Wembley Stadium - Why the FA should NOT sell the home of football.

No matter how many millions Shahid Zhan offers the FA for Wembley the answer should be a resounding NO. England is the home of football. From a purely football fan's point of view. Wembley is the home of English football. The home of English football should not be owned by a businessman who's primary motive is that of an American Football team. Now from the view point of a businessman. It cost £800 million to build Wembley. Shahid Khan's offer is £600 million. Minus a whole quarter from the original investment - it makes zero sense.

Now of course I am going to go into more detail then this by simply put, two concrete reasons why selling Wembley stadium is ludicrous.

I see myself as a bit of a purist when it comes to football. I feel the history of our game is being pushed further and further into the background and that simply should never happen. Now, Wembley Stadium only came into ownership of the FA in 1999, so for the vast majority of time, Wembley has been owned by an outside party. The ownership is not the problem here, the problem is the bidder. I personally have nothing again Shahid Khan or any of his business ventures, I feel however that selling to the billionaire could damage English football substantially. Simply put, the future of the home of football would be in the hands of a man who wants to use it as an American football stadium. Khan's offer would currently see the FA still able to host major cup finals at Wembley and a selection of England internationals; with the money from those events going to the governing body.

However Khan is a businessman. Say once the original contract signed with the FA runs out, Khan doesn't feel like doing business anymore and he wants total control of Wembley so he receives 100% of it's revenue. The FA will be powerless to stop him. THEN say his beloved Jacksonville Jaguars have a huge game which falls on the same day as a major international for England, which game do you think he will host at Wembley? All very hypothetical yes, but the possibility should never be there. England should not be playing their football away from their home, while American football is taking place under Wembley's arch.

Plenty of pundits and fellow Journalists have used the argument that not many of the world's elite have their own national stadium. Germany? No. Spain? No. Italy? No. The list does go on. Now, a national stadium is not essential to a country's success, a success that England have gone without since 1966. Wembley Stadium is a venue players and fans alike from all around the world dream of visiting. Right now, English football is looked down upon in a way unlike we have ever seen. Our football is shocking, our fans are embarrassing and our attitude is stuck in the past. What do we, as a country, have going for us? We have an iconic stadium which is envied the world over. Obviously Khan isn't going to airlift the ground to Jacksonville, but that isn't the point. A landmark of the game would have been struck from the map the second the new landlord decides that football is not longer the primary sport of Wembley stadium.

Staying on the topic of a Khan owned Wembley. I personally have never gotten into American Football, and a huge reason for that is the over riding sponsorship influence. An influence that has slowly leaked it's way into football. Sponsors are everywhere in the American sport, and as previously mentioned, that sport will be Khan's priority for Wembley. What happens when a multi national corporation with bottomless pockets comes along and hands Shahid a blank cheque for the naming rights of Wembley stadium? After all, Metlife, AT&T, Fedex, all major companies sponsoring stadiums the size of Wembley over in American within the NFL. Where do the Jaguar's play? The recently renamed TIAA Bank Field, you guessed it, the ground is named after the bank that sponsors them. This is the second time during Khan's ownership that he has sold the name of the ground, he isn't above it. That simply CAN NOT happen to Wembley.

Moving from pointing the finger at Khan and moving it to the FA. Without a doubt, the story pushed to the press will be that the windfall will be used to benefit grass roots football and all that comes with that. However, over the years the FA have not filled us with confidence that they will stick to their words in any way shape or form. Erratic behaviour over the past decades have lead the public to see the people making the decisions in a very negative light, and has cost the FA the trust of the people. It is 100% right to want to improve facilities for young players all around the country, building all weather pitches, providing coaches and equipment for local sides. It's what has been cried for by players across the land for years. But with the amount of money in the game right now, do you not get the idea it would have happened by now if it was going to, at all?

Solid reasoning that speaks to the football fans out there, now for the business people.

"The FA will take £600 million, clear the debt that Wembley played a part in causing, and then redistribute it within the game." Well this just isn't true at all. The money deposited to the FA's bank account will be substantially smaller then that. £112 million of public money was provided in order to finish construction of the new Wembley. That public money was donated to the FA, but not for a definite purpose so that total would be available to redistribute into grass roots football should the FA take the offer.

