Early Doors - Your morning briefing blog

Benz merks United

Thu Jul 02 08:45AM

For today's Early Doors, see yesterday's Early Doors.

Manchester United have failed to sign another transfer target, with Karim Benzema about to sign for Real Madrid.

Whether United matched Real's £30 million bid is frankly academic because, as Lyon's club statement last night pointed out: "Madrid was always his preference after Lyon."

And this morning, Franck Ribery has said that if he leaves Bayern Munich, it is: "Real Madrid or nothing."

Why is it that one self-styled Biggest Club in the World consistently proves so much more attractive than another self-styled Biggest Club in the World?

Let's start with financial considerations. Is it the 50 per cent tax rate for high earners in Britain?

Andrei Arshavin prompted this discussion when he demanded changes to his £80,000-a-week contract based on "unpleasant surprises" in his deal with Arsenal - namely that HM Revenue and Customs was siphoning off half his earnings.

He said: "I have a problem with my contract. Certain nuances emerged linked to taxation and some other things. As a result, I'm getting less money than I expected."

Arsene Wenger said he thought it could cause problems for English clubs trying to attract foreigners, but ED thinks that if Arshavin - who does not appear in any way stupid - is prepared to put pen to paper before discussing net earnings, then taxation is probably not high on the list of footballers' specialist subjects.

And as long as most agents get their 10 per cent paid into some shady account in the Cayman Islands, there seems very little incentive for them to take night courses in accountancy.

In any case, exchange rate fluctuations have given English clubs a much larger headache.

If an English club had wanted to pay a foreign player the equivalent of €100,000-a-week in 2007, they would have had to shell out £66,000. Now that figure is £86,000.

But as long as there are clubs seemingly willing to pay Samuel Eto'o a quarter of a million quid a week, ED is not going to take too seriously any claims that English clubs cannot compete in the wage market.

It has also been suggested that life in Spain is a little cushier for the discerning player. Referees afford forwards more protection, while training sessions are less rigorous.

It is true that in the later 'Galactico' years, managerial discipline at Real became so non-existent that training consisted of little more than a 20-minute jog followed by a few beers round Ronaldo's house.

Steve McManaman's book provides some particularly amusing insight into the lack of effort put in by some of the biggest stars on the planet.

But even the most bone-idle player would, when pushed, admit that winning things is better than lazing about eating tapas all day.

And if that means you have to spend as many as three hours a day at training? Well, you've still got all afternoon on the golf course.

If footballers were only interested in money and exerting themselves to the minimum possible extent, they would all be playing in the Middle-East.

And if weather, girls and other environmental factors were as important as all that, the UEFA Cup would probably not just have been won by a team from a dingy mining city in Eastern Ukraine.

Early Doors thinks that footballers are children at heart (in fact some are just children), and all they want to do is play for the team everybody has heard of.

The biggest, the most famous, the most glamorous. The best.

During Benzema's formative years, who were Europe's most successful team? Real Madrid, of course. When Real won their three most recent Champions Leagues, he was 10, 12 and 14.

Who wouldn't want to join the team that was winning it all during those years?

ED might be showing its age here, but it has gone through life assuming that the sky is up, the ground is down, and Liverpool win everything.

It has taken 15 years and 11 Premier League titles for Manchester United to shake that assumption that Liverpool are English football's naturally dominant team.

And still ED expects the 'natural order' to be restored soon. As do most Liverpool fans, which is precisely what makes them so annoying.

It is exactly the same delusion that means every young player wants to sign for Real Madrid, whether he is going to get a game there or not.

- - -

Early in the Bosman years, there was a time when the free transfer market provided some genuine excitement. Players whose contracts had run down were available for nothing, presenting the tantalising prospect of a high-profile bargain.

Bosman fever reached its peak in 2001, the summer of Sol Campbell's sensational move from Tottenham to Arsenal.

Since then, clubs have got too savvy. They ensure that players' contracts are not allowed to get into their last 12 months, and if there is any danger of losing a player on a Bosman he is simply sold the previous summer, Gareth Barry style.

So, eight years after Campbell's big move, he is once again among the best players available on a Bosman - only now he is nearly 35 and clearly past his best.

The ragtag mob of freebies is headlined, of course, by Michael Owen, who could be waiting a while if he expects anyone better than Hull or Stoke to express an interest.

Also on the market are Lucas Neill, who wants £90,000-a-week, his fellow Aussie Mark Viduka, problem driver Jermaine Pennant and Ross Turnbull.

