We’re at that stage of the season again where players are on their way back from their holidays and pre-season fixtures attempt to hog the focus on our back pages, as well as empty the pockets of football fans ahead of the new season.
For the players and teams involved it’s a chance to dust off the cobwebs, and for some of the new signings to bed into their new sides.
It does give the chance for some unattached players to go on trial at clubs before the option is taken on them; it’s certainly lower risk than doing it during the regular season.
Journeyman striker Drewe Broughton did such a thing last summer, playing on trial for both Luton Town and Gillingham before moving to Rotherham United for the remainder of the season.
I’ve always had a varied opinion of pre-season fixtures, they’re useful for the players to an extent but with some results producing ridiculous score lines are any side benefiting from the experience?
There have already been a few examples this summer, and I firstly draw your attention to a fixture in Spain between Villarreal and Navata.
The game finished 27-0 to the La Liga side, who were left manager-less earlier this summer by Manuel Pellegrini who moved to Real Madrid.
They were led by new coach Ernesto Valverde who fielded a different eleven in each half, with Jonathan Pereira scoring seven goals in just one of those half’s.
Now apart from Villarreal blowing off some steam after what I’m sure has been a difficult summer, has either side actually benefited from this battering?
The new coach wouldn’t have had a realistic look at his squad due to the ease of the fixture, and believe me after you’ve watched it you’ll realise; walkover doesn’t even come close to describing the game, it’s a joke.
The game is simply not what football is about, and if pre-season friendlies induce this sort of game then I personally don’t want to know.
So who’s really won after that game? Frankly no-one.
The fans get to see a big team visit their local side, but did they really want to see the mauling their side received? And what does this do for the confidence of that beaten side? Nothing I’d expect.
The next sort of friendly I’ll point you in the direction of a game on Manchester United’s tour of Asia, and their final game against Hangzhou Greentown, which finished 8-2 to United.
I must admit whenever the likes of Liverpool and United organise these sorts of fixtures in Asia I always worry about what the team is getting out of the game, due to the one sided nature of the game and the inferior opposition.
Yes the money involved is clearly an added bonus and training in different conditions is a good way of putting the players through their paces, and I’m all in favour of that.
Maybe there should be two stages of pre-season for sides like this, two weeks of intense physical work abroad, then some matches against British sides who are more hard nosed and lets face it a greater opposition.
What would Sir Alex Ferguson have learnt about his side after their recent departures and how the new signings are fitting in the side? I think even I could look at home in a United side on a tour such as this
It would also give the fans an opportunity to see the side outside of the regular season.
For fans of United for example, it’s almost impossible to see the side outside of Old Trafford, which let’s be honest most fans don’t live anywhere near.
I’m sure fans of Chelsea or Liverpool etc feel the same as even more British sides go abroad for their pre-season tours.
It’s a situation when I envy the teams lower down the football pyramid, who stay in this country and play games with more of an edge than those Premiership sides encounter.
United did attempt this last season when they visited Peterborough United a week before the start of the season, with the two producing a thoroughly competitive match with Premiership Champions putting out their big guns against the Darren Ferguson’s side.
Peterborough themselves were starting the season later that week, and the fixture must have been perfect preparation for the new season, one that ended with promotion to the Championship.
Of course the added extra of the game being a meeting between father and son helped capture the imagination of the supporters and an entertaining evening was enjoyed by all.
However by and large it seems like the attraction of money from Asia and beyond is too much for some clubs to turn down.
It’s the type of friendly that I went to at London Road that we want to see in pre-season, along with the likes of Burton Albion hosting Derby County after Nigel Clough’s move to Pride Park from the Pirelli Stadium.
It’s was a competitive match that both sets of supporters could enjoy with the added edge of Clough’s return, and despite Derby’s victory Burton fans would have enjoyed the acquaintance with their former manager.
When trawling through the pre-season fixture list I came across a game that will certainly capture the imagination of both sets of fans, a match between two former Premiership sides Newcastle United and Leeds United.
Despite the match strangely taking place at St James’ Park tickets are priced at £10 for adults, perfectly reasonable for a game that is sure to be worth watching, given the two sides recent slide.
For a game like this I don’t think many fans will complain about paying £10 for entry, but for some supporters having to pay the same or even more for matches that are set to be as one-sided as the one’s I’ve described isn’t fair.
Bristol City charged £12 for their recent game with Ajax, a game they lost 4-0 and left their fans I’m sure miserable and out of pocket, notwithstanding them seeing a top European side put on a show.
Clubs, especially in the higher echelons of the football league have overpriced supporters in the regular season for years, and in pre-season while prices are lowered they still seem a little high even when the attraction of a top side like Ajax isn’t on offer.
The example I’ll use is QPR, a club who have been attacked for their ticket prices on numerous occasions are charging £20 for there friendly against Southampton next weekend.
Now this is a ridiculous price for a pre-season friendly in my opinion, but when you look at the prices for the normal league season they are identical.
It’s a strange move by the club, who would certainly fill Loftus Road in the close season if they lowered their prices.
My opinion is that clubs should in-fact have most pre-season friendlies free to fans, or at least free to members.
It would get the fans through the turnstiles, create an atmosphere and give the players some motivation to perform for those who have turned up, given that the stadium would be filled to the brim.
If clubs are going to persevere with these inept friendlies with little meaning then they might as well let the fans attempt to enjoy them for free, or at least a minimal price.
With fans shelling out for new shirts etc this would be the perfect way to give back to those loyal supporters who can’t afford to always go to games in the regular season, and maybe it will tempt a new fan to return that same season.
It’s an idea that’s more of a pipe dream than anything else, as clubs are being increasingly stubborn with ticket prices.
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Pre-season is the time for fans to begin to get excited about their clubs fortunes in the coming season, maybe if clubs thought more about the treatment of their own fans, and the needs of their players they might get more out of them than just jet lag and astronomical score-lines that pale into insignificance.
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