Deadline Day for EPL

Monday 1st September 2008: The day that changed the EPL. (Again).

I’ve just about caught my breath from the unbelievable events that unfolded on that incredible day. Having awoken to breaking news of some Middle Eastern rich guys / Royal family taking over from Dr. Thaksin at Man City, the realisation began to set in that World football really does have a new super-power.

And whilst my plans for the day seemed to meander off-course, as I stayed gripped to the Sports News channels, I can only imagine what happened to the days of the guys at the helm of Chelsea, Man Utd and Real Madrid!

As the day went on, news filtered through that Man City were linked to one star name of world football after another. At the same time, in a top-secret headquarters, the designers working on the new ‘Football Monopoly’ board game were tearing up their rulebook, dismayed that Dr Sulaiman Al-Fahim was in fact, playing out their fantasy board game in real life!

Of course, by midnight, the blue half of Manchester landed one of the greatest forwards in the world. And the transfer window puffed out its cheeks as it slammed shut for a well deserved four month break.

So what impact will Abu Dhabi’s pound notes have on the EPL and world football in general? Well, firstly, Man United fans will have to think twice when gloating about being the ‘biggest’ club in Manchester! (Although no amount of money can buy you history…) Secondly, Arsenal and Liverpool fans will have to re-assess their ambitions for the forthcoming seasons unless their club owners find deeper pockets, as there is no room for five super-powers in the top four.

But of course, the one group who will experience the most significant change will be the Man City fans. Have they considered the impact of the take-over on their ticket prices!?

The reason that I offer no (sensible) predictions is because in reality, nobody knows. Nobody knows if
the Abu Dhabi consortium will continue to invest in the club for the forthcoming transfer windows -  not the next few, but the next five, six and seven transfer windows. Nobody knows if Mark Hughes has the ability to gel a team of superstars together. Nobody knows which club will be the subject of the next take-over, demoting Man City to second or third on the football rich list.

All we do know is that a sleeping giant has been awoken, and I know many Man city fans – that is one angry giant. Too many years have been spent living in the shadows of Man Utd for their liking. We also know that for the rest of the Premiership, the gap just got wider. Man City will drive the standard of the big four to the next level, and the rest of the teams will just have to tilt their necks back that little bit further.  They will have to look up in awe of force of the top boys, and wait to see which team will become the next football super-power thanks to another super-rich spender.

By Rob Bloom
http://mywriter.co.uk