- - -

QUOTE OF THE DAY: A Sports Illustrated expose on David Beckham's refusal to buy his LA Galaxy team-mates dinner: "When it came to paying, Beckham didn't pick up the bill. He put in enough to cover his share and passed it along. Nobody would have believed it, he thought. Beckham is a cheapskate." Did he also steal toothpicks from the table?

FOREIGN VIEW: In Colombia, Atletico Junior coach Julio Comesana has received a five-game ban for using abusive language against a referee, who has also been suspended.

The Uruguayan was sent off during the first leg of Colombia's Apertura championship final last week. Comesana went onto the pitch during the 2-1 defeat at Once Caldas and berated the referee for allowing a goal he thought was offside.

The referee, Imer Machado, was banned from officiating for five matches for his mistakes in the match, which included allowing a goal scored from an offside position, the league's disciplinary commission said in a statement.

"The commission learned from the referee's report that Julio Comesana was sent off for using gross and insulting language against the referee and after his dismissal he entered the field of play and abused him with vulgar words and offensive terms about his person," it said.

COMING UP: Let's just pretend that it's not going to be an all-Williams cakewalk in the Wimbledon women's semi-finals. Oh, what's the point? They'll both be over within the hour.

Comments61 - 90 of 443
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Right-o Annie. I'll just get my coat.......!!!!!
From edgar_friendly on Thu Jul 02 10:29AM
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Bugger Johnny I so wanted to find holes in the argument so other than stating the obvious I have to agree with you bugger where is the sport in that - make a sweeping generalisation about something else so I can disagree with you
From annieh97 on Thu Jul 02 10:31AM
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61 - what does it say in the address bar at the top petko?
From danny_saks on Thu Jul 02 10:32AM
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Kev - 13 - Last year Liverpool were on the verge of Buyin Barry for £18mil which was touted as being over valued, this year you've taken Johnston at £17mil again touted as over priced...kind of makes your statement a little wrong mate!
From doobie.doobiedoo on Thu Jul 02 10:33AM
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54-Thats not very nice Helmers!!
From andy_lycett on Thu Jul 02 10:33AM
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50 percent tax is robbery!
From guapwong on Thu Jul 02 10:34AM
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Edgar, forgive me but if youre so conscientous over your job, why are you wasting your employers time and money by blogging on here all day? I presonally am simply happy just to do my job and take a decent pay packet home at the end of the month. Anything else is a bonus.
From danny_saks on Thu Jul 02 10:35AM
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61 - Nobody said you can't access it, just that it was a UK blog. "Yahoo! Eurosport UK". Last time I checked, that stood for United Kingdom. It doesn't preclude you from joining in though, the more the merrier. We are a tolerant race over here, and are an equal opportunities blog, that welcomes diverse and different culures. Except, perhaps, Real madrid players, as theya re just too rich!!!
From isanyoneelseboredyet on Thu Jul 02 10:35AM
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61-You misunderstand Petko, it is obviously fine that anyone visits a UK football blog, it just seems slightly deranged to then slag off the very thing the site comments on!!
From andy_lycett on Thu Jul 02 10:36AM
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petko1979 #61
First of all, the site for which this article is written is uk.eurosport.com. I know it seems cryptic but if you look at the first two letters it can give an indication? Just because the article is made available elsewhere doesn't mean it isn't targetted at UK users.
Second of all, the writers of this blog are based in England and are focused on English matters, such as the English national team, the EPL (and lower leagues) and general English football issues. Just because the parent company is American doesn't mean that all of their content is aimed at Americans. This specific site IS British, in that it is created for and maintained by people who are predominanelty British.
Finally, the point Andy was making, which has yet to be addressed, is that if English football isn't important or relevant, why would you read this article which is focused on exactly that?
From johnnywilkinson on Thu Jul 02 10:38AM
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Good article, ED. I'm sure that if a top footballer player gets professional financial advice (as opposed to what they usually get from their agents) he turns himself into a business and pays corporation tax on what he can't lose in allowable expenses. Ask Beckham if you've any doubts.
From james_ssmith on Thu Jul 02 10:38AM
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how true rag2706 English league blamed for driving the game into the gutter. Its not the fault of the clubs who provide the only really competitive league in the world, but those with the little square box in the corner of the living room who back sky TV who line the clubs pockets to pay top players, but because players are so greedy your average fan can't afford a match ticket, but that won't worry messers Platini and Blatter as long as they get thier freebies
From mik363 on Thu Jul 02 10:38AM
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70 - "We are a tolerant race over here, and are an equal opportunities blog, that welcomes diverse and different culures"...you forgot to add... and proceed to take the piss out of them big style!
