Extra Time - RVP, Arsenal and the colour of Money

In an epiphany that is all too familiar to many Toronto sports fans, one must most definitely and irrevocably conclude that most soccer clubs, even some of the biggest one, are simply a business. The events of the summer transfer window, when taken with previous ones, demonstrate quite clearly, that for a large number of clubs, despite global fanbases and regular flirtations with silverware, the motivation is purely financial. Clubs being businesses is nothing new. But, while it was understood that remaining in contention for trophies was still the top priority, that is now no longer the case.

Clubs exist primarily to make money. Bar a few super rich clubs, whose ambitions are mainly founded on winning things, most clubs, realizing that they cannot compete and that regular triumphs are something they cannot rely on with any regularity, have basically thrown in the towel. They seek to pad their own bottom line, reduce debt and increase the gap between money spent and income generated.

Prestige, status, loyalty and fan happiness have all taken a backseat to financial sense. Clubs are brands which make decisions that prioritize financial sense first and foremost. The recent transfer of Dutch striker Robin Van Persie, from English Premiership club Arsenal to Manchester United is the most stark example of this phenomenon and ultimate proof of this development. Despite his age (29) and dodgy injury record, Van Persie was, in addition to being the captain of his side, their biggest star and most productive performer coming off his best ever season.  A season in which he was voted the best by both the press and his peers. And one where he singlehandedly led Arsenal to the promised land of Champions League football with a league best 30 goals. One of the best ever seasons in the league by any player, ever.

While Arsenal have not won a trophy in seven years or been in a major final for six, they have still managed to top the league table and challenge for the league a few times in recent history, with a four point lead at the start of March four years ago their closest tilt at the title. They are no longer favourites for a competition they traded with arch rivals United for seven years between 1998 and 2004, but are still considered one of the elite. Moreover, for most fans, the latter club is still Arsenal's biggest rivals, despite the gulf in status, financial pull and silverware between the two.

So, Van Persie's sale to United was nothing short of epic. And fan reaction was apoplectic. While the Arsenal board and manager Arsene Wenger can point to the 24 million sale price as excellent business for a wantaway, injury prone, 29 year old; fans can point to his departure to a club they love to hate, and eagerly circle fixtures in the calendar against, as a most heinous betrayal. Perhaps a move to some other club like Manchester City or even Juventus, both reportedly interested, would have been more palatable to the fanbase, but seeing their top performer go to a long established domestic foe, arguably the biggest such rival in England, was unacceptable.

However therein lies the conundrum. Fans need to realise that Arsenal are no longer a club of the fans. It exists to make money off of them - with ticket prices, the highest in the World. Their passions and desires come second to a financial behemoth for whom dollars and pounds are the driving force behind its day to day operations, not trophies and cups. Player loyalty and even captaincy have long been suspected to be fickle things. At Arsenal they are decidedly so, with several notable top players and four club captains being sold in the past seven years. Tony Adams was captain of Arsenal for 14 years, the most recent incumbent, Van Persie lasted just one. Club captaincy is simply another bargaining chip tossed into the mix to keep burgeoning stars in the stable till they are sold to the highest bidder or the player's choice of destination. Frankly, it would not be inaccurate to remark that the North London giants, England's third most successful club ever, are now Europe's biggest and best feeder club. I'm not saying that it is, but that it is possible to consider it so.

From a financial point of view the Dutchman's sale made excellent sense and while those who watched the Gunners labour to a 0-0 stalemate at home against Sunderland on the opening day of the new 2012-13 season will point to the shortsightedness of the decision from a football point of view, Arsenal the business, cannot turn down that kind of money for a player, especially one who wants to leave.

Frenchman Wenger, equal parts genius and inept, depending on which pole of the fanbase one consults, has long stressed finishing in the top four, as a trophy. This is because from a monetary point of view, it is. Arsenal cannot match the financial pull of Chelsea and Manchester United; and with super rich Manchester City the latest club to have bought their way to success, there are three clubs with a massive and crucial monetary advantage over Arsenal. And a vicious circle ensues because those same three clubs are best placed for success, can attract the best players as a result, and will offer them the most competitive salaries. Arsenal, quite frankly, are doomed.

So, fans need to step back, realise that their club is merely a brand, a company, a corporation who wants more money to come in then go out; and simply accept that while the odd trophy challenge is possible, the complete lack of major silverware, is in fact, far more probable.  Finishing fourth is the only realistic ambition the club can have. And it intends to make as much money finishing fourth as it can. To expect anything more borders on foolishness, no matter how passionate one's support is.

