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The Manchester derby is always a big occasion, especially since Manchester City were elevated to the level of regular Premier League contenders when Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan – better known as Sheikh Mansour – took over the club in 2008, investing heavily in the first-team squad and club’s infrastructure.

And the battle for Mancunian supremacy between Manchester United and City has provided no shortage of drama in recent years: there was Michael Owens late winner in United’s 4-3 victory in 2009, Wayne Rooney’s stunning bicycle kick to seal a 2-1 win for the Red Devils in 2011, City’s famous 6-1 triumph at Old Trafford later that year, and Marcus Rashford’s strike to grab three points at the Etihad for United last season.

But the upcoming clash between the two sides, at Old Trafford on Saturday (10 September), is the most eagerly anticipated Manchester derby ever.

The intrigue in this match lies in several different narratives. There’s the resumption of José Mourinho and Pep Guardiola’s heated rivalry, the cast of recently purchased stars set to make their derby debut, the fact that the two clubs have made an undefeated start to the season and are the current bookmakers’ favourites to lift the Premier League title in May.

The Mourinho-Guardiola dynamic will dominate most of the pre-match coverage, as two of the world’s finest and most successful coaches pick up where they left off with their mutual disdain.

The bitterness between the two festered during their time on opposite sides of La Liga’s Clásico divide, with Mourinho in charge of Real Madrid and Guardiola at Barcelona, but the seeds of their rivalry can be traced back slightly further.

By the time Mourinho arrived in Madrid in 2010, Guardiola had already spent two years transforming Barça into the best and most attractive side in Europe. But the previous season, the Portuguese had gotten one over on the Blaugrana by knocking them out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage with Internazionale.

Mourinho’s Inter utilised hyper-negative tactics to frustrate Barça’s pass masters, while the manager set about engaging in press-conference and touchline posturing to rile his opposite number.

And when Mourinho arrived in Madrid, he recognised that his side were inferior to Guardiola’s in footballing terms, so he again turned to the dark arts to gain any possible advantage; the media baiting and touchline antics recommenced.

Initially it was Guardiola who came out of top though, as his Barça thumped Mourinho’s Madrid 5-1 in their first Clásico as opposite numbers, with the Catalans claiming that season’s league title as well as the Champions League.

But as time wore on, the bitterness took a visible toll on Guardiola, and the following season, after Madrid romped to the title with a record points and goals haul, he left his position as Barça coach.

The eyes of the world will be watching to see how the two men interact on Saturday, and which of these two brilliant tacticians will outwit the other on the pitch.

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There will also be plenty of interest to see which of the two clubs’ major signings will prove their worth. Zlatan Ibrahimović will be motivated to avenge the defeat he suffered to City in the Champions League with Paris Saint Germain last season, and there will be no more fitting stage upon which Paul Pogba could justify his world record £89 million fee will a stellar performance in midfield.

City new boy Ñolito has impressed since his £16 million move from Celta de Vigo, and he’ll be hoping to make a decisive contribution at Old Trafford. Both sides each signed a 22-year-old centre-back at great expense this summer too; John Stones and Eric Bailly will both want to continue their strong early-season form.

Tactically, this match stands to be a fascinating duel between Guardiola’s free-flowing, positionally fluid, possession-based ideology and Mourinho’s tactically disciplined and physically-imposing counter-attacking style.

Guardiola has introduced his complexed philosophy to great effect so far this season, lining up his side in a 4-3-3 which morphs into a 2-3-5 in possession. The full-backs have been moving into the central midfield zone, with Kevin de Bruyne and David Silva – who both act as central midfielders when City are out of possession – moving into high attacking midfield areas when their team has the ball, and the rejuvenated Raheem Sterling and Ñolito pulling wide while Fernandinho holds the fort.

But City will be without star striker Sergio Agüero on Saturday, after the Argentinian was hit with a retrospective three-match ban for an elbow on West Ham United defender Winston Reid two weeks ago; will Guardiola make the like-for-like change of playing Kelechi Iheanacho as his centre-forward, or will he take the opportunity to use Sterling as false-nine and bring in Fernando to sure up the midfield?

Mourinho’s United set-up is simpler but no less effective. Their 4-2-3-1 formation offers adequate cover of the back four, with a double-pivot of Marouane Fellaini in the more disciplined role, and Pogba afforded a little more freedom to push forward, while enabling a cast of potential match-winners — in the shape of Anthony Martial, Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata and Ibrahimović — to occupy the attacking zones. Without the ball, the Red Devils fall back into a basic 4-4-1-1 shape, from which they can either employ a low-, medium-, or high-block press dependent on the opposition.

One change Mourinho may be keen to make, would be to swap Mata for a more dynamic option on the right wing. Mata has performed well so far this season, but if Guardiola intends to push his full-backs into midfield when they have the ball, a direct approach with pace out wide could exploit the space in behind City’s left- and right-backs in the transitional phase.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan would have been the ideal candidate to fulfill this role, but an injury picked up while on international duty with Armenia means the £26 million signing from Borussia Dortmund faces a race against time to be fit for the derby. Jesse Lingard or Rashford could come in instead. If Mourinho does view this area as a potential weakness of City’s, he may want to consider partnering Pogba with Ander Herrera. The Spaniard does not have the defensive acumen of Morgan Schneiderlin or even Fellaini – so in that respect it would be somewhat of a risk to play him – but his speed of thought and execution would be more conducive to springing counter-attacks than any other United midfielder. Although, Michael Carrick could offer a healthy balance between defensive cover and vertical passing ability.

About the author – Ryan Baldi

Ryan is a Midlands based freelance sports writer specialising in European football. He has been fascinated with the continental game ever since he was presented with his first football kit at the age of 7 years old whilst on holiday in Spain – a Barcelona shirt with ‘Romario 10’ printed on the back. A contributor to numerous footballing websites, Ryan has also covered martial arts for local and national print publications.

Twitter:  @RyanBaldiEFB

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MCFC-cover

The Manchester City squad inherited by Pep Guardiola this season is a squad of the highest calibre. With several experienced stars within its ranks, many are citing the Blues as the favourites for the Premier League crown in the upcoming 2016/17 Premier League campaign.

But with experience comes ageing players and City are notorious for having one of the oldest squads in the topflight of English football. An average age of 28 admittedly has its pros and cons; first team experience comes at the cost of older players who have shorter remaining career spans.

At Guardiola’s previous two clubs, he left behind a legacy – a youth orientated philosophy. When he departed Barcelona back in 2012, his first-team squad had an average age of just 23.9, compared to 24.9 when he took charge at the Camp Nou.

That change was a result of the Spanish coach completing a mass overhaul of the existing squad. He sold multiple high profile names, including Thierry Henry (32), Zambrotta (31), Edmilson (31), Deco (30), Ronaldinho (28), instead opting to more regularly utilise the likes of Pedro (19) and Lionel Messi (20).

He also promoted Sergio Busquets (19) from Barça’s youth side and purchased Dani Alves (25), as well as re-signing Gerard Pique (21) from Manchester United.

All of the young players Guardiola either promoted or recruited remained at Barcelona for several years, with several still plying their trade for the Catalan giants.

