He's the headliner of the World Cup, grabbing the glory and filling the highlight reels. He sells jerseys, he sells tickets, and every kid wants to be him. His picture is on one million posters and 100 million TV sets. He's the top scorer, that fabled figure who is half-myth, half-superman, and 100 percent legend.

Somewhere deep in the bowels of Anfield there is a timer ticking down. That timer shows about 100 days on it now, and tomorrow it will show about 99, and sometime this July the timer will hit zero. At that point, a bell will ring and Liverpool Football Club will have to begin a massive process of undoing the horrendous financial mistakes of the Rafa Benitez era.

Cristiano Ronaldo may not be hailed as the best player in the world, but he has sold a lot of shirts . According to the Portuguese media, the Real Madrid ace has sold more than 1 million football jerseys in his first year with the La Liga team. To be exact, Real Madrid has sold 1.2 million Ronaldo shirts earning over €100 million as a result.

Christian Purslow, the Liverpool managing director, is hopeful that the club can secure £100 million of investment in the "foreseeable future".
However, he admits there are "no guarantees" the club will be able to find the cash necessary for work on a new stadium to resume and fulfil co-owner Tom Hicks's promise of a "big summer" in the transfer market.

So the Deloitte Football Money League has been published for 2009, and for Liverpool fans, it makes for very interesting reading.
The table - which ranks European clubs in terms of revenue generated – shows the Reds have risen a place to seventh for the 2008-09 season, but also highlights the gap that is emerging between the club and the rest of English football's ‘big-four' cartel.

The 'Special One' has been tipped to depart the San Siro at this term's end, with Real Madrid and Manchester City also believed to be pursuing his services.
Despite being interested in a potential job at Anfield, it is claimed that the Nerazzurri boss has no intention of plying his trade under the club's current owners: Tom Hicks and Geroge Gillett.

He has not impressed at all during the World Cup, but that has not discouraged Chelsea from submitting a formal £40million offer to Liverpool for Fernando Torres.

It seems that Torres is Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti's top target and Roman Abramovich is ready to bankroll the deal.

The bid puts new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson in a tough situation.

From Reuters comes news that Real Madrid have completed their new signings for the season, having spent $100 million while adding Khedira, Canales, Pedro Leon, Angel Di Maria and Ricardo Carvalho in addition to the German international who starred at the World Cup.

MADRID (Reuters) Real Madrid have completed their pre-season spending by signing Mesut Ozil and have new coach Jose Mourinho's powers of persuasion to thank for luring the Germany midfielder to the La Liga club.

Never one to bit his tongue and full of opinions when asked, Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has something to say about Manchester United and their bags of money.

Jose Mourinho has accepted Manchester City are "dominant in the market" after outbidding the Spanish giants to sign Serbia full-back Aleksander Kolarov.

In new owner John W Henry, Liverpool obviously haven't gained a free-wheeling oligarch with purse strings looser than the Tea Party's grip on reality, but rather a pragmatist with no express desire to go doubling his £300 million outlay by building extraneous stadiums hither and thither.

Hello

Just a few hours ago, FIFA announced the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Despite our best efforts, the United States was not chosen for this honor.

There's no way around it: I am disappointed. Millions of U.S. soccer fans worked hard to bring the World Cup to our country.

Arsene Wenger has aimed another dig at Chelsea, United and City by stating that he would never buy world superstars while he is in charge at Arsenal, lives within his means and has accused us of financial fair play again!.
He said:

"You look at clubs who lose £100million or £150m, and if we do that we go bust.

Hulk smash, Hulk score

Reports today suggest that two of the Premier League big guns will move for 23-year-old Porto striker Hulk. The Brazilian forward has a rumoured release clause of nearly €100 million but a more realistic sum of £15-20 million would surely tempt Porto to sell.

Liverpool FC, the Premier League soccer club, has confirmed that it will sell the naming rights to its new stadium, work on which is expected to begin by April.
The stadium, which will be built in Stanley Park, close to the club's current home ground Anfield, is seen as a key source of revenue by the club's American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, and the club's commercial director Ian Ayre says Liverpool would be "crazy" not to sell naming rights to the new ground.

