What is Football Infographics?

In the last post, there was a compilation of an interactive infographic all about football debt in comparison to performance and many readers were very much interested in getting in on this. 

With this innovative infographic, that can also be accessed through a smartphone or tablet, one is able to compare their wages against a top Premier League player as well as how long it would take for them to earn their weekly salary! 

After having a read of our website and that release yesterday, it could interest you further to go through the graphics again. The graphic can be found here: http://debt.co.uk/football/

This interactive infographic is great fun and something all football fans can get involved with. You'll be interested in sharing!

Football infographic

How does £100,000-a-week sound to you? Like a dream? Like you’ve won the lottery? I bet it does. To the likes of Luis Suarez and Theo Walcott, this is a reality and something that happens every single week as part of their job! Lucky so and so’s! This interactive infographic compiled by Clear Debt shows you the amount of money that Premier League clubs are paying their top stars, and just how much debt they’re in – often as a direct consequence.

In recent years the digital world has been filled with infographics, new and innovative marketing tools that put a unique twist on traditional content. After all, why spend so long working on an ingenious newspaper campaign only to read the odd word between your chips and gravy outside the ground on match day? Tablet computers and smartphones have opened up a whole new world for marketing, allowing football fans covering endless motorway miles following their club each week to access the content anytime, anywhere.

Clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are known the world over as being some of Britain’s top clubs, even in Europe in many cases, but this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re on stable ground in terms of their bank accounts. Sure, they might be owned by millionaires and billionaires, but it’s always interesting to see how buying and paying the top players in the world affects success both on and off the pitch.

Manchester United, for instance, are owned by the Glazer family and last summer went out and spent £24million on Robin van Persie, a signing which significantly influenced their Premier League title winning season. However, the club remain £366million in debt!

As youngsters stood on the terraces, we always dream of being out there, scoring the winning goal and earning thousands of pounds each week. For the majority of us, however, this dream doesn’t become reality and we’re left wondering what could’ve been the next time we hear about Wayne Rooney’s latest pay rise.

With this cool infographic, you can actually compare yourself to the game’s top players to see how your salary compares, how much they earn just while you’re looking at the page (it’ll make you sick trust me) and how often they earn your salary. It’s a great way for all fans to see their club in a whole new way – we know how well they do on the pitch each week, find out how they’re getting on off it and how you compare to your heroes. Then, see how your mates get on by sharing it on Twitter or Facebook.

(http://debt.co.uk/football)

How Academies can make cash: Victor Wanyama’s sale to Southampton

By Grant Russell

(Victor Wanyama (right) departed Celtic for Southampton in a record Scottish sale. Pic: SNS Group)

Celtic received a Scottish record transfer fee for the sale of Victor Wanyama to Southampton, raking in a reported £12.5m for the midfielder.

Not all of that amount, however, is destined for Neil Lennon’s transfer kitty to replace the Kenyan, with various parties laying claim to the money.

Wanyama’s former clubs in Kenya are all claiming a share for training the 22-year-old during his formative years. The administrators of Beerschot AC, the Belgian side from which he joined Celtic, are also entitled to various cuts.

Which club is due what amount and how much will Celtic ultimately end up with? We’ve taken a look at the rulebooks to carve up the cash.

FIFA training compensation and solidarity mechanism

Under the regulations of world football’s governing body, if a player moves for a transfer fee prior to the expiry of his contract, five per cent of that amount must be deducted to be distributed amongst the teams who contributed to his development.

Sides who trained a player between the ages of 12 and 23 are entitled to a percentage outlined by FIFA. This payment is known as the solidarity contribution.

As the transfer of Wanyama was for a reported fee of £12.5m, the retained amount to be paid out in solidarity payments is £625,000.

It is the responsibility of the player’s new club to make the solidarity payment within 30 days of registration.

Separate from the solidarity mechanism, training compensation is also payable to a player’s former club every time he moves to another team until the end of the season in which his 23rd birthday falls.

As Wanyama is 22, his former clubs are due compensation for their contribution to his training and development. Each FA has a set amount per year, agreed with FIFA, as to how much their clubs are due. Again, the onus falls on Southampton to make this payment.

For Celtic there is no uncertainty over how much money they will receive for the sale of Victor Wanyama with regards to claims made by other clubs for compensation.

The amounts due in both training compensation and solidarity payments are set figures. It is down to the appropriate FAs to determine how the money should be split.

KENYA

Wanyama was registered with three clubs between his 12th and 17th birthdays in his homeland.

Under the solidarity mechanism, 40% of the total solidarity payment is due to clubs, meaning £250,000 will go to the Football Kenya Federation to distribute amongst the sides which lay claim to money.

Any future transfer of the player would see a further 2% of the total transfer fee paid to Football Kenya Federation for distribution.

