Tinkler emerged from obscurity to amass a $441 million fortune, earned over two years of the some of most astute investment in the history of the Australian mining industry.

The 34-year-old converted his coal dollars into an equine passion that has taken Australian horse racing by storm. His Patinack racing and breeding operation is a major player in an industry dominated by the Gulf billions of Darley and the Irish colossus Coolmore.

Now Tinkler is in charge of the Newcastle Jets in what the football community hopes will represent a long term commitment to the club’s survival and growth.

Exactly what Tinkler will bring to the club and the Hunter football region in general, apart from substantial financial clout, is the crucial question and one that has a sharper focus given Con Constantine’s disappointing exit and a litany of uncertainty that shrouds the A League.

Not for the first time, I spoke to Nathan Tinkler this week. I share a passion in horse racing and was part of a group which bought a Tinkler/Patinack horse a few months ago. Oh well, the dream lives on!

Tinkler described his move into the A League as an “act of community” and “a duty to Newcastle and the Hunter region.” He said: “with over 50,000 registered kids playing football in the Hunter, I could not stand by and see the Newcastle Jets fold.”

Strong, emotive and direct, Tinkler spoke of a proud region and the importance of engaging the local kids and building from the grassroots up.

In just a few words, Tinkler, a young man with no football pedigree, summed up the missing link in our game between the grassroots and the A-League: converting the youth, football’s most innocent and passionate group into supporters and stakeholders of the A League. That remains the greatest challenge in the Australian professional game.

The very thing that Tinkler has touched on is the glaring weakness in the A League, engagement. For this to happen FFA must gain control of the grassroots of football from the State Federations.

According to an FFA insider, that is close to happening, but holding up the process is an agreement with Football NSW.

Let’s hope the greater good of the game can rise above the politics which weighs it down.

But control is one thing, what you do with it is quite another. It’s the make or break of the game down under.

Let’s hope FFA makes the hard calls for the betterment of the game and starts really listening to what the football community wants.

Tinkler is the first to admit that football is more an interest than a passion. But he was also quick to point out that unlike his predecessor Con Constantine, he doesn’t want any voice in the football decisions of the club.

But Nathan Tinkler did not amass his fortune by suffering fools, he would not commit to a long term ownership of the club and although he didn’t say it directly, I suspect there will be a testing out period of FFA and the direction it may take in the most trying period of the A League’s short history.

It’s not good enough to ask whether Newcastle simply wants an A League club .

The challenge ahead is to re-engage Novocastrians. “Newcastle deserves a top class A-League team and we are keen to help rebuild the club for the city,” said Tinkler, who’s rebuild refers to the loss of faith among the corporate sector and fans of the Newcastle Jets.

Constantine invested his money, 15 million dollars over 10 years, amid sweeping changes in the game. He helped bring a national title to a football-proud region but in my view, his business conduct in recent months has tarnished that legacy.

Make no mistake, the A League needs owners like Tinkler.

Why? Because he has community in his make up, not because he feels he has to, or contrives to, but because that is who he is. But community alone won’t see Nathan Tinkler remain as a long term player.

The answer from the FFA’s match review panel (MRP) was a clear YES.

Yet the two penalty decisions are a matter of conjecture and interpretation, about which there has been plenty of impassioned debate.

A little-known fact is that the three-man review panel – of Barry Such, former referee Simon Micallef and ex-Socceroos defender Alan Davidson – in judging any incidents, has access to up to seven extra camera angles not witnessed by mainstream media and the general public.

That is a whole lot of fresh evidence. You could say it gives the panel a unique perspective in making its judgment call.

So while the players do not have the right of appeal (I think they should) under the current A League match review structure, the public is judging the MRP on vision it hasn’t seen.

It’s a little confusing and the reason why the process needs to become totally transparent.

I believe Perez and Baird’s intention was to dive.

In Perez’s case it was questionable whether there was any contact from Sydney FC goalkeeper Liam Reddy while there is certain contact on Glory’s Baird from Kliment Taseski.

But in both instances doubt remains on what effect the contact (if any) had on the players going to ground.

The MRP has to judge simulation in that context but the measure of impact and the effect it has on a player’s movement must be a near impossible judgement to get right.

On that basis the definition of simulation, and the way it is judged, must be more specific to establish only:

a) when a player goes to ground when there is no contact;

b) when a player blatantly exaggerates diving or injury.

