£160 million!

[jimmyscoular]

BBC say Tottenham are asking £160 million for Harry Kane. It's incredible.

City sold John Toshack to Liverpool in 1971 for £110,000, which, according to the Bank of England's online inflation calculator, is the equivalent of £1.6 million today. Now, OK, Kane is better than Toshack, but 100 times better?

The money in football is amazing.

[Taunton Blue Genie]

BBC say Tottenham are asking £160 million for Harry Kane. It's incredible.

City sold John Toshack to Liverpool in 1971 for £110,000, which, according to the Bank of England's online inflation calculator, is the equivalent of £1.6 million today. Now, OK, Kane is better than Toshack, but 100 times better?

The money in football is amazing.

TV money innit. Only those at Anfield probably saw Tosh playing on a Saturday afternoon but millions of people around the world will see Kane ply his trade on a Sunday afternoon or Monday evening. It's not necessarily a good thing when armchair fans around the globe are the main target audience, of course....

[the other bob wilson]

It'll be interesting to see how people react to the Premier League when there are crowds in the ground. Well before the ESL shambles, I'd had more than enough of the greedy league last season and often would watch National League or EFL matches before the Premier League. Although I can't be sure, I got the feeling that there were plenty of people who felt the same way.

If Man City are really trying to sign Kane and Grealish with their neighbours seemingly set to spend over £100 million themselves this summer at a time when so many other clubs have barely survived the last eighteen months, then the Manchester clubs' version of the game is one that I just can't be bothered with. When you consider Man City's complete lack of success in the Champions League, both Manchester clubs have had a terrible return for all of that money they've spent under their current managers.

As for Kane, if any current England player comes close to meriting their transfer valuation, then I'd say it's him because he added a dimension to his game that I for one didn't think he possessed last season, but, even so, £160 million just seems ridiculous for a football player.

[The Lone Gunman]

It'll be interesting to see how people react to the Premier League when there are crowds in the ground.

I'm guessing fans will cheer on their own teams and jeer the opposition. Same as it ever was.

[the other bob wilson]

I'm guessing fans will cheer on their own teams and jeer the opposition. Same as it ever was.

I think you know the point I was making is will having a full house at these games improve them as a spectacle for those watching at home? The lack of crowds didn't bother me first when watching a game as a neutral, but it did as time went on - having no one watching a National League game didn't seem too much different from normal.

[The Lone Gunman]

I think you know the point I was making is will having a full house at these games improve them as a spectacle for those watching at home? The lack of crowds didn't bother me first when watching a game as a neutral, but it did as time went on - having no one watching a National League game didn't seem too much different from normal.

I honestly didn't know what point you were trying to make.

I can only speak for myself, but I ended up watching more Premier League football than ever before last season. The main reason for that is obvious - the lockdowns of various descriptions meant there wasn't much else to do. However, I watched a lot more of the Premier League and a lot less of the Championship than in previous seasons because, with the exception of a small handful of teams at the top, the standard of the football in the second tier was mostly garbage.

As of the National League, that's on BT, which I haven't subscribed to for several years.

[surge]

Man City haven't yet spent a penny in this transfer window so this year has the potential to be just their third season of net profit directly from the transfer market since turn of the century.

They haven't had a season of net profit directly from transfer market yet this decade.

Lot's of talk about raising money from Sane and fringe sales but that's already been dwarfed by their outgoings in transfer market.

Lot's to admire about the club but they simply couldn't act in the manner that they do without such wealthy owners. Wealthy owners who have been accuses as using the club as means of sportswashing, though they're not the only club to be accused of that.

A) Everyone knew this was coming and yet it was Bale making headlines in English press (seemingly without substance) this summer instead of Kane. Why was that?
B) Will there become a point where football thinks the market will continue to grow and instead there will be a crash?

[Cleve van Leef]

It'll be interesting to see how people react to the Premier League when there are crowds in the ground. Well before the ESL shambles, I'd had more than enough of the greedy league last season and often would watch National League or EFL matches before the Premier League. Although I can't be sure, I got the feeling that there were plenty of people who felt the same way.

If Man City are really trying to sign Kane and Grealish with their neighbours seemingly set to spend over £100 million themselves this summer at a time when so many other clubs have barely survived the last eighteen months, then the Manchester clubs' version of the game is one that I just can't be bothered with. When you consider Man City's complete lack of success in the Champions League, both Manchester clubs have had a terrible return for all of that money they've spent under their current managers.