In terms of training compensation, Kenyan clubs are also entitled to £1,330 for each year they had the player.

Four clubs are all claiming to have trained the player between the ages of 12 and 17. Country Bus, AFC Leopards, Nairobi City Stars and JMJ Soccer Academy have all indicated they would make an application for part of the payment.

The club(s) which trained Wanyama between the 2002/03 and 2005/06 seasons stand to receive £31,250 per season in solidarity payment, plus £1,330 each year in training compensation.

The club(s) which had the player registered in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons are in line to claim £62,500 per season through the solidarity mechanism, plus £1,330 each year in training compensation.

BELGIUM

Wanyama was registered with one club in Belgium, the now defunct Beerschot AC.

Under the terms of the solidarity mechanism, the Royal Belgian FA is entitled to lay claim to £187,500 on behalf of the club.

Any future transfer of the player would see a further 1.5% of the total transfer fee paid to the Royal Belgian FA for distribution.

Beerschot AC went out of business this year, although a phoenix club has emerged in their place.

The new team may be entitled to claim for the money but, regardless, the Royal Belgian FA are entitled to the cash and could retain it themselves to put back into youth development in the country.

In terms of training compensation, the Royal Belgian FA can claim £156,000. Again, if the new Beerschot AC fail in their claim to the cash, the money will still be due to the Royal Belgian FA.

Money due to Beerschot AC/Royal Belgian FA: £343,500.

Celtic also had an agreement to pay a percentage of any future transfer to Beerschot AC. The exact amount of that clause has been varied considerably across various reports, ranging from 5% to 10%.

Money due to Beerschot AC/administrators: Between £625,000 and £1,250,000.

SCOTLAND

Although £625,000 of the transfer fee has been set aside for solidarity payments, Celtic have not had to factor the loss of the full amount.

Circa £125,000 of that amount is retained by Celtic for having trained the player in the seasons both his 21st and 22nd birthdays fell.

Any future transfer of the player would see a further 1% of the total transfer fee paid to the Scottish FA for distribution.

As a net figure, Celtic should receive between £10,586,020 and £11,211,020 from the sale of Victor Wanyama, less any unknown fees to agents etc. The variation in numbers is because of the uncertainty over the size of add-on clause to Beerschot AC.

ENGLAND

Southampton also stand to benefit through the solidarity mechanism through any future transfer of Wanyama.

On top of any fee or add-ons they agree themselves, the Saints will be entitled to 0.5% of the sum of all of the player’s future transfers.

FINANCIAL BREAKDOWN

Distribution of £12,500,000

Football Kenya Federation: £257,980
- To be distributed between Country Bus, AFC Leopards, Nairobi City Stars and JMJ Soccer Academy.

Royal Belgian FA: £343,500

Beerschot sell-on clause: £625,000 to £1,250,000

Celtic: £10,586,020 to £11,211,020
- Net transfer fee: £10,461,020 to £11,086,020
- Solidarity mechanism refund: £125,000

Southampton: £62,500 of solidarity payment retained

World Cup - Romario: FIFA 'are taking the p*** in Brazil'

Former Brazil forward Romario has described FIFA as "the real president of Brazil" and said the money spent on stadiums for the 2014 World Cup could have been used to build thousands of new schools.

Romario, who spearheaded Brazil's attack when they won the 1994 World Cup and is now a congressman, said Brazil had spent more than twice as much on hosting the World Cup as Germany did in 2006 and South Africa four years later.

"That is taking the piss," he said in a video posted the web sites of several Brazilian newspapers. "It's taking the piss with our money, with the public's money, it's a lack of respect, a lack of scruples."

Romario, who appeared unshaven and wearing a sleeveless top, said the money spent on stadiums so far was enough to provide "8,000 new schools, 39,000 school buses or 28,000 sports courts in the whole country".

Brazil has been hit by a wave of nationwide protests as it stages the eight-team Confederations Cup, which is considered a dry run for next year's World Cup. The amount of money spent on stadiums is among the protestors' many grievances.

The World Cup will be staged in 12 stadiums, either built from scratch or completely refurbished. Brazil is spending around 28 billion reais (£8.1 billion) on the event.

"The money spent on the Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia could be used to build 150,000 houses for low income families," said Romario, who said he was speaking as "Romario the Brazilian" rather than as a footballer or politician.

"But no, we spent 1.5 billion reais on a stadium. Is it beautiful? Yes. Is it practical? Not really. But another thing is that after the Confederations Cup, some things will have to be re-done, because they didn't work out, and a few new things will have to be added for the World Cup."

"The real president of our country is FIFA," he added. "FIFA comes to our country and sets up a state within a state.