What also interests me is how to improve the decision making of the match officials.

Video technology is my number one choice as an effective aid.

This year’s World Cup was another reminder of when the stakes are at their highest referees don’t have enough tools to make the right decisions.

Frank Lampard’s ‘no-goal’ against Germany the most glaring example.

But at present video technology cannot be utilised because FIFA hasn’t sanctioned its use.

So why doesn’t the A-League introduce goal line match officials to help scrutinise penalty box decisions.

Yes, their introduction in last seasons Europa League had its issues, with the extra officials getting some calls wrong.

But further training and the expansion this season in to a number of competitions, including the UEFA Champions League, will see the integration from three to five officials work more effectively.

In its emphasis on stamping out simulation, FFA should lead the way in Asian football and look to introduce goal line officials.

More trained eyes should see less mistakes in the penalty area, I say.

'Crunchie' was South Australian football in every sense, there from the start of the National Soccer League, writing and broadcasting in the heady days of Adelaide City’s success under Zoran Matic and through the unpredictable journey of West Adelaide.

Crisp reflected everything that was genuine about The World Game in Adelaide, described by the late Johnny Warren many times as Australia’s football capital.

I know Johnny and Les respected Allan greatly not just because of his passion and knowledge for the game but for the way he treated others.

When I first commentated on local State League football in Adelaide over 20 years ago it was with Allan Crisp.

He knew everyone and I still fondly remember the way he encouraged me and the respect he showed everyone he came across.

Allan was the first full time football writer with the Advertiser in 1977 until his retirement from the newspaper in 1998.

He was also the first ever commentator from any football code in Australia to cover a match live through television in 1961; a true pioneer.

Allan continued to work on radio until just recently. When the community station 5RPH occasionally called me for a chat, the feeling of speaking with 'Crunchie' was just like being home.

He died aged 81 and was quite rightly recognised by Football Federation South Australia with his name being carried on the media room at Hindmarsh Stadium.

Allan was associated with South Australian football for over 60 years, he was loved, admired and will be missed.

It was an honour to call him a friend.

The song of the fans overcame the plastic drone for one night of glorious theatre in Nelson Mandela Bay.

What a show it was. Our SBS crew was seated smack bang on the halfway line, between the Samba chant and same wonderfully-attired Oranje fans.

When Felipe Melo’s incisive pass cut a path to Robinho, who did what he does best and score, the Dutch fell silent as a sea of yellow and green reverberated, totally consuming the occasion.

The mood was celebratory. After all, Under Dunga, Brazil had won all their games in which Robinho had scored.

The goal was the third quickest ever conceded by Holland in a World Cup match, destiny was calling.

Another sumptuous build up saw Kaka released. The number 10 sent his shot bending toward the top corner. Stekelenburg’s tremendous save you felt just delayed the inevitable.

Conferring with some Dutch media colleagues at half time, flights back to Holland were being discussed, despite their team’s unbeaten 23-match streak, the message was clear: Brazil simply had too much game.

So what happened in the second half? Was it part will, part football karma?

Sneijder’s cross needed only a moment of hesitation from the normally unflappable Julio Cesar, a deflection off Felipe Melo and the Dutch were level!

Brazil conceded its first ever World cup own goal and suddenly the Dutch started believing.

Wesley Sneijder headed in on 67 minutes and Brazilian fans for the first time contemplate they may be heading out.

Fast forward six minutes, and when Felipe Melo blew a gasket stamping his mark on the match and Arjen Robben, the sense of world cup fate swung dramatically to the Dutch.

How Brazil went from a first half that vindicated their pre-match arrogance to sliding out of the World Cup, raises more plenty more questions than Dunga will ever have answers for.

That’s for the post mortems, all I can reflect on is an exhilarating Quarter Final. It’s the kind of event that makes this the greatest show on Earth.

How Frank Lampard’s shot that landed so far over the line and witnessed by virtually everyone in the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, was missed by the two people with the power to influence the game, will remain a staggering mystery.

There’s no doubt the best team won that match, but that’s not the point.

We will never know how England would have fared at 2-2. Chasing the match, they clearly struggled against a quicker more skilful Germany on the counter attack.

