BERGAM-OH…
It’s spring time in Dublin. And then Germany. Such was the planned schedule for Jürgen Klopp’s bid to see Liverpool reach the Euro Vase final and celebrate Jurg’s nine years of greatness with a night out at Abra Kebabra’s kitchen, Copperface Jack’s. All this after brushing aside the docile European pretenders LFC faced in the final. Here’s hoping Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen show Xabi what he’s missing. Naturally, hotels booked for months across Ireland on 22 and 23 May cannot be refunded.
So yes, Atalanta. Gian Piero Gasperini is a pretty good manager of a pretty good team that has been punching above their weight in Serie A and beyond for several years now. Rather, they were written outside the narrative. So is Gianluca Scamacca. Do you remember him in the Premier League? Hammers failure, right? There’s not much to fear there. So Liverpool needed a second-leg miracle in Bergamo. Thank Shanks they don’t score away goals these days. They call being too big for your boots arrogance. But let’s not just choose Liverpool here. This week has not been a good week for the image of what claims to be the best league in the world. Because this was the week that PL teams released an advert: “The UK will soon be the first major country to regulate football. “We must be wary of unintended consequences that could jeopardize the success of English football.”
The government is moving to get a football regulator on board, a populist, vote-seeking (good luck with that, Rishi) gesture, to create a body that those who read the finer print will probably say will have fewer teeth than a newborn baby. He says the suits are still flexing their poison pens. Parasite? Despite Everton’s points deductions piling up like Chris Eubank’s truck getting a parking ticket, and Forest joining the crowd as Chelsea and Manchester City hang even heavier burdens, we’re all in good shape, thank you. Also, we will change the rules again next season.
It’s about achievements. On Tuesday, City and Arsenal drew Big Cup behemoths in Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but they had little of the edge displayed by England’s best. Then came Atalanta at a curiously quiet and colorless Anfield. From where? Instead of the usual typos and Vogon verses emblazoned on the sheets on the Kop at the famous European Nights, there were banners condemning the ownership and rumblings of discontent over the increased ticket prices. Gasperini’s men stepped into this gap. I say again, let’s not just choose Liverpool here. Of the 12 PL clubs that announced ticket prices for next season, 11 announced increases. Senior Tottenham fans are furious that discounts for OAPs have been canceled and Manchester City fans are no longer so easily thanking Sheikh Mansour as prices have risen again despite record revenues.
But it’s not just the Premier League. There is the EFL, real football for real fans, and on Friday came this announcement: “From next season Sky Sports will be the home of the EFL. “With over 1,000 EFL fixtures available live via Sky and Now each season, iFollow/club streaming services will no longer offer domestic live video coverage of EFL matches.” Ouch.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I think if he sees something in our game and he sees my name pop up on his phone it might be: ‘Oh, do I have to take this’, I’m sure he’s pressed the red button a few times” – Wolves manager Gary O’Neil thinks Howard Webb may be avoiding him. Either that, or he thinks Webb confused his cell phone with the TV remote.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“Regarding Todd van Allen’s (Thursday’s Football Daily) letter – about Mark Ward’s letter – in which he states that 1,056 pedants are ‘one less than the traditional 1,057 pedants’, may I be the first of the 1,057 pedants to say this is so? ‘Less’, “Not ‘less’, pedants? Or is that too pedantic even for Football Daily?” – Christian Goldsmith (and 1,057 other pedants)
“I was appalled to read Rangers’ grandiloquent statements about Dundee’s flooded ground (Thursday Football Diary), but on reflection they might have a point. Surely attempts could be made to clean up the submerged tar water using some of Beanotown’s Dandy and Beano surplus? These wet publications can then be sent to Rangers to be dried and recycled given plenty of warm air. Or perhaps some of the waste heat from the town’s numerous marmalade factories could be used to dry Dundee’s castle grounds. This would also have the added benefit of making the field smell orangey with a pleasant taste. Has Dundee expressed as much regret about this situation as the Gold Piece?” -Steve Malone.
“I have been following the excellent Football Daily every day for a long time. It keeps me updated, I feel well informed and I love the humour. But the last word or sentence leaves me stunned and confused. Am I missing something? Thursday’s SLUGGISH was the final straw. What is the connection? Is there a link? What’s happening? I would love to know! Best wishes, long may you continue, explain or not!” – D Foster.
Send a letter to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of the non-prize letter of the day is… D Foster.
TURKISH SUPER LEAGUE IS MAKING VAR SOS
Controversy is never far away in the Turkish Super League, and this season matches have been marred by violence against officials (for context: a referee was punched in the face by a club president in December), with the league taking the step of appointing foreign referees. THERE ARE “critical” matches in the rest of the campaign.
Fenerbahce, which is chasing the title and is in second place, two points behind Galatasaray, has cited accusations of bias, so VARs will now be selected from abroad. Considering that the Turkish Football Federation wants some, it can easily be done. little Due to controversy on the field, Howard Webb and Stockley Park residents will not be involved; Officials from Italy, Spain, Germany, Portugal and the Netherlands were given duties after the countries’ relevant federations gave the joint green light.
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