Village Idiot

2014-2015 season would be the first year clubs could be excluded, IIRC. 2011-2012 is the first season when results will be computed towards FFC. I expect most big clubs will fudge the numbers/do their homework. For example, I know Barça took some heavy losses in 2010-2011 in order to lighten up the deficit in the upcoming years. Everybody expects that we'll turn a profit this year. Can't see it being hard to get around it tbh. I'm certainly no financial expert but from what I've read about it so far, it seems there'll be ways the top clubs will get away with the same old s*** they've always done. Have in mind that the losses that count for the FFP are not the same as the ones in the club's yearly balance. Stuff like facilities and youth investment don't count. Why is ManCity building all that stuff around Eastlands? Why is Málaga suddenly putting forward plans for a new 65k stadium? Numbers will be fudged and loopholes will be exploited, don't hold any breath for FFP to make any impact other than some token poor club that can't afford to cheat.

2014-2015 season would be the first year clubs could be excluded, IIRC. 2011-2012 is the first season when results will be computed towards FFC. I expect most big clubs will fudge the numbers/do their homework. For example, I know Barça took some heavy losses in 2010-2011 in order to lighten up the deficit in the upcoming years. Everybody expects that we'll turn a profit this year.

Aye, all those international friendlies that are played in neutral venues do my head in. Unadulterated cash cows.

"By the c*** of your mother, 90 minutes! Use your head!" People say that Pep means how Alexis played the full midweek game and worsened his hamstring problems, but the way he says it, and what he said afterwards in the press room, I think he is referring to the way he injuried himself: it was injury time and he made an unnecessary run with the side already 3-1 up, despite carrying a knock.

The Copa del Rey final saga comes to an end: it will be the 25th of May at the Vicente Calderón. Will apply for tickets, celebrating a trophy in Madrid

I will sue my school coach for killing my 10m-a-year career at FC Barcelona by telling me I was shit at football.

Are you actually getting paid for all the SD advertising? And congratulations for being in the black, which is far more than most clubs out there.

Gotta say that I'm not unemployed IRL (shit job, mind), but wanted to keep the basic language of the article

Erikson too? Might as well give it a try, then.

Seems interesting. Gather somebody like me with absolutely zero interest on QPR would enjoy it?

Aye, there is still a good player in there, but has had so many off-the-pitch issues and false dawns that I wouldn't really trust him. Pretty sure his current form is due solely to having to earn another contract before hitting the pies and skipping training again.

Saw the tackle, the idiot could have easily broken the keeper's ankle the way he went in.

Yeah, Amorebieta cleared the ball upfield and Messi collided with him. Should have been a yellow but no more than that.

I expected Bendtner to flourish in a team that started him week in and week out. I was, well, wrong.

I'm quite surprised they even appear on your radar any more - despite the locality. A local rivalry is always a local rivalry. I deal with more parakeets in my everyday life than I do with Real Madrid fans. And as I say, the do worry more about what we do or don't that what their team can achieve (which is, to be frank, nothing), so banter abounds. Outside Barcelona proper the rivalry barely registers, though.

They are all closet Real Madrid fans, the only way they'll get one over us ever. They haven't finished over us in the league since the 1940s, so they have to live vicariously through Real Madrid to get some satisfaction.

To be frank, given that they are not going to take any points from them, I prefer if Madrid won 10-0 or something like that so I can have a good laugh tomorrow at work. I still will have it nonetheless, though.

Aye, Kaká is certainly not 2007 Kaká, but he is again a good player which - more importantly - has managed to stay fit for more than 10 games a season.

Ah, Baena and Sergio García coming in, looks like Pochettino is going to protect that two goal deficit. EDIT: Didn't work, Higuaín 3-0.

Spanish commentators talking about Madrid signing Agüero next season (has been going all week) like ManCity was some stepping stone club. Oh, the ignorance (or arrogance).

He would do like when he took over us, sell all of them. For good or worse, his track record shows that he has very little patience with players giving him trouble in the dressing room. But he won't go there this year. Didn't know he did that at Barca tbh. Didn't follow Real / Barca at that time at all. Deco, Ronaldinho and Eto'o were told they didn't have a future, though Eto'o managed to get Pep to change his mind for a season. To be frank it was more a case of not having decent offers for him. Turned out well, though.

He would do like when he took over us, sell all of them. For good or worse, his track record shows that he has very little patience with players giving him trouble in the dressing room. But he won't go there this year. Didn't know he did that at Barca tbh. Didn't follow Real / Barca at that time at all. He sold Ronaldinho and Deco (and tried to sell Eto'o) as soon as he took over.

He would do like when he took over us, sell all of them. For good or worse, his track record shows that he has very little patience with players giving him trouble in the dressing room. But he won't go there this year.

Quite possibly the only top managing job in Europe that's more of a poisoned chalice than Chelsea's is the Inter job.