Would it have made a difference structurally, psychologically if Lampard’s goal was allowed? Of course it would have. Capello would have played more within England’s limitations and there would have been a totally different mindset in winning the game.

Ok, England’s defence was poor, their midfield lost possession at key moments allowing Germany’s creative players to wreak havoc. But on the subject of Lampard’s goal, interpretation is one thing, but fact is fact and I believe if Football is to stay in touch with other major global sports, video technology must be introduced.

FFA President Sepp Blatter has railed against this, saying football will lose its human element if it applies replay technology in officiating matches. But by digging its heels in and effectively taking it off the negotiating table, the World governing body is denying a level playing field.

In Johannesburg Argentina outclassed Mexico, but when Carlos Tevez headed in Lionel Messi’s goal-bound effort it started a domino effect that “ El Tri” never recovered from.

Minutes later Francisco Rodriguez, a normally dependable and assured defender, made the mistake of his career. A rabbit in headlights square pass, hungrily consumed by Gonzalo Higuain, it was effectively game over.

The defensive blunder ywas made in a stunned state of disbelief. Would Rodriguez have committed that schoolboy error if the Tevez goal was disallowed, we will never know.

Yes sport is all about overcoming adversity, but don’t we all thrive in seeing a fair contest?

The time has come for rules to be changed, opponents and fans to be respected and common sense to prevail.

The part we can forget is the fall out from the loss against Germany and the sometimes personal grievances played out on the public stage.

For the 90+ minutes against Ghana, we saw a return to the never say die attitude of Australia's national team.

From a side hungry to expose any weakness in an unpredictable opponent before and after Harry Kewell’s match was cut cruelly short by a referee that I thought was world class but showed anything but that pedigree in Rustenburg.

Ghana striker Asamoah Gyan was named man of the match, but if Luke Wilkshire wasn’t the best player on the pitch, then the vuvuzela is an instrument of classical music.

Australia’s character when down a man was as good as I can remember from a Socceroos team.

It displayed equal measure of defensive awareness and attacking ambition against a counter-attacking team.

Pim Verbeek must be commended for his second half introduction of Scott Chipperfield in left midfield. With a point to prove after an off-colour showing against Germany, Chippers provided instant spark out wide.

And in the end, the 10-man Socceroos were unfortunate not claim a late winner.

Pim may not like the point being made but how in the space of six days did Australia go from diminished belief to Bravehearts?

Yes a different opponent and a different circumstance.

But the battle of Rustenburg is a sharp reminder of what is possible in a green and gold shirt.

Rising Australia star Rhys Williams faced such a test of his character as a niggling albeit manageable pelvis injury threatened to derail his 2010 World Cup dream at a critical stage in his development at Middlesborough.

Williams wanted to play for club coach Gordon Strachan, but at what risk his Socceroos prospects? Club versus country? Sometimes the two go hand in hand. So it was the player turned out for Middlesborough and did the yards that ultimately brought his World Cup dream to an end.

Australia coach Pim Verbeek wasted no time pointing the finger at Strachan’s management of Williams' injury, suggesting the absence of good judgement cost the young gun a World Cup berth.

It hasn’t taken long for the feisty Scotsman to hit back at the Socceroos boss.

“I know it’s a stressful time for him, but he needs to get his facts right." Strachan said

“First of all, I should point out that decisions over injuries are made by the club’s medical staff, not me, but it is nonsense to suggest Rhys was receiving injections for every game.

“The truth of the matter is we only ever did what we believed was right for the player’s long-term future, and he only played when he and our medical team agreed he was fit to do so.

Williams is a favourite young prospect of Verbeek's. The Dutchman has been around and knows what impact cutting public statements could have on William’s future at his Championship club. He was clearly incensed.

"Gordon Strachan let him play for weeks with an injury," Pim spat. "Gordon Strachan let him play with an injection every game.

"If you do that with a 20-year-old player you take a risk. I'm 100 per cent sure if they (Middlesbrough) had given him the normal treatment for a player, he should be in the World Cup."

So Pim is 100 per cent sure of injury mismanagement and Middlesbrough are equally convinced they have done nothing wrong - a classic 'he said she said' scenario.

Williams, caught in the middle, is playing a straight bat and in classic Geoff Boycott style isn't giving anything away.

