West Bromwich Albion have been the representatives of the gulf between the Premier League and the second tier in recent seasons. Albion were relegated from the top flight in 2003, 2007 and 2009. In the interceding years, and including last season they were promoted back to the upper tier in 2005, 2008 and 2010. The record clearly sends the message that the club are too good for the Championship, but not good enough for the Premier League.

The teams relegated from the Prem last season were Hull City, Burnley and Portsmouth. Hull spent only two seasons in the EPL and Burnley just one. What are the hopes for the new boys this term? It appears that the established top flight teams are able to become more and more established through their bigger incomes, and increasing reputations. Portsmouth themselves are an excellent example of the reputation factor. They have never been one of the big clubs in the Prem, but once they established themselves in the early part of the last decade, they were able to attract a better quality of player. Burnley and Hull were never able to do this. Whilst West Ham were down there with those two at the end of last season, the Hammers have been back in the EPL for five years now and can still attract relatively big players.

Despite the title of my article, I do have a good feeling for West Brom this year. Manager Roberto Di Matteo, has brought in some experience at the back in Pablo Ibanez, and is fighting off the attentions on his star player Graham Dorrans. He is currently being rumoured to be close to capturing former Baggie, Jason Roberts from Blackburn. Having someone who can potentially give you twenty goals a season up top is a must for any team to survive. Blackpool will fight and fight this year, but they won’t survive. They aren’t equipped to make it in the top flight, and the fact that I can say that with such confidence shows how hard it has become to stay up. What is interesting this season is that we may see a side who have been a round a while come down, as Newcastle too may hold their own on their return. Along with Blackpool, I expect to see Wolves get relegated in their second season, leaving any one from eighteen to bid farewell to the big time.

This season will be a defining season as to how viable promotion from the second tier has become, If West Brom and Newcastle can make their presence felt to stay another year, then the format is still thriving. But if two of the three that went up, come down, and are joined by Wolves or Birmingham, questions need to be asked about the inequality of the current regime. Nobody has a divine right to stay in the Premier League, but they may effectively be being given one, with the access to finances that the Championship clubs do not have.

photo credit: joncandy

Chelsea completed the FA Cup and EPL double with a 1-0 win over Portsmouth in Portsmouth’s last hurrah before relegation.  With the EPL season over and nothing to lose one would have thought that Portsmouth might have come out pretty loose and given Chelsea a hard time and they did.  Only allowing Didier Drogba the double-clenching goal in the 1st half.

What does this mean for the future of the EPL?  Well, it means that United is really pissed.  They already gave Chelsea the regular season title and now they had to watch the blues win the FA Cup.  It kind of makes that epic final from last year seem like a distant memory–doesn’t it?

Does this mean that Chelsea can start a run like United had the past few years?  Yes, it does.  They’ll have to contend with United for the top spot again next year and we can be assured that Arsenal is ready to spend to bring themselves closer to the title AND Tottenham is planning on doing more than just going to the Champs League and settling.

However, Chelsea has all the momentum.  They recovered from a horrible final loss last year that everyone on the planet saw to come back this season and be only the 7th team to complete the double.

In short, it means they handle adversity better than their rivals.  They have no problem bucking up and pulling their bootstraps up so they can make something work.  They showed that when their manager didn’t need to run constantly to the media–something that works–and they STILL finished the double in his first season at the helm.

Hopefully the World Cup isn’t too much of a drain because next season could be a wild ride in England with so many teams gunning for the top and every one of them ready to spend.  WOW!

photo credit: Stefan Meisel

Portsmouth has pushed itself into the FA Cup Final against Chelsea with a thrilling win over Tottenham Hotspur.  It’s one those things you can only read about in storybooks as Kevin Prince-Boateng had to pass a physical just to get on the field.  THEN he had to put away a crucial goal to quash Tottenham and secure a spot at Wembley in the FA Cup Final against Chelsea.

Remember, this is the same club that is facing relegation AND has already been put under administration by the EPL.  However, they can somehow pull together the strength to defeat the dreaded Spurs AND play Chelsea–the best team in the EPL–for the FA Cup Title.

They are ensuring us that they will not get drubbed 5-0 like they did against Chelsea earlier this season and I’m almost inclined to believe them.  They certainly are on fire right now and there is nothing to say that they can’t “catch a wild hare” and really work over the Blues.

However, Chelsea is a strong club and they carry Didier Drogba and John Terry, etc. etc. etc.  You get the idea.

Portsmouth is on a great tear, but I think we often see these tears end right before the final victory.  It won’t be a blowout, but these things usually fizzle right before the “great upset”.

Anyone who’s expecting Chelsea to fall to Pompey needs to re-evaluate.  It will be a very good match in a packed Wembley Stadium–but it will not end well for Portsmouth.  Either way they should be proud and probably will have more reason to because they can keep it close with Chelsea–in the end it should be a tight.

Put an inspired Boateng on the field and let him incite the troops just one more time for a close finish.

