Cultured Football #221
Beyond the Money. Owning a Club. Chelsea Were Right. Pundits Know their Stuff. Scandinavian Goalscorers.
Premier League fans in Asia want to feel valued – and not just as a source of revenue
By for The Guardian
What looks like a summer stopover is, for millions, a long-awaited encounter. Premier League clubs touring Asia may still be chasing commercial goals, but local fans are asking for more than spectacle they’re asking to be seen. In an era of digital reach and global fandom, clubs face a simple question with a complex answer: how much do they truly value their supporters abroad beyond the financial benefits they often represent? The answer to that is likely to be an uncomfortable one for many.
What They Don’t Tell You About Owning a Football Club
By and for Gameplayer
Everyone, it seems, wants to follow in the path of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney by owning a football club. They see their seemingly unstoppable rise through the leagues along with the adoration bestowed on them by the fans and would like a taste of that. Yet, it is not as easy. Success is built through culture, connection and care for the people holding the club together. From local staff to lifelong fans, the real edge comes from those who live the club, not just run it. Beneath the hype lies the hidden playbook that separates fleeting projects from lasting legacies.
Noni Madueke's £52m Arsenal transfer shows Chelsea's baffling transfer strategy might actually be working - the Blues will be laughing all the way to the bank
By Krishan Davis for Goal
It looked like chaos, but maybe it was calculation. Chelsea’s transfer policy has long puzzled fans and pundits alike, with expensive flops, long contracts and a revolving door of young signings. Yet somehow, it's starting to make financial and footballing sense.
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How Wrong Are Football Pundits?
By
Pundits’ knowledge – or lack – of football is something that fans love to debate. But what happens when their predictions are put to the test? The findings challenge a few long-held assumptions, settle a couple of old grudges, and deliver some unexpected insights.
How Scandinavia Became the Centre-Forward Capital of Men’s Football
By Ryan Benson for The Analyst
Few could deny that Scandinavia has quietly become Europe’s unlikely hotspot for elite number nines. From Gyökeres through Haaland to Isak, the goals are stacking up and with them, a compelling case that something special is happening in the North. The system is working and now the rest of Europe is starting to notice.
Bonus Read: Nypan to Man City and how clubs navigate post-Brexit market
[Nick Mashiter x BBC]
Sverre Nypan is the latest player to make the move to England from Scandinavia. Although, in this case, his is a move that highlights how English clubs are navigating a new-ish reality.
Every Saturday, Cultured Football brings you five great football articles you will enjoy reading. And you get a free copy of the book Master of the Azzurri when you join.
Cultured Football: The Illustrated Game #002
Newport County's 25–26 away kit pays tribute to the Basque children sheltered in Wales during the Spanish Civil War, honouring nearly a century of friendship with Athletic Club. And it is a belter.
In Case You Missed It Here’s Last Week’s Most Read: What's going on in Indian football?
By John Duerden for How Football Explains Asia
Judging by the cries of anguish I come across on Twitter, India is once again beating England in cricket, a game it continues to excel at. The situation in football could not be more different.