, almost annual and patented, Geordie ‘tell them we love them but then suffocate them with expectation’ approach.

The fans said that Shearer’s appointment was the boost they need to escape relegation. Unfortunately, no-one appears to have told the players and they continue to play crap, culminating in a 3-0 thrashing by Liverpool.

Manchester United looked to be running away with the title but then slipped up to allow Liverpool back in before the Merseysider’s second 4-4 draw in a week, this time against Arsenal, meant that United were given a reprieve.

The first of Liverpool’s afore mentioned eight goal thrillers came in the Champions’ League at Stamford Bridge. Liverpool surprised everyone, by coming back from a 3-1 first leg deficit, to be on the cusp of a semi-final place.

Chelsea, though, fought back to all but guarantee a place in the last four, before Liverpool popped up with two extremely late goals, to make the Blue’s bums squeak a little bit more, but to no avail.

Manchester United managed to get past Porto, while Arsenal booked an all English tie with United after cruising past Villarreal.

In the semis; Man United handed a footballing master class to Arsenal, albeit with the aid of a Cockney defender slipping at a crucial moment (sound familiar?) and a dubious free kick, spectacularly despatched by the world’s most petulant No.7 (more on that later).

On the downside for the Red Devils, they will go to Rome minus Darren Fletcher who was red carded for a perfect last ditch tackle, late in the second leg.

If that refereeing decision was bad then spare a thought for Chelsea.

After a hard fought 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp, against Barcelona, the Blues were about to set up a rematch with United before a string of refereeing blunders and a fabulous last-gasp strike from Iniesta sent them crashing out.

Norwegian referee Uncle Festa, sorry, Tom Henning Ovrebo denied the Blues two stone wall penalties and one arguable appeal and also wrongly sent off Barca’s Eric Abidal who, like Fletcher, will miss the final.

Much was made of the referee’s inept performance and almost equal attention was focused on the almost comical reaction of a selection of Chelsea players.

One penalty appeal saw Michael Ballack chase after Ovrebo, flapping his arms in a way similar to a giant seagull chasing after someone who’s nabbed off with its chick.

M.C. Drogba went one better by almost man-handling the slap-headed official before helpfully pointing out to Sky viewers, through the medium of shouting into a camera, that the ref was “a f*****g disgrace” forcing Richard Keys to hastily apologise, twice, and the director to fear for his career.

While most of the focus was on the bad refereeing, many people seemed to over-look the fact that Drogba had missed a guilt edged chance to make it 2-0 and put the game out of Barca’s reach.

The fourth minute of injury-time, in which Iniesta scored, only came about because of Drogba’s inability to stay on his feet (caused by an inner ear problem… or diving… not sure which) and his tremendous acting skills; feigning injury so brilliantly that he fooled Hiddink, who them subbed him, much to the Ivorian’s disbelief. A role in Casualty is surely in the offing.

Prior to that game Barca had demolished bitter rivals Real Madrid, 6-2 at the Bernabeu, with the style, panache and coolness of a diamond encrusted wreaking ball operated by Samuel L Jackson. Not bad for a team who don’t like to shoot.

They were given a chance to wrap up the title yesterday but a late Villarreal goal meant that the champagne remains on ice.

Back in the England, Chelsea proved to be the best of the rest, beating Arsenal 4-1 in an unofficial Champions’ League 3rd place play-off while the Manchester derby ended up with United comfortably beating City 2-0, meaning that they only need four points from their last three games to retain the title.

The only other notable action in the derby came when Ronaldo was replaced by Rooney and the Portuguese poser stormed off to the bench, throwing down his training top and began to shake his head, almost constantly, throughout the rest of the game and probably all the way home, as he drove off only 15 minutes after the game ended.

Still, not to worry, apparently Alex Ferguson likes this kind of attitude from his players. Maybe van Nistelrooy just didn’t pout enough.

Benitez masterplan well under way

In the past two weeks Rafa Benitez finally put pen to paper on a five year extension, ending months of speculation over his future.

Along with his new contract, he has secured a bigger say in the running of Liverpool's academy, which will be key in talented youngsters making the step up from the academy to Melwood.

Following Benitez, key members of his back room staff, including Sammy Lee and Mauricio Pellegrino, have also signed extensions.