Williams had earned the tag of Australia’s South African bolter, his emergence sudden, the impression positive. With his 2010 World Cup dream extinguished, let’s hope he can rekindle his Socceroos flame sometime soon.

When your club chairman, West Ham's David Sullivan, says you’re just as fat as he is, it raises the question whether you're closer to a Krispy Kreme than a World Cup berth.

McCarthy played for the first time for his country in seven months when he appeared late in the warm-up match win against Colombia.

There was no hint of his former glory in the cameo. That match at Johannesburg’s Soccer City was likely confirmation for coach Carlos Alberto Parreira that Benni would play no part in his final 23.

The Brazilian tactician, who describes football as a collection of moments, clearly felt the moment had arrived to make the call after McCarthy played no part in South Africa’s biggest international win - a 5-0 drubbing of the modestly performed Guatemala.

Who will fill the Benni vacuum?

South Africa is emerging from a lean goal scoring spell. The most likely successor to emerge is Katlego Mphela. The top scorer in South Africa’s top flight is a delightful mix of raw athletic power and goal scoring instinct.

Bernard Parker’s cracking goal against Guatemala was a hot moment in a recent chilly spell.

After the wheels fell off under Joel Santana, Parreira’s second coming has reignited hope that South Africa can avoid the ignominy of becoming the first host nation to check out in the group stage of a World Cup.

While the leadership centres on Aaron Mokoena, Bafana Bafana's hopes are pinned squarely on the shoulders of Everton’s player of the year Steven Pienaar.

But South African football, a national passion, is underpinned by hopes of what might be and in this respect Teko Modise is the poster boy for the local townships.

Modise, a wonderfully gifted midfield playmaker, is the most dynamic player in South Africa’s Premier League.

Combined with the vibrancy of Siphiwe Tshabalala and Tsepo Masilela there’s enough to suggest South Africa has a chance to ride the wave of home fervour into the knockout stage.

In 1995 rugby united South Africa and now 15 years on football’s World Cup will truly showcase the nation to the rest of the world.

I hope destiny touches Bafana Bafana.

Some would argue not, given Messi and Rooney’s individual dominance this campaign, but look closer at the fabric and ethic of these two.

Messi’s greatness, apart from his dazzling array of skills, is enhanced by his willingness and ability to play the unselfish pass. He sacrifices low percentage opportunities to create another sound bite for news highlights in preference of what best suits the team’s system.

It’s because he so often performs the improbable, even unthinkable, that not enough credit is given to his relatively simple work.

His runs off the ball that pull markers wide and create space for his team-mates, his understanding with his Barca wide players to pull opposition defences out of sync and the boyish joy he displays when a team goal is realised.

The reason Messi will be the iconic genius of his generation is all about his freakish ability but the way he’s endeared by neutral fans world wide is as much about his approach to the game.

You could argue that Rooney is more enterprise than genius but this season that measure is being counter-balanced by an unnerving string of match winning performances for Manchester United.

When you think luxury cars Cristiano Ronaldo would be a Ferrari, Kaka a Rolls Royce and Messi a Porsche. If so Wayne Rooney would have to wear the Aston Martin badge, and I’m not talking the Austin Powers version.

Motoring analogies aside, Rooney’s team ethic was in part moulded by the attacking colossus that was Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.

The Ronaldo dominated period saw an accelerated development of Rooney’s defensive awareness and execution.

His ability to track back and get stuck in, good old fashioned British work ethic, provided United with another layer of cover in one of its most successful spells.

The 2010 version is a lot more attacking but time after time the United number 10 shows us a quick switch of play, tremendous understanding with his team-mates and a body language that screams team.

Rooney is a throwback superstar. Sir Alex Ferguson says his star striker’s approach to others allows him to stay on track.

“He’s so free with his time. He has these wonderful qualities that you don’t get a lot in people today. And I don’t think he will change.”

In an era of incredible riches and global adoration let’s hope not.

Like Craig Johnston decades earlier (albeit through a tougher struggle) Kewell rolled the dice taking up an apprenticeship in English Football with Leeds United as a 15-year-old. Those precocious years in Yorkshire set the mould for the electric match-winner Kewell became.

For Tommy Oar the comparisons have to be expected, it has nothing to do with their respective junior pathways but everything to do with ‘X’ factor.

