An alarming report on the credit condition of Premier league clubs was issued late Monday by Equifax. In a review of credit ratings for the top flight, Equifax declared that 10 clubs would struggle to repay their debts if they were asked.
“We have listed 10 clubs as insolvent because they would struggle if everyone came at once to ask them for the money they owe,” explained Equifax’s external affairs director Neil Munroe. Like most of other sectors of the UK economy, it is likely to be a difficult year ahead for the nation’s favorite sport. Football has more investment from wealthy individuals, but if there’s a sudden crisis, those individuals may struggle and this would impact on the clubs. Not even Premiership football is safe from the recession if investors decide to withdraw funds.”
We reported last month that David Beckham had an out clause in his LA Galaxy contract which can be triggered this October.
Yesterday, Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport confirmed the out clause rumor saying that Beckham can walk away from the Galaxy at the end of the year, his third in MLS.
It was a great day to be a Tottenham Hotspur fan. First the team brought England striker Jermain Defoe back from Portsmouth for a reported £15m, one year after he left Spurs to go to Portsmouth. Then Spurs went out and hammered Burnley 4-1 to all but book their place at Wembley for the Carling Cup Final.
Defoe, who scored 17 goals in 36 games for Portsmouth will be a good addition for Spurs, who have looked weak upfront since Robbie Keane and Dmitiar Berbatov left in the summer.
The LA Galaxy finally announced Monday that forward Landon Donovan has joined German Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich on a two-month loan spell.
Donovan, who led Major League Soccer with 20 goals last season, is scheduled to return to Los Angeles on March 8, two weeks ahead of the 2009 season opener against D.C. United at The Home Depot Center on March 22.
“I’ve appeared for a number of teams already,” Donovan told Bayern’s official website. “I can play football, and I know what has to be done out on the pitch. I’m ready for the challenge, and when my chance comes, I’ll take it.”
Crew Stadium belongs on this list at #6 because it has served, and will continue to serve, as the blueprint for American soccer specific stadia. Constructed in 1999 for $28.5 million, Crew Stadium is one of MLS’s prized jewels and one of the best atmospheres to watch soccer in the U.S.
Oil tycoon and Crew owner Lamar Hunt put up the big bucks to get the stadium built because the Crew’s fans were not too fond the team’s first home, Ohio Stadium, which was designed for American football games. Seating 22,555 spectators, Crew Stadium is an ideal size for an MLS venue.
“I believe we will have Kenny for this year,” Hyndman said. When asked to provide more details, Hyndman just said, “All I know, we got an O.K. to count on Kenny for the season.”
This is big news for FC Dallas fans. Cooper was one of the MLS stars who were rumored to be heading to Europe this month. Cooper scored 18 times last season and having him back is huge for Dallas. With goal scoring for next season taken care of, Dallas can now concentrate on bolstering its defense in the MLS Draft on January 15th.
Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in Washington, D.C. is my choice for the seventh most significant US soccer site in the history of the American game. It still serves as the home of DC United, the most successful MLS team ever, and it was a venue for the Olympics and World Cups in 1994 and 2003.
RFK took two years and $20 million to build, and when it opened in 1961 it was one of the most modern stadiums in the world. DC United has called it home since 1996, and the Washington Freedom of the defunct WUSA played their home matches there from 2001 until 2003.
The FA Cup on Saturday was not a happy day for the billionaires from Manchester City and Chelsea. First, former European Champions Nottingham Forest spanked the moneybags from the blue side of Manchester 3-0. Before the game City paraded their new signing Wayne Bridge.
City are out of the cup and two points above the drop-zone, which is not what the Abu Dhabi United Group expected when they bought the club in August. You have to wonder how much longer they will give Mark Hughes to turn City’s fortunes around?
The fourth round of the FA Cup will feature a Merseyside derby after Liverpool and Everton were the first two balls drawn out of the hat. With the games being played over the weekend of January 24-25, Liverpool and Everton will now meet twice in six days at Anfield. Buy Liverpool - Everton Tickets
The two clubs last met in the 1991 competition when it took three games to decide the tie in Everton’s favour, a 0–0 draw at Anfield being followed by the 4–4 draw at Goodison which prompted Kenny Dalglish’s resignation before Everton won 1–0 at Anfield.
Great Scott, Marty! It’s me again, Emmet “Doc” Brown. Don’t know why I’m being so formal, Marty, I just am! I have just returned from the future, Marty, the end of 2009 to be exact and I need to share my knowledge about the 2009 US MNT and their build up to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa!
No Marty, still no word on whether they will ever do “Family Ties: The Movie”. Geez, your obsession with that Alex makes me question your sexuality, Marty. In a good way!
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