Money Cannot Buy Success

Monday 13th May

Except, of course, that it can.  Chelsea have regularly spent more than almost every other team and for a few years they were winning nearly everything.  Manchester City, a fairly also-ran team until rich Arabs bought into it, bought a team and a manager and won the league last year.  And no-one can deny that Manchester United have spent well and pay good wages too, though they do earn more than any other team too.  So, what is the secret of success, in the fast changing, high turnover, big money game of Premier League Football?   Was Sir Alex Ferguson simply the greatest football manager ever, or did he have a bit of luck, a patient board of directors and a team with a growing fan base that provided the cash for him to keep renewing his teams.

There is no doubt that Man U have been far and away the best team during the last twenty years, winning consistently, but also getting the best out of players other teams couldn’t, and rebuilding, constantly re-building.  And buying cleverly.

And it is always gratifying to see the mighty fall, especially those that have bought their success.  In the week that Sir Alex steps down gracefully at the top of his game, their near neighbours City are going into meltdown, not only losing the FA cup to minnows Wigan but now losing their manager too.  Like Chelsea, whose management merry-go-round makes them a laughing stock, City thought they could simply buy success, the most expensive players, the most expensive manager, but somehow no heart.

The real successes of the premier league are the teams that fight and battle with little or no resources, and against all odds buy carefully and nurture talent like Stoke and Fulham and Wigan and Swansea and Norwich.  Oh, and Manchester United, who do the same only with a lot more money at their disposal.