"FIFA will make a profit of four billion reais which should provide one billion in tax, but they will not pay anything. They come, set up the circus, they don't spend anything and they take everything with them."
Brazil's Congress has passed a bill which exempts FIFA from paying tax on profits in Brazil. It was one of the conditions FIFA made when Brazil was awarded the right to stage the event.

"Since Brazil was awarded the World Cup in 2007, things have gone off the rails," Romario added.
"The budgets that were made for stadiums, airports and urban mobility were all wrong, and it's the people who pay the bill."

 

(Yahoo! Sport)

Brazil beats Mexico but there is louder message in Italy blasting Japan

Neymar is pure class and very much immature. He has a lot to learn and some distance to cover to the levels of Lionel Messi. That is as far as the over game is concerned but his technique is exquisite. Tactically he will surely mature and be a better player, hopefully. He reminds one of the young 'Iron' Mike Tyson, Raw and Uncut.

It is sometimes too early for these youngsters to get then hype and then they live under the shadow of expectation under-delivering yet being idolised like Wayne Rooney, whose roof was never reached and he stagnated in growth but we keep singing praises for his glimpses of a what might have been.

Brazil beat Mexico despite a spirited performance of one of my favourite players in the world today (well since 2009), Giovanni Dos Santos. It was that pure class of the 21 year old Neymar that was hugely the difference. Dani Alves received a pass after some fancy footwork on the right, delivered a cross that was deflected high.
Now, this is the coaching point part.

Neymar had to orient himself to locate the goal, and his bearing changed every second as his target had a barrier, the goalkeeper. There was men attending to him and hungering for the same ball. The Brazilian had to make his run, simultaneously keeping his eyes on the ball whose trajectory was not completely defined. Despite physical contact that could put him off, he gained his balance, arms wide, making a good selection of the controlling surface, shepherding the ball into space with his chest, planting the non-kicking football slightly behind the possible dropping point of the ball, curling his body over to lean forward and hitting that ball hard midway through its centre at the top half. His angle and power had to be right and the rest is history.

That goal can be crudely mirror-imaged with the first of the tournament, where that came from his left, but was chested by a team-mate onto his path. He cannoned the ball, then with his right foot. The technique of striking the ball was wholly similar. Hi move to Barcelona has made people start talking about his combination with Messi but bot because of the goals.

Neymar received the ball on the left and quickly left a defender by his first positive touch, sweeping past the other two by his acceleration before his sudden change of pace and direction in the box left two more defenders for dead. He laid the ball across for Jo to finish. That was class. That was the match in brief. It is the speed and finish that is frightening and with Messi, that will be more than a job and a half to contain an attack.     

Many people did not see Japan beating Italy. That changed with the first penalty of the match converted by Honda and the spectacular Kagawa special. Frankly, it was not the goals that swayed the votes, but the gusty performance that was full of self belief and zeal to win. The Italians were themselves more than surprised. They were afraid, very afraid. With half-time approaching, anyone stopping Pirlo and Mario Balotelli could be excused for celebrating but that was a little too much too early.

Pirlo sent in a corner kick that was converted by the head. From there on, thing were never going to be the same for the Asians. Some players thought they could do it while others thought, maybe not. Even from the same positive players, the doubts start to fly in the head and that is exactly what the Europeans thrive on.
The penalty converted by Balotelli and the own goal wrote the beginning of the end of a Cinderella story in the making. That winner was always coming after that and it was more than a win but a statement to say Italy mean business. For many, they were dead and burried, and maybe so, but if they can rise to see another day be very afraid.

It was value for money to see so many goals but the Neymar strike, priceless!

Balotelli climaxes at his best in hitting the spot

In a least of Pizza, Andrea Bochelle, Luciano Pavarotti and the comedy, Home Sweet Home, add Andrea Pirlo and Mario Balotelli. There are other good things about Italy, but that is extravagantly suffice. A top drawer free-kick to open the Italian account on the night from Centurion Pirlo, a midfield general of note since the departure of the Zinedine Zidanes of this world, the maturing Italian marked his 100th cap in a satisfying, for himself, his admirers and foes alike.

It was however Mario Balotelli's man of the match performance from the first minute until his departure, that was the toast of the match. He just underlined the fact with the winner before bowing out. Italy sunk Mexico in a 2-1 at the giant Maracana of Rio de Janeiro.

Manchester United's Javier Hernandez beatt Gianluigi Buffon from the penalty spot minutes after the Pirlo goal for the equaliser after Andrea Barzagli had clumsily bundled Giovanni Dos Santos to the ground. It was the Balotelli goal that came with 12 minutes remaining of normal time as he outmuscled Francisco Rodriguez, raised his head and stabbed the ball past Corona.