However, £78 millions from Sport England; £18.5 million from the department of culture, sport and media; and £16.2 million from the London Development agency were all donated for a specific cause. To build a beacon for English football upon historically significant ground. A beacon which would be under the ownership of the English Football Association who will have the opportunity to use it to move the game in this country forward.

That ideology would die the second the deed was signed over to Khan. Meaning the money invested by the previously listened organisations would be returned. That just leaves the debt still within Wembley. At one point that debt totalled over £400 million, but has now been whittled down to around £140 million. The sale of Wembley would not change this fact, and the influx of funds would have to go towards paying off the debt. Once you do the maths the only sizeable amount left of the £600 million offer is the public money, which as mentioned, would be left to redistribute into grassroots as stated. However once again, the FA have done themselves no favours and any statement made by them must be taken with a pinch of salt at this point. Would we see any of that money in grassroots? It's up in the air.

A statue of the late great Bobby Moore stands outside a ground which symbolises the home of not just English football, but the sport as a whole. Where this great game was invented. Although this new instalment of Wembley may not carry the same history as the old. The arch after all, is no twin towers. But Wembley will forever be Wembley. At this point the relationship between the English Football Association and the English fan is dwindling. The sale of Wembley might just be the nail in the coffin. Sahid Khan said that people opposed to his deal need to 'see past their emotion.' He clearly doesn't know English football. We have little all else to go on!

So... simply put.

To Whom It May Concern,

Don't you dare sell Wembley.

Yours faithfully,

The future of English football.

Spurs to Wembley - Is this a good move for anyone?

Tottenham today confirmed that they will play their home games during the 2017/2018 season at the home of English football while White Hart Lane is being worked on. Wembley stadium is one of the biggest and most iconic football grounds on the planet and is viewed as a coliseum for the biggest teams to compete for the biggest prizes. The English national side are the only team who have ever called Wembley home, until today. The opportunity for Spurs to play their home games at Wembley is huge for both the club and their fans however, for the newest tenants of Wembley stadium and English football as a whole, is this a wise move?

The North London club are no strangers to Wembley stadium, after playing their European home games their during the current campaign as well as reaching a number of finals and semi finals over the past several years. What is interesting about this is how poor of a record Spurs have had at their adopted home. Since the new Wembley stadium opened in 2007 Spurs have won just two out of a possible ten games played at the national stadium, with just one win there this season during their European run. When you compare that to Tottenham's home record this season, you can see why this may be a huge issue which has been overlooked by the men making the decision. Spurs are currently battling for the title, and they have done this by turning White Hart Lane into a fortress, not losing a single game there in all competitions this season, their only home defeats coming when playing at Wembley. This home record has been paramount in Spurs putting up a serious challenge for the title this season, and it goes back even further then that. After losing at home on the opening game of the 2015/2016 season Mauricio Pochettino's side went undefeated at home throughout the remainder of the campaign, and much like this season their home form helped build towards a very impressive run. With the majority of points won by Spurs over the last two seasons coming from home games, and with next season shaping up to be potentially massive for the club, is it smart to move into a stadium which has seen such poor performances from Spurs during the last decade?

Now this point has less to do with Spurs and more to do with the sides that will have to visit Wembley throughout the season to face them. With Wembley still set to be used to host the EFL Cup final, as well as the FA Cup final and Semi-Finals, is it fair for Tottenham to be playing these massive games at home, should they reach them? Wembley is supposed to be a massive day out for both the club and the fans, and playing in front of 90,000 people instead of the smaller grounds around the country is a test in itself. Which poses the question, is it entirely fair for Spurs to have an entire season's experience playing in front of that crowd in potential preparation for a huge cup tie towards the end of the season? As well is it being unfair to opposing sides, you have to ask yourself, is it right for any side other then England to call Wembley home? As previously mentioned playing at the national stadium is effectively a reward for a very successful cup run, and playing on neutral ground ensures no advantages going to either side during the 90 minutes. For players, the chance to play in the iconic ground is a career highlight, either with their club or after being called up to the national team. With Spurs however becoming an official tenant of the stadium for the next year, will it lose a bit of that sense of occasion a trip to the home of English football has, as every Premier League side is guaranteed to visit Wembley in the next twelve months, regardless of performance of success on the field.