Chelsea-2   Portsmouth-1

FA Cup Final
Saturday 15 May: Chelsea v Portsmouth - Buy FA Cup Final Tickets

photo credit: kevmann16

photo credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

Portsmouth is:

–An institution–as a friend told me last year.

–In a terrible state of flux

–Hurting badly for points

–Probably going to get relegated

–In need of investors

–In need of its fans to cool off

I can understand that the Portsmouth fans are REALLY UPSET that their team has changed hands 4 times this year and that they want their “institution” to remain solvent.  I can also understand that you want to know who’s in control of your favorite team.  Here in Atlanta Ted Turner sold the Braves to Time Warner when he took a buyout and left the company he founded.

They then sold the team to Liberty Media and no one here knows who the actual “owner” is.  There are random figures in control, but no figurehead owner.

In Portsmouth, it would be nice, on one hand, to have a figurehead owner or lead investor.  However, if you think about how rabid the fans have gotten and how angry they have become then you realize that any person who made themselves public at this point would be a little afraid for their safety.

Just look at the pictures of angry fans, read message boards, and then decide if you would want to be the face of Pompey right now.  I’d be fearful for my life 24 hours a day.  Now, you can say that I’m being insensitive and painting with broad strokes, but the reality is that the fans are REALLY ANGRY. 

So, either this guy keeps himself anonymous or spends a fortune on bodyguards.  I’m going with anonymous.

Now, when the time is right and they have the team “in order” then this owner needs to come out of hiding.  That should coincide with the “calming down” of the masses where this guy can address the Portsmouth community and proclaim that he has saved the team.

Until then…keep hiding.

Portsmouth were all but relegated yesterday after they were deducted nine points by the Premier League for going into administration.

“Following the High Court’s decision that Portsmouth FC’s administration is valid the Premier League Board convened today to apply the League’s rules and policies in relation to a member club suffering an event of insolvency,” a Premier League statement said. As a result Portsmouth FC has been deducted nine points with immediate effect. As part of this process the board met with the administrator to agree how we will work together for the remainder of the season to ensure that the club is able fulfil its commitments.”

Administrator Andrew Andronikou earlier revealed that talks with a takeover consortium have yet to lead to proof of funds but that he hoped Portsmouth could come out of administration in “six to eight weeks”.

If Portsmouth cannot come out of administration by the end of this season, they could face a 10-point deduction in the Championship next season, which would wipe out almost any hope of them getting promotion next season back into the Premier League.

photo credit: I woz ere

Three goals in six first-half minutes saw Liverpool hammer Portsmouth 4-1 and move up to fifth spot in the Premier League table. Liverpool got two goals from Fernando Torres, and a goal each from Ryan Babel, and Alberto Aquilani, who scored his first goal for Liverpool.

Liverpool’s season has been a huge disappointment and this was reflected in the crowd of 40316, te lowest attendance for a league match at Anfield in five years. Portsmouth did not help with the attendance, taking just 300 fans to Merseyside.

Liverpool had failed to score in three of their last four league matches, but it took just 26 minutes for the hosts to break the deadlock. Gerrard capitalised as Ashdown dallied at the back to leave Maxi Rodriguez to slide a neat pass to Torres, who proceeded to slam his 14th league strike of the season beyond the Pompey keeper.

Two minutes later, Glen Johnson’s marauding run down the right culminated in a raking cross-field ball to Torres, whose lay-off enabled Babel to stab a precise shot beyond Ashdown.

The Anfield crowd only had to wait another four minutes for Liverpool to establish a three-goal cushion as Torres hurtled down the left before a deft back-heel found Gerrard, and Aquilani was presented with an opening for a crisp left-footed finish to beat the Pompey keeper at his near post and open his Liverpool account.

Torres grabbed his second in the 77th minute with a second strike of immense conviction as more insipid defending from Pompey saw the Spaniard beat Ashdown at his near post after cutting in from the right with consummate ease.

Liverpool’s seventh successive Premier League victory at Anfield sees Benitez’s side assume fifth spot above Manchester City, albeit having played two games more, while Portsmouth’s plight becomes evermore hopeless.

photo credit: jacreative

Can you imagine the ire if the government nailed a whole club?

It appears that Portsmouth has even more to worry about–you know, besides the administration and the 9 point loss on the table.  Yeah, now they are thinking that the “Inland Revenue”–England’s IRS–is out to get them.  Now, since I’m someone who leans towards conspiracy theories I wouldn’t be shocked at all if this were the case.

At Fratton Park, the club is thinking that “the man” is considering making an example of the club by shutting them down.  However, it goes deeper than that.

Pompey thinks that “the man” wants to push them in the High Courts so that the government in the UK will pass new legislation and regulations on the EPL and its daughter leagues.

Apparently, the idea is to make the Inland Revenue to #1 creditor of all the clubs.  This would give the government SIGNIFICANT power over football in England and would probably stir other countries to do the same.

Now, if you’re thinking that the government taking-over wouldn’t be so bad then you need to consider the following:

Do you even trust them with your tax dollars now?

Would you trust them with your favored team.  The team whose colors you bleed?  Really?  I don’t think so.

