One of the glories of the FA Cup is that a tie can suddenly come alive and the sudden-death nature ensures you never know until the two teams are right in it... but, right now, this fifth round isn't exactly the most appealing. It is sadly only fitting with the Premier League season. With the title pretty much won, and survival all but settled, there are really only the Champions League places to play for. It's a bit like 2005-06 in that sense, and why the wider game might need the Champions League itself, and the Championship, to offer some excitement. |
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| Written by Miguel Delaney |
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Old Trafford stages a modern football tragedy |
Manchester United might have finally won again in the Premier League on Wednesday but it was all framed by a story where it felt like something more intrinsic is being lost. This week brought the news of more cut-backs and redundancies at the club. Given that this was a club that was entirely profitable before the 2005 leveraged buy-out, it is a situation that should provoke as many questions for the game as the European Super League and even Bury. Much more of that, and the tragedy of one of England's great clubs, is discussed here. |
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The case for the regulator |
It's all the more timely that such stories, and so much supporter unrest, comes up amid discussions over the independent football regulator. There has been strong resistance from many prominent figures in the Premier League. Geoff Walters, Professor in Sports Business at the University of Liverpool, makes the case for the regulator here. |
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| United digging in on the new regime |
Manchester United's results have naturally created a lot of noise - where even the 3-2 victory over Ipswich Town was underwhelming - right up to talk over what it would cost for Ruben Amorim to go. That just isn't being considered within the club, though. They really are all in on Amorim, and know they have to be because of the scale of the rebuilding job. One specific problem highlighted right now is the awareness that many players are conscious they won't be part of the club's future. It's hard not to think like that when everyone is so open about changing everything, and that naturally creates another morale issue they have to weather. |
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Vinicius so far cool but Saudi Pro League still to heat up |
A planned €1bn bid from the Saudi Pro League for Vinicius Junior has started to cause consternation in European football, with even Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin commenting. It might be for nothing yet. The word from the Bernabeu is that Vinicius currently wants to stay, because he has greater ambitions. If the Brazilian isn't tempted, though, plenty of other players might be. This summer is expected to mark Saudi Pro League stage two, as the competition really goes again in the wake of the country getting the 2034 World Cup. |
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I attended the Financial Times Business of Football Summit on Thursday, a conference that generally brings together a lot of high-powered executives from the game. While recent years have seen a focus on financial capital, this year's was much more on running the game, and especially the independent regulator. It is of course the meeting area that is often more intriguing than the talks - good as they are - and the main subjects there had been the running of Manchester United, the Premier League (chief executive Richard Masters disputed the characterisation of a "a civil war")... at least until La Liga president Javier Tebas staged his customary press conference, and announced his competition had filed a complaint about Manchester City to the European Commission in July 2023. He accused the club of trying to circumvent football's financial and - in the headline claim - likened the situation to the Enron scandal of 2001. It caused a flurry in the room, and some fury within Manchester City. |
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| In a week when Liverpool really went clear, Dominik Szoboszlai looked like he went to another level. He's added proper productivity, and big-game impact, to his impressive industry. |
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Brighton are a club that feel like they have been on the brink of something historic for the club for some time, and the FA Cup offers a huge opportunity this season. A problem is that their fifth-round match is away to Newcastle United. With Eddie Howe's side already looking to the Carabao Cup, and in erratic form in the league, I fancy Brighton to claim a potentially significant victory. |
Every week I'll make one prediction or talking point for the week. Feel free to email in with thoughts. |
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Since the end of the second world war, there have been 10 managers who have won the English title in their very first season in the top tier. Name the 10. Note: as an example, Claudio Ranieri would not count, as he had managed in the Premier League at Chelsea before taking over at Leicester City for 2015-16. Either the old First Division or Premier League is obviously included. It doesn't need to have been their first season at a club, since they could previously have managed them in the second division. It's all about a first ever season in the top flight. Eight of answers are very gettable. Two are fiendishly difficult. |
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