West Ham United. Coming out of the 2015/2016 Premier League season the Hammers were incredibly optimistic about the upcoming campaign, after a very impressive 2014/2015 season and an upcoming move to the Olympic Stadium, renamed simply the London Stadium. On paper this seemed like a brilliant move for all parties, the board and owners got a great deal for the stadium, there are more seats and therefore more fans can see their side play week after week, and the players get the chance to play in a truly incredible stadium, one which, if the previous season was any indication, could be home to some big moments in the coming years. However this couldn't be further from reality. This season West ham have won just 6 games at home in the league, and the performances at home as a whole have been incredibly poor when compared to when they played their home games at Upton Park. Not only have the players struggled to perform at the new ground, the fans have also found the move tough. With a huge running track separating the fans from the action, the drop in atmosphere from last season has been huge, and you wouldn't be surprised if that was a major factor in the poor performances of the players. Despite the incredible facilities and opportunities West Ham now have at their disposal, the majority of true fans and I'm sure even a number of players would have, in hindsight, preferred to have remained at Upton park. The could be a problem Spurs will have to face next season, Wembley might be incredible, but it isn't Tottenham's home. Will the fans be able to provide the same atmosphere in a vastly bigger venue? Will the players settle in and feel at home? Or will they, like West Ham have this season, struggle to turn their new home into the fortress their previous ground had become.

You have to wonder if, when making the decision on their immediate home, the board of the North London club took any of the factors I have just mentioned into consideration. If recent history has anything to tell, it's that moving into a shiny new stadium may be great on paper, but when the whistle blows it is a very different animal. As well as this, was the FA's decision to even make this a possibility ever second guessed, and if not why? Surely I can not be the only one who feels the home of English football, of the oldest federation in WORLD football should be treated as something special and not just the home ground for a local club. We'll see over the next twelve months if Spurs handle the move well, and it might even be a great thing for English football, giving many more people the chance to visit Wembley! And then they can do it the year after as well... and the next two after that... When Chelsea move in for three years starting at the end of Tottenham's tenure. Great.

The Title Race - Can Spurs catch champions elect Chelsea?

Since Liverpool's January from hell it has been common knowledge that Chelsea have been odds on to be crowned Premier League champions this upcoming May. With Hazard finding his best form again, Kante proving to be the signing of the season for the second year running and a defensive unit looking unbreakable at times the title has been Chelsea's to lose. Coming into April Chelsea had a comfortable 11 point advantage over closest challengers Spurs and looked to be strolling to the title. 16 days later however the title race could be back on. After a 2-1 home defeat to Crystal Palace and a convincing 2-0 defeat at Old Trafford against Manchester United, lead by former manager Jose Mourinho, Mauricio Pochettinio's Spurs side are breathing down the neck of the league leaders. Suffering only one defeat in their last 17 league games it looks like the side from White Hart Lane will not only finally finish ahead of North London rivals Arsenal but their form could be causing Chelsea to have to look over their shoulder.

One thing Chelsea can be happy about is their remaining league games. Minus a tricky away trip to Goodison Park and the home of the league's top scorer Lukaku, Chelsea's run in shouldn't be causing fans to cash out on their bets to win the title too soon. When compared to the run in for Spurs, who have still got the North London derby against Arsenal to play as well as an away trip to the champions Leicester City and welcoming Manchester United to White Hart Lane, Chelsea can rest easy knowing the fixtures have been much more kind to them. However this run of games won't faze Spurs, who have hit such a rich vain of form they will feel like they can take on anyone. With Harry Kane once again hitting over 20 goals this season and Dele Ali continuing to prove he is one of the stand out young talents in Europe, they have more than enough fire power to cause problems for anyone going forward. And then when you look at the defence you realise how well built this side is. Spurs have the best defensive record in the league, conceding only 22 goals so far this term, 5 less then Chelsea, and even if their defence is ever found wanting, with Hugo Lloris between the sticks a goal is never a guarantee. 