Football is all about opinion – let’s see to what extent Tommy has the Harry boxes ticked

(At this point it is worth noting that Oar is 12 months younger than Kewell circa ‘97 World Cup Qualifiers.)

Oar matches Kewell in four key areas: pace, technique, hunger to take his marker on and delivery. The jury is still out on his ability to shoot, his mentality and his decision making.

With so many tools at Oar’s disposal, it is the crucial area of ‘decision making’ that will determine how far he goes. Pim Verbeek knows it and has spoken about football’s crowded highway of broken dreams - players who have fizzled as quickly as they electrified.

Oar doesn’t give the impression he’ll be one of them though. Yes, the opponent for his debut was lowly-ranked Indonesia and against a better foe, Oar would have neither the time nor the space he was afford against the Merah Putih.

Oar’s ability to dribble towards an opponent, take him on, get to the by line and produce five star delivery is a mark of his vast potential, especially given his tender age. In a transition time where the Socceroos’ next generation is being questioned post 2010, Australian fans are yearning for the next big thing.

It is up to Tommy whether he fulfils that potential, but if his rapid rate of development continues and if he manages to land a deal at Dutch side FC Utrecht in the coming months, he just may find himself on the plane to South Africa in June.
]]> http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/david-basheer/blog/973182/Shades-of-Kewell-in-Oar http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/david-basheer/blog/973182/Shades-of-Kewell-in-Oar Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100 You have to feel for Cote d'Ivoire - Africa’s most impressive team in FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifying.

In their first foray to into the big show in Germany four years ago, the Ivorians jagged the unofficial 'Group of Death' alongside Argentina , Netherlands and Serbia & Montenegro, and failed to get to the last 16.

Fast forward three and a half years and it doesn't get any easier with might of Brazil, the class of Portugal and the threat of an enigmatic Korea DPR standing between them and the second round.

One wonders whether a rival nation’s witch doctor has done some cheeky curse work on the Ivorians.

Bosnian coach and former Yugoslav International Vahid Halihodzic certainly has his homework if he is to plot a course out of these perilous football waters.

That is not to say The Elepahnts can't or won't hold their own inSouth Africanext year. They were the top scorers in African World Cup qualifying, amassing 19 goals and conceding just four, albeit in one of the easier groups - Burkina Faso, Malawi and Guinea.

Their core is also very impressive, with defensive steele in Kolo and Yaya Toure, the attacking power of Didier Drogba and Salamon Kalou and the impressive Guy Demel.

In Group A, South Africa will be up against it. A re-juvinated Mexico, the unpredictable France and South America’s perennial playoff contender Uruguay are the hurdles.

Bafana Bafana’s Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Pereira will have to draw on his all his world cup pedigree to get the host nation through.

Nigeria has provided Africa with some of its most exciting individual World Cup moments in three previous appearances. But the Super Eagles are very fortunate to be there, having edged Kenya on the final day.

The inability for local coach Shaibu Amodu to manage politics, infighting and a host of European based stars is a real concern. Having said that, of all the African sides, Nigeria perhaps have the best rub of the green with a stumbling Argentina, Korea Republic and Greece standing between them and an appearance in the second round.

North African hope Algeria should not be underestimated in Group C.

While England are the standouts, the Desert Foxes were impressive in their playoff victory over the highly-fancied Egypt and their standout performer, Wolfsburg's Ziani, will be the player to watch.



In Group D, Ghana's hopes rest as much on crafty coach Milovan Rajevic as they do on Chelsea mega-star Michael Essien. Getting out of a group which included Italy, the Czech Republic and USA was a major feat at their World Cup debut in 2006.

In 2010 it will be even tougher with Germany and Serbia two of the most impressive teams in European qualifying and Australia boasting a good recent record against them.

Africa’s most successful World Cup nation, Cameroon, represents perhaps the continent's greatest hope in Group E. Images of Roger Milla at Italia 90 still burn brightly.

Their current superstar Samuel Eto’o, the Indomitable Lions' top scorer in qualifying, will look to inspire in a winnable group that includes the Netherlands, Japan and Denmark.



In a continent with so many layers of cultural and political tumult can the hypnotic beat and rhythm cast the right spell in Africa’s ambition to World Cup immortality?

To hear Kossierefer to internet journalists as“lunatics running the asylum” was embarrassing andcringe-worthy. Moving forward in Australia, the internet is football’s biggest media asset. Attacking journalists who pose legitimate questions because you’ve had a bad dayisjust not be good enough.