Meanwhile the Bayern Munich outfit that he left last season had an average age of 26.8.

Longevity appears to be an intrinsic aspect of Guardiola’s DNA and the initial signs of that are already being demonstrated at Manchester City after just a month in charge.

During his unveiling at the Etihad Campus earlier this month, Guardiola declared that his players ‘have to show me and the fans again. That is the past, people don’t come here to see what we did.’ Reputation alone does not guarantee a player space in Guardiola’s frame if they do not have the right attitude or ability.

The past means nothing and the future means everything.

Since he uttered those words to the delight of the club’s supporters, City have been touted with moves for some of the world’s finest young talent. Having already snapped up Ukraine international Oleksandr Zinchenko (19), the Citizens are believed to be close to signing Real Sociedad goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli (24), Everton centre back John Stones (22), Schalke ace Leroy Sane (20), Brazilian wonderkid Gabriel Jesus (19) and Colombian forward Marlos Moreno (19).

As well as scouting young talents on a global scale, Guardiola has already been impressed with some of the existing youngsters from the club’s Elite Development Squad during the current pre-season tour.

Fullbacks Angelino and Pablo Maffeo, centre back Tosin Adarabioyo and midfielder Aleix Garcia have all inspired confidence and appear ready for some potential first-team action this term.

These enthusiastic youngsters bode well for the future in the blue half of Manchester; blending them into the first team could also provide healthy competition for their more experienced counterparts.

Guardiola will not be afraid to incorporate youth into his line-ups, as has been demonstrated by his spells in Barcelona and Bavaria. This comes in direct contrast to Manuel Pellegrini’s unwilling stubbornness to nurture the young produce available at his disposal, even in times when the Chilean manager complained about the lack of time to recovery between fixtures.

Kelechi Iheanacho impressed far more than Wilfried Bony and yet was still behind the Ivory Coast striker until very late on last season. If Guardiola had been at the helm, he would most certainly have been given the chance to impress much sooner.

The aforementioned healthily competitive nature of the squad under Pep means that City supporters should finally see one of Pellegrini’s aims achieved: to acquire two top quality options in each position.

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City will have incredible depth next season

But whereas Pellegrini appeared keen to solely buy existing brilliance for instant success, Pep will bring the addition of prudishly promoting rising stars.

Whether Joe Hart retains his number 1 jersey, is reduced to second choice or is sold, there is no doubting that he is a top quality keeper. However, mistakes riddled his outing at Euro 2016 and his poor distribution has reportedly cast doubt in the mind of Guardiola – a coach famed for goalkeepers who can play with the ball at their feet.

Young stopper Angus Gunn was the hero in City’s pre-season penalty shootout win over Borussia Dortmund and he is keen to stick around at the Etihad in order to prove himself between the posts.

However, at 20 years of age, Guardiola may instead opt to acquire an experienced keeper such as Claudio Bravo to use as his first choice, while Rulli is expected to return on-loan to Sociedad for the season.

Aleksander Kolarov could be sold, leaving Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy and Pablo Zabaleta, the latter of which appears set to stay following links with Roma. All three of these fullbacks are versatile and able to play on either side of the defence, whilst Angelino and Maffeo are excellent young options for rotation purposes.

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The future looks bright for Manchester City

In between said fullbacks, the future of captain Vincent Kompany hands precariously by a thread – a thread which is still probably somewhat stronger than the Belgian’s calves. Injury issues across the past few years could make the 30-year-old a casualty under Guardiola’s ruthlessly stringent procedures.

Although it may seem ludicrous to suggest, John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi could form a formidable pairing under Guardiola’s guidance. Both are comfortable in possession and are capable of passing the ball through the lines with pinpoint accuracy, a vital element in Pep’s philosophy. Youngsters Jason Denayer and Tosin Adarabioyo fit the mould too and will be eagerly anticipating their opportunity.

Existing midfield options include Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Fernando, Yaya Toure, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Samir Nasri, all of whom are comfortable in possession and able to dictate football matches to some degree.

The success of wide players Raheem Sterling, Nolito and Jesus Navas – as well as possibly Leroy Sane – will be pivotal to City’s success, or lack of it.

Up front, Wilfried Bony is available for sale, with Sergio Aguero a dead cert in leading the line as the Blues’ talisman and Iheanacho ready in reserve.

Some fans are disappointed that a marquee name such as Toni Kroos, Paul Pogba or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has not been obtained.

But I have a genuine belief that this season, City’s squad as a whole will be greater than the sum of its individual components. It certainly has the capacity to form the foundations for years to come.

About the author – Jordan-Luke McDonald

Jordan-Luke is a footballer writer who was a finalist at the National Football Blogging Awards 2015 in two categories. He has contributed towards Manchester Evening News, CaughtOffside and TheseFootyTimes to name but a few.

twitter: @TheSilvaLining

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Top-10-Big-Money-Failures

Whenever a superstar footballer is involved in a transfer, the deal is usually a costly one. As football has developed, the market has too, meaning the more money in the game, the higher the value of a player.

Every summer, it seems to keep increasing, and ‘value’ is relative. Perspective is the most important factor when judging a big money move, because while it can appear a club has paid over the odds, with the pace in which the game moves, there is a fear of being left behind if they don’t act.

It is easy to fall into the trap of taking a player’s ability for granted and assuming they will succeed wherever they go, but they are human beings and nobody is perfect. Factors can take effect and sometimes the hype just isn’t matched on the pitch. Here are ten examples of players failing to justify their high-end fees.

1. Gianluigi Lentini – Torino to AC Milan for £13million, 1992.

At the height of their powers in the late 1980s and early 90s, Milan could do no wrong under Arrigo Sacchi and Fabio Cappello. At the forefront of Italian football, the Rossoneri were defensively strong with frightening talent up front, and Lentini was fully expected to compliment the likes of Marco van Basten, while adding a wide option, aided by his phenomenal dribbling skills.

While he remained at the San Siro for four years and winning three Serie A titles and the Champions League under, Lentini never quite reached the heights promised by what at the time was a world record transfer fee. A car crash in 1993 overshadowed his career, and he couldn’t fully recover having fractured his skull and damaged his eye socket aged just 24.

2. Mario Gotze – Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich for £32million, 2013.

There are a lot of achievements in his career that Mario Gotze can rightfully be proud of. In 2014, at the age of 22, he scored the winner for Germany in the World Cup final against Argentina. It was a moment that, had it come a few years later, would probably have defined his career.

But people always expect more, and it is easy to forget Gotze’s age. Having shot to fame at Borussia Dortmund, he appeared to sever all ties with them when he joined Bayern, but three tough years, in which he struggled for regular action under Pep Guardiola, stifled his development.

Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival in place of Manchester City-bound Guardiola didn’t stop the prodigal son returning to the Signal Iduna Park with his tail firmly between his legs earlier this summer.

3. Andriy Shevchenko – AC Milan to Chelsea for £30million, 2006.

Still in it’s infancy, Roman Abramovich’s power and success driven reign at Chelsea reached new heights when the Blues lured perhaps the world’s best striker to Stamford Bridge in 2006, reportedly against the wishes of then boss Jose Mourinho.

