The Official Football (Soccer) Thread

[K.Dub]

LMAO

[Adam Donnelly]

United look fucked


Without the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United, who announced pre-tax profits of £48.2m today, would have been reporting a loss of £31.8m.

The figure for the year up to 30 June 2009 includes the record £80m fee received from Real Madrid for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo and also £41.9m paid out in interest on a huge loan of £509.5m. The club's turnover was also up to £278.5m from £256.2m a year ago.

The figures were released on a morning when United officially confirmed their intention to raise £500m through bonds in order to refinance their debts. While United are at least in profit once more, the figures merely emphasise what a drain on resources their debt position has become.

The situation without the sale of the Portuguese clearly is unsustainable over the long term, hence the refinancing plans of the club's US-based owners, the Glazer family.

"Manchester United today announced that it will be seeking to raise approximately £500m aggregate principal amount from an offering of senior secured notes due 2017," said a United statement.

"The notes, whose proceeds will be used to refinance existing debt secured against the club, will be issued by MU Finance plc."

Because these "senior secured notes" will be used to pay off the club debt, they will not touch the £175m worth of payment-in-kind notes that are currently attracting 14.25% interest.

They are the Glazers' personal debt, so another avenue will presumably be pursued to try to reduce that interest, which is rolling up annually at a staggering rate.

In contrast to the days when United were a successful publicly quoted company and offered plenty of financial information on a six-monthly basis, now there is no financial requirement to do so it is kept to a minimum.

Clearly, though, there are areas of improvement, including confirmation that the US finance company Aon will be the new shirt sponsors next season, while more sponsorship deals have been announced, underlining the impressive attraction United are across the globe.

Yet many supporters remain concerned about the financial structures underpinning the club, even if as recently as Friday, Sir Alex Ferguson tried to quell any fears, insisting the decision not to spend three-quarters of the cash received for Ronaldo was his alone.

"I don't have any concerns about the financial situation," he said. "There is absolutely no issue at all. I am really confident about that.

"Concerns of the supporters are down to the fact that I haven't moved in the transfer market. But that is nothing to do with the Glazers or with David Gill. It is simply because I am not going to pay £50million for a striker who is not worth it."

Headline figures
Group turnover 2009: £278.5m. 2008: £256.2m.

Matchday revenue 2009: £108.8m. 2008: £101.5m.

Media revenue 2009: £99.7m. 2008: £90.7m.

Commercial revenue 2009: £70m. 2008: £64m.

Group operating profit before depreciation and amortisation of players' registrations and goodwill 2009: £91.3m. 2008: £80.4m.

Net interest payable 2009: (£41.9m). 2008: (£45.5m).

Profit on player transfers 2009: £80.7m. £21.8m.

[Elano]

Carlos Tevez hits treble as Manchester City march on

Manchester City 4 Blackburn 1

Carlos Tevez scored a hat-trick as impressive Manchester City crushed Blackburn Rovers 4-1 to move into fourth place in the Premier League.

Their victory preserved Roberto Mancini's perfect start at his new club with a fourth successive win, the best ever by a Manchester City manager.

They were inspired by Tevez who put City ahead after seven minutes, added their third after 49 minutes and their fourth in the first minute of stoppage time.

Micah Richards also got on the scoresheet in the first half while Morten Gamst Pedersen replied for unimpressive Rovers after 71 minutes.

Richards ran half the length of the pitch before slipping the ball to Benjani whose shot cannoned off a post back into the path of the onrushing defender who finished with aplomb.

Blackburn, without a league win for nine matches, remained 13th, but are just three points above the relegation zone.

[Adam Donnelly]

Teves is on fire

Fergie sign him up
Fergie Fergie sign him up 

[morbidenigma]

they should get Tevez tested

dont know what Maradona as given him

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

Adam you put something up about Fergie every year and it never seems to work out for you, i seem to remember him being on a 'sinking ship' last year, then ended up winning the league & getting to a CL final.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put it up at the end of the season?

But the way things are looking right now it looks like he has made a major fuck up not splashing the cash on Tevez, but Fergie is very rarely wrong and I'll reserve judgement until May.

[Elano]

they should get Tevez tested

dont know what Maradona as given him

 

[Adam Donnelly]

Adam you put something up about Fergie every year and it never seems to work out for you, i seem to remember him being on a 'sinking ship' last year, then ended up winning the league & getting to a CL final.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put it up at the end of the season?

But the way things are looking right now it looks like he has made a major fuck up not splashing the cash on Tevez, but Fergie is very rarely wrong and I'll reserve judgement until May.

When did I say he was on a sinking ship last year??
The clock is ticking on United and they know it 

[Sweet & Tender Hooligan]

Adam you put something up about Fergie every year and it never seems to work out for you, i seem to remember him being on a 'sinking ship' last year, then ended up winning the league & getting to a CL final.