Coming off the back of their second defeat in four games against Jose's United side, Conte and his team will be hoping none of their upcoming opponents were watching the way Ander Herrera man marked Eden Hazard out of the game. The Belgian attacker has been on fire this season, with 14 goals and 5 assists in the league this season he really has rediscovered his PFA Player of the Season winning form from two years ago. However on Sunday he didn't get a sniff, with the Spanish midfielder Herrera keeping him well and truly in his back pocket throughout. This method of man marking the tricky winger is one we haven't really seen adopted this season by many sides and possibly Jose's tactics this weekend could convince a few of the sides in Chelsea's run in to attempt a similar system to nullify the number 10.

Diego Costa is another big name who had re-found his form from Chelsea's title winning side of two years ago and he came flying out the blocks this season with 5 goals in his first 5 Premier League games this season. However before Chelsea started to stutter in recent weeks, the Brazilian born Spanish national team striker, has looked a lot closer to the man who was only a shadow of his former self last season. With no goals in his last 6 league games on only four in the entirety of 2017 so far, that is not the form of a striker leading his side to a league title. One of Costa's main criticisms has always been his temper and his tendency to get involved physically with opposing defenders. This vice was ever present lasts season and it seems to have reared it's head again during this poor run of form. With four yellow cards since his last league goal, the striker has been more of a danger then a help for the side lead by Antonio Conte. When compared to the talisman for challengers Spurs, in Harry Kane, Costa really is struggling. Kane has scored 12 league goals so far in 2017, triple what Costa has hit and that is with the English striker missing several games with an ankles injury. Harry Kane has scored more than 20 goals for the third successive season, becoming only the fourth player in the Premier League era to do so and the Englishman really is firing his side back in contention for the title. 

The FA Cup has undergone a rejuvenation this season and the semi finals are coming up, where the top two sides in the Premier League will meet at Wembley for a spot in the final. With Chelsea vs Spurs in the FA Cup being the first game for Chelsea since their humbling against United, should they now lose to their closest rivals who knows what damage that will cause mentally to Conte's men and on the flip side, the confidence coming from a potential win against the side their trying to catch in the race for the title could be huge for Tottenham and could be the final push needed to secure maximum point from their final 6 league games. 

A month ago the title race was all but over, and most people had declared Chelsea champions, including me. However if we have learnt nothing else from the Premier League over the years, it's never over until the final whistle is blown. Manchester United, Liverpool, Newcastle United and a host of other sides have all been guilty of throwing away the title when they looked all but guaranteed to win it. Could Chelsea be the next? The current leaders had looked so well drilled and professional coming into the final stretch of the season anyone else being crowned champions had been written off, however with only four points separating the two sides at the top, the Premier League trophy could still have a new first time home in the form of White Hart Lane.

The Magic of the Cup - FA Cup 2017 so far.

The FA Cup, the oldest cup competition in Professional football, the competition where the phrase 'giant killing' was really put into practice and this year, after a few years in the wilderness, it's back with a bang! With the biggest sides in the country using this competition to field weaker sides and for youngsters to gain experience the importance of this competition has dwindled, with the prize money for winning the competition being nothing compared to a respectable finish in the top flight of English football. With last season's FA Cup winners Manchester United pocketing south of £2million, and Aston Villa who placed last in the Premier League receiving over £62million, the long, drawn out cup run was treated as a non priority by a lot of sides, this year however you would have to think otherwise. 

With Chelsea beating the holders Man United 1-0 at Stanford Bridge tonight the semi finals were set, Chelsea vs Spurs, and Manchester City vs Arsenal. Four of the big teams in the country and four of the bookies favourites before a ball was kicked but it has not been as clean cut as it seems. 

This Year's FA Cup has seen history made, in the form of Sutton United and Lincoln Town. For the first time in over a century two non-league sides made their way to the FA Cup fifth round, beating championship sides Leeds and Brighton. It would take 12 time FA Cup winners Arsenal to knock out Sutton in a much more even match then many would expect, the heart of the non-league side shown throughout. For Lincoln however, the incredible run continued! A late, late goal secured a 1-0 win away from home against Burnley, a side with the third best home record in the premier league. Lincoln became the first non-league side in English football since 1914 to reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup and one game away from a Wembley Semi Final! However, much like Sutton the round before, Lincoln fell to Arsenal but the Lincoln players have written their names into the history books. 