Just three years earlier, the Ukrainian hitman had scored the winning penalty in the Champions League final for Milan against Juventus, before missing a similarly huge one at the same stage against Liverpool two years after that.

Overall, he netted 127 goals in 208 Serie A games during seven years at the San Siro, but could score just nine in 48 in two Premier League seasons before returning to the Rossoneri for a failed loan spell.

4. Fernando Torres – Liverpool to Chelsea for £50million, 2011.

In a similar story to Shevchenko, Chelsea swooped for Fernando Torres on deadline day in January 2011, after the Spaniard had lit up Anfield in three and a half years at Liverpool.

His record of 20 league goals in 110 games is not deserving of a £50million player, and he never really hit the form of his days as a Red, but Torres did have some great moments with Chelsea.

En route to winning the Champions League in his first full season, he scored the clinching goal in the semi final against Barcelona.

He’ll be fondly remembered in West London despite his struggles, but fans will be disappointed they never saw the best of him.

5. Radamel Falcao – Atletico Madrid to Monaco for £50million, 2013.

Nicknamed ‘El Tigre’ and probably the man who took Torres’ mantle as the hottest striker on the planet while with Atletico Madrid, Radamel Falcao had his pick of the world’s elite when he departed, having won back to back Europa League titles, first with FC Porto and then Los Rojiblancos, in 2011 and 2012.

But that summer, he surprised the world by choosing to sign for newly-rich Monaco. While his early goal record in the Principality was as prolific as ever, following a record of 52 goals in 68 La Liga games for Atleti, but a serious knee injury a few months later has haunted him since.

Loan moves to Manchester United and Chelsea promised much, but he was never the same player. Now 30, he is back at Monaco looking for anything close to his best form.

6. Denilson – Sao Paulo to Real Betis for £21.5million, 1998.

To break the world transfer record at the age of 18, talent must be unquestionable, and that was the case with former Brazil midfielder Denilson when he joined Real Betis in 1998.

What did raise doubts, however, were his temperament and desire to fulfil his otherworldly potential. Although he earned 60 caps for his country and stayed at Betis for seven years, a move to one of Europe’s truly elite clubs never came, and he ended his career in 2010 having jumped aimlessly from continent to continent.

7. Gaizka Mendieta – Valencia to Lazio for £30million, 2001.

Two successive Champions League final defeats at the beginning of the century had not taken anything away from Gaizka Mendieta, who was the most sought after player around in the summer of 2001.

At the time, Lazio were a huge draw, having won Serie A a year earlier, and they struck a deal to bring Mendieta to Rome. But after making 230 league appearances at the Mestalla, he only racked up 20 in three years at the Stadio Olympico, while also taking loan spells at Barcelona and Middlesbrough at that time.

8. Robinho – Real Madrid to Manchester City for £32.5million, 2008.

Throughout the summer of 2008, Robinho was a target for Chelsea and so desperately wanted to leave the Santiago Bernabeu and Real Madrid.

As is becoming more and more typical, the saga rolled on all summer but the Blues couldn’t clinch a deal. On the final day of the summer transfer window, Manchester City were taken over by Sheikh Mansour, and with money to burn stole in to sign the 24-year-old.

But Robinho himself didn’t know who he had signed for when asked for his thoughts on international duty, claiming he thought he’d joined Chelsea after all.

That really set the tone. Brilliant in places but only netting twice away from home in his debut season, he was shipped on loan to Santos after 18 months before being sold to AC Milan.

9. Juan Sebastian Veron – Lazio to Manchester United for £28million, 2001.

While the Red Devils have entered the market for established superstars more since Sir Alex Ferguson, the capture of Veron was arguably the last true showing of their financial muscle in comparison to others.

Another of the most wanted in the world, Veron arrived with a huge reputation as an Argentina international. Technique and composure on the ball were no problem but the pace and physicality of the English game was too much for him. He was sold to Chelsea in the early Abramovich days for £15million.

10. Kaka – AC Milan to Real Madrid for £58million, 2009.

Some players earn the right to break the world transfer record, and Kaka was certainly one of them. Still riding the wave from his Ballon d’Or win in 2007, having inspired Milan to the Champions League that year, he became a new Galactico in Madrid president Florentino Perez’s second spell at the helm.

He promised much, obviously, but injuries and a lack of the big personality desired to succeed in the Spanish capital, and he eventually returned to Milan before joining Orlando City in MLS via a loan spell at Sao Paulo.

About the author – Harry De Cosemo

Harry is a European football writer specialising in English, Spanish and Italian football. He has worked for a number of top publications including MARCA in English, uMAXit football, FourFourTwo, Squawka and the Press Association.

twitter: @harrydecosemo

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Jonathan-Leko

The 2015/16 season was, again, a very good season for youngsters. Players such as Demarai Gray, Marcus Rashford, Tim Fosu-Mensah, Kelechi Iheanacho and Dele Alli impressed the world, with the latter in particular creating an incredible impression for a then-nineteen year old.

Now, with the new season beckoning, I have identified 5 young talents who may well go on to emulate the successes of the aforementioned footballers.

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Southampton

Newly signed from German giants Bayern Munich, Højbjerg is a truly fantastic footballer. Aged just 20, the Dane already has 15 full international caps, and features regularly. An already-experienced midfielder, he spent the last two seasons on loan at Bundesliga clubs Augsburg and Schalke 04, and so has plenty of experience of playing to a high standard, but was underused at Bayern, which made him keen to leave the Bavarian side.

Although he will be facing competition from a strong Southampton midfield, Højbjerg is likely to play a significant role at St Mary’s next season, with the rumoured £12 million transfer fee suggestive of the fact that Southampton were determined to sign him.

Joining up with top class midfielders like Jordy Clasie and Dusan Tadic will undoubtedly help Højbjerg as he strives to make an impression at Southampton. Deployed mainly at defensive midfielder or in a central midfield capacity, he will provide more defensive screening and cover for Southampton’s back line, compensating for the departure of stalwart Victor Wanyama.

He has the potential to become one of the league’s best, and with the help of new manager Puel, he may just achieve this.

Dominic Solanke, Chelsea

An exciting striker with an eye for goal, Dominic Solanke is the latest English striking hotshot to burst onto the scene. Quick and powerful, he spent last season on loan at Chelsea feeder club, Vitesse Arnhem, and established himself as a regular starter, even grabbing 7 goals in 25 appearances in the Eredivisie.

What makes it more impressive is that he’s only 18.

With a successful loan spell behind him and Chelsea’s attacking options looking relatively sparse, it’s likely that Solanke will make his breakthrough this season. He’s proven himself worthy of game time, and contrary to Mourinho, who tends to restrict youth footballers from starting regularly, Conte may well see it fit to involve the talented teenager in his plans for the campaign. Capped by all English youth teams, ranging from the u-16s to the u-21s, Solanke has wowed in the Eredivisie at such a young age, so what’s to say that the youngster can’t do the same in the Premier League?

