The new football season for the Premier League began at the weekend. Many of the results were as we might have predicted but some were not. In top spot for shock result was newly promoted Blackpool winning away at Wigan 4 - 0. This took them to the top of the Premier League for 3 hours. They were knocked off the top later in the day when Chelsea succeeded in winning 6 - 0 but it still leaves Blackpool in No 2 spot. Blackpool have not headed the top division since 1957. They haven't even played in the top division since 1971. Last season they were expected to be demoted to Division One but they managed to do the complete opposite. They beat Cardiff in the play-offs and moved into the top league. The Tangerines manager, Ian Holloway, has said that he intends to get a picture of the league table with Blackpool at the top and then resign because it can't get better than this. He's right, of course. It can't get better than this. They shouldn't have been playing at Wigan at all. They were due to play Wigan at home but the stadium in Bloomfield Road is still a building site as they try to get their ground up to Premier League standard - and so they agreed to play at Wigan. Things have been a struggle through the summer. Several of their players suddenly became valuable after the team was promoted and they have gone off to better paid fields. The Blackpool owner has set a limit of £10,000 per week as top wage that he is prepared to pay. Quite understandably, some players have rejected such paltry payments. How can any footballer in this day and age, be expected to get by on a mere £10,000 per week; after all its only a little over £½ million per year. And that's rubbish wages. It may be what an average person earns in 20 years but it is still rubbish wages for a footballer.
In the last few days before the start of the season, the manager got hold of a few players and persuaded others to struggle along with £10,000 per week and he got a team together. They trounced Wigan. One goal was disallowed and TV replays show that it was OK. So it should have been 5 - 0.
It's a good start for them and I wish them lots of luck. They will need it just to survive. But even if they go down again, the sojourn in the Premier League will boost the coffers quite significantly and it will give Blackpool a bit of a boost. I have always liked Blackpool as a town for all sorts of reasons. It is different and it has still got its trams and the tower. But like so many seaside towns Blackpool has struggled in recent years and this may just give it the boost that it needs.
Good luck to them all.
Wigan FC has got real problems. Will they survive?
/
No comments:
Post a Comment