Wouldn't it make more sense to put it up at the end of the season?

But the way things are looking right now it looks like he has made a major fuck up not splashing the cash on Tevez, but Fergie is very rarely wrong and I'll reserve judgement until May.

When did I say he was on a sinking ship last year??
The clock is ticking on United and they know it 

Your avatar for most of last year was Fergie on a sinking ship was it not? If it was someone else, apologies to you.

Have to disagree with you anyway mate, as much as i want to see City challenging for the title (not because of any great love of City, just for something different) as long as Fergie is at Utd they will be there or thereabouts. When he fucks off that will be a different story, i think they will really struggle.

[Adam Donnelly]

Avatar wasn't mine mate
I know what your saying about Fergie but look at what United have released today

UNITED have admitted for the first time that their Premier League sepremacy is under threat.

Supporters have been shaken to core by financial results released on Monday, which laid bare the crippling affect the club’s mammoth £700m loan is having on Old Trafford.

With United now seeking £500m investment in the form of bonds, they have been forced to reveal the risks associated with buying into the club.

Primary among them is the fear that Sir Alex Ferguson’s impending retirement will prompt a downturn in performance and a failure to “attract and retain” top players.

United’s hierarchy have also pointed to the likes of mega-rich rivals like City and Chelsea as major threats to their continued dominance, while possible UEFA regulations on debt could “limit our ability to acquire or retain top players.”

The risks have been included in 322-page document distributed to potential investors as United look to issue the £500m of bonds that would considerably ease the debt taken on by the Glazer family when controversially buying the club in 2005.

Risks

It is standard procedure to lay out any risks associated with potential investments and the points highlighted can be considered worst case scenarios.

Also included is the threat of terrorism when United travel abroad or indeed on home soil at the “iconic” Old Trafford, described as a “potential target.”

But with United’s concerns laid out in black and white, they will only fuel the fears of supporters still stunned by Monday’s results.

Despite a year in which the club won the Premier League, Club World Cup and Carling Cup, while reaching the Champions League final and semi finals of the FA Cup, they still relied on the world record £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to avoid announcing a loss of £31.8m.

They also enjoyed a healthy increase in matchday, media and commercial revenue, but still only made a profit of £48.2m. And the fact they made interest payments of £42m on a £509m loan demonstrates just how much of a burden their debts have become.

Experts say the bond issue will be attractive to investors and a sound business move for the club.

Grim

But it has also forced to United to face some grim possibilities.

Potential investors would obviously want to know what the future holds beyond Ferguson.

“Any successor to our manager may not be as successful as he has been,” the document bluntly reads. “A downturn in the performance of the first team may adversely affect our ability to attract and retain such coaches and players.”

Regarding the threat of City and Chelsea, it adds: “In the Premier League, recent investment from wealthy team owners has led to teams with strong financial backing. The increase in competition could result in our first team finishing lower in the Premier League than we have in the past and jeopardising our qualification for or results in the Champions League.”

Such comments will make chastening reading for supporters. But should the document have the desired effect in attracting £500m of fresh investment it will already be a sizeable step in ensuring such fears do not become a reality.

[Elano]

The Togo striker is still struggling to come to terms with the machine-gun atrocity that left three dead in an attack on the squad's team buses.
Adebayor appeared on African TV yesterday still looking physically and emotionally drained - and even wearing his old club Arsenal's shirt.

City have said they will give him as much time as he needs to recover from Friday's horrific ordeal. But it emerged last night Adebayor could return as early as the weekend if, as expected, he is released by Togo.

FIFA confirmed it is up to Togo to decide when the players can play for their clubs again.

The West African country withdrew from the African Nations Cup after the terrorist attack that left three officials dead and two players wounded.

There is some confusion however over whether the Togo FA have appealed to be allowed back into the competition - though organisers insist no such move can now take place.

When that situation is finally clarified, it is expected that Togo will release the players back to their clubs.

FIFA's rules state: "A player who has been called up by his association is, unless otherwise agreed by the relevant association, not entitled to play for the club with which he is registered during the period for which he has been released."

[Digital Pimpin']

haha I saw the interview with Adebayor on Sky Sports News the other day and did a double take, but he was definitely wearing an Arsenal polo shirt. Puts his celebration against the Gunners in to context.

[JMan]

hahaha, liverpool are offically fucked.. "your just a fat spanish waiter" .. love it. 

[Elano]

hahaha, liverpool are offically fucked.. "your just a fat spanish waiter" .. love it. 

who said this to benitez ? 

[Digital Pimpin']

hahaha, liverpool are offically fucked.. "your just a fat spanish waiter" .. love it. 

who said this to benitez ? 

The supporters of every single opposition team that Liverpool have played in the League this season.