According to ESPN, Inter coach Jose Mourinho will put his hand up to succeed Rafael Benitez at Liverpool - but only if the current owners relinquish control of the club.
Benitez's future at Anfield is more uncertain than ever following Wednesday's FA Cup exit at the hands of Championship strugglers Reading.

photo credit: Nelson Cruz

1) Birmingham

A year ago Birmingham was battling clubs simply to have the honor of playing in the top division in football. This season the newboys are playing like a club that deserves to be considered "elite".

photo credit: mudpig

1) Birmingham

Everything could come tumbling down, but for now Birmingham has proven all the critics wrong and have proven that you can compete on the top tier despite not having Scrooge McDuck type of money. Smart investments have been the key for Birmingham and the newboys are not only in the safety zone, but they appear to have a real chance at remaining in the top ten for the remainder of the year.

Liverpool's long-running search for investors to inject £100 million of capital and break the club's financial paralysis must bear fruit before the end of the season if Rafael Benítez is to resist overtures from Juventus, the Spaniard admitted.
The Liverpool manager refused to be drawn on whether the Italian side, who has appointed Alberto Zaccheroni as caretaker until the end of the season, had made a formal offer for his services but revealed he is aware of Juventus's "interest" and stated his "pride" at being linked with a "top club".

A major change in approach by hated Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett has taken place.
The duo are willing to sell 50% of the club to interested parties.
Previously, the Yanks wanted only to sell 25% of the club for £100 million.
However, despite extensive hawking of the club in the Middle East, they have not found an investor willing to invest in Liverpool Football Club on those terms.

Subrata Roy is ready to increase the pace of his bid for Liverpool. A spokesman for Sahara, the Indian tycoon's company, declined to comment on the takeover attempt yesterday, but sources in India confirmed the interest while saying that discussions were at an early stage.
Roy's bid was revealed in these pages yesterday, along with a rival offer from Mukesh Ambani.

According to a Liverpool MP, Liverpool FC managing director Christian Purslow has stated on three separate occasions that he "is there to sell the club, not to run it."
Walton MP Peter Kilfoyle was speaking in an interview with the Liverpool Echo. He covered a wide range of subjects, and was heavily critical of the club's owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, but his claims about Purslow's role are the most intriguing.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is understood to have met representatives of potential investors the Rhone Group.
He has also briefed senior players, including Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres, about a future beyond the current boardroom stalemate.
The New York-based fund management firm wants to invest £100 million – to be put towards the club's £237 million debt – for a stake of around 40 per cent, as well as putting in a further £25million to be spent on transfers.

Liverpool Managing Director Christian Purslow has reportedly held talks with players to alleviate concerns regarding the club's coffers.
The Reds' well documented crisis with respect to their finances, coupled with below par performances on the pitch, has seen them go from title chasers to top-four hopefuls this season.

Yanks Out!Liverpool's hated owners Tom Hicks and George Gillette are in London trying to refinance the £237 million debt they owe to RBS.
The duo allowed the Rhone Group's £110 million offer for a 40% stake in the club to pass the Monday deadline for acceptance.
"There's nothing imminent," said one of them.

BASTARDTom Hicks is at it again. The scumbag is refusing to allow new investment in Liverpool FC because he won't make any money out of it.
Thats right. The man who borrowed money to buy the club and then put that debt on Liverpool's balance sheet is blocking vital investment in the club so he can make a few million for himself.

Now this might be shocking news to many myself included, but Real Madrid have recouped more than the 94 million Euros they spent to bring Cristiano Ronaldo to the Santiago Bernabeu. This is amazing considering they achieved this in only 9 months!

Apparently revenues from the sale of CR9 shirts have grossed over 100 million Euros.

