Cod Almighty | Diary
Representing the best interests of the game
27 October 2020
Tuesday and match day once again with Town visiting another of the division's financial dopers in Forest Green. Ian Holloway seems to have had a change of heart, welcoming the match off the back of Saturday's home point with Carlisle.
He also backed the Town captain and keeper, despite his errors costing the club four points in the two home games. Leaving aside the online abuse from some quarters, James McKeown certainly owes us nothing given his performances over the seasons. However equally the club owe him nothing when it comes to team selection and his form this season is particularly questionable. Given that the alternative from the bench is an untried youngster rather than the dependable goalkeeping coach I'd be surprised if any change was made.
With James Tilley and Harry Clifton both stating they are fit, we will see if Holloway continues his policy of multiple changes. It is difficult to form any kind of rhythm or understanding given the constantly changing personnel and set ups, so seven points out of a possible twelve can be regarded as progress.
The draw for round one of the FA Cup was made last night, but Casual Diary finds it hard to get excited about a game we won't see. If we'd been drawn against Salford no doubt it would have been televised, but instead we have drawn Dagenham & Redbridge. That could have been a day out in London and a new ground, but the government is about as likely to let fans in before Christmas as it is to choose to feed hungry kids.
No surprise that the Football Association, citing the pandemic, has slashed the prize money on offer for this season's FA Cup. Losers from round one onwards receive no financial award, a scandal as great as the Premier League's derisory offer of a £50m bail out for the 72 clubs of the Football League. In 2019, the FA increased their turnover from £375m the year before to £467m. The broadcast rights alone counted for £116m, with operating profits soaring from a £1.7m loss to a £62.7m profit. That not one penny of that money can be found to fund the coach travel and hotel bills or the costs of putting on a game for teams which lose beggars belief.
The suits who attend the Committee meetings will of course continue to be funded, as will their food and junkets to far-flung shores for meaningless competitions like the Nations League. That the suits get to view England's games in the competition while young kids without access to subscription television don't should also be a cause of shame. They will claim that vast amounts of money are spent on grassroots football and that without the cuts the game at the basic level would suffer. It is absolute nonsense. Anyone involved in football at the grassroots level will tell you the pitches are poor quality and too expensive. The limited access to structured coaching training equally so.
If ever you wonder why the governing body of football have stayed silent on the plight of clubs at all levels, or why they've allowed both the government and those at the top of the pyramid an easy ride when it comes to wealth distribution, remember they all have their noses in the same trough.
Let's hope for a Town win tonight to lift the gloom. UTM