A coach’s ability to handle himself in the media is part of the job description. In other Sports which have matured beyond football’s vintage in this country, coaches generally don’t attack journalists in a personal nature, they stick to business - although there have been some examples to the contrary.

Very oftenthey may deflect the question or refuse to divulge certain confidentialities that suit their agenda but they play the ball not the man.

Here are my top five coach tantrums,how do my selections stack up against yours?

1. Giovanni Trapattoni, Bayern Munich
In scenes more reminiscent of a Nuremburg rally, Trapattoni ripped into his team in a passionate frenzyduring a 1998 press conference. He took aim at the team's attitude and accused some of the players of being 'jerks'.

2. Alberto Malesani, Panathanaikos. (Note how calm and professional the translator remains)
Season 2005-06 set the scene for this viciouspress conferenceattack from thethen-Panathinaikos coach. In his four-minute tirade, Malesanisays 'cazzo' -the Italian word for the male appendage -21 times. He also takes a swipe at the press who can't seem to fathom that he works "24 hours a day".



3. Luiz Felipe Scolari, Portugal
Big Philrattled the cage ofSerbia’s Ivica Dragutinovicwith a crisp left jab to the jawas the red mist descended during a heated Euro 2008 qualifierlast year. Scolari copped four games and a $32,000 fine for hisVic Darchinyan impersonation.

4. Kevin Keegan, Newcastle
The ex-Newcastle gaffer took aim at Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson during a radio interview for Sky Sports in 1996. Responding to barbs from Fergie, Keegan blasted: "You can tell him now, if he's watching it, we're still fighting for this title and I tell you honestly, we will love it if we beat them. Love it."Unfortunately for the Magpies fans, Keegan's men didn't beat them.



5. John Kosmina, Adelaide United.
The A-League's most volatile coachwas certainlynot happy withfellow firebrandKevin Muscat, when the Melbourne Victory captain bowled him trying to recover the ball for a throw-induring aspiteful match between Melbourne and Adelaide in 2006. Kossie grabs Muscat's throat as then-assistant Aurelio Vidmar tries to keep some form of order.

Written in 1932, 'Brave New World' is a fine piece of satirical futuristic writing. Being sacrificed in the book is the most revered pillars of our culture: 'home', 'family', 'freedom' and 'love', for the pursuit of universal happiness. I interpreted 'Brave New World' as a disturbed, soulless and evil existence.

Any chance Aldous was beamed into the Manchester City boardroom circa 2008?

In the game of the billionaires' playground (AKA the English Premier League) the stakes have gone to a whole new level with this most recent splurge in the blue half of Manchester.

City has been snapped up by a consortium of Abu Dhabi businessmen whose combined wealth puts Roman Abramovich in a shade that will redefine the money required to be successful.

Is the new benchmark $500billion? I'll show you my 500 and raise you 100?

Can you see what's happening? The EPL is becoming a high-octane poker game where the stakeholders are driven by a creed that threatens the foundations of the game.

We are moving towards football's brave new world. Elite owners, buying elite players for an elite club watched by an elite audience. Forget about attending in the flesh, soon the average EPL fan won't be able to even afford a Pay-TV subscription to watch their club.

Club or brand? Isn't a club built in some way on a community, linked to a geographical heartland?

I don't blame the billionaires -their outrageous wealth was accumulated in free market business. But in a civilised society if their business was say harming other human beings, it would be stopped by a natural morality that governs our judicial system.

So why is an ownership trend that threatens to kill the heart and soul of the people's game in a healthy state? Because when commercialism runs unchecked all bets are off.

This new age of mega-wealthy owner has placed FIFA president Sepp Blatter's 6+5 rule into sharper focus in the English Premiership. More likely is UEFA's more workable model of an increasing quota of home-developed players on club lists.

Whatever the system, there needs to be urgent attention to the protection of home-grown footballers in Britain. Ambition within reason and parameters, a view to the future which respects the past.

Otherwise crazy spending will give rise to frenzied foreign buying with the goal of producing a global brand that betrays its roots.

I write this from Sydney and have no attachment to Manchester City, but I abhor the direction the blues are heading and what it represents, investment in brand- divestment of soul.