These events, along with the impending departure of current Chief Executive Rick Parry and the subsequent strengthening on Rafa's say on potential transfers gives the impression that things are starting to really come together for the Mersyside club and indicate a promising future.

A world class manager, the likes of Benitez, Wenger, Ferguson, Shankly and Clough, all need time and support from their board to make the best out of their club.

Likewise, for a club to be successful it needs a steady hand behind the wheel and, above all, continuity.

Shankly, Clough and Ferguson all needed time to build a dynasty at Liverpool, Derby and Manchester United respectively.

Indeed, as legend has it, Ferguson was moments away from the sack if his side had lost to Crystal Palace in the 1990 FA Cup final. Had he lost, would Manchester United be the team they are today?

Wenger's success was not quite as long in coming, but he, along with the others, were allowed to do his own thing, without restrictions. If he wanted a player and said they were good enough then the board would do everything they could to get them.

Benitez now looks to have the full backing of the board when it comes to transfers and he is also working closer with the academy.

This means that the youngsters who come through should be ready to play in a Benitez style team. This means as well as being physically and technically sound, they have to be able to adapt to and learn to play in different systems.

One of the most famous youth systems, La Masia at Barcelona, has their youngsters playing the same style and formations, that the first team play in, right the way through their time there.

This means that when the time comes to be eased into the first team, they know what to expect and how to play.

It's obviously a system that works (Bojan, Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol have all come through the Barca ranks) and I would not be surprised if something similar was to happen at the Liverpool academy under the guidance of Benitez.

It takes time for youngsters to come through, as with Ferguson at Manchester United and, more recently, Wenger at Arsenal.

The same is true at Liverpool. Benitez has been at Anfield for nearly five years and only now are we seeing the youth players coming through that have been there under his tutelage.

Jay Spearing, Nabil El Zhar, Stephen Darby, Damien Plessis and Emiliano Insua are all in and around the fringes of the first team.

The likes of Jack Hobbs, Krisztian Nemeth, Adam Hammill, Sebastian Leto and Paul Anderson are all gaining first team experience out on loan

And the reserves (who won the reserve title last season)and youth team (who won the FA Youth Cup two years on the bounce in 2006 & 07) are harbouring young talent in the shape of the exciting Daniel Pacheco and Nathan Eccleston.

The past five years have shown that Liverpool have improved every year under the Spaniard (if anyone argues otherwise they must have been watching the Liverpool in Uruguay by mistake).

The next five years, however, will tell if the Rafa-lution will grow into an established Benitez Empire.

Will Liverpool flourish under the guidance under Benitez? Or is is new contract a bad thing for Liverpool? Leave a comment.

Iker Casillas - The new Given is better than Buffon

If anything stood out from last night's Champion's League games it wasn't the 12-1 aggregate scoreline at the Bayern - Sporting game or even Liverpool's impressive 4-0 win over Real Madrid.

It was the Shay Given-esque performance of Iker Casillas.

The poor lad did absolutely nothing wrong, in fact he turned in a 'Man-of-the-Match' performance, but his side still managed to ship four goals.



















This scenario will be eerily familiar to Newcastle fans as this seemed to happen an awful lot to the Irish custodian. The last being a 5-0 loss against, coincidentally, Liverpool when, without 'MotM' Given, it could have been 10.

Liverpool could have, quite easily, won by five, six or even seven goals,last night, if Casillias didn't have the ability to pull off saves that, at times, defied the laws of physics and saved whatever dignity his non-existent defence had left.

His early save from Fernando Torres was made despite seemingly committing to the other direction and his flying stop from a spinning Mascherano drive is still hard to fathom, as he wouldn't have seen the ball until very late.

The Spanish stopper has been touted as one of the world's top 'keepers for a long time but has always been over shadowed by Italy's formidable Gianluigi Buffon. Yesterday night, however, added further evidence to claims that he has overtaken his Juventus counterpart.

The scary thing is that, at only 27-years-old (that's only two years older than Ben Foster, by the way), he has at least another 10 years in him at the top level, if he stays free from serious injury.

In the next year or two, if he hasn't already, he will overtake Buffon as the world's best and will have to make himself comfortable because he could be there for many years to come.

