Manchester United and Newcastle United’s European exits were contrasting in their manner – meek damage limitation versus gung-ho cavalry charge – but they added up to the same thing. Failure that could come back to bite English football.
Never before in the history of the Champions League have two English teams finished bottom of their group in the same season.
And it is an under-performance which could have ramifications for the Premier League as a whole.
The expansion of the Champions League next season will see two countries gain an extra place each in the competition.
It was widely assumed before a ball was kicked this season that would mean five spots instead of four for the Premier League.
But the exits of United and Newcastle – who miss out on the Europa League as well – has put that in serious doubt.
UEFA will award the places based on a complex coefficient which will play out through this season’s knockout stages but as things stand, they will be going to Germany and Italy, not England.
If the Premier League table was frozen as it is at the moment, that would mean Tottenham, in fifth, miss out but it is a situation that could equally well affect sixth-placed Manchester United or Newcastle in seventh.
If it comes to pass, it would be a huge blow to the ego of a league which dwarfs its continental rivals in terms of its financial might.
It has just signed a domestic rights deal worth twice as much as that of Serie A.
The latest Deloittes Football Money League places 11 Premier League clubs in the world’s richest top 20. These are the fat cats of football.
Newcastle, although restrained by Financial Fair Play rules, have access to the planet’s biggest sovereign wealth fund.
Their Euro knockout can be explained, given they were keeping some pretty well-heeled company in their group, by the lack of Champions League experience in their set-up.
They have also been struggling to put out a fit 11 at various points during their campaign.
But while United also can point to injury issues – particularly in defence – they had a good deal less of an excuse in trailing behind Copenhagen and Galatasaray. In fact none at all. Bear in mind that Copenhagen’s budget is around one twentieth of United’s and their showing was quite simply indefensible.
It just goes to show that money on its own does not guarantee results. How and where it is spent ultimately decides whether a team is successful or not.
United, under Erik ten Hag, have shelled out £400m but yet got nowhere.
After the 3-0 home loss to Bournemouth, they looked more like a side trying to keep the score down against Bayern Munich in midweek rather than one intent on winning the game and trying to qualify.
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Ten Hag’s upbeat assessment of his side’s performance bore no resemblance to the reality – it sounded like a manager entering the desperation zone.
Sunday’s trip to Anfield – the finishing post for Jose Mourinho at Manchester United five years ago – has an ominous feel about it for the Dutchman.
The group stage struggles of United and Newcastle have come in stark contrast to the plain sailing of Manchester City and Arsenal who breezed through to the knockout stages serenely.
They showed that the cream of the Premier League remains the best that money can buy.
The Premier League is now reliant on those clubs to sort the problem of turning top four qualification into a top five.
The Europa League and Conference League survivors can play their part but with the coefficient weighted towards progression in the Champions League it will be City and Arsenal carrying the burden.
When Europe resumes in the New Year, it could lead to an interesting anomaly – United fans cheering on City and Spurs fans backing Arsenal.
Funny old game.
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Shoaib Bashir’s call-up by England for the Test series in India is a hunch pick that is bold even by Brendon McCullum’s standards.
A 20-year-old off-spinner has only taken ten wickets in a first-class career stretching all of six matches for Somerset? India’s imposing batting line-up must be licking their lips.
But England took a similar punt on an even younger spinner in Pakistan last year and look how that worked out.
Rehan Ahmed took a five-for on his Test debut and is excelling on the current white ball tour to the West Indies.
It will be a giant leap from turning out for Berkshire last year but we wish Shoaib well.
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English clubs paid out a record £220m to agents in international transfers this year.
No wonder the agents are fighting so hard to stop their slice of the bloated football pie being slimmed down.
FIFA want to limit an agent’s commission to ten per cent when they act for a selling club in a transfer and ban the practice of representing both the selling and buying club – and pocketing commission from both – in the same deal.
However Stellar, Wasserman and Base and Arete, who between them represent the likes of Jack Grealish, John Stones and James Maddison, were successful in thwarting attempts to cap their earnings at a legal tribunal last month.
The ball is back in FIFA’s court. It is to be hoped they respond with venom
Just think what could be done for grass-roots football with a fraction of that £220m.
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After all the denials, Eddie Jones was unveiled as Japan’s new coach. You can tell when Jones is being economical with the truth because his mouth moves.
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