Jason Denayer, Manchester City

When you look at Denayer’s credentials and achievements, it seems laughable that he hasn’t been given a chance to prove his worth in the Premier League as of yet. The 21-year old has been loaned out for the past two seasons, enjoying spells at Celtic and Galatasaray, respectively, but has never made a senior appearance for his club. A full international with Belgium, he has seven caps to his name, and featured during the European Championships.

His chance for Premier League football may arise soon, though. At 21, he has reached his potential and is seen by some as the perfect eventual replacement to fellow countryman Vincent Kompany.

Strong and very fast for a centre-back, Denayer should be given a chance next year. He is of invaluable use to City – a talented, young international footballer, already on the books at the club, it really is a no-brainer. Expect to see him feature regularly next season.

Lewis Cook, Bournemouth

It’s not often that a 19-year old can claim to be his club’s best player, and most valuable individual. In fact, it’s not often that a young, Championship midfielder is signed for a fee with the potential to rise to £10 million. Regardless, this is the case for Lewis Cook. A veteran of over 70 appearances for Leeds United, Cook made the switch after the appointment of Garry Monk, and looks set to take the league by storm.  The England u-19 international, who joins a side vying to compete with the very best in the league, will undoubtedly be considered a regular starter next season, presumably preferred to the likes of Dan Gosling and Andrew Surman. He has been touted with a move to the Premier League for a long time, and Bournemouth did well to ward off interest from bigger clubs, such as the reportedly-interested Liverpool. Deployed mainly as a central midfielder-cum-winger, Cook’s composed and mature approach to football will no doubt see him become a huge asset to Bournemouth over the coming campaign.

Jonathan Leko, West Bromwich Albion

Any of those that watched Leko perform last season at West Brom will need little guidance to understanding the sheer talent possessed by the attacker. At the age of 17, the Kinshasa-born forward has already established himself as one of the game’s biggest up-and-coming talents, along with his teammate, Wales youth international Tyler Roberts. Making his Premier League now at the humble age of 16, Leko made 5 league appearances last season, but expect him to make many more next year.

He’s quick and blessed with fantastic feet, enabling him to change direction or pass a defender with skill. Trickery comes naturally to this young man;perhaps explaining why he’s often disposed on the wing and in the attacking midfield role, just behind the striker. Here, he is allocated room to run at the defensive line with freedom, as oppose to being clamped down with the responsibility of holding the ball up, or making runs to bypass the defence. Only just 17, Leko stands at 6″0 – the perfect height for a forward not entirely devoted to any position in particular. With Saido Berahino expected to make his move to Stoke City or Spurs, expect considerable space to be allocated for Jonathan Leko this year. If given the opportunity, he could take the league by storm.

About the author – Tomos Knox

Tomos is a football writer whose work mainly focuses on the Premier League, International and European football in general. He is an avid football fan and first turned to football blogging in 2014, and has since been published by the likes of The Guardian and FourFourTwo. He was shortlisted for ‘Young Blogger of the year’ in 2014 at the Football blogging awards. You can follow Tomos here: tomosknox.wordpress.com

twitter: @TomosKnox

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New-City-Signings

Manchester City have had the lure of playing Champions League football, competing on multiple fronts and providing high wages for several years now. But with the additional attraction of working under Pep Guardiola next season, many world class names have been linked with a potential move to the Etihad Stadium this summer.

Having already acquired a couple of household names in Ilkay Gundogan and Nolito, the Blues are looking to bolster their armoury to fully support their new manager’s ambitious campaign next term.

As is the case with most of the high profile European outfits, City have been continuously linked with a plethora of top quality players over the last few months.

It would be ludicrous, however, if they were to sign even half of those names on a long list of potential targets which has been accredited to them by the media. One of those heavily tipped to make the move to Manchester was Aymeric Laporte. The 22-year-old, currently plying his trade at Athletic Bilbao, is perceived to be one of the best young defenders across the globe, and had attracted the attentions of Guardiola due to his ball-playing qualities. However, the Frenchman recently signed a contract extension, tying him to the Basque club until 2020.

Another long-term French target who now appears to be more of a long-shot is Paul Pogba. The Juventus powerhouse will be upset at having fallen at the final hurdle of the European Championship final on home turf. But it is believed that he is set to leave the disappointment behind and move on from his time in Turin, although media reports indicate that the 23-year-old could be set for a return to City’s rivals Manchester United for a world-record transfer fee.

Yet City are seemingly being more prudent with their purchases, at least so far this summer. Gundogan and Nolito cost just 19.7 million and 13.8 million respectively – respectable fees considering the experience and quality of both players, not to mention their compatibility in Pep’s system and the attention of several other top sides, including Guardiola’s former club Barcelona.

However, there is no point in being frugal if its only point is just to prove a point. If doing so means that you miss out on your top targets, then it probably isn’t worth it. Of course, City are now in a position where they do not have to be held to ransom to acquire their targets and they should not pay over the odds, as is shown through their previous, and now lack of, interest in Pogba. Another example of such an episode is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

With Borussia Dortmund having already lost Gundogan to City and captain Mats Hummels to rivals Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga side were not prepared to sell the Gabon international for a small sum. Instead, their demands reportedly reached 65 million, which City were not prepared to pay.

One player who would be a huge addition to Guardiola’s ranks, however, is Toni Kroos. Sold against Guardiola’s wishes at Bayern Munich, Kroos would be the perfect midfield signing for the Etihad outfit. City fans will be familiar with the German’s quality as he has played against their team five times, producing some sensational performances in the process.

Kroos speaks Pep’s language; not German, but rather his ‘footballing language’. Kroos understands the ideology inside the Spanish coach’s head and he would be able to assist the City stars during the period of transition by translating it onto the training field.

Why? Because in his first days in Bavaria at Bayern Munich’s Sabener Strasse training camp, Guardiola worked meticulously with the 26-year-old in order to alter his body position when receiving the ball, ensuring he was able to comprehend and complete the next pass in one fluid movement.

Another name which has been bandied around the Etihad Campus as a possible new recruit for Guardiola’s revolution is John Stones. Signing him appears to make a whole lot of sense and it would be the perfect signing for all parties involved. Pep would be perfect for Stones and Stones perfect for Pep; Stones would be able to work under a coach renowned for improving players, especially young ones, whilst Guardiola would attain a young, ball-playing central defender whose mind set is still particularly mouldable. Everton would receive a sizeable fee, whilst in City’s interests, the England international would contribute towards the much-discussed home-grown quota.

Last season, Manuel Pellegrini faltered throughout the season due to numerous injuries to key players. However, his Premier League squad was not at the maximum capacity; in fact, the only players classified as home-grown  were Joe Hart, Gael Clichy, Fabian Delph and Richard Wright, with Raheem Sterling counting as an under-21 player last season. With Wright retiring and Delph’s future hanging precariously in the balance, the Blues could be left with just three home-grown stars, meaning their domestic squad would be restricted to just 20 players – even lower than last season’s total of 21.

Therefore, City desperately need to incorporate some home-grown talent to bolster their squad size to the permitted limit. Ultimately, the aim is for the newly constructed state-of-the-art academy facilities to produce fine talent for the first team, but the most promising youngsters will still fall into the under-21 bracket for the upcoming campaign.