It wasn't just teams from outside the football league causing upsets throughout this years FA Cup, there have been more than anyone would expect. During the fourth round we saw Wolves outplay Liverpool at Anfield and pick up a 2-1 against the reds. Oxford shocked high flying championship side Newcastle with a comfortable 3-0 at home. We also saw Premier League sides Hull and Watford fall to Championship outfit Fulham, and League one's representative in this stage of the cup Millwall. The Fifth round was a lot more run of the mill with the majority of the bigger sides advancing, however Millwall once again gained the scalp of high profile opposition, in the form of Premier League Champions Leicester City! The 1-0 home win saw them progress to the quarter finals for a date with cross city rivals Spurs, where sadly the the League one side. the home team proved far too good on the day and strolled to a 6-0 win! 

Between the final four sides in the competition they scored 14 goals in their quarter final ties and conceded none, showing their class to progress to the semi-finals at the home of football, Wembley stadium. Chelsea have local rivals Spurs on route to the final and a chance to complete a potential domestic double with the London club flying high at the top of the league and with Kante in their midfield it will feel like having an extra man on the pitch for the blues. Where as Spurs will have to handle a second consecutive derby in the FA Cup, and with Harry Kane currently nursing a potentially re-injured ankle it could be a tough ask Pochettino's men. Arsenal seemingly have nothing left to play for this campaign, and in what could be Wenger's last they'll want to end the season with some silverware. Their opponents however are still chasing European glory, leading 5-3 from the first leg of their round of 16 tie against Monaco making the FA Cup play second priority. However, City, along side Chelsea, are perhaps the only side in the Premier League with a squad strong enough to make wholesale changes without losing out in terms of ability. Also, you know Pep will be desperate to remember his first season in charge of the Citizans as a trophy winning one. 

This is what the FA Cup is all about, giant killing throughout from surprise outfits, but the trophy comes down to some of the best the country has to offer. There's a reason the tournament has lasted well over 140 years ago, nothing can replace the magic of the cup. 

Semi Final predictions: 

Chelsea 2-1 Spurs 

Arsenal 0-2 Manchester City. 

Final Prediction:

 

Chelsea 2-2 Manchester City (Manchester City to win on penalties) 

Heavy Metal Football - What needs to change with Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool?

This is a disclaimer before I get too ahead of myself. Jurgen Klopp is one of the world's best managers in my opinion, and I feel his football philosophy will guide Liverpool Football Club to great things in the future. This is in no way me stating that Klopp has failed in his first 12 months as Liverpool manager, it is also not a call for his head. With two cup finals, one semi final and currently in the race for the Premier League title, Liverpool have came on leaps and bounds since his appointment in October 2015. However with no silverware to show for his time in charge just how far has Jurgen's Liverpool actually came and what is left to do before we can start realistically talking about a Liverpool title challenge?

Heavy metal football. The phrase used to describe the German manager's style of play, an incredibly fast paced, high intensity game which when done effectively can force the opposition into submission. Just look at performances against the likes of current league leaders Chelsea at Stanford Bridge and the champions Leicester City at Anfield earlier in the season. Last season Klopp's new brand of football was also showing results, a crushing victory against Manchester City at The Etihad and the Europa League semi-final victory against Villarreal were perhaps some of the best by any English side in any competition. But inconsistency has plagued Liverpool during Klopp's era, much like it did during the previous regime under Brendan Rodgers. Defeats against the likes of Swansea, Burnley and the recent EFL Cup semi-final against Southampton more than demonstrate the clubs inability to produce the performances required of them week in, week out. The side built by the Northern Irishman is still strongly represented in the current team and this is where I feel the problem lies.

