A good balanced article from the Guardian... http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/mar/23/watford-premier-league-financial-future Multinational Watford look to top flight and a solid financial future Under fire for using foreign players, Watford march on and their backing by the Pozzo family could make the difference
A very well researched and considered article - a good piece of journo work, unlike many we have seen since t hat weasel Hollaway's rant. Thanks for picking this one up Yorkie
A very well written report - just a shame that those who need to read it would find that it is beyond their reading/comprehension skills, as well as their attention spans. If only The Sun could properly precis this into one of their eye-catching headlines, we'd be half way there.......
I wouldn't worry about 'sun' readers and their ignorant conceptions, david conn is a well respected journo, who is passionate about football, he has a nose for sniffing out corruption and exposing it, likewise he also promotes the good things that are happening, particularly clubs that have proper supporter ownership/input-- on a side note, have you read what is happening in the spanish premier league-- all those clubs with massive tax debts being called to account-- a few bankruptcies are inevitable, wonder if it will start a domino effect throughout europe- clubs living beyond their means....
Football as a whole needs to take a look at itself and its financing - it is a bit like the housing market a few years ago - everyone knows there is unsustainable debt out there but nobody is really tackling it
Totally agree, and have said so on here a few times. It's another well researched, balanced piece from Mr Conn. Two things made me smile: "famous old Hornets", and the bit about Barry Fry sending a congratulatory note.
Another interesting article from the Daily Heil... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2298035/Is-Gianfranco-Zola-Chelsea-job.html
It is good to see that almost everyone has understood that it was Bassini who was the crook and not watford
At first there was puzzlement--"What is going on at Watford? Is it legal?" Then there was jealousy and resentment--- "They are only doing well because they have all these foreign loan players--ludicrous! Loophole!". Now quite a few people seem to be coming round to the view that the Pozzo's have invented an approach that allows clubs to develop on the pitch , gives opportunities to players from many sources, and yet is financially sustainable , not dependent on silly- billionaires and/or massive debt. Of course "the plan" would not work without the right people to lead it, and fortunately in Duxburry, Nani and Zola we seem to have them. Having survived the Bas crisis, I would expect the whole project to now go from strength to strength, whatever new rules the FL bring in, and whatever division we are in next season. Only a financial melt-down in Europe which results in a Pozzo family bankruptcy could derail us now--and that is not going to happen...is it?
Your always likely to get a more balanced and better researched article in the broadsheets compared to the tabloids.
A regular in my pub was slagging off the 'orns last night. He said we're not a proper team, the loans shouldn't be allowed and we're a disgrace to English football. This from a supporter of a club who did the double in 1986 with only one English player in the side .
The sad thing is that the Guardian has its own financial problems and, despite reducing its staff numbers, appears to have set targets for further reductions in the near future.
I think the way the Pozzo empire is run they are likely to be less vulnerable than most as they have not built it on debt
I think this tends to highlight that sentiment. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/premier-league-chelsea-teen-will-earn-1-7m-142846987.html Something needs to happen before the 'industry' implodes.