As for Kane, if any current England player comes close to meriting their transfer valuation, then I'd say it's him because he added a dimension to his game that I for one didn't think he possessed last season, but, even so, £160 million just seems ridiculous for a football player.

And Man City have got away for years with their “accounting” of monies spent which the governing bodies have tried to penalise them for. Cheating doesn’t always win.

[Citizen's Nephew]

It'll be interesting to see how people react to the Premier League when there are crowds in the ground. Well before the ESL shambles, I'd had more than enough of the greedy league last season and often would watch National League or EFL matches before the Premier League. Although I can't be sure, I got the feeling that there were plenty of people who felt the same way.

If Man City are really trying to sign Kane and Grealish with their neighbours seemingly set to spend over £100 million themselves this summer at a time when so many other clubs have barely survived the last eighteen months, then the Manchester clubs' version of the game is one that I just can't be bothered with. When you consider Man City's complete lack of success in the Champions League, both Manchester clubs have had a terrible return for all of that money they've spent under their current managers.

As for Kane, if any current England player comes close to meriting their transfer valuation, then I'd say it's him because he added a dimension to his game that I for one didn't think he possessed last season, but, even so, £160 million just seems ridiculous for a football player.

There are a lot of football supporters who feel the same way. I can't stand TV football. There's a thriving non-league world out there complete with naff coffee & tea bars and home-printed programs. It's easy to think that it's all Sky and PL.

I'm now a proud owner of a 'Stuff Yer Superleague' T-shirt from the guys at When Saturday Comes.

Incidentally, Mr. TOBW, if you haven't ever listened to their podcasts, I'm pretty sure you'd really enjoy them. Oh, and get working on that next book too!

[Park Life]

There are a lot of football supporters who feel the same way. I can't stand TV football. There's a thriving non-league world out there complete with naff coffee & tea bars and home-printed programs. It's easy to think that it's all Sky and PL.

I'm now a proud owner of a 'Stuff Yer Superleague' T-shirt from the guys at When Saturday Comes.

Incidentally, Mr. TOBW, if you haven't ever listened to their podcasts, I'm pretty sure you'd really enjoy them. Oh, and get working on that next book too!

Never mind the Super League … here’s the Sunday League

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Life-S...=UTF8&qid=&sr=

[Citizen's Nephew]

Never mind the Super League … here’s the Sunday League

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Park-Life-S...=UTF8&qid=&sr=

That's a must-read for me! Thanks for the link.

[Park Life]

That's a must-read for me! Thanks for the link.

Really hope you enjoy

[Toadstool]

With Barca & Madrid seemingly out of the market this summer I thought prices would be lower, but perhaps city see next season as their chance at the CL and will buy it if they have to.
Saw a story yesterday that Liverpool ( not one of the huge teams these days ) are looking at Mbappe!

[goats]

With Barca & Madrid seemingly out of the market this summer I thought prices would be lower, but perhaps city see next season as their chance at the CL and will buy it if they have to.
Saw a story yesterday that Liverpool ( not one of the huge teams these days ) are looking at Mbappe!

They can look all day long….
Don’t rate Kane, be very interesting to see if he can turn it on under pressure at a big club anyway ( I know Spurs are big I mean title race cup finals etc) did he even score at the Euros I can’t recall?

[delmbox]

They can look all day long….
Don’t rate Kane, be very interesting to see if he can turn it on under pressure at a big club anyway ( I know Spurs are big I mean title race cup finals etc) did he even score at the Euros I can’t recall?

166 goals in 242 games for Spurs, was Premier League top goalscorer and assists provider last year in the team that finished 7th.

goats on the Cardiff City Messageboard: "I don't rate him"

[Hilts]

They can look all day long….
Don’t rate Kane, be very interesting to see if he can turn it on under pressure at a big club anyway ( I know Spurs are big I mean title race cup finals etc) did he even score at the Euros I can’t recall?

He scored 4.

[Hilts]

I think the money in football is obscene. If you object that much. Dont pay for Sky / BT.

However I quite like the fact that Man City have upset the likes of Liverpool and Man U and others.

[Citizen's Nephew]

I think the money in football is obscene. If you object that much. Dont pay for Sky / BT.