“You go for English players and they ask you for £20 million more than a Spanish player or German player or Italian player,” Pep stated last weekend, highlighted in the reported 45 million fee for Stones. “You have to deal with it to try and find what you need.”

What is it that City ‘need’ then? Quality young talents who are hungry, ambitious and have the raw potential necessary to grow. If there is no desire to learn, then Guardiola cannot teach them effectively.

And despite the talk of quotas and restricted squads, Guardiola is ‘looking forward’ to working with English players.

“I love working with young players” he also declared and there is a reason why; in addition to their longevity in terms of the remainder of their careers, they are more likely to be adaptable. Evidenced by the likes of Kingsley Coman and Joshua Kimmich in Munich and Sergio Busquets and Pedro in Barcelona, Guardiola takes pride in nurturing the newest crop of young talent wherever he goes.

He even took Thiago with him from Barcelona to Bayern and the central midfielder is another who would be a huge coup if they could capture his signature. The 25-year-old has followed Guardiola wherever he has gone and another transfer in his manager’s footsteps has been mooted by the English press.

In a similar vein to German compatriots Gundogan and Kroos, Thiago is a midfielder who is comfortable on the ball and capable of dictating the play from deep, with a hint of superlative Spanish technical ability, but whether there is genuine interest from the Etihad officials is yet to be seen.

However, one star who is expected to make the move to Manchester is Leroy Sane. As with Gundogan, Guardiola will know all about the Schalke winger from his time in the Bundesliga. A move worth in the region of 40 million is believed to be close to completion and the German international would afford City depth in wide areas.

Wingers are a vital component of Guardiola’s teams, providing pace, width and pressing. Securing both Sane and Nolito would be a signal of intent and would strengthen the City squad in more ways than one. Last season, Raheem Sterling and Jesus Navas were the only two out-and-out wide men. Having signed two additional definitive wingers, the Blues will have strength in depth on the touchlines, but it would also enable them to utilise all of David Silva, Samir Nasri and Kevin De Bruyne in their preferred central roles, instead of being forced to shift them further across the pitch.

Fullbacks are the other wide area on the pitch and they too require improvement. With all of City’s current fullbacks the wrong side of 30 in a position that demands stamina and pace, Guardiola will be looking to inject fresh young legs into the fold. The pairing of Ricardo Rodriguez and Bruno Peres of Wolfsburg and Torino respectively have been mentioned regularly over the last few weeks. The former, a set-piece specialist, is 23-years-old and appears to be the natural replacement for Aleksander Kolarov, whilst Bruno Peres is expected to supplant the outgoing Pablo Zabaleta.

The final defensive position in question is the goalkeeper. It is well-known that Guardiola prefers goalkeepers who are capable of ‘playing with their feet’. Joe Hart has cemented his position as the Citizens’ man between the goalposts for some time now, yet it appears Guardiola is prepared to rip up the concrete foundations and lay his own, with Marc-André ter Stegen of Barcelona recently cited as his preferred option.

The 24-year-old would provide direct competition to Hart, in contrast to the likes of Costel Pantilimon and Willy Caballero of recent times, which could potentially benefit both players as they vie for the number 1 jersey.

About the author – Jordan-Luke McDonald

Jordan-Luke is a footballer writer who was a finalist at the National Football Blogging Awards 2015 in two categories. He has contributed towards Manchester Evening News, CaughtOffside and TheseFootyTimes to name but a few.

twitter: @TheSilvaLining

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The-Transfer-Plans-For-Last-Seasons-Top-Four

To varying degrees, each of the clubs from last season’s Premier League top four have experienced a disappointing 2015-16 campaign. Champions Chelsea, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United have all fallen short of pre-season expectations, which means we can expect change this summer. Managerial changes have already been confirmed for Chelsea and City, with the appointments of Antonio Conte and Pep Guardiola respectively. And many fans of Arsenal and United are hoping for a similar overhaul at their own clubs.

With the influx of cash generated by the new Premier League TV deal, coupled with the scorn of this season’s underachievement, we can also expect major surgery to each club’s playing staff, with no expense spared.

Champions Chelsea have fallen furthest, recovering from early season relegation form – which saw José Mourinho given his walking papers in December – just enough to clamber up to mid-table under veteran Dutch coach Guus Hiddink. Billionaire owner Roman Abramovic will not be taking his club’s failure to qualify for European competition lightly, and will likely arm his incoming Italian coach with a hefty budget to overhaul the squad.

Despite the change of manager, the Blues are being linked with a pair of familiar faces in Everton duo John Stones and Romelu Lukaku. England defender Stones was subject of Chelsea’s affection last summer under Mourinho, with Everton rejecting their £40m bid. It now seems that, despite the absence of Mourinho, Stones is still very much a wanted man at Stamford Bridge. And Lukaku, of course, will be no stranger to Chelsea fans as he previously played for the club following a £16.5m move from Anderlecht as a teenager in 2011. The big Belgian never got a fair chance in the Chelsea first-team and was shipped out on loan before being sold to Everton for £28m two seasons ago. If widespread reports are to be believed, the hard-nosed Conte wants to give Lukaku another shot, and is willing to pay £60m to do so.

With a striker and a centre-back identified as targets, that would give the impression that Diego Costa and out-of-contract captain John Terry may be surplus to requirements. Both players have plenty still to offer but with Costa’s ability to attract controversy and Terry’s advancing years, Conte may feel that the time is right to refresh things.

It is also thought that Conte will want midfield re-enforcements, and that he’ll look to the familiar surroundings of Serie A for answers. Roma pair Radja Nainggolan and Miralem Pjanic are believed to be high on his wish list.

Manchester City were runners-up, and many people’s tip to regain the Premier League trophy following a £130m investment in squad improvements. But, despite a one-year contract extension for manager Manuel Pellegrini, the former Malaga boss appeared a lame duck amid speculation that Pep Guardiola was to usurp his position next season — speculation that has since been confirmed.

City’s squad is not in an obvious state of disrepair. And aside from central defence, where almost £70m has been spent on Eliaquim Mangala and Nicolas Otamendi in the last two seasons, with little return – City’s is a squad that would require only a minor tweaking to get them firing again.

But Guardiola will want to shape City in his image. Despite an abundance of athletic, technically proficient midfielders, Guardiola will want to fill the centre of the park with master-passers, capable of executing his brand of attacking artistry.

For that, it seems he has earmarked Borussia Dortmund’s Ilkay Gündogan. The 25-year-old German playmaker possesses the requisite skill on the ball and passing acumen to bring Guardiola’s City vision to life.

In addition to Gündogan, Guardiola is also likely to want a ball-playing centre-back, and a midfield pivot in the mould of his former Barcelona charge Sergio Busquets. It is believed that a tug-of-war for John Stones may ensue between City and Chelsea, although City are also known admirers of Athletic Bilbao’s Aymeric Laporte, and retain their interest despite the young Frenchman breaking his ankle on international duty recently.

With Busquets not for sale, and Guardiola claiming he will not raid the Bayern team he is leaving behind, the search for an ideal pivot may prove tricky. Another Dortmund player, 20-year-old Julian Weigl, would be an ideal fit with the way he has conducted the BVB orchestra from deep this season. But Weigl is relatively inexperienced, this being his first season of top-flight football, and Dortmund will be reticent to sanction the sale of a second key midfielder in one summer.

