Week 4 of Football Circus is here and this week we cover everything from tax to religion to lady boys (well sort of).
VAT? PSG more concerned with ZLAT Tax
France has recently introduced a 'super-tax' whereby workers who earn over €1 million per year will be taxed an incredible 75%.
'Not to worry', PSG fans must have thought, when the president of the French Football Federation announced on Monday that this tax was only applicable to companies with over 5,000 staff.
The FFF announcement soon had cold water poured over it, when government officials clarified that the tax would apply to all companies throughout the country with staff earning over €1 million a year, regardless of company size.
As a direct result, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will now cost the Parisian club roughly €10 million extra a year.
Better hope he keeps getting his name on the scoresheet.
Thiago Silva the Latest Victim of Barton's Tweeting
Following a Joey Barton tirade against Brazilian compatriot Neymar on Twitter, PSG centre back Thiago Silva took it upon himself to defend his countryman and described the Liverpudlian as an attention-seeker.
We would like to say Barton opted to prove Thiago Silva wrong and decided not to take the matter any further. But it's Joey Barton. He responded with the following, somewhat obscure, onslaught of Tweets:
"2 questions for Thiago Silva. Firstly, Why are YOU talking about ME, in your press conference before PSG v Barca? Very strange".
"Secondly, Are you Pre-Op or Post-Op? #transsexual #thiagosaladyboy".
"Baffles me, which way he's going. Is he a man changing to a woman or a woman changing to a man? Can't work it out".
Joey Barton ladies and gentleman, a veritable beacon of maturity. Still, could have been worse for Thiago Silva, at least he didn't get a cigar to the eye.
Zaragoza Manager good with Crosses
Real Zaragoza manager Manolo Jimenez had crosses on his mind last week. But it wasn't his faith in his goalkeeper preoccupying him, rather his faith in God.
For the past 23 years Jimenez has been making the pilgrimage to his home town of Arahal, where he is a member of the Arahal Brotherhood of Jesus of Nazareth. Every Holy Week, they parade a four tonne float of the Virgin Mary through the town.
Jimenez made the journey from Zaragoza to Arahal, just outside Seville, by getting two trains and a taxi.
Meanwhile back in Zaragoza, his team patiently awaited his return as they anticipated their match against Real Madrid on Saturday.
So with his relgious obligations fulfilled, Jimenez made the return journey, again getting a taxi and two trains and arrived back in Zaragoza on Good Friday. Training took place at 8pm as opposed to the usual 12pm session that would happen prior to a Saturday evening kick off.
Jimenz may believe that God was on his side as Zaragoza held out for 1-1 with the Champions League quarter-finalists. Perhaps not a miracle, but a respectable result all the same.
Italian Football Story of the Week
- Rome wasn't built in a Day
Roma President James Pallotta has defended his work at the club to date, having failed to impress the fans since assuming the role in August. The club find themselves languishing in 7th position in Serie A, saw few incoming players in January and had to deal with the ignominy of almost allowing a 'fake sheikh' to invest in the club (Adnan Adel Aref Al Qaddumi Al Shtewi had pledged to invest but could not come up with the money).
According to Pallotta however, it's not all doom and gloom. Pallotta has highlighted major sponsorship deals with Nike, Volkswagen and Disney as positives during his tenure. Surely success is in imminient for Roma then? Well yes, according to Pallotta (who also is a member of the executive board of the Boston Celtics). Any time within the next 20 years and with just another €75 million worth of investment. Pallotta stated "Ours is a 20 year investment, because such projects take time. As they say, ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ But don’t worry: with the Celtics, I won after just five seasons."
He then confirmed his wish to see Francesco Totti lift another trophy with the team and went on to say "Personally, I cannot even imagine going to see Roma and not finding Totti on the field".
Given that Totti is already 36, both Pallotta and the Roma faithful will hope that glory reaches Rome faster than it did the Celtics.
Football Recommendation
BBC Radio 5 recently attempted to contact former Sunderland player Michael Gray for his opinion on Martin O'Neill's recent sacking. Unbeknownst to presenter Stephen Nolan and seemingly the show's researchers, they had contacted Glasgow student Michael Gray and not the Wearside hero. The clip can be heard here:
Non Football Recommendation
No comments :
Post a Comment