EPL 2012/13 Thread - The English Premier League

So I'm going to admit to being quite a bit drunk and frustrated... but I grew up in Dallas in the 70's when the Cowboys were the best team in the WORLD, then felt a bit of joy in '90 when the new owner brought in a great coach, a strong team and won two Super Bowls, only to let him go and bring in the most hated man in Texas (Barry Switzer - google him).

About 1996 I became a Chelsea fan (due to a British BH) and have held on to both allengences ever since. Some time in 2003 a new owner came to Chelsea and the similarities between the two owners is striking.

Believe you are better than the professional staff you employ, check. Hire people, pay them great salaries, then excuse them when they under perform, check. Bring in interim coaches/managers who do not have the power to act in the team's best interest...then watch the whole thing fall apart, check.

I would become a Packers or Man U fan...but I would rather shoot myself in the head. Go Cowboys! On Chelsea!
 
United wouldn't be a better option if you don't like shitty owners. The only thing that is saving United at the moment is Sir Alex. I dread to think what will happen then. Also one does not simply change team because the team you support don't win anymore. Once you pick a team you stick with it! Besides, Chelsea has been unnaturally high up on the table because of the money Abramovich has been shooting into the club. Now they are just returning to their proper place, in the middle of the table:p
 
United wouldn't be a better option if you don't like shitty owners. The only thing that is saving United at the moment is Sir Alex. I dread to think what will happen then. Also one does not simply change team because the team you support don't win anymore. Once you pick a team you stick with it! Besides, Chelsea has been unnaturally high up on the table because of the money Abramovich has been shooting into the club. Now they are just returning to their proper place, in the middle of the table:p

As I told a certain bearded, guitar playing Star Wars fan here some time ago when I noticed he switched his allegiances from Arsenal to Chelsea!

And as far as Chelsea goes you can chuck all the money you like into a club but if you don't have continuity you don't win things. Look at City - all that money spent and just one trophy to show for it and they only scraped that on goal difference. It just goes to prove the old adage - form is temporary, class is permanent!
 
United wouldn't be a better option if you don't like shitty owners. The only thing that is saving United at the moment is Sir Alex. I dread to think what will happen then. Also one does not simply change team because the team you support don't win anymore. Once you pick a team you stick with it! Besides, Chelsea has been unnaturally high up on the table because of the money Abramovich has been shooting into the club. Now they are just returning to their proper place, in the middle of the table:p

The Glazers aren't actually "that" bad as owners. They have the sense to let Ferguson get on with it and they haven't completely crippled the cash flow to the point that the team can't compete.
 
The Glazers aren't actually "that" bad as owners. They have the sense to let Ferguson get on with it and they haven't completely crippled the cash flow to the point that the team can't compete.

Amen. Unlike Chaski and Man Shitty they have left Fergie to his own devices and trusted that he will deliver and he has done. The Glazers bought the club as a business and treat it as such. The likes of Sheik Manssorry and Raving Mymumsavich treat the clubs like toys and throw little tantrums if they don't win anything, sack the current manager and try someone else. Hell on that basis I'm surprised Wenger's still in the job but at least Arsenal's shareholders are keeping the faith.
 
The Glazers introduced a lot of debt to the club, but besides that I think it's quite hard to complain. They're reducing the debt, and they still provide Ferguson with a transer budget that contnues to makes them competitive. They can't be that bad businessmen, the Glazers - in the long term they may even be good news for the club, they're obviously doing a good job running it at the moment.

Whether the club would have done better overall without them, I have no idea. I'd be a lot happier as a Man United fan than as a Chelsea fan though. There's too much drama at Chelsea all the time.
 
When the Glazier's took over, ther lots of business type/financial documentaries on Man U.
One one of them, they mentioned that the Man U fanshop or giftshop has a turnover of about ?52 million per year.

?1 million per week t/o, just for replica shirts etc.. :jawdrop:

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Anyway, anyone keeping on top of the transfer news?
Smalling has left Man U and gone to Newcastle Utd. (Shown on MotD yesterday)
 
Amen. Unlike Chaski and Man Shitty they have left Fergie to his own devices and trusted that he will deliver and he has done. The Glazers bought the club as a business and treat it as such. The likes of Sheik Manssorry and Raving Mymumsavich treat the clubs like toys and throw little tantrums if they don't win anything, sack the current manager and try someone else. Hell on that basis I'm surprised Wenger's still in the job but at least Arsenal's shareholders are keeping the faith.

Not trying to hijack the thread to American football, but this is exactly my point. Look at the Cowboys from the 60's through '90 and you see the same sort of continuity that Fergie has enjoyed at United. Quiet (or atleast non-interventionist) ownership + continuous but kick ass coaching and staff = winning formula for decades (although I do admit to some dark ages for the Cowboys in the 80's). I just wish the same thing had continued to today, which may be the very thing United fans worry about as Sir Alex looks towards retirement. Change is inevitable, but it does not have to be stupid.

And again, I would not, could not change allegences if I tried. One pathetic loss (QPR 1-0 Chelsea, really!) or a shitload of staff changes (15 for Chelsea during Fergison's reign, eight for the 'Boys since Landry left) does not turn my head. I'm diehard Blue, just different hues!
 
Anyway, anyone keeping on top of the transfer news?
Smalling has left Man U and gone to Newcastle Utd. (Shown on MotD yesterday)

Erh, what? Only player that has been sold is King and he went to Blackburn


United has always made a lot of money and before Glazer took over they were the worlds richest club.
Now they got a massive debt, but it is getting payed down. But not as fast as it could have been, because the Glazers are putting a lot of Uniteds income into their own pocket. They are riding on the club's success and stability and that comes from Sir Alex and his staff. Once he is gone, then things will look a lot grimmer. United has never had the best squad player for player, but as a team, he has managed to get them to play at their strenghts. Which is why the Glazers hasnt involved themselfes in any of the sport related stuff except for transfers, because they know they can't get a better man for the job anyway. But will the next guy be given the same time to build up at steady team and settle in to the club without interferance?
 
Depends who they get. Jose Mourinho would love the chance to emulate Fergie and try to match his achievements I reckon and I think he is just biding his time with other jobs until the time comes. Guardiola would be another solid option. Who knows? I reckon SAF will keep going until he's 75 so that gives us a few more seasons.
 
Don't matter who replaces SAF if they don't get the time to settle in. Remember it took SAF 3 years to win anything.
 
Well hopefully the Glazers recognise that fact and acknowledge the folly of Ambromovich and his ilk.
 
Well hope so, and there is another thing that speaks for that. Unlike Abramovich, the Glazers don't have money to spend. They can't afford replacing managers every 2 months
 
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Good point well made. And with the history of the club and the continuity under Ferguson they won't need to wave a huge great Golden Hello under a candidate's nose to get them to take the job.
 
Erh, what? Only player that has been sold is King and he went to Blackburn


You are correct, Smalling is still at Man U. I must have misheard the commentator, he was saying that BA had left Newcastle and they showed a new player in the crowd that had just signed.

:smile:
 
Saturday 19th January 2013

Liverpool 5-0 Norwich
Man City 2-0 Fulham
Newcastle 1-2 Reading
Swansea 3-1 Stoke

West Brom 2-2 Aston Villa
West Ham 1-1 QPR
Wigan 2-3 Sunderland

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Well done by Liverpool. Sturridge seems to fit right in :)
 
Come on Abramovich, don't be an ass, offer Lampard a contract... :) Based on his recent performances, he should definitely get a renewed contract... But, when you treat a Premier League football club as your private plaything... :rolleyes:
 
He's just living the dream, isn't he? He's playing Football Manager in the real world.
 
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