Premier League - Paper Round: Hull in trouble

Eurosport - Wed, 16 Sep 15:01:00 2009

A round-up of today's newspaper stories, with Hull City reportedly struggling financially.

FOOTBALL Hull manager Phil Brown, fined £2,500 by the FA for comments about referee Mike Riley following an FA Cup match against Arsenal - 0

The Tigers could be in serious hot water according to The Guardian, which has a double-page expose on how the club and their holding company have yet to file accounts for 2008 and could be struck off the Companies House register.

The rumours are that Essex-based property developer Russell Bartlett is struggling because of the recession, and as the club are also in trouble they are delaying as much as they can until more revenue hits the coffers.

Hull have denied there is a problem, saying the delay - four months so far - is just administrative as they work with auditors to finalise the precise wording of their statement.

The soon-to-be tedious Emmanuel Adebayor case is threatening to rumble on to eternity. The Daily Telegraph features a double-page spread on the affair.

Mark Ogden explores Manchester City's legal bid to reduce or overturn any ban he faces for booting Robin van Persie in the face and winding up the Arsenal fans.

They have until 6pm today to respond to the charge of violent conduct, which if accepted will result in a three-match ban, but face the possibility of being slapped with a worse sanction if, on rejecting the charge, the FA decide they are wasting time. In the fast-track disciplinary process he will not be entitled to a personal hearing.

Henry Winter thinks this brouhaha gives Mark Hughes the chance to prove, as he did with Blackburn, that he can succeed in City's "hour of need". At Rovers he had limited resources and an 'us against them' mentality that helped them over-achieve. He needs to do likewise at Eastlands, with all four big-money forwards unlikely to start the derby at Old Trafford.

Chief sports writer Kevin Garside feels the whole shebang gives the FA a chance to prove that - unlike UEFA in the Eduardo back-down - they have a genuine commitment to cleaning up the game's image. "It is time to change the culture of the game," he wrote. "It starts, one hopes, with Adebayor." Surely it should have started with Joey Barton?

The Daily Mirror's Mike Walters argues that Adebayor's antics could play into the hands of England as, now he is no longer the most hated man at Arsenal (and among Gunners-sympathising media types), Ashley Cole can quietly focus on being the best left-back in the world.

Arguably the Daily Mail's most analytical and even-handed writer across all subjects, Martin Samuel makes a pertinent point regarding UEFA's attempt to only include clubs in European competition that spend only what they earn.

Forget about the Premier League whingers, reliant on sugar-daddies and large but manageable loans, what about the smaller leagues?

Like Hungary where, with revenue limited, Debrecen are now to be guaranteed the league every season as the £12 million they get from qualifying for the Champions League puts them head and shoulders above the rest.

Or Greece where Olympiacos have won 12 out of 13 championships and will continue to do so if the UEFA ruling is enforced as they will grow and grow while others struggle to play catch-up?

"Platini and UEFA are playing let's pretend," Samuel concluded. "They have given no thought to how smaller leagues can be engaged without unhealthily influencing domestic football. They marshal a terrifyingly elitist competition yet wish to make believe it is egalitarian and benign. Well, sometimes they do."

On a less sombre note, The Times have discovered the secret to spotting a dive. Dr Paul Morris, of the University of Portsmouth, noted that dives in the penalty area are usually accompanied by an "Archer's Bow".

You know, "the holding up of both arms in the air, with open palms, chest thrust out and legs bent at the knee".

"Moving the body like this is genuinely controlled behaviour, so it clearly doesn't show a genuine fall," he added.

Eurosport

Comment 1 - 11 of 11

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  1. Hull would have been financially sound this season if­ Phil Brown hadnt put all his trips to local tanning­ salons through as expenses.......

    From Tony K, on Wed 16 Sep 2:22PM
  2. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    WHAT A LOAD OF TOSSERS YOU HAVE ALL WRITTEN A LOAD OF­ @#$%

    From Geoff, on Wed 16 Sep 1:17PM
  3. Rooney has no chance of winning a Slam !
    Also if­­ Federer badly injured himself in a ski-ing or­ boating­­ accident then even a child of 7 could beat him­­­ !.That's how bad he has become...

    From corneilius, on Wed 16 Sep 12:53PM
  4. Hull are that dross of a team they will be relegated­ anyway; with, or without a points deduction.

    From cameron w, on Wed 16 Sep 12:48PM
  5. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Hull City can dive their way to the top 4 and qualify­ for Champions league just like Arsenal did

    From Godwin, on Wed 16 Sep 12:22PM
  6. Even I knew how to spot a dive. The way footballers­ "fall" when tackled is really funny. maybe­ they should all take a look at what it's really­ like by searching for "Marcin Wasilewsski" on­ youtube then learn from it. No theatrical display­ should EVER be whistled; but then when do we know­ it's theatrical? The players are so fragile now­ compared to a few years ago, or so they seem! Anyway,­ just to say that the professor's analysis does not­ and will not help ANY referee in the heat of a football­ game!

    From Belyab, on Wed 16 Sep 11:50AM
  7. They will be in trouble with the amount their paying­ Bullard each week.

    From Richard C, on Wed 16 Sep 11:46AM
  8. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Arsenal fans are tossers that can give abuse but cant­ take anything back!!

    From Max V, on Wed 16 Sep 11:39AM
  9. Why do I hate Platini so much??

    From Ashley B, on Wed 16 Sep 11:11AM
  10. smegma!!

    From lee.cooper21, on Wed 16 Sep 11:10AM
  11. all divers should be lined up and shot in the head, oh­ and people that call Ronaldo CR7, them too!

    From Darren, on Wed 16 Sep 11:04AM
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