In terms of league position, it looks like Arsenal will finish exactly where they were least season: fourth. But this season will be remembered as a huge opportunity missed for the Gunners. With the rest of the top four tripping over their shoelaces for most of the campaign, this was Arsenal’s big chance to step up and claim their first title in 12 years. But alas, despite sitting top in January, the Premier League trophy seems beyond their grasp as we approach the final stages of the season.

Planning ahead in the transfer market is key to success on Soccer Manager.

So where can Arsenal improve in order to make a real challenge next season? They finally sorted the goalkeeper position last summer by recruiting Petr Cech from Chelsea, but Wenger’s failure to sign a single outfield player until Mohamed Elneny came in in January, has cost Arsenal dearly.

They need a striker capable of 30 goals. Olivier Giroud is a solid centre-forward, and will always score his fair share, but his is not the sort of world-class option Arsenal can pin their hopes on. They were strongly linked with moves for Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuaín last summer, both of which, at the time, seemed fanciful. But following a season of off-field controversy, maybe Real Madrid would be more willing to listen to offers for their French striker this time around. And Higuaín has had a phenomenal season with Napoli, netting 30 Serie A goals, but after three seasons in Naples, maybe the Argentinian would be open to change this summer.

Arsenal also need a reliable centre-back to partner Laurent Koscielny. Per Mertesacker, though vastly experienced, can be exposed by strikers with pace, and Gabriel Paulista is a decent back-up option. Perhaps someone along the lines of Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk would represent a good option. Having had a year to acclimatise to the Premier League, the former Celtic player could add an assuredness to the Arsenal backline.

Manchester United currently sit fifth in the table, having finished fourth last season. The top four is not beyond their reach, but those already occupying the Champions League-qualifying spaces look reluctant to budge.

Whether Dutch manager Louis van Gaal is allowed to see out the final year of his contract, or whether the myriad rumours are to be believed and José Mourinho will be in charge next season, remains to be seen. But either way, United could use some squad improvements.

Despite spending £250m on incomings over the past two years, United’s squad still has holes. Daley Blind has coped admirably as a make-shift centre-back, but the former Ajax player is much better suited to a left-back or midfield role. Like Chelsea and City, United are thought to be weighing up an offer for John Stones, with the idea being that he could form a lasting partnership for club and country with Chris Smalling.

One of United’s foremost priorities this summer will be to hold on to David de Gea. The Spanish goalkeeper has developed into arguably the world’s best in his position over the last three years, and the Red Devils will have to fend off interest from Real Madrid.

A player strongly linked with a move to Old Trafford, with many European press outlets claiming a deal is already in place, is Benfica’s Renato Sanches. The 18-year-old box-to-box midfielder broke into the first-team at the Estádio da Luz earlier this season and has been a fixture ever since. Though still very raw – his short passing game needs refinement – the young Portuguese possesses the kind of energy and drive that has been lacking from United’s midfield for several years.

Whether or not United feel the need to sign a striker this summer depends how much they are willing to rely on 18-year-old Marcus Rashford next season. Rashford has been outstanding since bursting onto the scene in United’s Europa League triumph over Midtjylland in February, but it may be wise to bring in an experienced head to take some of the pressure off the still-developing Englishman. Zlatan Ibrahimovic may be the perfect solution. The 34-year-old Swede is out of contract at the end of the season and has already hinted that his future may lie in the Premier League. The main caveat being that the PSG striker does not see eye-to-eye with van Gaal, so a switch to Old Trafford would likely have to be preceded by Mourinho being appointed manager.

About the author – Ryan Baldi

Ryan is a Midlands based freelance sports writer specialising in European football. He has been fascinated with the continental game ever since he was presented with his first football kit at the age of 7 years old whilst on holiday in Spain – a Barcelona strip with ‘Romario 10’ printed in the back. A contributor to numerous footballing websites, Ryan has also covered martial arts for local and national print publications.  Ryan’s musing on European football can be found here  www.theeurofootballblog.wordpress.com and you can find him on twitter: @RyanBaldiEFB.

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Mahmoud-Dahoud

Mahmoud Dahoud made his debut for Borussia Mönchengladbach on 28 August 2014, aged 18, in a 7-0 win against FK Sarajevo during a Europa League play-off fixture. However, his Bundesliga debut didn’t come until April 2015 when he came off the bench against Borussia Dortmund.

Dahoud had long been talked about as one of the next big things in German football even before he made his debut for Gladbach, but the Syrian-born German was virtually unknown by many until this season.

Affectionately known as “Mo” by his team-mates, he has gone from strength-to-strength since making his first league start against FC Köln on 19 September 2015 and has since become a regular.

Having a technically gifted box-to-box midfielder on Soccer Manager can help you win games!

The box-to-box midfielder has put in eye-catching displays against both Eintracht Frankfurt and league leaders Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, and he has also played with confidence against Juventus and Manchester City in the Champions League.

With 4 goals and 8 assists so far this season, on paper, his stats look very impressive, but they only paint part of the picture. Dahoud is technically brilliant and dictates play from deep in a similar style to that of Andrea Pirlo.

He plays with confidence, and he is always looking to receive possession. He possesses an amazing range of passing and can split open a defence with a killer pass. He’s an intelligent player that reads the game well, and he knows when to play short passes or play longer balls to set Gladbach up for a counter-attack.

His defensive work is also excellent as he is clinical in the tackle. He has a great positional sense and despite his slender frame, he manages to block multiple opponents.

Dahoud is quickly developing into the complete box-to-box midfielder and has been rumoured to replace İlkay Gündoğan at Borussia Dortmund. He has also caught the eye of Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, who has identified him as his first Manchester City signing, but they also face competition from city rivals Manchester United and title-chasing Tottenham Hotspur.

Earlier in the year, Gladbach sporting director Max Eberl stated: “Dahoud is not for sale. We are a hungry club, and we need every good player.” However, a significant offer from England might persuade Eberl to change his mind, and if that happened then, the Premier League would be blessed with one of Europe’s best up-and-coming box-to-box midfielders next season.

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Blue-Moon-Rising

Born October 3 1996, height 1.85 m, left-footed, his name is Kelechi Promise Iheanacho.

As the name implies, he’s one of the hottest prospects currently playing in the English premier league. He comes from the Taye Academy, and has been bought in at an early age by Manchester City. After Iheanacho’s hat-trick in the FA Cup, Dion Dublin,  the former Manchester United and Celtic player, said “what Kelechi Iheanacho did I couldn’t even do in training”.

We can’t disagree with that: his best performances this year have been marked by key qualities in shooting, pace and movement. This young player always gives reference points to his team, playing high-quality first-time passes with the right timing.

He’s a team player: maybe this is the best quality in modern football. But for his natural attitude to play for his team mates, he still needs to develop in certain areas such as dribbling and his overall skill set.  

Would this promising young player fit into your Soccer Manager lineup?

