What do we think of the Wembley sale idea and what Gary Neville says: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44873278?
I like Gary Neville more and more. I agree with a lot of what he says here. I like the fact he speaks out and says what he thinks and there is a lot of sense in it. I’m not been precious about Wembley, but agreeing with him that if funds are needed for grass roots football, then there are at better ways of raising them.
Just sell the stadium and use the money to fund the grass roots. England don´t need to play International matches at Wembley as there are plenty of good stadiums around the country besides three excellent stadiums in the capital itself. We should follow the example of countries like Spain, Italy, Germany in taking the national team around the country.
While I agree on England playing games at other grounds, Wembley is a fantastic stadium and should be utilised. I would schedule England friendlies to be played around the country and all Euro/World Cup qualifiers to be played at Wembley.
Within days of Juve signing CR7, 520,00 replica shirts are sold and the club games 4 million worldwide followers. It makes me think that should Manchester United buy Harry Kane, the transfer fee would pay for itself within days. (And I believe they will in due course, with someone like Rashford and one other going the other way as part of the deal). OK, SFC can´t afford these kinds of players, but where is the signing a la Keegan that will result in SFC selling more shirts and making sure the ground is full every home match? Could SFC get a player to stop youngsters in places like Warsash becoming devoted followers of Chelsea and Manchester United? I´d rather these fans support Real Madrid or Juve, than any PL team other than SFC.
That’s all well and good if you really think all that money will go to grass roots football. It won’t.
Cynical!! If Wembley is sold, I suppose FA will hire the place for all necessary matches and still get a fat profit.
The main point I thought Neville was making, was that if we want to raise funds for grassroots football, there are better ways. Once the 600m is gone, it’s gone. Ongoing or sustainable options are out there.
Millions has already been spent on grass roots football, on football academies, on coaching. Compare that to Croatia where the system is crumbling and corrupt, but the talent that comes out of that country defies the logic that millions needs to be spent on the footballing infrastructure. Watching England it seems as if the players have been brainwashed since youth to play in a certain way as they were largely devoid of creativity, and an ablity to play instinctively.
Have a fun GP weekend. Hope it is hot and sunny where you are, get the TV outside to watch the race while doing a BBQ!!
Atlanta Utd beat a Rooney led DC Utd 3-1 today at the Mercedes Stadium in Atlanta - Josef Martinez got a record breaking 6th hat trick this season. (I saw his 5th there in June ) Apparently 72,000 for their last game, but 'only' 58,000 today. Must be the Rooney effect
East Fife 4 - 5 Forfar actually happened today! (On penalties) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44916496
England U19s playing France U19s for a place in the EUFA semi-finals. Still 0-0 after quarter of an hour....England need a draw and France a win if we assume Ukraine will beat Turkey. A place in the U20s next year also up for grabs. France dominating at the moment....England goalie pulled off a worldie. Goal to France 27 mins. Now 3-0 so England going out.