What is special about the whole thing is how much he had in the match despite attracting so much attention from defenders. To give you an idea, by the time he made the final contact with the ball before that goal, he was the only Italian against 6 Mexicans inside the penalty area. Many would like to mention that Balotelli was booked for whipping off his shirt, but given that it is official that scoring a goal is more ecstatic than orgasm, people should understand. Nobody plans for orgasm.

Chicharito and Giovanni Dos Santos trouble the Italians all night but it was the experienced former World Cup champions who controlled the matters well till the end.

It was Luis Suarez's free-kick scored with minutes of play left and Xavi's 70 passes in the first half compared to 95 that Uruguay made in total. The world champions won comfortably 2-1 as the South Americans were denied any space. The usual suspects in that Spanish centre park suffocated the influence of Gaston Ramires reasonably well.

Brazil's 3-0 win over Japan is total fluke

Brazil may as well be on course to win this year’s Confederation Cup and Fifa World Cup double. This is in sharp contrast with their fluke 3-0 win over Japan last night. Let me say first why that win was a fluke and then the reason why they may win both trophies.

The victory was courtesy of total naivety of the Asians, and nothing to do with the prowess of the Confed Cup holding gladiators. All the goals were scored in the concentration-lapse windows of minutes after and before restarts. In any case, it was within the parameters of the match being played and all goals count. On another day and at another time, the same goals, all three, could have been easily scored by anyone or by the same token, avoided.

That is not what one expects from Brazil. The Celestiao are known to push the ball around and dominate their matches until they subdue their foes tactically - exactly what did not happen. The South Americans depended on the stage fright of the Japanese for that victory.

Japan walked in there hoping to take matters easy and then compete when the match was ripe. They did not live to see that moment. Before half the team had touched the ball, there was a goal. It was a super goal by Neymar, given the inexperience of the youngster and accuracy of the strike, but how it came by was shocking.

A case of easy loss of possession by Japan and a poor ‘chest’ control by Fred, probably a handball, led the ball to drop in the path of a charging Barcelona-bound Neymar who took a volley in his stride, connecting well to unleash a slightly curled shot to the far post from outside the box.

Let me spare you the details. The thing is, it was just 3 minutes after kick-off. There was sterility in terms of goals and performance until half-time. Again, within 3 minutes of the restart, Japan were still sleeping and Brazil pounced. Without duplicating myself, there was sterility in terms of goals and performance until full-time, the 90^th minute. Again, Japan slumbered and Brazil, again pounced in almost 3 minutes of injury time.

Both sets of coaching stuff will not be happy. Fillipe Scolari of Brazil will be wondering; what if the visitors stayed awake from start to finish. The visitors’ mentor will curse his theory of playing a waiting game. He had hoped to match Brazil’s play in the middle of the park but the ball was played on the periphery of the Garrencha Stadium pitch.

Just for a picture, the ball came from the right, the position of Dani Alves, to Julio Ceaser and/or David Luiz, to Marcelo on the left and then Neymar to Fred at the front and then to Oscar on the left and Dani Alves again, leaving a void in the middle. That sequence would reverse itself once in a while all night, eliminating Honda and Kagawa's performance, Japan’s most influential players.

That fact makes Brazilians very dangerous. They are not blessed with an array of talent and many of their current squad players are over-rated, save for Marcelo, Alves and David Luiz. I know you think Oscar is top-notch but I don’t buy that; not yet. Julio Ceaser plays for a relegated team in the English Premiership and that is not a world-class performer. Therefore, what makes them an item?

It is the composition of their technical team. Scolari has decades of national team and international football experience in his time with the same team, Portugal and Chelsea. He has a Fifa World Cup medal around his neck. What he did was exceptionally clever and courageous, to romp up an even more experienced mentor in Carlos Alberto Parreira. For the sake of his status, they changed his title to Technical Coordinator and not Assistant coach. Parriera is the most experienced coach in the world at this level, having more Fifa World Cup appearances than any coach and a winners’ medal too.

Besides the accolades and the decorated CVs, these guys are shrewd. They are the world’s best. Not that they can make cows play football, but with the average players they have, Brazil is genuine contenders for the historic double. They become the last team anyone would choose to play. It would be a bonus if Neymar comes to the party as he almost did last night. There are good signs he will.

Besides the home soil advantage with their fans’ support, the carnival atmosphere and celebrations, the familiar playing grounds, family and friends and language, the pride, the status, players like Neymar trying to prove a point, that technical team of Scolari and Parreira with the richcombined experiences and World Cup appearances and victories, the Brazil brand is one to bank on.

This is besides the crazy statistical data of Fifa World Cups, Confed, and regional championships, nor the over 10000 professionals playing overseas, 6000 football teams and over 16 million registered players they can choose from their starting eleven. There is over 160 million Brazilians anyway but that is just numbers too.