Cristiano Ronaldo may not be hailed as the best player in the world, but he has sold a lot of shirts . According to the Portuguese media, the Real Madrid ace has sold more than 1 million football jerseys in his first year with the La Liga team. To be exact, Real Madrid has sold 1.2 million Ronaldo shirts earning over €100 million as a result.

England's goalkeeping legend Peter Shilton and former Chelsea fullback Graeme Le Saux go head-to-head 200ft. above London to shoot start the biggest single prize in sports betting history $100 million.

This spectacle is being staged by Titanbet.com to mark the UK launch of the 100 million dollar mania.

22.50

The longer this rumbles on the more you think that there actually is less to this than pretty much everyone is making out; have Barcelona approached Arsenal? No. Is that what we are all worried about?

It also seems to be the general consensus that there was a meeting between Cesc Fabregas and Arsene Wenger at Colney yesterday.

Oguchi Onyewu has decided to do something that contradicts everything I thought I knew about professional athletes.

In the days of guaranteed contracts, long holdouts, and trade demands, Oguchi Onyewu has decided to play for one free season for AC Milan.

Yes, you read that last sentence right.

Peter Shilton and Graeme Le Saux go head-to-head 200ft. above London to shoot start the biggest single prize in sports betting history - $100 million.

Philadelphia Daily News - Found 1 hour ago ... sports network is spending an unprecedented $100 million to ensure its name is stamped all over the FIFA World Cup this year in addition to... Video: ESPN's Big Bet on Soccer - MSNBC World Cup: TV stars in the making? - Entertainment Weekly Online World Cup coverage is nearly unavoidable - Los Angeles Times World Cup fever sets in as South Florida is ready to rumble - Miami Herald Explore All

An overwhelming majority of Portsmouth FC's creditors have voted in favour of a deal that will most likely see the south coast club exit administration at some point this summer, and hopefully therefore save them from any further points deductions whilst playing in the Championship next season.

In the last couple of seasons Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have splashed money on players and wages like they had their own euro printing press. But it seems that all that spending has caught up with Barcelona.

In an amazing radio interview today, new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell stunned listeners in a radio interview this morning by revealing the club were seeking a 150 million euros loan to cover 'short-term liquidity' problems.

In the last couple of seasons Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona have splashed money on players and wages like they had their own euro printing press. But it seems that all that spending has caught up with Barcelona.

In an amazing radio interview today, new Barcelona president Sandro Rosell stunned listeners in a radio interview this morning by revealing the club were seeking a 150 million euros loan to cover 'short-term liquidity' problems.

He has not impressed at all during the World Cup, but that has not discouraged Chelsea from submitting a formal £40million offer to Liverpool for Fernando Torres.

It seems that Torres is Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti's top target and Roman Abramovich is ready to bankroll the deal.

The bid puts new Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson in a tough situation.

Amare Stoudemire has never been known as the sharpest tool in the shed, however he authored some quotes recently that make even less sense than usual. The free agent star power forward met with the New York Knicks over the weekend and could end up signing a $100 million deal in the Big Apple. The head-scratching comment was regarding who else Stoudemire could help bring to New York.

ESPN's torrential onslaught of World Cup coverage seems to have been vindicated as 24.3 million Americans tuned in to either ABC or Univision to watch the 2010 World Cup final between Spain and the Netherlands.

According to overnight estimates from the Nielson corporation, 15.5 million viewers tuned into the English broadcast on ABC with an 8.

Over 5,000 people have been arrested in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as part of a World Cup initiative set up to crackdown on illegal betting rings during the tournament.

Nearly $10 million (£6.5 million) was seized during the Asia-wide raids conducted by Interpol [an international policing agency based in Lyon, France], with over 800 illegal gambling dens being systematically identified and spoliated during the month-long campaign.

Over 5,000 people have been arrested in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand as part of a World Cup initiative set up to crackdown on illegal betting rings during the tournament.

Nearly $10 million (£6.5 million) was seized during the Asia-wide raids conducted by Interpol [an international policing agency based in Lyon, France], with over 800 illegal gambling dens being systematically identified and spoliated during the month-long campaign.