PULLING MY HAIR OUT MOMENT
Listening to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s utter nonsense going unchallenged in interviews with the BBC’s Dan Roan and Sky Sports’ Gary Neville, in March.
There was little pushback to his pronouncements on redundancies and the absurd claim that Manchester United were running out of cash.
I would have liked to have cross-examined Ratcliffe myself, but that opportunity didn’t arise.
The idea linking the need for redundancies among the staff at Old Trafford to United having no money is ridiculous. As of December 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents were £95.5million, compared to £62.8million at the prior year quarter.
In my eyes, Sir Jim’s view didn’t appear to be entirely representative of the actual situation. I am sure there must be guidelines given Manchester United is a listed business on the New York Stock Exchange, and such observations from leading figures can often in other business sectors adversely affect share prices.
Or maybe it’s just that the football business is exempt from such rules.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe was allowed to ramble on unchallenged in his interviews with Sky and the BBC
The idea linking the need for redundancies among the staff at Old Trafford to Manchester United having no money is ridiculous
THEY PROVED ME WRONG
Nottingham Forest, given I tipped them to be relegated and they qualified for Europe. My logic was that when you’ve been circling the plughole for two years, you often get the outcome you’ve been flirting with.
I saw no indication other than a season of struggle. Instead the polar opposite occurred, even if they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory regarding Champions League football, ending up with Europe’s wooden spoon competition of the Conference League.
Still, they spent most of the season in the top four and were the only team to beat champions Liverpool at Anfield, so I consider myself proven wrong, absolutely.
In fact, though I forecast some things correctly, like Chelsea finishing in the top four, you would often have been better off betting on the opposite of what I tipped.
I also said you don’t sign James Maddison if you want to win things. Was that a mistake? Spurs lifted the Europa League, prompting Master Maddison to tweet me a reminder of my prediction.
I responded by posting the teamsheet for the final, which he didn’t appear on!
Despite the best endeavours of talkSPORT to play only a snippet of what I said, I do like the way he has called out people for their observations.
However, maybe Spurs were indeed fortunate Maddison wasn’t fit all season as they might have been relegated, like his old Leicester team! Tongue firmly in my cheek…
Nottingham Forest spent most of the season in the top four and were the only team to beat champions Liverpool at Anfield
Maybe Spurs were indeed fortunate Maddison wasn’t fit all season as they might have been relegated, like his old Leicester team!
FUNNIEST MOMENT
Neville being banned from the City Ground, thus finding out not everything he says is correct – despite the Sky understanding that it is – was amusing, though also thought-provoking and alarming.
Alarming in how thin-skinned Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis is and thought-provoking on the moral question: Do people in positions of influence have a responsibility to say things that are accurate and informed? Or do they abide by a certain idea that whatever you say is good, so go ahead and say it?
A bit simpler was the press conference held by Chris Eubank Jnr ahead of his fight against Kamil Szeremeta in Riyadh.
Asked why he had signed for Ben Shalom’s Boxxer promotions, he retorted: ‘Because every other promoter out here is a scumbag’ namechecking Eddie Hearn, Kalle Sauerland and Frank Smith and drawing a furious reaction from Frank Warren, who was sat behind him.
The look of bewilderment from people in the room as they felt upstaged and insulted in equal measure was quite a sight in a sport that prides itself on largesse.
Albeit Frank Warren would have had the last laugh when suing Eubank Jnr for defamation and settling it on his terms.
Gary Neville being banned from the City Ground, thus finding out not everything he says is correct – despite the Sky understanding that it is – was amusing
But it was also alarming and thought-provoking – why were Nottingham Forest so thin-skinned?
Chris Eubank Jnr calling every other promoter a ‘scumbag’ drew a furious reaction from Frank Warren, who was sat behind him
UNSUNG HERO
I have been critical of Scott Parker in the past, most notably when he lost his job at Bournemouth for repeatedly carping at the owners, so he deserves credit and respect for leading Burnley to promotion.
Parker didn’t set the world on fire in Belgium and wasn’t the first choice appointment at Turf Moor last summer.
But not only has he taken them back to the Premier League, he’s done it by changing the way the team played, and failed, under Vincent Kompany in being relegated a year ago.