Physically he looks like a young Drogba, who played for Levallois at his age. The Ivorian champion focused his training on the same weaknesses of Iheanacho: at his age, Didier Drogba wasn’t a striker with long range shooting ability, nor did he possess the physical presence and speed qualities we’ve seen in England or France. Kelechi Iheanacho has to improve his qualities in the same way to become a world class striker.

Another point of strength on which I would like to focus is the mental approach: Iheanacho has the aggression and coldness of a great player. In this way, even if he lacks in some technical attributes, he can play at a high tempo for a full match. If he continues to train and develop, his mentality will surely help him to become a wonderful player.

This season he has scored 9 goals and played 865 minutes: 96 minutes per goal, which is not a bad return for a player who is only 19 years old. When you compare his goal scoring record this season with another young star from across the city in Anthony Martial, many must be wondering why he perhaps has not received the same plaudits as the Utd player. However this could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as he will not be facing anywhere near the same pressure and expectation and as such he can now focus on developing himself into the star many believe he can become.

About the author – Marco Santanche

Marco was born in Rome and supports Inter because of Luiz Nazario da Lima Ronaldo. He is a Brazilian citizen because of his father’s roots. He played futsal for several years, even in the FIGC (Italian FA) as a winger, playmaker and striker. He is now studying for a degree in finance.

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Liverpool-Give-up-on-Daniel-Sturridge

Daniel Sturridge has been a shining light even during the darkest times for Liverpool over the past few seasons. His flamboyant dancing for each goal and his ambitious eye for goal have made him a favourite with the Kop since the sale of Luis Suarez.

Whilst Raheem Sterling and Luis Suarez have searched for trophies elsewhere, Sturridge seems to finally feel like he belongs at Anfield, after turbulent periods at both Chelsea and Manchester City. Sturridge has grown up, he is now Daniel rather than Danny, has led the line for Liverpool and provided a goal scoring threat even when their side has been at their lowest of ebbs.

Sturridge has been loyal to Liverpool when their other superstars have gone off searching for personal glory on a different stage and the Kop are understandably a bit loved up with this characteristic. The England international boasts one of the best minute per goal ratios you will see, scoring 42 goals in 69 Liverpool appearances. None of these facts will make it easy to argue that Sturridge is actually a hindrance rather than an asset to Liverpool now.

However, his injury record in the last couple of seasons has reached the same league as Kieron Dyer or Jack Wilshere and Sturridge’s presence has been a rare treat for the Liverpool faithful.

As ever, a player who is injured seems to experience a rapid increase in their reputation and Liverpool appear to be living in a parallel universe of always expecting their star striker to be fully fit sometime soon.

In his increasingly rare appearances, Sturridge looks capable of producing his best football, but it’s almost impossible to justify his retention when he is available for what feels like 5 games a season. Whilst Liverpool fans have suffered watching Mario Balotelli, Rickie Lambert or Fabio Borini provide disjointed performances over the last year, they now have the opportunity to see Christian Benteke. Sturridge’s treatment like a king may end under Jurgen Klopp, but you cannot underestimate how the hero worship of Sturridge must effect the newly-arrived Belgian.

For instance, if Sturridge is ever fully fit again, will he waltz into the side ahead of the ex-Villa man? It would be a real kick in the teeth for Benteke if so, but its still tricky to see how either can quite fulfil the centre-forward role in the way Klopp desires.

Benteke’s own injury problems add to the question marks surrounding Sturridge. Maybe, just maybe, you can carry one centre-forward who is in and out of the side, but two? Surely not. The high intensity that Jurgen Klopp will expect from each of his players doesn’t lend itself to having anyone who is particularly vulnerable to injuries.

It must be best at this juncture for Liverpool to consider cashing in on Sturridge, and maybe even Benteke, to allow Klopp to build a squad as perfect for his system as possible. The ex-Chelsea striker might have a goal record that most players dream of, but stats can only take you so far if you are so rarely available.

Just recently we have hard Klopp say he needs to see Sturridge train for 10 days before he will be brought back into the squad and, with the sheer number of injuries Sturridge suffers, each recovery period of that length will begin to further reduce the number of matches he is available for.

The absurdity of suggesting a club, who have finished outside the top four the majority of the last few seasons, should be considering selling an England international striker is clear, but its more than that with Sturridge. Sturridge is a sign of the old Rodgers era and a left over of their ‘nearly season’, a player who cannot be relied upon to be free from injury and a player who it is hard to see fitting into Klopp’s gegenpressing system. Once everything is taken into account, and knowing the amount of investment Klopp may want to make, the sort of money that Liverpool could receive for Sturridge seems very reasonable.

The alternatives to Sturridge are widespread and, after an excellent display at the Etihad, there is nothing to say that Klopp won’t identify Roberto Firmino as his first choice 9.

About the author – Sam Cox

Sam is a writer who is a regular with Football FanCast and has featured on uMAXit, Colossus Bets and Late Tackle.

twitter: @10InTheHole

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Identity-of-a-Football-Club

How important is the identity of a football club? It’s a tough question to quantify and even tougher to answer when sentiment is concerned. With passions raised in south west London and Milton Keynes as AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons squared off in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy last season, we examine how important the identity of a football club is commercially in terms of the business model and, more importantly, for the fans.

The first football match I ever went to was a Wimbledon game at Plough Lane many years ago. They were my local club and even when they moved to Selhurst Park I’d watch the original Dons in the halcyon days of Efan Ekoku, Hans Segers and Dean Holdsworth. What always impressed outsiders with Wimbledon was their identity: the Crazy Gang. Unperturbed by the incessant chants of ‘”long ball”, the Dons stuck to their footballing principles of direct, aggressive football under the stewardship of Joe Kinnear. These were the days when Kinnear was an astute, switched-on manager – a far cry from his demise in recent years.

It may not have been the prettiest football, but it never needed to be; Wimbledon had their identity, it worked and they loved it. Moreover, their local legion of fans embraced the club for what it was: small, in touch with the local area, and fearless. Their identity was set and every fan embraced what the club stood for as it forged its identity over a significant period of time.

When Wimbledon became MK Dons in 2004 the old identity was perhaps lost forever. MK Dons have never attempted to recreate the previous identity as history and geography play such a crucial role in the formation of a club’s soul. The Wombles and Wimbledon Common were impossible to recreate in Milton Keynes and the MK Dons were perhaps left with an empty vessel in terms of their identity.

A trip to the Stadium MK is a telling story; quiet, devoid of age-old chants, and at times passionless. This is certainly not a slight on the local supporters that will embrace the new clubs identity when it’s forged over a significant period of time. Perhaps one day MK Dons will have created their own identity that is synonymous with the Milton Keynes area as well as their unique style of play.

The question that leaves is, what have AFC Wimbledon been left with? Is it possible to recreate the identity of defunct club? AFC Wimbledon fans will tell you that the club has the heart and soul of the original Crazy Gang but in reality that is something that won’t ever be recreated.

Firstly, the fan base at AFC is from a different era – younger, vibrant and looking for a different style of play to what Wimbledon offered in the 1990s. It’s hard to imagine that today’s crop would embrace the original style of play in this era of tiki taka football. Secondly, no matter how hard AFC try, they won’t ever be the Crazy Gang. The players are different, the academy is different, those in charge are different; the soul of the club is not the same. The club itself has irrevocably changed.