Extra Time - Dortmund's Dynasty

Many people expected normal service to resume in the Bundesliga this season, as 2011’s impressive championship winners Borussia Dortmund, were expected to fall back in place and Bayern Munich were widely expected win the domestic shield.  And after the runaway start that the Bavarians had in the fall of 2011, it looked that way. However, after a slightly indifferent start, Dortmund have quietly gathered pace and moved back up the table to the summit. Going back to their basics of pace, counterattacking poise and constant running, they shrugged off a disappointing Champions’ League campaign to storm to the top of the Bundesliga.  At the time of writing, they are just two points and one win away from retaining their domestic crown. More tellingly, they are on course for a domestic double and have just beaten Bayern, their closest challengers, for the fourth time in a row.  Manager Jurgen Klopp has brushed off claims linking him to Chelsea and talented tyro Marco Reus, at Borussia Moenchengladbach, spurned the attentions of Bayern and instead decided to accept a switch to Westphalia; where he will join the most exciting stable of young footballing talent outside of Catalonia.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode XI

Almost a third of the season has been completed in the big leagues. We bring you the latest news and keep you current.

Always Opinionated, Only Arjblog.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode X

Reviewing and recapping the latest action from around Europe's top five leagues.

PSG, Juventus, Manchester City and Bayern stay clear while Levante fall off the summit in Spain. Milan continue to make their case in Italy.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode IX

Bayern and Chelsea lose, Barcelona are held and Manchester United are crushed. Manchester City and Levante are atop their respective leads as the new season takes on a surreal look.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode VIII

After the dreaded International break in October, we return to frenetic club action with all the leagues in action and plenty of goals.

Normal service returns for four of Europe's giants while another two heavyweights ground out an interesting draw. We have a new leader in England, a continuing surprise in Spain and three teams who extended their good starts in Holland while one of the country's biggest clubs absolutely crushed the other one in Belgium.

Come this way for the latest helping of the Euro Football Wrap.

France:

Kevin Gameiro's hat-trick paced PSG atop the Ligue 1 table as the three title favourites all won by identical margins, 3-1. While PSG saw off promoted Ajaccio in Corsica, Lyon beat rock bottom Nancy at home. Michel Bastos scored twice either side of a Bafetimbi Gomis strike to polish off the visitors from Lorraine, who got a late consolation from Jo-Gook Jung.

Reward Success not Legacy

Liverpool are leading the charge for the last healthy revenue stream available to European football clubs in general and the Premiership in particular. While domestic gate receipts appear to have been tapped to the limit, sponsorship notoriously variable, while already having been negotiated several years into the future; the lure of foreign fans, fanatic about their club and more than willing to fork over precious lucre to be part of the experience; is becoming more appealing to clubs in England.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode VII

A look around Europe at the continent's top leagues. Lots of goals in West London, a couple of derbies elsewhere in England. Some trepidation at the top in Germany, a surprise team at the top in Spain, an unlikely one at the top in Italy and a top of the table clash in France between the league's most titled team and its new financial giant.

We're off !

France:

Lorient and Sochaux were big winners on Saturday as the remaining five games ended in draws. After Costa Rican striker, Joel Campbell, on loan from Arsenal, and Yoann Jouffre had given Lorient the points against visiting Valenciennes, Sochaux scored an empthatic 3-0 victory over high flying Toulouse. Modibo Maiga with a double and Cedric Bakambu gave Sochaux the points at home to inflict a first loss for Toulouse in five games while moving the home side into the top half of the table for the first time.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode VI

Another week of relentless action across Europe.

Bayern continue to remain ahead of the pack in Germany, United fall back into the pack in England and PSG are knocked off the top by a former table topper. Spain and Italy however continue to see a mix of the expected and unexpected at the top of their respective tables. Find out more here.

Weekend of September 24:


France:


While Lyon, PSG and Toulouse sit atop the standings tied on 17 points, Auxerre and Caen were the big winners on week eight in the French Ligue 1.

While Auxerre were expected to struggle, they have done nothing of the sort and sit healthy in midtable with just one loss in their eight games. Their latest win was their second of the season and was a crushing 4-1 home win over Europa League candidates Sochaux. A Dennis Oliech hat-trick coming after leading scorer Alain Traore had levelled Modibo Maiga's early strike for the visitors. Caen were similarly successful with a massive 4-2 win at promoted Evian. Caen saw goals from four different players while Cedric Barbosa scored a double for the home team.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode V

Europe is in full swing now with the first round of matches after the group stages of the Champions and Europa League.

