OH KAY ON…MESSI’S BOOTS, TEAM GB, BARRY AND SETANTA

Messi’s boots

Congratulations must go to Lionel Messi for not only his performance in the Uefa Champions League final but for also remembering the instructions of his adidas rep.

Having scored in the second half, Messi duly took off his new F30i and kissed it before celebrating with his team mates. Strange thing was though, being a header, the boot had nothing to do with the goal. Mind you, perhaps we should be thankful. If a headed goal was worth a kiss, we can only assume what he would have done with his new footwear if he’d cracked one in from 30 yards, although I imagine it’s probably illegal in some southern states of the USA!

GB football team

Having been to 3 Olympic Games, I’m delighted that GB will have a football team representing them in London in 2012. But what a shame that the side will be made up of English players only. Because of their political machinations, the neverwozzes that run the Scottish, Welsh and N. Irish FA’s wanted nothing to do with the event, preferring it seems, to restrict their young players to more hum-drum sporting endeavours.

So while their English counterparts will experience the Olympic village, mixing with other sportsmen and women, getting to grips with other cultures and traditions and becoming more rounded and enlightened individuals as a result, the Celts can rest easy that they’ve ‘won the day’ and that the Olympic ideal won’t impact on their introverted little lives.

Barry’s move

Gareth Barry’s move from Manchester City is an interesting one. On one hand, he’s set himself and his family up for life courtesy of his £130,000 per week wages whilst on the other; he’s joined a side that finished 10th in the table and won’t be involved in any European action next season unlike his old team.

It seems to me, he’s gone for potential rather than fact. Potentially, with a vast fortune behind them, City could begin to challenge the big four in the years to come and be part of a new look Premier League. However, they could just as easily go the other way and continue in mid-table mediocrity whoever they end up signing. Perhaps it might be simpler to look at it this way – if someone offered to triple your wages to do the same job as you’re doing now, would you turn them down? Well, would you?

Show me the money

Whilst you can make a case for Barry opting for the cash, the same cannot be said of a few of football’s governing bodies. That’s exactly the course the EPL, FA and SPL chose when they accepted bids from Setanta TV.

The Irish broadcaster flashed the readies and it was all too appealing for the suits to turn down. Shame they didn’t bother to look at Setanta’s business plan or projected audience figures because now they look to be in a whole heap of trouble. Having already failed in its attempt to get the EPL to defer a multi-million pound payment, this week the broadcaster defaulted on a £3m payment to the SPL. This may come as a surprise to you but you should bear in mind that the people that run Setanta think that Steve McManaman is a top pundit and that Craig Burley is a decent co-commentator. Perhaps it’s not overly hard to understand why they are knee deep in do-do after all.