Moreover, the day-to-day operations of any professional sports club are very intense.  The government can’t really afford to have a hand in that at all.  They wouldn’t even know where to begin and the bureaucratic pall that would come over each club would be so thick that alot of fans may not come back.

If you hate waiting in line at the DMV…you might hate waiting in line for tickets or an autograph. 

Now, I’m not saying this will happen or that this theory is even correct, but it’s frightening to think about.

Pompey needs a good lawyer and a better plan before something crazy goes down in England…

photo credit: bhhardinge

The lights aren’t off…yet.

Pompey has been put on administration following their inability to find new ownership and new capital.  It’s a sad day for Portsmouth, but the day is not lost.  However, there are a couple things to consider:

1.  Their administrator Andrew Andronikou is charged with severely cutting costs and attempting to make the club solvent.  This is very good because at least the EPL has a vision for how this should get fixed.  Find a dude who works for a financial firm to fix this!  Most sports teams (including Pompey) aren’t that smart.

2.  Portsmouth is already in 20th and most definitely staring relegation in the face.  They’re 7 points down to their next closest rivals Burnley and Bolton (who also face relegation).  It’s possible that the community and fans might rally around the club for a push to get out of this hole.  OR…the community will rally around them next season in an effort to get back into the EPL.

It may sound stupid, but this might be one of the best things that could happen to them.  You need obsessed fans to keep you going and this might just bring the obsessed fans out of the woodwork.

3.  There is history here.  Fratton Park is an icon.  Portsmouth–as a friend of mine said–is an institution.  The EPL doesn’t want them to go away and the team so closely identifies with its hometown that I don’t see how anything HORRIBLE will happen.

At least preventative measures are being taken.  Yes, losing 9 points sucks, but that’s the price you pay for getting in this situation.  If the club plays it right they can begin a whole new “grass-roots” campaign simply based on belief in the club.

If I were them I’d do a campaign on generational fans and what the history and tradition of Portsmouth football means to the city and the country. 

I expect an e-mail people!  I’m a marketing genius I tell you! 

(Honestly, this can turn out well for them…it really can).

Portsmouth are set to become the first Premier League club to go into administration after owner Balram Chainrai served notice of his intention to put the club into the hands of insolvency experts on Friday.

Chainrai said it was now unlikely that a takeover deal would be done before the end of the week and administration will prevent the club from being wound up in the High Court on Monday.

But it will also mean certain relegation for Pompey as there is an automatic nine-point penalty for any Premier League club going into administration and that would leave the side on just seven points, 16 behind their nearest rivals.

A statement issued by the club said:

“Businessman Balu Chainrai, the owner of Portsmouth Football Club, has served notice that the club will go into administration unless new owners can be found by Friday. Mr Chainrai and fellow investors from his Portpin investment vehicle, are in London to continue talks with representatives of four different groups interested in buying the south coast club, but have had to reluctantly accept that it is now unlikely a deal can be done before a winding up hearing due to be heard in the High Court on Monday.”

Chainrai’s spokesman Phil Hall said administration would keep the club alive as the winding-up order is now automatically suspended. Portsmouth have debts of £70million and the winding up order was over £7.5million owed to HM Revenue and Customs.

Chainrai’s spokesman Phil Hall said none of the four consortiums had made a credible offer. Hall said:

“Mr Chainrai is looking for absolute credible proof of funds and trying to avoid the mistakes the previous regimes have made. Administration would mean the club re-emerging as a healthy financial entity and it would then become an attractive proposition for a potential buyer who could invest new funds in re-building the club’s future. The serving of this notice means the winding up order is automatically suspended. It means the club is safe, it can fulfil its fixtures and as far as is possible it is business as usual. Mr Chainrai has agreed to continue funding the club going forward until its long-term future is decided and he will also pay for the administration process out of his own pocket.”

Hall said Chainrai and his associates were “victims of circumstances” having given a £17million short-term loan to the Al Faraj Group, who said it would be repaid in November.

Some fans have blamed club chief executive Peter Storrie who has admitted that most of the club’s spending has gone on players wages, £131million over the last three years, and transfer fees.

Storrie said:

“The bulk of the money has gone to the players in wages. The cost of the players’ wages this year is £37m. Last season, when it was running at its height, it was £52m, and the year before it was £42m. The vast majority of the money over the last two to three years has gone on players’ wages, and also on their transfer fees.”

Portsmouth are in such dire financial straits that they have asked the Premier League if they can sell players outside the transfer window.

However, the move will depend on their request being sanctioned by the Football Association and FIFA as well as the Premier League.

A spokesman for Pompey said:

“I can confirm we have put in a request to the Premier League to sell players outside the transfer window. It is something we are exploring.”

Pompey have not identified any specific players for sale but reports suggest Algeria World Cup star Nadir Belhadj, midfielder Kevin Prince-Boateng and young defender Mark Wilson could be made available according to published reports.

While the Premier League and the FA may make an exception for Pompey, it is unlikely FIFA will sanction the move. Portsmouth is basically bankrupt and the question is whether they go into administration or go out of business all together.