However I quite like the fact that Man City have upset the likes of Liverpool and Man U and others.

100% agree. The connection of SKY, BT, The EFL, CL, FIFA/EA etc. and the betting companies' grubby fingers has been getting worse. I'd hoped that COVID may have re-booted the business model but it's not looking likely for the bigger clubs. Meanwhile, the lower league clubs still struggle.

[The Lone Gunman]

Interestingly, only one of the current twelve most expensive transfer fees was paid by a Premier League club. The other eleven were paid by Spanish clubs (7), Italian clubs (2) and French clubs (2).

[Hilts]

Interestingly, only one of the current twelve most expensive transfer fees was paid by a Premier League club. The other eleven were paid by Spanish clubs (7), Italian clubs (2) and French clubs (2).

And I believe thats Pogba who Man U had previously let go.

[StraightOuttaCanton]

I honestly didn't know what point you were trying to make.

I can only speak for myself, but I ended up watching more Premier League football than ever before last season. The main reason for that is obvious - the lockdowns of various descriptions meant there wasn't much else to do. However, I watched a lot more of the Premier League and a lot less of the Championship than in previous seasons because, with the exception of a small handful of teams at the top, the standard of the football in the second tier was mostly garbage.

As of the National League, that's on BT, which I haven't subscribed to for several years.

I watched more too, but that was because of the staggered kick off times throughout the UK lockdown. I’m not sure about the UK, but over here every game is available live and I chose not to watch games because of the staggering there were just too many on at times…. In a regular season that isn’t something that I’d do. I didn’t lose interest so much.. was more about saturation, but having fans in the ground massively (and mich more that I’d imagined) improved the product.

I’m looking forward to Saturday and Sunday mornings where I have to make a choice again as to which games I’m going to watch

[J R Hartley]

How many of the 92 clubs actually spend within their means? Not many id say. I dont understand this notion that EPL are the bad guys and poor old EFL are blameless. The EPL clubs attract the money of course they will get the lion share. If they so choose to spend this money signing players for silly money then so be it. They are investing in assets for their business. Its not up to them to prop the rest of the pyramid anymore than they already are.

I listen to Simon Jordan a lot, and whilst hes a bit of a marmite character he certainly knows his onions when it comes to football finance. No matter how much money the EPL gives the EFL you will always get unscrupulous chairmen doing a Portsmouth, or a Bolton, or worse case scenario a Bury.

Dont get him started on football fan representatives on the board of directors either.

[Citizen's Nephew]

How many of the 92 clubs actually spend within their means? Not many id say. I dont understand this notion that EPL are the bad guys and poor old EFL are blameless. The EPL clubs attract the money of course they will get the lion share. If they so choose to spend this money signing players for silly money then so be it. They are investing in assets for their business. Its not up to them to prop the rest of the pyramid anymore than they already are.

I listen to Simon Jordan a lot, and whilst hes a bit of a marmite character he certainly knows his onions when it comes to football finance. No matter how much money the EPL gives the EFL you will always get unscrupulous chairmen doing a Portsmouth, or a Bolton, or worse case scenario a Bury.

Dont get him started on football fan representatives on the board of directors either.

Totally agree with you. The EFL, to me, these days are just a shop front for a whole load of other hidden businesses out the back.

Jordan's history is interesting, and you're right about him being a marmite character - anyone having anything to do with Palace would ensure that anyway!

[life on mars]

How many of the 92 clubs actually spend within their means? Not many id say. I dont understand this notion that EPL are the bad guys and poor old EFL are blameless. The EPL clubs attract the money of course they will get the lion share. If they so choose to spend this money signing players for silly money then so be it. They are investing in assets for their business. Its not up to them to prop the rest of the pyramid anymore than they already are.

I listen to Simon Jordan a lot, and whilst hes a bit of a marmite character he certainly knows his onions when it comes to football finance. No matter how much money the EPL gives the EFL you will always get unscrupulous chairmen doing a Portsmouth, or a Bolton, or worse case scenario a Bury.

Dont get him started on football fan representatives on the board of directors either.

Yes Simon Jordan does relate to the fans, you get the feel he does love the game and terrace culture .

[Jimmy the Jock]

I have been to watch Newport a few times recently ....Pre covid
There is something refreshing watching football at that level