Luton Town – GAME OF THE PEOPLE

JORDAN Henderson looks to be on his way to the Netherlands with Ajax. The former Liverpool skipper, who opted to move to Saudi Arabia last summer for a lucrative three-year deal with Al-Ettifaq, wants out of the Saudi Pro League. Henderson, who was heavily criticised for signing for a club from a regime with a poor human rights record, has found the heat uncomfortable and the organisation poor in Saudi and he’s also keen to remain part of the England national team set-up. All of these things were pointed out to Henderson by various people before he departed, not least the fans in England. Ajax may be up for an 18-month deal for Henderson.

Australia have reached the last 16 of the Asian Cup after beating Syria 1-0 in their second group game. The winning goal came from Jackson Irvine, his second of the competition in two games. Syria were a difficult side to break down and very tenacious. Australia, who have been rather subdued in the Asian Cup so far, netted with their first shot on target in the 59^th minute. Overall, it was a scruffy game, but the 1-0 victory was enough to maintain the Socceroos 100% record. Qatar, the hosts, have also qualified for the knockout phase after their 1-0 win against Tajikistan in Al-Khor in front of 57,000 people. The only goal came from Akram Afit of the Al-Sadd club. The 27 year-old has now scored three goals in the competition.

Germany’s Hertha Berlin are mourning the loss of club president Kay Bernstein, who has died aged 43. Bernstein was a former fan who surprisingly became president in 2022, he was a member of Hertha’s ultras and had no prior experience but won the club’s presidential election. He was the first president to rise from the terraces to the boardroom and a key figure in the club’s takeover by an US-based investment group – Hertha are 79%-owned by 777 Partners. Hertha are currently a mid-table side in 2. Bundesliga.

Luton Town’s 2022-23 financial statement revealed the Hatters made a pre-tax loss of £ 16.3 million in their promotion-winning campaign, almost £ 10 million more than their £ 6.4 million deficit in 2021-22. The club’s income for the season totalled £ 18.5 million, an increase of £ 0.8 million on 2021-22, but Luton’s wage bill grew by 55% to £ 27.6 million. This represented a wage-to-income ratio of 149% versus 100% in 2021-22 but was largely due to promotion bonuses. Matchday income, at £ 5.1 million, was up 4% year-on-year and commercial revenues rose by 39% to £ 3.2 million. Broadcasting earnings were down by around 3% to £ 10.1 million. Luton made almost £ 5 million from player trading (£ 1.1 million in 2021-22) and the club’s successful season, culminating in the play-off final at Wembley against Coventry, also contributed to the increase in the matchday and commercial revenue streams. These figures highlight Luton’s achievement in winning promotion, but also illustrates the gamble clubs take in spending way beyond their income in order to secure a place in the top flight.

WHETHER IT is a sign of the times or over-sensitivity on the part of people in the public eye, football people do seem to be “hurt” a lot these days. Harry Maguire has been receiving some abuse over the past few months and his mother has made a statement in support of her son. While it is obviously hard for a parent to see their son come under pressure, people are entitled to their opinion. Maguire, whose career has gone downhill over the past two years, has continued to be part of the England set-up thanks to the loyalty shown by coach Gareth Southgate. This does not seem to have done Maguire much good and the involvement of his mother will arguably make the problem worse. The Manchester United defender needs to be left alone as he focuses on getting back in favour at Old Trafford, but this latest outburst will merely prolong the debates. Similarly, Luton’s manager, Rob Edwards, has hit back at the BBC’s Garth Crooks, who tipped the Hatters to be relegated by Christmas. Edwards accused Crooks of being “disrespectful” but as a pundit, the former Tottenham and Stoke forward is employed to give opinions. Too many pundits are afraid to upset the pros by giving an honest assessment. Most football fans expect Luton to struggle this season but respect the fact they reached the Premier in a remarkable timeframe.

Arsenal’s chief executive officer, Vinai Venkatesham is to leave the club in the summer after almost four years in the job. His departure, for an “unspecificed new challenge” was unexpected, particular as he has been influential in Arsenal’s turnaround over the past two years with Mikel Arteta in charge of the team. Venkatesham said it was a tough decision to make, but he is keen for a new challenge. He took the CEO role in 2020. Josh Kroenke, the club’s co-chair, commented: “Change and succession is something the club is well prepared for. The board remains committed to our strategy and will address leadership change as we continue to drive the club forward.”

The Premier League dominates the list of the most expensive squads in world football, according to research by CIES Football Observatory. There are four clubs whose squad is valued over € 1 billion: Manchester United (€ 1.15bn); Chelsea (€ 1.134bn); Manchester City (€ 1.04bn) and Paris Saint-Germain (€ 1bn). PSG spent the most on their strike force, with their forwards costing € 557 million. Liverpool have the most expensive goalkeepers (€ 73 million) and Manchester United have the most costly defence, € 383 million. Real Madrid are the midfield masters, with € 447 million spent. Interestingly, Al-Hilal are the top club from outside the European big five. They have spent € 382 million on building their current squad.

Paul Pogba’s career continues to nosedive after he tested positive in a standard doping test after Juventus’ game with Udinese. He didn’t actually play in the match, but he still had to be tested and it was discovered he had elevated levels of testosterone. If the media reports are correct, it looks as though Pogba may be suspended as a precautionary measure, but if the positive result is confirmed, he will be judged by the Italian national anti-doping court. The ban for doping could be up to two years but could be extended to four years if it is proven the player had the intent to dope.