From doobie.doobiedoo on Thu Jul 02 10:39AM
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#72 - if your post had any less substance it would be blank
From johnnywilkinson on Thu Jul 02 10:40AM
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Danny, I never used the word conscientious did I? I was simply trying to highlight that some players are chasing the money, rather than challenging themselves in the hardest league in Europe. Perhaps I didn't use quite the best metaphor. Different strokes, for different folks......
From edgar_friendly on Thu Jul 02 10:42AM
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Pro's
- Consistently performed better than any other league in the Champions League. This is down to workrate and organisation as opposed to skill. Barca showed that when they work hard, they are a class above EPL teams.
- Most viewed and respected league internationally. Not necessarily, Spain was always as popular even when EPL is dominating the CL. Maybe half of Asia watch the EPL but Portsmouth v Sunderland in freezing rain aint really that exciting.
- Much less racism than other leagues. True but I dont think players would rule out Spain or Italy on that basis.
From annieh97 on Thu Jul 02 10:44AM
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76 - doobie - that was a fair point that was very well made. Have we discussed Blue-On-Blue yet?
From edgar_friendly on Thu Jul 02 10:45AM
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#66 - And Steve's fascination with Liverpool continues..... Johnson's signing was a shroud deal bringing all accounts into consideration, can't you see that Benitez has made this statement to allay the heavy price tag that's on Johnson’s shoulders and reduce the pressure on him to produce the goods. IMHO, Johnson would be valued at £14-£15m with the added money owed by the Crouch deal plus the inevitable profit made on Arbeloa…. It’s a good deal! When I made my comment I was referring to the majorly inflated transfers i.e. paying £30m over the odds and £100k a week extras.
Jeez you can be an annoy f.uck sometimes!
From who_are_ya_85 on Thu Jul 02 10:49AM
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Utd are the top club at the moment even though it goes against the grain to declare it and the EPL is the best to watch, even if it has to be Wigan versus Portsmouth from time to time. Both teams can play a bit on their day.
From james_ssmith on Thu Jul 02 10:51AM
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#64 Annie - here is my sweeping statement of the day to give you some fuel...
I believe some feminists take their philosophy too far.
They want to retain all of their traditional female benefits yet are unwilling for males to have any. For example, women want/demand to be paid exactly the same as men for doing the same job, but they also want to retain their ability to have long periods off for maternity leave (more than paternity leave). This maternity leave adds a direct cost to the company in question so why should it not be a factor in their wage? While this may not be fair, in that women (and men) have no choice in the matter of who gives birth, it is a genetic fact that women need more time off, and it is that genetic reality which means they cost more to employ in the real world.
Another example was in a recent 'you're fired' Apprentice program where that feminist woman took offence because a guy said Deborah finally looked human when she cried. The feminist said it was completely sexist and why should a woman have to cry to seem human, completely ignorant to the fact that it was the first time she had showed any emotion throughout the whole series. The method of demonstrating that emotion was irrelevant, and the response would have been the same if she was male. Such agressive feminism just seems to portray insecurity and prolong inequality.
Discuss
From johnnywilkinson on Thu Jul 02 10:52AM
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No such word as MERKS, what the flamin' 'ell are you on about?
From david.moss31 on Thu Jul 02 10:54AM
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Steve - I think Leigh Nash's album was ok, not great but it was her first debut album!
From doobie.doobiedoo on Thu Jul 02 10:54AM
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84-I think it relates to the hilarious (!) japes that Rio Ferdinand (for it is he) played on his England team mates a few years ago.
From andy_lycett on Thu Jul 02 10:57AM
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FACT- 1 MADRID 2 MILAN 3 LIVERPOOL. European order of merit. thats all that counts.
From petetoland1970 on Thu Jul 02 10:59AM
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87-Fact. You are only as good as your last competition!!
From andy_lycett on Thu Jul 02 11:00AM
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87-Fact-Historic truths do not equal current events!!
From andy_lycett on Thu Jul 02 11:01AM
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#84 David Moss, it's a play on the word 'Murk' (to make gloomy) and 'Merc' (Mercedes) Benz (Benzema). In this context it means his transfer to Real Madrid is a dark omen for Man Utd.
From johnnywilkinson on Thu Jul 02 11:02AM
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Fact trying to post the Con's of the argument is censored by Yahoo nazis leavig my Pro's just hanging there
From annieh97 on Thu Jul 02 11:03AM
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Can someone inform Schalk Burger that Johnny Wilkinson has been found and is ready for his eye-gouging?
From snoopingtwit on Thu Jul 02 11:04AM
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50 percent tax is ribery!
From snoopingtwit on Thu Jul 02 11:05AM
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