However, one thing will fill the AFC fans with hope and positivity for the future – they created the soul of a football club once before, and they can most certainly do it again. It will take time but AFC Wimbledon can once again be an important institution in south west London. Furthermore, and crucially, south west London wants a Wimbledon competing at the highest level again.

Identity is everything to fan. It’s what they associate much of their footballing philosophy with. But what about in terms of commerce: can a club’s identity impact business opportunities? The key factor will of course be success on the pitch. Trophies will always attract the greatest number of followers off the pitch and consequently the highest bidders for advertising and sponsorship.

Lets take the example of Real Madrid, consistently the world’s richest club and most impressive in terms of commercial performance. For ten years their success has been sporadic and, without a Champions League trophy between 2002 and 2014, one would assume their monetary power would be impacted.

The reality is that over time Real Madrid has become an institution, not a club. They have an identity that boasts success, power and talent. Perhaps this originates from the days of Franco and the Madrid political powerhouse, but the powerful identity remains. They attract a global following and commercial sales that remain intact in spite of baron eras on the pitch.

This is because the identity is historic and one that oozes success. As a result, sponsors will often queue up outside the Bernabeu to have their name printed on the shirt or around the stadium; they want their brand associated with the image of success, even if tangible success isn’t forthcoming. In Real’s case, their identity is everything to a sponsor and their continued financial clout.

Perhaps the same can be applied to Liverpool. Underachievement on the pitch has plagued the club for over two decades now, yet they retain impressive sponsorship deals globally due to their history and identity as a local, historic, family club. The examples of Real and Liverpool suggest history plays a key role in ensuring the identity of club sparks commercial interest.

Chelsea and Manchester City will of course counter this argument as short-term success is always going to be a sure-fire way to attract sponsors. These clubs also have strong historic identities among their fans, but the attraction for sponsors is built on their short-term success on the pitch, not over time. If the Chelsea and City star should wane, it’s hard to imagine that sponsors will be queuing up so freely outside their doors. They weren’t there before, after all.

Yet Real and Liverpool show that in spite of underachievement on the pitch, their clubs possess an identity of success that is synonymous with its fans – rightly or wrongly. Juventus are also a great example – relegation and the Calciopoli scandal has not blighted their attraction to a sponsor and they still have enough income to justify the highest transfer and wage spend in Serie A.

The identity of a football club is, in essence, the very heart of a club. While the commercial boom of a club is vital to its potential triumph on the pitch, the key issue for fans is the identity within the stands. Most supporters will agree that their club’s identity is forged over a period of time, and they would be right.

That’s why AFC Wimbledon is not yet the local Wimbledon of years gone by. They will, almost certainly, be that club one day, but identities are forged over many years of loyalty in the stands, ups and down on the pitch, and among the hordes of fans that give their heart and soul and bit by bit make up the identity of a football club. It takes time, but that identity will live far longer than the period it took to build.

Most importantly, for longevity of success at least, a good identity will bring commercial opportunities and result in the formation of a powerhouse that will exist even when underachievement is prevalent. The identity of a football club, at the top and the bottom, is absolutely everything, and often the greatest measure of success.

About the author – Omar Saleen

Based in London, Omar is the editor-in-chief at These Football Times. A professional coach by day having worked at clubs including Fulham, QPR and Red Bull New York, he also writes freelance for a number of outlets.

twitter: @omar_saleem

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Premier-League-Clubs-Failing-in-Europe

As the final whistle sounds at the Emirates 10 blue shirts streak across the immaculate pitch to a hoard of fans jumping in sync. Olympiakos have just felled English giants Arsenal on their home turf, a David vs. Goliath triumph. On the same night Chelsea were slayed in the Dragon Stadium by FC Porto and a man who is so good they named him twice. Andre Andre scored both goals for Porto as José Mourinho’s nightmare continued. Huge Premier League clubs are being torn down by their smaller European cousins on a fortnightly basis in the Champions League, as their hugely assembled squads are put to shame.

Imagine the Premier League swaggering into a room; adorned in the best clothes, shoes and the most expensive watch only to be shown up by their Marks and Spencer suit wearing cousin. Arsenal, Chelsea and the rest of the Premier League spent over £1bn this summer on players from across Europe in a bid to bring success to the shores of England. For all their TV money, overseas pre-season tournaments and bit kit launches it seems that English football has forgotten how to build a winning team.

So many of the English teams that were successful in the past were built on solid foundations, the treble winning Manchester United team had the same core for many years – Keane, Stam, Schmeichel. Chelsea’s Champions League winning squad also had fine skeleton of Cech, Terry, Lampard, Drogba. In only three years, English teams have switched away from structure to short-term success. Arsenal are as good a example as any when talking about structure, it is almost as if they are too structured up front, but have none in defence. Despite their insistence on dominating possession, they look tentative when trying to launch an attack – as if they have to follow a set passing pattern. But all the more concerning is their anxiousness. As soon as Olympiakos went one goal ahead it was almost as if Arsenal had a panic attack, trying to force play from unrealistic areas of the pitch with a series of unnecessary mistakes.

One trend that is constant throughout the English teams is their lack of assertiveness in Europe, their drive to score as many as possible. The Premier League is end-to-end, something where the lack of structure in every team does lead to good ‘entertainment’, and most teams are more than capable of posing a threat offensively. However, as soon as a Premier League side enters a European competition their distinct lack of style rears it’s ugly head. Standardised formations lead to English teams playing the same way regardless of squad members, meaning that opposition teams can steam attacks and break down with little effort. The approach is blinkered, out-dated and down right ignorant.

One thing that was incredibly prominent on that night at the Emirates is Arsenal’s inability to get in behind a defence. The ball is shifted from side to side, through the same two players – Cazorla and Ramsey – in the most predictable fashion. There are no risks taken. On the other hand, Olympiakos streamed forward whenever possible using width and pace to get in behind Arsenal’s full-backs.

Up in Manchester, things are starting to change. Especially in the sky blue of Manchester City, who have taken their inept performances in the Champions League and domestic competition to adapt this year. A switch from the traditional 4-4-2 has been replaced by a flexible 4-2-3-1 system, that now means that their creativity can come from the middle. Unsurprisingly, the influence of David Silva has been massive in the infancy of this season and City have been in fine form. Their dynamism outwide is something that football audiences have not seen from England in a long time. Similarly, Manchester United have revamped their squad, but have remained in a 4-3-3 formation with Juan Mata playing the role of advanced playmaker. Their ability to hold possession and stretch teams in with the pace of Memphis, Martial and Young is something that Chelsea and Arsenal in particular are lacking.

Until the Premier League sides learn to adapt to European football and change their ignorant stance that they can be successful purely by spending the most money, then they will continue to fail in Europe. More emphasis needs to be put on team structure, and building of a team that has cohesion from front to back which suits squad members, rather than crow-barring players into unnatural positions.

About the Author – Ben Jarman

Freelance football writer with a penchant for Spanish and European football. Work published by Fulham FC, Italian FA and the Evening Standard.

Twitter: @sonikkicks

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