Weekend of September 17:

France:

Lyon, Lorient and Toulouse were the big winners in round six of the Ligue 1 season while erstwhile leaders Montpellier, defending champions Lille and favourites PSG were all held.  As a result, a new leader in Lyon sits atop the standings. Their triumph over Marseille in the late game on Sunday coming courtesy of goals by Bafetimbi Gomis and Michel Bastos. Marseille are having a terrible start to the season, and now sit bottom of the standings with just three points from their six games.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode IV

Episode IV of European League Football recaps a weekend that saw a pair of juggernauts keep rolling on while another pair stumbled. Elsewhere an old lady came back into the light while some usual suspects began to flex their muscles and announce themselves this season. Italy finally kicked off as well as the continent's leagues returned to action after the international break.

Weekend of Sep 10:

France:

Promoted side Ajaccio from the island of Corsica finally got their campaign to stay in the top flight off to a start with a solid win in a potential relegation six pointer at home to bottom side Valenciennes. Frederic Sammaritano scored a brace to take his tally for the season up to four while Araujo Ilan scored the third. Gael Danic scored the opener for the visiting team who remain winless, rooted to the foot of the table.

Stade Rennes and Toulouse both notched crucial 1-0 wins on the road, beating Caen and more impressively, Olympique Marseille. While Etienne Capoue's solitary strike saw off the challenge of Caen for the purples from the south, Jires Kembo-Ekoko scored the winner at Marseille, who were at full strength despite their upcoming Champions League match at Olympiakos.

Frederic Sammaritano notched a brace

Also on Saturday, title contenders Lille and Lyon both won away from home, beating St. Etienne and Dijon respectively. Lille's win was a big one with the green and white stripes displaying resiliency this season after several key departures from the roster. Old hands from last season, Eden Hazard, with a brace, and Ludovic Obraniak scored the goals, after defender David Rozenhal had give the home team the early lead with an own goal. Lyon got strikes from Maxime Gonalons and Bafetimbi Gomis sandwiching an equalizer from Benjamin Corgnet.

2011-12 European Football Wrap - Episode Three

The latest week of Euro action saw some crushing results for four title favourites, while several other top teams registered solid wins. A couple of thrilling games as well with Valencia, Cologne and a pair of teams in Scotland trading goals aplenty.


But abject misery and heartache for a pair of 1991 FA Cup semifinalists. However a great weekend for United, City, Real and Barcelona fans. We may also have seen the last of one of Europe's greatest managers, who is now at a personal nadir.

Wenger's last days ?

Step this way for Episode Three of the Euro League Wrap.


Weekend of August 27:

France:

Three of the title contenders all won with two of them putting in strong performances, winning away at teams that started well.

PSG turned the screw on Toulouse with an away victory that saw them surge up the table. With fellow contenders Olympique Lyon also winning at nascent league leaders Montpellier, and Lyon beating Olympique Marseille at home, all three protagonists used round 4 to throw down the gauntlet to the rest of the league. As impressive as PSG And Lyon's wins were however, Lille's home triumph over Marseille, arguably the fourth title chaser, was the most newsworthy. They also draw first blood in the first match between the big four.

Jeremy Menez

New star Kevin Gameiro, Turkish forward Mevlut Erdinc and winger Jeremy Menez, all got on the scoresheet against Toulouse, for whom Etienne Capoue, put into the early lead. Toulouse had seven points from their first three games and finally lose their first one. Miralem Pjanic and Jeremy Pied put Lyon into an unassailable lead before Henri Bedimo pulled on back for Montpellier, who still lead the table with nine points from four games, but dropped their first points of the season.


Sochaux made up for their Europa League elimination at the hands of Metalist Kharkhiv, by edging St. Etienne at home. Ryad Boudebouz scored a double, either side of a striker from Pierre Aubemeyang. Fellow Europa League hopefuls Rennes, who fared far better, beating 1991 European Cup Champions Red Star Belgrade, also won, beating Caen at home 3-2. Razak Boukari, Jeris Ekoko and Abou-Kader Mangane putting Stade into a 3-0 lead before goals from Thomas Heurtaux and Younes Belhanda made it interesting at the death.

