The Football News Thread 2022/23

[Tony Towner]

Didn't know until just now that Steve Cooper is Keith Cooper's son

 

[Johnny75]

AC Milan sold for €1.2bn to an American VC specialising in club ownership.

The previous owner bought the club after the Chinese fraud who acquired the club from Bunga Bunga Burlesconi defaulted on his high interest loans.

 

[Alan]

Madness on both sides of the Atlantic today.

Rumor has it that Miguel Angel Ramirez was sacked by Charlotte because one of our DPs told upper management that if MAR was still the coach after this international break, he (the player) would go on strike.

We can see who won that battle, if it’s true.

 

[Alan]

Miguel Angel Ramirez: The reasons behind Charlotte FC's decision to sack head coach

Exclusive: 90min reveals the decision-making process behind Charlotte FC's firing of Miguel Angel Ramirez.

www.90min.com

What a mess.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Walsall under new ownership after American firm becomes majority shareholder

Walsall are under new ownership, with an American sports investment firm becoming the League Two club's majority shareholder. The Saddlers confirmed in a statement on Monday morning that a transaction had been completed "to transition majority ownership of the club’s shares from Leigh...

theathletic.com

American ownership for Walsall.

Possibly a bit unfair, but alarm bells would be ringing for me straight away. Why would benevolent overseas investors want any part of Walsall? One of the worst clubs to invest in, surrounded by loads of far bigger clubs so you can never grow your fanbase effectively, no history and no hope of creating a following outside of the local area, plenty of teams in the league below are heavily bankrolled (relatively speaking) so as soon as they come up to League Two they can outgun the rest of the division immediately. Strange.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It's very strange. Massive investment, expand the ground, plough loads into the playing staff and management, advance the club at a rate that a spectacular new owner could do. Do that and you are about where Blues are, maybe pushing toward Albion and Coventry with an incredibly fair wind in the sails. No way they can get near where we or Villa are now. The obstacles are too great. Not to say that we couldn't end up level with them again, as waaaahmbulance isn't that distant a memory, but the only way it can happen is if we implode.

 

[Kenny]

American ownership for Walsall.

Possibly a bit unfair, but alarm bells would be ringing for me straight away. Why would benevolent overseas investors want any part of Walsall?

Got the wrong map out when looking for a sports team near Birmingham, AL?

 

[jd1981]

Walsall current budget probably wouldn’t be in the top 92 clubs in the pyramid. It’s been like that for years especially under Bonser, I think their financial situation is secure and they don’t run up huge debts or live beyond their means.
But geographically it’s a nightmare as others said surrounded by 4 bigger clubs and will always struggle to attract crowds to even fill the current stadium.
A Carlisle or Plymouth would’ve made more sense clubs in isolation and potential to grow.
Walsall situation is similar to that of say Tranmere, Orient, Barnet and Stockport.
Small clubs in large conurbations where the area they represent struggles for its unique identity.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Stockport have got decent backing now. With the serious struggles of Oldham, Bury and Macc, and Salford's progress also stalling a bit, they can capitalise on that. Obviously they're never going to rival the main Manchester clubs, but that's not the endgame.

 

[Kenny]

Could possibly be this group testing the water in the UK. Walsall are their first investment, it will be a small one in footballing terms and the club doesn't carry any debt.
Goes well, they probably move on to bigger things. Goes tits up probably not a huge loss for them but sends the club into the shit (not that will really care)

Could also be a huge fan of Sunday Markets

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It's a mad choice. Plymouth or Bristol Rovers or Swindon or Oxford would be far more sensible as lesser local competition. Walsall will always struggle to match the big four West Midlands, or indeed Coventry, and probably even Burton now.

 

[Kenny]

It's a mad choice. Plymouth or Bristol Rovers or Swindon or Oxford would be far more sensible as lesser local competition. Walsall will always struggle to match the big four West Midlands, or indeed Coventry, and probably even Burton now.

All of them will cost a lot more than Walsall.

Reading how they are doing this is very much them dipping their toe in the water. 2 years before they move onto getting more control and buying the Stadium. If in that 2 years they find investing in football is not for them they probably have some agreement with the current owner that see's him buy the club back.

They may not require Walsall to be huge or try to attract fans but more show they can make money from football, buy bigger clubs and attract outside investment and use Walsall as their example of how they can buy and make money from the sport.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It's a mad choice. Plymouth or Bristol Rovers or Swindon or Oxford would be far more sensible as lesser local competition. Walsall will always struggle to match the big four West Midlands, or indeed Coventry, and probably even Burton now.

Oxford have the barrier of the ground, the club doesn't own it and Kassam just gets obstructive if anyone tries. Finding an alternative site is a nightmare, it took them years to leave the Manor despite it being an obvious deathtrap for decades.

Think the Gas are struggling to move too? They've definitely tried a number of times but they're still at their marquee tent stadium.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

The gas should never have left Eastville . Wonderful old ground.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Plymouth is the one someone should be all over. 3 stands are modern and of a good size for where they are at. The fourth can be expanded (unless there is some covenant or listing that I am not aware of). The ground is in a park with huge expansion space. Exeter is the only real competition for crowd until you reach Brizzle, and all of Cornwall has to pass the front door to go to said competition. Plus Plymouth is a great place to lose a car.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Plymouth can go pretty much as big as they want I think. They wanted to be part of the 2018 World Cup bid and were looking at going 40k+ on that basis. That's why they got Japanese investors...who promptly dropped them like a hot penny when the tournament went to Russia and there was no longer anything in it for them.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It is also a fabulous away day. The Barbican is superb.

 

[Alan]

I know Plymouth only as the club we snatched SEB from.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

They've never really done anything. Highest ever finish was 4th in Division Two (now the Championship)...in 1953. They're mostly a club that bounces between the bottom two tiers.

However as Pad says the potential catchment area is huge. It's not particularly densely populated but it covers a massive area. Plymouth itself has about the same population as Wolverhampton.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

FA Cup semi final in 1984. Lost to Watford I think as Everton beat West Ham. EDIT - Everton beat Plymouth. Watford beat Southampton. Memory not what I thought!! Could be the other way round. It's a fabulous part of the world, but a long away day to go to. I used to leave stupid early and have a Little Chef Olympic brekkie just outside the city after you come off the bottom of the M5 at Exeter as roughage before hitting the Barbican for a couple of very civilised beers in some excellent pubs. From there it is a pleasant walk through the centre of the City and up the hill to the park, and then Home Park hoves into view over a low hill. Really lovely ground. Match day nosh at Home Park is excellent too. Plus I saw Sam Vokes score a worldie on debut there.