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MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
This means more. Though in truth, this means more money. Probably not enough money. But a lot of money nonetheless. The long weekend stretching ahead involves English football turning its attention to Wembley and the Football League playoffs. Step forward, David Prutton, Andy Hinchcliffe and, of course, Gary Weaver, the poet laureate of portentous commentary, teeth gritted in anticipation that the very next moment could be the one that changes destiny, changes history, becomes time for heroes. Unleash the Weavergasm.
First up, the big one, Saturday’s Championship decider between Sheffield United and Sunderland. The cash prize most recently quoted is £170m. The most valuable game in football, they say. The target is the best league in the world™. The lucky winners trouser a load of cash by gaining entry to a competition likely beyond their capabilities. It was only this week Manchester United and Spurs were serving up their Bigger Vase turkey of a final, with the honour of getting gubbed each week in Bigger Cup’s mega-group stage next season heading to Tottenham.
Coincidentally, the winning manager in Bilbao, Ange Postecoglou, seemingly modelled his flamin’ tactics on those of 100% Blade Chris Wilder, who will lead out his beloved club at Wembley. It wouldn’t take too much to transpose Richarlison’s role as chief agitator at San Mamés to a Wilder team. Not that he is without tactical innovations; who can forget those overlapping centre-backs of six years ago? Everyone thinks they know what to expect from a Wilder team, though this current group is much changed from the doomed relegation team he inherited last season for his second spell at Blades. They will give everything for the cause, run their hearts out and defend like demons. So would you if Wilder was waiting for you in the dressing room. Régis Le Bris, Sunderland’s manager who sounds like he should be a high-end West End restaurateur, has proved himself the best of the Eurocrat designer coaches in the Championship.
The attack-minded Le Bris commands a set of sparkling young guns, including Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham. Chat to fans of either finalist, and the excitement of playing in the Premier League is tempered by recent experience and the terrible record of recently promoted teams. “We are really aligned, really together on the plan and we’re going to attack the Premier League in our way, so it’s really exciting,” roared Russell Martin, while signing a new contract following Southampton’s playoff win a year ago. “We’re not going to go mental,” Luton manager Rob Edwards cheered two years back in the aftermath of victory at Wembley. “We have to play to our strengths which is what we’ve tried to keep going since I’ve come in.” Neither went well. This means more … of the same?
QUESTION TIME
Ben Fisher will be at Wembley on Saturday to answer Matchday live reader questions about the playoff final in the buildup to the game. If you have a burning desire to ask him something, email [email protected].
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join John Brewin from 7.45pm BST for hot Serie A title-deciding clockwatch coverage of Como 0-0 Inter and Napoli 0-0 Cagliari.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
I get that emotions are high, you’ve got two teams that have got a lot at stake fighting it out on the pitch. But we as a football club can’t accept somebody spitting in the face of one of our staff” – Ross County chief suit Steven Ferguson condemns the Livingston fan accused of spitting on assistant boss Carl Tremarco after the teams’ Scottish Premiership playoff final first leg 1-1 draw.
As a confirmed slacker who has been lazily praying for a big fat pay-off from The Man for some time now, it saddens me to see Ruben Amorim offer to leave without compensation should his employers have noticed that he really isn’t very good at the job (yesterday’s Football Daily). Perhaps young Ruben would like to spare a thought for all of us other hopeless underachievers out there, for whom a compensated pay-off is a goal rather than an unnecessary encumbrance” – Colin Reed.
Re: Kevin Goddard’s missive (yesterday’s Football Daily letters), the avian description he is desperately looking for is ‘C0ckerels’. Furthermore, it stands out a mile that he’s not watched Spurs recently because, believe it or not, that poor final with its scrappy goal was by no means the most awful and inept performance we have had to endure this season” – Stephen Rankin.
After watching the paint dry on Wednesday evening in Bilbao, I spared a thought for Harry Kane and wondered which was the lesser trophy-winning achievement? Beating the 16th-placed Premier League team in a European final of low quality, or capturing the Bundesliga with perennial underachievers, Bayern Munich (16 out of the last 20 titles, but who’s counting?). Anyway, congrats Harry and Ange and Tottenham” – Che Matthews.
Send letters to [email protected]. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Colin Reed, who lands some Football Weekly merch. We’ll be in touch. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, can be viewed here.
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