Money Can Buy You Winning, But Not Titles
Money can buy you some forms of happiness. It can purchase your tangible dreams. It can help you continue winning while you're no longer the highest paid star on primetime television. It can load your roster with the finest Argentinian center forwards, but it cannot make them strike. All the funds in the world cannot buy a win away, thus Manchester City followed their flop in Naples with a draw at Anfield. The most expensive squad in England is finding out that money may buy you a spell at the top of the table, but it doesn't guarantee excellence.
While City can rest easy sitting five points ahead of their equally big spending rivals, Manchester United, their UEFA Champions League struggles undermine the reasoning behind their epic purchases. England's "Dream Team" has so far borne a striking resemblance to the Miami Heat; a force to be reckoned through the early grind of the regular season, yet impotent when forced into playoff scenarios. This has been a recuring trend for the dynamos of the transfer window. Last season City claimed the FA Cup title, but only after replays against lowly Leicester City and Notts County. For our American readers keeping score, those draws are the equivalent of Philadelphia's "Dream Team" Eagles losing at home to Arizona.
A commonly held belief in the era of billion dollar television contracts is that consistently winning teams have purchased all the fillings of their oak trophy cases. This is generally false, ask the New York Mets, but it doesn't halt the misguided claims of injustice founded upon losers' jealousy. Whether it's the Yankees in America, or Manchester United in England, a firm belief that cash rules everything around them persists. There's a rational explanation for that concept. The Yankees have dominated Major League Baseball the last sixteen years, winning twelve division titles and five World Series, including four championships from 1996-2000. The Red Devils have claimed twelve of the nineteen titles since the inception of the financial powerhouse Premiere League. That's more than enough winning to make an Estevez blush. However, there is a slight caveat to both teams' success.
Manchester United's twelve Premiere League titles don't define the level of success expected at Old Trafford. Defeating English teams over thirty-eight games has proven a touch easier than navigating the FA Cup or Champions League. In that nineteen year run of league dominance they've clinched the pinnicle of Europe only twice and the FA Cup just four times. Money has bought them a squad with depth, but not the unlimited talent needed to survive the grueling mid season knockouts or two-legged ties.
Playoffs are the great equalizer. The Yankees discovered that fact immediately after their run of four World Series in five seasons. Despite funding the highest payroll in America's pastime for the next eleven seasons, the Bronx Bombers secured only one crown. In the 1990's, New York and United shared a very similar strategy. Both organizations built repeat champions from a backbone of homegrown talent. In Manchester Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, the Neville Brothers (they made sure everybody sang the blues), and David Beckham formed Fergie's Fledglings. New York's dugout was filled with a, not as whimsically nicknamed, group featuring Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite, and Bernie Williams. We could refer to them as "Torre's Tots" for posterity.
While City can rest easy sitting five points ahead of their equally big spending rivals, Manchester United, their UEFA Champions League struggles undermine the reasoning behind their epic purchases. England's "Dream Team" has so far borne a striking resemblance to the Miami Heat; a force to be reckoned through the early grind of the regular season, yet impotent when forced into playoff scenarios. This has been a recuring trend for the dynamos of the transfer window. Last season City claimed the FA Cup title, but only after replays against lowly Leicester City and Notts County. For our American readers keeping score, those draws are the equivalent of Philadelphia's "Dream Team" Eagles losing at home to Arizona.
A commonly held belief in the era of billion dollar television contracts is that consistently winning teams have purchased all the fillings of their oak trophy cases. This is generally false, ask the New York Mets, but it doesn't halt the misguided claims of injustice founded upon losers' jealousy. Whether it's the Yankees in America, or Manchester United in England, a firm belief that cash rules everything around them persists. There's a rational explanation for that concept. The Yankees have dominated Major League Baseball the last sixteen years, winning twelve division titles and five World Series, including four championships from 1996-2000. The Red Devils have claimed twelve of the nineteen titles since the inception of the financial powerhouse Premiere League. That's more than enough winning to make an Estevez blush. However, there is a slight caveat to both teams' success.
Manchester United's twelve Premiere League titles don't define the level of success expected at Old Trafford. Defeating English teams over thirty-eight games has proven a touch easier than navigating the FA Cup or Champions League. In that nineteen year run of league dominance they've clinched the pinnicle of Europe only twice and the FA Cup just four times. Money has bought them a squad with depth, but not the unlimited talent needed to survive the grueling mid season knockouts or two-legged ties.