2011-12 English Premiership Preview

Previewing the big one - The English Premiership.

The World's most televised league is also the richest and most lucrative, with fans from all over the world - some would argue, especially fans from other parts of the world. The 2011-12 Premiership kicked off two weeks ago and barring Tottenham and Everton, at time of writing, has seen everyone play once at home and once away. A league table exists but is mostly cosmetic at this stage. The large bulk of the season lies ahead with the long haul still to come. The season has arrived and one wonders who will be on top of the pile come May 2012.

Europhiles Notebook - 15 European Managers to Watch

Europe's Most Interesting Managers in 2011-12 and beyond.

Most of the names on this list are the next generation of managers, with former players and several unknowns having risen to the top through repeated demonstration of aptitude and hard work. The compilation is mostly off the beaten track and introduces several of the names who will be helming clubs despite not getting much screen time or column inches in the mainstream press. These are some of Europe's best managers, and most will be around for the better part of the next two decades.

Unai Emery - Valencia, La Liga

The fresh faced young manager leads the Bat, once again, out of Mes(tell)a as it seeks to get a little closer to the big two of Barca and Real. Extremely popular with the ladies, Emery is the latest in young managerial talent in La Liga. Successfully led his club to third place in the league and a decent showing in Europe despite the notorious boardroom machinations and mountain of debt at the club, Emery can handle the pressure while delivering an eye-catching, successful product on the pitch. Valencia are the third most successful club in Spain and many neutrals' choice but with Bilbao, Villarreal, Atletico, Sevilla and now, Malaga all at large, the 39 year old has his work cut out to retain Los Ches position in the league.

Andres Villas-Boas - Chelsea, Premiership

Having swept all before him in a treble winning season with Porto, where the Portuguese giants won the league, cup and Europa League title in 2011, he was scouted by and moved to Chelsea. Charged with taking back to the summit in England as well as finally scaling the peak of the UEFA Champions' League, the former protege of Bobby Robson has to prove himself all over again in the most televised and popular league in the world. A football fanatic with a keen attention to detail, his methods owe more to his understanding and passion of the sport than to any actual playing experience.  The youngest top flight manager in the big leagues, at just 33, Villas-Boas is living the dream that many an armchair fan has every day.  His move from Porto to Chelsea set a record for managerial transfers at 15 million euros.

Robin Dutt - Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga

The near namesake of this author is a keen student of the game and one of the latest prodigies from the German Coaching Academy. Having made his name with Freiburg, whom he took to sixth for the better part of the 2010-11 Bundesliga season, Dutta was offered a place at Bayer Leverkusen before the season ran out. Now at the helm of one of Germany's biggest clubs and also in the Champions' League, Dutta will be working in the big time, under scrutiny from both foreign and domestic press. Extremely highly regarded as a shrewd manager, his motivational and tactical skills, will get further hones in the cauldron of expectation and continental competition. Dutta has a bright future ahead of him and will be one of the foremost managers of his generation.

Walter Mazzarri - Napoli, Serie A

Mazzarri is the latest managerial wizard at Napoli, haven taken San Paolo team through the glass ceiling that separates Champions' League football from upper midtable. His Napoli teams are fluid, irrepressible and exciting, with the awareness and control to attack on either flank, hold the ball up or break at will. In the Champions' League this season. After a successful sting with Sampdoria where he made the Cup finalists as well reach continental competition after a sixth place finish, his last two seasons witb Napoli has seen them finish sixth and third. The spiritual successor of Marcelo Lippi, Fabio Capello and Arrigo Sacchi but with a far more expansive style and attacking philosophy. One day Mazzarri will lead Italy to an international final in the next decade. You read it here first.

Rudi Garcia - Lille, Ligue 1

Essentially, according to Garcia, football is simple. Take a team with a couple of talented players, add in some combative defenders and robust midfielders, preach an up-tempo style while regularly drilling them to be the fittest, strongest and most enduring team and you will win all before you. Last season Lille was regarded with a degree of respect, but Garcia made them into double winners. His team are the fastest team in the league, never tires and he added sparkle with the elevation of Eden Hazard from talented youngster to world class winger. Despite losing some of his best players over the break, Garcia will ensure his team are hard to beat, a threat on the road and still the pacy juggernaut that comes at your from all sides. Probably the fittest manager on this list, and arguably, Europe, he regularly leads his charges on runs while putting them through their paces in training.