On the 25th January 2017, Southampton turned over Liverpool 1-0 at Anfield, to progress to the EFL Cup final at Wembley, just two weeks after beating them by the same result at St Mary's. These two loses came during the worst run of the season so far for the reds, which has seen then pick up just one win in the last seven games. That win being against league two side Plymouth Argyle in an FA Cup 3rd round reply after failing to score at Anfield, drawing 0-0 despite being over 60 places between the teams in the football league. This recent run of bad form has seen Jurgen Klopp's team fall from 2nd in the Premier  League and battling for the title to 4th place and only hanging onto a Champions League place by a thread. Also an almost expected date at Wembley for the EFL cup final has slipped through the clubs fingers despite them being huge favourites in their Semi-final against Southampton. One win in seven in not title winning form, or even challenging form and it could have cost Liverpool the chance to really make the 2016-17 season one to remember, but what has gone wrong? Sadio Mane's departure for the African Cup Of Nations directly correlates with the start of this poor run of form. Now i'm not saying was the only reason for Liverpool's success was the form of the Senegalese international, but more what the winger represents. Mane is the soul attacking player signed by Jurgen Klopp, and therefore the one attacking player signed under the ideology of  'heavy metal football'. The rest of the Red's front line, Roberto Firmino, Philipe Coutinho and Adam Lallana in particular, despite all being more then capable of fitting the German's system, where all signed by Brendan Rodgers and signed simply to fit his style of play, a much more slow based passing game based around dominating possession of the ball. These three players have been stand out performers for Liverpool this season, but without Mane neither of them have been able to carry the side over the last seven games due to again, neither of them fitting the style of 'heavy metal football'. Technically, Liverpool have one of the best front lines in the country, but without Mane running tirelessly to track the ball down and create goals Klopp's Liverpool have looked worn out and out of ideas.

After twelve months in charge and three transfer windows there is really no excuse for Mane being the one player signed by the German capable of playing football the way he wants. With the Dutchman Gini Wijnaldum being the only other non defender signed by Klopp to have appeared this season, the squad at the former Dortmund manager's disposal is extremely thin and a large percentage of the players available to him are either unproven teenagers or players signed during the reign of Rodgers which Klopp does not feel would suit his system. The likes of Emre Can who, despite finding his way into the team more in recent weeks, Jurgen Klopp does not seem to fully back Can to make the team work the way he wants. In the EFL cup semi-final against Southampton, centre back Joel Matip was the only starting outfield player signed during Klopp's time in charge with the rest being signed by Brendan Rodgers or a manager before to fit an almost opposite style of football.

If history has told us nothing else, it has told us that for a completely different style of play to work for a team, usually additions must be made to make the system fit. An example being Pep's current Manchester City team, his 'Tiki Taka' style of play was forced upon City and despite early success, without additions made to fit the style (Claudio Bravo has been a disaster) the Spaniard's side are now struggling domestically to earn even a top four place. Proof of how additions can make a change in style work can be seen with Premier League champions Leicester City. Claudio Ranieri wanted to play a counter attacking style of football, so he signed French midfielder Kante to sit in front of the back four, break up opposition attacks and launch counter attacks. These tactics lead to the most incredible Premier League season in recent memory with the surprise winners shocking world football. But since Kante's sale to Chelsea the champions have struggled significantly showing just how important he was in winning them the title.

Last season, despite Klopp taking over, Liverpool struggled domestically and finished outside of any European places. He was let off with the excuse 'it's still Rodger's team' but since then nothing has changed, and despite a few additions including Sadio Mane and Joel Matip, you could argue it is still a similar team built by Brendan Rodgers but with a new set of ideas which despite proving to be much more effective when done correctly, the current side appears to struggle to maintain Klopp's style for as long as is required to truly challenge at the top of the table. I'm not saying the failure to sign players which fit the mould of 'heavy metal football' is entirely the German's fault, i'm sure if he was given the money and the opportunity by the board Jurgen Klopp would have brought in the necessary signings to both fit his team and provide back up when needed but he is not completely absent of blame. Jurgen has been un-moving in his support of his team and he should be, but even if he doesn't openly admit it, he hopefully sees that his team needs a lot of work and that has never been as evident as it is right now.

Heavy metal football. The style implemented by Jurgen Klopp with the hope of leading Liverpool back to where they were, at the top of world football. As 2016 drew to a close it seemed as if a winning formula had been found and the newest Liverpool manager's methods were sure to lead them to success. However the loss of Mane to the ACON and the failure to recruit reinforcements has perhaps seen Liverpool's season end before it had even really begun. I believe in the coming years this high intensity football will lead to great success for the five -time champions of Europe, hopefully the curse of modern day football managers won't cause Jurgen's time with Liverpool to end before he can achieve what we all know he is capable of.