Playoffs are the great equalizer. The Yankees discovered that fact immediately after their run of four World Series in five seasons. Despite funding the highest payroll in America's pastime for the next eleven seasons, the Bronx Bombers secured only one crown. In the 1990's, New York and United shared a very similar strategy. Both organizations built repeat champions from a backbone of homegrown talent. In Manchester Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, the Neville Brothers (they made sure everybody sang the blues), and David Beckham formed Fergie's Fledglings. New York's dugout was filled with a, not as whimsically nicknamed, group featuring Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettite, and Bernie Williams. We could refer to them as "Torre's Tots" for posterity.
(This does bring up an important point that we'll need to address in the future. Why do European's have more original nicknames for eras in their organizations? In America, every single star-filled line-up is the "Dream Team". Where are our monikers like "Fergie's Fledglings", "Los Galacticos", "The Invincibles", "The Crazy Gang"? - For this year alone I could think of: "Caldwell's Catatonics" or "Del Rio's Dead Men Walking". Probably too soon. Anyway, that's the timeout, back to the huddle.)
In the beginnings of their 1990's triumphs The Red Devils and Yankees each supported their up and comers with top signings. United tended to lean toward established young stars, while New York brought in veterans to blend with their young leaders. In Major League Baseball there was stiff competition for the most grandiose free agent expenditures. The Dodgers, Orioles, Mets, and Rangers were hanging around just below the top spot in gross dollars spent for the latter half of the decade. None would win a crown from 1996-2000, or even afterwards. In 2001 Yankees began to leave those less-than-frugal competitors in the dust. The market strategy New York took after the turn of the century was less similar to United, and more on par with another European institution.
The Galacticos Project started at virtually the same time in Spain. Unsatisfied with two Champions League titles in three seasons, Real Madrid president Florintino Perez enacted a scheme similar to the current regime at Manchester City. For the next five seasons he brought in the biggest stars on the planet: Zidane, Beckham, Figo, Ronaldo (the fat one, Perez would acquire Cristiano in his second reign as president), Owen, Ramos, Samuel. With a formidable lineup forged by financial exuberance, Real would only claim one Champions League title and one La Liga title from 2001-2005.
Across the Atlantic, New York surpassed the $100 million dollar mark for payroll in 2001. As they escalated outlays rapidly they replaced the likes of Scott Brosius, Shane Spencer, Orlando Hernandez, Paul O'Neill and Denny Neagle, all key players for their 2000 World Series team, with Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Gary Sheffield, and Kevin Brown. In 2005 they scaled the financial plateau of absurdity. An opening day payroll of $200 million was forty two percent higher than the next closest ball club. To celebrate their historic achievement, the Yankees promptly lost in the American League Division Series. Roughly $800 million and four years later, they would finally win another championship.
Across the Atlantic, New York surpassed the $100 million dollar mark for payroll in 2001. As they escalated outlays rapidly they replaced the likes of Scott Brosius, Shane Spencer, Orlando Hernandez, Paul O'Neill and Denny Neagle, all key players for their 2000 World Series team, with Alex Rodriguez, Jason Giambi, Mike Mussina, Gary Sheffield, and Kevin Brown. In 2005 they scaled the financial plateau of absurdity. An opening day payroll of $200 million was forty two percent higher than the next closest ball club. To celebrate their historic achievement, the Yankees promptly lost in the American League Division Series. Roughly $800 million and four years later, they would finally win another championship.
$200 million is merely a thirty-one day January shopping spree for Real Madrid. After a four season break, their Galacticos project has resumed to coincide with the Yankees latest title. Were Perez and the late George Steinbrenner twins separated at birth for the good of all that's wholesome in the world? (Definitively... yes. If you want proof you'll just have to wait until I make it up in the next Sporty One Act) So far, much like transfer market competitors Manchester City, the spending has led to one domestic cup title. Far from the ideal outcome considering the talent on either teams' bench could start virtually anywhere other than Barcelona.
(And while we're at it they probably wouldn't start at United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, AC Milan or Inter. Regardless, the bench at City would most likely be the seventh best team in England with proper coaching and the retainment of Carlos Tevez. Madrid's bench could be fourth in Spain, it's hard to say if the league has fallen that far or if Barcelona and Real are that good. Either supply of subs could win the Scottish Premiere League, that's for sure.)
This afternoon Manchester City took a step towards their second trophy in thirty-five years by besting financially solvent Arsenal in the Carling Cup quarterfinals. For some soccer clubs two trophies in four decades would be something to cherish. For a team who's spend almost a billion on top talent, it should be a guarantee. But money doesn't buy titles, ask one of the "Dream Teams".
Posted by W.H. Patton at Tuesday, November 29. 2011 
Categories: Corked Bats, Diary of a Futbol Junkie
Categories: Corked Bats, Diary of a Futbol Junkie
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