By Ian Grant
On Mourinho, surely the question is if he does get cups and titles will he win them or buy them?
Today’s Deloitte’s report into football finance shows, first he is the highest paid manager in England on £4.8m/ year.
Secondly Chelsea’s wage bill is the highest in the Premiership at £1.9m a week or nearly £100m/season approaching three times the average Premiership club’s wage bill. The total wage bill for the Premiership was £761m.
Thirdly, last season Chelsea accounted for half the total Premiership transfer market at £260m.
The dictionary definition of win is to “gain by labour”. The dictionary definition of buy is to “purchase for money”.
In many ways Mourinho is in a no win situation. If he ‘wins’ cups and trophies then true sports people will say his team have bought success not earned it and also argue it has nothing to do with sport anymore. Others will say, it is something he should have done anyway on that salary and with those resources.
If he doesn’t get titles or cups then he’s on a hiding to nothing, and a failure / loser anyway.
Meanwhile here’s an ARSENAL news review:
PLAYERS
Lauren has agreed a new three-year contract after committing his career to Highbury, says the Mirror. The paper says he’s been rewarded with a new £25,000-a-week deal.
According to one paper, Barcelona have been tracking Arsenal’s Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto but have not followed up their interest with an offer. This follows an article in the Mail on Sunday saying Wenger is prepared to listen to offers for Gilberto.
David Bentley has gone out on a year’s loan to Norwich. He said the move felt right, after several Premiership clubs were in for him. Arsenal reserve boss Eddie Niedzwiecki told him: “Go out on loan and prove yourself.”
Ashley Cole said: “What I have got to do is put my Arsenal form into an England shirt. I’ve just had the best season of my career but I’ve never played for England the way I play for Arsenal.”
And added: “I’ve just got to prove to everyone that I’m good enough for England but I can’t put my finger on why I don’t play well at international level. But I’m working hard on my defensive play and picking the right time to go forward – not attacking at stupid times.”
Sylvain Wiltord became the seventh highest scorer in French international football at the weekend, with 22 goals. French manager Jacques Santini said: “If he is in the starting line-up for France it’s because of the number of goals he’s scored and the passes he’s made. At Arsenal he was competing with Pires, Ljungberg and Parlour. What I’m pleased about is that he has proved himself competitive again after being out for a period.”
According to one paper, Fulham will make a move for Ray Parlour this week. Portsmouth and West Brom are also reportedly interested.
Kolo Toure has been picked for the Ivory Coast’s forthcoming World Cup qualifier.
TRANSFER TALK
Arsenal have made a £2.5m bid for Celta Vigo goalkeeper, Manuel Almunia, 27, who has been on loan to Albacete, says the Mirror. The original source was an a Spanish paper. Spokesman Felix Carnero is quoted as saying: “The only offer we’ve received is from Arsenal for Almunia. We are evaluating whether to accept it.” The player is reportedly flabbergasted.
West Brom’s Gary Megson is bidding to sign Kanu who is a free agent this summer.
The Mirror says Wenger is now likely to make only one more signing this summer as he looks for a midfielder.
Cue Bayern Munich’s Owen Hargreaves, who says Arsenal would be perfect for him, although admits: “I just can’t believe Arsenal will happen, although Wenger made an inquiry about me a few years ago. So I tell Ashley [Cole] every time – I see him to let his boss know I’d really fit in well at Arsenal!”
Patrick Kluivert has said that he has no intention of moving to Middlesbrough, but prefers to move to a club in London: “I will not consider a move to a small club. I would like to go to one of the big London teams.”
One day the Sun says Arsenal are interested in AC Milan’s £15m rated Kaka. The next they say AC Milan aren’t interested.
One Sunday claims that Arsenal, Chelsea and Newcastle are set to battle it out for Ajax defender Hatem Trabelsi. The Tunisian defender is hoping to win a court case in Holland next month which will allow him to quit Ajax on a free.
WENGER
Arsene Wenger said: “I am very happy with the squad we have. In fact, I don’t feel I need to buy anyone in the summer. What we need is to keep the hunger high and the motivation up.”
And added: “I feel there is much more to come from this squad. We are not at the end of a cycle. If our attitude is spot on it could be the continuation of an era that began in 2002. The challenge is to produce it again, but to give more. More quality, more style, more wins.”
Lyon coach Paul Le Guen has credited Arsene Wenger as being the inspiration behind Lyon’s back to back championship successes. He said: “I went to Arsenal during my year off. You listen and learn when you speak with Arsene. He is different from managers who talk but have won nothing.”
OLD BOYS
Ian Wright is taking over from David Seaman on BBC’s They Think It’s All Over. Wright will start filming in September.
MISCELLANEOUS
The FA’s David Dein and Rupert Lowe are behind the idea of having a maximum quota of three non-EU players in Premiership teams. Current regulations state that imported players from outside the EU must have played in 75 per cent of their countries’ internationals over the last two years and be from a nation ranked in the top 70 by FIFA.
Arsenal are 7/1 with William Hill to win next season’s Champions League. Real Madrid are favourites at 6/1; then it is, 8/1 Chelsea; 9/1 AC Milan; 10/1 Barcelona; 11/1 Manchester United; 12/1 Juventus, Valencia; 14/1 Roma; 18/1 Bayern Munich; 20/1 Deportivo.