Burnley’s defensive capability under Parker has been remarkable to reach 100 points.
If they can retain that organisation next season, they will have a far better chance of staying up than the promoted teams who seemingly like to give everyone else a helping hand while sticking to their philosophy.
Scott will have no doubt learnt from his last promotion with Bournemouth about keeping his opinions on recruitment to himself, although in this instance he will have the benefit of the AI recruitment model that chairman Alan Pace has waxed lyrical about.
Albeit, it might be a case of ‘computer says no’.
I’ve been critical of Scott Parker in the past, most notably when he lost his job at Bournemouth for carping at the owners, so he deserves credit and respect for leading Burnley to promotion
Scott will have no doubt learnt from his last promotion with Bournemouth about keeping his opinions on recruitment to himself
BEST VERDICT OFF THE FIELD
Too often cowardice is prevalent and courage and common sense lacking in making key decisions.
Hence, it was refreshing for the UK Supreme Court to rule in April that a woman is defined by biological sex under equalities law.
We are now in a world where, finally, sports governing bodies like the ECB and FA have metaphorically grown a pair and finally ruled biological males cannot compete with biological females, in football’s case at any level.
It may sound controversial to some, but not to me.
BEST SPORTS EVENT I SAW LIVE
Despite having certain objections over aspects of the promotion of the event, the Daniel Dubois versus Anthony Joshua heavyweight fight in front of 96,000 fans at Wembley Stadium in September was a fantastic spectacle.
I thought it underlined that Britain is the only place in the world that can create an atmosphere and environment like that.
Daniel Dubois’ stunning win over Anthony Joshua underlined that Britain is the only place in the world that can create an atmosphere and environment like that
Most fans turned up looking to anoint Joshua, so Dubois’ win was unexpected and instigated seismic change in the boxing landscape
Most fans turned up looking to anoint Joshua, so Dubois’ win was unexpected and instigated seismic change in the boxing landscape.
He was outstanding in upsetting the form book. Instead of the return of the king being celebrated, Dubois sent the former golden boy and cash cow of boxing into potential obscurity.
Or, worse than that, into a fight with the riddle wrapped up in a rhyme which is Tyson Fury – for the title of second-best of British. Isn’t that exciting!
MANAGER OF THE SEASON
It’s a split decision with Eddie Howe just edging Oliver Glasner. Both won a trophy – and by the way the FA Cup is bigger than the Carabao – but Howe has also delivered Champions League football.
Given the endless media love-in about Newcastle’s success in winning silverware, I surely must be allowed to give it a mention in my column too!
Palace have less resource than Newcastle and also punched hard in the league after a difficult start. But Howe’s achievement was also monumental, getting the monkey off Newcastle’s back with all the public emotion that came with that, besides returning to Europe’s elite competition.
Enzo Maresca at Chelsea might have been a contender having taken over what many people considered a car crash of a club to finish in the top four with young players.
However, for talking down his club’s opportunities in December when they were flying – then later telling everyone else to ‘eff off’ for doing the same thing – I’m excluding Pep’s apprentice for unintended irony.
Eddie Howe’s achievement was also monumental, getting the monkey off Newcastle’s back with all the public emotion that came with that, besides returning to Europe’s elite competition
Palace have less resource than Newcastle and also punched hard in the league after a difficult start, so Oliver Glasner deserves huge credit too
OWNER AND CHAIRMAN OF THE YEAR
Given how Manchester United and Arsenal mishandled the succession after iconic managers departed, you have to admire Liverpool’s John W Henry and Tom Werner in overseeing a seamless transition post-Jurgen Klopp.
The biggest decision for an owner and chairman is who to hire and fire. In Arne Slot, they have someone who has not only replicated previous success, but perhaps even improved upon it.
Liverpool have defied conventional wisdom that replacing a long-serving manager equates to decline. They have been able to win the league under Slot without even having to sign new players, because their recruitment was so good in the preceding years.
Arsenal have won one trophy in seven years since Arsene Wenger left. United are a car crash 12 years after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. Liverpool are top of the tree in Slot’s first season. It is a well-run club.