What do you think? Is Casillas now the best or is Buffon still the number one? Leave a comment.

Should FA Cup semi-finals be held at Wembley? Moyes says 'no'.

After overcoming Middlesbrough 2-1 at Goodison Park, you would suspect Everton manager David Moyes to be a happy man, even if his side did get the worst possible opponents in the shape of the increasingly unstoppable Manchester United.

Well he's not. Well, not entirely.

"It's great to be in the semis but I'd prefer the match was away from Wembley." the former Preston manager told the BBC.

"I don't think anyone likes it. Wembley should only be used for the final."

Moyes makes a good point though.

Semi-final ties had previously been played in neutral grounds such as Old Trafford, Hillsborough and Villa Park, however this changed in 2003 when the FA decided to stage all FA Cup semi-finals, from 2007, in Wembley in order to help pay off the cost of the £757 million stadium.

From a geographical point of view the switch was a tad non-sensical.

What if, as happened this year,two clubs from the North-West face each other and have to all travel down to London, only for one of them to have to come back again four weeks down the line. How much is that going to cost the fans?

Surely a neutral North-West ground would have been sufficient, or even a Midlands ground. It's common sense. 'If it aint broke...' and all that.

According to Moyes, having the semi finals at Wembley also tends to take the shine off the final.

"I wanted to go to Wembley but in the final not in the semi-final," Moyes said, whose Everton side have only beaten Manchester United once since the 1-0 win in the FA Cup final, at Wembley, in 1995.

"We're in the semi-final of the Cup but, while that's better than we've done before, it's not the final and it's not winning it, that's what I'd really like to do."

Many footballers have said that getting the opportunity of playing at Wembley was almost as big a motivation to get to the final as winning the cup however that sense of achievement has been taken away by playing the semis there.

Yes, you still get to play in there in the final but it just isn't as special if you've been there already in the same competition just a month before.

On the other hand; cheer up David.

Judging by the form of Manchester United, just making the final is looking improbable, let alone winning it.

At least you'll actually get to play at Wembley, in ANY game, this season!

Is Moyes right? Should the semi-finals be played at a neutral venue, or is it right that they are played at Wembley? Have your say and leave a comment.

Ronaldo the "King of Free Kicks"? He's not even good enough to shine Juninho's crown!

Last night, Manchester United claimed another three points to strengthen their strangle hold on the top spot in the Premier League.

It was by no means a vintage performance by the Red Devils but grabbed all three points regardless.

Many people in the media are lauding this and are saying that to pull a win from such a performance is, as Phil McNulty states in his BBC Sport blog, "the hallmark of champions".

It is very difficult to argue with this and it is also hard to see anyone overtaking Manchester United, barring a monumental turn-around of form from the current holders.

But while all this media adulation is understandable (Man United are so consistently able to do this and are unstoppable at the moment) it reminded me of another, more questionable, media based Man Utd love in.

It's interesting to see that Cristiano Ronaldo has been labeled by the media as some sort of 'dead ball expert'.

He isn't. Just as Roberto Carlos wasn't.

Hitting the ball very hard and managing to put unbelievable dip or swerve on it is very impressive, but make a free kick expert it does not.

Nor does hitting the wall or ballooning it over 20 times out of 25 attempts.

On ITV's highlights show, of the first leg of the Champions' League round of 16, Juninho Pernambucano was said to have "done a Ronaldo".

He didn't. If anything Ronaldo 'did a Juninho'.

Most bewilderingly, Craig Doyle, the presenter, asked his studio 'expert' Robbie Earle:

"We all know Ronaldo is the King of Free Kicks, but what about Juninho?"

To which Earle replied: "He's definitely up there."

Up there?! He's more than just up there. He IS there!

The Lyon playmaker can take all kinds of free kicks; Beckham and Pirlo-esque curlers, Carlos/Ronaldo style dippers and swervers and even Riise style, straight forward, pile drivers. All with devastating consistency.

His delivery from corners and free kicks in wide areas is also exceptionally accurate and, what's more, he's been doing it for more than seven years.

It makes you wonder whether these 'experts' really watch football or just pander to favouritism.

Agree? Disagree? Make your own mind up. Watch this Juninho Compilation and this Ronaldo Compilation and then leave a comment.